City of Angels
Los Angeles, CA. The City of Angels... Glitz, glamour, movie stars, and a big plush field of green grass filled with giant lollipops, where it never rains and supermodels let you snort coke off their asses.
What a bunch of bullshit.
Having lived here for two and a half years, I can tell you there is no joy in Lollipop Land. Hollywood, The Government, Mom and Dad and The American Dream have all been selling the big lie. And we (and by 'we' I mean 'me') have bought it.
What you see in the movie theater and on MTV is the lure of all that is good (evil?) about the place: Money, fame, chicks, pretty boys, the red carpet, place names spelled out in big letters on a hillside.
The City I live in
Good People
Oh sure, they exist at private parties that happen every night at certain bars and in Hollywood Hills homes, but on the real streets of Hollywood, all you will find are the good people that I like to call The Dreamers.
The Dreamers consist of (but are not limited to)...
Actresses: Women who in two years or less will be strippers, porn stars, or living back home.
Actors: Men who wait on tables, bang girls in their acting class (see actresses, above), and complain about all the work they almost got.
Comedians: Men and women who have never done a paid gig in their life, yet can tell you everything that is good and bad about comics on the telly.
Writers: People that live in the coffee shop attached to their notebooks or laptops and haven't sold anything in five years (if ever).
Film Producers: People who got money from their parents or made a killing on dot-coms, and spend three to five years having meetings with people for a movie that will never see the first day of production.
Musicians/Singers/Songwriters: People who spend more money on making flyers for their next gig at some shit bar than they do on food.
Actually
The only people that actually do anything in this town are the prostitutes and drug dealers. Of which there are plenty. Those fine people provide the goods and services that keep the above list of poor fools happy long enough to think they actually have a chance at The Big Time.
Yes, there is endless opportunity in that there are more commercials, TV shows and movies being made every day. However for every slot on the production roster there are at least 50 people that wanted that job and would have taken it for less money. Those poor bastards wake up broke, hung-over, next to someone whos name they don't know and wonder when their big ship is going to come in.
OK, by now you're saying 'Gee Matt. Aren't you one of those dreamers?' And I say 'NO!'
It is a Crack Pipe
Because it dawned on me recently that there is no fucking Lollipop Land. I will no longer chase that dream like it is a crack pipe. I love entertaining, so its the business I've chosen to be in. Do I want to be successful? Of course I do. I just ain't chasin' it like it's The Lost Ark.
I live here because the sun shines every day and I have a better chance of making a lasting income in this town than anywhere else. I am not waiting for that big boat with all the money in it to show up, but I'll continue to pursue what I love doing because I love doing it. Period.
And the good news is while I am here I have a lot of coffee shop sitting, acting class complaining, next gig flyer makin', dream chasing friends to hang out with.
