Thursday the 26th of June 2003.
The Blind Date – dating show
I had an appointment at 5pm today at 5700 Wilshire in the same building were Variety Fair the magazine is located. It is the nice modern red brick building I have driven by many times, and now I was able to see it from the inside as well. The appointment was set up with Larry Davis one of the scouts for the show “Blind Date.“
I came late as I have earlier in the day driven Hope to the Spiritual conference at the Marriot hotel in Westfield about 30 minutes north close to the 405 from highway 10.
I sat in traffic much of the way and called Larry to let him know. He was fine with it, and it did not matter if I got there a little late. I came out of the elevator on the 6th floor in the North Tower closer to 5.30pm, and was handed some additional papers to fill out. I had already filled out 8 pages with personal information, name, good/bad qualities, how often I dated, advice from mother on dating, how often I drank alchol, if I took drugs or not, and many more questions. The last papers I went through were legal papers saying that they owned the rights to whatever they recorded while I was on a date.
I thought “Blind Date” was one of the dating shows where there were more then one guy involved and the girl would pick out who would she wanted to go on a date with, but as I saw a poster of the host and the two ring symbols I immediately recognized him and knew that “Blind Date” was one where they match up two who they believe fit together.
After finishing the legal papers and telling them that there was one line that I could not sign because it said something like “signed by US person.” I told them that I was not from the US but from Norway, so the girl I spoke with said that they had never come across this issue before even if they had had foreigners on the show before. It seems most people do not really care what they sign. The girl asked someone and came back to me saying that it did not matter and that I could just fill out the line anyway, so I did.
Another girl who had come in just a while before me also sat and waited for an audition, and we were both asked to wait in the conference room down the hall. We sat around there for a while before one of the guys who works with computers and recording came in and told her that it would probably take only 10-15 minutes and she followed him in to another office.
I walked around restless as I waited for it to become my turn in front of the camera to talk about whatever they wanted me to talk about.
My turn in front of the camera
The door opened and the guy was there to find me, and I followed him in to a small recording studio where two lights with the rings from “Blind Date” were projected on the wall behind where I was going to stand. The dark blue shirt I had on was too dark so the guy asked me to change into something they had on the rack in the back, so I put on a light brown sweater. I put on a small microphone and stood on the red line and was proped into the right spot in between the rings in the background.
Another person came in and sat in a chair right next to the camera. She went through my papers quickly and we begun to talk about me. She asked me to incorporate her questions into my answers, but I forget about it when we began.
Talking about myself
I first said my full name Paal Joachim Romdahl. Paal I said more with an American accent, and Joachim was said with a soft Norwegian, and my last name back to the American accent.
I mentioned that I was from Norway and that I had lived in Minnesota for 8 years, before I came to Los Angeles. I told her that I have a rich life, and she became curious wondering what I meant with that, so I replied “meaning I am somewhat psyhic and I do energy healing.” She became even more curious so I talked about how I see stuff in people, that I see where they are stuck in their life, and that I talk with them usually girls about what I see. But sometimes I can say too much and offend the girl as she might not be ready to hear what I am saying, so that I need to become more careful in what I say.
I told her that I meet girls here and there, as for instance at Kinkos. As I mentioned that place, I realized later that they cannot use that piece because I mentioned Kinkos. I also said that I am close to my family, and how I am the weird one. I also mentioned how they had teased me in saying “am I waiting for the planets to come into the right position,” before I make a decision.
Sticking my tongue out at the camera
The talk went over to humorful things, and I talked some Donald Duck language and I mentioned how I like to go to the zoo and talk with animals. Repeating back to them the sound I hear, she asked me to do some. So I stuck out my tongue in front of the camera and did my owl sound, and then I did my Canada Geese sound. I mentioned also that I did toning in ways similar to Buddist Monks, and that the bathroom is a good place to do toning as I get the walls to vibrate.
She also asked me about what kind of work I had done before leaving Norway, and I said that I gave out catalouges and brought my dog along for long walks.
She asked me if I wanted a girl that was similar to myself, and my reply was that “don´t we all want someone who is similar to ourselves.” I said that I want a girl with a body type similar to myself, a brunette, who is open minded.
Jodie Foster
She asked me which two actoress I am most attracted to and Jodie Foster came immediately to mind, and I said her name and that she has great depth to her. I tried thinking of another who I feel attracted to and Meg Ryan and Sandra Bullock came to mind, but I did not mention their names as they are too on the surface for me. Jodie Foster has played many types of roles. Nell and Contact came to mind. So even if Jodie is not a brunette I feel drawn to her.
She asked me my thoughts on sex, and I said that I am open and that I go with the flow in whatever happens.
Finished
The interview was over, and I had said exactly what I felt like saying holding nothing back. I think the computer/camera guy and the girl sitting next to the camera had a fun time listening to me.
I had even stuck my tongue out to do owl sounds on TV. It will be up to them what they decide to use. Since there is always a short intro to the person who is to be on “Blind Date.” (Edit: I never heard back from them.)