Baywatch Diary – Day 18
I woke up early today so I could get a swim in before other people got in the pool. It is not easy doing laps with other swimmers not doing laps. Then, at 8am I met Michael, Gena Lee Nolin’s brother, to go to the H***** Cafe for breakfast. I have an ulterior motive: my brother’s new wife’s ex-husband’s daughter Nichelle works there. I figure that makes her my half-niece. I have never met her, but I had called her yesterday and told her I would come in early today to say hello. The funny thing is that I had met her roommate, David, in the grocery store 10 days ago, but he didnt know that I knew who Nichelle was, and I didnt know he knew Nichelle. Small world, huh? So Michael and I drive to the cafe, which is obviously a very popular eatery, full of locals, and I had granola for breakfast. Nichelle is a lovely 17 year old, who is very poised and sweet. I hope I can be considered her relative, what do you think?
After breakfast, we stop at the grocery store, and I buy chocolate covered macadamia nuts for my parents and Ian’s, and no salt popcorn for myself. Michael buys coffee for himself and Gena and his other sister, Sheila. Starbucks is almost everywhere in the country, but apparently not in Duluth, Minnesota, where he lives. When I get home I take a nap, finish book #4, “A Home at the End of the World”, by Michael Cunningham. I really liked this book, by the way, although I did not enjoy his highly acclaimed “The Hours”, which is being made into a Meryl Streep movie. I ride my stationary bike and read a script that John Allen Nelson wrote and will be directing, which is very, very good. I also start a biography, “Wisecracker”, about William Haines, the first openly gay silent screen star, that my friend Jason Stuart gave me for my birthday. I am feeling a bit restless – too much time on my hands – and am disappointed when Polly, the first assistant director, calls me to tell me I am on hold tomorrow, which means I am not working. I figure I will mail the macadamia nuts and find a recycling center, but after that? Well, I will cross that bridge tomorrow. The waves are too intimidating for me to go for a swim, so I walk to the lobby to drop off something at the front desk, just to get out of my room. On the way, at the pool, I see alot of the Hawaiian Tropic women at the pool. It looks more like Baywatch there than when we were filming last week! We have been out-Baywatched! There is a Hawaiian Tropic contest this upcoming week, and over 100 women from all over the US, who have won state or regional contests, are here. I admire women who can compete in pageants and beauty contests. So much stress! I dont believe they are the airheads that most people derisively say they are, anyway. A couple of the women ask to take photos with me, which gives me a smile, as I am surprised.
I watch the sun set at the pool bar with Michael and Sheila – Gena is getting a massage – and chat with David and a friend of his. This hotel is getting very Hollywood; Baywatch is here, a feature, “The Big Bounce” is here, and now all of the Hawaiian Tropic folks are here. One of the regular Baywatch extras from 9 years ago, Elke, comes up to say hello as she is a featured extra in the big rescue scene tomorrow. When it gets dark, I come back to my room to look at my scenes for this week.
Maybe I will get a surf lesson tomorrow, if the waves are not too big.
