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Post by Teebee on May 15, 2007 20:10:03 GMT
;D Aha, methinks you're out numbered NN ;D ;D
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Post by PokerKitten on May 15, 2007 20:44:57 GMT
Bringing them over for my own benefit if no-one else's.
Describe a perfect peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Whole wheat bread with the crust on, fresh bread a must, and chunky peanut butter. Add salt to taste, cut diagonally, or in the shape of a smiley face.
You have mentioned times when you felt you did not fit in and times when you felt you belonged to something bigger, connecting with others. Is one feeling necessarily better than the other? Are such moments especially something which artists tend to experience? Being connected with others is an essential part of a happy life. It’s ironic that artists are charged with reminding society about the importance of connecting with each other, when we artists so often have a problem connecting with others. Maybe if we could do it better we wouldn’t have to sing about it so much.
What role/performance are you least happy with and why? What did you learn from that experience? Playing Toby Belch in Twelfth Night my sophomore year at Juilliard, sweating in a fat suit in an airless room. I learned that you have to find the character in yourself. I can’t get it in a fat suit. I myself don’t get that many inspirations from externals - I don’t start with the way the character walks.
What are three things that you absolutely cannot leave the house without? I forget almost everything when I leave the house and have learned the hard way to do without the things most people consider essential.
Are you big on traditions and celebrations when it comes to Christmas, birthdays, New Year's and such? I love Christmas. I love the idea of feasting in the face of winter. I love Easter and the celebration of nature and life. I love Halloween and its embrace of death. Yeah, I think all holidays are important and a bit deeper than we realize.
If you end up doing multiple takes of a scene, do they come out pretty much the same each time, or do they come out quite different? Do they come out much different if you break for lunch, and come back in a somewhat different mood? My takes come out very similar with subtle differences of shading, but I think I would be better served to be a little braver and switch it up. I keep reading that all my favorite actors do; DeNiro, Ian McKellen, etc.
I know that you are an astute citizen with strong opinions about our government. If you were given the power to create or change any one existing law, what would it be? I would create a system of federally funded general elections. I would do away completely with campaign contributions from any other source.
Next session: June 15
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Post by PokerKitten on May 15, 2007 20:47:57 GMT
No no no to adding salt to peanut butter! As if it wasn't bad enough for you!
Liking the holidays answer. They are pagan festivals and that should be acknowledged. And agree on election funding; there have been talks about changing the system here but don't know if they'll ever get anywhere.
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Post by Ditto on May 16, 2007 12:38:14 GMT
I thought peanut butter was good for you? What to put it on...not allowed toast!
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Post by nightnurse on May 16, 2007 19:52:59 GMT
It's not that I don't like peanut butter ...I love a bit of chunky now and again ...but with jam .... Ditto, have you tried putting some peanut butter on a stick of celery, it's nicer than it sounds ...no really !
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Post by PokerKitten on Jun 15, 2007 13:39:56 GMT
June's Q&As are upA very talented person told me he felt that knowing peace would inhibit his art. Being in the arts myself, I tend to seek it. In your opinion, what influence and effect does either “feeling pain” or "knowing peace" in one’s life have on an individual's creativity? Pain can be a great motivator for creativity but if you use it too much it tends to shunt you down the same alleyway every time. A great example of this would be David Caruso; he can seem powerful but it’s always the same. It's much better to use all of the emotions, including love, because it’s that that we’re giving.
Song or album that an "ex" ruined? A girlfriend named Liz almost ruined the entire Bob Dylan canon. So far, I have rescued Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, Blood on the Tracks and Blonde on Blonde. I’m still working on the rest. I may never listen to the Smiths again, and that’s a shame.
Are there any tricks to help you memorize vast volumes as you did in your recent Macbeth in "Words and Music"? The language of Shakespeare's time is beautiful and full of meaning, but is not the easiest to memorize. Actually, Shakespeare is the easiest to memorize. Once you understand all of the vocabulary, which admittedly might take a few years, you find that your lines couldn’t be said in any other way. If you say even one word wrong it sticks in your ear like a sweaty fly. It’s immediately less interesting, so you always know if you are saying your lines correctly or not. In general, the secret for line memorization is work - hours and hours after everyone is in bed.
What can you tell us about your Lex Luthor voicework for the “Superman Doomsday” DVD project? I felt like I was just terrible. We didn’t take long to record most of my work and they were so nice to me. I was sure that they had decided to use someone else and were too polite to kick me out of the room. But I went back for some re-recording and they convinced me that they thought I did a very, very good job. Maybe I need to examine that.
In Buffy Season 6, when Spike endures the trials to win his soul back, he says the line "here we are now, entertain us" which is a line from "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana. You've said you are a Nirvana/Kurt fan - was that written in the script or was that your idea? That was most likely written for me by the writing staff because they knew I love Nirvana. And besides, you can’t reference the Sex Pistols every time. Spike knows a lot about music. The scenic department guy always had really cool albums laying around his home; Pixies, Arcade Fire, stuff like that.
Do you do your own housework? If so, what is your least favorite chore? I will be honest. My niece’s nanny helps me with the housework. I keep my own room neat. I cook my own dinner and do the dishes, but to tell you the truth, I kind of enjoy housework. The last time I had a whole house to take care of was in Seattle.
Favorites: Feature of a woman: You can’t chop a woman up like that. The eyes go with the nose and they both go with the lips. It all fits together in a way. It’s the overall spell, not the ingredients. Meryl Streep movies: Wow. It’s a tie between Sophie’s Choice and The Manchurian Candidate.
Either/Or: Dogs or cats: Hmm, hmm, uh - both. Why do we have to chose? Console - PS2, Gamecube, X-box or other: PS3, baby, I'm a junkie. Bath or shower: Bath Rain or snow: Rain. Living in Seattle, you start to love the rain. I miss it a lot; it’s like a benediction from the sky.
Next session: July 17
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Post by Teebee on Jul 17, 2007 18:02:49 GMT
July Q&A
What gadget should someone invent that would make your life easier? A better solar panel because we currently only get about 23% efficiency out of our solar panels.
Did you have a particular childhood pet that you might tell us about? Ummmm, I was adopted by a stray cat who wound himself around my leg and shivered and wouldn’t let go. I named him Shivers and had him for ten years. He was the greatest cat - he let you pick him up any way you wanted to. I think I was 7 when I found him.
What is the hardest thing about guitar playing for you? Being comfortable with the fact that the guitar is a very sloppy instrument. Guitar, by its nature, never hits the right note ever. If you go for a G, you're gonna get a G sharp or a G flat, period. No way are you gonna get a clean note on a guitar because there's the bending of the strings and there's so many variables. On a keyboard, you hit an E and you're gonna get an E. A friend of mine told me that perfection in music is not pleasurable and the proof of this is those irritating Christmas ornaments playing Christmas songs (imitates tinny melody) It's soooo bad, but it's perfect. It is in imperfection that the artist shines, where the expression comes in. So, the artist is always sort of sharp or flat and that's what's always so frustrating about the guitar but also exciting - it never will be perfect.
Do you sing in the shower, and if so, with what song and/or artist does your soap usually get serenaded? No, I don't sing in the shower actually. I think that's possibly because I have an outlet that's more nutritional than the shower. When you are privileged enough to be able to sing your deepest feelings in front of an audience and have them clap, the shower is a very small place after that.
I often hear people saying they want 'world peace'. Do you think the human race could ever achieve peace? Or do you feel that as a race we were genetically constructed to struggle and fight our way to the proverbial top? Good question. I wrestle with this at night all the time. I feel like somewhere along the line mother earth decided to create carnivores. What that meant for my species is If we didn't have a HUGE fear impulse, we'd be eaten. The problem is that we have the fear but we also have the ability to destroy everything to try to keep ourselves from feeling fear. Sometimes I wonder if there's a planet somewhere out in the universe where everyone was a vegetarian - is that the only civilization that has the hope of getting over its destructive phase? In my cynical moments, I think self destruction is inevitable because of fear. In my good moments, I think that humans are blessed with an intellect that can understand the limitations of fear and can block the fear and decide to act more intelligently. It's just that when I examine history, I find more examples of fear running the day than logic. At the same time, I feel like we are at a crossroads as a race, where we are going to have to decide whether we are going to destroy ourselves or accept each other and that it is quite possible that humans can make the leap away from fear. I guess I'm kind of in-between those two philosophies, hopelessness and some measure of hope.
What were you scared of as a child? Fitting in and getting beaten up.
What is the more discouraging response in theater, unintentional laughter at a serious moment, or no laughter at a funny moment? They're both hell on earth because as an artist, you're leading your audience through an experience that is supposed to have a definite conclusion at the end. It is manipulation; and if they're not responding the way you want them to it means that you have not calculated your manipulation correctly and they will not come to the conclusion that you believe is the truth at the end of the experience. So when you hear the audience laugh when you don't want them to, or if they aren't laughing when you want them to, it means that you're wasting your time and theirs - and that's horrifying.
Favorites:
Batman Villain: I'll have to go with the pat answer and say The Joker because he's the smartest of Batman's nemeses. He exposes Batman's weakness most effectively, which is Batman has no super powers - he's a collection of gadgets, and it's easy to make him bleed. The Joker is smarter than Batman I think. Batman's incredibly intelligent, probably a genius, but I think The Joker is even a step above him. It's only through faith and not giving up that Batman can win over The Joker. But I've always been a Batman guy - I like a hero who bleeds.
Song to cover: Any song that I think is worthy of my covering would be diminished by my presence. If I had to pick people I'd like to cover, but of course I never will: Nirvana, Dylan, the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Robert Johnson. But you do NOT improve upon Robert Johnson, Beatles, the Stones. They did it as well as you can and if you want to eclipse them in any way, you have to write about yourself completely naked. It's fun to play covers because usually you're playing music from a better songwriter than you are and the audience responds so well - they're such good songs. But you can't fool yourself. You're only approximating the original experience when the audience heard the real guy singing.
Next session: August 15
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Post by Teebee on Aug 2, 2007 11:26:47 GMT
HOW ABOUT A COUPLE OF EXTRA QUESTIONS THIS MONTH -
What's the secret to starting an interesting conversation with a complete stranger? Connect with them as a human being. We're all the same. Whether we're black, white, rich or poor, Christian or Muslim, man or woman, 95% of our impulses, fears, hopes and dreams are the same. We all want love - we all fear isolation. We all want better for our children than we had. Everyone. I watched something on the History channel about this. Apparently, there are ten dreams that comprise 90% of everyone's dream-life and what that means is that on a VERY deep level, on the deepest of levels, we're the same. So, when you meet somebody that's a stranger, who seems different from you, just realize that they're not different from you. You can connect with that person based on the deepest of truths about yourself. Just because you grew up with a popsicle in your mouth and they grew up in the desert trying to find water - well, talk about music, talk about your hopes for your children, talk about loving some girl who doesn't love you; and you'll find that they're just like you.
Favorite Saturday Night Live cast member? John Belushi, John Belushi, John Belushi, John Belushi. Uh, Dan Ackroyd, Gilda Radner, anybody in the original cast who was exposing society for the idiot dance that we're really in. We have never been that close to brilliance again. Dana Carvey for a while, Will Ferrell - they had some edgy stuff, but it was a pale imitation of the originals. They were ripping into society. They were like Moliére in that they knew how far to push it, when to back off, and when to completely be stupid and not back off and rip a new hole in society. God bless them.
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Post by PokerKitten on Aug 2, 2007 12:58:05 GMT
I don't know what James would do without the History and Discovery Channels ;D
Um, that doesn't work for me.
I wouldn't start up a convo with a complete stranger about loving some boy who doesn't love me, and if someone did that to me I'd run for the hills ;D. Maybe after a few hours of chat, some cigs and a nice cappuccino...
I'll stick to the music thing ;D
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Post by Ditto on Aug 2, 2007 13:23:10 GMT
It sortov does PK, not your actual children, but you're a bleedin' heart liberal and I take it want better for all children?
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Post by PokerKitten on Aug 2, 2007 13:46:29 GMT
Only in terms of wanting better for the planet as a whole.
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Post by Teebee on Aug 15, 2007 12:59:25 GMT
August Q&A ;D
James Answers Your Questions
Is there a particular George F. Walker character that you would like to play? I’d like to play the bum character in Criminals in Love. He is so bitter and so wise and so loving. A great combination that I’ve never seen written so strongly.
How much of your time, when not filming, do you spend thinking of your characters? Do you spend time creating back-stories, etc? Yes, I spend time but it’s not an intellectual process. It’s just time going over the script and losing myself in the fantasy of the story. Things bubble up without my bidding, ideas occur to me but it’s not an intellectual process.
Do you agree that all is fair in love and war? No, nothing's fair in love and nothing is fair in war. That’s why you should avoid wars at all times and avoid love until you are absolutely ready.
What's the best decision you ever made? To become a father. That sounds like something that a parent has to say, but it’s really true. I don’t feel like I was really myself before I was a father.
Other than the Macbeth project, do you have any personal ambitions that you haven't fulfilled yet? Run for political office. I think that I’m good at talking people into my agenda. I think I have some good ideas about saving our country and I really don’t mind fighting dirty. I’d make a great President, but I would be impeached so fast. I would be too passionate and too honest and too naive. I would be the worst of Howard Dean and John McCain rolled into one.
What are your thoughts on country music? Country music has a beautiful tradition but has recently lost its way in a commercial bog. It sounds more these days like pop music. I prefer the older stuff before anyone was making any real money; Waylon Jennings, Loretta Lynn, Hank Williams, Willie Nelson - stuff like that.
Either/Or
Leno or Letterman? Letterman, my God. Leno seeks to offend no one and so he bores everyone. Letterman is angry at everyone and he entertains me.
Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate - it's directly connected to sex.
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Post by PokerKitten on Aug 15, 2007 13:07:43 GMT
*snorfle* It'd be a wild ride, wouldn't it?! ;D
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Post by Teebee on Aug 15, 2007 13:12:35 GMT
*snorfle* It'd be a wild ride, wouldn't it?! ;D lol, it would that, I actually had to read it twice to make sure I wasn't seeing things All that came to mind here was ...... NN she's so going to me for that
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Post by DeeDee on Aug 15, 2007 16:16:53 GMT
Ohh Yeah Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate - it's directly connected to [glow=red,2,300]James[/glow]sex.
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Post by nightnurse on Aug 15, 2007 16:49:12 GMT
You know I only folk cos they enjoy it ;D He's not wrong LOL Good grief ! President ? He'd have to wear a suit every day ...hmmm
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Post by Pluto7077 on Aug 15, 2007 18:22:22 GMT
I'd happily have chocolate, vanilla and James
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Post by Teebee on Aug 15, 2007 21:13:12 GMT
Ssssh, dont go telling everyone Is that because you cant make up your mind Pluto, or just because you're greedy lol
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Post by DeeDee on Aug 15, 2007 21:16:04 GMT
a chocolate suit even better NN ;D ;D
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Post by Teebee on Aug 15, 2007 21:19:05 GMT
a chocolate suit even better NN ;D ;D Now DeeDee what on earth would you do with him in a chocolate suit lol
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