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September 16 Excerpt from the diary of Terrance Brown-
Production Assistant
I feel like I have been baptized into the true smut of Hollywood. The
glossy facade of famous actors and meaningful storytelling has quickly eroded
into a cauldron of moral laxity. On Monday, Bill-the production manager asked
me to go to Broughton Farms-my mission-convince an old lady that she should let
us murder her horse for $7,000 and an associate producer credit. A nice old
lady, Mrs. Broughton took me into her house- gave me fresh milk and a plate of
yams. She then proceeded to tell me about the time she met Cary Grant on a
Mediterranean Cruise and how she had a cousin who was an extra in Ben Hur. I
explained the story of The Old Mill and how the horse's death symbolized man's
failed attempts to control nature. I used words like purity, rebirth and
Truffaut. She smiled, took a long pause and then proceeded to beat at me with a
spatula. I escaped unscathed, but not since I stole that math answer from Lisa
Kitling in the 7th grade have I been cloaked in such guilt.
I've spent three days looking at hundreds of woman's breasts, trying
to find a chest double for Claire. In and of itself, that wasn't so bad, but
could their be greater absurdity in American business; Thirty million dollars,
two years and 300 jobs resting on a woman's decision to take her shirt off.
Fortunately, everything worked out, although the details of why Claire decided
to stay on the film are still unclear. That is, at least to us p.a's who are
forced to help solve the biggest problems with the least
information.
Bob Barrenger was my childhood idol, I used to watch Ho Chih Minh
High every Thursday from age 7 to 14. I had heard the stories in the press, but
you hear a lot of stories and when I met Bob, he just seemed like a great guy.
He seemed to truly possess the integrity of many of his great characters. Well,
now it's safe to say, he's just another member of this nation's cultural elite
-- power drunk and perverted. I don't know if this movie is going to get made
or not-and part of me hopes the whole thing just falls apart. I still have 6
months to decide on Law school and after this week's journey on the Babylon
Express, it' starting to look a whole lot more enticing.
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