Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy It's here! It's here! OMG it's here!!! This month---in exactly 20 days (as of this posting)---I will be seeing Vicki Lawrence's traveling show "Vicki & Mama: A Two Woman Show" in my very own hometown on my very actual birthday at the end of the month, Sat. the 29th (cough*gifts*cough). I can't believe this. For 7 months now I've known that my mom had gotten tickets for the fam'ly as a big birthday "hoop-la" for me, but last week it really hit me that it's actually reality. I mean, this is the month. *The* *month!* This has been in the back (and sometimes front, lol) of my mind for the past 7 months, and now we're finally in the home stretch of less than 3 weeks (!). I made sure to get offa my men's shoes job fer that day---I'm sacrificin' commission in hopes of meetin' Vicki, LOL. And that's what this whole show hings on fer me. I have loved "Mama's Family" ever since I was a kid and grew up watchin' it, I have loved Vicki's "Mama" and think Vicki is one of the most talented actresses out there. Her gifts as an actress are amazing...she has wonderful comedic timing, hilarious expressions, good dramatic abilities, and dead-on mannerisms and vocal inflections of a 65 year-old crotchety grandma (she's right, she really did learn from "the very best" in her days on "The Carol Burnett Show"). I love sitcoms and I love to laugh, but there's just somethin' about "Mama's Family" (and the "Family" sketches on the Burnett show)...Vicki's perfect portrayal of Mama still leaves me in stitches after I've seen a show 10 times. She freakin' cracks me up! And a few times she even makes me nearly teary-eyed (one Christmas episode with lines to her late husband Carl really gets to me). I spent many a school-day afternoon when I got home watching and taping the show, and "Mama's Family" became like an extended family. In fact, it's what first interested me in psychology, lol, because I loved seeing the layers of the relationships between the characters and noticing how the characters evolved over the years. So I am soooooooo anxious to see if I can meet her. If I do I'll be fine (I've met my favorite singer 6 times and am friends with Mary Costa), so it's not like I'm anxious to meet her because she's from Hollywood, it's just that this is such a RARE opportunity for me---how often will Vicki Lawrence be in Kentucky? In my hometown? On my freakin' birthday??? One of my best friends' moms says "this is fate, you have *got* to meet her, it has to happen, and if anyone deserves to it's you"...which is very sweet, I just hope she's right, LOL. A lady we know at the center where the show is is thrilled that it's my birthday that night too and she said she'll do anything she can to help make this happen for me (she is such an angel, she was so enthusiastic on the phone). Some Vicki/Mama fans have gotten to meet her after shows before...some 3 or 4 times. So I envy those folks. I'll be happy with just 1 time, iffin' I can get it. Currently I'm in the middle of makin' a gift for her to take to the show...heck, the best gift I could get on my day would be to give *her* a gift, lol. It's been exciting and I'm hopin' that if it's a matter of getting past security backstage to meet her, that they'll see what I made and invite me to give it to her myself (I'm not going to wrap it at all since we know there are unfortunately "kooky fan" types out there---I want this to be smooth and fine and for them to see a "harmless aura" around me, lol). I'm gonna be makin' a shirt up too to fit the occasion. I've actually toyed with the idea of bringin' "The Harpers go to Disneyland" along, a script I wrote upon my return from my first trip to DL and first LP Meet when I was still runnin' on ultra-happiness in the clouds, lol...it's a fantasy-special I wrote of the "Mama's Family" characters going on a trip to DL. A few other Mama folks who've read it had some very touching things to say about it, but I dunno...while I do wanna be memorable and make her laugh, I don't wanna overdo it. If I did bring it I would definitely tell her I'm NOT trying to get it filmed, LOL...it's just for a hopefully-fun read. But we'll see---first priority is the *big* gifty I'm workin' on. Gosh...in exactly 3 weeks it will have been 1 day after the show. I will either be here and be ECSTATICALLY *THRILLED* beyond words, or I'll be...well, I don't wanna think about that. I wanna be optimistic and hope hope hope that this can happen. This is such a dream of mine to meet one of my favorite actresses, and from my favorite show ever. I've even been thinking about what to say...I definitely wanna make her laugh because I *love* her laugh---it's so infectious and lively. If the mood is right I even have one of my favorite short Mama rants to recite, LOL. I also wrote a feature-length article to promote her appearance, which I've sent to 2 newspapers. One is in another town she'll be in the day before and they basically told me "Thanks, but no thanks"...they're gonna go with local writing if they choose to do anything about it. I was hopin' they'd find some of the little-known info and history about her career and life interesting, but oh well...my hometown paper has it, but they haven't told me yet if they'll print it. I would be so excited as a writer to see my first publication happen, especially on a subject I love (I admire JohnS1's successes and am happy to see another writer do well!). I've had some work done for a while on an "unofficial guide to 'Mama's Family'" book, but again, I dunno if I'd bring it...I wouldn't wanna overdo myself if I get to meet her. So is a brief greeting and 1 picture too much to ask for? I ceratainly hope not. Oh sure, I wouldn't complain if she wanted to take my family out to eat with the crew afterward, LOL, but I'll be *just* fine with a photo! So I reallreallyreally hope to have PICS to post in 3 weeks!!! Let's keep them good vibes comin' y'all!! Byron (whose birthday has never before hinged on such a milestone event)
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost You know you really should try to find a way to get more excited about this. It seems like a big deal and you are soooo casual about it. Just kidding...I'm routin' for ya!
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost P.S. When I flew into Long Beach last year, your enthusiasm prompted me to keep a look out to see if the great Ms. Lawrence was any place to be seen. She wasn't!
Originally Posted By AladdinAZ Byron, I sure hope Vicki will "bump up the lights" and give you a chance to ask her a question! A few years ago, when she had her own talk show, I got a chance to be in the audience, and even to ask her a question before the show started. I said (very nervously) "On the Carol Burnett Show, I saw many people ask the same question I'm going to ask you, Could I have a hug?" She responded by saying something like "Oh how sweet, I have never had anyone ask me that!" Then she walked over to me, gave me a great big hug AND Kissed me on the cheek. How warm and down to earth was that! Almost the antithipas of her "Momma" character!
Originally Posted By chickendumpling << Then she walked over to me, gave me a great big hug AND Kissed me on the cheek.>> You're gonna make Byron pass out with that kinda talk! LOL. You know you HAVE to tell him what your question was now, right?
Originally Posted By LilliBelle That is SO cool, TDG! I am keeping everything crossed that you will be able to meet "Mama" and Ms. Lawrence! I hope your local paper publishes your article.
Originally Posted By chickendumpling <<You know you HAVE to tell him what your question was now, right?>> (duh. Sorry about that AladdinAZ. Obvious brain skip on my part - just going too fast.)
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy LOL@Goofyer...and Aladdin, that's great that you got to meet and hug her! I know I went on and on (which may be a reason this is kind of a dud thread, lol), but thanks to those here for the well-wishes and enthusiasm---we're now in the double digits of April! It's gettin' closer! :-D
Originally Posted By LPFan22 I'm keepin' my fingers crossed for you TDG. I so want you to meet her! =)
Originally Posted By Mary Poppins It sounds like the birthday of a lifetime to remember and savor. Have fun anticipating this event.
Originally Posted By oc_dean Tall Disney Guy ........ TALL DISNEY GUY ....... I never will live down the time yer aunt Fern gave you coloring book for yer birthday and you never did say thank you!! YOU JUST STOOD THERE STARRIN' AT THE GROUND! Yer aunt Fern never did forgive you - not even on HER DEATH BED!!!!!!!! >:|
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy Thanks LPF and MP! And LOL@oc_dean...for folks who are goin' "Huh?", that was a bit from a classic "Family" sketch on the Burnett show, lol.
Originally Posted By chickendumpling <<I've actually toyed with the idea of bringin' "The Harpers go to Disneyland" along>> So two questions. 1) Is LP's very own VernaL in that script? and 2) have you seen every single Mama's episode?
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy Lol, no, no LPers are in the script...I wanted to keep it as "real", as if it were really filmed. And yep, I've seen every "Mama's" episode...I started tapin' the show in junior high, and it did take a while, but I finally got 'em all (*phew*).
Originally Posted By idleHands <<And yep, I've seen every "Mama's" episode...I started tapin' the show in junior high, and it did take a while, but I finally got 'em all (*phew*).>> Now I don't feel so bad about my M*A*S*H addiction. 8^D
