#NerdsUnite: The Ramblings of a Raconteuse (Why I should stop watching the CW's "LA Complex," but can't.)

editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Helenna. We met on twitter not too long ao, and she's totes mcgotes one rad chiquita banana with a flare for all things flair! That's right, Helenna here is what we call an artsy fartsy nerd. She's a poet, into all things dramatic arts, and she's going to come on board to write each week about her love of said drama. Well not like actual drama drama, like some cat fight shit - but you get the idea. I only have one thing left to say ... HIT IT HELENNA!!! </editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @Helslevy

Yup, not gonna lie, it’s hard.  Being an actor in LA can be crazy making at times.  I have a habit of always looking on the bright side of things, of keeping things positive because around that next corner there always seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel.  That’s the only way you can be in this business and survive.

I’ve been talking to a lot of my female friends lately about the reality of “getting older” in Hollywood, and by getting older, I mean being in your mid to late 20s and not having “hit it” yet.  The reality is that this city is much more cruel than I have chosen to believe or have seen so far myself.  From the friend told by a network exec to lose ten pounds or she’ll never work when she already weighs under one hundred and twenty, the other girlfriend who was written off by a director as soon as he found out she was married, and the list goes on and on…

I’ve been lucky so far.  I’ve either somehow been shielded from the majority of negative feedback that can run rampant in Hollywood, or I’ve just always found a positive way to spin it.

Hollywood is an interesting beast.  We are products, pure and simple.  As actors our value for our representation is financial. We either make money for them, or we don’t, and if we don’t, we often end up sitting on a roster gathering dust, or are replaced by someone in our “type category” that can.  We can be the hottest thing one minute, and completely forgotten the next.  And this is the reality for talent that is nowhere near famous.  Fame brings it’s whole own set of complexities.

I’ve been watching “LA Complex” lately on the CW.  Yes, it’s a night time soap that over exaggerates story lines for the purposes of creating addictive drama, but it’s also a pretty darn accurate depiction of the things that go on daily in Hollywood.  (Well, with the exception of Canadians being able to work here without a Visa, oh and getting an agent right away, and booking work on major shows right away, and…well, you get the point.)  But really, it’s a dose of the underbelly of Hollywood straight to my tv, computer, or iPhone, every week and I’m addicted.   It shows the messiness of this industry I have chosen, and I should really stop watching it.  Why?  It puts me in this head space that I haven’t lived in at all so far while pursuing this career and life.  I see all of the bad things magnified, and I’m not sure I like it.  But, that being said, it makes me appreciate all of the good that much more, and I’m surrounded by a whole lot of good.

Despite the fact that “LA Complex” can put me in a pretty bummed out mood, I’m going to keep watching it because it’s fabulously done evening entertainment, and since the reboot of “Melrose Place” and “The Secret Circle” are no longer on the air, it gives me a good trashy tv fix.  And in all seriousness, it prompts some pretty great discussions with my friends about the things that are hard.  And yes, we were already talking about all of these things, but for some reason “LA Complex” has shone a spotlight on them even more for me, and not suppressing the realities of this city is important.

So while allowing myself to see the muck, I’m going to keep reaching out and using the resources that have helped me thrive so far like The Working Actress blog, Bonnie Gillespie’s Actor’s Voice, the Inside Acting Podcast, and all of the amazingness that the new media community and geek community have to offer.

Why?  Because I’m in this for the long haul, and I can either be buried under the weight of these bright lights, or I can run at a strong steady pace through this big city. And personally, I prefer the great calorie burning marathon.

Until next time,

#xoxo hels


tweet me at: @helslevy

browse me at: helennasantoslevy.com

email me at: contacthelenna@gmail.com

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#NerdsUnite: I can haz scared (update on Antonio)