Tonight Show with Jay Leno
the Gerry Butler experience
Thursday, April 14th, 2005
Wow, where should I begin? :)
I found out a few weeks ago that my favorite actor,
Gerard Butler, was going to
be
appearing on the Tonight Show (for the third time in 4 months, no less) on
Thursday,
April 14th. After a quick check of the schedule, I knew that there was no way I
was
going to miss this one!!!
I told my sister, Sylvia, to get the day off (who is becoming a Gerry fan too;
she's
also enjoying my crazy adventures).
I was SOOO wired Wednesday evening (after teaching two Excel classes, plus Bible
study)
that I couldn't even sleep or nap like I'd planned. Sylvia and I left
Calexico
for LA
at 1:00 am and arrived in Burbank outside the NBC studios shortly before 5
am.
We found the line at the Guest Relations window and discovered that some people
had
been lined up since midnight! Under a "Tart Slumber Party" written on a yellow
towel...uhhh, had to be there, or be a fan to know what that means. ;)
So, we lined up, made the disgusting trip to the gas station toilet across the
street
(ewwww!), and waited for the door to open at 8:30 am. We made lots of new
friends (some
whom I'd met online at the Gerry fan club web site), and some new ones.
When the ticket window opened at 8:30, many of us were very disappointed to find
out
that we got "stand by" tickets! :( I mean, lots of us, almost a hundred. There
had been
such a big demand for reserved tickets (not for any of the guests specifically,
because
the tickets are "sold out" about 6 weeks in advance). The other guests were
Farrah
Fawcett, and the band the Killers. (But then, we found out that Farrah
cancelled,
though we learned that she has such a huge fan following...). Don't think her
fans knew
she'd cancelled.
So, we had to wait until 3:30 pm to find out if we were going to make it in or
not.
Like I said before, I was busy making friends with the girls I'd been messaging
or
chatting with for the past two months. :) Sylvia made some new friends too.
3:30 rolled around and we barely made it in (I think I was the cut-off for a
bit, then
the line got cut about 10 people behind me). We wound up sitting up in the top
right
part of the audience (facing the stage, by the band).
The audience warm up was fun, with some dancing by some of the audience. Jay's
monologue was funny (Michael Jackson jokes are always good), but a little racy.
First guest was Tom Arnold. I think most of these shows think we (Gerry fans)
are not
going to behave or cheer for the other guests. We proved them wrong! We cheered
and
clapped for Tom; he even commented "are these beautiful people here for me? are
they
here for me?" He was being funny, but we WERE loud. :) He was on for two
segments (why,
NBC, why?), then Jay mentioned Gerry's name ("I think his fans started lining up
since
the last time he was here."
Gerry finally came out and was GREAT! He was charming and told lots of funny
stories
(two Michael Jackson jokes, like "why does Michael Jackson like
twentynineyearolds? --
Because there are twenty of them"), some stories about wearing a kilt at his
sister's
and brother's wedding, and he talked about his new movie coming out this week,
called
"The Game of their Lives."
After the show, he walked out into the audience (as he always does) to talk to
the
folks standing there. He signed autographs, gave hugs, and talked. Then he left.
We all rushed out of there and made our way to the exit, as pre-arranged thru
the
fan-site and Gerry's management. We were going to line up (according to a
randomly
drawn ticket that morning in line) and wait to meet our guy.
Now, I had printed out some pictures of him for us to get signed, plus my big
digital
camera, and a small token I'd gotten for him. Well, they stayed in the car
because 1)
NBC didn't allow certain things into the studio, like cameras or gifts; and 2)
when I
left the studio, I helped another fan carry her stuff out to the lot (because
she'd
been hauling her oxygen tank around all day and was also trying to carry Flat
Gerry).
So, I grabbed Flat Gerry and rushed ahead to hold a place for her in line,
forgetting
all about my stuff in the car.
While Sylvia and I were standing in line, I didn't think I had enough time to go
to my
car (which was on the other side of the NBC lot). Lots of fans/girls were
sharing
photos with each other, but I found a picture of Kayla in my purse and decided
to have
Gerry sign that instead. Autographs don't really mean that much to me, I much
prefer
the handshake or the conversation much, much more. :)
So, when Gerry and his manager, Alan, finally drove up to our little (150+)
crowd, I
called Kayla on the phone. "Kayla, he's here! I can see him. Stay by the phone,
okay?
When I'm getting your picture signed, I'm gonna ask him if he'll talk to you."
When it was finally my turn, I called Kayla up. The girls handed my picture to
Gerry
(on a clipboard with a post-it with Kayla's name), he looked at it and said
"what is
this? why am I signing someone else's picture?" :) I quickly told him that it
was my
daughter, and holding the phone for him, asked if he would talk to her. He
leaned over
towards me and I held the phone to his ear (okay, I'm sooo in love with his left
ear
[long story, but it was very visible in the Phantom]) -- it was sooo soft and
his cheek
was all fuzzy!!
(new picture just added - thanks Basia!!)
He said, "Hello? KEYla?"
We all corrected him, "KAYla!"
Gerry: Oh, oh, Kayla, Kayla. Hello, Kayla.
Kayla: Hi!
Gerry: How are you?
Kayla: Fine.
Gerry: You're so beautiful. I'm looking at your picture right now and I think
you are
so beautiful.
Kayla: Thank you.
Gerry: I'm signing your picture right now.
[At this time, I was showing Sarah how to use my camera to take a picture of me
and
Gerry, while the conversation continued away from my ears.]
Gerry: I'd love it if we can meet sometime. I'm hoping it can happen.
Kayla: I hope it can happen too.
Gerry: Okay, then. Bye Kayla!
Kayla: Bye!
By this time, I looked over at Gerry, who handed my cell phone back to me. I put
it into
my pocket, and turned to him....
*sigh*
I took the second picture of Kayla and handed it to him. "Kayla'd like you to
have this
picture of her."
Gerry took the picture from my hand and looked at it, then looked at me with the
cutest
puppy-dog face, with pouting lips, with bent knees. ***SIGH***
Gerry: Ohhhh, she is so beautiful. Thank you. I'm going to keep this. I'm putting
my girl
in my pocket.
He slid Kayla's photo into his pocket.
By now, I was feeling really, really emotional and would have burst into tears,
but
instead, I leaned over towards him, but my left arm around his waist while he
put his
right arm around me. I had the biggest smile on my face (trying to, anyway), but
then I
said "have you taken the picture yet?" which is why I have such a goofy look on
my
face. :)
I walked away, trying to maintain my composure. A few of the Tarts asked me "how
was
it??!!" But when I started talking about how Gerry talked to Kayla on the phone,
the
tears came. :) I'm such a sap!!! LOL
I then started taking photos of the other Tarts, and waited for my sister to
have her
turn. She had Gerry sign her ticket stub to his movie, "Dear Frankie" and
quietly asked
him for a hug too! :) Brave woman! When they tried to shoo her away, Gerry
responded,
"Come here- let me give you a hug!" :)
I still cannot believe that Gerry stayed there at the park, signing autographs,
giving
out hugs and kisses to his fans for almost TWO hours. He was clearly tired, but
still
made sure to keep smiling, joking, and giving each fan his direct gaze and
complete
attention. When we told him that he was all done, he looked up in amazement.
Gerry:
We're done?? Everybody get back in line, let's do it again!
We all waited around while he waited for his manager to bring the car around. He
joked
with us some more, "can anyone give me a ride?" with that impish grin of his. He
asked
for a cigarette, while we all groaned in admonishment. "Ohhhh, give me a g-----ned
cigarette!" Okay, okay, so he cusses and smokes. Apparently, he's not
perfect. :)
A few of us at the fan club message boards have commented how much easier it
would be
on all of us to get back to our "real lives" if he could was a total
a**h**e or a jerk, but his anything but. A
complete
angel and gentleman. Thank you, Gerry, for bringing us all together for
such a good day of friends and fellowship.
Gerry: You're so beautiful. I'm looking at your picture right now and I think
you are
so beautiful.
