2002-02-23 - 1:55 p.m.

There are certain times in your life, especially when you smoke pot, when someone says something to you that causes you to really think about things differently. There are certain other times, although much rarer, when that something continues to make sense the following day. I had one of those second experiences not too long ago. I was hanging out with my friend, el Jefe, paying him $100 in loco frati mei, herb was smoked, and the Daily Show was watched. First off, the Daily Show is brilliant, and recommended viewing for all and sundry. Second off, watching it high is another experience all together. This is funny, because the host, John Stewart, played an 'enhancement smoker' in the movie 'Half Baked': an enhancement smoker being defined as one who smokes pot to enhance all manner of things, TV being the most obvious example. Pot enhances John Stewart. I suppose there's an irony there, concerning viewer/viewed dynamics, but I've been out of college too long to see what that would be.

But, digressions aside, el Jefe said that something to me, and it fundamentally altered the way I think about acting. What he said was simple: that improv comedic actors do not necessarilly make good actors. What that implied was momentous: that improv and Acting are much less related than I had thought. But most importantly, it was the realization that improv comedy is MUCH safer than acting. I'd always considered the opposite to be the truth: improv means no script, it means never knowing what will happen next, it means no safety net: extreme acting, I'd considered it. But he pointed out that improvers never have to surrender control of the proceedings: everything that happens, no matter what it is, is their own choice. An actor has to portray emotions and situations that they may not want to portray, they risk getting VERY uncomfortable in moving in a role. This lead me to have a little more respect for my chosen art.

Alongside that, there was the recognition that improv and acting are two very seperate arts, and have very distinct tracks, as careers. An actor can become a movie star, and do work which is honestly important: look at Kevin Spacey's protrayal of the murderer in '7', or Nick Nolte in 'Affliction'. An improver can only go so far: Saturday Night Live, or Whose Line is it Anyway. Improv has a real limit on what it can do, and how long it can be entertaining. It was a really interesting moment.

It was also one of the most revealing conversations I've had about acting, and I had it with el Jefe. For the last several months, I'd been worrying that our friendship was deteriorating, both from distance, and from having not much to talk about. That night we connected in a much fuller way than we have in a while, and it felt good. I recommend it, talking with friends. You never know how people will surprise you.

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