Sports

  Sports

     We shot a lot of scenes, involving sports. Sometimes, it was a film about a specific sport, and sometimes it was a sporting event, that was only a small part, of a film. In “Little Nicky,” we were at a basketball game, with the “Harlem Globetrotters, but it was not a globetrotter movie. The same applies to the “Tough Person” contest, we attended in, “The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!” When I worked it, the title was, “Reunion in Hazzard County.” We were also spectators, at a cage fight in “Virtuosity.” I’m sure, there were more examples, but you get the idea. 

     Other films featured sports, as the subject matter. If memory serves, my first was titled, “My Left Hook.” A film about boxer, Mike Tyson, that later changed it’s name to “Tyson.” The film aired on HBO, in 1995. I believe I have already mentioned that this is the film, where my friend Billy, led me to the infamous “Pretzel Bar.” It is also the film, where I met my friend Tony K. He got me an autograph, from George C Scott, that I gave to my stepfather. In addition, I met Paul Winfield, who was playing promoter, Don King, in the film. I said, “Nice to meet you, and nice to see you in a film, where they don’t kill you, halfway through.” He smiled, and said, “I don’t mind. They killed me in “The Terminator“, and in “Star Trek 2,” but the money was good, so go ahead, and kill me!” I shook his hand, and returned to my seat. I never would have done this, if Tony K. had not introduced me. I was a new extra, and still terrified of breaking the taboo, against speaking to principle actors. Tony K. could have cared less about taboos. He got into trouble, more than once, for speaking to principle actors, because he liked to ask for autographs, and photos.  When I spoke to Michelle Pfeiffer, I was by myself, and very nervous. It was all good.

     “Ali,” was another boxing movie, with Will Smith in the title role. I refuse to watch this film, because the production company was not very nice, to the extras, in my humble opinion. We worked on Martin Luther King day, and a lot of people, were afraid they would lose their job, possibly piss-off casting, and “Never work in this town again,” if they failed to show up. If production made promises, to the contrary, most of the extras, I talked to, weren’t buying it. They all felt like they were under pressure, no matter what, anyone told them. Maybe they knew something, I didn’t. Maybe they had been lied to, by production, in the past. Another infamous, show-biz promise: “Just do it now, and we will take care of you, when we wrap.” A favorite among extras. We even say it to each other. I got no bonus, of any kind, for working the holiday. If anyone else did, I never heard about it. I did hear from a lot of pissed-off extras. When I first arrived, at set, someone from production, told me, I could not park my truck, on the street. I said, “I don’t see any production, or city signs. Did production buy the street?” The guy said, “We just want to save all the close spots, for the cast, and crew.” I shut my truck off, and the guy raised his voice, “I said you couldn’t park there!” I was wearing a suit, and tie, when I said to him, “Anything happens, that I don’t like, you will see me again, and I promise something will happen, that you won’t like.” I worked multiple days, on that shoot, and parked where I wanted. There are other stories, about the BS, that occurred, on this shoot, but I’m done. I have already given this production, way more mention, than I feel it deserves. 

     “Space Jam,” was a basketball film, but I worked on it, during a baseball game, that Michael Jordan participated in. Once again, we were cheering spectators. The best part about working on this movie, was watching Joe Pytka, the director. For some of us, he was a lot of fun, to work with. I also liked the idea of being in a movie, that starred Bugs Bunny. I will always choose Bugs, over Mickey.

     On “Sunset Park,” I was a spectator at high-school basketball. Rhea Perlman was coaching these inner city kids, to a happily ever after, Hollywood ending. I remember very little, about this shoot, except that at one point, Danny DeVito came to set, and we worked late. I was sleeping, on the bleachers, in the gym, where we were shooting, and nobody cared. A lot of people were asleep, on the bleachers. Production paid us anyway. Thank you very much!

     I was booked on 2 different films, titled “Champion.” One later changed it’s name to, “Carman: The Champion.” I think Christopher Gray booked me, on this film. The story of a preacher, who was also a boxer. OK, I’ll buy that. He has to fight one more time, to save his church. Sounds like a Hollywood movie plot, to me. I have never seen the film. If memory serves, it was produced by, or for, TBN. A faith based company. I remember one of the crew got upset, because extras kept saying that TBN, stood for “The Bible Network.” We knew it was “Trinity Broadcasting Network.” Sure, we did. We just said that other s**t, because we knew it would piss you off. Did it work? While I was working this shoot, a girl I know, was fighting, with her boyfriend, and I guess she thought she could use me, to make him jealous. I suddenly found myself, on the opposite side, of the very large stadium, from her, and that is where I stayed, for the entire shoot. The girl reeked of alcohol, and I considered her boyfriend, to be a walking virus. I may have known them, but they did not have my phone number, or address.

     The other film, titled “Champion,” was a Korean production, about the fight, between Ray- Boom, Boom- Mancini, and Duk Koo Kim, after which, Kim died. Kim was portrayed as a champion, who would rather die, than lose. That’s what they told me, on set anyway. We were roasting, in the very hot sun, for the whole shoot. Production took care of us, the best they could. There was sunscreen, misting fans, lots of water, and we were allowed to raise umbrellas, between takes. The high point, of the shoot was when a large dust-devil, went through the production company base camp, and made a mess. It was also the set where Joe Dipshit, decided to “Spark a Fatty,” on camera. I have not seen this film.

     “Coach Carter,” was based on a true story, of a basketball coach, who believed that in school, learning is more important than winning. So do I. I always admired extras, who cultivate options. Like the guy, writing an opera, between takes. Big Mike, who also did stunt work. Pretty Ricky, who held a pilot’s license, and the list goes on. Of course some extras don’t want to do anything else. Just like the boxer, who keeps coming out of retirement, for one more fight. If not for Hollywood’s obsession with youth, working as an extra, for 30 years, might be an option, for some. Very few, if any, last this long.

     I worked at least 2 scenes, for “Coach Carter.” Maybe more. I thought it was pretty cool to be in a film with Samuel L. Jackson. Jules Winnfield, from “Pulp Fiction,” himself. Outstanding! Samuel Jackson always reminded me of a very good friend of mine. We were spectators, at high school basketball games. 

Production placed me on the opposite side, of the featured team, the Richmond “Oilers.” After all, this is an inner-city, urban high school, and everybody knows that white people do not attend these schools. This stereotype, pissed me off, so I went to the “Oilers side, of the gymnasium, and got myself established, on camera. Now production would have to bring me back. After the first day, whenever I worked on this film, I ignored production, and placed myself where ever I wanted. I could have popped up anywhere. One day, I was feeling lazy, so I sat in the “nose-bleed” section, of the bleachers, and remained invisible. Another day, I sat right down, on the floor, near the cheerleaders. I even spoke to them. One girl told me that they were a professional cheer crew, and they competed nationally, as well as working on films, and TV. Definitely a job, you cannot do forever.

     I say job, because cheerleading well, requires a lot of work. If you are going to try and convince me that Texas, “Hold-Em,” poker, is a sport, you will be about as successful convincing me that cheerleading, is not. In my humble opinion, cheerleading is not only a sport, but it belongs in the category of sports that require a good physical condition, for it’s most successful participants. You could be “Jabba, the Hut,” and still play poker, but I think cheerleading is out, for you. Especially the basket-toss. “Coach Carter was fun for me, because I did my own thing. Even though I am “all over” this movie, I think I am only visible in the scene where I intentionally established myself. I haven’t really looked very hard, to see if I am visible, anywhere else, in this movie. If I am, that’s ok, and if I’m not, my hat is off, to whoever cut this film. 

     For me, “Like Mike,” was a movie for kids. A young boy, played by “Lil’ Bow-Wow“, finds a pair of magic tennis shoes, that may or may not have once belonged to Michael Jordan. Arguably, one of the best underwear salesman, in history.  After getting struck by lightning, our hero puts the shoes on, and instantly he can play basketball like the pros, in the NBA. Not bad, for a 14-year old! This type of movie will always be around, as long as there are children. Again, I was an invisible spectator. Our hero had quite a following of young screaming girls, professing their love, for him, and I had a headache. Nothing against screaming girls, but multiple days of screaming girls? Sometimes, it was a little to much. I think, even our young hero, was unnerved by it. The price of fame. 

     We also watched, or pretended to watch basketball, during a Gatorade commercial, I previously mentioned. Afterward, I quit drinking Gatorade.