Recently in Showbiz! Category

For Christmas I got a $25 gift certificate for Barnes and Nobles (Thanks, Laurette!!) and though bookstores are becoming rare (though not extinct like Blockbuster Video stores) I found one and bought Mindy Kaling's book.  

A REALLY MILD BUT NOT REALLY SPOILER ALERT!!
I've just started the book and (without giving much away) came across a part where Mindy is showing her high school friends Monty Python videos.  It's a small incident that may or may not have a profound effect on their friendship.

THAT ALSO TOTALLY HAPPENED TO ME.

When I was in 8th grade, I was at a sleepover with two girls who, in the following year, would be crowned the most popular girls of high school.  I will call them Anne and Blane.  We were about to hit the sack when I decided to share a tape of Robin Williams' stand up.

Me:  "You guys HAVE to listen to this!".  (I can barely contain my snorting laughter) 

I pop in the tape into a radio and am ready for them to die with laughter along with me.

Anne:  (Yawns and rolls over)  I don't get it.

Blane:  Yea, it sounds like he's some pirate or something.

CLICK!  THE LIGHT IS TURNED OUT.

It wasn't just that they didn't like it or understand it, it was how they dismissed it and were not even open to it.

It was an omen that our friendship was not meant to be.  For the next four years, they would become gorgeous, blond and would talk about parties in front of other people who were not invited.  I would go into theater and drawing making me even more lame than being Korean in a small town in Maryland.

Some days in New York City, when an old lady rams my heels with a shopping cart or I'm groped on a crowded subway and get MAD, I remember where I grew up:  a lovely but boring and provincial place where I felt out of place and suffocated.   

An acting coach recently said:  "You didn't come to New York City for it to be easy."  This is true.  And I thank my two blondie friends who shot up to high school super stardom while I sat in my room listening to rap songs and making skits of their videos in my mind.  I thank them for giving me a large clue that I didn't belong with them and giving me hope that there was something bigger outside of our small town.

They are probably with five kids and divorced at least once and have gained a lot of weight.  And look at ME!  I'm in NEW YORK CITY, working random odd jobs and struggling to make it as an actress!  Sometimes my bank account dips into scary amounts and there is no hope of me ever owning a home.  HA HA, IN YOUR FACE ANNE AND BLANE! 

In conclusion, if you love comedy, check out Mindy's book.  She is LOVELY, SMART and HEELarious.  And unlike the many self improvement books on my kindle and iPad, I'm proud to read Is "Everyone Hanging Out Without Me" on the subway.

 


I'm a comedic actress and writer.  Please check out my web series, SuperTwins!

Here are some stills from Episode 3 of SuperTwins!

Just a reminder that SuperTwins Episode 3 drops on Tuesday, November 8th! 
Watch it on our YouTube channel:  SUPERTWINSDOTTV


Geoff Lerer plays Rex Alexander.  He recently wrote and directed an independent feature film, Spencer which is making the festival circuit.

He also happens to be married to one of the most talented singer/song writers, Marissa Levy. 

Here is Kai and to the left of him is a drawing done by Nick Abadizis.  He is the amazing comix artist/illustrator who created the famous graphic novel, Laika.  Obviously, the real story of the Russian female dog sent up to space did not have a happy ending.  Everyone tells this to Nick. For my birthday, he drew Laika landing safely and happily back to earth.  One of the best birthday gifts I've ever gotten.

Here is Karin, but to the right and above her/my shoulder is a picture drawn for me by Tim Hamilton.  A Korean woman dressed in traditional a traditional Korean dress (Hanbok) and a unicorn jumping over her head.  Also one of the best birthday gifts ever. 

Ones that I didn't put on the walls (because they were drawn of me and that would've been a wee bit strange) Simon Fraser, George O'Connor, James Smith and Nathan Schreiber.
THESE ARE THE FINEST ILLUSTRATORS AND GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATORS.  I am so so blessed they are my friends.

SuperTwins Episode #2 dropped last night:



BIG GIANT thanks to Julie Gomez, Upright Citizens Brigade  and Horatio Sanz.  I got a chance to work on his web series.  VERY EXCITED and will keep you posted.

By tonight, y'all!  I promise!  After I get all my hurricane proofing makeup on.


Photo by:  Seth Kushner

First and foremost I must thank Dean Haspiel for inviting me to sit at the Baltimore Comicon with him.  If you don't know Dean, he is one of the most prolific and dynamic figures in comics right now.    He is also won an Emmy for his work on the titles for the show Bored To Death.  Not only did Dean bring me to Baltimore but he also gave me a whole slew of wonderful friends (or community) of comix creators.  He has a big heart not just for me but every single person he encounters. 

Arrival in Baltimore
When I first got to Baltimore it felt a little strange.  I grew up in Millersville, a tiny town about 20 minutes from Baltimore and it wasn't exactly a terrific town for a theatre geek who loved to draw. 

I shook the past off and headed to the Sheraton, picked up postcards and crashed in my room.

Dean, Chris, George, Kat, Michel and Reilly were also attending but we all came our separate ways.

After freaking about whether to wear my costume to the convention center, I didn't want to waste any time and headed over to the Baltimore Convention Center.

At The Con
At the table I encountered Reilly Brown from Hypothetical Island.  He was busy drawing commissions for his fans and was generally pretty quiet.



I had a quiet panic attack as I realized I would need to start talking about SuperTwins!  I took my costume and walked to the bathroom and changed into Karin's outfit.




After some time, the crew finally arrived and I felt a lot better about being there.





Thank you to Frank and Linda Ruiz, Robert and Kristal Posada (Chimera Magazine)!

Here is awesome art of Karin by Bruce Dwayne!



Kat Roberts gave me the most awesome necklace in the world AND had her comic:

I LOST MY VIRGINITY TO JIM MORRISON on the table.  She is also an amazing accessories designer who is going to make me BROKE.  See her shop, WHITEHAUS.

The crowd turned out to be friendly and very curious about SuperTwins!  It turned out it was less about promoting my show than it was connecting with people and learning about what brought them to the show in the first place.

**UPDATE - I'm trying to add more photos to this entry and there's an error...It shall be updated.  Please stay tuned.

Chance of Rain: 
Your life may never be the same.

NK:  What excites you about this project?
MG:  well, its the first time I'll be in a full on production with my husband, Philipp Wolter. He's also acting in this and directing. We've done little things here and there but this is the first full on project that we are really getting behind and both acting in. And I love love love collaboration. This is what I love about filmmaking - everything from wardrobe, to the cinematography to set design, to the writer's words, etc.... - its very exciting bringing talented people together and having a hand in all areas. Very satisfying.....and nerve wracking and scary and wonderful! I'm so excited about the people we have on board for this project. And of course being on set is always fun, being a part of telling what I believe is a great story. It just doesnt get any better than this.....
NK:  Who inspires you?
MG:  People who are out there doing good in the world, for those less fortunate. My mother. My mother in law. My girlfriends. My fellow NYC artists (cause I feel like we're all in it together. I have such a respect for the creative souls of NYC. There's a brother/sisterhood that I feel is so prevelant in the indie film world here - I'm just so happy to be part of it. I think its a great time to be in NYC creating your own work. Cate Blanchett certainly inspires me. Annette Benning. My yoga teacher Ruth. Pema Chodron. When someone sings with a soulful beautiful voice. And traveling was probably my first inspiration as a young adult. Seeing the world - I think its important to experience different cultures. To be aware that there is so much more out there than you and your micro environment. 

This is a postcard I sent out to industry.  I started it in a cartoon format.  :-D

Have a lovely weekend!

My boy, Jun Naito has a film called Mega Man coming out on Saturday!  If you're in the New York City area, you MUST check it out!

A few months ago I was lucky enough to get the chance to work with the dynamic duo:  Writer/Direct Tze Chun and producer Mynette Louie.  It was for the film Silver Sling.

I liked working with Tze because he is decisive and fast.  He keeps it humming and yet somehow makes everyone on set happy.  He treats his actors well and by well I mean by wearing shorts and Birkenstocks thus showing us his awesome legs.  All writer/directors should wear shorts and Birks because when you see that, you know it's going to be a good day.

Also caught the New York screening of Children of Invention...and it gave me hope in indie films.  I loved it!!  Love it, support it and buy it so these people can make more quality work.