Fukuoka: Day 1, A Few Chosen Highlights...

Looks like as fast as I've arrived, I'm just about to take off in 8 hours. But here's a few things I saw:

It's a small airport, but the signs make the place grand.

A nice spot to chill, as if the park is "waving" at you.

Even the graffiti is pretty "clean".

Like a sort of street calligraphy that puts L.A. street taggers
to shame.

If you magnify the larger version of this photo, the blue
sign is of a man with a hat. What's with the hat, I ask?

Instead of pumps on the ground, gas is feed from the
ceiling. Makes stealing gas a bit of hassle. And speaking
of stealing...

... These bikes are all parked here, and they have locks
on them, but they aren't tethered to the metal rail. This
happens a lot, and it says even more about the culture.

A decent haircut in the time it takes to drink a latte?
Count me in!

Traffic that flows in perfect harmony.

Looks just like America, with a few twists:

Japanese "Slim Jims".

Exported U.S. pseudo-holidays.

An actual, fully-functioning pay phone that isn't
riddled with disease. Try and find oneof these in
a major U.S. city!

And of course, one of a few million instant vending machines,
for those that find 24 hour convenient stores not convenient
enough.

Strangest food consumed thus far? To the left,
chicken intestines with chives, and to the right, compacted
fish roe cut up in slices. And this is only the beginning
of the culinary adventure...

As usual, stayed tuned for more, as I'm not exactly sure
where I'll be ending up, or when I'll have the internet
again... ;)

The 60th PrimeTime Emmy Awards: The Douchebag Chronicles Strike Again!...

Ah, Awards Season.

I can truly admit that going to the Emmy's is my grandest indulgence as a Hollywood douchebag. Granted, it's been about two years since the last time I went in person, but man, some things never change. Like Mario Lopez. The guy still looks like he spends his free time in cryogenic freeze when he's not out and about. No human looks THAT well preserved. Okay, maybe George Hamilton.

The last time I wrote this sort of entry, someone cried "bullshit". I don't usually take it personally, but I figure that I'm just gonna set the record straight. I have no reason to lie about this, 'cause this is just all a part of who I am. Don't worry, I'll pick up the names I drop.


First things first - here's the proof:

Tickets for the awards ceremony and the Governor's Ball
right afterward.

Oh yeah, please excuse the pics -- I had to take them on a cameraphone because it's hard to sneak in cameras unless you're with the press.

Taken on the 2nd tier of the Nokia Center, located in Downtown
LA, the new venue for the Emmys; behind the red carpet exit.


Souvenir programs. I kept getting asked where you find these.
"It's right by the GIANT PILE behind you."


The stage, T-minus 1 hour to show. The seats only got
filled in completely10 minutes prior to the beginning.
Cutting it close is ALWAYS in their vocabulary.

During the pre-show, they'd show us the Pre-Show from
E! Entertainment on the giant screens. It was soooo existential.
It's like being at a party where someone reminds you constantly
of how cool the party is.

A crappy pic of Jennifer Love Hewitt and Hayden
Panettiere presenting an award together.

Steve Martin doing an intro for Laugh-In. Funny as all heck
as usual.

Christina Applegate and Christian Slater.




Ah, Sally Field -- the woman I subconsciously dream about.
For those that are in the know, you know what I'm talking
about. Boniva, anyone?


Don Rickles accepting an award. Even funnier than
Steve Martin, this guy has still got it.


Matthew Weiner and the cast of Mad Men, accepting the
award for Best Drama. This show is definitely a force
to be reckoned with.


The blurry after-image of everyone bum-rushing out of
the theater ALL AT THE SAME FREAK'N TIME. This
is where the cattle metaphors all come into play.
Organized chaos, most outrageously.


Inside the Governor's Ball, the only crappy picture I took
of it. In the middle of the room, a spinning Emmy rotates
slowly, making everyone feel like a winner, I suppose.


The menu included Avocado seafood salad, a surf/turf
main course of beef and shrimp, and a chocolate desert
to die for.





And yes, here's me in the audience, behind the orchestera,
stage right.


And one more shot for posterity.

All and all, not too shabby a night.

Last personal thoughts on the evening:

**Christina Hendricks from Mad Men, in real life, really does look curvy and sexy as f--k.

**BJ Novak from The Office looked a little upset that they lost for Best Comedy. Hey man, there's always next year.

**I'm sure Glenn Close is a nice person, but even she can't be bothered by taking pictures with her fans. I'm just saying, a little fan-love goes a long way...

**Michael C. Hall from Dexter is pretty darn tall in person.

**Larry David goes to the bathroom. A lot.

And that's all I'm gonna drop for the evening. If anyone has any more doubts, I'll do a YouTube confessional... ;)

My Brush With The Dark Knight...

A few months ago, I had gone to China on vacation in Yunnan (see archives for the pics if you want to check that out), and after the tour we also made a stop in Hong Kong. Guess who was in town at the same time as me?

I couldn't have planned it better. Here's a pic from the local
news: Mr. Shawshank Redemption and Mr. Memento
in the flesh.

They were in town for a few days, so I thought - what the heck? Shouldn't pass this up!

Most of the interiors and night shoots were in a part of Hong Kong called Lan Kwai Fong, a tourist area filled with ex-pat bars, dance clubs and a portion of the business district. A real "Word Hard, Play Hard" kind of area.

Here was the name the production was under during
the shoot.

From what I can piece together, this was the hotel
that the stuntman jumps from in the movie. Interiors for
the crimeboss capture were also shot here as well, but
don't quote me on that.

Here's me with the other onlookers trying to get a glimpse
at the production. Since this night was mostly for interiors,
the only person we got to see was Nolan.

This was taken minutes before director Chris Nolan
stepped out of the black Mercedes. I still regret not
having a telescopic lense that night to get the shot.
By the time I recognized him, he was already inside the
lobby.

The white van carried a bunch of the crew that was
working on set.

Security was pretty tight-lipped, considering that they were
trying to keep this thing a secret in one of the biggest little cities
in the world. The crowd was roudy, but polite -- which is
not typical of Hong Kongers at all...

I don't know if it's in the movie or not, but the news said
that Morgan Freeman also shot a dialogue scene here,
on the longest escalator in the world. Eh, I guess they
figured that if they made it this far, might as well
feature this thing too.

NOTE: This escaltor was also featured in the film
Chunking Express by Wong Kar Wai. It's used in the plot,
and I won't give it away here.

And just like that, after a few days, they were gone.
I still didn't get to see Bale or Freeman, but hey, it was all
fun.

The Dark Knight opens nationwide tomorrow.

Okay Warners, I've plugged the film. Where's my money?... ;)