the stage is set

I can't remember the exact moment I decided to move to Hollywood. I suppose it's a dream I've had for years. Back in the beautiful woods of East tennessee, around '93, I went to a private middle school/high school called Harrison Chilhowee. Mr. Bradam was my history teacher. He also invited me to be in a musical in 8th grade. I had never really performed, but I enjoyed making the older high schoolers laugh, so i thought it would be a great opportunity to show off. It was a musical called "Base 6". (or "Basics"). I was the sarcastic "funny guy" in the play, which consisted of mostly high schoolers. I was definitely hooked! I'll never forget the joy of making adults laugh.
Years later, at the age of 23, In 2002, I was working for a Christian youth camp called Student Life. I was on the acting team. We had an orientation camp, and that's where I met a young man named Les Bradford. he first approached me one morning and asked me if I was on the acting team. I definitely sized him up as the athletic type. He had a deep southern drawl as he explained he was from Alabama, and he was on the recreation team. (That meant he was in charge of organizing youth athletics at our camp.) Yup. Athletic. And very Alabama. he then explained, "I'm interested in actin'." Huh? Yeah, right. Everyone is.
I regreted my judgement of Les. He explained that he had lived in L.A. for a couple of years, had an agent, and had even done some acting. What?!? Shame on me for judging him so harshly. Now, I don't want to embarass Les too much, but he has a significant claim to Hollywood fame. If you watch "Gigli", starring Ben Affleck and J.Lo, you can see Les in the diner scene getting his laptop smashed over Ben's knee. Am I really seeing this? That's my friend Les?
Well, Les and I became friends that summer, long before "Gigli" came out. I had another friend on the acting team with me named Doug Clayton. He was from California, and was making plans to move to L.A. By the end of the summer, Les had already approached me about moving to tinsel town. I stayed in contact with Les and Doug over the next year and a half while I finished college.
So, here I was, piling up my '91 Honda CRX with most of my low budget worldly posessions, mere days after my December graduation in 2003. The day I left home was a wrenching one. it wasn't east to sat goodbye to my brother, sister-in-law, Mom, Dad, and my neices Taylor and Emilee. So, all alone on the open road, I set out for the promised land. All I had was some clothes, a chunk of money in my bank account, a college degree, and some vague dreams of becoming a mediocre actor/comedian.
I was very impressed and encouraged by my friends' support. I definitely wasn't prepared for the outpouring of love and advice from my friends and family on my crazy move. My friends even had a goodbye get-together the day before I left. They made a cake with a map of the U.S., and a red line from east Tennessee to California. It was a hallmark staple in my life. What awaited me in sunny California? How would Hollywood treat me? Only the next few months could tell.