$21.95. Reading about talking.

A small financial sacrifice. A large investment in a career. It will not be the last.

A year or two will pass. Books will change colors. But, Hollywood is not going anywhere.

Samuel French is my constant.

I’m used to the microphone. I’ve been in radio forever. It’s the commercial voice over process that makes me feel like I slept through an entire semester of doing. I remember this feeling well. I can’t say certain words. I hate the sound of others. As an actor and radio personality, I am doubly cursed. Burdened with the insecurities of two.

One of my personalities should at least have the courtesy to buy the other a drink.

I had my first crack at doing ADR this week for SOLO The Series.

I squeezed into a booth with a mic, watching the playback, and replaced some of my original VO to match the scene. We recorded directly into Final Cut.

beep -  beep – beep – pause – pause – pause – ACTION

The fun part of the session was replacing the dialogue with completely different lines, and a new song. Yes, I sang – a cappella. Nothing reminds you how long it’s been since you’ve done any kind of singing until you do it without music. (It may be time to find a vocal coach.)

I had a great time with the show’s creator/star @JonathanNail. If anyone laughs at the finished product as much as we did, then our job here is done.

Tonight, I stumbled upon an ad for an upcoming voice over workshop. One that teaches you everything “they” want you to know. It costs $595.

I have a day job, as the voice of a syndicated radio show. Even I don’t have an extra $595 to spend.

I guess I’ll keeping faking it for a while.

This week, we had our first celebrity call-in: LeVar Burton.

Just to show the power of the Twitter phenomenon, @ginayates messaged him before the show to tell him he should call. Just on a whim. In fact, @levarburton doesn’t even follow @ginayates. Or @jefftheotherguy. Or me. He apparently read the @reply and decided to hit us up and talk about his new play. He even Twittered while we talked. So did we.

LeVar is straight up class. Genuine guy who has his heart and mind in the right place. He seemed to take a sincere interest in what we are doing as a show and in our own individual careers. Especially Gina, who’s head practically exploded when LeVar mentioned the casting of Jeff Goldblum on Law & Order. (Dear Dick Wolf: If you ever Google yourself and wind up here, Gina would love to play Jeff Goldblum’s love interest. Or, a dead body. Thanks.)

Check out LeVar’s new play at the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks. Curtain is up this Friday.
Details are here, from the Los Angeles Times.

As for LAGenx, you can fan us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or listen live Saturdays 11am Pacific.

That quote was on a banner hanging high above the registration desk at the Florida State University testing center.

It’s a phrase that has stuck with me ever since. It has never rang more true than the present day in L.A.

Second, I just received word that I hit the jackpot!

GLOBAL LOTTERY CORPORATION
7 GERATON DRIVE,
APT 89K KENS WAY,
LIVERPOOL,
UNITED KINGDOM

With utmost delight,we bring to your notice the draws held recently BY THE
GLOBAL LOTTERY 2009,Liverpool in THE UNITED KINGDOM.

Your email won £738,000.00(seven hundred and thirty eight thousand pounds
sterlings)from the Global online lottery in Liverpool.

For more information on how to redeem your price, do contact MR TOM
ANDERSON:

GLOBAL LOTTERY CORPORATION
7 GERATON DRIVE,
APT 89K KENS WAY,
LIVERPOOL,
UNITED KINGDOM

Email:claims_unit7@live.com

+44 70457 32868
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Congratulations from the manangemant and staff.

Yours Faithfully,
Management.

Great success! With this large sum of money, I have decided to travel the globe in search of the best pie.

It’s just as bad in radio. Should I have hit the post? Was that phone call entertaining to anyone but me? Should I really be getting paid for this?

The worst instance of the second guess always seems to come out of production. More specifically, my own voice over demos. These demos are like resumes for voice over artists. So, naturally, you want your best work on there. But, what is my best work? Is it the last demo I cut? Or, did I hit my peak 3 years ago? And why does a demo sound great the night you produce it, but three months later it has that college intern sound?

None of this surprises me. I second guess everything. I’m still undecided about today’s choice of wardrobe.

We’re talking about a building that has an entire upper floor dedicated to giant Native American works of art. Of course, no one can just visit this possible filming location for a Night at the Museum sequel. Only a privileged few have an elevator key to get to the 5th floor Sherman Oaks “penthouse.”

Still, there are plenty of other creepy things around here that have us asking WTF? Here are 5:

1. The Hallway

If you look closely, you can see two little girls standing at the end of the hall. If you stare too long, you may get bowled over by an overweight CPA on his way to the bathroom after his breakfast burrito. We call him Peanut M&M Man, because he dresses up as a peanut M&M for Halloween every year. There are no known pictures of PM³, because oddly enough, he moves too fast.

2. The Basement Chair

This chair has been in the basement for months. But, it just recently began facing the wall. Is it a sign of impending corporate layoffs in a crumbling economy? Is it Josh from the Blair Witch Project? Is it a ghost in time-out? You decide.

3. The Stairwell

There are 3 parking floors in this building: PB, P1, P2. There are 3 office floors: 3, 4, and the previously mentioned Native American Museum of Art on 5. This stairwell leads from PB to the outside world on P1. But, you cannot use it. It is alarm-protected to discourage a healthy lifestyle. Inviting, no?

4. The Restroom Sign

This sign is not supposed to be here. Apparently, some hooligan put it up weeks ago to remind Peanut M&M Man to wash his hands after he takes care of his business. He has been spotted by several people walking out of a stall, and bypassing the sink for the exit. Whether it’s #1 or #2, this is unacceptable.

5. Rudy

Rudy is the building’s security guard. He is here to make sure visitors sign in, and employees do not park on the visitors’ parking level, even though it’s because you forgot your garage opener and it’s only this one time and nobody ever visits this place anyway. Rudy listens to NPR all day and smells like smoke. He’s our version of Lurch. We still haven’t figured him out.