OK, how many people have had phone calls recently from someone named Peter Parker or John Smith or Steve Jones or Bruce Banner but they sound surprisingly like the pimp from “Bachelor Party”? Oh and the call was from your bank? Possibly CHASE?
Well I got one from John Smith on Saturday and let me tell you, it pissed me off. I thought it was just me but I just got a phone call from a buddy of mine telling me he just got a call from (and I shit you not) Peter Parker but he sounded nothing like Tobey Maguire or Paul Soles (the voice of the 1967 Peter Parker/Spiderman cartoon), nope he sounded like Gandhi or Baboo Bot from “Seinfeld.
What are these people thinking?
I mean it’s bad enough that they are shipping every job that is not nailed down over seas but to have to get a call from my bank (actually credit card company) and have some guy in New Delhi trying to pass himself off as an American, well in the words of Yosemite Sam, That burns my biscuits. Don’t get me wrong I am no jingoist flag waver but I do resent having my intelligence insulted. Do they think that nobody will notice. I have known many people from India and Pakistan and let me tell you, not one of them has been named Fred Williamson or Marvin Rabinowitz.
So what’s the point? Why would a big corporation like CHASE allow this type of thing to go on within the ranks of their sales group?
Perhaps they think that a foreign name would put people off?
Hmm. Not more than hearing somebody who sounds like Apoo tell me their name is Robert Young.
So what is the reasoning behind such a blatantly stupid yet deliberate act of fraud.
Yes it’s fraud, there I said, you can too . FRAUD.
Sure if Sanjay Singh called me up to tell me about the new things that CHASE wants to sell me I would hang up on him also, but, and here’s the big difference, I wouldn’t abuse him first the way I abused John Smith. I told Mr. Smith that, actually it went something like this:
Me: Hello
JS: Hello Mr. ________ my name is John Smith and I am calling from CHASE BANK to tell you…
Me: Excuse me? What’s your name?
JS: John Smith and I am calling from CHASE BANK to (they always have to start their spiel all over from the beginning if you interrupt them)
Me: No you’re not. No way are you John Smith. You’re Sanjay Singh from Bombay
SJ: No I’m not, I am John Smith and I am calling from CHASE BANK
Me: Don’t give me that, you’re a telemarketer sitting in the black hole of Calcutta and you ain’t no godamn John Smith. Don’t call here anymore.
Then I hung up. Had he just said his real name I would have hung up on him right away without the added abuse. Granted I enjoy that kind of thing. But all the same, CHASE BANK is going to quickly lose my business because of stunts like that.
Just one more corporation under estimating the intelligence of the public.
Oh did I mention it was
CHASE BANK. SENDING ALL THOSE JOBS OVERSEAS.
CHASE BANK, TAKING FOOD OUT OF THE MOUTH OF AMERICANS.
CHASE PAYING PEOPLE TO MAKE BELIEVE THEY ARE JOHN SMITH…
I went to school with John Smith sir and I can tell you here and now that you are no JOHN SMITH!!!!
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Don Adams(1923 -2005) ....Would you believe....?
This was a funny guy.
Nobody could deliver such absurd dialogue with absolute seriousness better than Don Adams. He was part of a group of comedians which have not been remotely paralleled in the last 40 years. Buck Henry, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Sid Caesar these guys brought the funny. It wasn't dumbed down for the masses. It wasn't (for the most part) test marketed to chimpanzees in the Congo for an approval rating. It was raw, intelligent, irreverent and more than anything else, it was funny.
Really funny.
Don Adams had a way of delivering a line so that even though he was deadly serious, you were laughing before the payoff of the joke even reached the screen. Whether he was voicing "Tennessee Tuxedo, The Penguin With a Plan" or as Agent 86, Maxwell Smart, defender of justice and thorn in the side of KAOS and Bernie Koppell. He had no peer. He was an original often copied, never surpassed.
I am thrilled that a younger generation was able to enjoy him as the voice of "Inspector Gadget" but his true genius was his delivery coupled with his facial expressions. In case you never got to see it, he had a show in the mid 70's called "Don Adam's Screen Test". It was a great show where ordinary people from the audience would be put into famous scenes (very often perfect replicas of the actual set) with real actors (some times famous, I recall Don Rickles being a regular guest) and as they shot it, the comedy of recreating the scene was hysterical even when the scene wasn't supposed to be. It was the kind of TV that I really miss when I see ads for "The Apprentice 1, 2 & 3" or "Survivor. Unfortunately, those days are long gone.
Oh and the next time you watch "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" listen for the voice of Comet the reindeer coach as he chastises poor Rudolph for his blinkin beacon ... It's Don.
Agent 86, you've been relieved of duty ... but I hear they have great job waiting for you up there ... Ok, would you believe ....
Nobody could deliver such absurd dialogue with absolute seriousness better than Don Adams. He was part of a group of comedians which have not been remotely paralleled in the last 40 years. Buck Henry, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Sid Caesar these guys brought the funny. It wasn't dumbed down for the masses. It wasn't (for the most part) test marketed to chimpanzees in the Congo for an approval rating. It was raw, intelligent, irreverent and more than anything else, it was funny.
Really funny.
Don Adams had a way of delivering a line so that even though he was deadly serious, you were laughing before the payoff of the joke even reached the screen. Whether he was voicing "Tennessee Tuxedo, The Penguin With a Plan" or as Agent 86, Maxwell Smart, defender of justice and thorn in the side of KAOS and Bernie Koppell. He had no peer. He was an original often copied, never surpassed.
I am thrilled that a younger generation was able to enjoy him as the voice of "Inspector Gadget" but his true genius was his delivery coupled with his facial expressions. In case you never got to see it, he had a show in the mid 70's called "Don Adam's Screen Test". It was a great show where ordinary people from the audience would be put into famous scenes (very often perfect replicas of the actual set) with real actors (some times famous, I recall Don Rickles being a regular guest) and as they shot it, the comedy of recreating the scene was hysterical even when the scene wasn't supposed to be. It was the kind of TV that I really miss when I see ads for "The Apprentice 1, 2 & 3" or "Survivor. Unfortunately, those days are long gone.
Oh and the next time you watch "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" listen for the voice of Comet the reindeer coach as he chastises poor Rudolph for his blinkin beacon ... It's Don.
Agent 86, you've been relieved of duty ... but I hear they have great job waiting for you up there ... Ok, would you believe ....
Friday, September 23, 2005
Dickless, no life, pathetic couch potato computer addicts.
Don't you just hate weasels.
We've had an anonymous asshole (no balls, just anonymous) harrassing us about my posting parts of my production journal on the web. Well, when we asked this person to tell us who they were they didn't have the balls to fess up. But they most be all knowing ...
Well of course we aren't going to listen to them. However, this waste of space went and found a journal my former partner published during our last feature film and felt the need to post it here. With names in it. Due to this fact I had to delete the post because I don't know how to delete the comment. Owing to the amount of spineless no-lifers out there who have nothing better to do with their time than harrass other people who do have lives, I have been forced to make the commenting on this site members only. For my regular non-anonymous readers and friends, just drop me a note and I will put you on the list if you so desire.
For all of you anonymous, cowardly, wastes of flesh and oxygen, you can come to Brooklyn and kiss my ass in person.
We've had an anonymous asshole (no balls, just anonymous) harrassing us about my posting parts of my production journal on the web. Well, when we asked this person to tell us who they were they didn't have the balls to fess up. But they most be all knowing ...
Well of course we aren't going to listen to them. However, this waste of space went and found a journal my former partner published during our last feature film and felt the need to post it here. With names in it. Due to this fact I had to delete the post because I don't know how to delete the comment. Owing to the amount of spineless no-lifers out there who have nothing better to do with their time than harrass other people who do have lives, I have been forced to make the commenting on this site members only. For my regular non-anonymous readers and friends, just drop me a note and I will put you on the list if you so desire.
For all of you anonymous, cowardly, wastes of flesh and oxygen, you can come to Brooklyn and kiss my ass in person.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
AQT - PRODUCTION DIARY #3 - reposted
Wednesday, August 3,
One down three to go.
What can I say, the first weekend of shooting was everything I had hoped it would be and more. For the most part the actors came prepared and on time. We had very few technical problems and we finished up three scenes ahead of where we planned.
I wound up cutting two scenes out of hand once we were out there. They were superfluous and un- necessary. That became clear once I had a chance to see the scenes before and after.
I just finished capturing all the video and sound footage from the three days. I am mostly happy with what I am looking at. I seem to have some communication problems with my DP as he does not always understand what I would like him to do. I am chalking this up to this being our first weekend working together. I am sure it will get better.
J is flying in tomorrow night and he will be a welcomed addition. It seems things are moving along quite nicely with “Nailed” and it’s getting into the hands of the people who need to see it. So with any luck, when he returns to England in two weeks he will be meeting with a number of people who are interested in giving us money.
I am still concerned about the actress playing Carol Ann. The quality I saw in her at the audition is not coming through, mostly I think because she is not off book yet. With any luck she will be on track by Friday.
One down three to go.
What can I say, the first weekend of shooting was everything I had hoped it would be and more. For the most part the actors came prepared and on time. We had very few technical problems and we finished up three scenes ahead of where we planned.
I wound up cutting two scenes out of hand once we were out there. They were superfluous and un- necessary. That became clear once I had a chance to see the scenes before and after.
I just finished capturing all the video and sound footage from the three days. I am mostly happy with what I am looking at. I seem to have some communication problems with my DP as he does not always understand what I would like him to do. I am chalking this up to this being our first weekend working together. I am sure it will get better.
J is flying in tomorrow night and he will be a welcomed addition. It seems things are moving along quite nicely with “Nailed” and it’s getting into the hands of the people who need to see it. So with any luck, when he returns to England in two weeks he will be meeting with a number of people who are interested in giving us money.
I am still concerned about the actress playing Carol Ann. The quality I saw in her at the audition is not coming through, mostly I think because she is not off book yet. With any luck she will be on track by Friday.
Sunday, September 11, 2005
9-11-05
4 Years.
Never Forget.
Be glad your alive.
Hug somebody, give somebody a kiss.
Say thank you to somebody who should have been thanked.
Call somebody you should have called a long time ago and didn't
Never Forget that it is good to be alive....
Never Forget.
Be glad your alive.
Hug somebody, give somebody a kiss.
Say thank you to somebody who should have been thanked.
Call somebody you should have called a long time ago and didn't
Never Forget that it is good to be alive....
Saturday, September 10, 2005
I'm Back!!!!
And the first rough cut of the movie is finished. I have been working like a dog since the last week of July to get to this point. I am updating my production journal and I will start posting pieces of it just as soon as I make sense of my illegible notes.
It was definitely a production filled with moments of stress, euphoria and exhaustion. There were a number of people fired and other people hired. There were many highs and fewer lows. But for the most part, it was a great success and I think I have a film that I can be proud of. Whether or not anyone else will like it .... I could care less. I made this movie for myself.
And myself is damn pleased!
It was definitely a production filled with moments of stress, euphoria and exhaustion. There were a number of people fired and other people hired. There were many highs and fewer lows. But for the most part, it was a great success and I think I have a film that I can be proud of. Whether or not anyone else will like it .... I could care less. I made this movie for myself.
And myself is damn pleased!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)