Haters Gonna Hate

Actors can be real assholes. It's usually rooted in deep insecurity, which causes them to feel like they have to screw someone else over to make it in this business.

Here's the thing: if you have the luck to make an amazing career for yourself, it doesn't have to be at someone else's expense. In fact, the only way I want to make it is surrounded by people I love an respect.

I'll never be like Kirsten. (Pronounced Keer-stin.) I'm sure there are other lovely Kirsten's out there, but this one was, as the Duchess call, a hater.  

The ladies of Duchess Riot have been having great luck lately due to the success of our show at the Comedy Central stage. I'm so grateful for that, and I know the best is yet to come. However, it seems the more success that comes your way, the more haters you acquire. Yesterday, a few of us were called in for an audition at Paramount. Five Duchesses, one non-duchess, one role. We were all called at the same time, and we were chatting while waiting in the lobby area.

"Do you all, like, know each other or something?" Kirsten asks.

"Yes! I'm Suzanne," Suzanne extends her hand to Kirsten and she tentatively shakes Suzanne's hand while looking at her like she has leprosy.

"We're all in the same comedy group." Katie says.

"Oh, where does your little comedy group perform?" (This sentence was said so patronizingly, it was palpable.)

"Comedy Central asked us to perform at their stage a couple of weeks ago. That's actually how we all ended up here. LOTS of casting directors and industry attended." I said, with a smile because pretty much the only time I'll brag is when I'm faced with a condescending twat who is trying to tear me down.

"Oh. So, what are you going to do when one of you gets this part and the others don't?"

Did I mention this chick was a HATER?

"Be really excited for that girl and go celebrate with drinks!" Dione said.

"Right. Well you better make the girl who gets it PAY for the drinks. Can you even drink? You all look like you are sixteen." woofed Kirsten.



First of all, Kirsten, telling a group of actresses they all look super young is NOT an insult. Second, you suck. And the one thing we have learned as a group, is that we are going to have sucky haters, and we will kill them with kindness. (But I WILL blog about you later, as an example of the kind of actor I will never be.)

Go ahead and believe that we were naive and didn't notice you were being condescending. Laugh at us for all waiting for every Duchess to get in and out of the room, so we could walk out together. Tell yourself that if one of us books something and the other doesn't that we would be anything less than THRILLED for each other. It's not going to change the fact that we love each other and celebrate each other's successes. And trust me, Kirsten, we got a LOT of success coming our way.