Last night I was an extra for a TV show. The whole thing was fairly ridiculous and apparently, I somehow have gotten myself involved an actor's union, although I have no idea how this happened.

I was just doing a friend a favor. She called last minute and asked if I could step in for a shoot. I've done some extra work before for some tiny little films that have never seen the light of day, so I thought, why not?

I show up and find a hardcore operation. I'm hustled into a trailor where I have to fill out a zillion pages of paperwork with the handful of other *real* extras, a.k.a. struggling actors in NYC. They next thing I know a rep from AFTRA comes in and asks if we all understand our contracts or whatever. I just went along with the whole thing - I have no idea what's going on.

Shortly after that, some wardrobe guy comes in with some costumes and feels that I need to "lighten up" my wardrobe with lighter colors. Wardrobe? These are my real clothes, buddy. I put the kabosh on that. Pleeeaaase. I'm an EXTRA.

After wardrobe, the AD came in detailed our shoot.

For the next six hours we did a lot of hurry up and wait. We stood on our marks and I cracked myself up and the others around me by talking to my group about "formulating my character." I told them I'm method and created a whole storyline for the group of us.

One of the other actors asked me about a gesture I was using for my "character" and told me how funny it was. I was like, I think that may be a real life gesture/facial expression? Uh, oh.

While pantomiming scenes so that the star could cleanly deliver his lines, some fresh-off-the-bus-natural blonde (who knew they even existed?) starts lip synching "who is your manager and agent and did you write their social down on the form because they should get the check?" I'm like, no and you shouldn't either - YOU'RE AN EXTRA. Good God, these kids today know nothing about the business. Have the check sent to you and pay out the management from there if you must.

One of the actors asked me if I did improv and another of the girls asked me what I had done because I looked familiar.

I'm like, I've done it all and hopefully none of it has been captured on tape.

As for the improv, I said, Honey - every day in my life is improv.

I've decided that being an EXTRA could be my ideal career because you just stand around and fake it, like a night out in this city, except they tell you where to stand and look. Other than that, you just drink and smoke, which is fine by me.

My roommate and some friends and I smuggled shots from a bottle of rum on the bus during our dinner break. That got me to thinking about what a drug problem I would have if I were an actor. How else are you going to entertain yourself?

Last night's shoot took a reeeeaalllyyy long time, though, and in the end it will only be like a :60 long piece. That started me thinking doing drugs again, and about making a feature film.

Making a feature film would possibly drive me crazy, although maybe I'm saying that because I worked a 9 hour day with no break yesterday and then shot for 6 hours immediately following. I didn't even stay for the dubbing, thank God.

I think it would be more tolerable if I had my own trailor.

I like that idea. A trailor, where I can sit and read and relax while they set up new scenes and watch the playback.

This could work for me. I better talk to that AFTRA guy. This could be a new career for me.

I can see my name now, "Partygirl, Extra to the Stars."

Oh, and I should be on this week. I'd tell you what show but then you'd be watching and frankly, I'll probably be on the cutting room floor.

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