After coffee and a shower, I was out the door in plenty of time to see Valerie arrive. I grew up watching Rhoda on tv, and even had the theme song on my answering machine, way back when people had answering machines (and that should tell you how long I've been a fan). Back in October, just before Hurricane Sandy, I got to meet Valerie at the Chiller Theatre fan expo in New Jersey, and she couldn't have been nicer. Eighty dollars later, I walked away with an autographed Rhoda season one DVD and a photo with Valerie. It's that photo that I was hoping to get signed today.
It may seem like I'm always trying to get an autograph, but the truth is I rarely want one. Unless I've been photographed with someone, I'm a big fan of their work, or I have to buy the book or CD and have it signed to get the photo op, autographs don't matter to me.
There weren't many people outside when I arrived at GMA, and it turns out they were all inside. I'm not sure what they're doing at GMA, but all of a sudden they're bringing a lot more people into the studio to watch the broadcast, and it's really blocking the view for those of us on the outside. I met up with Marie, RJ and Danny at the barricade. No sign of Valerie yet, but there was a Brinks armored truck parked right at the stage door. Apparently, Miss America was appearing on the show too, and the armored truck was carring the crown. Of course it was. I never thought about how much the crown was worth or who held onto it during the year. I just assumed it was the winner's responsibility, but I guess not. The new Miss America's car pulled up, and she walked into the studio surrounded by bodyguards, the Brinks guy following behind with the crown in a suitcase. I'm not kidding...a suitcase.
Still no sign of Valerie, and at 8:21 Marie asked one of the GMA security guards if she was coming. He didn't think she was scheduled, and it WAS kinda late for a guest to arrive, so I headed around the corner to see the Miss America segment. This is the second time in two weeks that a scheduled GMA segment that has been press released to media outlets has been misreported. Way to stay on top in the ratings GMA!
The Miss America segment was in the Times Square island, so no need to even try shooting through the windows! Yay! She was very nice to the fans while waiting for the segment to begin, and much prettier in person than the 'pageant' look she had Saturday night. I tried to get a couple good shots, but Danny kept tugging my bag and mumbling 'Get a picture with her. Get a picture with her.' If there's one thing I hate, it's someone banging me in any way when I'm trying to take a picture. You only get a split second, and that interference is just annoying. But I did get a good shot, and here she is, Miss America.
Then it was over to the Today Show to hopefully catch Barry Manilow. This is the third time Barry has been on Kathie Lee and Hoda in the last year and a half, and I have yet to get a photo of him. The first time I didn't know he was there and the second time I just missed him going down the stairs to the garage as I walked into the building lobby. Today, I hoped, would be different.
I can't remember when I first became a Barry Manilow fan, but his songs always remind me of my girlfriends Sherry and Mandy from back when I lived in Washington, DC, so it's gotta be at least twelve years now. I've seen him in concert three times, have tickets to his Broadway performance next week, and will probably be singing along with the Fanilows in the audience. When I got to Today, there were two older guys waiting. No other fans, no paparazzi, nothing. I guess the Golden Globes in LA and the fact that no other guests were booked for the first two hours of the show kept everyone away. Oh well...less hassle to get the photo. I stood by the curb and waited.
A few minutes passed, and the security guard came out. I don't remember his name, but he often comes out to escort the guest in or chase away anyone standing in the building entrance. He's a real jerk sometimes, but today he was just waiting for Barry's car. A couple vans pulled up, and were quickly shooed away by the Nazi lady meter maid, who loves to give out parking tickets to drivers waiting to pick up Today Show guests. I'm not sure why the Today Show can't get temporary permits for drop-offs and pick-ups, but you don't wanna mess with this lady. She spoke briefly to the security guard, and he must have told her Barry was coming because she stuck around a bit longer than usual. Unfortunately, he then got a call that Barry had cancelled. 'He wasn't feeling well' he told the two fans and the cop. As she started walking away, I asked who had cancelled. (Sometimes you hear or think you hear something or assume something based on what you think you heard, so I wanted verification). 'Barry Manilow cancelled' she told me derisively, and may I just say thank you for telling me that and fuck you for your bad attitude lady.
And with that, it was off to work. Valerie is doing a book signing later this week, and Barry is playing Broadway for the next couple weeks, so there's still hope. Tomorrow Mark Wahlberg is on the Today Show, and I'd love to get a shot of him, but the Kardashians are there too and I'm not sure I want to deal with that nonsense.
No comments:
Post a Comment