This morning I had an appointment at the Social Security office to get things handled so Paige and I can get Jim's SocSec benefits. I'll get a one time payment of $250 and then I'll be eligible to collect when I turn 60. Paige will get a monthly payment until she graduates highschool. I'm planning to just sock it away in a savings account so she'll have a tidy sum when she's ready to start college. I felt good about that meeting.
This afternoon I drove to LA to see the Craig Ferguson taping. I got there pretty early so I had lunch at Farmer's Market, which is just a couple blocks away from CBS. I had a nice time walking around Farmer's Market. I hadn't been there since I was a kid.
About a half hour before call time I went to the CBS gate. They told me the lot was full and I'd have to go park back at Farmer's Market. I went back there and got the exact same parking space I had just left. I thought that was pretty funny especially since traffic was crazy. I walked back to CBS.
They let us in and sorted us according to how well we were dressed. Spiffy people like me were seated down in front. Chunky B was the warm up comedian. He was pretty funny. Then the show started. It's odd seeing someone doing their thing on tv and then seeing them do it in person. It was like he was more real to me seeing him on the monitors than he was when I was looking straight at him. Like he was auto-animatronic. Like it was Disney's Great Moments With Mr. Ferguson. But he didn't whir and jerk. Damn, he's cute.
The first guest was Peter O'Toole. Man, he has really turned into a cute little old guy. The second guest was.... some girl in the new Andy Warhol movie. The third guest was an author....seen him before...he's really interesting....dang...can't remember his name. After the guest interviews were finished they reset the stage for the Dick Around Gang (Trucker and T-Bone's band). Then they all just came walking out. Andy waved to me and Gruber blew a kiss. I felt myself tearing up. Damn! I had been doing so well. They did the I Like song. It was so fun seeing them.
Afterward when they released the audience Andy came out to talk to a couple girls who had said they were from his home town. I waited until he was finished with them and then he took me backstage. The Trucker guys had their own little break room. As soon as I walked in there I started to get weepy. Man, I so did NOT want to do that! They'd had such a good time doing that taping and then in walks Doni Downer. I didn't totally lose it and they were all really nice about it. They all really liked Jim so it was kinda ok. I got a big round of hugs. Then I managed to pull it together and we had a nice visit. They were all packing up, everyone had someplace to go. Gruber insisted on walking me to my car but he had some stuff to handle first. Then they couldn't find the big American flag they use as a prop in the show. Then some mysterious gray shirt had been left behind and they all got on their phones to find out who it belonged to (Andy). It was pretty funny. David Koechner was talking to some women in the hall and started goofing around with me. That was fun. He's made me his new straight man.
When they got packed up we all went down to the parking lot. There was a limo waiting for Gruber. He offered me a ride to my car (a whole 2 blocks). We had fun talking to the driver, Tony. When we got to the Farmer's Market parking lot Gruber got out and walked me to my car. We had a very nice talk. He said they all really wanted to come to Jim's party, that they would have loved playing for us. They couldn't come because they'd had a show that night. Jim and I had actually planned to go to that show. Anyway, it was great seeing Gruber. One of these days I really want to talk to him about how all this has changed his life. He said the other day he and Koechner were walking down the street in Santa Monica and they were stopped several times by people who had seen the show. He's been working as an actor fairly steadily for several years now but he never was someone people would recognize. Not any more. His face is all over Comedy Central several times a day in those commercials. We talked about it a little tonight, about how he's so busy now because his life has changed. I could tell he's not all that comfortable with it. He reminded me that my life has changed too. So yeah, someday we'll talk.
Ok everybody. Stay up late tonight and watch The Late, Late Show.
5 comments:
Seeing him perform with clothes on actually feels odd to me. Of course, right after the show he gets dressed.
I was in a big party limo once. This one was like the old limos before they got all stretchy. No tv, no bar, just roomy comfort. It was really just a nice, big, black car. We both enjoyed talking to Tony. He had a British accent. At one point he did a zoom through traffic thing that made me think this guy knows what he's doing. Tony's on the job.
What an interesting gig. Hollywood limo driver. I wonder what his training is? Boy, if I ever get to do that again I'm gonna ask the driver about it.
Great write up of the day. I've never been in a limo either. With or without a bar.
I don't quite get it. But there's a lot of stuff I don't get.
Dear Doni - I am so glad you are hanging with cool people! I know it sounds dumb, but we are really proud of you - you're doing the best you can do. Right foot, left foot, repeat. Shrug. That's all you can do. When my world crashed a couple of years ago, I made sure I always had one of Jon's bandanas in my pocket for those uncontrollable weepy moments.
Oh, and Dean, my limousine-challenged one, even I'VE been in a limo!
Mary
Ohhhh.... I wish I could have gone with you!!! It sounds like you had a great experience- and by the time I read the blog (with you being 3 hours earlier) it was Wed. morning and I had already missed the show-damn!!!! Glad you had a good time :)
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