20th CENTURY FOX! MY FIRST BIG AUDITION!

This happened Dec. 9. Yesterday.
For years I've had bookers who book me for shows in nightclubs. But I've never had a real bonafide Agent in Hollywood.

My agent sent me out to a real actors audition for a major television show yesterday. I made sure I went way early in advance to 20th Century Fox Studios. When I got onto the lot I can't describe the sense of magic that came over me. Most all of the buildings were white Deco Style. I felt like I had landed in a sacred magical land. Dorothy landed in the land OZ. Dare I say I felt a sense of belonging.

Before the audition I asked one of the guys in the go-cart to please help me find Building 226. He said "hop on, I'll take you there." It was so glamorous! Gliding through the lot to my destination. Once there I located the exact room and left; I had time to kill. Sooo....

I decided to walk around the lot and explore. I saw posters for the various 20th Century Fox movies including the current "Black Swan."

Marilyn Monroe was with 20th CENTURY FOX. There was a giant mural painted on one of the buildings that could only be seen when you're in the lot. I pulled out my cell phone and pretended to be talking on it then aimed and clicked a picture of the mural. I was a little paranoid because everybody who walks around has badges. I had NO badge except for the pass inside my shirt pocket.

I went to the gift store. I didn't buy because I told myself, I will be back. Someday I will be back.
http://www.foxstudios.com/home.html

I don't know if I did well at the audition, but just being there was cool enough for me.

After the audition, as I was leaving I saw a giant hedge with the Comedy & Tragedy masks sculpted into it. I crossed the green lawn to take a picture with my phone when suddenly a door flies open and a voice yells "Jimmy James what are you doing here?" It was a friend of mine (Emmy Award Winner) is doing some free-lance work on the lot. I started laughing and said "oh you caught me taking pictures..." He quickly pulled out his phone and had me pose by the masks. He also shot me by the 20th Century Fox mural. Thanks Patrick. What magical fun!



























Photos of me by: Patrick Harris "Harris of Hollywood"
Later in the evening I was invited to a wonderful little dinner party. They had 2 Emmys on their shelf...Hollywood.

PERFORMANCE DEC. 23 @ THE BONHAM EXCHANGE

Note: The show time is going to be 9pm.
That detail will change shortly in the poster.

I'm getting ready to perform in my hometown December 23, 2010.

The last time I played the Historical Bonham Exchange dance club was about 10 years ago. I think it was in 2000.

I'm excited and I'm sure lot's of friends and family will be there. I now am returning with my own hit record and some new material since then.

I happened to buy my ticket way in advance on Southwest Airlines. My direct nonstop LAX to SAT was only $80. YEE HAW!

Thanks to my friend Frank at "WHAT'S HAPPENING MAGAZINE" in Florida for designing my ad & flyers. He has better things to do but I'm glad I talked him into it because he is one of the best at visuals for art direction. I'm so happy with the design. Check out the MM image on the jacket. I'm so glad she fit in the picture.

This new photo was shot by the talented ALAN MERCER in Hollywood, CA.

I'll be performing at the Bonham with a new look, new songs and new show.

xoxo
JJ

8 people. Food for 20.

Yesterday I went to Burbank to my old friend Rita's house for Thanksgiving. There were only 8 of us but they cooked for 20 people. Her girlfriend Jo did such a good job and we all had fun. The people there were in the film and television business including Rita. There was also a manager of musicians there. But all that aside we were all just pigs when it came to the food.

Rita Carreon and I met each other in San Antonio way way back in the day (early 80's) when we both were working for Balloon Expressions - A balloon bouquet delivery company. We would work the phones and take orders as well as inflate the balloons with helium. The company is still there.

It all seems like a lifetime away. I remember telling the owners to buy a theme song I wrote for the company. I got paid $200! This was my first real songwriting gig. I also convinced them that I should dress as Marilyn Monroe to deliver some bouquets to dads on Father's Day.
For an extra fee customers could have the bouquet delivered by Marilyn Monroe. We booked 4 gigs that day and none of the fathers ever suspected that it was a guy dressed as MM. LOL!!!

I'm so glad I have GPS in my car. It is the ONLY way to get around now.

NOVEMBER BIZ.

I've been increasing my network in Los Angeles. I officially moved here Jan. 2010. It's taken 10 months to just now feel like I'm getting somewhere. November is turning out to be very productive. I've secured a legitimate agent. I've performed for several private functions: The Trevor Project, Judy Tenuta's Birthday party and a couple other private parties.

Here in LA when you perform, you never know who is watching you. Practically everybody is in the entertainment industry on some level. Everybody is connected. I'm also reading some good industry books. One of the books I'm reading is "When I Stop Talking You'll Know I'm Dead" by Jerry Weintraub. It's an inside look at the behind the scenes business of shows.

I also have been meeting with some clubs in Palm Springs, CA. I have always liked Palm Springs. There's a unique feeling you get when you go there. I'm also in love with modern and mid-century architecture. The mountain views are majestic. There are no tall buildings there so as not to obstruct the views.

I'm having meetings again in LA. It's going very well. I've written a new song that these new producers LOVED. I can't wait to get it produced and tell you what the song is. Right now I can tell you it's very European Dance sounding. I think the lyrics are very of the moment.

LAREDO, TX? WHAT??? Early HALLOWEEN!

In September I had to leave LA to Texas.
First of all my niece Briana was celebrating her 21st Birthday. She's almost as old as I am! Wink.
It was nice to see mom who lives next door to my sister Jodie (Briana's mom).








After a couple days in San Antonio, I had to leave to Laredo, TX (where I was born) to help with my Uncle Carlos' estate. My Uncle Frank picked me up in San Antonio and we drove out.
I took a picture of the highway on the way to Laredo. We also stopped at Garcias Cafe. It was trippy. There were farmers and ranchers all having lunch. Many of them wearing cowboy hats. I didn't feel weird because even in shorts and Tshirt I get mistaken for being a woman. LOL! No makeup, No wig. "What can I help you with ma'me?"

Going to Laredo was bringing back so many memories of long ago. I had very humble beginnings. My life is so far away from this region but it was humbling to go back. I was reminded of how far I've come since my life in the little house at 1302 Kearney St.

My job (for 2 weeks) in Laredo was to help out. I took pictures of everything in my deceased uncles' home and catalogued it. I started a Facebook for him showing all his stuff for the family to claim what they want. Tedious - yes but I was fine doing it because my uncle was very kind and helpful to everyone in the family. He never wanted to be thanked or expected anything in return. He was successful in business and never minded sharing. He was a good man. Uncle Carlos (Mom's brother) unexpectedly passed away in his sleep Dec. 2, 2009.

We are in the process of selling his house and factory. His property is across from Laredo Community College. They're interested in buying it. We are also going to be selling his 125 acre ranch in Laredo.

When night fell, I was left with one side of the house including my Uncle Carlos' bedroom. I was so spooked! The whole place was filled with figurines and everything was dark decor and old paintings. His home is close to a railroad track where you hear trains all night long. How did he sleep with this? I would NOT sleep on his bed where he died. NO WAY. Luckily there were stacks of new mattresses so I grabbed one and took it to the small screening room just to the side of his bedroom. I threw the mattress on the floor and set myself up nicely. But just outside that screening room was an all dark furniture room.

In LA all of my furniture is white. I'm creeped out by dark decor and furniture at night.

In the screening room off to the side of the bedroom, I had a big flat screen TV to watch. I could make it as loud as I wanted. No one was around. One night I really enjoyed watching the making of "Gone With The Wind." I also caught up on some reading of my Rolling Stone Magazines.

I'm going to include here some photos of the interior of my uncle's house. You can get a visual of my surroundings.

One particular picture is of a coffee table in the sitting room just to the side of his bedroom. I tried to sleep there on a sofa the first night but I was bothered and creept out. I got out of the room and grabbed a mattress and moved to the screening room. You'll see the photo of the coffee table full of ORBS! OMG! Spooky! Creepy!

There were lots of gothic decor and a creepy life-size coat of armor man. It was scaring me at night. It stood right outside the kitchen entrance and that was an great way of keeping me from going in there for a late night snack.

You could say I've already had an early Halloween. So I'm done with spooky for a while.

When I got back to LA, I made an appearance for OUT-Q SIRIUS Radio (Oct. 1) with my pals Derek & Romain. They were in for Gay Days at Disney. They held interviews for several hours at The House of Blues upstairs patio. It was fun to see my pals in California. I was on air for about 20 minutes. It flew by because we had fun. Laredo seemed so far away from and like a spooky dream I had. Early Halloween.

GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY in LOS ANGELES, CA

Sometimes you just have to get away from your office and enjoy a little of what California has to offer. I made plans with a couple of friends to go to Griffith Observatory. A lot of the the stuff in there is extremely fascinating. But I really LOVED sitting in the cool dark Planetarium to watch the show of planets. The woman narrating the show (live) had a very soothing hypnotic voice. I told her after the show I really enjoyed her voice.

The last time I went to a planetarium I was a child on a field trip.
Now that I know how to get there, I would like to go again to this observatory. Thank you Griffith J. Griffith for the park and the observatory you left to the city of Los Angeles.
HAPPY 75th YEAR ANNIVERSARY.