Man at Arms: Art of War

[Drunk Monk]

I was gping to powtnon the 4:20 thread given the time but Crystal is blabbing at me & I’m trying to phub her.

It’s not working. She’s still talking. God make it stop. Stab me in the ears with one of those swards. Aaaaaugh.

[cranefly]

Ouch.  Does seem a growing problem...

[Greg]

The price of fame is high.

[Drunk Monk]

I was gping to powtnon the 4:20 thread given the time but Crystal is blabbing at me & I’m trying to phub her.

'gping to powtnon'? WTH?  I meant to type 'going to post'.  'phub' is correct though.  That's 2018-speak for 'phone-snub' if you didn't know.

Well today was very pleasant overall.  The photo shoots were fun to be on the spotlight side.  The El Rey inserts were fun too - got to babble about some of my fave movies and they grabbed soundbytes in a much more strategic way so they can splice it all together later.  Hopefully some of that will actually make it to TV, unlike last year's 36 Chamber hosting fail (RZA has that slot now - srsly?  They matched my babbling to the RZA?  That's a losing fight like trying to best Danny at slingshot). The downside was being trailed by Crystal as most of the rest of the cast is now shunning her.  It's like 'don't make eye contact'.  The other sad point was that Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee passed away.  I didn't know him at all, but Diana Inosanto (who makes a guest appearance - THIS IS DOOM EYES ONLY) was closely connected to him (he might even had been another Godfather of hers, like Bruce Lee) so it's like we both lost a dear master.

Tomorrow is my big test but I did a test cut today to try out the piece and it cuts really well so I'm more confident.  Once that's out of the way, the rest is just test witnessing, which should be pretty simple compared to what we've done previously.  It's all about the test tomorrow now.  Just gotta make those cuts true, and with style.

[Drunk Monk]

NAILED IT!

I still gotz it.

[cranefly]

'gping to powtnon'? WTH?  I meant to type 'going to post'.  'phub' is correct though.  That's 2018-speak for 'phone-snub' if you didn't know.

I just assumed it was another of your crazy abbrevs that go way over my head.

And congrats on the cut!  Look forward to seeing this new season.

[Drunk Monk]

We had an accident that sent one of the crew to the ER.

Not playing. These weapons are razor.

---

Random observations

Our VP just came from assisting a 100 mile race - she was up for 31 hours straight driving in a support vehicle. She is a goddess of stamina.

Fire retardant gel smells like urinal soap cakes. 

Danny still has yet to miss anything. His comic timing is spot on and even the stuntmen are impressed with his striking dynamics.

No word on our injured crew person.

[Drunk Monk]

Injured cast member is back. Dozen+ stitches but he’s ok

[cranefly]

Danny still has yet to miss anything. His comic timing is spot on and even the stuntmen are impressed with his striking dynamics.

Comic timing, eh?  So I guess you could say he leaves everyone in stitches.

Please be the exception.  Just saying.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

Congrats on the cut! Grace under pressure! Gold medal performance! IT WAS THE KNICKERS!!!!!

---

What’s up with Crystal Blue Persuasion? She exposed as not very talented, did she skip her meds...?

[Drunk Monk]

I was just treated to an amazing dinner at Killer Shrimp by my ol' partner in crime, Mossman, along with his daughter and latest girlfriend.  It was soooooo good - my blood sugar spiked due to all the feckin dippin bread, but it was worth it.  What's more, he brought drugs.  srsly.  But not for me, although he did offer.  The on-site medic recommended a CBD tincture which was successful for him after he shattered his clavicle last year, and my dear injured castmate had used a CBD salve on his wrist before so he was seeking something on top of the prescribed motrin.  Mossman is now in the pot biz, and delivered a tincture which I passed along to my castmate before we left for Killer Shrimp.  I think it boosted my street cred with the crew.  Like I said, I still gotz skillz.

The rest of my scenes are test witnessing - low pressure - I just need to make clever comments and not get hit by shrapnel.  Actually I only have one test to witness tomorrow in the morning and it's going to be awesome, like watching a Marko Zaror movie but live from the front row.  And my call time isn't until 8 AM.  Yay me!  I also have to grab interviews for my mag&web from Marko and Danny, the BK&S, DaMon the other expert, and probably the stunt guys because they're super cool.  I told Crystal I wasn't planning to interview her because she's the only one of us who can get into Black Belt.  She got really upset and lectured me about how she owns some journalism stations or something and that's not how to do business and how all of that was arranged through El Rey.  I shouldn't have said anything and just did it like last year.  She's got some massive tests on Thursday so we'll see how that goes.

We're now all wearing kevlar gloves for all the tests and choreographing the actions much tighter.  We shot two scenes to resolve the injury, one that shows it and one that does not, giving our castmate the option.  But he wants it to be a teaching moment - and it is - so it'll probably stay in.  Not sure how the rest of his tests might go.  I think he's covered so others will be testing.

Danny and I were joking about mishearing someone say 3-section staff as 3-headed shark. He admitted that film was silly but said he had so much fun making it. Somehow that led to him getting a selfie with Rihanna licking his chest which he texted to Chris Brown just to fuck with him. Then later he got Brown’s next gf to take a selfie licking his face, which he also texted to Chris. He hopes to do that with all of Brown’s gfs. Then we went right into the next scene while I was still trying to process what a freakin god Danny Trejo is. His comic timing is hysterical, sharp, and sends the entire crew into laughs. So very honored to work with him.

I've decided that having a dishwasher in my hotel room is dumb.  If I just leave a dirty glass in the sink, the maids deal with it. Maybe they just put it back in the cabinet. I hope not because I leave a daily tip. I have 21 towels every day, including two dish towels.  I still have yet to turn on any of my 3 TVs.  I got some nice Aurocacia mineral bath, but the tub is really shallow.  I can't submerge my entire body.  I have to turn my head to wash my face and my belly sticks out.  It's very disappointing.  I'm going to move to the other bedroom tonight, just because I can.

[lady_cranefly]

Fear and Loathing in Los Angeles?

[Drunk Monk]

Fear and Loathing in Los Angeles?

More like blood & fire

[Drunk Monk]

Int’l nets take on Man at Arms


Man at Arms tests historical weapons created by experts
Broadcasters in Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe have acquired Man at Arms, the unscripted series hosted by Sons of Anarchy’s Danny Trejo.
A&E Ole Network in Latin America, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific in India and Viasat in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe will air the show, which was commissioned by El Rey, the US channel founded by filmmaker Robert Rodriguez.
Produced by Defy Media, it sees an expert roundtable of builders, historians and martial artists test weapons created by experts to see how much destruction they can cause. The series is distributed internationally by US-based GRB Entertainment.

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For me, it's a wrap.  I've finished all my scenes.  Tomorrow I'll still go to set to just hang out, watch some more tests, snack and pose.  

Today I only had one scene, watching Marko do a crazy choreographed test that showcases his abilities.  It was awesome.  Y'all know what a fan I am of Marko.  To see him do his stuff live, to watch the magic happen, just wow.  What a treat.  Then I interviewed him in his car.  That was his suggestion because it was quiet.  He drives a mini-cooper.  Whaaaaaaaattt?  That 6+ feet of Marko martial arts mastery fits quite comfortably in a mini.  We had a great interview, and then he spiralled off into diet, which might just have to be a stand-alone article because what he said was spot on.  Later I interviewed Danny in his trailer.  He was watching some old B&W cowboy movie.  Another great interview which spiralled off into prison reform, charity work, autism, and being Danny Trejo, which might just have to be a stand-alone article because what he said was spot on.  

I was asked if I would take over a short simple choreographed swordfight for our injured warrior.  I was down.  It would've been easy enough.  And it was against Crystal.  I was eager to show a little more skillz, but she would kill me in the end, which kind of bothered me.  But they found someone else in the end, so I'm off the hook.  

This morning, at breakfast in the hotel, Sifu Lam's passing hit me like a hammer.  Maybe because it was so near the end of this shoot, that I finally let go of some of the focus, and let it come in.  I was alone at the bar and the other hotel guest were too busy eating their own breakfasts that they didn't notice.  I recovered before anyone else from the cast arrived.  It's kind of hitting me right now again.  Coming through in waves.  This weekend will be so hard, but I'm looking forward to being with my Kung Fu family, reconnecting and mourning together.  At least, that's my positive take on it.  As the cfs know, Saturday is the service.  I hope to get their early to connect with some people and help out if need be, because I must leave early.  I have tickets to Mahler Symphony #2, and while Stacy says I should consider skipping that to see the funeral through, I can't think of a more appropriate piece for me now, no better medicine, and I really need to take care of myself for a moment.  Even though that piece will probably wreck me to hear live, music has always been healing for me. Or at least purgative...therapeutic.

But back to tomorrow, I'm saddened to watch the magic fade and to say goodbye to so many new friends.  Hopefully there will be a Season 3.  I'm so grateful to be a part of this amazing cast and crew.  It's truly been an experience of a lifetime, a moment of incomparable self-actualization for me and a supreme test of my training and studies.  I can hardly wait to see how it all comes out.

[Drunk Monk]

Last day on set. Today I just watch fight scenes being choreographed and eat snacks. It finally warmed up too. Life is good.