The P.C. Police Bite Me in the Butt

Night before last, I got a call from the contact person who hired me to play the Old Asian Wise Man, telling me that they've decided to get an actual Asian person to portray the character. "In a city full of Asians, we need to have an Asian person in this role."

I'd had this exact thought the very first time I'd talked with her, but had kept my mouth shut. Although, after having seen numerous "Madame Butterflys," I know that anyone can be made up to look theatrically Asian... but this wasn't the direction they wanted to go in.

More irksome to me is that they are going to have this Asian person wear the costume that I researched, chose and put on reserve for myself.

The event-planner lady offered me the option of still working the party and standing in this one spot helping people solve the treasure-hunt puzzle. "Being the *go-to* person for help with the clues." She sent me an email with details of the puzzle.

Reading it gave me a sick headache.

I would mock it further here, but I'm trying not to sit in my resentment! Anyway, after sleeping on it, I called her back yesterday morning and declined. So, I'm done. They're going to pay me part of my fee for finding the costume. I learned a lot from this experience and think I handled myself professionally. I'm not sure if I made the right decision about not working the party, but I'm just not into it. I was very into pulling this whole look together and performing in it, and when that was taken away, I did not want to proceed any further.

Blame it on my Artistic Temperment.