Comic Timing Essential

M found this intriguing casting call for FlashForward, episode 17:

[GABRIEL MCDOW] Late 40s, Male, Race Neutral. Odd, quirky, a bit socially awkward. Highly intelligent, he seeks out a stranger who he’s convinced can help him and won’t take no for an answer. Comic timing essential...GUEST STAR. RECURRING

That sounds like a great role. A bit older than James - I thought he didn't want to play late 40's? - but right up his ally: intelligent, comic timing, quirky, and somewhat mysterious. Great! I'm really looking forward to this.

(does "race neutral" mean he can be any race, or that he must be white? It doesn't specify if he's American or British or whatever - one character is specified as "Latin, no accent". I didn't know they were that particular.)

A couple of amusing points in the casting call:

[DOUCHEY GUY] 30s, open to all ethnicities. Drives a Cadlilac Escalade with thumping bass. Lost in his own world, he talks on a cell phone, his own self-importance distracting him from some major action happening right in front of him...CO-STAR

It's a pretty detailed description, yet he doesn't even have a name! "Douchey guy"! Hee.

[RUBY] 17, drama student, histrionic, a real diva. Attractive in an off-beat, artsy way. Girlfriend of a band member...One line

A name, all that detail and... one line? It reminds me of that sketch in Goodness Gracious Me where the Indian woman goes for an audition, the casting director gives her all this jazz about who her character is, including "can you try a Scottish accent?" and then she auditions with "arrrrghhhhh" and that's her only line.

I suppose James has auditioned for things like "Douchey guy" in the past. Now he's doing the recurring co-star roles. It's kind of touching to see his career move upward like this - I know, I've only been around for a short time, but still. I'm proud of him and glad I joined at a time when he's doing so many roles. Maybe in a few years' time, he'll have his own show?