Y M C A Interview

You know what happens when you get to thinking, "I think it would be cool to . . ." I thought it would be really cool to watch for a short time or an extended amount of time to watch a crew film something and to watch or participate in a real interview process for filming media. It's not that I want me or any member of my family to be a movie star--I don't think I would like fame. Admittedly the idea of fortune is . . . [you can now imagine a grand rendition of "If I were a Rich Man"] . . . nice.

I thought for sure I would get my opportunity to do both since S was asked to audition and then to participate in a filming of a YMCA Family commercial-ish thing. Call me corny, but the idea of taking care of my kid and watching this at the same time was somehow appealing. So we did it.

Did we get a whopper pay check in the mail? Well, if you consider the $50 travel stipend a whopper pay check--sure. I think that would be a Jim Dandy hunk of cash for a 4-year-old.

After outfit inspection from the head honchos and the sub-head honchos we waited for a brief period playing the regular keep-your-child-quiet-they-are-filming-downstairs-games. A hushed version of "I Spy" and the hand game "Here is the Church, Steeple, People" as well as a grand drawing that looked like a pop-version of the torch the Statue of Liberty holds (from S). They called us downstairs for S's interview. We sat in the room in which we normally research for them (for a story and $25 travel stipend).
Then after they called "CUT" and it seemed like the entire building let out a breath it was holding the aptly named outfitting person came to S and found some odd paper towel or napkin with which to wipe her face (oops-I forgot). Then they told me to wait in the room 20 feet from the filming place and I waited. Sometimes my non-timid side slaps me in the face with, "Hello, this is your conscience speaking--don't you want to ask if you can watch it be filmed? Wasn't that the idea all along?" Drat! Please excuse my strong language.

S saw the snack table for the people working there and immediately gravitated to it after her hard work (a 3-minute-interview) was complete. She immediately inquired if it was for her and then if she could have some. She began to reach in to take a complete bowl of grapes. I stopped her, grabbed a napkin and attempted to get the ones she had touched. Knowing they were striving to squeeze 20 kids into a two-hour-filming chunk of time we promptly thanked all of them we could and left the building.

Oops, I forgot to mention that as we were leaving the first room the guidance counselor through this, Melanie Pal, also known as some sort of producer (and really nice) told me that S is very polite--(secret high five to myself).

We then walked over and saw Santa at the South Street Seaport Mall. Santa gave the great Santa speech and then some to S. Then as we were walking away S turned around ran back to him and gave him a big hug. Silly camera wouldn't start up again in time. After that we watched a choir called the Big Apple Chorus. S fell asleep right before they started singing and I began to feel like being home with my family singing around the piano would be a dream come true right about now.