• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Ms. Cheevious in Hollywood

My Zany Years Spent Working in Tinsel Town

  • Home
    • DailyNugget
    • DailyMischief
  • Books
    • Ms. Cheevious in Hollywood
    • Ahhhhhh…Haaaaaa Moments Yoga
    • Getting Over Your Ovaries (Coming Soon)
  • About Ms. Cheevious
    • How It Works
  • Contact
    • Lisa Jey’s Site

Hollywood

A tip for ladies from the Hollywood trenches: the casting couch

February 8, 2015 by MsCheevious

A TIP FOR LADIES FROM THE HOLLYWOOD TRENCHES: THE CASTING COUCH

#GirlPower

#DailyMischief

 

Click to leave a reply

 

On this, the week of Grammys, 2015, I thought it apropos to talk about a typical experience I had while working in Hollywood.  I loved my work in music television production. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. But, like any other job, it came with its own set of frustrations. When thinking about this, I can’t help but recall the time I met “Universal.”

Universal was one of the many guys back in the day who wanted to introduce me to the stereotypical Hollywood “casting couch.” As if, I would ever fall prey to the casting couch. I was eager and a networking fool, but let’s not go crazy.

My life was all about networking at a time when the only thing I’d done to qualify me to work in television was production and news desk work at my local network affiliate news station. Networking was all I had (aside from my brains, keen fashion sense and wicked sense of humor).

When Universal and I met, I was with my friend Britt at a legitimate red carpet event, hosted by her network E! Entertainment Television.

SIDE NOTE HERE.  I’m only differentiating the event as “legit” because in Hollywood, you can stumble upon events purporting to be “star-studded” with a “red carpet” all day long. People in Hollywood (more so than any other place on the planet, it seems) have drunk the Kool-Aid about the mystical world of celebrities and red carpets. Which surprises me, because, you know… we actually have legitimate red carpet events going on all the time to serve as examples.

So when I was a publicist and would turn down events like a client’s best friend’s aunt’s cousin’s bat mitzvah, people were a bit befuddled and probably deflated. Poor kids. But their reasoning generally went something like this:

Why wouldn’t the press see the newsworthy aspect and cover this event? No doubt Brad and Angelina would come. They’re parents too. They can relate, right? And they’d do it for the publicity, right? No? How about Madonna? She studied the Kabbala for goddsakes! She’ll definitely come out to show her support, especially since she doesn’t get much PR these days, right?

But, THIS event with Britt… it was LEGIT. I talk about it in my book “Ms. Cheevious in Hollywood”, but there were the usual soap and sitcom stars, a host of entertainment industry execs, publicists, and more — and all manner of press.

This event initiated the brief, casual friendship I had with Universal. He turned out to be the Vice President of some type of distribution or production or something over at Universal Studios. Within a few minutes we learned that he was involved in approval of production as well as casting of a select few projects, and Britt was slightly in awe of my meeting him (the reason I started to talk to him, as well as why I chose to step away from conversations with the Soap and Sitcom stars are covered in the book as well).

So I was a single mom, trying to network my way into production jobs in Hollywood (I was never interested in acting), and I made this fabulous connection. I was always very clear about what I was doing in LA when talking with new connections, and Universal was no exception. Still, with Universal (and everyone else), I was my normal, kind, REAL and down to earth self. (That’s me, right? RIGHT?)

I followed up with him, met him for lunch a few times, invited him to a big soire Britt and I threw, and learned of his personal interests… he was into fine art and music. He’d traveled with a rock and roll band of the 70’s (some little known band like Molly Hatchett or Quiet Riot) for years before going corporate. I learned all of this, and he in turn knew of my aspirations. Not once did Universal ever make an effort to introduce me to people who could offer me a job, or even let me know about films or projects coming up so I could do the networking and hustling on my own. And yes, I came right out and asked him to. It was always met with something like “I’ll keep that in mind.”

My connection with Universal faded, as my energy for pursuing an obvious dead-end connection waned. And it was a two-way street. Once he realized there would be no booty, he stopped pursuing as well.

And this sums up the viable complaint of all of the beautiful women, and my beautiful girlfriends in Hollywood:

“It’s always about the sex, or the date, or the arm candy with these guys. They aren’t interested to connect with me professionally in the least.”

And beauty is relative, mind you. For most of these guys, you don’t have to have Jessica Alba or Cameron Diaz looks… If you have two legs, somewhat of a nice rack and aren’t 400 lbs, you’re good! I found this to be true of most of the connections I made with men who were all too eager to meet me for drinks now and then. I must have amused them with my talk of production and the business, and in speaking of marketing and budgets.  I was always careful to let them know that I had something going on up there in my brain… Silly me, thinking that it mattered.

I won’t mince words here, though. If any one of these guys had been hot, didn’t have a pot belly bigger than an eight month pregnant woman, or weren’t more than twenty years older than me, I may have been ALL over that. I’m a red-blooded female, aren’t I? If there’d been any chemistry whatsoever, I’d be writing a different piece here altogether. These kinds of stories are what epic romances are made of, after all.

But listen ladies, I don’t know why this blatant truth seemed to escape me back then, (maybe it was because I’d made my share of successful networking connections in the same way, which led to work) but it’s a rare person who will extend the hand of friendship, and go out on a limb to recommend someone for work, let alone a heterosexual guy, when dealing with a chick he wants to “date”.

I’m not saying “don’t continue to take meetings,” or “don’t network.” I’m not saying to close yourself off from opportunities. I’m just saying to be savvy. Be kind, polite and intelligent, and make your intentions clear. Then GO AFTER WHAT YOU WANT. Learn quickly if this connection isn’t going to pan out, and MOVE ON.

 

it’s a rare person who will extend the hand of friendship, and go out on a limb to recommend someone for work, let alone a heterosexual guy, when dealing with a chick he wants to “date” 

One look at THIS photo makes you wonder why ANYONE would want me as eye candy! I was EXHAUSTED with no makeup. This is what I really look like folks! LOL
This is Sheryl Crow with me in a rare backstage photo at a SHEILA E charity event. This photo did not make the book… One look at it makes you wonder why ANYONE would want me as eye candy! I was EXHAUSTED with no makeup. This is what I really look like folks!

…be savvy. Be kind, polite and intelligent, and make your intentions clear. Then GO AFTER WHAT YOU WANT. Learn quickly if this connection isn’t going to pan out, and MOVE ON.

Another rare backstage image with Stevie Wonder and other members of the crew. This is one event where my relentless networking paid off!
Another rare backstage image with Stevie Wonder and other members of the crew. This is one event where my relentless networking paid off!

 

YOUR TIME IS VALUABLE!

YOU MATTER & ARE WORTHY OF BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY.

#GirlPower

Click to leave a reply

 


Register to receive these posts once a week by email and get my eBook “Ahhhhh…Haaaaaa Moments with Ms. Cheevious” for FREE as a result (a $3.99 value). Registration is on the right side bar of every blog post on MsCheevious.com, or on our Facebook page. See you next time.

Blog content copyright 2015, LISA JEY DAVIS a.k.a. Ms.Cheevious.

Filed Under: Daily Mischief, Uncategorized Tagged With: #dailymischief, Casting Couch, daily mischief, Girl Power, GirlPower, Grammies, Grammys, Hollywood, music, Production, Sheryl Crow, Universal Studios

Sometimes you have to do things for yourself

September 15, 2014 by MsCheevious

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO DO THINGS FOR YOURSELF

 

#DailyMischief

 

When friends come to play in LA, I don’t always have the freedom to run around town with them. But when my friend Stiletto came to town all the way from Florida to introduce us to her beau (who’d never been to LA), I broke away for a little fun. Getting to Hollywood from the beach is no small task, even on a Wednesday at 1PM. It took me a solid hour to get there, and by the time I made it to the Roosevelt Hotel to meet them for lunch, they’d already sampled a handful of the craft cocktails at Public Bar. I sat down next to my friend, observed an interesting pink colored cocktail with a sprig of Rosemary sticking out of it in front of her, and after a hellacious drive, I said “I’ll have what she’s having.” It was called the Strawberry Fields with Russian Standard, Strawberry, Rosemary, lime and Ginger beer. I ordered it sans Ginger beer. And this is how my afternoon with them began.

With cocktails.

After lunch, we walked along Hollywood Boulevard and I grinned as I recalled the last time I was on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, with my sisters.

There is something about Hollywood that brings out the mischief in me. [you can tweet that]

So, when Stiletto suggested it was time I had my own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, I couldn’t argue.

I don’t know that one of those stars will ever be presented to me, but sometimes you have to do things for yourself.

In red lipstick.

And when the first attempt isn’t always the best.

The first Attempt at a Star...

You try, try again.

Ms. Cheevious on The Hollywood Walk of Fame

Ms. Cheevious by her Star

 

#MomFactor: Tell your kids this, and exemplify it for them: If at first you don’t succeed, TRY, TRY AGAIN. 

don’t be shy, leave a reply


Register to receive these posts once a week by email and get my eBook “Ahhhhh…Haaaaaa Moments with Ms. Cheevious” for FREE as a result. Registration is on the right sidebar of every blog post, or on our Facebook page. See you next time.

Blog content copyright 2014, LISA JEY DAVIS a.k.a. Ms. Cheevious.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: #dailymischief, cocktails, daily mischief, Hollywood, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Ms. Cheevious, Public Bar, Roosevelt Hotel, Star, Strawberry Fields, Walk of Fame

Now that’s a lobby

October 16, 2013 by MsCheevious

NOW THAT’S A LOBBY

#DailyNugget

At the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, California for the opening night of WAR HORSE.

 

Pantages Chandeliers

Oh, and the performance was stellar as well.

~ The Nugget

Filed Under: Daily Nugget Tagged With: #DailyNugget, California, Chandeliers, Daily Nugget, EmceeNug, Hollywood, M.C. Nugget, MCNugget, opening night, Pantages, Performance, Theatre, War Horse

We’re a big city too

October 13, 2013 by MsCheevious

HURRAY FOR HOLLYWOOD

 

#DailyNugget

 

A ceiling shot of the Metro Station at Hollywood and Vine.

Only in Hollywood could the Metro (subway) station look so cool. Yes, we have a subway here in L.A. We are not as depraved and lacking in “big city” transportation as people would like you to believe.

Do not believe the propaganda.

Hollywood & Vine Metro

This proves that we’re a big city too.

Filed Under: Daily Nugget Tagged With: Big City, California, EmceeNug, Hollywood, Hollywood and Vine, Los Angeles, M.C. Nugget, Mass Transit, MC Nugget, Metro Station, Ms. Cheevious, MsCheevious, Rail, Subway, Train, Transportation, Vine

This is why we survive

September 16, 2013 by MsCheevious

I don’t normally do this, but this Thai commercial does more in three minutes than any Hollywood film could ever hope to achieve. Congratulations to True Communications for producing such a wonderful example of humanity at its finest. It’s about giving.

 

Go out after you watch this and give, people. Just do it.

Filed Under: Daily Mischief Tagged With: #dailymischief, Commercial, daily mischief, Hollywood, Humanity, Movie, Ms. Cheevious, MsCheevious, Thai, Thailand, True Communications

Things We Enjoyed This Week: Shine, Steve Martin & Gold Grills

August 18, 2013 by MsCheevious

If you don’t have time to click and view a bunch of stinkin’ links and you have time for nothing else today, I would love for you to skip to the bottom to see a very important thing I enjoyed this week, from my friend Manolis: SHINE.

 

FIRST UP:

Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers with Edie Brickell

 

– Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers (and Edie Brickell)

I don’t remember if I told you that M.C. Nugget and I went to see Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers with special guest Edie Brickell at the Hollywood Bowl recently. We weren’t sure what to expect, but it was part of a “jazz” package I bought Nuggie for his birthday. It ended up being one of our favorite nights thus far in the series, though they’ve all been fab. I heard through a friend that the entire ensemble played on David Letterman that week, so I searched it out.  I was pleasantly surprised to find there is actually an album with both Steve & Edie called “Love Has Come for You.” It’s one of the things I enjoyed this week, and I think you may enjoy it too.

 

– Is gold in your grill a “thing” now?

You’d be surprised what I run across while sitting in front of the BIG SCREEN. This peeked my interest, but ACK. Who thinks GOLD on your teeth (or glitter, diamonds, whatever) is appealing?  To be honest, I think I’ve seen these, and my first thought was not Oh.My.God. How quickly can I get one of those gold caps on my front tooth? My first thought was Major tooth problem, and they couldn’t afford a porcelain cap, so they went for gold. Awe poor millionaire celebrity… And THEN I thought, Whew! So glad that is not me! I would DIE without my strong teeth, or my ability to eat my Cookies by Designcookies any time I want! If you do follow the link, you’ll see how WAY out of the loop I was on this. Who’dda thunk the bling-masters of the Universe would introduce bling for our teeth? But they did. And, well…let’s just say, a few people do NOT need to draw attention to their grill.  Me? I have a fabulous grill, if I do say.  So, after much thought… my dentist appointment is SET.

NOT.

 

And if you do NOTHING else… if you click NO OTHER LINKS this week, I would like you to click the following:

Shine by Manolis Paschalidis

 

– “Shine” by Manolis Paschalidis

Manolis Paschalidis is a guy I’ve come to know and love from Greece. GREECE… for all its beauty and culture is sadly the place where turmoil, violence and unrest has become the norm. I’m sad to say that GREECE puts the unemployment we’ve seen in America to shame. It’s the place where the term “down turn” glibly thrown around here in recent years, when used while talking to a Greek person, is an insult. It’s even more harsh than throwing salt onto a wound … it’s more like taking the steel spikes from a pair of stilettos like these:

 

Steel Spiked Heels

affixing them to a baseball bat, and bashing and thrashing those spikes into that wound. It’s just like THAT.

I’d wager a bet most Grecian people would happily swap hardships with any American.

Manolis and I have never met in person. Our relationship is quintessentially that which began and was cultivated solely through social media. We met on YouTube. When I started vlogging a couple of years ago, Manolis was one of the first to watch and comment. I know that if I ever post a video on YouTube, “M” as I’ve come to call him, is there soon after with a comment.

AND HE COMMENTS ON EVERY SINGLE PERSON’S VIDEOS HE FOLLOWS.

EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Let that sink in. He actually WATCHES each video in its entirety and comments. And he doesn’t just say something like “great video,” no.  Manolis will quote things you’ve said in the video and LOL it or talk about it. THIS IS EXTRAORDINARY. Because of this, he’s developed a very supportive and loyal following on YouTube and in other social media realms (of which, I am included). Check him out on YouTube. BUT NOT YET.  First check out his album “SHINE” and pick up a copy, or at least a single. Let me know you did in the comments. I’d appreciate it, and I know a guy over in Greece who will be blown away.

These are some of the things we enjoyed here at the Ms. Cheevious Chocolate Grotto this week. Enjoy your upcoming week people!  Don’t forget I am here blogging every single day on the #DailyMischief, and only one post a week goes to the subscription list (this one included). Nuggie is also providing a photo of his choosing every day for the #DailyNugget. You actually have to visit the site to read these posts, and believe me… you don’t want to miss them. Enjoy.

Love you people!!!! Mmmmmmmppphhhuuuhhh!!!!

xoxo,

Ms. Cheevious

aka Lisa Jey Davis

Editor in [Mis]Chief

————————-

Don’t Be Shy! Leave A Reply!

Register to receive these weekly posts via email here  or on the upper right corner of any page on Ms. Cheevious.
Be sure to confirm when you receive your verification email!

FOLLOW MS. CHEEVIOUS IN ALL OF THESE GREAT PLACES:

Twitter  Facebook  YouTube  Tumblr  GooglePlus

Twitter     FB      Videos  Tumblr     Follow Lisa Jey Davis on Google+

You can also follow Ms. Cheevious’ beau M.C. Nugget on Twitter, and NOW on his Facebook Page!

————————-

CLICK

 

125-tmb.jpg

 

 

CLICK THE IMAGE & IT WILL ADD A VOTE FOR US! SUPER EASY

 

 

 

 

End.

Filed Under: Daily Mischief, Featured Post, Reviews, Things We Enjoyed, Uncategorized Tagged With: "Shine", david letterman, dentist appointment, gold in your grill, gold teeth, greece greece, Hollywood, hollywood bowl, jazz, manolis paschilidis, steel spiked stilettos, steep canyon rangers, Steve Martin, turmoil, unemployment, violence

Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Footer

The Funny (that’s the blog people)

Get into the funny by reading what you find in our blog pages here

  • Daily Mischief
  • Daily Nugget (from my guy)
  • Dating
  • All Blogs in Some Kind of Order
  • Celebrities

Get a Free Book

When you register for my email list (which I hardly ever use, so why wouldn't you?).

Copyright © 2023 · Wellness Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in