How Drag Race Helped Me Land A Callback

Hello fellow artists! Hope this new blog entry finds you all in great health and spirits.

I wanted to share a funny audition story with you all. I recently had an audition for a national commercial. The casting director and the client were looking to cast physically imposing and threatening guys in this commercial spot. I didn’t turn down the audition when I read the character breakdown. Instead, I took on the challenge (Hey, I’m from Brooklyn. I AM tough.)

When I got to the audition, the room was filled with exactly what I envisioned in my head (guys who were physically imposing and threatening. They were either very muscular or burly) I must have been the skinniest guy in the room and their wild-card casting choice.

The casting director put everyone in groups of five and we received an explanation of the scenario. I totally got it. It made perfect sense. I just now had to channel this inner anger and rage to match the level of the other guys in my group.

I thought about things that could make me channel my inner anger and rage, but nothing seemed to do the trick. These things weren’t hot enough to inspire great acting choices. All I knew was that I had to come up with something fast because my group was up next.

Finally, something popped into my head and I knew that I struck gold because I could feel my blood boiling and my face turning with anger.

What was it??????

It was when Shangela didn’t win “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 3” earlier this year. She was robbed! She was clearly the frontrunner after Bendelacreme left the competition. The fact that she didn’t win, LET ALONE NOT EVEN MAKE TOP 2, is the biggest tragedy and farce I’ve seen on “Drag Race”. The biggest mistake this franchise has ever made. How can someone who is so polished, professional, magnificent, who is light years ahead from where they first started, who is a star, lose?!?! It’s criminal and it’s something I still haven’t gotten over.

That’s all I needed to think of when we went inside the audition room and the session runner said, “Action.” I came alive and delivered my product.

Three days later, I got a callback! I ultimately didn’t get the job, but I got a callback. And I was happy with that!

Until next time!