Share

Thursday, September 04, 2008

My Getting Paid Saga

A few people have asked so allow me to fill you in on my efforts to get paid by Last Comic Standing.
Just to recap, NBC claimed some Bullshit about not having to pay us because we were not "professional" comics. Turns out we are. Then it was some nonsense about not being a member of AFTRA/SAG. Thats where the story got weird cause I was made to join AFTRA or I could not have done Live at Gotham on Comedy Central last year. They had all the comics lined up in the basement of Gotham filling out paper work and signing our checks over to AFTRA. Turns out this wasn't a AFTRA Representative at all who I trusted with my paper work. It was a Comedy Central rep whose job it was to bring everything to AFTRA. Apparently it didn't work because a check was still floating around out there for me and AFTRA had me down in their, needs to pay for the next job or else, list. So that answered that. After several phone calls with AFTRA reps in San Francisco, they told me they have the check, will mail me half and then I can pay the rest of the initiation fees over time. Meanwhile I had been calling and e-mailing the producers of Last Comic Standing in an effort to get paid. I finally sent an e-mail explaining that my next step was to get the media involved or even a lawyer. After all, I wasn't the only one having a hard time getting money from these guys. A week latter a FedEx letter showed up with the paper work I needed to fill out to finally get paid. I filled it out and send it back. So here is whats happening now. I am waiting for a check from AFTRA. I am not sure of what the amount will be because frankly I don't trust anyone in this process any more. I don't even get the check. Standard operating procedure is to have the check sent directly to AFTRA first. They take their cut and then mail me mine. Will see.
Some where floating around out there is a nice little sum. Now will see if any of it shows up after jumping through flaming hoops of bullshit just to find out that I owe money to AFTRA for something I did more than a year ago and I might not get any of the money from Last Comic Standing because it has to pay for the initiation fee I thought had already been taken care of with the check I never saw and no one bothered to tell me was outstanding.
Showbiz. You gotta love it cause doing it for the money will kill you.

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

God must hate the Republicans right now. The opening day of their convention and a Hurricane slams into Louisiana just in time for everyone to remember Katrina drowning New Orleans.
The Governors from three states canceled their speeches and George Bush pulled out to.
Then comes the announcement that the Republicans have chosen a virtually unknown Alaskan Governor to be McCain’s running mate. In a blatant attempt to grab all those alienated female voters who wanted Clinton, they pick a woman. A woman who happens to have a pregnant 17-year-old daughter. No one has said this inconvenient truth should be exploited for political gain. This is only a big deal for the same reason John Edwards lying about an affair is a big deal. These people set themselves up as more than politicians. They proclaimed family values and high morals as something they live by. Then something embarrassing happens like your 17-year-old daughter gets knocked up just in time to become a poster child for real sex education in the schools. Not the abstinence only program her mother has voted for over and over again. You look like a hypocrite or at the very least ignorant. But none of these are reason to not vote for McCain. Consider this. John McCain is a 72-year-old man who has had several bouts with skin cancer in the last few years. You have to think there is a 50% chance he will die in office and his VP will then become President. Haven’t we seen what being against abortion, for guns and tax cuts for the wealthy can get us? Could we even survive another four years of that philosophy?

She doesn’t think global warming is man made.

She thinks creationism should be taught in public schools right next to evolution.

She has called the invasion and occupation of Iraq as being part of “God’s plan.”

She has far less experience in public office than Obama. There goes that argument for the GOP against him at least.

Do we really want another Dick Cheney for Vice President?