Brian Bentley

I don’t have anything exciting to report for this week’s trip. I went to a Halloween party (sans costume) Saturday night at a friend’s house, class Sunday and I lucked out and got the 4:45 flight out.

I began reading “Naked” by David Sedaris on the flight out, and it’s genius comic prose. I did get some strange looks walking on the plane with the cover in full view. The gentleman next to me on my return flight today looked at it, looked at me, back at the cover, then to me again as if I was brazen enough to read Penthouse Letters in plain view on the flight. I told him it wasn’t that type of book, but neglected to go into any detail.

I also wrote the first chapter of my untitled book of essays. I have the foreward to do and some possible names being kicked around.

Miles Traveled: 2,470
Total Miles Traveled: 4,940

This was terrible. We walked out 40 minutes into it. I would have rather literally run with scissors. I’m not going to even waste time tracking down the poster and run time.

Rating: Incomplete.

Week 1 of the yet to be named journey is complete with little fanfare and nothing exciting to report. I did get to go to the World Premiere (red carpet and all) of my friend DDP’s movie, Driftwood, at Screamfest LA on Friday night at Mann’s Chinese Theater. DDP is a great heel in the movie, takes a good butt-whooping and did a great job.

The first class at Second City was about what I expected with lots of introductions and ground rule exercises. However, I didn’t expect my teacher to be Josh Funk (had I read the class schedule I would have known that, and wouldn’t have gone to the wrong place). I met Josh last month when Melinda and I went out for the “Missing Eunice” premiere and my Conservatory audition. He had a a short called “Josh Funk’s 1000 Lessons of Life” playing in the same block as I did and I thought his movie was flippin hilarious. It’s probably not safe for work due to some blatant innuedo, but well worth the look. Anyway, Josh is a brilliant improviser and works with three improv groups in LA as well as being on MTV’s Wild’n Out. He asked me twice if I was really flying in from Texas for the class. Yes, Josh. Yes.

That would be a natural segue into my LAX experience, but since I have 23 more weeks to go through there, and there’s no telling who’s reading this, I’ll just say it was an experience and avoid Burger King if you’re in a hurry.

I’m not exactly sure what to call these little travelogues, so I’m going to open up the comments section and take your suggestions. If it’s anything like the massive response I got for the “name my book of essays” request then expect them to go unnamed.

Miles Traveled: 2,470
Total Miles Traveled: 2,470

*Levels 1-3 are 24 weeks total. I have to audition for Levels 4-5.

A brief update covering the weekend’s activites:

- Melinda and I went to the State Fair of Texas on Friday and enjoyed the sights and great weather. We did enjoy the required Fletcher’s corny dogs, but missed out on sampling any of this year’s fried delicacies. However, I was tempted to try the Fried PBJ & Banana…

- While at the Fair, I spotted this. Does anyone see any glaring issues that might have been missed during the proofing process? And where does the other gate lead to? Am I the only one puzzled by all of this?

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“The Departed”
Run time: 2:29

Simple math equation here: Jack Nicholson + Martin Scorsese + Leonardo DiCaprio + Matt Damon + Martin Sheen = movie gold, but add Alec Baldwin, a scene stealing Mark Wahlberg and deserving comparisons to “Goodfellas” and that equals Oscar nominations galore, or at least it should.

A remake of a Hong Kong movie called “Infernal Affairs”, “The Departed” is movie about two men from opposite sides of the law that are undercover within the Boston State Police department and the Irish mafia, but when discoveries are made and the moles are dispatched to find out their enemy’s identities, violence and bloodshed boil.

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