Straight Outta Casting Calls and the Usual Break Down Suspects

This is from this post on KCRW's Facebook. 

At times, I find it hard not to engage in what I view to be conversations with strangers on the internet, which they generally tend to view as altercations, arguments, trolling, or inciting a riot. 

In this thread I posted the following:

Thought I got a pretty decent receiving. I don't tend to get 10 likes on much - even on my own page! haha

This is in response to the Sande Alessi Extras Casting matter regarding a casting call put out for the film "Straight Outta Compton". There are multiple articles but this is the one KCRW posted that I responded to.

I am a member of Sande Alessi Extras Casting. I read casting breakdowns ALL THE TIME. I read them on Backstage.com and ActorsAccess. I felt these breakdowns were pretty par for the course. I don't get bent out of shape when a casting call asking for "white, hickish rednecks" or "pasty, strung out people - poor, look like they are drugged out of their minds " are put out there - because I am a mature person who works in entertainment. I understand there will be "types." I understand that there will be "stereotyping" and when casting a film from a specific area during a specific time frame - things might seem a little racist. This also lets the actor know what they will be doing, what the attitude of their part is, the mannerisms, the thoughts and time period - how people reacted then as apposed to how people react now. It's information about your character.

If you look the part, or potentially COULD look the part, and you're an actor trying to get work and make ends meet, then well, why wouldn't you do that? I wonder how this could have been worded that wouldn't have people in an uproar. Some people claimed there was a ranking? I don't see a ranking, I see groups for casting. People are reading into this WAAAAAY more than necessary.

What am I saying - people who do not work in the "looks" industry are going to find something wrong with anything said about race. It's just one more thing to latch onto to demonize the industry. Believe me, folks. It doesn't need anymore help! haha

For the record with the top image - I did not press enter and send that comment to the gentleman that wrote about how 

"It is always people of non color vehemently defending racism. Is this a coincidence? 

I think not." 

Sir, I would not consider myself someone of non-color. I've done my genealogy and my ancestors are from all over the world, nearly every continent. Nor would I consider myself a racists or okay with racism. 

I'm just as sad that we put people into boxes. But I work in an industry where people are put in boxes and then BREAK THEM. That's what I'm about.

On another note regarding Racism:

It was less than an hour prior to this that someone on my Facebook who is someone that identifies as a "person of color" posted a video about how "dumb white women" clutch their bags when a "black man" gets on an elevator with them.  I can't face palm hard enough. I don't care WHAT color or gender you are - #1, I'm gonna make room in the elevator for you; #2 If you look like a tweaked-out, super-sketchy person, I'm probably going to move my bag onto my other shoulder and be wary of you. Just saying. 

Okay. *LoudMouthedGal* OUT!

Really #SCOTUS? WHAT YEAR IS IT??

I really have no words for the #SCOTUS ruling - so what you're telling me is that corporations get to be "people" with rights protected by the constitution, but women who want contraception (who are unfortunately having to work for one of these terrible companies) - a valid medical drug that also helps with general hormone issues and prevents certain CANCERS along with unwanted pregnancy - are more important that medical coverage regarding half of the population? WHAT CENTURY AM I LIVING IN WHERE THIS IS EVEN STILL A QUESTION???????

In the long run it's cheaper for them to provide contraceptives than for the woman to take an unwanted pregnancy to term where the government ends up putting a child through the system, or the mother/family has to use government services to make ends meet and is traumatic for all involved OR has to deliberate themselves as a person and whether or not to have the terrible experience of having an abortion.

I KNOW I KNOW! Next let's say that companies don't have to provide coverage for blood platelets or certain vaccines or drugs with pig or cow products in them because of their religious affiliations!

You're basically saying that these extremely religious people are more validated than other extreme religions. How about we keep religion out of it and make sure people are covered medically for their needs and requirements and let them make the choice whether they wish to use those products or not.

seriously. wow.

kthanx
/RantOver


*::EDIT::*
Because apparently I'm a glutton for reading stupid things on the internet and I get sent these links for "What Liberals Don't Want You To Know About the Ruling" kind of articles:

YES. I'm upset about these further restraints on women's health issues. Is Viagra in question ever? Don't see anyone making a stink of that kind of craziness.

This has more to do with the fact that we are treating these profit making businesses like people and giving them a freedom of religion for their for-profit business based on their religion. 

It's just wrong. 

Like I pointed out: are we going to allow Jewish, Hindu, Jehovah Witnesses, Muslim or ANY OTHER RELIGION based companies the right to not pay for / cover blood platelets, vaccines and medicines that have cow or pig gelatin or properties in them? No companies should have an exercised religious standpoint when it comes to the health of their employees. Male or Female. It is the personal choice of the employee. The Plan B pill, IUDs and others are just as important for a woman to make a choice about for herself. It's the principle and their choice.

Year Twelve

I think we all knew where we were, and I don't think it gets easier every year. 

I'm not really concerned with what the WTC and Pentagon stood for - what I care about are the people who were lost, and the people that rushed to their aid. The people of Flight 93 that took back their plane too late in Pennsylvania.

I went to NYC in December of 2001 and stood at the edge of the rubble - caught dead in my tracks as I marveled at just how small I am - just as I had marveled when I had gone in 1999 and stood beside these mountains of steel and concrete for the first time. 

We are so small when we are alone. When we come together and support each other, we make mountains.

I won't forget.

Reference: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/09/11/article-2036096-0DD1F3EF00000578-805_964x599.jpg

Soon...

There is a new blog coming soon. Promise.

(source: http://dailypicksandflicks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/soon-cat.jpg)

Woo. Another Pope. *cough*

Well gee, color me unsurprised. The new pope, Jorge Mario Bergoglio - now Pope Francis, thinks that gay people still shouldn't be allowed to marry: that it "is an attempt to destroy god's plan". That gay people adopting children is a "form of discrimination against children". And of course: abortion and contraception are on the no-no list.


So much for progression and the ability to help a growing, changing world. It's just baffling! Look! You have this amazing influence and opportunity to CURE and help the growth of compassion and acceptance WORLDWIDE and yet you chose to use it to keep people fighting, separated and lost. Instead of empowering those who don't think it gets better, keep them down, out and persecuted.

When I think of the people in my life, straight, bi, gay, trans and everything in between, I can't help but think how blessed I am to know these folks that care for others, want to make the world a better place, want to care for their families and help others in need. Some gay and unwed parents I know are some of the BEST parents I know. GOOD PEOPLE make good parents. Why would you deny a child the opportunity of a good life, no matter their parents leaning? THAT is cruel and discriminatory, Pope Francis.

I won't even go into the abortion and contraception part of this... I'll just get angry. Women can take the birth control pill, or not. Women can have abortions, or not. Women and men can utilize condoms and other contractive means, or not. There are choices out there - SAFE CHOICES, and no ONE MAN or ONE WOMAN should tell anyone otherwise.

I was really trying not to follow any of this, but it's hard not to with facebook, twitter and news sites. I guess I'm just disappointed that we can't progress as a society. I'm not religious, but I understand the power of religion and it's influence on the world.

I just wish that mouthpieces, like the pope, were used to bring us together instead of alienate us.

/rant

~Loud-Mouthed Gal

(cat meme sources 1, 2, 3)

Unemployment Blues

I've been feeling rather disconnected from society lately, which is why I think I've been watching so many documentaries. I'm trying to get a human connection while I sit at home alone during the day. 

When I first became unemployed and had my severance package, I went shopping - a lot. Not necessarily to buy things, but just to be out and away so I didn't sit home crying. I was careless and spent a lot of evenings out with friends in Los Angeles, living it up and trying to think that nothing was wrong and that things would work themselves out. Gas and drinks adds up over time.

That was a year ago. I started to become more and more shut in as the months went by. I tried exercising at home, you know, because there was TIME now... I found that I hate working out. A lot. Especially alone. I longed for a dance class, but didn't want to spend the money, nor want to have to tell unemployment that I was taking community college courses for modern dance or jazz... pretty sure that wouldn't fly.  Come to think of it... their education continuation specifications are kinda hard to understand. I should look into that again.

Anyway, I don't see my close friends as much (they are in LA or farther away, some as far as Canada). I don't go shopping except for groceries for my boyfriend and me, and those are modest at best. I stopped buying things on the internet - that's dangerous. I put on weight, even though I don't eat too much... pretty sure it's the sitting on my ass everyday. I became a vegetarian (too many food documentaries). I don't read as much as I used to or want to and I think it has a lot to do with the silence that comes with it. I don't like listening to music when I read, and in a home alone, silence can get to be a bit much. 

I used to go to Starbucks once a week to do my job search to keep myself focused and have a fancy coffee... but that would become 2 coffees and maybe a rice crispy treat... it had to stop.

When I was a teenager, when I put my mind to something, I did it. And was successful. Now when I put my mind to something, all I see is imminent failure - and that is a behavioral matter that I know I need to work on. We are capable of what we allow ourselves, and when we close our own doors and windows, failure is stuck in the room with us. Air it out.

There have been little things that have helped me along and bring me out of the darkness once in a while. Friends that visit; being invited out for coffee; maybe the boyfriend takes me out to a nice dinner once in a while. He and I joined a co-ed community soccer league, which has been good at getting us outside during the day, but thats once a week and I really should be out walking everyday at least. It might be time to bust out my bike again.

Anyway, I don't know where I was going with all this... OH YES. Education. I got a call last week from a friend in San Fran and she was excited to tell me about these online college courses that she was doing. My first reaction was, I can't enroll in anything that isn't a certificate based program for job betterment (to my understanding). But this - this was Coursera.org .  It's an online learning tool that utilizes professors from all over the world for online college level courses on more subjects than I expected. Anyway, I can't recommend it enough. I'm still in my first class, and even though I started a week late, I was able to catch up and only missed one quiz. 

It was good to get my mind going again, to problem solve. I'm getting towards the end of my unemployment benefits and know that if I don't find something in my chosen field here soon, I'm going to be applying at Costco or something and that makes my head spin. But, maybe it's supposed to be this long. Maybe I'm supposed to persevere. I know I haven't been unemployed as long as others. I keep reading that the unemployment rate in California is going down, but all I read are more companies doing lay offs. Just 5 days ago, Google's Motorola program just let go 10% of their staff or 1,200 jobs, which was originally 20,000 employees when they acquired Motorola (though that was in Illinois).

Sometimes it all looks like hopeless darkness. We'll see. I keep pluggin' away, sending out resumes and cover letters. Something has to give, right? 

Right?


~Loud-Mouthed Gal

What is International Women's Day?

I feel like I am late to the game here on feminism, since I had no idea of the origins of International Women's Day. A lovely friend of mine that studied out in Italy sent me a little note telling me to read into it in regards to Italy.

This celebration comes from the suffrage movement of the Union of Italian Women during WWII who had obtained the right to vote but could not exercise it. This also co-insided with the recognition of women abroad, who were struggling, like the women's garment workers union in NewYork City (which is the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union) and the Russian women's movement "bread and peace" which all roughly land around March 8, 1946.

In Italy, Yellow Mimosa flowers were given to other women as they were abundant and bloomed early, towards the end of January usually.  So here it mine to you <3

Also, it is with this kind of feminine huzzah, that it be only right to tip your hat to Rosie the Riveter. Like most women, (though not all), the iconic image by J. Howard Miller, is ingrained into our subconscious as the strong, go-getter, independent woman of the WWII era that we strive to be today. I personally favor the Norman Rockwell print of Rosie, seen below (source).

Ladies, we might be at the top of our game when it comes to centuries of being property (though not everywhere) and the damsel in distress (in all mediums, not just life), the struggle continues for women's rights today, even just basic human rights.

Happy International Women's Day, everyone.

Never Stop Fighting for Equality for All People.
http://now.org/
http://www.amnesty.org/en/womens-rights
http://www.equalitynow.org/protocol
http://womensrightsworldwide.org/organizations.html

~Loud-Mouthed Gal