The day job market is kind of terrifying these days. Payrolls are tumbling, unemployment rates are soaring, and if scary articles like this are to be believed, all this points to a recession that is well underway.
*blank stare*
I studied music in college, so I'm not even really sure what 'recession' means. I know it's bad, mostly because CNN, MSNBC, and my dad tell me so. While I can't make much sense of the reports and buzz words that fly around the evening news as of late, I can certainly feel the pressure that this dire economic situation is putting on the arts.
Rich people - money = poor people
Opera foundations - rich people = cancel the competition/young artist program/summer institute
Opera singers - competition/young artist program/summer institute = get a job full-time job at Cinnabon
So, what the hell does Hugh Laurie have to do with any of this?
The worse the economic situation gets, and the fewer creative opportunities artists have, the more horrible, embarrassing, I-hope-no-one-sees-me-doing-this kind of jobs we musicians and actors are going to have to take. And I don't just mean that in the day job sense, either. When a performing opportunity does roll our way, we're probably going to be more likely to snap it up, with little in the way of regard as to what the job actually entails. *singsong* There's a whole lot of pride-swallowing going on!
You're a struggling actor in LA trying to break onto the scene without compromising your integrity? Tough shit, buddy. I predict you'll play a starring role in poorly-done pimple cream commercial by year's end. But, don't take it too hard. Actors have been clambering up Star Mountain using embarrassing appearances as foot-holds for years.
Which brings us to Hugh Laurie. He's a big star on House, he's super-hot, bla bla bla. Did you also know that before he found fame, he was in a bunch of really, really horrible commercials? Take this one, a doofy Polaroid commercial from the 80's.
Does that make you feel better about taking that role in the Community Players production that only paid $150, and a Hometown Buffet gift certificate, now? Good.
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