An Emmy in the Toilet

Leslie has an Emmy. We found it in her bathroom. Next to the toilet.

Saturday night was another gathering of our little group of gals from Theatre West. I've blogged about this group of women a couple of times before. We met again at Leslie's which seems to be the central venue for our sort-of-regular meets. Her house is, as previously reported, very cool and lends itself very nicely to casual and comfortable rabble rousing.

We've taken to meeting about every 6 to 8 weeks or so, or when birthdays call (on Saturday we celebrated Elise's and Leslie's) but individual birthday celebrating is secondary to what has become a grown up version of a junior high-school slumber party - complete with iTunes, potato chips, snacks, blankets, giggling, confessions, some surprising back stories, and general gab (though most of us do go home to sleep). Oh and there is alcohol (lots of it!) from which I do not partake but which rubs off on me anyway.

Now I suppose this sounds like the sort of thing many "tribes" of girlfriends engage in - and maybe it is. But it is a very unique experience for me. Because this tribe is a cast of immensely entertaining characters unlike no other. Not to say that my other friends are not interesting, unique, and fun, or that I don't enjoy their friendship just as much - but something about this group together is different. Because while we were all at Theatre West together some 25 years ago, I don't think any of us is at all like the other. We are like 7 (or 8 when Seemah comes) pieces from different puzzle games that somehow fit together to make some crazy quilt of friendship. And the picture we make - once we are assembled - looks kinda cool.

So anyway, last night Jane returned from a visit to the bathroom and announced she had given Leslie's Emmy a much needed polishing. Given where she had just been this statement seemed a bit odd - so naturally, all our ears pricked up. I knew Leslie had received an Emmy (from her work as co-executive producer and writer for "Everybody Loves Raymond"), but I had never seen it. As it turns out, Leslie had found a home for it in her bathroom on the shelf, right next to the toilet. (Ahem.) Despite such an unworthy place this coveted statue received from its owner, as women with "actress" running through our veins, it was immediately fetched, brought to the center of the table and adorned. Literally. We dressed Emmy up with jewelry, glasses, and flowers and we all had our photo taken with it. It was like playing with grown-up Barbie. Sheila a recognizable character actress who has had a successful career for the past many years, stood and posed for a photo and about 15 seconds after the shot was taken, I noticed she was still frozen in her pose - holding the trophy high and wearing a broad smile. I said: "I got the picture, Sheila." Without missing a beat, she replied: "Are you sure?" Hilarious. Anyway, it is very heavy and her wings are really sharp and Leslie has a story about an actress accidentally getting stabbed by one when her co-star walked off the stage, carelessly swinging it in his stride.

Of course Emmy wasn't the only thing going on that evening. We were loud and bawdy. We all lamented over menopause, ovarian ultrasounds, the danger of consulting WebMD and how we are all - in one way of another - hit with hard times. We got to share success stories too - a recent TV interview Jane had; a truly great voice over tape Cyndy had just recorded. But mostly we were just glad to be in each other's company - Anne, a mother of 3 boys, summing it up by stating how wonderful it was to be away from anything with a penis. We did get around to birthday cake as it was Elise's actual birthday, and once again, everyone took off their rings to place over a burning candle in hopes of getting a birthday wish too - a tradition Jane began last summer. Unfortunately, I couldn't get my ring off so I had to resort to an earring. So as you can guess, my wish was to weigh less.

In all it was a lot of silliness but I have to admit that I was rather impressed with the Emmy. I know we live in Los Angeles where they give these things out and if you are an active member of the industry there are probably only three (rather than seven) degrees of separation between you and someone who has one. But it is an enormous accomplishment nonetheless. And Leslie has one! Even if it is in the toilet. I hasten to add that there is accomplishment to go around. Sheila has an accomplished career as an actress. Cyndy is a producer/writer/actress who has her own award-winning one-woman show. Anne is doula and an actress, most recently seen on Grey's Anatomy, Elise is a writer, director, actress, coach with a very long list of credits. Jane is a doctor, actress, singer/songwriter. And I? Well, I had a great career in sales and I used to sing and sort of act and now I write this.

Our little eclectic group of friends does little more than catch up, laugh, share, eat, smoke, drink, and occasionally dress up high-profile awards when we meet but there is an "energy" (oh that word!) that is palpable among us. You can't misstep here for reasons I cannot explain other than to say it is a bit like stepping into a play, where all the characters are well written and defined and integral to the plot. Like Steel Magnolias, the Ya Ya Sisterhood, the Joy Luck Club, or the girls from Sex in the City, our little group has a heart of its own, and when we're together, we all beat to it.