Baby's first audition

I didn't get a great picture of it, but Zack had an audition today.  He did well.  He enjoyed the waiting room and all the other babies, and he was very social.  Then a couple of dogs entered onto the scene, and it was the fastest I've seen the boy walk yet.  He was way, way into the dogs.  There seem to be a lot of casting studios where pets are allowed.  That was just fine by Zack.

I've actually booked a couple of commercials though this casting director, and I think that might be why they asked me to audition as Zack's mom.  So we had to wait around for a while before a dad showed up.  He was very cute and very, very gay.  We made a beautiful family.

Zack got a little spooked when we got into the studio.  I don't know if it was the camera or just that we were away from the more social scene in the waiting room.  Or maybe just shutting the door in a strange room.  I've noticed Zack doesn't really like elevators, either.  But anyway, I had to put him on my shoulders for his picture, so he would smile.  But then he did great.

The "story" of the commercial was that the dad was watching The Closer, and the baby starts crying.  The dad changes the channel to Sesame Street and the baby is happy.  I stayed off to the side so Zack wouldn't get too upset.  I gave him a post card he had gotten interested in, and he sat there and played with it pretty happily.  When the baby was supposed to by crying, the camera guy played an audiotape of a baby crying.  The sound upset Zack and he actually did start to protest a little.  He didn't really cry, but he whimpered a little and made it clear he didn't like that noise.   Then when the camera guy turned off the tape, Zack stopped crying and looked very interested and engaged.  The camera guy couldn't believe how perfect it was.  It really looked as if Zack had gotten upset that Sesame Street wasn't on, demanded a channel change, and then was at peace and just involved in the show.  It was too funny how great the timing was.

Then I was supposed to do my part of the audition, which meant I had to find a place to stow Zack outside the studio.  I've watched a few babies myself at auditions and have previously handed Zack over to new and old friends in waiting rooms.  So Zack went to look at the dogs again with his new baby friend (who happened to be another HUGE 27 pounder whose mom said she was suffering with lower back pain because of carrying him around--and trying acupuncture to cure it, and well, good luck with that lady, but thanks for watching the kid anyway).

My part of the audition was that gay hubbie and I are watching Slum Dog Millionaire when we hear the baby cry on the monitor and have to pause the movie to go take care of him.  As you can imagine, this was a real stretch for me.

When I had to pull Zack away from the dogs to go home, he got really, really upset.  He had been pretty game all through the audition, but he just did not understand why he couldn't play with the little dogs some more.  So what if they were in a lady's office?  And she was making ten thousand phone calls?  (She looked a little annoyed, actually.)

We are home now, and Zack is taking the weirdest, longest afternoon nap.  It's lasted from 2:45 until now.  It's 7:45.  I think tonight might be tough.  But when I tried to wake him to stay on schedule, he was just so conked out.  I didn't have the heart.

Plus I am getting so much writing done.  Freakin' household full of wacked out artists on crazy schedules.

For all our east coast, not in the business folks, just know that if Zack was in any way distressed at an audition, I wouldn't let him stay.   For little babies, I don't think the business is really messed up.  It's only when kids get older that they can get a little tweaked by competition, superficiality, and rejection.  Zack is just out for a good time wherever he goes.

And if he gets this job, it's $5000 in the bank for him, which isn't bad for a day of socializing.