Zena Leigh

Abraham Lincoln: Four Scores in Seven Years

It’s a Foe Pa Flashback!

About 5 years ago, back when we were all still using MySpace, I was a member of the sketch comedy group Foe Pa. This weekend, some of us had a mini-reunion when we attended the surprise birthday party for fellow Foe Pa’er Yuri Lowenthal, who has gone on to much-deserved success as a voice-over artist (Sasuke Uchiha in Naruto, Ben Tennyson in Ben 10, Superman in Legion of Super-Heroes, the Prince in the Prince of Persia video game, Iceman in Wolverine and the X-Men and tons of others). We got to reminiscing about the Foe Pa days, and Yuri pointed out how we were doing Abraham Lincoln action mash-ups years before he was turned into a Vampire Slayer or whatever else those up and coming whipper snappers are doing nowadays.

And then in yesterday’s sketch meeting with the Magic Meathands, me playing Abraham Lincoln randomly came up again. That’s just too much coincidence, so here it is again. Vintage 2006 sketch comedy:

Foe Pa was probably best remembered for our live sketch comedy shows. We would do a completely brand new show every month or two, with completely new sketches top to bottom. Eventually we started shooting some of the sketches that we thought could transition to the interwebs, and then started writing some exclusively for video. Some we played during our shows. This one was written by me, and I played the part of Abraham Lincoln. Yuri did the trailer guy voice-over, and I think he might’ve directed this as well, if I remember right. He also played one of the henchmen. Zena Leigh and Aaron Lyons played the other two. I originally imagined this animated, but we didn’t know any animators that we thought we could convince to do this for free.

There are a few really funny sketches that I think still hold up from those days that remain unfilmed. Kind of a shame. Maybe one day…

For more Foe Pa sketches and other videos from the archives, check out the Video Vault.

Greater LA WalkMS 2009

MSwalk09-feetI just got back from a nice long weekend vacation to the Sequoia National Park. Absolutely stunning and wonderfully relaxing. Just what we needed.

While walking along trails weaving around mammoth trees thousands of years old, I was sometimes reminded of the last time Nahleen and I did some heavy walking. 

It’s been about a month since the WalkMS event for Greater Los Angeles. We walked the same path as last year, but the Rose Bowl was much hotter. And of course, the current financial End Times made fundraising more challenging. Despite that, our team still managed to raise $10,000. And where people couldn’t donate, they were inspired to support us in other ways, either by walking with us, walking at local events in their neighborhood, talking about MS to others, or sending encouraging thoughts our way. Everything made a difference.

Like last year, the money we raise will go directly to fighting multiple sclerosis and providing resources to making daily life easier for those with MS.

Once again our friend Rose Kwasnicki and her camera was there with us. Here’s some choice moments.

(Oh and yes, those are Nahleen’s feet at the top picture.)

 

MSwalk09-teamHere is us with the rest of TeamMS. Lots of people came back from last year and we also had some new faces! Great team and great group of people! Kelly Garver (center with the black shirt) was a great captain. Zena Leigh returned with her husband Conor Logan of The Logan. 

Of course, we weren’t the only people there. 

MSwalk09-crowdHey, down in front! There’s always that guy.

MSwalk09-vipBecause of our mighty fundraising efforts from last year, Nahleen and I were given special VIP passes. This gave us access to a special tent with refreshments, food and, most valuable of all, shade. 

It also made us frighteningly cheery.

MSwalk09-coreynahleenvip… although everyone around us was pretty much ambivalent.

Once we composed ourselves, we were back to the task at hand. Walking!

MSwalk09-nahleenteamwalkWe sure look happy and energetic. Nothing can stop us!

MSwalk09-teambreakOK… so maybe we took a little break. But it wasn’t our fault. It would never have happened if it wasn’t for all that walking. And the hot hotness. And not the sexy kind of hot hotness, but the temperature kind where you get unsexy hot. For further proof, there’s this:

MSwalk09-coreyhot

But we got back on our feet and made it to the finish line!

MSwalk09-nahleenfinishHere’s Nahleen at the finish line getting her Medallion of Walkery! 

Exhausting yet inspiring. Thank you to everyone who participated in some way. And congratulations to those who walked. Each foot step is bringing us closer to putting multiple sclerosis in its place, and giving hope and strength to those who live with it still.

WalkMS aftermath

I’m still collecting pictures and recovering from the record heat we braved for WalkMS, but one of our team members actor Zena Leigh has posted on her blog about the day with plenty of pictures.

More soon!