Life

Didn’t you get the memo?

Canadian actors are on strike. And as a Canadian actor (view shameless and unnecesary inclusion of headshot below) I feel it necessary to say, “I’m so sorry to bother you guys with this strike. But… you see… well… we don’t get paid as much as American actors, and well, I don’t mean to intrude, but my gym membership went up this month and I’ve taken 3 more shifts a week at the Cactus Club just to pay for my yoga classes, lulus, morning fair-trade lattes, and weekly supply of organic vegetables. I’m really trying hard and doing my best, but because I am a struggling artist/singer/model I just need a little extra cash flow to pay my rent. Sorry. I’m such a nuisance.”

 

Lisa Bettany headshot by Kevin Clark

 

As we enter the second week in the first ACTRA strike in history, let us all pause and reflect on the key issues:

Issue #1: Money. We, the underpaid and underappreciated actors of Canada, want more money. You see, SAG actors get paid up to 30% more that we do, even when they are on Canadian soil. That just doesn’t seem right, does it?

Issue #2: Digital Media Exploitation. We hate that our work is used and exploited on the internet. But, if we are to be exploited please pay us. See key issue 1#.

I like money and since UBCP, the union of BC performers, is somehow unaffected by the national strike, I say, “Workers Unite” and all that rah rah Red stuff. And, in support of my thespian brothers and sisters, I will wear my cute Che Guevara tank top to all my auditions this week.

That brings me to today’s audition. The gender-biased tire commercial audition. As it turns out, females don’t play a large role in tire commercials. Basically, the female character named “SOC-wife”, described as “sweet, attractive and attentive”, stands in the door of her suburban bungalow smiling sweetly while her husband delivers a passionate monologue about buying tires for all of his big boy toys, namely his “’vette” and his “golf cart”.

Because I wasn’t able to speak, I had to come up with a strong internal monologue to truly grasp this dynamic character. “Aww shucks Jimmy, not another tire! Why, we’ve got so many tires, I simply don’t know what I’m gonna do with them. Why we’ve even got tires in the living room! You’ve just gone hog wild over those tires. Oh well, boys will be boys. Why don’t I bake you up a nice apple pie for desert?”

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  • Very Tasteful
    January 24, 2007 at 9:42 AM

    Lisa, that is a great headshot. Who took it?

    My mom is hooked on “lulus” as well.

  • Curlyhttp://www.hotdogmcleod.blogspot.com
    January 24, 2007 at 4:53 PM

    Yeah, you’re right. Tires and apple pies totally go together.

  • Lisa Bettanyhttp://lisabettany.blogspot.com
    January 24, 2007 at 9:19 PM

    And as I have just learned, apple pie is made of water. And tires are made to roll on slippery surfaces made slippery by rain which is water from the heavens. Connection complete.

    Thanks Tasty. Headshot by Kevin Clark

  • mm
    January 24, 2007 at 10:23 PM

    I can totally understand. I’m american, but i feel that our talent is sometimes not as good as foreign talent, but Americans get paid much more. It makes little to no sense.

  • Heatherness.
    January 26, 2007 at 2:26 AM

    You’re pretty. I kind of want to make out with your headshot.

  • Lisa Bettanyhttp://lisabettany.blogspot.com
    January 26, 2007 at 4:58 AM

    Miss Sassy-pants returns!