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Friday, March 30, 2012

Star Struck!

It was just like that time at Disney World, when My Lovely Wife and kids jumped out of the van and ran to the bathroom because they all had to pee furiously after a nine-hour ride from North Carolina.

Well, okay, it wasn't exactly like it, because no one had to pee and we had driven only an hour north to Raleigh, but you'll see what I mean in a minute.

When they came back from the bathroom that day in Florida, a young woman with a clipboard was following them. She told us we had been chosen, as part of Disney's Year of a Million Dreams, for a free upgrade to Concierge Level at the Grand Floridian Resort. The building required room keys for entry and provided a free breakfast, free evening reception, and even free beer and liquor in the evening. We later researched the value of this gift from the Great Mouse of the Everglades only to find we would have paid well over $1,000 for the luxury.

You must understand, we're not the kind of people who often get smacked in the back of the head with that kind of luck. So, when fate does smile upon us from time to time, we are genuinely taken by surprise and just as genuinely grateful. We get gratefully giddy, in fact, and trip all over ourselves to repeatedly express our gratitude.

Such was the case this past Sunday evening.

We had traveled to Raleigh for an evening performance of the "Mythbusters: Behind the Myths" live stage show. My Lovely Wife and I have watched the Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel ever since the show premiered almost a decade ago. Our children have grown up admiring the antics of the show's stars, Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage. Now, there they would be, just a hundred feet in front of us on stage. Talk about perfect entertainment for the entire family!

On the way into the theater, the Italian commented on how awesome it would be if we got to meet Jamie and Adam, shake their hands, maybe even talk to them. We made sure he understood that was not going to happen. We were there only to see the show.

After running back out to the van to get our camera after finding out we were allowed to bring them in with us, I heard My Lovely Wife frantically calling my name. A very tall man with a clipboard in his hand and backstage credentials hanging around his neck was standing next to her. She excitedly explained that our boys had been chosen to appear in the show. Would that be okay?

Let's see. Hell, yes!

Will, the young man with the clipboard, led us to the stage left dressing room where Bob, a model of calm efficiency, explained the parts the boys would play in the show and fitted them with eerily lifelike masks of their scientific heroes. The Italian balked at first -- the whiskers scratched his face and the mask made him a little nervous -- but he quickly recovered. The German was thumbs up from the word go.

The five of us watched the first act backstage from the wings which, though exciting, rather limits what one can see and hear. We got the general gist of everything, however, and the cast and crew danced excitedly around us in a neatly choreographed production.

When it came time for the boys to get ready, we headed back to their dressing room and got them fitted in their costumes, complete with matching outfits to those being worn by the Mythbusters. The joke went over with a tremendous laugh from the audience as the boys took the place of Jamie and Adam on stage for a quick sight gag. Adam even got the boys' names right when he introduced them to the crowd.

We got to meet the Mythbusters twice that evening during the intermission, before and after the boys got out of their costumes. A crew member took pictures as the boys and their big sister got autographs and chit-chatted with the two down-to-earth stars of the show.

Jamie and Adam thanked us for letting the boys be in the show, while we tripped over ourselves to thank them for giving our family an experience we will never forget.




© 2012 Mark Feggeler

13 comments:

  1. wow awesome, wish i could meet them, ive watched the show since the start

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  2. It was an incredible experience. Worth much more than the price of admission.
    Mark

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  3. I got called up for the same experiment in Cleveland (although I wore the first mask - a lady picked at the same time wore the second mask/met the mini-mythbusters) and it was epic.

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  4. It was, indeed, epic. I was afraid the roar of laughter might frighten our boys straight off the stage.
    Mark

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  5. Lucky! We went to the show last night in Toronto Canada and it would have made the night even better if we could have met them! Looks like you and your family had a fabulous time. Congrats!

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  6. My wife & I were at the same show, front row center. How awesome for your kids to be chosen! We met Adam & Jamie after the show, both very intelligent & gracious hosts!

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  7. I agree, Barry. They were extremely gracious.

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  8. Thank goodness I read the post. At first, I read just a bit and saw the first picture and thought, 'Why do these guys look like munchkins?' Then I read on about the masks, and that it was the Italian and the German, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

    What a wonderful experience that must have been for your family.

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  9. Yes, I will admit that we are a bit jealous!! What an awesome experience! Paula

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  10. Hi Sioux! Sorry it took a while to respond -- blogger had your comment marked as spam, of all things. Yes, it was a wonderful experience. Keep up the great writing!
    Mark

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  11. You just make me SMILE!

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