Our day started with a ride in an elevator with MSNBC anchor Contessa Brewer and her salad. I think I'm the only one who knew who she was because I watch MSNBC almost obsessively. She seemed genial, and I almost wanted to get off at her floor so I could go stalk my number 1 (okay, top 5?) celebrity crush, Brian Williams. On a side note, can someone please explain Chris Matthews' recent hair evolution? I was kind of enjoying the Schroeder look but now it's a strange bronze color.
But I digress...
It was interesting to be back at Studio 8H. I say this like I'm so blase but really, it's pretty groovy to see it all again. It's just as I remembered (and with my crap memory, that is kind of shocking). The last time I was there was with Beck in 1999 so it's been a while. I remember the first thing I saw then was Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri walking down the hall in their Spartan cheerleading uniforms. I pointedly ignored them (because I'm cool like that, man) but inside was thinking, "Holy crap, that is so surreal. And cool!"
However, that was then and this is... uh... now, and here are some random thoughts from the day:
Shia LaBeouf seems like a nice guy. He held the door for me and told the band he really liked them. I saw him jumping around on a pogo stick while hordes of teenage girls (who must have been on a school tour) screamed and squealed at him through their viewing window.
Bill Hader is freaking awesome and sweet. He introduced himself to Tom and me and told us about wearing jeans and a flannel shirt at the ACL fest and trying to see MMJ, but passing out because of the extreme heat (which, if you've been, you know is beyond insane).
I had yet another "passing Will Forte" experience (last time was when I was here in 07, and he came out of an elevator I was getting on), which is a bit random (and probably creepy of me to be making note of these things). I also found out he lives on the same floor/same building as a friend of mine, and she says that he is a genial boy.
MMJ got to do promos with Kristen Wiig, my favorite cast member so I got to watch her work for a few minutes. I'm not scooping anything because they started running last night, apparently, which I would have liked to see but NBC was out in our hotel. Hey, I just checked and it's still not working. Awesome.
I saw Fred Armisen, who I once went on a date with about 900 years ago (ironically, I met him through one of Beck's backup singers... did I just botch the definition of ironic?). I did not make an a** out of myself by trying to remind him of this, though. It's great to see him doing so well as he is quite a funny guy.
It's fascinating to walk the hallowed halls and read the signed photos of past hosts and musical guests. So much television history in one tiny place. More on Sunday... or Monday... whenever I've recovered as I'm sick but desperately trying to pretend I'm not. Today has us zigzagging all over the city and it's cold and rainy. Perfect, right?
Good times,
Ms. P
The thing is, back in (circa) 2005, Anna and I got to talk to Will Forte after he made a guest appearance during Demetri Martin's show at silly Emo's downtown.
ReplyDeleteWill talked to me for 5 minutes about how The Weight by The Band is one of the best songs to listen to while you go for a run in NYC. He also expressed his love for My Morning Jacket. I told him how much I loved the cartoon series he provided a voice for (Clone High) and he gave me his e-mail address so that I could contact him and he would send me the DVDs of the entire series (back when it wasn't even being considered for DVD release) and I was totally stunned by his badassness. Definition of tight.
I never e-mailed him though. I was afraid I'd accidentally type "WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE" and click send without looking back. It would've been my first introduction to restraining orders. This is the longest story ever of something not too interesting, but I've always hoped I'd have another chance to meet him.
I'm glad you had fun up there because that whole process has always seemed astonishing/exciting/tiring. The fellas sounded GREAT and looked sharp as tacks.