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+--- Thread: Hollywood (/showthread.php?tid=3146)
Hollywood - Greg_phpbb3_import1 - 08-11-2014
My sister, Roberta and her yet to be categorized male friend, Michael (Don't call him Mike) came down for the weekend. Michael is a big movie fan so they wanted to do a lot of Hollywood/tourist things.
Naturally, we started the night by going to Musso and Franks, an old school Hollywood Hangout. Charles Bukowski used to hang out in the bar which has the reputation for serving the best martini in town. I have no way to verify this statement. The Martini bit, not the Bukowski bit.
I should have ended the evening there. Good food and conversation and thanks for visiting. But no. The Queen and I also agreed to join them on a haunted Hollywood tour. Now our familiarity with ghost tours is based on the ones we did in England, which were awesome. This time, not so much.
It started at the former Grauman's now the TCL Chinese theater. Good to know that the Chinese theater is now owned by China. Before the tour started our waiting area was inside the candy store which was rife with impulse buys and 'I Love my Penis' mints. We knew this was a scam when we walked to the bus and passed plenty of places outside with benches where we could have waited, many right near where the buses departed.
Our tour guide was a former stand-up comic who loved Hollywood. I think at every house she said she wished she could have spent the night in there and then asked if we would want to spend the night there.
We traveled the streets in an econo-line van that had most of the roof removed. If the van had rolled, we would have been the next stop on the dead in Hollywood tour.
As we were leaving the house, the Queen stopped and said she wanted to get her sweater. Sweater? It's August in Los Angeles. Why would anyone need a sweater? Turns out it was freezing in our open topped conveyance. Fog rolled in and the sky darkened early. I can't imagine how miserable she would have been without it. Strange day.
I will admit the first half of the tour was interesting. We went by Betty Davis and Ozzie Nelson's house. We saw the house they used for the original Halloween. Amazingly it was only about two blocks from the Chinese Theater. We cruised by The Comedy store and all the great Rock clubs in West Hollywood, like The Whisky and The Roxy. (Lyndell has a great story about the Whisky and almost being blown up in the kitchen). I wanted to see Lemmy as he made his nightly sojourn to the Rainbow Room. The closest I came was seeing a guy in a cowboy hat with really big mutton chops.
There was a lot of talk of mobsters shooting people upstairs at both the Laugh Factory and The Comedy store as we continued our tour. Saw the sad sight of the grey colored former home of Tower Records. We went by another Ozzie's house. This time Ozzie Osbourne.
It was all kind of entertaining seeing these homes we had seen on TV or housed people like Frank Sinatra, Elvis and Judy Garland.
But things took a really dark turn when we spotted the sight of the Charles Manson murders. Oddly enough, the tour was taking place on the 45th anniversary of the killings. Our tour guide knew a lot about the killings. She didn't hesitate a beat in telling all the gory details. How may times certain people were stabbed. Sharon Tate pleading for the life of her baby. One women's white nightgown so bloody the cops originally identified it as red. On and on. Our guide was even giving us tips on how to see the crime scene photos on google. She didn't recommend it, but here's how . . . She did that a lot.
The original house has been torn down and a huge mansion now stands in it's place. We saw the mansion multiple times from various vantage points. More details spewed forth every time we spotted it with more reminders that this was the anniversary. Not even seeing Jackie Chan's former house and Harold Loyd's estate helped to erase the pall caused by the site of the Tate-LaBiance murders.
Night had truly fallen as we continued. This meant that our guide now felt it necessary to use a high intensity flashlight to illuminate the houses she described. I'm sure the people inside these houses were overjoyed to have this light beaming into their living rooms. Our guide kept saying how rude the light was but it didn't stop her from lighting up the room where Lana Turner's daughter killed Tony Stompanato. Ah, creepy.
The final leaching of my enjoyment came when our guide announced her intention of driving around the circular driveway of the Menedez house. That seemed to leap over the boundary of propriety. Fortunately, a car blocked the egress so we were spared that humiliation. Instead, we lit up the back room where the Menedez's lost their lives.
Our final stop on the downward spiral was in front of the Viper Room where River Phoenix collapsed and died. We double parked in front of the club only feet from Viper Room patrons who probably wondered who the ghouls were in the white van. I could have reached out and touched them they were so close. Traffic backed up behind us so our stop was thankfully brief.
When the tour ended, all I wanted to do was rush home and shower until the distaste left my body.
I don't have to do that tour ever again.
Posting from Lynch Manor - Drunk Monk - 10-13-2015
...on Greg's laptop no less. I could have even posted as Greg because his laptop is automatically set to log him in here.
...but that would have been too weird.
On a mission for KFTC + AMC. The original Denny's DOOM bros have assembled for the task.
Lynch Manor needs AC.
It's a good thing you are here - Greg_phpbb3_import1 - 10-13-2015
Maeve needed a break from barking at the neighbor's dogs.
D has accepted me - Drunk Monk - 10-13-2015
I think M still isn't convinced of my Cubs support.
DOOM into the Badlands - Drunk Monk - 10-14-2015
![[Image: 12140926_10208172085518725_331171509245613847_o.jpg]](https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpt1/t31.0-8/12140926_10208172085518725_331171509245613847_o.jpg)
Re: Hollywood - Greg_phpbb3_import1 - 10-14-2015
That guy on the left looks totally wasted.
There's always one person with psycho eyes - Drunk Monk - 10-14-2015
My eyes are too deep in the black label and starlets to be incriminating so.
So this was a triumphant evening for DOOM - Drunk Monk - 10-16-2015
It's worthy of report here but I'm scrambling to close my current issue so I'm a little tapped on writing. And Greg is deep in his doc project and punching the clown. So I'll begin perhaps and maybe Greg will pick up the reporting baton when I stop, or I'll continue.
I'm working on a cover story for amc's Into the Badlands and was invited to the west Hollywood premiere of episode 1 with a lot of the cast and all the producers. I asked to bring a photographer with Greg in mind, which they quickly granted. Flew in for lunch after Greg picked me up and we headed over to lynch manor where we both worked a little and to hang out with the dogs. They barked at me a lot but we came to an understanding even though my dog-ese has a heavy Pom accent. Dani and I hit it off eventually, so much so that Greg claims she jumped on me while asleep at 4 am or so, an experience I truly have no recollection of.....
An empty flight! - Drunk Monk - 10-20-2015
Taking Greg's most excellent advice, I flew into BUR from SJC. TC booked me on SW and I had a full row to myself both ways. Man, I haven't experienced that in like a decade. That's the way to fly. Greg, as always, expertly navigated the labyrinthine highways of L.A. and we enjoyed a fine lunch at CA Pizza Kitchen. Then it was over to Lynch Manor where we both worked a little prior to leaving for the screener and the very Hollywood London just off Sunset. We got there right on time, which in Hollywood-ese means too early to be fashionable. We hung out on some fuzzy chairs after being invited by a woman who turned out to be the wife of one of the exec producers. There was free popcorn and drinks, but I only took a Perrier, because that's what stars do, right? I don't know. There was a little area to shoot photos and Greg busied himself to the task, chumming up to the AMC photographer, which was a smart move. I ran into Stephen Fung, the fight choreographer, and someone who's films I've reviewed here (see <!-- l --><a class="postlink-local" href="http://brotherhoodofdoom.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2704">viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2704</a><!-- l -->, <!-- l --><a class="postlink-local" href="http://brotherhoodofdoom.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2565">viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2565</a><!-- l -->, <!-- l --><a class="postlink-local" href="http://brotherhoodofdoom.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2555&p=15037">viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2555&p=15037</a><!-- l -->). He blew me off. But he was on a mission so I let it go and figured I'd try again later...
So we see the pilot episode in a private screener with the cast.... - Drunk Monk - 10-28-2015
...mind you, this is our next cover story. The timing is not optimal. Our issue hits newsstands two weeks after the premiere, so if it tanks quickly, it'll kill us. But AMC did buy an ad and gave us unprecedented access, so my fingers are crossed. When I was invited to this screener, I was assuming I was going to go blind into the cover story, so I really wanted to see it just in case I needed to make a few final tweaks. But then, they emailed me passcoded links to the first two episodes right after TC bought me the ticket, so it evolved into an excuse to have yet another adventure with Brother Greg, in his home turf.
So I'd seen the first ep. It's got some decent fights, but the show is still rough, so there are flaws for sure. Also, sometimes when I'm wrapped so deep in a project like this, I can't see it objectively anymore. So Greg's opinion was really important to me, because we've been talking film and media for over three decades now, and I knew he'd give it to me straight. After the showing, Greg had that wince, that classic Greg-biting-his-tongue wince, and I'm thinking 'okay, let me have it.' His first criticism? The sets. :roll:
In my defense - Greg_phpbb3_import1 - 10-28-2015
You did bring me. And I am kind of a known quantity.
That being said, shouldn't I mention what takes me out of the immersion fastest? In this case, using the same mansion for the Baron's house as they did in 12 years a Slave. It's like finding Luke Skywalker aboard the Enterprise.
But what makes me laugh is that if the show moves to New Zealand to cut costs ( which is also funny since shooting in Louisianna is supposed to be the cheapest state to currently film in) they will have to rebuild that iconic mansion there.
And shouldn't you stop ragging on me for scenery comments? If it weren't for me wandering around with the camera, people might not have known you were with the press. And if it weren't for the camera, you could have had a lot of selfie pictures of you and the ladies.
I was just baiting you to post here. - Drunk Monk - 10-28-2015
It gets lonely here, posting by myself. Besides, to quote Pink Floyd 'I was very drunk at the time' so my tale might be skewed inappropriately like so many of my tales here, so I'm hoping you can provide a more sober version of this adventure.
Actually, your set comment was perfect...so very Greg. The instance you uttered it, I was like 'is this a perfect DOOM post or what?' And point taken, actually, because that did spoil the scene somewhat. They might not have to rebuild that set. Who knows if that Baron will survive the first season? So far, only two of the Barons are characters, and they plan to move deeper into the Badlands, so a complete change of set is possible.
Anyway, I forgot to mention the fuzzy chairs. Despite a little bit of confusion in trying to find the place, Greg got us safely there right on time, which in Hollywood time means early, I guess. So we were hanging around in the hallway where there was free popcorn in classic movie theater style containers and bottled water. I took a Perrier, which I almost never drink except at such occasions. There were these awesome fuzzy chairs positioned around a lavish couch, occupied by finely-dressed lady, who noticed us admiring them and invited us to join her sitting there. So we did and made idle chatter with her. She turned out to be the wife of someone important, one of the show-runners perhaps, and was very cordial to us. Did we get a photo in the fuzzy chairs? Because they were awesome.
You other DOOMers should note how finely dressed Brother Greg and I are. Greg is rocking a suit with a lovely lavender shirt and matching tie. I'm rocking my Chinese gangster suit, with a signature Jackie Chan designer shirt. We look good.
Greg Wrote:And I am kind of a known quantity.um....what?
Re: Hollywood - Greg_phpbb3_import1 - 10-28-2015
Dude, you totally mentioned the fuzzy chairs already. Maybe you should read your own posts?
Drunk Monk Wrote:We hung out on some fuzzy chairs after being invited by a woman who turned out to be the wife of one of the exec producers. There was free popcorn and drinks, but I only took a Perrier, because that's what stars do, right?
It's a fair cop but society is to blame - Drunk Monk - 10-28-2015
I luv fuzzy chairs. So fuzzzzzzzzy. And the Perrier made me feel so Hollywood.
:oops:
Right. Moving on.
So after the screener we were shuffled into the bar where there were lots of nice snacks. Really nice snacks. And free drinks. Yay. I tried to corner Fung again and he totally blew me off. I felt rather spurned. After all, truth be told, he was the only one there that I knew. I've reviewed plenty of his films here and he was the freakin fight choreographer. I had been telling Greg how about my fascination with Emily Beechem as she is the main femme fatale in ep 2, but all the stars had tucked into their little circles and suddenly Greg and I seemed really out of place, despite our fine attire. I longed for my fuzzy chair. Greg attempted to encourage (or enable) me, but I went for some liquid courage in the form of Johnny Walker black label. Not my fav - an overrated scotch imo - but it would do in a pinch.
Man, I gotta get me some fuzzy chair action.
Back the the fuzzy chairs - Drunk Monk - 11-04-2015
Greg wasn't into the snacks. I kind of was, but I was still reeling from the rebuff from Fung. I tried some lobster-stuffed mushroom and it was horrible. I figured I better stick with the Black Label.
So there we were, Greg and I, looking quite out of place amongst the Hollywood glitterati. Worthy of note: Greg was the only person there sporting a tie. I was feeling good about my Jackie Chan label shirt, but no one in the room even knew JC has a clothing line, except maybe Fung and he wasn't going to mention it. Greg was quick enough to spot John Favreau, which was rather cool. I spotted Diana Inosanto (her dad was a contemporary of Bruce Lee) but I doubted it was her and she escaped before I even thought about approaching her. So there we were, hovering about our little standing bar table, feeling awkward, when a stage mom of Ally steps up and begins chatting us up. I suppose it's equally awkward being a stage mom, but stage mom's don't care. Ally is just a teen and the conversation is mediocre at best. Soon the stage mom was looking for an escape, realizing we really had nothing for her.
Again, we were left alone and Greg keeps poking at me to do something aside from drink Black label...