EPISODE 11: THESE ARE THE TIMES
Saturday, October 17, 2001
Still waiting on the offer from THR. I’m in, though. I’ve hung in there through all of the changes and demands of the Industry since I was 15. An Industry I am now a rightful, contributing part of. It’s definitely nothing I planned. When I quit my job 5 month ago in May I tried to get ad department jobs at ‘New Times’ and ‘LA Weekly’ and couldn’t get a call back, even though ad losses were the worst in recent memory and the market was soft. I’m not in the Industry as an actor now. I’m there as a newsroom assistant. It’s a paid scholarship into how a key aspect of the machine works. I could give them 2 years of my life and then go off and do something else as an actor. I’ll get there and I have to do it right. It’s an amazing blessing and the work looms over me. I put in almost 90 hours every 2 weeks. I work Sundays. I get home at 8:15 p.m. every night. I’m working for it, trust me.
Wednesday, October 24, 2001
I got hired at ‘The Hollywood Reporter.’ I got my first bonafide piece of the Hollywood rock. I got my foot in the door, no question about it. I got it through God’s grace and planning. I temped my ass off and that’s where I landed.
My supervisor told me Monday. She called me into the editor’s office and all but jumped up. “Isn’t that great?” she asked exuberantly. Yes, I answered and I hugged her. She’s very nice to me and was overjoyed. It’s the most I ever made at a job and I’m 32. The artist’s life is not always lucrative. Later, the editor said, “You feel better now?” He said it happily. I said, “I’d been feeling better,” with a smile.
“I know, but I got on their asses in New York and told them, “I’ve got the best guy ever, EVER, that’s been in that position and I don’t want to lose him.” I thanked him and said I appreciated it.
Then he said, “Karl, there’s people who you don’t even know that are talking about you and saying good things and about how professional you are. I just wanted you to know that.
That meant the most to me because I really do this Industry better than anyone there could even dream I do and I’m not going to fail. I’ll always earn those props. But to hear it confirmed by the editor of a $45 million-dollar-grossing trade magazine ($82 million in 2025 dollars) was truly something I will remember. I’m thrilled. It hasn’t sunk in. It’s the best.
Thursday, October 25, 2001
Stone and I were chilling on the balcony last night and talking over a drink when I interrupted Stone’s account of running into an ex at The Pantages Theater in Hollywood. The ex is now married and was on his way to see ‘The Lion King.” I was interested but sidetracked Stone by delving too deeply into an aspect of how the ex looked, like as a character detail. I’ve heard a lot about this ex and healed some sadness connected to him. It was harmless questions but we couldn’t get our groove back and Stone just shut down talking. We listened to music together, 2 CDs in a row, just quietly vibing. Stone went to bed without saying any goodnight or anything resembling affection, which is fine but can boomerang.
This morning, I got a voice mail from him and now it’s, “My love….” That’s very sweet but I think Stone is as in love with the concept and idealism of love as he is with me. That doesn’t mean I have to play along. I’ll shut down now, and Stone can see how it feels. No stress, no argument. Stone needs to work on that selective memory thing he’s got going on.
Later….
Stone called me at my newsroom line a while ago, chipper and loving, and I politely reminded him of his indifferent behavior last night. Stone said, “That was last night.”
I said, “And now it’s today. Why don’t you call me later when you remember you’re mad at me.” Stone didn’t miss the irony and said, “Okay,” and we said goodbye. Next.
Right now, as I’m writing, Stone has gone to bed without saying goodbye – Freudian slip – goodnight. Two nights in a row. Am I counting? Yes, I am, thank you. I won’t use my memory and ability to count to ill use. These things just need to be kept track of. I hate that Stone and I waste precious time with these silent standoffs. I really try to do things together and I’m an extremely affectionate man. He is well-loved by me and taken care of. He has saved my ass many times when I thought I’d plummet into depression. I came close. I busted my ass this summer for my relationship, along with him, I really did turn 78 cents in the bank into thousands in less than 5 months.
Sunday, October 28, 2001
I had no clue as to the date until I looked at the calendar. I’m working so much now I can rarely keep up with the date when I’m home. I’m at the start of a six-day week. It’s still a victory that I’m there and it still hasn’t all sunk in. I just can’t believe I found work in Hollywood where I’m left alone and trusted to my job well. That’s the cool part. No one is fucking with me and I don’t abuse my position. I’ll do the job until 34 hits. Now, with anthrax, I can’t imagine how hard it is now to submit for jobs if you’re mailing resumes. I’d have to turn down any acting jobs. The only way I’d get one now is if someone had my headshot in a corner and decided to call me in. I had to work this summer and contract, no time for the luxury of waiting for an audition. They never come, except for plays and music videos. Where I am now in news is not what I’d initially prayed for as an artist but I have to be grateful and humble as I am, that God’s plan worked this way. I would never have put myself where I am now. I’m blessed and I know it. Career-wise the only drawback is my hours take away precious time from me and Stone.
Yesterday, we hollered at each other like lions, saying “Fuck you” like throwing a dash of confetti. A fucked up, long argument over a budget matter where Stone says I accidentally added his personal money into our banked funds at large. My viewpoint was to tell Stone – and I did: “Think like a married person. If the money accidentally was added to our account, go to the ATM and get more.” You know? It was both of us arguing like we were on a farm and only the tress could hear. It sucked.
At work, a reporter had to apologize to me for using rude hand signals to ask me to get their 2nd line. They raised their hand up repeatedly like I was a dog. Their spouse was there. After their goodbyes and they talked to their person at 20th Century Fox, I let them know it. “Do you want me to answer your other line? I don’t understand hand signals,” and mocked their frantic hand vogue.
Halloween, Wednesday, October 31, 2001
My second day off from work, getting over a cold. I don’t go onto the payroll until tomorrow, so I won’t be paid for not working but I’d rather be home and ill than slip up or fuck up at work. I’m very plugged in at work, they’re not sweating me. I got put on salary and get six weeks off a year. It’s a very privileged place to be and I’ll be fine.
I’m respected and yet I know I am an assistant and not a player in any sense, ha ha! It’s true. That is the journalist’s kingdom, that is what they do and anything generous goes to them as far as praise and attention. MY job is to make the flow of information as smoothly as possible.
My only power is that I’ve established myself as an extremely diplomatic and capable assistant without the television cliches of attitude or grandiosity. I’m not defined by job. That I love the job is a plus because, like all jobs, it’s purpose is also to finance me and Stone’s next steps. We’re a two-income household and about progressing. As for my job, I’m cool where I landed because I have things to do. Future stuff they wouldn’t think or know I had in me. My other power is that, by Hollywood standards, I’m nice. The people in the Industry that I do have to stick it to when they go off the rails can well handle it.
My last day at work, before this sick time, was when a slew of promotions were announced in the newsroom. Everyone who got promoted is better than good by anyone’s standards and no one should bet against them. They deserved it. My supervisor whispered in our boss’s ear to announce my hiring and he rolled his eyes, most likely for being interrupted, but I still caught it. I appreciated her gesture – he should have announced it – and he did and I got applause from the reporters and copy desk. There was a part of him that rolled his eyes at having to announce an assistant hire. I don’t think it was meant in spite, but assistants aren’t writers. He announced me by saying, “He’s been here forever (newsroom laughter) and now he’s a full-time editorial assistant. One of the staff who complained about me not getting her call through my first day genuinely squealed, “Yay!” and they clapped. I’m there and I know my reach. I’ll be back tomorrow, fierce again.
Sunday, November 4, 2001
Tonight are the Emmys. We’re updating live coverage and working hard. So far we’ve got poignant quotes from Allison Janney, Walter Cronkite and Jean Smart. I’m taping the Emmys from home while I work them here. I told Stone, as I was leaving for work, and his face momentarily fell grimly, ha ha! I’m sure it’s going to be because he’s going to miss “The Practice” on ABC.
This past Friday, Stone got laid off by Pacificare, his agency didn’t tell us until 5 rounds of phone tag that night. Staff reductions. Stone was a little surprised but we handled it with almost Zen-like calm. We have always been a tag-team, you know? There’s always some challenge one of us has to face while the other works and is in a groove. We’ve been here before, so neither of us got freaked out about it.
Stone had that assignment for 5 months. He got it the first time out from his agency, so if they are worth their salt then they will get him another assignment soon since he clearly proved himself. It went longer than either of us could have expected and it was a steady job while I criss-crossed the city all summer long before getting hired at THR. If his agency drops the ball, he can always go to the Terrific Agency. They would see anyone I recommend to them. We will work in tandem and we will be alright.
I was telling him how blessed we are and how God is in the details and the planning. For example, at least now I’m on the THR payroll and that’s guaranteed. Also, it was by Divine grace that we didn’t end up moving because we’d be feeling the heat right about now. I’m totally proud of stone for leaving out at 6 a.m. every morning for 5 months straight as a temp. Everyone has been dealing with job uncertainty; these are the times. I just don’t understand why they waited until the end of his shift. What be shady and do all of this after the work day. It’s tacky. I used to hate at old jobs when they’d let people work all day and that at 4:45 p.m. have a security guard hand a pink slip to a stunned employee and watch them empty their desk while a computer tech guarded the computer to keep an angry employee from clearing the files. It’s just tacky. Aside from that digression from decorum, it’s no biggie. We’ll roll with the punches.
We got another great quote from Bryan Cranston. “The Malcolm Dad’ – he’s on Malcolm in the Middle – gotta have him,” an editor just said.