In the Hot Seat with Bruno Amato

Bruno Amato is an actor and a Navy veteran. He is not as Conservative as most of our posters. Then again I am not as Conservative as the majority of our posters. One of the minor points is that contrary to the opinion of waterfowl I am far more well rounded then one generally assumes. I have seen almost onehundred Broadway shows and am a fan of classic art. I do not waste my time and money at Almodar films like the Duck. Interestingly Felis and Farmer John seem to have a working knowledge of many of these obscure films and often disagree with the Duck.

The first section is about acting in general.

1 Actors audition for hundreds of roles and most of us dread going on interviews. How does one deal with rejection that often accompanies the job? Does one develop a thick skin? Does the disappointment sting just as much today as when one was younger?
2 Certain actors seem to have a natural chemistry such as Mathau and Jack Lemmon or John Wayne and Ward Bond is this something that takes experience or is it just unexplainable that certain people just work well with others.
3 Does the snobery of Broadway and live theatre being the apex of the acting craft still exist? Historically those who have done live performances tended to view themselves as a cut above Movie actors and there was a general disdain towards commercials as the nadir of the acting trade. I can say I have seen Richard Dreyfus and Alec Baldwin on Broadway and they were clearly not as skilled as the rest of the cast. Most well known actors and actresses stink when they appear on Broadway. A notable exception was Fritz Weaver who is a genuine world class actor and has uncanny delivery and diction.

US Navy

4 My brother and sister in law are career US Naval Officers. I think Mr Beamish's brother is an Aircraft Carier man. One of the things people do not understand is that working on aircraft carriers is a dangerous occupation. On routine missions people do get swept of the flight deck. There are also plenty of routine vocational accidents on Naval ships. What should civilians understand about life in the Navy?
5 Did you get a chance to visit the Philipinnes? My brother is one of the few sailors who seemed to love Okinawa. What were your favorite ports of call?
6 My brother swears Navy food on a ship is better then advertised? Is this a misperception by the public.

Immigration

7 Should the United States shift the focus of future immigration from family ties to vocational skills?
8 Do you think people who serve in the US military should get accelerated immigration benefits. Currently, citizenship is reduced by half for servicemen.

Personal

9 Do you watch professional sports? Do you have a favorite team or athlete?
10 There are three restuants on the block you have a choice of Tex/Mex, Seafood or a classic NJ Diner where would you go. If you were with a date would you choose the same establishment. I am the first to admit I am guilty of changing culinary tastes for an easier date. Thus if I have the choice of classic Greek cuisine or Seafood and I am on a date I would stick with the sea food.
11 From your blog it is apparent that you are an animal lover. I am a fan of nature myself and spent hours and much travel to get a glimpse of Moose. Is there any animal that you particularly enjoy watching in the wild?

Real life and art

12 Long term readers know I was an eyewitness to 9-11 and a survivor of the 93 blast at the WTC. Do you feel uncomfortable watching things that you have experienced on film? I have no plans to see the Oliver Stone 9-11 movie as I still have flashbacks.
Yet I did enjoy the amazingly accurate depiction of Staten Islanders in Working Girl.
Do some movies hit too close to home?
13 What do you think about reality TV shows. I think they are too contrived and have run their course. If there ever was a show who would like to give Donald Trump a wedgie I would audition for that show.

The environment

14 Long term readers know I am a huge fan of natural beauty such as the White Mountains on New Hampshire and the Rivers of Vermont. Yet I understand the need for jobs in the timber industry in Maine and Northern Vermont. Is the notion of managed use of resources realistic?
15 Are certain parks just too groomed to be enjoyable. A coworker from Vermont went to Central Park and thought it was not natural enough. Central Park was created around the same time as the familiar French Renaisance period. It was modeled after European parks and as such heavily landscaped.
16 Pick one the beach or rugged mountains.

The future

17 What countries will be vital to the economic future of America?
18 Is there a divide between costal communities and flyover country? I see the divide as being between rural and urban populations becoming worse in the future?
19 Is the never ending price increases for higher educaton a threat to our future? Many of our economic rivals have subsidized higher education such as India.

Our vast country

20 One of the criticism is that Americans do not travel. However the Europeans who make that claim have zero idea of the vast distances in the USA? When I travel to NYC I am going 400 plus miles and if I went to Florida we may be talking three times as far. A similar trip in Europe would cross several borders. Is this European complain valid or just condescension.
21 I often point out that I can take a literal trip around the world and not leave the greater NYC area. Are we more diverse and cosmopolitan then our European critics presume.
22 As a NYC native I often take pleasure in helping tourists find locations. However, I do get annoyed when they proceed to give long winded diatribes about domestic politics. Excuse me I didn't elect your President nor do I lecture you about your leaders. Have you experienced this on the West Coast.

Random

23 Do you know how to shoot pool?
24 Have you driven a snow mobile?
25 Are people who send their pets to psychiatrist in need of some professional help themselves?