U N L I M I T E D

What a random Saturday night in L.A. can sometimes deliver…

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Based on this article from Esquire magazine, a group of us decided to head downtown and check out the Veranda Bar at the Hotel Figueroa this past Saturday night. More often than not, Downtown L.A. is a great time and always a nice escape from the same old same sold here on the Westside. Per the article, the sentiment/mind-read, “You don’t want the bullshit Hollywood scene” was one we definitely shared as well. At least they got the bullshit part right.

After securing a couple tables in the back near the pool – and an hour or so of enjoying the not-too-crowded outdoor atmosphere – I spotted, or at least I thought I spotted actress Elizabeth Banks heading down a gated corridor to our left, leading to an area just behind the pool. Of course, no one else at the table noticed her or even believed me, but the possibly of being in the same vicinity as someone as gorgeous as her was something that needed confirmation.

After a few minutes – with surprising ease – a couple of us ventured down the gated corridor to where more and more people seemed to be filtering. We eventually ran into a small group congregating just outside the area where the corridor led. Among the group, in a tight white dress, was Heroes star Ali Larter, utilizing at full force her superpower of getting drunk. I practically had to dodge her as I walked by.

Again with ease (and no bouncers in sight), we made our way past her and into the little outdoor area… where Elizabeth Banks was savoring a cupcake, cute as can be. Vindication. Soon after, she made her way out the door and like that, she was gone.

As we started to walk around the room, it became apparent that we were at some kind of celebrity C & D-list ground zero: A Gilmore Girl (Lauren Graham) on a bench to our left. Scott Speedman laughing it up with some buddies toward the back. Some chick from Mad TV (Nicole Sullivan) over by the bar. The even-hotter-in-person star of Cloverfield, Odette Yustman making the rounds. Saturday Night Live cast members Will Forte and Jason Sudeikis holding court… along with a bevy of that guy faces we couldn’t quite place (Jonathan Tucker, Lake Bell to name a few). Even Chandler Bing himself, Matthew Perry showed up.

We called the rest of our group to join us and somehow ended up (hopefully) blending in and staying at this relatively small party ‘til two in the morning. I’ve been to events like this before, and as much you’re “inconspicuously” looking around to see who’s who… everyone else is, for the most part, doing the same. If you’re there, you’re probably somebody – and just like you, everyone is casually trying to figure out exactly who.

This (kind of) leads me to the point of this post, and all (if any) celebrity-related posts to come. Rewind to a few nights earlier when we had been out in Venice, where we saw actor Alan Tudyk at a local bar. When I got home that night, I turned on the TV – and the very first image I saw was that of Alan Tudyk in a guest spot on a rerun of CSI.  It’s these kinds of meaningless, quasi-coincidences that not only make the whole celebrity-spotting game somewhat intriguing, but alternately, in a minuscule way, bring about a greater sense of connection to L.A. and thus, the world of popular culture at large.

For me, by no means is it about gossip or name-dropping “sightings” in some US Weekly, celebrity-obsessed way. Rather, the more connected and wired you can feel to this city – whatever the means – the more positive influence you feel you can eventually have over it. I’ve worked with celebrities for a living, and, relatively speaking, there’s nothing really that different about “them” (they’re Just Like Us!). Some of us randomly find our way to the party, some of us are invited, but once we’re there, we’re all just trying to figure out who’s who. We’re all trying to make that connection, not necessarily with each other, but with the ability to influence in whatever way we can.

Fast forward back to Saturday night. Of note, there were two guys with us – identical twins – who we were friends with a good friend of ours. We had been introduced to them earlier that day and they were along for the ride that night. They were pretty cool guys, but as the night wore on, they might have had a bit too much to drink – enough at least to randomly start a conversation with Matthew Perry no more than three feet from where I stood. As funny as it was (and as late as it was), this was our cue that we had probably outstayed our welcome.

Among the many random sentences being blurted from the conversation, as we left the twins cornering Matthew Perry (who actually seemed somewhat cool and affable), I heard him utter the phrase… “Just living the dream, man. Just living the dream.” Blatantly reminded of the uniquely random situations this city can deliver, though nearly not as schmaltzy, all I could think was, Yup.

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