The Call I Was Waiting For

Written 22 July, 2006: I started out the day, yesterday, calling James O'Brien, on LBC 97.3, London. This was the third time I had tried to get on James' show this week. Previously, the producers didn't call back. This time, I told enough of my story that the producer decided it would be a good one for broadcast. James was talking about the worst compensations people have received, amongst other things. When I was put through, I told James about the time a flight was delayed many hours, from New York to London. The airline had called me at home, just before I was to leave for the airport. They told me not to come until 2AM. When I did turn up at Newark airport at that "ungodly" hour, I was given a $10 food voucher in compensation. The only problem was that all the restaurants at the airport, where I could redeem it, were closed. I ended up finding a tiny snack counter open, but it had almost no food available. I only managed to get a large coke and some chocolate chip cookies. James found this story amusing, but cut my call before I could tell him the punchline. Those passengers whom the airline didn't reach and who turned up at the original check-in time, were put up, free of charge, at a four star Marriott hotel, at the airport. I would much rather have had that, then have had to drive to the airport in the middle of the night.
In the afternoon, I received the script for the film segment I was cast in, that is due to film next Thursday. My printer cartridge finally ran completely dry, so my first attempt to print it out wasn't successful. This is the original cartridge, which came with the printer, and is over three years old. I have had a replacement on hand for a year and a half. I swapped the cartridges and printed the script out again. I reused the same sheets of paper from the first attempt.
Listening to Iain Lee's 3 and 1/2 hour, 3 to 6:30, Afternoon Wireless Show, on LBC, I heard Iain discussing "Superman Returns," with a caller. Iain had gone to see the film Thursday night, while I was in Brixton, interviewing for a film project. Iain mentioned that there is a reference to Batman in the Superman film, as "Gotham City" is mentioned. Iain or his caller, said a film should be made with Superman and Batman, and possibly Spiderman, together. I decided to call in and ask Iain if he was familiar with the two part episode of the old "Batman" TV series from the 60s, which had Batman and Robin vs the Green Hornet and Kato. What made that show particularly interesting is that Bruce Lee played Kato. I mentioned this topic to Agent Chris, on the phone, who gave his usual statement that he would call me back. I had also, previously, tried to get on Iain's show, this week, without success, so I wondered if I would be as successful as I had been with James O'Brien that morning. Iain likes talking about superheros, although Agent Chris doesn't. I should have guessed...Agent Chris didn't call back. I tried to get through during Triple M, when calls aren't screened, but the line was continuously busy.
I made a vegetarian, Chinese stirfry for dinner, not because I am a vegetarian, but because I didn't have any meat to put in it. I cooked the rice while Watching "Eastenders." Then I stirfried the vegetables, during the beginning of "Big Brother." As is typical on a Friday, it was eviction night. I sat down to eat my stirfry over rice, with some hot chili oil to spice it up, watching the rest of the eviction program. As I expected, Jayne was evicted. The producers I had interviewed with, Thursday night, said they would let me know if I was cast in the film project at around 10PM, Friday night, so as the eviction interview started, I lamented that it looks like I wasn't cast. Suddenly, my mobile rang. It was the male half of the production team. They wanted me for the project, a short film to be shot over the weekend, as an entry into a film competition, in London. I was told where to report on Saturday, as we were filming on location. This is the second role I have been cast in, this week.
I decided to call Bill Buckley, in LBC, after 1AM. Bill always puts me on and he'd be interested to hear I had been cast in another role. While I was on hold, a former "Big Brother" contestant from "Big Brother" series 3 called in. He was stuck in a traffic jam. I hadn't watched that series, so I was not familiar with him. Finally, it was my turn. I gave Bill and example of how I might have wound up fellow "Big Brother" housemates, had I been selected for the show. Later, after I was on, some guy named Mark called Bill and said he didn't like my voice and wasn't interested in what I had to say. I do note that he paid attention to every bit I said, though. Anyway, I thought I had best write this blog before going to sleep, as I am off filming in London later in the day. You can catch James, Bill, and the rest of the LBC gang at: http://www.lbc973.co.uk/