Articles

Meski-what WHAT? Who are we? What do we do? Why do you receive this newsletter like clockwork every couple of months? These questions may be burning a hole in your mind. Allow me to extinguish the fire. We're just like you. People out to have fun, make a living, raise a family and live to tell the tale. There are three of us, (not counting the dogs) Jim, Tamra and Taylor. We all love to act, to improvise, and to create art in many ways. Jim is the author of this newsletter, and the guy, by the way, who draws the cartoons for the contest on the back. (Maybe you thought we had a machine that churned those out, and that it was a coincidence when one of the characters resembled one of us. Now you know the truth.) Jim is an actor in TV, films and on stage. You might have seen him in Apollo 13, The Grinch, or the british version of Whose Line Is It, Anyway? Tamra is the hard-working one who runs the household, and is a busy executive for our company, MAS Inc. as well as our theatre group, The Really Spontaneous Theatre Company. She is an actress and improvisor par excellence, and if you've been lucky enough to see her live, you know what I'm talking about. Tamra is also a wonderful visual artist, printmaker and photographer. Taylor is the daughter of the other two, and is currently eleven. She is a gifted singer, dancer and actress. She draws very well, too, but mostly she likes to perform jazz dance with the Zonnie Bauer Dancers. Why do you receive this? Maybe you are a close friend, or a mere acquaintance, perhaps just someone whose name was given to us by a friend of yours ( maybe they thought you'd like to play the cartoon game.) Perhaps you are in the film, TV or advertising game, in which case we'd like you to know about us and our talents. Maybe you live at the address of someone that used to get mail from us. Whatever the case may be, we welcome your participation in our lives. We believe ardently that man is basically good, and we hope that you are one of the many who haven't lost sight of the good in yourself and others. Are we so naive as to think that artists can still make a difference in this world, that laughter and aesthetics can still heal and improve lives no matter how grim things may get? Heck, yes. We love to make people laugh, to beautify and to inspire. Is that a crime? Some may think so, and they usually don't do very well at the cartoon game. For the rest of you, enjoy the Meskimen Update. There is never any charge and no obligation at all. You don't even have to enter our contest. But if you do, remember that, like so much in life, there is no one right answer, and style counts for alot. (And if you're still curious about us, check out our website.) Jim        ON THE TUBE... Jim Meskimen can be seen in an upcoming national commercial for Microsoft, shot recently in Los Angeles. Jim did character voices and impressions for several animation projects, a pilot for Klasky/Csupo called You Animal, and episodes of Time Squad for Cartoon Network and The Justice League for Warner Brothers. For a demo CD of character voices, email 2minds@appliedsilliness.com. Jim will continue to represent Kash n' Karry grocery stores in 2002 in television and radio commercials. He has been doing hilarious improvised interviews for the Florida based company since 1999. For a free video demo of Jim's hilarious Man-on-the-street TV spots, call Josee Goudereault of Chic Managment at (818) 310-4912.   Article Archives: Tom Cruise and Mission: Impossible III (Spring 2006) RECYCLING CRITICS (Fall 2002) RENAISSANCE FOLKS (Spring 2002) MESKI-WHAT WHAT? (Winter 2002) A STAR IS BORN (Fall 2001) PAINTING BY NUMBER (Summer 2001) IMPORTANT HOAX ALERT! (Spring 2001) THIS MUCH WE DO KNOW... (Winter 2001) GENERALLY UNRELIABLE (Fall 2000) SHOULD YOU SAY "YES"? (Summer 2000) NOTES FROM "WHOVILLE" (Spring 2000) BATTLEFIELD EARTH IS HERE! (Winter 2000) NEW YORKERS, LOVERS OF MANKIND (Fall 1999) THE ART CURE (Summer 1999)