I am starstruck around celebrities. I don’t know why, but stupidity just sets in when someone famous is around. I will go just about anywhere to get a photo with a celebrity. I ‘ve gone to book signings in order to get an autographed copy of a celebrity book. I took my sons and daughter to the Providence Place Mall when the Red Sox road show was there so we could meet Mike Aviles and Oil Can Boyd. I was thrilled when a Providence Journal photographer offered to take our photo.
The TV show Providence was partially filmed in the downtown area back in the 90’s and I would watch them film scenes and wait for hours for an opportunity to say hi to the actors. I met and was able to get photos with several including Melina Kanakaredes (Sydney), Concetta Tomei (Sydney’s Mom), Seth Peterson (Robbie), Paula Cole (Joanie) & Tom Verica (Kyle).
So when I learned that Kevin Costner had a band and was performing at the Park Theater in Cranston, RI, I immediately bought the best seats I could get which wound up being in the third row. Now in all honesty, if it weren’t Kevin Costner’s band, I certainly wouldn’t have dished out $125 to go. But it was my hero, Kevin Costner, a big movie star who brought me so much enjoyment and escape at the cinema. I would have bought tickets to hear him recite the alphabet!
A photo with Kevin Costner would clear an item off my bucket list!
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Over the years, my husband and I have met a few celebrities. Tony Bennett was so down to earth. He chatted with my husband and me for a few minutes when we found ourselves at one of his shows. He met with a few of us after the concert at a Patrick Kennedy fundraiser. When David and I lined up with Tony, Patrick, Patrick’s mother and girlfriend for a photo, I turned to Tony and said “I like your tie”. “Oh no, “ he responded. “it’s part of the shirt and he proceeded to unbutton his shirt and show me just as the photographer snapped the picture!” We spoke for a few minutes and he autographed my program before we left. He never rushed us along , making us feel welcome and important.
In September, 2011, we visited Sharon Springs, NY, home to the Fabulous Beekman Boys. Brent & Josh are partners who moved from NYC to become farmers. Their Planet Green reality show has helped to revitalize a forgotten town in upstate NY. Community minded, funny and friendly, they organize the yearly Harvest Festival in the fall, which includes many activities throughout the weekend including tours of their farm. They also have a store in the center of town which was where I met Brent several times before the Harvest Festival.
The weekend of the Harvest Festival featured a book signing of their new Heirloom cookbook. David, Jr., Mikey and I saw Brent and met Josh briefly at the book signing.
The next day, we boarded the shuttle from the center of town to their farm, about a mile or so away. Josh and his parents were at the farm, while Brent stayed in town at the store in town. Josh’s mom spoke with us for a bit and then took a photo of us sitting on the mansion steps.
We rejoined the tour and then went over to speak with Josh and of course, get some photographs. He seemed to genuinely enjoy speaking with us. Mikey was difficult to engage and of course I mentioned the autism. He spoke with the boys about the subjects they liked in school and we told Josh about Mikey’s forte with maps. He stopped dead in his tracks and said ‘Follow me”. There were people who tried to ask him for a photo and he brushed them off and said “I’ll be back in a minute.” Then he said to me, “Pretend like you’re part of the family” and he led David, me and the boys right inside the Beekman mansion!! He asked his mom to show us the maps and then he went back outside. Inside the living room were original maps of Sharon Springs from the 1800’s and we all enjoyed looking at them!
In October, 2011, Dan Ackroyd made an appearance at Yankee Liquors in South Attleboro, MA to promote his new business venture, Crystal Head Vodka. My husband, sons and I waited in line for 4 hours to say hello, get an autographed bottle of vodka and hopefully a photo with him. When it finally was our turn, my husband performed his imitation of Steve Martin (Festrunk Brothers) from Saturday Night Live and yelled to Dan “You sex maaachine”. Dan was laughing and quipped back, “Two wild and craaazy guys”. The wait was so worth meeting Dan!
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I ran my normal errands the morning of the Kevin Costner show and on a whim, rode by the Park Theater. The Modern West trailer was there! I tried to get close, but security asked me to leave. I asked if I could just say hi to Kevin and get a quick photo and they told me no. My husband knew the head of security, Al, and Al told me to see him that night at the concert and if he could, he’d get me backstage. However, it seems that Mr. Costner would not accommodate anyone other than a very select few.
On the way home we found ourselves behind the tour bus and we followed that damn tour bus back to the Westin where it disappeared up a private entrance to the garage.
I have very little help with our sons, so I very rarely have the opportunity to go out during the evenings, and therefore must pick and choose my outings carefully. I guess I shouldn’t take it so personally, but it was a bitter disappointment that Kevin couldn’t be bothered to walk 30 feet from his trailor and say hi to a few of his dedicated fans, especially me. In life, it doesn’t matter how much money you have, how nice-looking you are, or how many movies you have been in, it’s how you treat people that really counts.
Kevin, being a nice guy really would have counted for something, at least in my eyes.
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