The Ivy - A Strange/Funny LA Experience

The Maven and I were reflecting back on our last day in LA when we were determined to go to West Hollywood and see a celebrity.

We were too intimidated to strut into the celeb-heavy restaurant hang-out "The Ivy"

I always see pictures in my beloved People magazine of various well-knowns emerging from this trendy eatery.  We didn't think they'd let us, un-knowns, in so we ate across the street at another slightly less, but perhaps still trendy cafe, The Newsroom.

I looked them up later and saw that Matthew McConaughey had been snapped there, but whatever, the food was good, not expensive and there were actually paparazzi hanging around on the sidewalk right by our table.  I could tell who they were because they seemed to have no other reason for standing around their SUV for about an hour on their cell phones - across the street from The Ivy.

The Maven and I finished our tasty meal. Suddenly the "paps" starting opening their car doors, talking on their phones, pulling out cameras and dashing across the street.

Showtime!! We sprang into action. There were so many of these vultures that surely Miley Cyrus, Kate Hudson, Brad and/or Angelina, Jennifer Anniston or Garner must have been ready to exit The Ivy!  We and about ten other people positioned ourselves across the street to see who it was that was emerging and making these camera and video device wielding "professionals" act in such an excited fashion.

This is what we saw from across the street:

The "paps" were focused on the guy in the plaid shirt.

"It's the kid from GLEE!"  exclaimed a woman behind us. "It's Finn from GLEE" she shouted.  Uh, no.  The Maven and I could clearly see that it was not the actor who plays Finn on GLEE.

We crossed the street.  As did the crowd of ten behind us.

We were closer and the guy with the green scarf had joined "the celebrity". "Who is it?" was the constant murmur going through the group.  The Maven and I saw the fellow with the green scarf next to the celeb and guessed that they were perhaps musicians.  I mean, look at this guy, he screams "I am a Black-Eyed Pea Wannabee".

Someone from our little knot of star-struck (or at least we thought we should be) group approached a "pap" and asked "who is it?"  He/they wouldn't tell.  The guy in the plaid was the intended target as he was the one they pointed the cameras at and interviewed with a microphone.  I actually was close enough to hear him say at one point, "Uh, where IS my ride?"

Finally one of "us" got the goods.  "His name is Justin Quinn, from Assorted Lives", she announced with confidence and a little smugness.  Who?  From what? 

We texted Sammy to see if she knew who he was.  Afterall she is "in the business" and would know. Nope, she'd never heard of him or the show. 

The guy with the scarf left in one car.  "Justin Quinn" left in a black SUV and dropped his take-out box before getting into the backseat.  He had to scoop it up in front of "the fans". I actually felt bad for him.  WE were all watching for some reason.

So, while The Maven and I were driving the second-to-last leg of our trip home today we were speculating about who that really was.

When we got to our hotel tonight we started "googling".  "I think she said Jason", The Maven said.  We tried every combination. Jason/Justin Quinn. "Assorted Lives", "Sorted Lives", "A Sort of Life".  Then we hit on it.

"Sordid Lives"

"A Black Comedy About White Trash". Nice.

And, sorry lady, but his name is Jason Dottley, not Justin Quinn.  We found his head shots (and more) and saw that "he" was the guy in the plaid shirt.

Not Finn, from GLEE. Not Justin Quinn. Not Brad and/or Angelina, Kate, Tom & Katie, George, Britney or a Jonas. Not Matthew McConaughey or even, ugh-these days, Mel Gibson. Just this Jason guy from a show we've never seen or heard of (but has some well-known guest stars, according to our research).

Boo.

But fun.

It's all been fun.