Jun. 4, 2017

My Personal Trash

Women rule the Cat-walk!:

Without running the risk of sounding sexist, modelling is and will always be a woman's profession! There’s simply is no competition when it comes to walking down a cat-walk…women rules! Men can get in on the fun without enduring all that Hollywood crap but they need to follow some simple guidelines, they are just there as props to the ladies! Let’s face it when you go to a fashion show, who do you went there to see? Simply put, women! They’re more glamorous, more sophisticated and more chic as oppose to their male counterparts. They’ve got the looks, the pose, the walk, and a lot more grace and bounce in their steps, with plenty of shake, shimmy and roll in all those places their mama gave them with a wiggle that won't quit, and they used it with great poise and confidence! Without a doubt, “They’ve got the goods!” Men, on the other hand (smart as they look), do not possess those attributes. They are merely there as accessories to make the ladies look good on stage.

Modelling seemed like a good outfit:

Don’t dismiss the men too soon. Men do have their own agendas as well. Aside from the money, there’s also the chance for fame, which (if they’re lucky) can lead to bigger and greater things. Men are also kings in their own rights when it comes to print ads and fashion magazines. GQ for example!  Speaking for myself, it was the allure of being on stage in designer threads in front of hundreds of people. I usually do things on impulse when curiosity gets the best of me. This was one of those moments when I decided to try modelling as a career! Money was never a motivator but it did have its perks. It was an exciting time. I’ve always loved a good challenge and modelling seemed like a great outfit! 

Like being high on ecstasy:

I sort of stumbled into modelling with two left feet but  I was also told I had the body for it which compensate for my lack of poise, so naturally, I decided to take a course in modelling at International Top Models in Toronto, where I graduated in 1979. In 1981, I was signed by a modelling agency and shortly thereafter (shy as I was) I found myself walking down a fashion run-way in a fully-charged, frenzy-sponsored fashion show with hundreds of screaming young people inside a crowded shopping mall! Believe it or not, a few people even came up to me after the show and asked me for my autograph. It was like being high on ecstasy and everyone was along for the ride. 

My first (and only) commercial:

Sometime later following this fashion show at the Albion Mall in 1981, I quit modelling. This came in 1982, right after I was sent on my first background acting job for a role in the movie “Dead Line” in which I played a student in a flashback scene. Ironically, my scene was shot in the Debates Room at Hart House, on the University of Toronto campus. Since then, the U of T and I have come full circle when I joined CIUT Radio in 1986. Having tasted the movies, I realized modelling just wasn’t my cup of ambition! My agent at the time (though disappointed) was very supportive of my decision to leave the modelling business. In spite of my decision to leave, she still sent me on calls for background work in movies and television. One of those calls led me to my first (and only) commercial. It wasn’t a principal role but it wasn’t backgrounded either. I believe they called it SOC. “Silent On Camera” with plenty of close-ups but no dialogue. This commercial was made primarily for the American market.

I joined the radio:

As I continued my stint in the movies and television, I was growing increasingly interested in the radio. I took a course in radio and television broadcasting in 1986, and right after graduation, I joined CIUT Radio as a volunteer. This lasted five years during which time; I was still doing background work in the movies. 

My Movies and Television exploits:

Some of my other movies and television exploits include Gridlock (1995), Due South (1995), Extreme Measures (1996), The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996), Angel Out Of Harlem (1996), Finding Forrester (2000), The Jimmy Hendricks Story (2000), Relic Hunter (2000), The Last Laugh (2000), The Last Debate (2000), Cletis Tout (2000) and a number of other film projects some of which I cannot recall. I’ve also done three music videos.

It was a great experience:

In spite of my lack of interest in modelling, it was also a personal triumph for me. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some of the most interesting people in the fashion and entertainment industry. As for the movies, it was fun working with some of the biggest stars, both from Canada and Hollywood!