May 3, 2011
Bossy’s Guest Riders, The Final Installment
As some of you may remember, Bossy recently spent a week in Los Angeles test driving a Ford Focus and being ushered around by a series of guest passengers whose mission it was to show Bossy the real L.A. — and the reason some of you may remember this trip is because Bossy can’t stop writing about it in fits and starts — mostly fits — kind of like a slow drip of the morphine Bossy needs because she’s no longer in Los Angeles!
Shall we?
This is Bossy’s close and personal friend Tootsie Farklepants, but you can call her your close and personal friend Tootsie Farklepants!
And on this day of Bossy’s week in Los Angeles, Tootsie Farklepants navigated Bossy to Warner Brothers Studio, where Bossy and Tootsie took the behind-the-scenes tour. Bossy loves the concept of being behind anything, but especially behind the scenes, and specifically behind the scenes of a movie and television production studio.
And because Bossy took the behind-the-scenes tour, she now has a wealth of — and this is a coincidence — behind-the-scenes information! Which Bossy will now share with her esteemed reading council! And you don’t even have to crane your necks!
For instance, did you know that a studio lot is filled with buildings which aren’t actually buildings but just fake fronts where stuff is filmed?
And did you know that the buildings and streetscapes are missing things like doorknobs and street lights and foliage because those are the details that define various eras and seasons specific to what is being filmed? And so these details are added last in a process referred to as dressing the set.
And did you know that the following photo represents the set for that Sister Mercy George Clooney In Scrubs show?
And did you know that sometimes when actors are filmed in Central Park it isn’t Central Park at all?
And did you know… Bossy forgets what these photos are supposed to represent:
And did you know that when there is a deciduous tree actually growing somewhere on the studio lot, they often have to dress it with leaves if it’s a summer scene, or they have to pluck the tree free of green if it’s supposed to be winter?
And did you know that all of the residential houses on the Warner Brothers lot are used over and over again as different things, and have been featured in many many many movies and TV shows throughout the decades and can you tell Bossy forgot to write down even one example?
And did you know they distress the sidewalks to make them look more realistic on camera?
And did you know blah blah blah the coffeehouse set of Friends?
Speaking of Friends, when the tour was complete, your close and personal friend and esteemed Guest Rider Tootsie Farklepants navigated Bossy to that George Clooney’s house to shoot some hoops!
Bossy was sad to part company with her close and personal friend, the fabulous, gorgeous, and hilarious Tootsie Farklepants — but alas Bossy’s week in Los Angeles was drawing to a close.
So then Bossy and her Ford Focus had the chance to enjoy some alone time. They decided on a romantic drive through Beverly Hills.
And it was here that Bossy pulled over on a side street so she could better admire her handsome automotive date:
Before leaving the subject of Bossy’s 2012 Ford Focus, Bossy wants you to know this car has personality plus. It’s sporty and responsive, with a comfortable interior and amazing visibility, which is Bossy’s pet peeve.
Bossy also admired her Ford Focus’ sexy dashboard, with its many intuitive features such as the navigation system made safer with voice-activation and easily manipulated controls mounted directly on the steering wheel so Bossy could keep her eyes peeled on the road where they belong! Looking for John Cusack!
Bossy also enjoyed other Ford Focus features, such as the independent temperature zones so Bossy and her Guest Riders could control their own, um, temperature.
But perhaps the best feature of Bossy’s Ford Focus was its mileage. The car is said to get 40 highway mpg, but Bossy can translate that for you in a more scientific way: Bossy drove all over creation for one week on only one tank of gas. Creation, people. One tank.
So thank you Ford, and thank you to all of Bossy’s brilliant and entertaining and generous Guest Riders, and thank you Los Angeles — Bossy had more fun than you will ever know.
I was sorry to miss you this go round, but it looks like Tootsie held up our end.
She would be fun to ride around with. So glad you had fun.
I thought it best not to offer you riders aged 7 and 6 who were on Spring Break and READY TO GO and not STOP for multiple hours.
You had the supreme tour. Great pics!
Oh Bossy, Love….that is the house next door to George Clooney’s guest house/tennis court/basketball court
Also? I want you to come back and let’s do it all over again! Miss you!
haven’t been there in years but it still looks all false-fronty and I love that about universal.
Did you know that many of the buildings with the false fronts are used as offices for the many employees that work in studios. For example, my sister’s office used to be in the Barney Miller police station. Did you know that my home town was featured on the map you posted. I’ll give you a hint: It rhymes with Schmidden Wills and is the home of many crazee stars including the ex-wife of Charlie Sheen and mother of his daughters.
“And if you’ll look over HERE, you’ll see the spot where Charlie Sheen threw a hissy fit.” … “Ooooh.”
Am liking the comeback of the push-button ignition. Cool 1940s concept revived.
Two questions:
1) Do you have ANY friends that AREN’T hot blondes?
2) Have you considered running an all-MILF dating service?
Your loyal fan,
SuperDuperDad
I never watched Friends. Or Seinfeld. Or Lost. Or Grey’s Anatomy. Or most of the shows most folks watch. i watch House Hunters, and that’s about it.
I never watched Friends either. But I didn’t watch mostly just to piss people off. And I loved the Waltons too.
Would love to hear more about Bossy’s Pet Peeve Petting Zoo!
P.S. that sure was creation! one tank? wow!
Hi Toots!
Anyway, Bossy, you may remember (but probably don’t because gah whirlwind visit) that when you and I were together I asked you which studio you were going to visit. (You didn’t know, which we both thought was pretty funny.)
Aaaaaanyway, I asked because I had been on the Warner Brothers tour the week before! Coincidences…
So, you must have had your camera already packed deep into your carry-on when you turned around *just* before boarding your plane in the nick of time to see John Cusack leaping the security barrier yelling “Wait, Bossy! Wait!!!”
But, you’re going to tell us all about that highlight of your trip in the next post, right??
Hey, somebody just emailed Bossy that this comment section is broken and they were unable to leave a comment. Is it broken? Sister mercy.
I super want to go on a backstage tour of a real film set. Here in Orlando at Disney World, there’s a backstage tour that’s really a fake backstage tour. Talk about a head game, Disney.
Wow! Olivia just flew 2,000 km. and it took w-a-y less time than reading about Bossy’s last tour of L.A. But it was also w-a-y less fun.
Olivia’s daughter has a car with all those fancy features as well. Olivia was so intrigued by the back up mirror that she never wanted to drive frontwards!
Why do I think Bossy and Tootsie could give Thelma and Louise a run for their money?
Hi, Tootsie!!! Hi Bossy!! Glad you had fun.
Keyless ignition – we rented a car with one of those and had a horrible moment not knowing how to start the car. Once we figured it out, though it was cool.
I didn’t know you could take a dumpster tour of the Hollywood backlots.
Bossy has such cute twinsie friends with crazy names! What an interesting tour you’ve showed us; always an interesting “ride”!
Isn’t asking people if the comment section doesn’t work IN THE COMMENT SECTION kind of like sending someone an email that says, “Let me know if you don’t get this message”? Or is that just me?
But picking on you is not why I’m leaving a comment. (or hope I’m leaving a comment.) I just wanted to tell you that my old forgetful eyes read the message in the final picture above as “NO DRIVING” and I thought “Of course! Even in L.A. they don’t let you drive in the swimming pool.” But I might be wrong since it’s been about 20 years since I was in L.A. and things might have changed since then.
We had a car with keyless ignition (cool!) but then we went to put gas in the car and couldn’t open the door to the gas cap and we had to read the Owner’s Manual which is embarrassing. And then it said to use the key to access the gas tank and we were like “?” And then I had to go lie down, right there at the gas station.