Mara
and Darrin's Most Excellent Tonight Show Adventure - The Sequel
Tamara ~
The cool thing about attending the live taping are the bits you
get to see that happen off camera. Other than a few waves and smiles
for the fans, this time it was simply an additional voyeuristic
pleasure. Love the hair.
Remembering to have zero expectations, but rehearsing (out loud, but quietly, I hope) because I'm sure he gets tired of that deer in the headlights reaction, we waited after the show. There were many more professional autograph hounds than the last time. (I know that's what they are because they have stacks of glossies that they turn around and sell to memorabilia shops or perhaps EBay, and we have to endure them one-upping each other about the tricks they've pulled or their nasty gossip about celebrities.) The car stopped directly in front of our little clutch of female fans, but these large and loud types rushed it - I could hear their bodies hitting the car, that has to be scary for the occupants - and we were blocked. I was encouraged to shove my way forward by one of these men and I replied that I had never behaved so rudely and was not about to start. I realized that it was oddly quiet because they were all about the autographs - I could hear Russell and a security guy telling them to form a line, one picture each. I called over their much taller heads to Russell that some actual fans were back here waiting and at once his head came into view, bobbing and looking around the hands thrusting things in his face. "Is that Ta mah ra?" It's so easy to make me so happy, but he certainly doesn't have to do these things for any of us. Thanks again, Russell. You rock. I stayed calm. My mouth worked. I got closer and kept talking. Told him I'd seen AGY already, told him what I liked. Every time I said something, he commented back, making eye contact. I asked about Yuma, about his horse. The horse's name is Ruben (not sure of the spelling) and I think he said he's an Arabian quarter-horse (yes I know those are two kinds but maybe he meant a mix?), I think he said Ruben is black, and fourteen and a half hands, but anyway, he's a lovely horse, and the pleasure on Russell's face is clear in my memory even if his words are not. I kept repeating what he said to try and retain it but ... did I say how lovely his smile is? He said, "we've been having lots of fun, a lot of riding ... just today in fact, we were riding down hills," and his fingers galloped away. I was very pleased to see Darrin being so brave, stepping right up there with her goodies to sign, but it seemed her mouth wouldn 't work quite right so I got to put arm around my frriend and introduce her. He looked at me and asked, "The one who puts up all the videos?" I said yes and shoved off. That made me very happy and I only had to jump start her once after that. Mara asks that this from Russell be added to
her report as a correction: ****************************************
Darrin ~
He stopped signing, put the sharpie in his left hand and put out
his right hand to shake mine saying, "THANKS for that, luv," as
we shook hands. The look on his face just made my night,
pure sincere gratitude. WOW. I said, "You're welcome," (which
was all I could manage seeing that smile!). He continued signing
the stuff being pushed at him (despite asking everyone to line
up and saying he WOULD sign everything if we did, these autograph
hounds just DO NOT know how to cooperate!) So now feeling a bit more confident, I managed to get out, "Russell, would you sign something special for me?" He said, "Sure," and I opened the book to the title page as Mara said, "This is the book Rough Magic is based on." He said, "Oh really?" and I said, "Yes, Miss Shumway Waves a Wand." And he answered, "I always thought that was a better title than the one they used, it was the title of the script when they sent it to me," and I said, "That's the name on the French DVD." And he said, "Oh there's a French version?" and I said, "Yes, there's a Region 2 and there's an interview with you after it that I put up on the site." And then he started to sign, asking, "D-A-double R-I-N?" and I said, "Yes." (OMG he knows how to spell my name correctly!!!!) so he signed it (see piccie!!) and I said, "The interview was very special to me because in it you talked about Alex Ross how he couldn't talk to his mother about being in World War 2." By then he was being hounded again so it was becoming difficult to stay up there, but he did acknowledge what I said with a smile and a nod and while I had been speaking had leaned forward to give me his full attention as best he could. I said, "Thank you Russell," and tried to get out of the way which was impossible so I just tried to make myself as small as possible so peeps could continue get their stuff signed and then finally he said, "Okay that's it." Then Mara and he talked a bit about AGY (she asks SUCH good questions!!) and then finally he stopped, said goodnight and we all said good night and then he drove off and I started giggling and crying, because, well... OMG! It was the most amazing encounter
I could have EVER hoped for and ANYONE who says he isn't good to
his fans is crazy. He absolutely does his best, ALWAYS! THANK YOU, RUSSELL!!!! And
thank you, Murph! You can use my url for the showing the pic, if
you like: http://www.bbmb77.com/autograph11032006.jpg -- Darrin Lee http://www.russellcrowefrucentral.com |
