The Price Is Right

My interview today was in the TV Guide Building at Hollywood and Orange, next door to the Roosevelt Hotel and across the street from Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the Walk of Fame. Anyone familiar with L.A. knows that block is crazy touristland!

It appears I may get the job and, if so, I will be working for a company that is developing that stretch of Hollywood Boulevard as well as building lofts downtown and participating in several other urban renewal projects. In what may have been a case of foreshadowing, my former co-workers in Austin photoshopped an image of my face on the Grauman's marquee for my goodbye party invitation. Also, a couple of years ago I was engrossed in a Style Network TV show about the remodelling of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

There's a little sunray of hope peeking through the dark clouds that had been hanging over my head (figuratively and literally) earlier this week.

While walking around Hollywood Boulevard I was handed a free ticket to a practice taping at CBS Studios of Bill Maher's HBO TV show. I hadn't been to a studio taping yet, so I decided to head over there after my interview. I had to wait in a long line with, shall we say, an "assortment of characters." Picture your typical afternoon crowd at a downtown public library. Once seated we watched a crew dismantle the "Price Is Right" soundstage in preparation for Maher's show to begin. I didn't know what to expect, but the head writer came out and explained that this was a practice show and the jokes that got laughs from the audience would make the cut for the live taping on Friday night. The writer and several other staff from the show pretended to be the Friday guest stars, and they ran through the entire show from opening monologue through closing segment. It was hilarious. I think it was even better than the real thing, as it was "no holds barred."

Afterwards, I walked over to the Grove for a snack. The weather was beautiful and the place was packed with people dining out on patios as a band was setting up for an outdoor concert. Spring has begun...