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That last one is especially common, and though this trope covers all iterations of artists working in what are traditionally low paying and often considered less 'fulfilling' jobs, the waiting profession is what has influenced the trope name. It isn't uncommon to see a waiter or waitress in fiction who is waiting for the day they get spotted by an agent, or for when a movie studio picks up their script, or they net that record deal. In fact, if anybody connected to these trades decides to go out for a meal at the restaurant a character who falls into this trope works in expect them to attempt to woo their customer with their performance of ''[[Hamlet]]'', try to serve them their screenplay as a course, or break into song at random.
The reason for the prevalence of the selected career being waiting is, as explained in [https://web.archive.org/web/20110222042000/http://www.allbusiness.com/services/amusement-recreation-services/4377793-1.html this article] which shares it's title with this trope (but the name was coined independently, it's a [[Pun]] after all) is because it lends itself well to an auditioning actor. They can work a few long nights a week and use the rest of the time to audition or rehearse, and as mentioned above they can use the charisma many consider necessary to be an actor to get themselves tips; with the people they are serving as their audience. In other words [[Truth in Television]] and [[Write What You Know]] is in play here.
Related to [[Starving Artist]] (or [[Giftedly Bad]] if the reason they are still in such a job isn't because they are an undiscovered genius, but they just think they are).
{{examples}}
== Autobiography ==▼
* Bruce Campbell wrote in his memoir ''If Chins Could Kill'', that the key to being successful in acting is to not depend on acting to pay the bills, basically explaining that you need to get a "real" job first. Various famous actors are known for being skilled in entirely unrelated trades that they did to pay the bills before they were famous as well, ie: Harrison Ford worked as a carpenter. He got the chance to read for the role of Han Solo because he happened to be working on the set at the time.▼
== Comic Books ==
* One of the minor heroes trying out for the team in ''[[Wildguard]]: Casting Call'' is Super Temp, who is just doing the whole superhero thing until his band hits it big. It ''does''
== Film ==
* There was an actor/cabbie in ''[[Time Chasers]]''. Not a '''good''' actor, either.
* ''[[L.A. Story]]'': "Ask for me, I'm Shan your waiter, and I also act."
== Literature ==
* In ''[[
* In "The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories" by [[Neil Gaiman]], the protagonist is a writer who's in Hollywood to consult on the film of his book, and finds every waiter and receptionist he meets confiding in him that really this is just to keep them going until they've finished the screenplay they're working on. Near the end of the story, he impresses somebody by asking how her screenplay's going before she's told him she's writing one.
▲=== Autobiography ===
▲* Bruce Campbell wrote in his memoir ''If Chins Could Kill'', that the key to being successful in acting is to not depend on acting to pay the bills, basically explaining that you need to get a "real" job first. Various famous actors are known for being skilled in entirely unrelated trades that they did to pay the bills before they were famous as well, ie: Harrison Ford worked as a carpenter. He got the chance to read for the role of Han Solo because he happened to be working on the set at the time.
== Live
* Penny from ''[[Big Bang Theory]]'' works at a Cheesecake Factory restaurant whilst attempting to become an actress
* When Joey starts working at Central Perk in ''[[Friends]]'' and he says that it's supposed to waiter to actor, not the other way around
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* Cordelia in the first and second seasons of ''[[Angel]]'' is working at Angel Investigations until "[her] inevitable stardom kicks in". By the third, she's fully committed to being a detective/monster hunter.
* Everyone on ''[[Party Down]]'' is only working in catering until they get their big break. Or so they hope. Henry is the only one who's given up his chance of stardom.
== Music ==
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"Well, I'm sure that I could be a movie star
If I could get out of this place." }}
== Theatre ==
* David Mamet's ''[[Edmond]]'' has a monologue to an actress who is "really" a waitress.
== Western Animation ==
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* In ''[[Hoodwinked]]'', the Woodsman turns out to be an out-of-work actor trying to get his next big break. In the meantime, his day job is selling schnitzel.
== Other Media ==▼
▲== Other ==
* Old joke: "So you're an actor? What restaurant do you work at?"
* [http://www.shakespearesden.com/t-shirt-actor-waiter.html This T-Shirt]{{dead link}}
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Characters As Device]]
▲[[Category:Waiting for a Break]]
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