Autobiography
I was born on Tuesday, August 2, 1977 at 4:53 in the afternoon and was raised in the small town of Saddle Brook, New Jersey. Growing up was….well…interesting. My family wasn’t very good at showing emotion, my friends gossiped more than a liquored up Joan Rivers, I had a so-so education and an abusive father that made me want to kill myself. I craved something more, something different from what I had known, something more of a fantasy life I guess. The closest thing to a fantasy life in New Jersey was…well…Hollywood. But how would I get there? I was 18 years old, a janitor at a local daycare school and my other job was selling belts in the Paramus Park Mall. (You know, the mall Karen from Will & Grace always made fun of? Yeah, that’s the one).
One day my best friend called me and said she had a surprise for me. I was expecting a Cinnabon, or some leftover pot that she and her wannabe hippy boyfriend didn’t finish. Instead, she took me to the movie theater. Huh? Is this really my surprise? A lame Mel Gibson film that should’ve went straight to video?? –(The Man Without a Face). An hour into the film, my mind started contemplating how I should slit my wrist—vertically or horizontally.
Then, wham. There it was. My surprise was staring right at me on the silver screen. My friends sister, credited as Kelly Wood, had a small role in the film. She looked like an angel. Like a star just learning how to shine. She acted the hell out of her nineteen words. I loved it. Suddenly, a light went off in my head. Me! (of course). I’ll be an actor. I no longer wanted to kill myself.
Classes, classes, classes…many acting classes. To and fro to New York City for more and more classes. (I’m rhyming, get it?)
I landed a talent agent who was so old I think he knew Jesus personally. I think he signed me because he thought I was related to Actress Debi Mazar. But whatever. He sent me out on auditions…and I booked.
I booked modeling jobs, print ad’s, commercials, small parts in Indy and student films and took background jobs on Saturday Night Live (SNL) during the 1998-1999 seasons for extra money. I even walked hand in hand with Cameron Diaz in Season 24, Episode 1. Cameron (so sweet), would hold my hand and make me run through the hallways with her during rehearsals. She introduced me to Dan Aykroyd, who told me how nice it was to meet me. Then, she introduced me to Steve Martin. Let's just say...he wasn't as nice.
I quickly learned how to sneak into SNL after parties. Talk about fun! I partied with Leonardo DiCaprio during his Titanic days, Jerry Seinfeld when he was making a million per episode, The Smashing Pumpkins, Cyndi Lauper, a few of the Yankees, Alanis Morissette and her band (both super cool), Jennifer Love Hewitt (who gets sweeter every time I run into her) among many others. I met the actual Calvin Klein and was being considered to be the new Obsession fragrance model, but unfortunately, I didn't book the job in the end. I've even picked up Toni Braxton from the airport and hung out backstage with Elton John.
While working both jobs and auditioning during the day, I got to meet many interesting people. One being a very well connected movie producer who invited me to a party in Los Angeles. I called the producer to say I would love to go but couldn't afford a last minute plane ticket, hotel room and car rental—after all I was only 21 years old. He replied, " I'll get Warner Brothers to pick up the plane ticket, you could stay in my guest house in my Hollywood hills home and drive one of my other cars." I uttered something along the lines of, “Ummmm…well okay then”. (lol)
Off to Los Angeles I was...and never looked back.
I auditioned during the day and bartended nightly at a nightclub Prince, or "The Artist Formerly Know As," used to own. The first friend I made in LA was a singer/songwriter named Clark Anderson. He's on iTunes, too. Through our years of friendship, he taught me how to write a song and gave me a few singing lessons. We dropped by his friend Danny Davito and Rhea Perlman's house regularly, karaoke’d with Lindsay Lohan, hung out with Madonna’s brother Christopher on occasion and crashed a handful of parties at Sony/BMG. My new love...Music!
Nervously, cautiously and excitedly, I started recording music. I loved every minute of it. I spent months, (not to mention every penny I made bartending), in the recording studio.
One night, I had a dream about Britney Spears (get your mind out of the gutter). It was about how cool it would be if another rock or pop artist stuck up for her against those ridiculous tabloids and their bullshit stories about her. And there it was, my song “Rock Me Britney” was born.
After recording it, I burned a few copies and gave it out to friends. They passed it along to some of their friends. About six months passed and then my phone rang. “Hello? Who’s this? Britney??!! No Way!” Yep, Britney Spears took the time to call me while on the set filming the video for her song "Toxic." She very, very kindly thanked me, said how much she loved my song and how sweet it was for me to do that for her. Love her.
At that time, I was actually working as Adam Sandler’s stand-in on the film Spanglish, while radio and news stations across the globe wanted to get my reaction to her call—Shock and awe. Shock and awe, I tell ya.
Currently, I'm working on new projects that include writing and pitching TV show ideas to networks, writing screenplays, while acting, modeling and staying true to my number one passion...Music.
