Filming Glee + Chris Colfer + Me = obesity

TOUR DATES UPDATED:

11/3  Pittsburgh, PA, Club Cafe, 8pm  (with Scott Simons)

11/4  Morgantown, WV, So.zo, 8:30pm  (with Scott Simons)

11/5  Wheeling, WV, Jesuit University – The Rat, 9pm (with Scott Simons)

11/9  Vienna, VA,  Jammin’ Java, 7pm (with Scott Simons & Curtis Peoples)

!!! I’m playing at 7pm SHARP at Jammin’ Java and am playing a short set so BE ON TIME!!!

11/10  NYC,  Canal Room (with Scott Simons and Allison Veltz)

11/12  Fairfield, CT, Fairfield Theater Company – Stage One (opening for Howard Fishman)

11/?  Boston, TBA (with Ingrid Gerdes)

ISTREAM, USTREAM?  CHAT IT UP THIS WEDNESDAY…

I wanna chat with you … live … this Wednesday.  Click the “U” link up in the tool bar at the top of my site and it’ll take you there.  let’s say 9pm EST (6pm PST).  This thing is really cool.  Some of you have been to this page before to see one of my live shows broadcast live.  I’m gonna start doing this more frequently–it’ll be cool to talk with you guys.

This was inspired by my ‘tiny chat’ experience i had yesterday with a bunch of you.  i was in the chat room here on cmm.com and so were a number of you.  one user, alli_g, was chatting with us from her work computer.  towards the end of our chat she wrote that her boss just walked by her computer and saw she was chatting!  (niiiiiice.  please enjoy cmm.com….but don’t get fired over it.  thanks.)  I told her “well at least you weren’t caught looking at PORN or something you know?!”  she responded, brilliantly, “you ARE porn….musical porn.  you are my musical porn.”

hahaha.  best thing i’ve ever heard.  ever.  see you wednesday–bring your “Oh faces.”

‘GLEE’ING IT UP – WARBLE WARBLE…

Last tuesday i had quite an interesting day on the set of a small show called Glee.  Now i’ve been lucky enough to sing on the show a number of times but i’ve never been ON the show in FRONT of the camera.  That might be because i look, well, older than a high schooler (first of all–i’m offended by this accusation.  even though i made it upon myself.  secondly–please note, and respect, this impressive clean-shaven look i’m rocking.  i guess that’s all it takes to look like you’re in high school.  ha.  whatever–most of the actors on the show ain’t so young demselves so lay off me!)

The week before  I blogged about the “dance rehearsal” we had for the song we were performing.  I must say that it was fun as hell.  I could TOTALLY get paid to do that on the regular!  *read–the choreographers on the show might disagree….but they’re not here right now ARE they?  didn’t think so.*  You’ll have to read last week’s blog to get the skinny on the rehearsal–it was snap-touch-tastic.  I am guilty of taking a little break in Artie’s wheel chair…it was smoooooth rollin’.

So my call time was 7am so i had to get up at 5:30.  This was a problem.  That is EARLY to me.  some of you might be rolling your eyes right now saying “psha, i have to get up at 5:30 every morning for my job/baby/fat ass at the gym.”  well i don’t roll that way so gimme a break.  this was big deal.

Upon arriving on set (which was on location in Pasadena) I had an omelet with cheese and a coffee.  catering on set is beyond description.  i want to know how much $$$ they spend on catering every day.  it’s gotta be more than i could ever guess.  There’s literally food everywhere–and i mean FOOD!  made to order kinda shit.  beautiful cruise-ship-buffet looking shit.  If i actually worked on set everyday i would weigh one million pounds guaranteed.  I can’t NOT eat when a buffet on all 4 sides of me (in front of, behind, to my right, to my left–for those of you who can’t count/imagine).  ok enough about this.  it was great.

We went to wardrobe and hair/makeup where we were high schoolified then we were bussed to the set.

I mentioned we are the Warblers–a Catholic, all-boys a capella group…and we’re goooooood.  (see below).  The guy who looks like he’s sayin’ “Heeeeyyyyyyyy!” or perhaps “Whaaaaaaattt?????” is our lead singer.  He’s got a very interesting role this season which is being much hyped on the blogs.  Go read up.  I don’t know much about what i’m allowed to say here but he’s got many-a-scene with the character Kurt soooooooo……figure it out.

Upon arriving on set i went to the kraft FOOD table (duh) and caught up with my friend Chris Colfer who plays Kurt.  I haven’t seen Chris since i snuck him into my show last year in LA (since he wasn’t (and still isn’t!) 21.  *wipes a tear.  “F&#K youth!”  recovers*  I’m very proud of Chris–he’s become the star of the show and was nominated for an Emmy this year.  i think he’s fantastic.  He’s also super nice and hilarious.  We caught up about my new album and life and how his life has changed since Glee began dominating the world.  It’s pretty amazing.

We then went to rehearsals with the choreographers.  The pressure on Glee to deliver in short order is high so we went over and OVER the dance again and AGAIN.  But it was worth it cause we were prepared.  *note this lesson carries over into other areas of life.  my blog is now a self-help blog.  you’re welcome.*

This rehearsal took us to our lunch break.  yes.  EATING.  more.  i had mexican.  delicious.

After eating again….and again we finally went to set!

The room was full of extras dressed like Catholic school boy student ready to hear a kick ass song by the Warblers.  Who WOULDN’T be excited for this?  (come on!  no one?  oh.  well we’ll see about that on Oct 26 when episode 6/awesome airs.)  The cameras were set, production team ready, makeup people there (to make us look younger), producers, writers, executive producers, Jessica Simpson….not really, but everyone else was there so it wouldn’t have shocked me.

They yelled “action!” and the music started.  My fingers were snapping and my feet stepping and touching so hard  they didn’t know what hit em.  since i’m tall my ass was in the back of the group (damn you short actors!) so we’ll have to see if the camera caught any Mann time.  no idea.

After doing it a hundred times they reset the cameras to get another angle.  in between takes the makeup team would bring out little fans for each of us to blow on our faces!  it was crazy.  i felt like such a puss!  but it felt good cause it was hot and i was sweating my face off….literally.  ladies–you know what i mean.

The camera was now set directly behind me….as in 12 inches from my head….we when we did the next few takes, and we did our turn arounds, the camera was literally in my face.  i WISH i could see the editor here watching this footage of my fat face trying not to hit the lens!  haha!  how awesome would it have been if i knocked my self out on the Glee camera doing a dance!  wow.  that’s stardom right there.

Then it was over.

Chris Colfer had to keep going to do more scenes.  I waved goodbye and that was it.  Exhausted i went back to Kraft food services.  what could i eat?  hmmm…..starburst.  that’s what i’m needing right now.  THAT will get me through.  We were taken back to the trailers, changed and left.  (note–other warblers were seen by me unloading their pockets full of crackers and candy from the Kraft food table.  seriously–are we THAT desperate.  yes.  yes, i think we are.  *removed more starbucks from pocket*  it was 7pm.  12 hours of this?  Chris was STILL working?  wow–i have mad respect for these kids now.  every day….5:30am AND force feeding?!  it might just be too much!

It was awesome and i hope i get to do it again….though i’d rather be Mr. Shu’s arch enemy–i’m working on it.  maybe we can do a facebook campaign like Betty White did go get on SNL?  *that’s your moment to launch the campaign and i’ll act like it was your idea*  *go on…..*

The episode is called “Never Been Kissed” and it airs on Oct 26.  Tune in….even though i might be edited out.