Jonny Fido • Actor

Trip & Shows

2009-12-16T00:28:00.007-05:00

So yeah, I just got back from Berlin. Germany. Awesome. I was helping a friend to shoot an industrial video there. Had a great time and worked really hard, but didn't really get to see too much of Berlin (but I wasn't there to sight see, right?). Anyway, I will be posting some of the photos I took on my Flickr site within the next couple of days for those of you interested. I was lucky enough to be taken to a Christmas Market and it was great! A Christmas Market is a small outdoor fair that sells all sorts of chachkies and such. But best of all they sell all sorts of wursts. I had a schinkenwurst (sp?) and it was delicious, then a waffle that was made by the most neurotic waffle maker in all of Germany. And washed it all down with several glasses of traditional glühwein, which tastes kind of like a sweeter berry version of hot apple cider. All in all, pretty awesome trip and I'm REALLY glad I got to go. Thanks Steve-O!

Now, on to shows! I'll be performing this coming Sunday
December 20th in Sunday Night Improv with Tom Soter, Megan Gilroy, Harvey Chipkin, Tom Carrozza, Laurel Sturrock, Carl Kissin, and Ben Rauch on piano.
Come to StandUp Studio at 236 West 78th St. in NYC. It's a very unnoticeable door near the StandUp NY Comedy Club, so keep an eye out.
$10 Questions, call 212-353-7716

And the next day, Monday
December 21st with the Voiceactor's Orchestra in a reading of the Rankin-Bass classic
Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer at
Shut-Up & Talk, Ripley Greer Studios
520 8th Avenue, 10th Flr.
Two shows: 4:00 & 7:30
Not sure what the admission is, but the proceeds from the night go to charity.
Bring the kids, they'll love it.

More Rudolph...

2009-12-07T00:47:00.005-05:00

We did it in New Providence, NJ and we're putting the show on the road and bringing it to New York City. Really, not that far away, but come, bring the kids to see and especially HEAR the Rankin-Bass classic, "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer." Performed by some of the most talented Voice-Over Artists since the original, the Voiceactor's Orchestra will be giving all the proceeds to charity. (I think this year it's a children's cancer fund, I'll find out.) Please come, you'll really enjoy it.

Monday, December 21st
Two Shows! 4:00 & 7:30
520 8th Avenue 10th Floor
Ripley Greer Studios (Suite 1003, Shut up and Talk Studios)

Second Avenue Deli

2009-12-03T22:32:00.008-05:00

Had lunch today with an old friend from college at the world famous Second Avenue Deli... now, just off 3rd Avenue at 33rd Street.

When I first came to NYC around 1993 I lived (or rather, squatted, for a short time) across the street from the Second Avenue Deli's original location at 2nd Ave and 10th Street and only ate there once. I remember enjoying it a lot back then; the food, the staff, and the halvah! It was my first REAL introduction to learning what being a "New Yorker" was all about.

I hadn't been back since (I think the main reason was I that I had no money or job and it was too pricey). But today, I got a taste of all that back (literally). Matzoh Ball Soup, Pastrami Sandwich, pickles... all of it great and all of it reminded me of why I still love NYC so much. I may live in Jersey now, but I really LIVE in NYC.

I think my college buddy enjoyed it too.

Meanderings

2009-12-01T01:32:00.003-05:00

Turns out the "Big Girl Bed" was a success! Stella took to it right away and loves it, she makes me proud.

I tackled another big (to me anyway) drywall job in our ceiling. Wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be, but I'm still not finished yet. The tough part of taping and mudding is still ahead.

I mentioned my acting may be in trouble a post ago, well, that's not entirely true. I think now it's just going to be more tightly focused and lessened a touch. I'm trying to strike a balance. Nobody ever said life and the pursuit of happiness was ever easy. Still... very excited about an idea I'm working on with a friend of mine, could be pretty, pretty good. Stay tuned.

(again with the cliff-hangers)

Duelin'telligences

2009-11-27T22:00:00.007-05:00

Here's a video I've been waiting on for a long time, done by my best-est buddy and the most amazing sound wizard next to Ben Burtt, Eric Willhelm. I think the less I say about this, the better.

Continuing Saga

2009-11-21T08:57:00.002-05:00

To my legions of fans and loyal followers, I humbly apologize, I've let you down. Dude, it's been like forever since the last post! I am alive, I didn't fall off a log and into a lake. I've had so many things to do since having a wealth of free time on my hands. Things like drywalling, growing then shaving beards, and investigating strange smelling fluids under the car. And today is no exception! For today, the family travels to Ikea in search of Stella's "big-girl bed".

As far as acting goes... I may be in trouble.

(Note: Always leave them with a cliff-hanger.)

Neck Scar!

2009-09-27T23:41:00.006-04:00

Here's a short film from the folks at IndyMogul.com. Rusty Ward wrote this scene for them to use as a test film in conjunction with a "How to" neck scar video for special effects make-up. It's so folks can see how the neck scar looks on camera. A nice bit of fun for the whole family. As they say at the Garden Grill in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, "NN-joy!"

Sunday Night Improv

2009-09-06T21:27:00.005-04:00

Maybe I'm in trouble, maybe the audience is, maybe everybody's going to get hurt. I just don't know. All I know is, I haven't done improv in years, yet next Sunday night, I'll be doing improv with some good friends.

Sunday Night Improv
at Standup Studio
236 West 78th Street NYC
$10
Tom Soter
with Audrey Amee • Larry Bell • Tom Carrozza • Jonny Fido • Geoffrey Katz • Juliette Moore
& George Francois on piano

Come, witness the carnage...

How do you spell "Eerrrrrrnnnnttttt"?

2009-09-04T10:04:00.006-04:00

You know, that game show sound effect for the wrong answer? I think I spelled it correctly, but any way you spell it, that's the sound I heard in my head a couple of days ago after I read some "stuff". That's where I'm going to stop. Those of you interested in pursuing this further can email or call and ask about it. And you should, because it's pretty funny.

I heard that sound again while composing an email to a casting agent, right after I realized I accidentally hit "Send" instead of "Save". Luckily it was just a general email and not something incendiary or controversial. At any rate, I fear I've "screwed the pooch" on that one. Oh well, they'll be more auditions... right? Is it slow out here or is it just me? Don't answer that.

And finally, some more bad news... I will NOT be performing in the 1-Minute Play Festival I had mentioned before. But when you think about it, it's really just the turning point in this summer's screenplay. You see, this is the part in the story where our hero get's fed up with letting things happen to him and decides to start creating his own opportunity. Then there's a big "getting things done" montage over some Smash Mouth or some other horrible band like that.

Or he could just blog.

ECNY Show

2009-09-01T11:03:00.005-04:00

Well, that was some good fun! Sure Francisco Guglioni (host of hilarious variety show called Giant Tuesday Night Of Amazing Inventions And Also There Is A Game!!!) wasn't there but sent in a short video, sure we hadn't performed as a group in about 2 1/2 years, sure it was only one sketch, sure we only rehearsed it a couple hours before the show... but doggone it, it was fun!

I also enjoyed seeing a lot of familiar faces as well. I'm missing you guys already, hope I get to do it again, real soon.

In other news, I may be doing a 1-Minute Play Festival downtown at HERE on September 13th, sounds like it will be great, I'll keep you posted.

GTN Reunion Performance

2009-08-19T11:34:00.003-04:00

I've been kindly asked to participate in a very special event, a GIant Tuesday Reunion. Plus, the rest of the show looks pretty amazing too. Come if you can, it's going to be loads of fun, especially for a Monday!

THE ECNYS BRING AN ALL-STAR LINEUP TO COMIX

New York, NY – On August 31st, the ECNYs, New York's Comedy Awards, will show off its past winners and nominees at The ECNY Showcase Show! The ECNYs have a history of recognizing the next big thing in comedy before it becomes the next big thing, and its winners have gone on to write and perform on Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, Parks & Recreation, and Flight of the Conchords, as well as dozens of popular movies. Come early for a pre-show cocktail hour where you can find out more about the ECNYs, get involved, and network with other members of the most creative and supportive comedy community in the country.

PLUS, if you buy your tickets in advance you can enjoy our private Coppola Wine tasting for free! (Get first tastes of new and exciting Coppola wines during our cocktail hour if you buy your ticket before the day of the show.)

This show will be hosted by Jon Friedman, (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon) and will feature Michelle Collins (Best Week Ever), Sara Schaefer (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon), Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live), Kumail Nanjiani (Michael & Michael Have Issues), Harvard Sailing Team, A Giant Tuesday Night of Amazing Inventions reunion, with videos by Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Sean Crespo, Elephant Larry & College Humor. More surprises to be added!

MON, AUGUST 31 @ 8:00 PM
Pre-show Happy Hour from 7 to 8

Comix
353 W. 14th Street
New York, NY 10014

The show is $15 plus a two item food and/or drink minimum in the showroom.

Tickets are available for purchase at the box office, by calling 212.524.2500 or online at www.comixny.com. Full dinner menu available.

Banner Year for Reruns

2009-08-05T15:18:00.001-04:00

...Well, mine anyway. Why not take a break during this sweltery summer and watch a movie in the air-conditioned comfort of your own (or someone else's) digs OnDemand (if you've got it). Specifically, my first major motion picture appearance on Encore! The touchingly not-so-funny Two If By Sea starring Denis Leary, Sandra Bullock, Stephen Dillane(!), Yaphet Kotto(awesome), and yes, me too. It's playing on Encore, so check it out, and once again, set them Tivos.

Stella Rocks!

2009-08-05T15:04:00.003-04:00

Here's a clip of my daughter singing The Police's "Roxanne". Hey, at least she knows her colors.

And here's a live version from the originators to compare it to:

Zombeatles!

2009-08-05T14:59:00.002-04:00

Here's a video I'm in from the folks at BarelyDigital.com. I'm supposed to be John Lennon by the way.

Set Up The Tivos!

2009-07-14T15:14:00.003-04:00

For those of you looking to watch something on TV and can get the Encore cable network, check your local listings for the film Boiler Room. TV Guide gives first time director Ben Younger 4 out of 5 stars for this one. Keep an eye out for me as a young trainee trying to learn the ropes of buying and selling at the fictional brokerage firm of J.T. Marlin. Things get nasty.

Also, check around for Two If By Sea as well. It may be On Demand on Showtime or one of those crazy networks. I play Yaphet Kotto's partner FBI Agent Burke.

Fourth of July EXTRA!!

2009-07-04T09:28:00.013-04:00

I know many of you have been waiting a long time to meet my father. Thanks to today's technology and my talented, blue-grass playin' cousin Johnny Bird (author of Mark Twain And Metaphor). Here's my Dad giving his thoughts on fishing. That's Johnny's voice asking him the questions. Also, notice his t-shirt says "Ross Farm Museum Nova Scotia" I bought that for him while shooting "Two If By Sea" in Canada. See, my dad's a farmer, his name's Ross, who knew they had a Farm Museum. Anyway, I think he likes the shirt, he liked it enough to fish in it.

And here, he's caught a FREAKIN' SHARK! Well, it's a baby shark, but IT'S A FREAKIN' SHARK!!

Fireworks.

2009-07-02T23:56:00.003-04:00

When I was a kid in North Carolina, we would sometimes drive just beyond the theme park Carowinds and into South Carolina to buy fireworks. There was the time my brother's friend "Cooter" bought "five hunnerd dollars worth of fireworks" and had them all in a brown paper bag. He wanted to shoot some of those spinning Jumping Jacks first, so he lit a batch and they started flying in all sorts of directions. Unfortunately, one of the main directions they headed, was straight into the bag they came from. "Five hunnerd dollars worth of fireworks."

Then there was the time myself and my best friend Eric bought some bottle rockets and made two launchers out of 3 feet of 1/2" copper pipe and a plastic funnel on the end to prevent blast-back. We'd each get at opposite ends of a deserted street and shoot at each other. Really good fun. We tried an alternate version of that where we'd drive down dark streets, lean out the window and shoot them in front of our moving car. That was pretty awesome too... until the cops pulled us over and found our fireworks and launchers. Thankfully they only took the fireworks and let us go with a warning.

My daughter has so much to look forward to.

Happy 4th of July.

Irons & Fires

2009-06-25T16:43:00.004-04:00

Lotta stuff going on folks, a lot of irons in the fire. I've sent off the proposal for a website idea to a company that I'm hoping will be receptive. I'm scheduled to shoot another episode for BarelyPolitical/BarelyDigital.com and have a tiny part in an independent film called "God's Land". And another friend's company is on the rise as well. All exciting stuff, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

The Father's Day

2009-06-21T12:09:00.001-04:00

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there!

Time

2009-06-16T14:36:00.003-04:00

I've been doing a lot of hard work recently, both at acting and home improvement. Not having the day job has freed me up to work on more important things, but you know, I don't think I've been this busy since my senior year of college. I'm running all over the place and don't have nearly as much time as I had at my job. It's amazing how busy you become when you suddenly gain an immense amount of time. That's one reason for the lack of blog-age.

Sayanora, Mr. Day Job!

2009-05-21T12:07:00.006-04:00

And so it ends, chapter 3 of my life comes to a close. I spent nearly 10 years at this "day job" and it gets completely wiped out in about 30 minutes worth of an explanation of the severance package. Don't get me wrong, I'm extremely happy about the package, and about not having to go into that job anymore, it was just a little weird leaving it all behind. You know the feeling that a hostage gets, feeling sympathy and loyalty to their captors? That's kind of the same feeling I had. I think it was more sad for me saying goodbye to the computer that had worked so hard for me and gave me a window to the outside world via Mr. Internet. And believe me, I actually DID say "goodbye" and "thanks for everything" to my old computer. Silly.

BUT, the best thing in the world... I can now be completely open to audition, write, shoot, whatever I want to do. For a little while anyway. So begins Chapter 4. It's pretty exciting. Obviously, I'll keep you posted.

So I finished mowing the grass, and now it's time to do laundry and clean the house on this Thursday afternoon. Life ain't too bad. Not too exciting right now, but not too bad.

Success!

2009-05-15T14:41:00.002-04:00

Finally got Blogger up and running again. Too bad I'm too busy to actually write something of interest. Have a look around the site, maybe go to the images page or check out my flickr site (button to the left). You kids have fun, I'll be right back...

Blog Trouble

2009-05-13T08:54:00.003-04:00

Having some trouble with publishing my blog... Please stay tuned.

My Star Trek Weight-Loss Program

2009-05-12T16:55:00.017-04:00

Two words: tight shirts

Ah, the life of an actor with a day job... Trying to keep it low key with those both at work and casting folk. Although blogging about doesn't help, so let's just say I have this "friend" who does that. Scheduling auditions, meetings, work, family, and trying to squeeze in social time can be exhausting. SO HE SAYS. You'd think my friend would be in better shape. But who knows, if he didn't run around like this, he might weigh 350lbs.

Enjoy the latest installment from barelydigital.com. I play the 1st Officer in this great Star Trek parody.

Twitter Updates

2009-04-28T12:07:00.002-04:00

So glad to report to the one person that may visit my site, you can now follow my dazzling life through Twitter updates WITHOUT being on Twitter. Just take a peek at the sidebar to the right and there it is. Amazing. One more thing to choke the information stream known as "The Internets".