Thoughts of The Ultimate Rabbit

SAG/AFTRA and WGA Strike on the National Day of Solidarity

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It was another day on the picket line as SAG/AFTRA and the WGA continue their long-running strike against the AMPTP. The fight for a fair contract and better pay rages on even as it looks as if no end is in sight. But, then again, it was not really another day as this was the National Day of Solidarity which not only brought these two unions together, but many others including the AFL-CIO, IATSE and Liuna to name a few. In addition, they were also fighting for safer working conditions, restrictions on AI technology, and to be given the respect they deserve as it is their works which help to generate these amazingly high profits for CEOs who have far too much money to ever spend in a lifetime.

There was also a big rally held outside of Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California. I did my best to film as much of it as I could, but I also got the feeling that now would be a good time to buy a new tripod for my camcorder (the one I currently have is out of commission). Surprisingly, it turned out to be a reunion of sorts for the cast of “The West Wing” as Martin Sheen, Richard Schiff and Bradley Whitford spoke out in support of the strike and for the importance of solidarity in this fight. Sheen was especially powerful as he reminded us all why he got to play the President of the United States on the show for several years, back in a time where a single season of television lasted 22 episodes (remember that?).

Another great speaker was Kerry Washington who talked about how her dream of wanting to be an actor seemed to be impossible because it meant wanting to be famous and be on billboards and magazine covers. But then she said she learned about unions and how they made her dream both a possibility and a reality as it allowed her to make a living. But now, with the advent of streaming and changes in the industry, making a living, let alone a healthy one, has ceased to be possible, and that is unacceptable. Her words rang out loud and true:

“We’ve come to a point in our history where just being a working actor — coming to work every day, devoting oneself to this craft, dedicating oneself for the entertainment and the joy of others — means I can’t make a fair living. It’s not OK. It’s not OK for other people to benefit from our hard work and sweat. It’s not OK for other people to benefit while we work 16-hour days. It’s not OK for other people to benefit when we put our vulnerability and our hearts on the line. It’s not OK for other people to benefit while we do the hard work. That’s not OK.”

But for me, my favorite speaker of the day was “Hellboy” himself, Ron Perlman, who reminded us all as he does on his Twitter (oh, sorry, X) and Instagram feeds that he does not take shit from anybody.  He made this clear right from the start as he said out loud, “I have been a union man my entire mother-fucking woke life.” Not once did he show a single shred of complacency as he laid out how those in power want to break us down:

“The thing is, however much they take will never be enough. So, what they need to do is make us feel small. Devalue us. Gaslight us with the thought that if we don’t walk in line lockstep we can be replaced because any motherfucker can do what we do. … If they’re claiming that they’re losing money, they just made a fucked-up model, that’s all. Don’t blame me for that.”

It was a great day to be on the picket line as thousands of union workers came together to continue the fight for a fair contract and a healthy living wage. I also got to catch up with some friends who I have not seen in years which, in this post-pandemic world, I am deeply grateful for. Granted, the extreme heat took a lot of me to where I had to go home and take a much-needed nap, but it did not stop me or so many others from showing up in Burbank.

As I have stated in the previous articles I have written about the SAG/AFTRA and WGA strike, I am not a member of either union and the video I edited below is not endorsed by them. Still, I am very proud to have joined the picket line as what is currently going on with artists is just a small example of what is happening to the working class at large. These days, I am often reminded of what the late great George Carlin once said about those with all the money and power:

“They want obedient workers. Obedient workers, people who are just smart enough to run the machines and do the paperwork. And just dumb enough to passively accept all these increasingly shittier jobs with the lower pay, the longer hours, the reduced benefits, the end of overtime and vanishing pension that disappears the moment you go to collect it.”

At this time in history, we want to work, but we also want a healthy living wage. It’s hard enough these days to find a job, let alone which pays enough and comes with benefits. No one should have to work two jobs just to survive, and wages need to start keeping up with the cost of living and that evil beast known as inflation. Those in power continue finding ways to eliminate the human equation in the business world, and we cannot allow this to continue. We will not be exploited anymore.

Please check out the video below and be sure to contribute to those union members in need.

The Story Behind ‘The Ultimate Rabbit’ Name

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Daily writing prompt
What’s the story behind your nickname?
View all responses

I have gotten a lot of nicknames in my lifetime, most of them positive, but none has stuck to me more than “The Ultimate Rabbit” has. It has stayed with me for so long to where I decided to name my website after it. Many people have asked me time and time again what “The Ultimate Rabbit” means and why I named my site as such. I am more than happy to share with you how this all came about.

Back in the summer of 1998, I was an apprentice at the Powerhouse Theatre Program at Vassar College in upstate New York. I was (expletive deleted) years old at the time, aspiring to be a great actor, and we performed Shakespeare’s plays outdoors in humidity which was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. This was also in the town of Poughkeepsie and, as you can imagine, I picked my feet whenever I got the opportunity. Besides, I ended up getting some terrible blisters on them, and they needed to be popped sooner rather than later.

Anyway, one evening when we apprentices were at a party celebrating the premiere of a new play written by, of all people, John Patrick Shanley, we got into a conversation about Chinese Zodiac signs. When I told my friends which year I was born in, which was (expletive deleted), they said I was born in the Year of the Rabbit. This sounded cool to me, but then one of my friends said this meant I was very shy, sensitive as people born in this year tend to keep to themselves a lot. Upon hearing this, I was bummed because, from my perspective, I was all of those things at the time. Instead of being born in a year where I was said to be brave and guaranteed with the greatest of successes in life, I was stuck with this. A moment later, I ended up blurting out:

“Oh, great. In that case I am the ultimate rabbit because that’s where my life is at.”

To this, everybody laughed out loud, and before I knew it, it became my nickname for the rest of the summer. Other apprentices even encouraged me to go up to others at the party and say, “Hi, I’m the Ultimate Rabbit!” When I went up to young women and told them this, they ended up giving me a hug. Of course, they all had boyfriends, so don’t me too impressed.

In addition, we apprentices had acting classes to go to in classrooms which were in serious need of air conditioning, and we did Meisner Technique exercises. These exercises involved us repeating the same phrases over and over in a way which allowed us to get to a deeper meaning about what we were saying. During one particular class, I could not help but bring up the new nickname I had just been blessed with:

“I’m the Ultimate Rabbit!”

“You’re the Ultimate Rabbit!”

“I’m the Ultimate Rabbit!”

“You’re the Ultimate Rabbit!”

“I’m the Ultimate Rabbit!”

“You’re the Ultimate Rabbit!”

The class kept laughing hysterically whenever I said this, and the actress I was doing this exercise with could not keep a straight face after a while. It is always great fun when you get to make everyone laugh around you, and with you, and it is nice to have a laugh every now and then to cope with this incredibly insane world we all live in.

Years later, “The Ultimate Rabbit” nickname stayed with me, and I used it as my MySpace page for a time when I was blogging about and reviewing movies endlessly. When then time came to create my own website, which came about after several of the “content mills” I wrote for like Associated Content (later the Yahoo Contributor Network) and Examiner.com got shut down, I had the hardest time coming up with a name for it. After a while, I figured “The Ultimate Rabbit” would work as it was a name I could claim a deep meaning to more than other people ever could. Granted, I have gotten a lot of quizzical looks when I bring my website name up during interviews as it seems like such an odd name, and many often ask why I call it that. Then again, it is unlike the names of other websites which are mostly dedicated to reviewing or talking about motion pictures.

If it were up to me actually, I would have called this website “The Ultimate Eeyore” as anyone who knows me best knows what an enormous fan I am of the depressed donkey from the “Winnie-the-Pooh” stories. Then again, I imagine the Walt Disney corporation would come up to me at some point, urging me to reconsider this name as if to say, “Look, we are this close to owning everything…” Besides, Mickey Mouse might come to my door under the guise of being all friendly, but once the door was closed behind him, I imagine he would go all Wings Hauser from “Vice Squad” on me to where he would drop that famous smile of his and say, “Where’s my money bitch?”

So, “The Ultimate Rabbit” it is, and it has remained the case for several years now. Hopefully, this nickname will eventually lead to me making a healthy living in this day and age even though corporations keeping finding new ways to eliminate the human equation in pursuit of even bigger profits.

The Scene at the SAG/AFTRA and WGA Picket Line Outside of Netflix

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After joining the union members of SAG/AFTRA and WGA, still on strike for a fair contract from producers, in front of Paramount Studios, I joined them again outside of Netflix, Sunset Bronson Studios and KTLA Channel 5 studios on July 27, 2023. It was a scorcher of a day as the temperature got up to ninety degrees, but the union members remained determined to march on, and the strike captains did their best to keep everyone safe and, most importantly, hydrated.

Like that day at Paramount, there was a great feeling of solidarity on display as both SAG/AFTRA and WGA remain united in this strike. At the same time, I also felt the increasing tension between members and the studios as the need for a fair contract felt more intense than ever before. The strike captains were on their bullhorns getting everyone to say, “What do we want? A Fair Contract! When do we want it? NOW!” Well, it was either “now” or “yesterday,” and everyone clearly prefers that this fair contract would have arrived yesterday. Suffice to say, this strike is far from over.

There were no big Hollywood stars on the picket line this day, and one man was holding a sign which said, “Where is Quentin Tarantino?” But once again, this is about the working-class actors and writers, those who just want to make a healthy living. Keep in mind, not everyone in show business wants to be famous like Brad Pitt or George Clooney. In fact, a lot of my friends who are actors are fearful of being a movie star. They would rather be one of those character actors we see in every other movie or television show we watch on a regular basis.

Kudos goes out to Voyage Real Estate whose employees went out of their way to pass out cold bottles of water, and for bringing out the Fluff Ice catering truck which gave everyone free ice shavings. Big thanks to the strike captains who kept everyone safe and in line, and for encouraging us to stay hydrated. Like they said, this corporate greed has got to go!

The video above also has some websites where you can make donations to those union members in need.

WRITER’S NOTE: For the record, I am not currently a member of SAG/AFTRA or the WGA. This video was not endorsed by either union.

Walking the WGA and SAG/AFTRA Picket Line at Paramount Studios

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On July 20, 2023, I did something I had been meaning to do for a long time: walk the picket line alongside members of the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG/AFTRA). Both unions are in a furious labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) as streaming has forever changed the landscape of entertainment. The residual deals many actors and writers previously enjoyed are no longer such a thing, and streaming services have not been quick to give out the numbers of viewers or streams their programs have received thus far. Also, with artificial intelligence (AI) on the rise, many careers threaten to be rendered obsolete as those with all the money keep finding new ways to eliminate the human equation. Plus, when you compare the amount of money someone like Bob Iger makes to the average worker, one cannot help but be infuriated by the infinite corporate greed on display. As John Carpenter once said, the 1980’s never left us.

Signing up to walk in the picket line was very easy, and you do not have to be a member of either union to participate. Considering the continued divide between the haves and the have nots and the dangers posed by AI, I encourage you to participate as the technology itself poses dangers not just to acting and writing careers, but to careers in other fields as well. Clearly, many people still need to watch the first two “Terminator” movies to understand what happens when AI becomes self-aware.

It was a privilege to be walking with these people, union and non-union alike, along Melrose Avenue outside of Paramount. It quickly became clear to me of how everybody was looking out for one another, and this was great considering the hot temperatures we are currently enduring. The temperature reached up to around ninety degrees at one point, and there was only so much shade we could hide in. Paramount does not have any Ficus tress outside their studios, but if they did have any, they would already have had them trimmed.

Big applause goes out to the strike captains who made sure everyone was safe and kept everyone in line, and to all those who donated food, water, snacks and tons on sunscreen for us to utilize. You can never wear enough sunscreen on a day like this. I also have to say how much I appreciated everyone crossed the street both safely and legally. These days in Los Angeles, no one seems to know how to cross the friggin’ street anymore.

With the video I shot and edited above, I wanted to show the harmony of the strikers on display as this event has brought Los Angelenos together in ways I have not seen outside of the LA Marathon. Also, this video shows how everyone was looking out for one another, and how everybody was respectful of the rules set out for them. These visuals really do speak for themselves more than words can. Granted, writers can say a lot about the strike too, but we need to pay them more first.

If you are interested in helping out in the strike or want to make a donation, please visit the following websites by clicking down below:

Writers Guild of America

SAG/AFTRA

Motion Picture & Television Fund

Entertainment Community Fund

WGA on Strike

WRITER’S NOTE: For the record, I am not currently a member of the WGA or SAG/AFTRA. This video is my creation alone and is not endorsed by either union or any other organization.

‘OZ’ Audio Commentary on ‘The Routine’

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Continuing on with my series of audio commentaries, I have decided to take a break from “Homicide: Life on the Street” and do one on another show, the infamous HBO prison drama “OZ.” I became aware of this show when I found out that, like “Homicide,” it was executive produced by Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson. It was created by Fontana who originally sought to create a show about a minimum-security prison which he would have called “Club Med,” but he opted instead to do one on a maximum-security penitentiary once he got permission to do so from the head of HBO Original Programming.

It needs to be noted that “OZ” was the first hour-long drama ever produced by HBO. Most people forget this as “The Sopranos” came on a year or two later and quickly upstaged this groundbreaking show. Like “Homicide,” “OZ” never got much love from the Emmys or other major awards show, but it laid a solid path for the hour-long drama to exist on HBO. Shows like “The Sopranos” and “Game of Thrones” would possibly never have existed without the success of this show.

This commentary is on the premiere episode of “OZ” which is entitled “The Routine.” Written by Fontana and directed by Darnell Martin (“I Like It Like That”), it perfectly sets up the visual style which would quickly define the show and introduced us to a plethora of actors and actresses including Edie Falco, J.K. Simmons, Eamonn Walker, Harold Perrineau, and Kirk Acevedo. This episode also demonstrates quite dramatically how not a single character we see here will ever be safe. Anyone could die at any time, and this continually filled me with endless anxiety as a viewer.

Please check out the audio commentary below. “OZ” is available to stream on Max (formerly HBO Max) and to own and rent on DVD.

‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ Commentary on ‘Night of the Dead Living’

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I am back with my latest audio commentary on an episode of “Homicide: Life on the Street,” and the one on display here is “Night of the Dead Living,” a nice little play on words on the title of the classic horror film, “Night of the Living Dead.” It was directed by Michael Lehmann who gave us one of the greatest black comedies ever made, “Heathers” which starred Christian Slater and Winona Ryder. Lehmann also directed “Hudson Hawk” which starred Bruce Willis and proved to be a critical and commercial bomb, but has since become a cult classic of sorts. The teleplay was written by Frank Pugliese who won a WGA Award for his work on this episode. Pugliese is a writer and playwright, and his plays include “Aven’U Boys” which an Obie Award, and he wrote the screenplay for the 2006 film “Infamous.”

“Night of Dead Living” was the third episode of “Homicide’s” first season, but NBC decided to air it as the season finale due to its slow pace and the fact they were trying hard to “woo” more viewers for this show which was already suffering a decline in ratings. For me and many others, the airing of this episode in this order was confusing as hell as it looked as though Tim Bayliss and Frank Pembleton had another chance at closing the Adena Watson case. Watching it now, it feels like the cruelest of teases.

What I love about this particular episode is how unusual it is for “Homicide” let alone any other police drama as it is one without any murders or crimes committed. The detectives are working the night shift during a hot summer night, and Lieutenant Al Giardello is furious because the air conditioning is off in the office and everyone is sweating like crazy to where they are taking off their ties. That is, except for Frank Pembleton who remains as cool as can be despite the heat.

Please check out the commentary track below and let me know what you think about this episode.

‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ Commentary on ‘Ghost of a Chance’

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So here I am with another commentary track for an episode of “Homicide: Life on the Street.” This one is titled “Ghost of a Chance,” and it is the second episode of the first season. The story is by Tom Fontana, the teleplay was written by Noel Behn, and the episode was directed by Martin Campbell. Campbell would later go on to direct to James Bond films, “Goldeneye” and “Casino Royale.” After the brilliance of “Gone for Goode,” I wasn’t sure the next episode would be anywhere as good. Thankfully, it was.

“Ghost of a Chance” starts off with the murder of Adena Watson, the first case for rookie detective Tim Bayliss (Kyle Secor), and the one case which would haunt him the most throughout this series. There are also some other plotlines explored here. John Munch (Richard Belzer) and Stanley Bolander (Ned Beatty) investigate the death of Thomas Doohen whose widow, Jessie (Gwen Verdon), cannot wait to be rid of him, Kay Howard (Melissa Leo) and Beau Felton (Daniel Baldwin) work to find much-needed evidence in a murder case, and Bolander develops a crush on Carol Blythe (Wendy Hughes) which has him acting rather awkwardly.

We are also introduced to Officer Chris Thormann (Lee Tergesen), a character who will become especially important in later episodes.

Please check out the commentary below.

‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ Commentary on ‘Gone For Goode’

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So here I am with another commentary track after the one I did for “Pump Up The Volume.” But this time, it is for an episode of one of my favorite television shows of all time, let alone of the 1990’s, “Homicide: Life on the Street.” Specifically, the commentary is on this show’s very first episode, “Gone For Goode,” which did a brilliant job of introducing us to various Homicide detectives, and also showed how it was not going to be your usual cop show. Instead, it was initially designed to be one without onscreen violence, something which executive producer and showrunner Tom Fontana thought was crazy, and he quickly signed up with the show as a result.

What hooked me onto this show was the fact it was being developed by Barry Levinson, the Oscar winning filmmaker of “Rain Man.” He also directed the “Gone For Goode” episode and introduced its cinematic style which no other director could direct their way out of.

With this commentary track, I express my thoughts on this episode and the show at large. Upon watching “Gone For Goode,” I was immediately hooked into what this groundbreaking series had to offer, and I did my best to provide as much trivia about its making as I could. I’m not sure there will ever be a perfect commentary track to anything unless it is done by Martin Scorsese or Bruce Campbell, but I would like to think this one comes close. If you say it does, it will do wonders for my fragile ego.

Please feel free to listen to the commentary track below as you watch this episode on your DVD player. At this time, “Homicide: Life on the Street” is not available to stream, most likely due to music rights, but you can purchase the complete series on DVD from Shout Factory. It was previously available in a box set from A&E Home Video, but it has long since gone out of print.

Ultimate Rabbit Audio Commentary on ‘Pump Up The Volume’

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Okay everyone, The Ultimate Rabbit is doing something new here, at least for him. I am doing my first ever audio commentary, and it is for the 1990 film, “Pump Up The Volume.” Written and directed by Allan Moyle, it stars Christian Slater as Mark Hunter, a high school student who has been uprooted from his hometown in New York and now lives with his parents in Paradise Hills, Arizona. Depressed and lonely, Mark ends up venting his frustration with his situation, and the world at large, on a pirate radio station where he performs under the name of Hard Harry. Chaos ensues as more and more students begin listening in, and parents and school officials do what they can to shut him down.

Now everyone who knows me best knows just how much I love “Pump Up The Volume” (click here to read my review). I first saw it at Crow Canyon Cinemas with my mother back in 1990, and it felt like a godsend to me personally. I very much related to what Mark Hunter went through as he struggles to adjust to a new environment he has been unwillingly thrust into, and I loved how Moyle deals with adolescent struggles and emotions in a real and intelligent way.

Currently, there is no special edition of “Pump Up The Volume” anywhere. It was recently released on Blu-ray, but the only special feature on it is the theatrical trailer. Perhaps Criterion, Arrow Video, Shout Factory or Vinegar Syndrome can show this film the love it deserves.

Basically, this commentary track is to be played as you watch your own copy of the film at home, be it on DVD, Blu-ray or Digital. Feel free to listen in as I try to provide information on the film’s making, and of what it still means to me all these years later.

You can check out the audio commentary below.