Thursday, March 24, 2005

Profession

OK, I don't know why I was so cagey with that "creative field" reference in my first post. I'm actually a professional actor. Actually, I do know why I was being cagey -- it's one of those things you tell people and they pretty consistently form an immediate opinion of you. Flakey. Egocentric. Exhibitionist.

Not that that's not an incorrect characterization sometimes. To be fair, I do know my share of flakey egocentric exhibitionists. They're not all in the Acting Biz, but I guess most of them are (though, let's face it, that's mostly who I hang around, so it's not like I'm exposed to a sociological cross-section of the population).

Regardless, while I might have been into the whole Actor Persona at one time, I personally think I've mellowed with age to the extent now that I'm seriously looking at it as a career. Know why? Two words: Health Benefits. You only need to experience one health problem that is magically paid for (well 80%) by your union's health fund to realize that your performances are no longer about maybe someday making you famous, but rather about working to meet the minimum income requirements each year to ensure that your health benefits and pension vesting continue.

I guess turning that corner (from "wannabe famous" to "arts professional") was sobering, but I have to say I'm fantastically more comfortable in my own skin now. And I guess I'm perhaps more prone now to taking offense when people start behaving dismissively towards me and/or other artists, which is why I didn't mention it straight off.

Sorry for the initial deception.

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