November 2010
It usually took many months to get a new temp job; and after the time I had with Sofia Vergara, I was in need of a rest. So naturally, the agency gave me a new assignment just three months later this time.
But when they told me they were sending me back to New York, I got a bit more energy.
After my time on "30 Rock" two years ago with Tina Fey, I would now get to work for Tina's alma mater. "Saturday Night Live" needed my services for the week as they prepped for a new live show on Nov. 20. What's more, it was an episode in which the lovely Anne Hathaway was the special guest host.
There was no way to get around how this might be a sign. Yet Anne Hathaway was at another level than the others I had encountered. As much as I loved Jenna, Tina, Christina, Kaley, Kristen and Sofia on and off screen, they were better known for being TV stars. Anne was an A-list movie star, a former Disney icon and an Oscar nominee who was hosting "SNL" for the second time. There was something a little intimidating about that, although it was probably illogical.
Nevertheless, since she hosted before and was a bundle of energy, it didn't seem like she needed much help from me for the week. In any case, I was already planning to see her naked when her new film "Love and Other Drugs" came out next week and unveiled her getting down with Jake Gyllenhaal. So I took the prospect of sex completely off the table; despite how that hadn't worked in the past; and just focused on returning to 30 Rockefeller to see "SNL" at work.
That helped me on Monday when I returned to Studio 8H, got my first glimpses of Anne and learned that the "SNL" schedule is quite different from the "30 Rock" one. Since they work so much later in the night, I had to be on standby for projects a lot later too. At the least, I was able to sleep in for much of the morning before going back to work in the afternoon.
I was still a little worn out when I got in on Tuesday, which didn't bode well for the rest of the week. So I went to get coffee in the hallway, and was relieved that there was only one person in front of me. It was a woman whose back was turned to me, yet I saw the side of some familiar glasses behind her ear.
I then stepped over to see the even more familiar owner of those glasses. Since '30 Rock" was filming here along with "SNL" I had wondered if I'd run into her again, and now I had my answer."Tina?"
Tina Fey herself turned and almost gasped when she saw me, but she then broke out into a smile when she recognized me. I offered my hand to shake, yet it felt a bit inadequate after what happened two years ago, so we eventually settled into a hug. "Wow, what are you doing back here? Wait, am I your boss again?" Tina asked.
"No, I'm temping for 'SNL' now! I'm helping with the Anne Hathaway episode this week," I filled her in.
"Oh....oh yeah, I recognize those blood shot Tuesday morning eyes," Tina quipped. "I probably should have put that in a '30 Rock' subplot to warn you."
"It's all right, I'll adjust. Or sleep all through Saturday night or something," I reassured.
"Well, hey, at least you got Anne Hathaway for your week!" Tina pointed out before getting a bit quieter. "Have you....tried to get her in other ways too?"
I gasped a bit at her implication, before remembering why she would get such an idea. "No...no, of course not!" I whispered.
"How come? If you're still temping, I'll bet me and Jenna aren't your only....notches by now," Tina reasoned.
"I, um, I plead the fifth on that. And I couldn't tell you even if I lost Constitutional protection. I know you wouldn't tell, but I don't want to betray anyone else's trust."
"That is cool of you. Oh well, I can just call the temp agency, see what you've worked on the last two years and fill in the blanks myself." I supposed that wouldn't hurt, since even Tina might not guess every actress I was with. "I've already filled in you and Hathaway, so I'm off to a good start."
"I said I'm not going to try anything with her," I insisted. "I can't do that all the time, and she's got enough to do here. Besides....it's harder to imagine someone like me with a Hollywood star like her."
"And it wasn't hard with....other people? Other people were a lot more stressed out and attached, and they really liked someone like you. That someone is a real catch who can't confirm or deny that he's become an even....bigger help to actresses in need. So he should know that anyone can need help and would be real lucky to get it. Heck, they need something to help them stay up at 3 a.m. after 20 monologue rewrites."
"Are you actually encouraging me to.....help Anne Hathaway?" I tried to clarify.
"I'm saying you wouldn't have the worst way to help someone survive this place. Just because she's in movies doesn't mean she wouldn't like company....any kind of it. Heck, you impressed new political icons, so the writer of 'The Princess Diaries' shouldn't scare you." Despite being less subtle than usual, I got Tina's point.
"Well....there's no guarantee she needs that help, or that I'll have a chance to give it. But I guess if I do have the chance, I won't be nervous about it. I haven't been before."
"Yep, you've proven that at least twice. And that was all you needed to figure it out, right? Or wrong?" I almost got trapped into saying it was more, but I just smiled teasingly before she got me. "Nerds....can't blame me for taking a shot, right?"
I didn't have time to, since we both had to go back to work shortly. So we parted once more and wished other luck, leaving me to carry her advice in my head the rest of the day. When I had free time that night, I made my way to the halls of the "SNL" stage, which would be busy with rehearsals and rapidly built sets before much longer.
This gave me time to geek out over being so close to the "SNL" stage and its classic history. But my memories of the days of Phil Hartman and Will Ferrell were interrupted when I heard someone nearby. By the time I turned, Anne Hathaway was already close by, although she stopped when she saw me.