Valcik, a Queen Anne resident and associate broker for Windermere Real Estate, had done some stage acting as a kid, appeared in a couple episodes of "Miami Vice" in the mid-1980s, had a bit part in a movie that was never released in the United States, and did a commercial in France for A&W Rootbeer, he said.
He even had an agent at one point, Valcik added with a smile, who told him he could be a success if he applied the same energy to acting as he did to his tan and pursuing the opposite sex.
In any event, his wife and some friends with them at the auction had seen tapes of his acting work, thought the walk-on role would be perfect for him, and his wife submitted the winning bid of $4,000 at the Helpline auction, Valcik said.
An outfit in L.A. called VIP Getaways arranged for his appearance on "My Name is Earl," and the trip was donated by a Queen Anne business for the auction, he explained.
Valcik flew to L.A. on a free pass from his wife, who works in the airline industry. He decided to do his trip up right, paying to stay four nights at a $500-a-night hotel in Hollywood, he said. Valcik also ponied up another $1,250 for taxis, limo rides and food.
The Queen Anne resident arrived for the taping right before the writers' strike started, but there was still a problem. The head of VIP Getaways called Valcik the night before shooting started and said, "Fox is no longer allowing walk-ons," Valcik recounted. "He didn't give me any reason."
Actually, "My Name Is Earl" is an NBC show, according to its Web site, but producers of the popular comedy tried to make it up to Valcik by treating him as a special guest on the set. "So I had full VIP access wherever I wanted to go," he said.
That's in contrast to regular extras, who have to stay in the Green Room when they aren't on the sound stage. The extras only get fed peanut butter sandwiches, Valcik added, "where I had full barbecue with the celebrities."
The whole thing has been a bit embarrassing, he conceded. "Four hundred people at the Helpline auction knew I got it," Valcik said. "The Paragon was going to throw me a (screening) party," he added.
Valcik is trying to be philosophical about his messed-up trip, noting that the money his wife paid for it did go to a worthy cause. But his dreams of fleeting fame haven't completely disappeared.
The owner of the company that set up the trip has invited him to Los Angeles again at the company's expense, he said. "It could be another walk-on."
Russ Zabel can be reached at 461-1309.[[In-content Ad]]