Sex, parties and fame was exactly what I expected when I got into the business. Instead, I got 12 hour days on the set, 6 days a week and very little sleep. Spontaneous calculated and miscalculated decision making including actor baby sitting to agent manager & lawyer ass-whipping.

After graduating from Colorado College in 1981 with a business degree, I got involved in all kind of businesses. Needless to say, I failed and succeeded in all. Making movies is what I love best. There is nothing more satisfying than to see your hard work and creation on the big screen and now even better on the little big high definition plasma screen. It's too bad I have to deal with major assholes in this industry, but the rewards far outweight the painful process. It will shock you, amuse you, make you cry, laugh and scream but most of all, it will make you happy at the end. I guess I'm just dreamin', but then again, this is Hollywood.

Jim Treacher isn't in the cast of Blowing Smoke, but he is in the cast of its blog. In addition to blogging here, Jim writes jimtreacher.com, which is nothing if not eponymous. If you counted up all the people who don't read it, the grand total would be Almost All. He would someday like to meet Gary Sinise.

Formerly the Editor-in-Chief of a Swiss financial institution’s e-commerce site, Jackie was a pioneering blogging and RSS consultant with the world’s first specialist blogging consultancy, the Big Blog Company. In 2005, Jackie was appointed Head of Marketing for Latitude, the UK’s largest and most successful search engine marketing agency. February 2006 saw the debut of the Engagement Alliance, a think-tank founded by Jackie which focuses on mutual value creation in business for both customers and shareholders. She is an enthusiastic participant in business and media conferences around the world, including Innovate Europe in Spain, the Interactive Advertising Bureau's Leadership Council in London, the upcoming Techdirt Greenhouse in San Jose, and VNU's Blogs & Social Media Forum, on whose advisory board Jackie sits.

In addition to her personal blog, she is the creator of the highly trafficked food resource Gastroblog.com, and the co-creator of Jack & Hill, a beauty blog that has won raves from media outlets such as the Sunday Times Style magazine and Women’s Wear Daily’s Beauty Biz magazine.

Having met Kamal, Jackie has yet to develop a taste for fine cigars or vintage cognac. She has, however, grown to appreciate the many benefits of being a FOKA (Friend of Kamal Aboukhater), which include the company of pretty ladies and lots of bi(coastal) fun.

Adriana isn't in the movie and so it is about time she was on a movie blog. She is to blamed for the Blowing Smoke blog in the first place.

Adriana is editor of Samizdata.net and blogs about whatever comes to her mind on Media Influencer. In her spare time, she runs the Big Blog Company, which built this blog.

As a result of her involvement with Blowing Smoke and of meeting Kamal, she has developed a taste for fine cigars and vintage armagnac.

Brian is here because he is a FOKA (Friend Of Kamal Aboukhater), and because he is also a cigar freak and an independent film producer.

Linse was also the person who brought Kamal together with Adriana, Perry and the folks at the Big Blog Company who put together the Blowing Smoke website.

Brian was one of the first political bloggers with his AintNoBadDude blog, (where he often did battle with the mighty Perry de Havilland of Samizdata.net), and his Lefty Directory, a listing of liberal-leaning political blogs.

The beautiful and talented Estella Warren is the next big thing. At such a young age she has already established herself as one of the world’s most successful models and is certain to have a similar effect in the motion picture arena.

Estella's most recent film is Mr & Mrs. Smith, which also stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. She recently shot National Lampoon’s The Trouble with Frank. Early this year Warren shot the independent Blowing Smoke directed by James Orr and two other independent films Trespassing in New Orleans, directed by James Marandino and I Accuse opposite John Hannah. She also filmed Pursued opposite Christian Slater.

Warren has topped the box office in Jerry Bruckheimer’s Kangaroo Jack, directed by David McNally, opposite Jerry O’Connell and Anthony Anderson. She was seen in the Wayne Kramer directed, Lion’s Gate film The Cooler, starring opposite William H. Macy and Alec Baldwin, which was in competition at the Sundance Film Festival last year. Warren starred in Twentieth Century Fox’s blockbuster hit, Planet of the Apes, directed by Tim Burton and made her feature film debut in Warner Brother’s Driven, directed by Renny Harlin. Drivin, Planet of the Apes, and Kangaroo Jack all debuted at #1 in their first week in release. Additionally, Warren has starred opposite Jeff Goldblum and Omar Epps in Lions Gate’s Perfume, an independent film directed by Michael Rymer. Perfume was screened at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival.

In a coveted advertising campaign, directed by Luc Besson, Warren was named the face for the timeless Chanel No. 5. Estella was also a co-host for TNT’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit television special along with Damon Wayans, and guest starred on That 70’s Show. In addition, she has graced the covers of many prestigious magazines including French, German, Italian and Spanish ELLE, and American and Italian GQ and Cosmopolitan.

Warren was discovered at a high school fashion show in her hometown of Etobicoke, Canada. Among her numerous talents, she is a Canadian National Champion and World Bronze Medalist in synchronized swimming.

Lennie Loftin is a veteran actor of theater, film, and television. TV Guest Star roles include JAG, NYPD Blue, Gideon's Crossing, and CSI. Films include: The Quick and the Dead, Sleepers, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Hangman's Daughter, Catch That Kid, and Daredevil. Also a singer-songwriter, he was the opening-act for Russell Crowe's band Thirty Odd Foot of Grunts for five sold-out shows at the House of Blues in Chicago and on a two month Australian tour in 2003.

Having made his feature film debut starring in the teen comedy Cavegirl Daniel Roebuck quickly realized that there was only one direction to travel in his career. Up!

Roebucks been a familiar face on television over the last 15 years, he was a regular for three seasons on the evergreen hit drama, Matlock, portraying attorney Cliff Lewis. Most recently, Roebuck had a recurring role on the CBS hit series Nash Bridges with Don Johnson and Cheech Marin; He played their “not so bright” boss.

Grateful that he’s never been typecast Roebuck has played cops to crooks and everything in between. Some of his memorable characters include a super villain attempting world domination on Lois and Clark, The New Adventures of Superman, a Romulan on Star Trek, an Army lieutenant on The West Wing, a Catholic Priest on Any Day Now , a sex addict on Six Feet Under, a distraught husband on ER and a pyromaniac police officer on The District.

Some of the more recent titles include Confessions of A Sociopathic Social Climber (opposite Jennifer Love Hewitt), The Presidio Murders, Behind the Camera, The Unauthorized Story of 'Three's Company, A Glimpse of Hell, Cold Equasions and Quints. He starred in numerous studio pictures, The Fugitive and reprised his role as Marshal Biggs in the blockbuster’s sequel U.S. Marshals. He has also had important roles in Final Destination, Disorganized Crime, Money Talks, Double Take, We Were Soldiers, Agent Cody Banks and its sequel Agent Cody Banks 2. Independent films are also part of Dan's experience. His favorites include Bubba Ho Tep, Driven, Together & Alone, Cadillac, The Sure Hand of God and Eddie Presley.

Born in the Bronx and raised in Harlem and Queens, New York, this talented young actor made his theatrical debut at the American Folk Theater in Oscar Brown Jr.'s In De Beginin'. Shaun has appeared in various productions at Henry Street Settlement, New Federal Theater and Actors and Directors. He graduated with honors from NY's famed High School for the Performing Arts. Shaun was a Presidential Scholar.

His Los Angeles theatrical credits include The Past Is The Past, Gettin It Together, and Homework with Kim Coles. He's appeared in the films Grand Canyon and House Party. Shaun has guest starred on NYPD Blue, The District, and Martin to name a few. He played Russel the Jamaican music editor opposite Queen Latifah on Living Single. Shaun has gained international exposure starring opposite Pamela Anderson on the syndicated series V.I.P.

Brian Scolaro is a Brooklyn-born stand-up comedian, who has made appearances on NBC's Late Friday and Montreal's Just for Laughs and Chicago's Comedy Festivals. Frequenting both coasts, he can usually be found doing his bizzare and irreverent act in the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles or in the Comedy Cellar, Dangerfields, or Carolines in New York. His TV acting credits include Sidney Lumet's 100 Centre Street, Coupling, One on One, Late Nite with Conan O'Brien, Greetings from Tucson, Platonically Incorrect, and was a regular on the NBC show Three Sisters. Blowin' Smoke is his first film.

Since arriving in Los Angeles after graduating from Dartmouth College, Eyal Podell has worked consistently in both film and television. From his feature film debut, The Insider, to his latest television credits, including ER, The West Wing, and the upcoming Spike Lee series Sucker Free City, he has had the opportunity to work with and learn from the best and brightest minds in the business. He has had scenes opposite Al Pacino and Gene Hackman. Eyal recently appeared on CSI and is currently working on a feature film called Tides of War.

In 2002 he travelled to the Cannes Film Festival to perform in and work on the short film "Manual Labor" that eventually went on to win the Chrysler Million dollar film festival. Trained as a classical actor at the National Theater Institute, Eyal has also studied with the RSC in Stratford, England. He was born in Israel, and raised in Hong Kong and New York.

David Shackelford grew up near San Antonio Texas on a small ranch where as a young boy he won several contests for raising large cows. When he was a little boy, his grandfather Papaw Shackelford took David to the Astrodome in Houston Texas to see Earl Campbell and the Houston Oilers play the Miami Dolphins in a football game. David became obsessed with Earl Campbell and began a long football career himself, averaging 12.1 yards per carry as a tailback in high school and college.

Upon graduation, his parents suggested he take an aptitude and IQ test. The test revealed a very low IQ and recommended a career as an actor or stock broker. That following year David changed his name to Smendrick, left Texas and moved to Los Angeles, becoming a professional actor and martial arts instructor. As an actor, David has worked on several films and television shows.

David has worked with the Farrelly Brother's on the films "There's Something About Mary", and "Kingpin", and recently completed the western "Hope Rose". He wishes to thank James, Kamal, and Jim for the opportunity to be a part of "Blowing Smoke".

Sean Barnes was born and raised in Bowlingreen, KY. He has appeared in many films, commercials and T.V. over the last 15 years. He currently teaches acting classes at Playhouse West in North Hollywood. Due to the great fun of his part in Blowing Smoke, he now indulges in the occasional fine cigar.

To be completed

After growing up in South Africa until the age of 10, Chris moved to Georgia where he rode horses everyday. He was discovered at a large retail store shopping with his mother at age 16 and received a 4 year modeling contract in Europe. He then moved to Los Angeles, a divorced man, in order to pursue acting in television and film. He was very excited to work on "Blowing Smoke" and hopes to work with everyone who was involved in making the movie again.

A native of Canada, James Orr attended undergraduate film school at York University in Toronto. In 1977, he was the first Canadian to be accepted at the prestigious American Film Institute as a Director Fellow in Los Angeles. In 1981, Orr wrote and directed a documentary for Dr. Armand Hammer on the raising of King Henry VIII’s flagship, The Mary Rose, which was narrated by Orson Welles and featured Prince Charles. In 1985, Orr and his writing/producing partner, Jim Cruickshank, wrote Tough Guys, which was the last movie that Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas made together.

In 1987, Orr & Cruickshank wrote and Orr directed the Emmy nominated ABC Movie Young Harry Houdini starring Jose Ferrer. In 1987, they wrote the number one box office smash of the year: Three Men and A Baby. In 1988, they produced the ABC movie 14 Going On 30. In 1990, they executive produced Father of the Bride starring Steve Martin. In 1990, they wrote, produced and Orr directed Mr. Destiny starring Jim Belushi and Michael Caine. In 1993, they wrote Sister Act 2 starring Whoopi Goldberg. In 1994, they wrote and Orr directed Man of the House with Chevy Chase and Jonathan Taylor Thomas.

In 1995, they co-executive produced Father of the Bride II.
Also in 1995, they produced the family comedy, It Takes Two, starring Kirstie Alley, Steve Guttenberg and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. From 1996 thru 2002, they wrote screenplays for Warner Brothers, Cinergi and Revolution Films among others. In 2003, Orr wrote, produced, and directed the documentary, The Fuente Family: An American Dream, about the most prominent family of cigar-makers in the world.

In 2004, Orr directed and co-wrote the independent feature film, Blowing Smoke. Orr & Cruickshank are currently writing an animated feature film for The Walt Disney Company titled The Long Shots.