“What do you do?”asked the custom’s agent.
“I’m a writer-producer,”I told him.
“Anything I’ve seen?”
“Well, I worked twelve years on a show called Stargate…”
“Didn’t really watch it. Didn’t really like the way the stories went.”
“Was it the human form replicators?”I wanted to ask. But instead I said: “Well then you can check out my last show, Dark Matter. It’s on Netflix.”
“I don’t do Netflix.”
“Then maybe my next show.”
Which brings us here to L.A. where I will be spending the next six nights with a “privacy” button by my bedside that, when it switched on, bathes the room in an eerie red luminescence that makes me feel like the potential victim in a Mario Bava movie.
The alternate would be NOT to turn it on and risk housekeeping kicking down my door at 7 in the a.m.
This morning, I kicked things off by having breakfast with my new production partner, Vanessa Piazza, who is in town on her own meet-and-greet tour.
I’m pleased to report the weather in L.A. is overcast and downright cool, perfectly mirroring my mood.
Vanessa works on her tan. Brrrrrr.
Following my first meeting of this L.A. trip, I met up with Tauri Jay and Yael (they of the former Dark Matter AfterBuzz show and sundry others).
I ordered sliders. Hilarity ensued…
I offer photographic evidence lest you doubt.
Retired to my room this afternoon where I screened the first episode of Stranger Things 2. So far, so good. Going to try to squeeze in another episode before bedtime.
Tonight, it’s dinner with the lovely Torri Higginson, then drinks with an old friend.
Tomorrow, it’s four more meetings, two of which will touch on material right up my alley…
Thanks for the food porn! Those sliders look yummy. Can’t wait for the rest of your culinary adventures in L. A!
Have fun, good luck and be safe!
I wonder if customs agents have special training in keeping passengers humble, haha.
Finished Stranger Things 2 last night. So good! I enjoyed it more than the first season although it was quite predictable.
Those sliders look huge!
I went out to an Argentinian restaurant last night. So much meat! The hanger steak was amazing! I know where to send you if you ever come to Melbourne, Joe.
Everybody leaves Canada and goes to Hollywood. Sad.
You just missed the 104 degree (F) weather last week!
Oh, those sliders look perfect. All I had was homemade chicken noodle soup. Good, but not sliders. Not at all.
Hope the meetings go well!
Much success. Break a leg !!!
LOL the customs agent must have watched Stargate for a while, then watched it for a while longer to know which way the stories went…hee hee
On behalf of my former colleagues in what is now US Customs & Border Protection, thank you for not being upset with the culturally-illiterate inspector.
😆😆😆
But on second thought. you COULD report the incident as evidence of poor public-contact skills. Seriously.
As for that nightlight, you could ask the front desk for a couple of strips of masking tape; you could them tape a tourist brochure over the offender.
…and I can probably find an effective address for the USCBP port director at YTO or LAX.
Slider’s is that another name for a hamburger?????
Wow. That customs agent was just a bundle of joy, wasn’t he. Ass. Must be so unhappy he has to spread it around. Oh boy, this trip is going to be hard on me since I’m on a diet. Those sandwiches look awesome.
Well it’s getting more play than when it was on Sci-Fi. Customs agents are go at giving non information. Nice color on Venessa’s toes to, too bad she doesn’t like to show her teeth. must be a cultural thing. Nice to hear you made it safe to L.A. Glad to hear the hotel follow the “do not disturb” sign like in Los Vegas.
Good for you Joe. You see your talent keeps you busy. All we can do is just wait and see when the fruit of your labor de televised. 🙂
Couple of thoughts: Tape a piece of paper or something over the button to darken it & sleep better… Or leave it creepy red & write about the strange dreams u have & make them into a show/comic.
Kewl.. https://www.darkmatterday.com/
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap171031.html
🎃Ooow, intriguing.
Happy Halloween 👻
Good luck with all your meetings this trip
I’m thinking custom’s agents have special training in “anti-customer service”. Wow!
I’m hoping the rest of your trip is sunny, warm and full of promising meetings about town. Keep us posted on your many food exploits.
Letter is in the mail.
Do I spy sweet potato fries in ‘the sliders’ pic?
These are my food obsession at the moment!
That ain’t no slider!
Customs officer was an undercover fan, he probably wanted to jump across and hug you but he couldn’t … kudos to his professionalism!
Dinner with Torri Higginson??!!?! … damn you!!!! Take me with you dammit!!
Oh great, you just made me hungry.
Almost drooled on my desk, now I need to talk myself out of stopping for burgers on the way home. Hi to Yael and Tauri, they get yummy burgers, hilarity and cool names to boot? That privacy button, ohhh-kaaay. What kind of “hotel” is that? Is the manager named Krueger? Don’t order the steak tartare.
yeah, and th ebuggers record your movements via the electronic key card in your door and the camera outside the room….please dnt put anything in the room safe, first place they look when they know you out! Spray paint might sort out the red privacy light…let u sleep….plea self defence when the perps try and criminalise u as they usually do, and get away with it? 🙁
I wonder if that agent was an ex-program director at Syfy…
Watching SG-1 and not liking it is crazy talk. You won’t find a more family friendly scifi series out there.
Life after Dark Matter isn’t going so well. Recent numbers.
Superstition S01E02 – 334k, 0.08 18-49
Ghost Wars S01E04 – 498k, 0.10 18-49
Van Helsing S02E04 – 456k, 0.11 18-49
Channel Zero S02E06 – 374k, 0.11 18-49
Z Nation S04E05 – 600k, 0.16 18-49
At least the numbers are proving that you can’t replace Dark Matter. One of those situations where you can look back and both laugh and cry that such a terrible decision left the network with so many bombs.
Ugh, I bet you get that a lot. How annoying. At least the person could be pleasant when they realize they haven’t watched a lot of your stuff.
The food looks great. Nice to put faces to names. Glad you got cooler weather. I think you would have melted in 105 degrees.