Originally Posted By AutoPost This topic is for Discussion of: <a href="http://www.LaughingPlace.com/News-ID512270.asp" target="_blank"><b>LP Column: 7/29/08 Bob Welbaum: More of the Story</b></a> Bob shares a story from Imagineer Joe Rohde's extended interview in the recently completed 2008 NFFC convention. Rohde recounts the real story of how a tiger helped Animal Kingdom come to be.
Originally Posted By sharon2 I heard Joe Rohde tell the "tiger" story on one of those Travel Channel shows. He's a nut!! I mean that in a nice way of course!!
Originally Posted By leemac Great story, Bob. I'm glad to hear that the NFFC attendees enjoyed the legends lunch. The funny thing is that when we were doing the interviews for our article about the creation of DAK for Issue 12 of Tales he said that he'd prefer not to start with the tiger tale - he felt there were other stories to tell and that it had been exaggerated so many times (often by Michael himself). I've been meaning to put an abbreviated version of the DAK story on LP.com and I think I will do now. It was a fascinating interview to hear how his team built the consensus that DAK would work: <a href="http://www.talesfromthelaughingplace.com/www.talesfromthelaughingplace.com/Current%20Tales.html" target="_blank">http://www.talesfromthelaughin...les.html</a> The irony is that the author of the book - Melody Malmberg - is Joe's wife.
Originally Posted By Bobwelbaum Thanks, leemac! I happened to remember the story from the book, and although it didn't require much creativity on my part, it was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Interesting that Melody is his wife. I immediately went running for the book again. No mention on the dust-jacket notes ("Melody Malmbert was a full-time show writer for Walt Disney Imagineering for six years. A graduate of Occidental College, she has worked as a journalist and a college administrator. This is her first book.") No specific mention on the Dedication ("This books is dedicated to my husband, my sons, and my mother, with thanks and love.") But there it is, buried in the Acknowledgments ("Of course, I could not have written this without my husband, Joe Rohde: without him, there wouldn't be anything to write about...") You learn something new every day! Bob
Originally Posted By nbodyhome Bob - It was nice meeting you and going to Target with you at the NFFC! I have "The Making of Animal Kingdom" by Melody Malmberg, it's a wonderful book.
Originally Posted By leemac Melody also wrote the amking of HKDL book too. She is a well-known journalist in the Pasadena area. Very talented indeed. Wonderful person too.
Originally Posted By nbodyhome I have never seen the HKDL book, I may need to get that! Melody is very talented - I've never met her, but I finally met Joe Rohde, and he was extremely nice too. He hung out with us after the NFFC luncheon, and waved to me when I was in the lobby of the hotel (on my laptop).
Originally Posted By Mousehaus1 It was fun to read this account. I attended the NFFC convention and enjoyed every minute of it. This was one of the nicest and most entertaining legends luncheons in recent years. Joe was very entertaining and has a unique ability to actively engage his audience with his straightforward and humorous approach. The legend award was well deserved!
Originally Posted By Bobwelbaum nbodyhome -- That's the nice thing about the NFFC -- the people you meet! I've met people at the Convention who have become as close to family as friends can get... and I usually only see them once a year. It really is a special week. So I hope to see you next year, too. (And maybe sooner if you go to the FL Convention.) Bob
Originally Posted By nbodyhome Hi Bob! I won't be able to afford to do the Florida convention too, but I live here in Orlando - so who knows, maybe I'll run into you! I am very, very skittish in crowds - the guys were laughing at me because I slinked behind a wall on the first day of the convention. But it was nice finally getting to meet some of you, I am much better one-on-one. Denise
