My "Next Three Days" in Los Angeles in November, 2010

I decided to take a short little jaunt to Los Angeles, California from November 15 - 18, 2011.  I was pretty excited about it. One of the things on my to do agenda was to see “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”,  as one of my favorite actors, Russell Crowe, was to be the guest. I was also going to see “The Late Show with Craig Ferguson,” as Crowe was also appearing on his show as well. 

Departure Day, Monday, November 15th

After getting home at around 2:30 am, I was dog arse tired!  My plan of getting up at 6 am to leave for LA was in the crapper.  So I set the alarm for 8 am.  Oddly enough, I awoke on my own around 7:10 am, albeit in a ridiculous tired daze, and stumbled into the shower.  At least that helped. After fueling up the ‘Stang, and me with a couple donuts and a Rockstar, I was off.  Time: 8:22 am.  Good enough.

The drive across the Mojave was boring as usual.  I swear every time I drive it the boring factor increase ten fold.  Good old “Highway 98 and 99” radio stations and some TOFOG on the iPod to keep me cruisin’ just above the speed limit and just below the radar guns. 

I pulled up to the NBC Studios in Burbank to wait in line for the show at about 12:45 pm.  I met my friends Allison and Gayle there.  Not too many peeps were in line just yet.  My friend Pat joined us shortly thereafter.  And, we waited. And waited. And waited some more.  Crowe was kind enough to Tweet that due to an appointment right afterwards, he could not stop at the gate for the meet and greet he usually does, and apologized.  Bummer!  Then at about 2:30 pm, the staff brought us to a security line before we entered Studio 11 where “The Tonight Show” was taped.  We get through that, are assigned numbers, and we waited. Then we waited some more.  Show business must be all about waiting. At least they let us sit down while we waited this time.  Finally at about 3:15 pm, we got to go into the studio.  I was number “6”, and we had great seats, right next to the band, just to the right of center stage.  We were given instructions to clap and laugh loudly.  They also said that the folks sitting on the chairs just in front of the stage (that was us) could go up to the stage as soon as Jay hit the door to shake hands with him.  Jay came out and did a pre-show warm up in his regular clothes.  A bunch of older folks wanted hugs and photos with him, so he didn’t take but one question.  I was going to ask him “Out of all your motorcycles, which one is your favorite and why?”  I didn’t get the chance to ask.  But, when the show started…  Well, I did what I was told!   When Jay came out, I sprung out of my chair and ran up right up there, and was the first one he gave a high five to!  He was really cool!  Then Jay did the “Headlines” segment.  It was pretty funny. All I cared about was breezing through all the nonsense until Russell came out.  It all seemed to take so long after all the hurry up and wait I’d been doing all day!  Finally, Jay introduced Russell, and the studio went wild!  And there he was!  Looking very dapper, in a black suit, with a black shirt and black tie.  WOW!  I was literally feet away from him.  But, yet so far.  He talked about the Rabbitohs, Charlie and Tenny upon Dani’s return home, TN3D, and Rocky Horror.  When he spoke, the entire audience was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop in there.  To die for!  When it was over, we waited outside by the gate to see if we could see him leave.  Sure enough, here came his black Suburban, and he had the window down.  I had a Rabbitohs hat with me and I yelled “Go the Bunnies!” and waved my hat.  He heard me, looked, and nodded.  SWEET!  The girls and I ate dinner at El Torito and said good night to each other.  I hit the rack at the hotel, as I was dead tired.

Day 2, November 16^th

Wake-up time:  I dunno, somewhere between 10:45 & 11:15 am.  I was tired and needed to sleep in.  I finally got my arse in gear and grabbed some Starbucks and a danish, turned on some TOFOG, and hit the freeway to Hollywood Blvd. to find our boy's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 

Found it!  Right in front of the Kodak Theatre!

After I found it and snapped some photos, I was feeling pretty good! 

 

It was off to Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum now!  (NOTE: No RC wax figure here.  Not good.  Suggestion made at end of tour.)  Saw some of my all time faves:  Jimmy Stewart, James Dean, and Clint Eastwood.  Also got  snaps of Tony Hawk, Michael Jackson, and LAAAAAANCE ARMSTRONNNNNNNG.  LOL.  Even got a wax setting of my own hand in red and green!  THAT was cool.  Outside at the legendary Graumann's Chinese Theatre, I found Gregory Peck's hand and foot prints, and snapped a pic of them.  He's my all-time old school favorite actor.  If you've never read "To Kill a Mockingbird", or not seen the movie, do yourself a huge favor and read the book and see the movie.

Gregory Peck's hand and footprints

Laaaaaaaaaance  Armstronnnnnnng!

After a bit of shopping, I was walking by this building and it had “Jimmy Kimmel LIVE!” signs on it.  They were filming and still had tickets.  So I figured, what the heck, I’m not doing anything.   I went to high school with Jimmy, and thought it would be pretty cool to see his show.   So I’m standing in line, and I hear my phone go off at 5:46 pm.  I look, and it’s a Tweet from Russ:

I’m like “Hmmm, wonder where this place is?”  I look on my phone and it was only minutes away.  So I said to hell with Jimmy Kimmel, I’m going there so see if I can get a glimpse of Russ on the way in!  So I parked right across the street. Oh crap!  What am I gonna have him sign if I see him?  And right there, on the floorboard of my car was my “Ben Hur” program from Australia, that I brought for Pat to see yesterday!  So I grab it and off I went.  There’s like seven or eight guys standing on the sidewalk with photos and pens in their hands.  Obviously a line for something.  I soon find out it’s where I want to be, and I’m like the seventh person in line of not many.  The guy behind me was really cool, his name was Rich.  We were chatting when I heard this from other guys in the line:  “Oh no…”  “What, dude?”  “Here comes ‘Red Bull’ again.”  “Are you serious?”  “Yep.”  Well, apparently Mr. Red Bull was a guy that no one liked and always  seems to finagle his way to the front and cut in front of everyone else at these events.  Well, I’ll be damned if that was gonna happen this time.  He tried to pretend to talk to a guy he knew at the front of the line.  Everyone told him to get to the back of the line, but he didn’t budge.  I marched right up to him and told him “Look, dude, I didn’t drive all the way from Vegas to have you cut in front of me, so don’t let it happen.”   He got the point.  Everyone told him to get to the back of the line.  D-bag, he didn’t.  It was cold and 7:15 pm and still no Russ.  We all figured that due to the event starting at 7:30pm, that he would probably just go right in and skip the autograph seekers.  I hoped not.

Paul Haggis arrived, and some folks got his autograph.   Finally, a black Cadillac Escalade pulled up, and it was HIM!  He wore sunglasses and said nothing as he started signing.  I patiently waited in line.  He was signing people’s stuff, but he never looked up.  He got to me and started to sign my program.  There he was!  Standing RIGHT in front of me!  I could have died!  At least I didn’t say anything stupid!   I said “I really enjoyed your narration of ‘Ben Hur’ in Australia, sir.”  After he signed my program, he stopped, looked up, and without saying a word,  and gave me a big smile!  Then, poof, he  moved on!   But not without making me the happiest girl on that block in front of the Directors Guild of America first!  Later I wondered if he put 2+2 together and maybe realized I was one of the Twitter girls that went to see “Ben Hur.”  I’ll never know...

My "Ben Hur" program from Australia

I was in shock!   I just stood there for a few seconds, mesmerized, with this giant smile on my face, and I’m sure my eyes were glazed over like I just smoked a big old doob.   No time for photos with Russ, his publicist was already telling everyone he had to go.  I then moved back and tried to get a photo of him, which didn’t turn out the greatest but I will include it here.  He looked so handsome:  he had on a dark grey suit, and a light blue shirt and blue tie.

 

 

So after he went inside, all the press took photos of him and the cast in front of all the “The Next Three Days” posters.  I can see why he wears the sunglasses.  Flashes popping constantly, I’m guessing it would get annoying.  He answered many questions, from one photographer in particular.  I stood and watched from right outside the window.  Security left me alone as I stood there with a smile on my face.  They knew what I was looking at.

Seeing Mr. Crowe for the first time up close was really cool.  And that smile he gave me was just unforgettable!  It might have only been an instant in his world, but thank you, Mr. Crowe for making that one moment in time stop for me, and I assure you it will last my entire life!

Tomorrow, more touristy sh*t and off to see Craigy Ferg!

Day 3, November 17^th

To be continued…

Click "PLAY" below to hear Moby's "Mistake" from the soundtrack of TN3D