236

April 30, 2006

Somehow, this is not fake.

http://host.exemplum.com/hasbro/supersoaker/videos/oozinator/oozinatorVid.htm

I made this friends only because I don’t like the idea of my parents watching a video where children get soaked in cum from a Hasbro toy.

235

April 24, 2006

Wow, did episode 2 of xxxHolic get ugly. I won’t be watching that show anymore.

The Jim and Heather Show

April 22, 2006

Alright, everyone.

One last time in Los Angeles, before Jim and I take the show to New York.

We weren’t planning on doing the show this Sunday; it was going to be some improv or something.

But we’ve written a couple new pieces and are doing the New York version of the show TOMORROW, SUNDAY the 23RD at 8:30PM.

I.O. West.
6366 Hollywood Blvd.
8:30, FREE.

Please tell me you’re coming, and you get in without a problem. Toodle-Pip, hope to see you there.

Weekend in San Fran

April 16, 2006

This Thursday, I drove up to No. Cal. with Rachel, for a one-day vacation in the city of San Francisco.

I actually took that picture to show to Insert Credit; it was the hallway to one of the scariest arcades I’d ever seen. When I exposed the picture, though, it took on a really iconic look. I like the hallway for itself.

This has been manipulated.

I’m very fond of this new imaging technique called, “High Dynamic Range Imaging.” I haven’t used it here, but I intend to start taking multiple exposures and compiling them in Photoshop. I love the effect.

Also, I found the obvious inspiration for the Boom Chicago, “Bite the Bullet” stage. It’s a slut show in California.

Ultimate Improv

April 9, 2006

I’m not going to pretend there hasn’t been some Boom — Ultimate tension this week. JD’s letter, Dan’s response — honestly, I don’t have an allegience in this feud; I believe both theaters and their respective directors have their strengths and weaknesses. I did some phenomenal shows at Boom. And I never stopped loving Ultimate while I was there. I vouched for every performer from that little Westwood space who dared audition for the prestigious Amsterdam revue, and I would continue to do so. I am proud of both companies, but I also have reservations with both theaters. That tension, however, is the spark that sometimes allows the fire of creativity to burn.

That may not be the popular opinion these days. Many of the people who I respected at Ultimate no longer stand behind the theater. I’ve heard Matt say, “Ultimate changed when you left,” and I know that Mike O.T. hasn’t been at Ultimate for a very long time. Dan’s letter speaks for itself, and Lauren didn’t perform with the company for quite a while before she went off to Holland. Ultimate has seen better days, and greater loyalty.

Tonight, Ultimate returned.

The theater I remembered, and believed in, was alive and kicking at the ten o’clock show. It crawled out of a dusty slumber, and screamed, “This is why Boom casts from us!” It’s not just the talent that U.I. magically attracts; it’s the atmosphere of fearlessness that the theater engenders. After an incredible, daring workshop, we took a risk and performed Improvisation without boundaries or borders. We questioned every convention of the UI show format, and the way we tell stories. The show was alive and rich; it was the beginning of an Ultimate-style Pinata Full of Bees. I write this without irony, and without exaggeration. I wish that the Ultimate I used to know — Matt, Dan, Will, Simon, Lauren, Scott, Ryan Murphy, Mike O.T. — I wished we could have all shared in what happened this evening. I wish we could have all been there for that show, and been a part of it. As it is, if you’re reading this, know that there is a soul left in the tiny space on Gayley avenue. Sometimes it hides for a while, or seems to be snuffed out entirely, but I assure you: if you look for it, it remains.

I want to say, “Thank you,” to everyone who was a part of workshop today. And thank you to my fellow performers this evening. I’m proud of that theater, and I’m proud of us.

Advent Children.

April 4, 2006

Tonight I spoke with Tetsuya Nomura.

More later.

Stressed Out Weekend.

April 3, 2006

On Sunday night, Jim Woods and I performed The Jim and Heather Show again, to a small crowd of friends. Strangely, I felt like much of the darker material was ill-accepted at the beginning of the show — moments that had previously garnered laughs were now met with sickened, Oh’s. We have one more show next weekend, again at 8:30, and then we start work-shopping new material with Bobby Mort (of Morning in Compton fame).

In more exciting news, Jim and I are going to be doing our show for one night in New York City, Monday, May 08th, at the UCB theater.

I’ve never been to New York before; I always wanted to wait until I had a reason to go — as opposed to just blasting through on vacation. Now I’ve got that reason. We’re double billed with Brendan Hunt’s 5 Years in Amsterdam, in sort of a would-be SNL showcase. This means that May 08 is the most likely date for SNL people to come see the show, but there aren’t any guarantees. Honestly, I’m simply excited to be going to NYC. And then I’ll hop back to LA for E3, the video-game entertainment expo. It’ll be a great first two weeks in May … but I can imagine I’ll be very, very broke in June as a result. I need a better job.

The Jim and Heather Show Returns!

April 1, 2006

For those within earshot:

Please!
Come to The Jim and Heather Show
Sunday Night, April 2nd, 8:30PM
Improv Olympic (6366 Hollywood Blvd)

Tell me beforehand and you get in free. Otherwise, it’s 10 bucks.
One Night of Dark Comedy. Kidnapping, Suicide, Dead Babies.