Call Waiting

“Mostly everyone‘s great, but then you get the people who are just not very kind to the help. They treat us like we’re in slavery,” says Comeau. “I hate when I‘m working at someone’s house, and they‘ll be following you around and questioning you and looking at you with their heads cocked, as though you might take something. A lot of the celebrities or the wealthier people can’t let go of control, and that‘s very annoying. Hey, this is the time for enjoyment -- you’ve got people serving you. Sit back and enjoy your guests. Let go. Trust us.

”I‘ve worked at the homes of a lot of big stars,“ Comeau continues. ”Big houses. I walk in and I’m like in awe. Wow, because look what they make for a film. But most of them are pretty cool. I‘ve worked for George Hamilton -- what a hoot, he’s very funny. I‘ve worked at Christian Slater’s house, very nice guy. I‘ve worked for Danny DeVito, all in the catering capacity. I was working at Arnold Schwarzenegger’s house, and there was an agent there who referred me to Omar‘s Agency, and I ended up getting a three-page spread in GQ from that. I had long hair back then, and I played a Warren Beatty look-alike, for a shot out of Shampoo. That was in ’92.“

Comeau‘s talk reminded me of my own experiences catering to the rich and famous -- and my own delusions. I sincerely believed someone was going to tap me for a big role because of the winning way in which I served the creme brulee. At best, a famous customer was friendly: Ed O’Neil hung around the food station and made merry with the help at each Married With Children Christmas party. On the other hand, Quincy Jones (and don‘t think I haven’t been waiting a decade to tell this story) once stopped me while I was eight months pregnant and lugging a full chafer-and-Sterno setup; he handed me his dirty drink glass and told me to bring him a refill -- Perrier -- for which he did not say thank you. Two weeks later, I gave up catering for good.

Comeau is more reticent than I was about the possibility of being discovered at a celebrity bash.

”That used to enter my mind at the beginning, but I was more afraid people would look at me and say, ‘God, if he’s acting, what does he need to cater for?‘ I didn’t want them to associate me with that. That they would maybe relate it to me not being a qualified actor or something.“

But what about when he‘s sweating and elbow-deep in gravy and serving all those gorgeous people? Doesn’t he ever think, ”I‘m supposed be one of them!“?

”I did think that in my younger years, like when my agent died and I really couldn’t find another who believed in me the way he did,“ says Comeau. ”I was very frustrated in catering. I was not a happy guy. I‘d say to myself, ’God, why am I catering? I wish I wasn‘t catering, I want to be doing more acting.’“

And how much acting work does he predict he‘ll get this year?

Comeau looks thoughtful. ”Maybe two to three projects, maybe two days to three weeks at the most. I’m just praying that maybe some projects will come up.“

Wishful thinking?

Shortly after Comeau was interviewed for this article, he booked his first gig in five years, and one not unlike his first acting gig, 12 years ago: an under-five (under five lines) on Port Charles. ”It‘s only one day, but who knows?“ says Comeau. ”It might turn into something more.“