Hey girl, want to be my stage mother?

For the past week or so a video has been floating around of Ryan Gosling as a child dancing in a church talent show back in his Mormon days.

(He sings for a minute before the dancing starts.)

Not bad...not bad, but Ryan Gosling isn't the only young Mormon with a ward talent show dance video lurking on the internet.  Oh, no.  Ben has one, too.

I'm hoping that there's a connection between embarrassing Mormon talent show dance videos and future acting success.

On Thursday Ben will be auditioning for a part in a small, low budget film.  It's the true story of Donn Fendler, who in 1939, at twelve years old, was lost for nine days on Mt. Katahdin in Maine.  His story became a short book in the 1970s, and I remember it being required reading as a fourth grader growing up in Maine.  I've always remembered the story.  Ben read the book himself a few years ago and loved it.

Ben's trying out for the part of Donn. I think he has a decent shot. Not only does he resemble Mr. Fendler, but the whole reason Donn ended up lost for nine days is because he disobeyed his parents, then broke all the rules he learned in Scouts. He didn't start following those rules until he was good and lost and had to survive.  Ben is an expert at disobedience and ignoring rules. He should be a shoo in!

Kidding aside, I do think he has a chance.  Acting is the one thing he's stuck with, and he's good for a thirteen year old boy.  I've prepared him for the distinct possibility that he won't get the part--who knows who else will be auditioning for it--but I've got my hopes up for him. Think of how well he'll behave when I can threaten to leak information about him to Us Weekly?

Also, almost the entire movie would take place with him in his underwear.  I think that's sufficient payback for the past thirteen years, don't you?

In a strange coincidence, we recently discovered that Donn Fendler lives here in Clarksville just a few miles from us.  Do you think stopping by his house unannounced to ask him to put in a good word with the casting director is too creepy stalkerish?

Anyway, here's to hoping he gets offered the standard rich and famous contract.

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In other news, there are four days left to submit pictures for the Yarn Vagina Giveaway!  I didn't get many, so your odds of winning are good.  And $75 will be donated to Fisher House in your name.