Jenny Seay

Friday evening and ABC television casting director James Beaton sits in the entryway of Hilton Chicago's Joliet Room. He stares out into the empty hallway, then flicks his wrist to glance at his watch.

"Do you think we're going to get anyone else?" he asks. His fellow casting director Lacey shakes her head.

It's a bit surprising to witness a reality-show casting-call with such a low turnout. But Beaton speculates that the show's subject matter might be a deterrent. With the working title "The X-Wives Club," it will feature a panel of divorced celebrities who make it their mission to help men and women who have recently experienced a painful divorce or separation.

"We're looking for a person who is broken so we can try to help them," Beaton explains.

As if on cue, a middle-aged woman with fluffy blonde hair and a green sweater enters the room. She's clutching a newspaper page in one hand, and her eyes reflect hesitation.

"I'm here about the show," she stammers. "I don't know exactly what you're looking for."

Lacey guides the woman to a round table in the center of the ballroom, where the woman sits and proceeds to tell her story. Her name is Lori, she doesn't watch a lot of TV, she wasn't sure she should even check this out, but something about the casting-call ad, an announcement claiming that ABC was looking for people in need of help, compelled her to trek downtown all the way from her hometown of Mokena.

"I had to get directions to come here," she says. "Then I went to the Girl Scout meeting, came home and made dinner, and asked my daughter her opinion. She said, 'Why not?' I think I was looking for a sense of adventure."

After completing her conversation with Lacey there's a visible shift in Lori's appearance. Her eyes are bright, she stands a little straighter, and a smile breaks across her nervous face. She has no idea if she fits ABC's casting criteria, has gotten no indication as to whether she'll get a callback, but for whatever reason that doesn't matter.

"I feel like I just got out of a really good therapy session," she says. "I feel better having been here."

(2005-11-29)

Also by Jenny Seay

And God said porn
"I was in the shower talking to God one morning," Foster explains. "I said, God, how can we work together on something to make the world a better place? And he responded with one word. Porn."
(2005-10-18)

Lords of the Ring
Wrestling is an art of illusion--professional wrestling, done right, gives the illusion that someone is getting torn apart limb from limb
(2005-10-11)

Silver Hairs and Super Villians
There's a lot of noise seeping from the closed double doors of Comfort Suites O'Hare's ballroom, and none of it sounds very pleasant
(2005-09-13)

Stalking Jerome
I unroll the passenger window of Sarah's red Ford Festiva, craning my neck to make out the numbers marking each brick bungalow we roll past
(2005-07-26)

Personal paparazzi
(2005-02-22)

Just do it
(2004-09-14)

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