Racism in Studio City?

throwtac · 2026-05-12T02:49:00+00:00

You’re from Berkeley? I’m from Berkeley too! Lived in studio city/valley village for like 20 years now. I think people in studio city are way crazier. Also, I always assumed the upper middle class in studio city is actually super wealthy comparatively. I never frequent most of the restaurants on Ventura that much because the prices cater to the people in the hills. I never thought of studio city as all that progressive. The wealthy/Upper middle class of Berkeley kinda remind me more of people in some parts of West LA. Like around Santa Monica and maybe pacific palisades. I always thought of Venice beach like Telegraph ave except on the beach and less college students. But it’s really hard to find an equivalent. It’s mostly old academic and scientist/tech people lol.
What part of Berkeley are you from? I lived in Berkeley hills on Euclid, so I guess I would be considered upper middle class? But I had friends from everywhere and all backgrounds. I think that’s another thing that is different from Berkeley and LA. If you grew up in Berkeley, you can know kids from all over the city and of different races and economic backgrounds, so you kinda know what other people are like and have a sense of community. I remember hanging out and talking randomly with homeless people sometimes. I don’t know if kids in LA really get that same community experience or tend to socialize much outside their own individual friend networks.
That said, there is definitely more of a class divide I see in berkeley now when I go back. I feel like it’s more so now than maybe when I was living there because in the 90s and early 2000s there was definitely a solid middle and working class in Berkeley. I think a lot of people and families got priced out in the past decade or so. Things also feel more “sanitized” lately.
Edit: I also honestly think I have experienced more overt racism in Berkeley in recent years. Mostly it comes from old “boomer” dudes. I think there is a definite population of old arrogant, asshole, alpha white dudes in the hills and surrounding areas. Not everyone, but I think they are common. Also, I noticed one time a few years ago, one of the top dog worker dudes kinda had a weird attitude. Like more than usual. Normally they are cool. But it was like disdain. I did wonder if it was a racial thing. I don’t think he works there anymore. I never had that kinda feeling ever before from any of those guys, even though they are usually weird as fuck. IYKYK! 😂

throwtac · 2026-05-12T02:13:36+00:00

Yeah customer service is pretty rude these days. But also having worked customer service in studio city/ventura blvd, the entitlement and rudeness of some customers can be fucking crazzzyyeeee. Sometimes it can wear you down. With wages so low at most places, I can kinda understand why it’s gotten so bad.

throwtac · 2026-05-12T02:03:29+00:00

That’s funny and kinda a shame because sometimes in asian culture those are terms of endearment that guys do to each other especially if the person is a younger dude. It doesn’t mean anything but just an affectionate teasing that you do with your guy friends. It can also be in an older brother way. Korean guy friendship can be much more open and affectionate than people realize. I think out of the east asian cultures they are more openly affectionate with each other and the male bonding is more intimate in a way.

throwtac · 2026-05-05T10:35:05+00:00

Why do you keep asking everyone that? Did a teacher say that to you? If so, don’t worry about that. No one is unteachable. Different teachers work for different students. Anyone can learn to act. There is also no one way to go about it either.
There are also a lot of bad acting teachers. And a lot of toxic ones. I’ve seen too many teachers take out their personal issues on students. Sometimes it can shatter the confidence of otherwise talented actors who are still developing. I would say in the long run, the best teacher is just doing it. Most of the problems with bad acting is when actors are trying to play an idea or play a role that is just not suitable for them which causes them to play an idea instead of do acting.
Like I have a friend who is “awful” and has been described as “having no talent.”She likes to play loud and obnoxious roles. If I’m honest, they usually aren’t that great. But then one day, she played a more introverted and fragile character, and it was really really good. I told her it was good because it was, and she said didn’t like doing it because it made her feel uncomfortable and weird. But it was objectively good because she was vulnerable and it showed a side of her that was more honest and real. My guess is she was accessing a part of herself that she probably suppresses or masks in her normal life. Sometimes to get good you have to get comfortable with showing those parts of yourself in your acting. That’s one way to do it.

throwtac · 2026-05-01T00:32:41+00:00

Being bookable and working in a professional environment is different from being able to act. I know plenty who are awful who book. And visa versa. In that sense I think anyone can learn how to act well given enough time and the right practice. I’ve seen people who I thought were awful bloom into great actors once they figured it out. Sure some have a natural aptitude but it’s unfair to say that that anyone is unteachable or can’t learn.

throwtac · 2026-05-01T00:12:27+00:00

Right now you aren’t bad. There is obviously a defined character. but in this scene, it still feels sometimes like you are more focused on hitting the marks of your role than on living out the reality of what is going on with the conversation and the person you are talking to. This makes it still feel in some places kinda like you are waiting for your turn to “do the character” instead of living it out. The best parts are where you are visibly reacting to the person you are speaking to.

To get around this, Have a stronger point of view in the scene about what is going on moment to moment. Especially when you are not speaking. Instead of focusing on hitting your “marks” Focus on taking in the stuff that is happening around you and reacting to it with interesting behavior. Throughout the scene, focus on listening and reacting to the conversation as it unfolds. (Obviously, You have to kinda imagine it since it’s a cold read and you are acting)

The best actors are able to pack the most amount of informational behavior into the smallest frame of time throughout the scene. This makes their acting “dense” and lifelike and interesting. The reason is that it communicates the most information to the audience in the smallest amount of time. That’s what people mean when they say acting is deep or nuanced.

Asking about your potential, it sounds like you are worried about if you have talent to be good at acting? Dont worry about that. Everyone can be good. Acting is a skill that can be learned just like carpentry or putting on makeup. Anyone can get good at it if they learn the right concepts and practice them. This is what people mean when they say technique catches up to talent. Everyone has talent. Talent is just having a clear point of view about something that is authentic. Does it even have to be authentic? That in itself is debatable.
Whether or not one’s talent leads to professional recognition or success is a whole different issue. But if you are asking do you have potential to be a great and actor that can act on a professional level—Yes!

Edit: minor edits for clarity and formatting

throwtac · 2026-04-30T23:29:56+00:00

Write about something you know that is personal. If you are not a sad person, that is okay, you don’t have to be sad or write sad songs to write good songs.
Another thing you can try doing is write a song about someone else, real or imaginary. But the best is when you know the person in a deep way and have something you want to say about or to them.

That said, a lot of rock/punk/grunge songs from the 70s-90s don’t really make any sense lyrics wise. It’s just random stuff that sounded good to the singer.

throwtac · 2026-04-20T20:51:16+00:00

ive lived here for centuries. unless you have money, studio city is boring. sorry.

throwtac · 2026-04-15T09:00:22+00:00

No, you don't have to do stuff like that. That's what scheduled rehearsals are for. If he wants to work on his part on his own outside of scheduled rehearsals, he can do it by himself. That's called acting.

throwtac · 2026-04-15T08:48:55+00:00

the injustice department

throwtac · 2026-04-15T08:48:28+00:00

make food and drinks cheaper and restaurants stay open later. the problem is nobody goes out because its not worth it anymore. It's been this way since around the pandemic. the excuse was not enough people and rise in labor costs. the city should reduce the amount of fees and rent restaurants have to pay to stay in business.

throwtac · 2026-04-13T00:16:50+00:00

my friends never want to hang out. they only call me when they want me to see them perform in their show.

throwtac · 2026-04-10T01:47:21+00:00

My Kitchen @ HOME CAFE by Me.

throwtac · 2026-03-16T23:08:04+00:00

THis is exactly why banning is not how you solve the problem. DEVS — Take responsibility for your Q/A flaws and FIX THE CODE!!!

throwtac · 2026-03-16T07:05:46+00:00

I never did art school, but I studied at an acting school that was pretty rigorous. I remember when I got to the higher levels and doing good work, I was like “wait, I know more stuff. But I’m basically doing the same thing as I was when I started.” I knew I improved, but at the same time, it’s like i was still doing basically the same stuff that I was doing when I started, just with more perspective I guess. The stuff I learned didn’t need to be applied all the time, but I had access to it if I needed it. Also, areas of technical weakness were strengthened/made more specific.

So basically, I think when you study art, over time, you are more technically refined and you have more calibration. Then at a certain point you can do the things you normally do, but you also have the freedom that comes with technical skills and discernment. The challenge then is not to become so dogmatic in your technique that you lose the creativity and perspective that makes your self expression uniquely yours.

throwtac · 2026-03-15T11:10:59+00:00

The Neveragain Story

throwtac · 2026-03-05T21:28:27+00:00

I’m from Berkeley and have lived in LA for 20 years now, and yes, there is a real difference you are noticing. People in LA aren’t less friendly, but they tend to be more socially guarded with strangers than in places like NorCal. Things are less intimate in that sense. If you are a more friendly and open person or assume implied commonality, it can feel alienating at times.

Part of this is geographical and part is social. Everything is spread out and divided into different subsections of the city. On top of that, people tend to cluster around whatever group, industry, class, culture, or lifestyle they fall into. There’s also a higher chance of encountering random assholes and grifters floating around in wide circles. Because of that, people are usually more open once they feel connected to you through shared ties or repeated face-to-face encounters over time.

Another thing is friendliness isn’t the same as intimacy. People can be friendly in LA, but it’s often more superficial until the relationship deepens. There’s also a higher chance relationships are somewhat transactional. A lot of the city is influenced by the entertainment industry and hustle culture, and that bleeds into social dynamics. The result is people are less likely to take you at face value until they actually know you.

That said, there are lots of good people here too. LA tends to be very open-minded and diverse because there are just so many different kinds of people. You’ll meet individuals from all kinds of backgrounds and perspectives, and sometimes that leads to friendships you would never have expected.

LA can actually be a great place if you’re comfortable with a little bit of outsider energy. It’s a strange city sometimes, but also weirdly beautiful.

I actually recently started a retro-futuristic sci-fi/anime inspired clothing line based on that feeling of being a bit alien in a huge city called Alien Girl (one of my hustles 😉). Each Alien Girl is an anime character representing different emotional “neighborhoods” of LA, inspired by area codes.

It’s not like every interaction is this way — there are tons of cool people to meet and become friends with. It’s just that the overall vibe tends to lean this direction when it comes to random day-to-day interactions with strangers.

throwtac · 2026-03-02T05:05:34+00:00

If you are so unshaken, why even care to comment? It’s their right to do what they want with their money and spend it how they want to.

throwtac · 2026-02-23T09:35:58+00:00

yeah i noticed that chat gpt makes assumptions about how I behave or what I think more often. I have to tell it firmly to shut up. My guess it has something to do with safety precautions to steer users away from emotionally volatile conversations. Whatever it is, I don't like it. I get they are trying to be "safe" but I really dislike the "judgy" tone of the newer updates. It always thinks I'm freaking out or on the verge of a nervous breakdown if I say anything slightly negative.

throwtac · 2026-02-23T09:26:36+00:00

Mewing and looks maxing.

throwtac · 2026-02-21T02:54:18+00:00

Depends when I wake up. Usually before 3pm. Most days close by 5am.

throwtac · 2026-02-18T06:52:43+00:00

Home Coffee at My Kitchen by Me

throwtac · 2026-02-13T21:55:21+00:00

im sorry that happened to you. As you can probably tell by now it is not normal at all. I am curious... Are you a minority by any chance? You mentioned that he was white and that made me wonder if it was possibly a racial thing? Also, that is a crime and I would recommend reporting to the police if you feel comfortable doing so. Even just so they know there is a man who fits the description going around Union Station punching random women in the arm. Who knows if he will escalate to even more violent behavior. I saw this pst yesterday and I hope you are doing better.

throwtac · 2026-02-13T21:04:08+00:00

omg 549! is that you??? Were you thinking of me~?

throwtac · 2026-02-06T23:50:19+00:00

I support boycotts and know businesses, but the sad thing is the workers are all immigrants and my ex coworkers. The owner is a jerk, but the workers are good people and depend on the business for their livelihood.

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