Now - I've Joined a Cult
On the set of the big TV show again today. This time we were playing the part of Hare' Krishnas. I will admit that I was a little uncomfortable, but it's acting, right. Well, my first big moral dilemma raised it's beautiful shiny head today. I was actually the patient that all my toga wearing pals were at this hospital to visit. I am not sure what my injury was, my motivation, but it worked as a gag with the star of the show who was supposed to have shaved his head in the last episode. What is acting?
OK. There were actual lines. Still the pay of a non-speaking extra. We were all supposed to chant. That cam as news to me. The chant was actually a real praise to their deity guy. My philosophy is this. There are some things you can act and there are some things you can DO. Praising Krishna is one of those things that you can't act. You do it or you don't do it. It's just like the subject of profanity. You can't act it. You Do it. To act like you were saying "F" words, you would have to say something that looked like it but was not quite "IT". Do you think that a movie must have curse words in it to be realistic? Using that logic you would have to use real bullets in guns to make a gun fight realistic. Then you could go into the list of things that you would have to do.
So what should I do. I chose not to make an ordeal about it. I created my own gibberish chant and I waited to see if anyone caught it. I also prayed a prayer of protection from any negative spiritual influences that the rest of the actor's could have brought about. We must realize the importance of not opening ourselves to oppression. I was told that they believe just repeating the words brings more consciousness to the world. I remember performing a play in 6th grade about Elijah. The whole class had to sing a song of worship to Baal in order to portray the prayers for fire to come down on the altar. Hooey! My mom was a bit upset. And she was right. There should never be a cause for 40 grade school kids to sing, "Baal, we worship you".
If only I would have applied the gibberish factor back then. But I wasn't a paid actor back then. I wasn't able to negotiate a good contract.
So there you have it: The very first. My voice and my face on TV... and my head, of course.
OK. There were actual lines. Still the pay of a non-speaking extra. We were all supposed to chant. That cam as news to me. The chant was actually a real praise to their deity guy. My philosophy is this. There are some things you can act and there are some things you can DO. Praising Krishna is one of those things that you can't act. You do it or you don't do it. It's just like the subject of profanity. You can't act it. You Do it. To act like you were saying "F" words, you would have to say something that looked like it but was not quite "IT". Do you think that a movie must have curse words in it to be realistic? Using that logic you would have to use real bullets in guns to make a gun fight realistic. Then you could go into the list of things that you would have to do.
So what should I do. I chose not to make an ordeal about it. I created my own gibberish chant and I waited to see if anyone caught it. I also prayed a prayer of protection from any negative spiritual influences that the rest of the actor's could have brought about. We must realize the importance of not opening ourselves to oppression. I was told that they believe just repeating the words brings more consciousness to the world. I remember performing a play in 6th grade about Elijah. The whole class had to sing a song of worship to Baal in order to portray the prayers for fire to come down on the altar. Hooey! My mom was a bit upset. And she was right. There should never be a cause for 40 grade school kids to sing, "Baal, we worship you".
If only I would have applied the gibberish factor back then. But I wasn't a paid actor back then. I wasn't able to negotiate a good contract.
So there you have it: The very first. My voice and my face on TV... and my head, of course.
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