Finally a Flash of Me on National Television

Fancy title of a post I have here, but don't be fooled! I still am far from even having a small bit part on a TV show - just getting those auditions is a trek for the newbies like me. However, you may have seen my previous posts about the un-glamorous life in the background. I'm pleased to report that my work has finally come to fruition on television!

This Friday (yesterday), I was on the set on Grey's Anatomy for the third time in a week. I ended my day by going to the gym - with the memory that the episode of CSI:NY I had worked on back in early October was airing tonight! So, I stayed at the gym to watch the episode. I only appeared for a very split second in the beginning, but there I was craning my eyes to see a familiar flash of me on the screen as I pounded my legs down on the elliptical. And so...I caught a glimpse of myself (with bad posture, no less)! And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the very first time I actually saw myself on network television as it was airing. A small step, but a step indeed! How exciting! Of course, if you weren't specifically looking for me, you'd barely notice the Asian chick in her black suit checking out the crime scene before the judge gets gunned down.

There, do you see me?

To update my list of shows I've been an extra body for, I can add popular shows such as House, Criminal Minds, Desperate Housewives, How I Met Your Mother and Ringer. Of course, I probably won't be seen on air in light of the unfortunate out-of-frame placements and blurry background crosses. I might be visible in a couple holiday episodes of Grey's and Chuck, but I guess I'll have to wait until December for those.

If anyone spots me as Leena Cook on We the People or as myself chowing a cupcake down on Cupcake Wars, do let me know. I am poor at keeping tabs on my possible other instances of gracing the television screen.

Of course, I have some catching up to do in terms of building real television credits. The industry is all about credits! But in the meantime, I'm still there.

In my post "Life in the Background," I mentioned I was in a CF (long Korean commercial/story) with Korean superstar Lee Minho. Here is the brief moment in which you can see me in the same frame! I have a Toyota watermark on my face.

Life in the Background

Background work isn't considered acting and seems to be unanimously shunned as something you should never put on your resume. Indeed!

However, I have found myself doing background work several times so far in Los Angeles. You may have seen my post earlier this summer about Japanese clubbing, in which I look nothing like an actual Japanese clubber.

Nurse Felicia... in the future Dr. Hom's scrubs (I mean my sister)

In the past couple of weeks, I have been everything from a guest at the wedding of Korean superstar Lee Minho, a nurse on "Body of Proof" and just your average gal passing in the background of "Cougartown." I must admit it was a bit cool to see Jeri Ryan and Courteney Cox as I had watched "Star Trek Voyager" and "Friends" in my youth (a time when I actually watched TV). I wasn't exactly starstruck as I have now grown used to seeing actors and actresses - but Lee Minho was a total surprise since he doesn't prance around Hollywood very much. He was of special meaning to me because he rose to fame while I was living in Seoul. I even included him on some of my English worksheets as all my students knew who he was and watched him on "꽃보다 남자." Crazy! I'd never seen any Korean stars when I lived in Korea - so unexpectedly, a couple years later, I end up seeing one in a random corner of central Los Angeles.

Agent Hom's backside might appear on "Chuck"

Background work does have some pros as I do get to see all these stars, but also get to learn more about the shooting and production process.

Now, an acquaintance of mine mumbled something to the effect of, "You don't want to be stuck in the background forever, do you?" Why, no, of course not. But until I end up actually booking the job and demonstrating that I am a better fit for various roles, it seems I will be consigned to hover in the background until I can bring the A-game. That, or make the A-game. This reminds me that I am nearing the deadline on my one-year goal statement and still have to self-produce!