American Idiots
June 16, 2008
Most of the time when PA’s get together, we tend to compare battle scars from sets of the past. Like the homeless ‘Nam vet outside my apartment screams everytime I hurry past, “You weren’t THERE, man! You don’t KNOW!”. My roommate, Sue, who now works in the Music Industry, has a tale that really gives a whole new meaning to the term “war stories”… working on the Green Day “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” music video, she was accused of being a terrorist!
This is Sue. A skinny, 5 foot tall Asian with emo glasses. I feel like the worst thing she could do would be forcing people to listen to Saves The Day and Bad Religion on loop (welcome to my personal hell).
“American Idiot”, Green Day’s latest album and gasping death rattle of street cred, shot the followup single to the title song in an airplane hanger at LAX. Funny thing about airports post-9/11… security is a big issue. You might have realized this while waiting in line for an hour because a little old lady is getting felt up for bobby pins in front of you. Anyway, Sue was told to go get pizza for Green Day and she went to the front of the hanger, where she was told a shuttle would come by. After 10 - 15 minutes of waiting, a car finally pulled up, but it was airline police who started grilling her on whether or not she had touched the airplane or put something on the airplane. They didn’t know why else she would be there… I guess the music video going on behind her didn’t give any clues. They picked her up and escorted her back to set, and basically stopped production because they needed to confirm she was who she said she was and was supposed to be there. When they finally figured out she wasn’t Osama Bin Laden’s girlfriend, they left her alone…
But Green Day still had no pizza. And because she didn’t do her job, she was told she could go home. Bullshit, yes. But it’s easier to blame problems on PA’s and its a lot easier than a higher up actually having to assume responsibility for their own mistakes.
And my WWII Sergeant Grandfathers thought they had it rough fighting the Nazis. Psh.
Are you serous? She was told to “go home!” That is beyond ridiculous!!!
…oh and I would like to add how it truly bothers me when people place the blame on someone else, for instance PA’s like yourself, simply because they or you are considered “lower” on the totem pole, so to speak. When in actuality the ones “lower” on the totem pole could, and probably would, work hard to do the “higher” on the totem pole’s job far better and with some integrity.
….Grrr Arrgh!
Anywho, I also want to thank you by making me laugh out loud when you wrote, “they finally figured out she wasn’t Osama Bin Laden’s girlfriend.” Ha!
Thanks for entertaining me Brandie, as always!
Isn’t that how it always goes? No one at the top appreciates the fact that their jobs would be beyond impossible if it wasn’t for all the hard work of the people they don’t even bother getting to know.
It is a great anecdote for the way things work in the world. The people that are bothered by it are the people who rarely get to the top because they don’t stand on other people to get where they want to go. Sad world we live in.
What’s wrong with Bad Religion?
i call SHENANIGANS! (get it?? GET IT??? cause they had an album called that???????)
This is one of the funniest, most absurd things I’ve EVER read! GREEN DAY HAD NO PIZZA?! Forget all the effects of 9/11 you’ve heard before - Green Day had no pizza!
I think the very image just gave me diarrhea.
No pizza! Let them eat cake. Evil bastards.
Your story is yet another example of “blame the dog ” syndrome all too common in our industry.
PA’s are our children. One day they’ll be grown up HODs or executives. We should be kind to them.
bts
Ha! That’s a great story.
Getting told to “go home” for being captured by airport security…..nice. I wonder if the production manager felt guilty after he/she told the line producer that the incompetent PA had been fired. Probably not.
Not to worry. Green Day will eventually receive their comeuppance when “American Idiot” is forcibly removed from its political context and forced to languish in dumb comedy trailers for a few years before it’s completely forgotten. And so the kingdom was lost–all for the want of a pizza.
We’ve all been there. It doesn’t make you feel any better, but yeah, we’ve been there.
When I started to learn guitar, I was taught to start with Green Day’s songs, only because they use the same three notes, over and over again.
The lower you are on the totem pole, the more work you actually do.
Posey,
Love your bog… clever and witty writing… you are THE VOICE of the young filmmaker doing whatever it takes… to make it happen. Great attitude…
I see myself four years ago.
How’s your scripts coming?
I’m a development executive for an a-list exec prod… and, while not promising anything, I’d be willing to read your material…something I RARELY say to anyone, based solely on your wit and pov as seen here on your blog…
I assure you I’m not “el creepo”, nor some fruitcake internet weirdo… but someone who is interested in your work…
I’ll be happy to provide my e-mail addy as well as proof of employment, etc. if you are interested in more info…
Either way…
Awesome blog…
Keep Writing, Stay Nice, and don’t let the 405 get you down…
M.R.C.