Albert Ellis Meets The X-Files: I Want to Believe

As you know, I'm not really a crowd person... the definition of crowd changing from big groups to one other person in the room depending on my mood. I love being a hermit. I encourage others to be hermits. We'd have a support group, except that would mean getting together, and let's face it, that would sort of defeat the purpose.

My last Albert Ellis experiement to speak to 50 men in a two month period was a rousing success-- if you define success as total and complete failure to achieve objective within the alloted timeframe. Otherwise, not so much. I've decided to broaden my horizons-- largely because I've still not managed to get guys to talk to me on camera. So, out of necessity, I've broadened my objectives: get over the fear of talking to strangers of any gender.

To that end, I give you the first of two videos at the latest X-Files event. I was fortunate enough to meet some very nice people, and they were kind enough to speak about their X-Files love on camera. For those of you who have complained about not seeing me on these videos, tonight is your lucky night (but really... if this is your definition of lucky...). ;)


LA Film Fest: X-Files: I Want To Believe Fan Interviews 1 from Kate Dating on Vimeo.


The follow-up video:


LA Film Fest: X-Files: I Want To Believe Fan Interviews 2 from Kate Dating on Vimeo.

LA Film Fest: X-Files: I Want To Believe: Videos: Gia

3rd Update: This is the best I can come up with for a transcription. David is just too muffled from where I was sitting. I'd happy to go visit him and ask, though. :) I'm a giver, so just set up that meeting, and I am there for you people.


Frank:The Studio has ways of using the internet for marketing that are very clever. I’m sure a lot of you have seen the video of the young woman in England who got the script (wild cheers). And there she is! Stand up. Stand up.

David: (no idea, something about the applause, I think, and “what did you do?)

Moderator: Do you want to re-enact that?

Gia: I read the script.

Moderator: Do you want to re-enact that?

David: Oh, you got it?

Gia: Yeah.

David: How Come?

Gia: And (something) to read it.

David: How did you get it, though?

Moderator: I’ve seen the clip, but I’ve not seen the script

David: Why did….

Chris (leaning over to David): She’s an internet personality

David: (smiling) Really?

Gia: (something) I’m very excited.

David: Cool!


2nd Update: I faked out the system, added a pic of David, and now blogger will let you listen to the audio. Seriously, though, volume control is your friend on this because it gets really, really loud at some parts.

Update: I know some of you are having trouble hearing the audio. There are a couple of things you can do. You can listen to it on headphones (which is what I was doing), and it becomes easier to hear David's interaction with Gia. Or, you can listen to this boosted audio file (email me at katedating@yahoo.com to get it now, I'll try to figure out how to upload it tonight). HOWEVER, I don't have a mixer, so keep the volume button handy. When we start screaming, it will burst your eardrums. Sorry!




For those of you who have asked, here is the fabulous Gia! Frank's introduction and Duchovny's interaction made us laugh. And yes, that is us screaming in the background, in addition to the back of the heads of guys who just should have been shorter. :)


Find more videos like this on Big Light

LA Film Fest: X-Files: I Want To Believe: More Photos

My friend Dee and her very snazzy camera took some amazing shots. Here are a couple of the ones that make me smile (hubba, hubba on the long shot of David).

LA Film Fest: X-Files: I Want To Believe: Videos: Tiffany

This one is for Venusflesh (Tiffany) over on Big Light. :)




And the fan cards and for Erica (not sure on the spelling) over at Big Light.

LA Film Fest: X-Files: I Want To Believe: Videos

Why David thinks Chris Carter likes snow. I'm with David on this one-- surely, there is something paranormal in Hawaii. :)

LA Film Fest: X-Files: I Want To Believe: Videos: Blogging Clip

A little clip about both Frank's new social network blog, and David's blog for The X-Files: I Want to Believe.

LA Film Fest: X-Files: I Want To Believe: Videos

I haven't had any luck uploading the actual HD footage, and youtube hasn't worked yet. So, here is a compressed version of their introduction and first response.

LA Film Fest: X-Files: I Want To Believe: More Photos

More of the lovely and talented David Duchovny. :)

LA Film Fest: X-Files: I Want To Believe: Photos

I'll do the recap later, but let's face it, you guys really just want to see some pictures. Like before, I'm going to start uploading now. Keep refreshing for new pics. Click on photos for the larger images. These are pulls from a video. I'll be cleaning them up as I go, and I hope to get clips from the Q&A posted tomorrow.

LA Film Fest: X-Files: I Want To Believe

I'm in a very long line-- that's not a line because we weren't allowed to form a line. How about this-- I'm in a very large amorphous blob.

Stay tuned.

LA Film Fest: Finance Seminar

I'm on a lunch break right now at the Los Angeles Film Festival Finance Conference. So far, some very interesting information about the state of the independent film world, as well as financing options/opportunities. Double bonus points because the fest is in air conditioned theaters-- a must given the near fact of the billion degree heat we're having right now. No, seriously, I'm pretty sure it is actually a billion degrees.

Triple bonus points because I've just figured out where all the men in Los Angeles are. Apparently, they are all producers looking for film funding, and this conference is acting as a beacon summoning them all home.

Sweet!!

For those of you who have asked about the X-Files event tomorrow-- yes, I do plan on going. There are some potentail obstacles, but I am planning on going. I'm hoping to get some good pictures and some video (or at least video of the fans before the event). Even if we're not allowed to take pictures, I'm still looking forward to spending an hour or two listening to Chris Carter, Frank Spotnitz and the delectable David Duchovny. There really isn't a downside to that.

Hopefully, I'll see you guys there!

FAQ

Periodically, I get questions about the blog and about me. Here is a small attempt to answer some of the most frequently asked questions (or statements). Well, the clean ones anyway.


1. Is the blog based on real life events, or is it all fiction?

The blog is based on real life events. Occasionally, I have altered the time frame to protect the not-so-innocent. Likewise, I’ve obscured the names of the people involved so that when their prospective employers google them, their names on this blog will not incriminate them in any way. Unless, of course, they piss me off, and then they are so busted.

2. Are you actually dating all the time and just not talking about it?

No. Trust me, if I was dating, you’d know. For instance, hell would have frozen over. Hell freezing over is actually an excellent indicator that romance is in the air for me. Sadly (or happily, I suppose) there is no need for you to run out and buy that parka just yet.

3. Do you hate men?

Absolutely not—I do not hate men. If I did, my life would probably be easier. I do, however, wish I had the manual that goes with men.

4. Do you hate The Ex?

No. I love him dearly, and I always will. He is a good man. He simply made a choice that was best for him. Someday I hope to see the wisdom of that choice.

5. Are you really doing a web series based on the blog?

It’s a real possibility. I don’t know if I’ll be playing me, though. It’s entirely possible that many different women will “play Kate” because I find the idea entertaining. I’m also not particularly comfortable in front of a camera. However, I may end up doing some on-the-spot reporting, so you may see “Kate Dating” sooner than anticipated.

6. Do you work in the entertainment industry?

I work in the entertainment industry from time to time. It is not how I make my living. But I do live in Los Angeles, so I interact with a lot of filmmakers. I enjoy working behind the scenes. I’ve spent my life in the arts to some degree. I was a dancer in my less decrepit years. As you’ll soon find out, I’m better with a script than without one, but even then I think I’ll be producing the Oscars before I receive one.

7. How can you call yourself a hermit when I keep seeing pictures of celebrities on your blog?

I suppose I’m not technically a hermit because I do leave the apartment to work. I call myself a hermit because there is a part of me that would be entirely fine having very limited contact with other human beings—maybe not for long stretches, but definitely for shorter ones. Also, the celebrity events that I have attended have been pretty low key events meant to be more celebratory of the work than drunken, Hollywood bashes. It’s not my fault that Clooney is smitten with me. I told him I just didn’t think it would work out between us. I hope we can still be friends.

8. Ur 2 ugly 4 wrds?!
And yet you found some. Thankfully, I don’t get many of these.

9. Is your real name Kate Dating?
No, but it would certainly be ironic if it was.

Random Musings: Crayons

I have a theory that you can predict a child’s adult behavior by how they deal with their crayons and coloring.

I was very precise when I colored. Not only did I always color in the lines, but I distinctly remember a phase where I made the lines even darker. I was very into making the outline color as deep as possible with just light shading of color on the inside. Given my proclivity for always following the rules and being afraid that deviation would result in me getting into trouble, this doesn’t come as a surprise. I’m still not wandering outside the lines very often.

I’m pretty sure I’ve had boyfriends who hoarded their crayons (these would be the withholders); boyfriends who shared their crayons until they inexplicably grew bored (I’m guessing they then favored much younger crayons) and those who shared their crayons with everyone (ah, the cheaters). Thankfully, I have yet to date a guy who ate their crayons.

So, how about you guys? Did your early coloring years act as a harbinger of things to come?

And This Says What?

The longer I’m around the entertainment industry, the more intrigued I am with various marketing aspects of getting an entertainment product out there. I don’t just mean the exploding online marketing, but even the more traditional product giveaways. Well, “traditional” might be stretching it in this case.

This example of the DVD ad is courtesy of Lyle on the Haven boards. Lyle is in Australia and posted this today (all credit goes Lyle’s way): (http://community.idealistshaven.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26922).

Read this marketing piece for the new Californication DVDs very carefully.

Keep going.

All the way to the bottom.

“Includes sexy g-string”???????

Interesting. What exactly is that trying to convey?

“Thanks for enjoying the show, now stick this up your ass?”

“Please enjoy this complimentary lingerie. Every time you pick it out of your enormous bum, you’ll think of our show?”

No really, I do get it. It’s a sexy show. Many women watch it solely for the hotness that is David Duchovny (not me, of course, I do it for the complex characterizations… and the hotness of David Duchovny), and it might inspire sexy thoughts. Thongs are supposed to be sexy. In fact, I look sexy in a thong… right up until the time I turn around. Then… yeah, it’s all natural people. No butt padding for me. I feel your envy. It’s ok.

I’m not even against this particular giveaway. I’m just a little concerned about what the next step is going to be. I’m telling you now; I’m drawing the line at complimentary valtrex.

I’m just saying.

Kate

The Question Is

Would you go on television and give an interview if there was a chance of you looking foolish in the process?

Normally, I’m a relatively mature (hey, I said “relatively”), educated individual. In real life, I’m fairly serious, or at least I can be if the situation warrants it (unless we are discussing anal bleaching, and then there is just no way I can do anything sling mockery). I have responsibilities. But most of all, I try to avoid looking wildly foolish.

Enter “Temptation A”.

Fans of “The X-Files” are being offered the opportunity to help promote the second movie on an international special. While I don’t know a lot about it, I think it will be largely conversations about the show and the first movie, along with clips, etc. If you are a fan of show, and in Los Angeles, would you do it?

(If you want to, email me at katedating@yahoo.com, and I will give you the details that were forwarded to me from Raskolnikov at Big Light’s network).

I find myself in my usual role of instigator. I’m trying to get everyone around me to do it. I’ve sent out emails. I’ve cajoled. I’ve prodded. What I haven’t done is volunteered myself.

I am reticent. Once again, I am reluctant to put myself out there. Do I really want the world at large to see me regress to my inner 15 year old fangirl-ness? Or should I reserve that privilege for only those people close enough to me to witness it first-hand? And more than that, is this hesitance just another sign of my own natural reserve holding me back from doing something that I really want to do—like working in an invitation to George Clooney to call me? Is this yet another opportunity that I might regret missing eventually?

It really shouldn’t matter to me. I shouldn’t really care if there are people in their living rooms making fun of my lipstick, my lack of face-lift, or my gravitationally challenged breasts. But I think I might care.

So, I need a “Pro” list and a “Con” list. Here is what mine looks like so far. Please send me your additions. You hold my fate in your hands.

Pro
1. I get to help promote XF2
2. I might get to meet other people with similar interests and see what they think about the film (something that I had already started doing at Paley)
3. When don’t I like talking about “The X-Files”?
4. Potential to make “William Hung” money if asked to hum “The X-Files” theme music or to come up with a coherent sentence (which will obviously fail, making me the next YouTube sensation).

Con
1. Potential to look foolish
2. Potential to not be taken seriously in future industry endeavors
3. Potential to end up on Saturday Night Live as someone who needs to get a life
4. Potential to actually lose both undergrad and grad degrees when I provide graphic evidence that I’m an idiot (I’m not great at sounding anything but vapid under pressure in front of a camera)
5. Potential to never get a date again because men point at me on the street and say “there goes that girl who vomited on camera”
6. Potentially struck dumb by the enormity of "what I would wear" question
7. Potential to end up on “Girls Gone Wild” when I accidentally have a significant wardrobe malfunction

Now it’s your turn.

Kate, Oh, God, what would I wear?

And That’s Bad Because…

Why is it that therapists, and seemingly Los Angeles society, would rather you call yourself depressed rather than lazy? How did depressed get elevated to noble, while lazy has been relegated to the dustbins along with all the other “negative” words we aren’t supposed to use to describe our behavior—even when they are accurate?

As usual, I have a theory.

If you are depressed, there is a pill. There is therapy. There is a plan. There is a way to “fix” you, even if practitioners avoid the term.

There is no pill for lazy. There is no self-help section for lazy (authors need to get writing because apparently this is still a largely untapped niche market). Personally, I’d probably buy a book that had the title “So, You’re Lazy—If You Give a Shit, Here Are Some Ideas To Get You Motivated”.

I’m reading a book right now, and it has some interesting ideas (recommended by Anna, props to Anna!). But I’ve hit a section that mentions that depressed people tend to put clutter on the floor (or “low”). Well, that may be true, but so do short people. If you combine short and lazy, you will tend to find a whole lot of stuff on the floor.

The reality is, at the end of a day (and sometimes in the middle of it), I am lazy. Once work is taken care of, the personal priorities get a bit lax. Fairly often, I’d much rather kick back and watch a movie over moving off my rapidly expanding ass to do something else productive. Tell someone that you are lazy, and the response tends to be “oh, don’t say that”. Why not? It’s not a tragic, permanent character flaw. I haven’t just admitted to suicidal tendencies. For the most part, it is the Yang to my Puritan-Work-Ethic-Ying. If I say that I’m lazy, it isn’t a sign of a deflating self-esteem or inflating psychosis. It’s just lazy.



Kate, wondering if there is such a thing as a cynical, self-help book

The Movie

I, like most of the female population of Los Angeles, went to see the Sex and The City movie Saturday morning. I went with a female friend (who was wearing great shoes) and her boyfriend (yep, you know that’s love) to a 10:10am showing, and it was packed. I mean, packed. It was probably 95% women, but there were some men there with dates. I can safely say there were no single, straight dudes out with other single, straight dudes who decided that the movie sounded like fun, but an amazing crowd nonetheless. And, as Kevin and Bean (and Ralph) pointed out on KROQ, it was probably a banner weekend for cat sitters everywhere.

I enjoyed the series. I thought it was an interesting take on the dating scene, and it showed that no matter how successful you were in your career, no matter how smart, no matter how motivated—love was always going to leave you befuddled and confused, at least temporarily. Plus, the shout-out to urban families in the form of close friends was always something with which I could identify.

Despite that fact that I liked the show, I was not actually looking forward to this movie. First, I was sick to death of the promotion. It seems like it has been everywhere for months. I’m so grateful that the movie is out now because maybe that means we can stop hearing about it on TV—and start hearing about The X-Files (mwwwhaaaaa haaaa haaa).

Plus, I thought the series ended well, and that the movie wasn’t necessary. After seeing it… well, it still wasn’t necessary, but it was fun. I don’t know that it broke new ground, in fact, we covered some of the same ground again, but there were many moments throughout the movie that were genuinely emotion provoking. And no, it wasn’t only when they showed all those amazing shoes. There were, alas, also moments where you felt like you were reading a fashion magazine—all ads, no articles (how many clothing montages did we have?). Thankfully, if you were a fan of the show, there was enough of a story for you to stay invested in the 2 ½ hour running time (which didn’t feel nearly as long as it sounded when I went in there).

There is another plus to the movie, ladies. I won’t give away the plot. I’ll only say two words: Dante, Shower. Enough said. You’ll understand when you see the movie.

What’s really interesting to me is that the pundits seem to be stunned that this movie did well (the movie is already the most successful romantic comedy debut of all time). All the articles are pointing to the power of the “older woman viewer with a disposable income” and the fact that the summer is rarely a place to find films that target adult, female audiences. Shocking! Shocking! Who knew adult women wanted entertainment? Oh, wait. I did – and anyone who reads this blog and the thousands of others floating through cyberspace like it. And those Moonlight fans. And all those women who keep the chick lit genre going. And all those women who are over 25 and live anywhere in this country. But other than for those people, it is quite shocking, I’m sure.



Kate

http://www.cafepress.com/katedating
http://katedating.blogspot.com/
katedating@yahoo.com

New Love

You saw that title and got excited, didn’t you? You were about to accuse me of holding out on you, weren’t you? Never fear, once again, I’m not talking about a man. Only this time, I’m also not talking about ice cream or an actor. No, this time, I’m talking about Netflix, and I think this could be “the one”.

Unlike the rest of the country, I had never used Netflix before last month. I’m an instant gratification kind of girl, and waiting a day or two to see a movie sounded like a bad plan. I know you can download from Netflix now, but I don’t love watching movies on my computer, and I don’t yet have the hook-up to transfer it to a TV. So, I had set my mind against Netflix. Picture me as Veruca Salt singing “I Want It Now” from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (by the way, you can get that song as a ringtone, which cracks me up).

But after I offered to sign up for my free two week trial to help my friends get “Pool Party” orders (order now, order often), I have fallen in love. Right now it is the perfect relationship. It doesn’t bug me when I’ve got more important things to do (ie television, movies, sleeping and the aforementioned ice cream eating). It’s always a little bit of a surprise when it shows up in my mailbox. Its sole purpose in life is to satisfy my wish list. Seriously, I give it a list, and click a button to make it so. And really, don’t more things in life need a make-it-so button?

I haven’t been this excited since Brad brought my groceries to my door after I ordered through webvan.com.

What’s next on my queue? The entire Square Pegs series on DVD! That’s right, possibly one of the most awesome and inspiring television shows of the early 1980s is now available on DVD. Let’s just say I identified with the feeling of not quite fitting in with the crowd as a youngster. Oh, hell, I still feel that way as an oldster. Plus, I’m pretty sure I still have a pair of jean overalls somewhere in my closet (hey, don’t judge, I didn’t say they were next to my Jimmy Choo boots….oooh wait, I could so rock that outfit, right? Right? Hello?)

It’s not that this new relationship isn’t fraught with pitfalls. It could stand me up, and you could find me forlornly staring into the great abyss of mailbox, alone and misty. I could be anticipating “P.S. I Love You”, and end up with “Final Siege 42”. It could become more expensive—but really what relationships don’t have their price?


Kate

Two More Things

On this journey of self-discovery (sounds better than a mid-life crisis), I’ve discovered that there are two more things that I don’t understand about my life. And because I’ve dragged you kicking and screaming through this wonderland called my life, I felt like I needed to share. Fear not—nothing has been bleached.

Dry Cleaning

I appear to be allergic to my dry cleaning. I don’t mean that I’m allergic to the chemicals. I don’t mean that I’m allergic to a scent that might adhere to the clothing after they have been cleaned. I don’t mean that the facility itself gives me hives, or that I have a phobia of the plastic garment covers. No, I mean I seem to have a complete and absolute mental block when it comes to picking up my dry cleaning.

“Well, it’s probably far away from you”, you say.

Generous of you, but wrong. I work in the same building as my dry cleaner. I pass it twice a day. I walk right by it on my way to my car every day.

“Well, it isn’t open during the times you pass it”, you say.

Yes, it is. When I leave my job and head to my car to begin my arduous 15 minute drive home (as compared to my 2 hour each way commute in New York), it is open. The cheery man who runs it is ready to do my bidding with a smile. But no, I just keep going.

“Well, you probably just forget that it’s there because you are so distracted”, you say.

Oh, no. I know it’s there. I can feel it calling to me. And I keep walking. I don’t understand. It’s as though the hassles of the day have been too much for me. I can’t take 3 minutes to deviate from my straight-to-home trajectory, even if that deviation is just a slight turn to the left. How does this happen? How did I get to the point where even small inconveniences are too much for my brain to process?

So, I’m setting a new goal: from now on, I’ll pick up my dry cleaning within the same month that I drop it off. Probably. You know, usually. Unless I’m busy, or something good might be on TV.

Communications

I was going over my monthly bills last night, and I came to a stunning revelation. I pay nearly $300 a month on communications devices. Between my cell phone and cell internet access, my two phones lines, my DSL and my wireless laptop card, I pay nearly $300 a month to communicate with the world.

Huh. You’d never know that I hate people.

Of course, I’m kidding. Largely. Mostly. Some days. Ok, I don’t hate everyone, but I’m not exactly the most loquacious person in the world. I essentially have three phones, but when a phone rings, I don’t answer it (because honestly, it’s usually telemarketers, and my cell phone is always turned to quiet). I rarely make phone calls. I call my family, but otherwise I’m not really chatty person. I can go for weeks without actually having a non-familial personal call.

This is insane. Most of the time I want the world to leave me alone—why am I spending a fortune to let it in? Email and internet are obviously essentials because they represent communication on my terms. But this phone thing? Yeah, that’s got to go.

$300--that’s a whole lot of missed shoe buying opportunities.


Kate

Remember When?

Remember when you just watched television and movies? Maybe this is just an LA thing that happens, but at some point, I stopped being just a viewer and became an analyst (hazards of my day job, maybe?). Now I know the ratings. I know the demographics. I know if a TV show has won its time slot. I know the box office for movies. I know what a movie needs to make in order to be considered a success, and I know what their advertising budget is going to be based on their production budget—which somehow I also know.

Is that just living here? Is that an example of LA industry-based osmosis? Do you guys do this, too?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t make me any better at guessing what networks are going to do, or what movie ideas will sell (and conversely, which ones won’t). For instance, I don’t really understand CW’s seeming disinterest in picking up Moonlight. Obviously, I’m a recent fan of the show, so there is a bias there, but I don’t get how CW doesn’t benefit. Even if only half of Moonlight’s CBS fanbase migrates to the CW, they’ll outscore all of the CW’s current shows. It’s not like they don’t do genre programming.

What really worries me is the persistent rumor that the reason CW doesn’t want any portion of the 7.5/8 million Moonlight viewers is that the fanbase is too old—that the lead (at 31 years of age) is too old. It’s not that I don’t comprehend wanting to build a tween/teen network—Nickelodeon has done the even younger demographics for years. But I don’t understand not wanting to grow your network beyond a certain age range. If you only market to 12-22 year olds, then what happens when your current viewers age? I guess they don’t care about holding on to them, and assume they’ll pick up the kids entering their age range.

So, they are targeting tween/teens, and a 31 year old male isn’t appealing? Let’s forget for a second that when I was in my mid-teens I was absolutely head over heels in school girl infatuation for Pierce Brosnan’s Remington Steele and Richard Chamberlain’s Father Ralph. What about Alex’s primary co-stars who are all under the age of 30?

As you know, I love Gossip Girl. It is just a little horrifying to realize that they aren’t in their mid-30’s, but actually portraying school age kids. And now the new 90210 2.0 is coming out, and from the early photos/info it is going to be every bit as sexualized. As much as I want to once again yell out “Donna Martin Graduates,” the whole movement is starting to make me cringe. Perhaps the reason that they haven’t picked up Moonlight isn’t because the lead and the fanbase are too old, but rather the series itself is too chaste: not a lot of drug use, very little naked-time, and no random let’s-try-being-a-lesbian-for-a-week scenes. If it helps at all, I’m perfectly willing to sit through a few nearly naked Mick and Beth sex scenes. No really… I’m a giver that way.

At any rate, let’s hope the Sci-Fi Channel decides that they would like a several million more people watching their programming and that the licensing fees aren’t too high for the show. And if you are a spirited fan who wants to get involved in the Moonlight campaign, head over to http://moonlight-united.com/ for information on how you can help keep the “old folks” employed.

Oy.

Kate


http://www.cafepress.com/katedating
http://katedating.blogspot.com
katedating@yahoo.com