1999 GH Luncheon Weekend...

The night before I left for CA, a girl named Denise emailed me and said
that she had bid on the silent auction to go to the GH set and had won a tour,
and she asked me if I wanted to split the costs with her. I am so greatful
to Denise for emailing me & asking! Here is how it all went:

MY TRIP TO THE GH SET:
On Thurs, July 22, GH Fan Club Pres. Debbie Morris, Tammy Pappas (also affiliated with the GHFC)
Denise & I headed to ABC Studios to the GH Set. We arrived and their names were at the gate
to the main entrance. They have guards there who let the actors and approved people in.
We get in & park & outside there is a sign that
says General Hospital, and a sign that says Emergency, which they use for the back
entrance to the “GH” hospital when they always have the ambulances come in on the
show. We walk into the building and down the hallways which have tons of framed
photos, posters, promos of GH actors, past & present. (Including ROBERT, ANNA,
ROBIN, HOLLY, SEAN & TIFF) 
Then we headed down to the infamous “Green Room” which is where all the actors hang
out between tapings, where they get their coffee & donuts, etc.  We walk in & there is
Ingo lying on the couch, while studying his script for the day. Wally & Nancy Lee were
also there talking to each other. They were all casually dressed in their normal every day
clothes.  We didn’t interrupt them, though, and then Nancy & Wally headed out to hair &
makeup. Ingo came over & talked to us. We had donuts & drinks, and when I shook
Ingo’s hand, I had sugar all over them. He thought it was funny, but he shook my hand
anyways. He talked to us & told us he wouldn’t be attending the GH Luncheon this year.
(And I know where he was & what he was actually doing the day of the Luncheon, but
I’ll be nice, and won’t tell Ingo’s little secret...LOL) Ingo said he would get pics later
with us, after he was through with hair & makeup. So we sat in the Green Room &
watched the TV screen which shows what is going on in the set upstairs. Rebecca Herbst
was taping a short scene, and we watched that, and then she came downstairs. She came
in & met & talked to us, got pictures taken with us, and told us the story about her name
being Rebecca Ann Liberty Herbst. She was very nice, I have met her on several
occasions before, and I always get that impression. I also told
her about when I first saw her, it was in the Always pads
commercial. She blushed when I said that... 

Then, next up was a scene with Genie Francie, Mary Beth Evans, and Coltin Scott that
we watched on the TV. (We couldn’t hear the sound, but could watch what was going
on). 

Then we went into the hair & makeup room where we saw Ingo getting some foundation
put on his face, and he swore he never gets makeup...lol...must be because of his natural
beauty...lol, then he moved over to get his hair done, and we watched them put a lot of
gel in his hair to get it to stand up like it has been recently. Then next was Tava Smiley,
she had her hair up in rollers, and had her makeup half done already. We told her how
great she was doing so far & how we liked the character of Chloe. She thanked us
graciously, and she was very nice. Then we saw Donna Pescow getting hair & makeup
done, and I told her I used to watch her when she was on “Out of This World” with Steve
Burton. She was nice as well. Nancy Lee Grahn was also in there getting her hair &
makeup done. 

Next we went to the wardrobe department. There were several rooms, and they all had
signs by them that said “AJ, Sonny, Mac, Carly, etc...”  We went over to some of the
clothes to see if we recognized any of them. And of course we recognized Carly’s famous
fur coat... Denise got her picture taken with the coat. Then Chloe’s dress was hanging
there. And I recognized some other outfits. Mostly all Emily’s outfits were tight &
skimpy, and we noticed a lot of nicer stuff for Alexis, rather than the dark stuff and the
lawyer suits she used to wear. And of course Stefan’s wardrobe was nothing but
DARK...lol...Sonny’s wardrobe, mostly all suits. Nice dressy, but casual outfits for Laura,
etc...then we met costume designer Bob Miller & talked to him. He said that most of the
Nurses Ball dresses & wedding dresses were in boxes in storage in case they need them
again. Bob talked about how disappointed he was that they had sold some of Lucy’s NB
dresses at SSW, and they didn’t go for very much, and he told us it was expensive to
design & make those dresses. He was also upset about Lily’s lace dress that Brenda had
burned several years ago, and the dress that Karen wore to her & Jagger’s wedding. On
the PC set, they had tore it, then died it red for Karen’s “Divorce Party”...LOL...
He was also in the midst of trying to decide what kind of sunglasses Jax should wear for
an upcoming scene. 
Then we went up & down the hallways & looked at some more great photos & took a
look at the dressing rooms. They were all shut & locked, except for Maurice’s. And
inside were pictures of him & his new baby, and of Paula & Cailey. They were cute. :) 
And I asked whose dressing room said “Otto Dix” on it, and it was Tony Geary’s! I have
no idea why it says that on his dressing room...lol...

We went back to the green room, and there was Carly Schroeder, her mother Kelli, her
friend Heather, and guests Jackie & her mother. Jackie runs Carly’s online web site, and
Carly had invited her to come to the set. Jackie really only wanted to meet Maurice, and
her mother wanted to meet Ingo. Carly would tease her & say “There’s Maurice!”, when
it really wasn’t...lol...so we all talked in there for a long time. Genie & Mary Beth just
finished taping upstairs, and we knew they were headed downstairs...nervous time... we
had been told we would not get to go up to the set while Genie was taping, or get to meet
Genie because she isn’t into the fan thing... anyways, Mary Beth walked into the green
room, and says “Oh, a party! I’ll be sure not to wear this outfit to the GH Luncheon,
because you will know where I got it from”, and then Genie walked right on by the green
room, seeing that we were in there. I was like, oh well...
But, Genie did come back in, she did look at us, and walked over to the coffee. Carly’s
mom broke the ice a little by introducing Carly & Genie... I couldn’t believe they had
never met. The PC & GH Studios are only several feet away from each other. We were
all joking about what might’ve been, that Serena could’ve been Scotty & Laura’s child, if
they had stayed together. Genie said she missed Kin on GH, and wished he were still on
this show... Genie even let us take a picture of her, and with Carly. I didn’t push though,
so I didn’t ask for a picture with her. Just one OF her is ok is with me, since I had none..
We kindly thanked her, and she said goodbye, and goodbye to Carly, and that it was nice
to finally meet her. We were all in awe that we had just met her...

Coltin Scott came in & talked to us & got pics with us. He told us about a restaurant he
works at & manages, and that he plans to work there & GH at the same time. He also said
he had to go check on a friend who had been hospitalized & wasn’t sure if he was going
to make it. (I hope his friend did live, but I haven’t heard anything). Then after he left, I
said I hadn’t seen any of his scenes, but I like him already, because he’s so good
looking...and then he walked back by as we were laughing...

So we finally got to go up to watch the taping on the set. :)  When you go upstairs, there
is a sign that if the light is blinking, you can’t go in, because they’re taping, if it’s not lit,
you can go in. So we went in & immediately we saw rows of different sets. The docks,
the hospital nurses station, the Quartermaine Living Room, and the hotel room where
they were currently filming. Ingo & Donna Pescow were filming scenes, and Tava was
up there, too. These scenes are all regarding the Rome honeymoon scenes, and Aunt
Gertrude shows up to prove this is all a sham. It was interesting to watch them act, mess
up, cuss, (Well, Ingo did anyways...LOL!), and watch the directors work with them,
blocking, and watch the cameramen, the mic above them, etc. But it did take a long time
for them to get through this. Look for Ingo to be saying something Italian!!! It took him a
while to pronounce everything right, but I believe he has to say  “Esperto Unatimo, Por
Favore”. I think I had it memorized by that time. We were sitting on the Quartermaine
couch while we were watching the scenes. We decided to go back downstairs, because
we still wanted to go over to PC.
We went over to the PC Set with one of the ABC interns. She was very nice, and took us
all over. We saw some of the old sets outside in between where you walk from GH & PC
sets. Some old Robert & Anna, Duke sets, but they were folded up, the Recovery Room,
folded up, etc...
 Literally, the 2 studios are just steps from each other. 
We walk in to go up the stairs, and there is John J York going up to the set to tape. He
stopped and graciously asked if we wanted to get pics with him. He asked where we were
from, and I told him Illinois, and that is where he is from, and we discussed his event that
I attended in Apr of 98, and I had mentioned it to him at the 98 Luncheon as well. He
said he was taping scenes at the PC set that day. He’s so great, he’s one of my faves! :)
Then we went up to PC’s hair & makeup & Jon Lindstrom was in there, and the new
Ellen, and Pat Crowley, everyone seemed to be dressed up. (For Victor’s “fake”
funeral...lol) Then while we’re going through the staircase agian, Julie Pinson comes
running by. :) 
Then we went up to the set, and Kin & Lynn were filming scenes with the baby, and then
Karen & Joe were filming scenes. We didn’t stay on the set too long. 

We came back to the GH set & I heard a familiar voice...It was Maurice Benard. He had
come in to work while we were over at PC. We found out he had met Jackie and got
pictures with her, and kissed her hand... :)

We went back to the GH Green Room and Nancy Lee was waiting to film and talked to
us for a long time before she had to go up. Sarah Brown had come into the studio, and
stopped at the Green Room to talk to Nancy Lee, they are good friends, and talk about
their kids, Jordan and Kate. :)  I honestly think Sarah looked better in her own clothes,
before she went into wardrobe, they put her in some gaudy red dress that doesn’t even
seem to fit Carly’s wardrobe, but anyways...

Then they were taping a scene with Ned, Alexis, Chloe & Jax.
Ingo had run by, and so had Wally, and Wally had no shirt on... (ooh!) then he came by
after he did his wardrobe change with his shirt on...and Tava & Nancy Lee went up, too. 

Then Lisa Vultaggio had come in, and walked by, and Carly Schroeder mistakenly said
“There’s Vanessa...”, (Unless she was kidding...lol...)  Later was a scenes with Sonny &
Hannah, and Carly, that’s why they had all just come in...

But it was lunch time, so we went over to the ABC Commissionary with Nancy Lee &
Tava. They are so fun & sweet. It was great to have lunch with them. We had lunch at a
table next to Maurice & Scott (Johnny). Nancy Lee & Tava split their meal with each
other. Billy Warlock had just come into work, and came to the dining area & stopped by
our table to talk to Nancy & Tava, and got pics with us. Also Jay Pickett & Sarah Aldrich
stopped by, although Nancy & Tava barely even knew their names..lol..like I said their
studios are only feet from each other, and they share the same dining area, but they rarely
all ever meet. Anyways, we talked about all kinds of stuff, movies, having kids, or not
having kids, spirituality, religion, just about everything, I swear our lunch was 2 hrs long.
We talked so much after we ate. I learned so much private stuff about them, which I will
not share with anyone, because I respect their privacy. But all-in-all it was so much fun,
and they were very nice people. 

Unfortunately, it was time for me to leave, because I had to make it over to NBC Studios
where my friend was waiting in line to go to Leno. So I said my final goodbyes to Nancy
Lee & Tava before I left... Tava gave me a hug goodbye, and said
she'd see me at the GH Luncheon on Sunday.
It was one of the best days, and I would gladly blow all my
money on going again! :)

MY TRIP TO LENO:
I took a taxi over to Leno, and found Brenda standing in line. She was the 5th person, out
of about 30 people...lol...they make such a big hype about Leno. They make it sound like
you have to wait in line for hours to get seats, when I showed up at 3 pm and there was
hardly a waiting line. Of course the guests weren’t huge or anything. Jenny McCarthy
was supposed to be there, but cancelled out, which I didn’t want to see her anyways...
The guests were 
Dan Quayle
Shannon Elizabeth (American Pie)
LL Cool J
When we walked into the Leno set, I was like “This is IT?” It was so small! They make
everything look so much bigger on TV, they use some kind of camera that expands how
big the set, stage & audience look.
Then after the 30 people filled up the seats, they bring in their own people to fill the rest
of the studio full, so it appears to be sold out... then they strategically place the certain
people who have been coached on what questions to ask Jay during the segment. And if
you should get up to go to the bathroom during taping, they will fill in your seat with
another extra until you get back, just so it appears that there are no empty seats. It was
really unbelievable. But Jay was good, and getting to be in the front row & get to go up &
shake his hand was well worth it. I got shown on the TV a couple of times, and so did
Brenda. :) 


HOLLYWOOD:

Friday morning I met Michelle, my online GH friend for the first time. She was very nice.
We went to Hollywood to the Walk of Fame, Chinese Theatre and saw the
handprints/footprints, and the stars. I took pictures of Anna Lee & John Beradino’s stars!
I was so happy to have found John B’s star this year, I didn’t find it when I went 2 yrs
ago. Then we did a little shopping in Hollywood, and I bought all my family’s souvenirs
there, and for myself, I bought a plaque with an 8x10 glossy photo of Antonio Sabato, JR,
and it has an engraved bio on the side of some of his acting work, and it said General
Hospital as one of them, so I had to buy it. Now I’m trying to figure out where I’m going
to put it at home...
Then we ate at the Hamptons of Hollywood. It was really good food. And I even saw an
actor that I had seen at the GH dining area the day before. He wasn’t a GH actor, he was
just  there eating lunch with a friend. I just thought it was a coincidence to see him 2 days
in a row, and I didn’t know who he was...
Then we went to a place where Michelle used to work, and it was the buildings and the
fountain where the Left Handed Boy was filmed at in 1980. The bus stop, the background
scenery, and the sniper lookout points at the top of the office buildings...
We tried to look for the famous Mayor’s Mansion where Luke lived, and where L&L had
been married. We believe it’s somewhere in Hancock Park area of Hollywood...If anyone
might know for sure, please email me & let me know. According to Shell Kepler, she
says it’s in that area, too, behind gates or something...
We drove through some more Hollywood spots, Melrose, Beverly Hills, etc. and then it
was time to come back to the Sportsman’s Lodge so I could get ready for the PC
Luncheon...
Brenda & I got there & checked in, and I went to the poolside because Lisa Cerasoli was
doing pictures & autographs. She was so nice. And I told her I would definetly miss “V”.

The PC LUNCHEON...

I get in line for the PC Luncheon, and I see Denise, and then
Jackie & her mother. So I went & stood in line with them. We
were about to check in & then Lynn & Stacey came in & handed me
my PC Luncheon ticket. (We had all ordered them together.) Then
we checked in & got packets with different PC memorabilia. I
went and sat down next to Suzanne Lanoue. I knew her from her
online GH page. She was very nice, and I was also sitting next
to a lady named Dawn, I believe. Then Lynn & Stacey joined our
table. It was very nice to see them again. Also Melanie & Joanna
are pals of mine from past luncheons. 
The event started off with Nolan North as our host for the
evening. :) He's so funny & does a lot of stand-up comedy. He
announced the rest of the cast. 
Attending the PC Luncheon was:
Lynn Herring
Jon Lindstrom
Kin Shriner
Carly Schroeder
Colton James (Neil)
Sarah Aldrich (Courtney)
Amy Webber (the new Lark)
Marie Wilson (the new Karen)
Jay Pickett
David Gail (new Joe Scanlon)
Julie Pinson
Nolan North 
Nicholas Pryor 
Granville Van Dusen
Anders Hove (FAISON)
Lisa Ann Hadley 
Kimberlin Brown (Dr. Rachel Locke)
George Alvarez
Wendy Riche

After they were announced, Lynn Herring disappeared. I was
taping the event, and one minute she was there, and the next she
was gone. She couldn't stay for the event. 
Nolan, Carly, & Colton James drew the raffle winners, and Colton
ran around giving everyone their prizes...

They did an awards ceremony, and Lynn Herring got best actress,
Kin Shriner best actor. Lucy & Kevin won best couple award, and
Jon Lindstrom accepted it, and Julie Pinson went up there &
grabbed the award away from him. It was so funny! :) 
Next they did Q&A session with everyone. The fan club prez. pre-
picks which questions will be asked. There were a lot of good
questions & answers, but the best one had to be when Nolan asked
Anders Hove what Faison did with Robert, Anna, & Lucky... LOL! :)
During the Q&A, Kin's cell phone rang, and Nolan was like,
"Everybody stop what they're doing...Kin has to take a call..."
LOL!
Jon Lindtrom joked that Port Charles should be renamed "Scotty's
world"...
It was a great event, and well worth going to, even though PC
disinterests me, it's the actors that make the show worth
watching. 
Then the actors went to their tables to sign autographs, and I
hit up Anders Hove first. I really wanted to meet him, and
wanted to just in case he would happen to leave. I told him I've
been watching him since he was on GH as Faison all those years
ago. I also asked him how long he was going to be on GH for, and
he said at least until November, and it could be longer than 
that if they extend his stay. Anders lives in Denmark, and he
flies to LA every time he has to shoot scenes for GH, and he
stays with Kin Shriner when he comes.
I also met a lot of the other cast members as well, but Jon
Lindstrom didn't stick around for autographs either, he had to
leave. And Kin Shriner didn't stay in one spot, he just wandered
around the room getting pictures taken with fans, autographs,
chatting, etc. I didn't get to meet Kimberlin Brown, she must've
left early. I didn't get George Alvarez, either. George had his
son there, he always brings him to the events with him. It's
sweet. I don't think Colton James stayed for autographs.
Nolan's, Julie P, & Jay Pickett's lines were the longest, so I
went to Julie's first. I told her I love Eve. :) Then I went to
Wendy Riche. I told her I loved GH, and had been watching it
since I was born. I really wanted to tell her off for not asking
Finola to come back to GH! And for firing John Reilly & Sharon
Wyatt in 95. Those are the only 2 gripes I have against
her...but I was nice...
Then I went to Lisa Ann Hadley's line. I like her, despite what
they have done to her character. I chatted with her about them
making Julie the GH Homicide killer, and I asked her if it would
turn out that she WASN'T the GH killer after all, and she looks
over at Wendy Riche, and then kinda whispers to me that it's
going to turn out that she really isn't. And I told her good,
because I liked her.
Then I went to Jay Pickett's line and told him that a year ago,
Frank had started taking DL56 & was really mean, and I had asked
him if he was ever going to be nice again. And then I told him 1
year later, he had only gotten worse, and he isn't even on DL56!
Jay said he thinks they're going to reform Frank now. He said
"What more damage can I possibly do?"
I went to Sarah Aldrich's line, and I told her I liked the
scheming Courtney. She's nice. :)
I also went to the new Joe, the new Karen & the new Lark's
lines, and met & took pics & autographs with them, even though I
didn't know who they were. I talked to the new Lark, Amy Webber,
she was very nice. The new Joe had just grabbed a beer, so his
breath was just lovely when I talked to him & got my pic taken
w/ him. He's pretty good looking, but he's no Michael Dietz. :(
Then we were asking him to get a pic w/ Jay Pickett. We wanted
Scanlon brother photos.
Then I went to Nicholas Pryor's line, and I told him I liked
Victor. I forgot to tell him that I had seen him on a few
episodes of Dynasty when they showed reruns on FX.
I also went to Granville Van Dusen's line. I told him DV was
really evil, but I liked his acting. He was really nice, too.
I went to Carly Schroeder & her friend Heather was there with
her, and Carly's mom was there. I got my pic with her, and told
her it was nice to meet her at the GH set yesterday. :)
Last but not least, I went to the main attraction himself, Nolan
North. He is just the most entertaining person you'll ever meet!
:) Luckily he stayed way past 11 pm til he signed & got pics
with everyone that was left. It was really fun! I just wish some
of the ORIGINAL cast members had been there, like Michael Dietz.
:) I liked him. The PC Luncheon was great! :)

Then I go back to the hotel room to meet up with Brenda, hoping she wasn’t too bored. I
finally got back to the room at 11:30 from the PC Luncheon. Then 4 girls knock on the
door asking for Carrie, and I said she hadn’t come back yet from Vanessa & Tyler’s play.
Then Joanne recognized me from an (awful) Walmart group picture I had sent her over
the internet... then I realized that Jeanne, Laura, & Joanne were the 3 that I had put
together because when I asked for a 4th roommate, all of them had replied...lol...
They were also with a girl named Amber. They were about to leave as Carrie arrived. So
I got to meet Carrie then, and then all of them went out. I would have, but I was so tired
after everything I’d already done that day, and it was after midnight.

Michelle picked Brenda & I up and we went over to the Universal Hilton for the Q
Brunch. Brenda went over to Universal Studios City Walk while we were at the Q
Brunch. We went in, and there was Q merchandise for sale, I was tempted to buy a T
shirt that said “an heir to the Quartermaine fortune”, and then their was an Alan &
Monica shirt, that said “it’s my house! “ “But I gave it to you”, on it...lol...I bought an
Alan & Monica photo, and an Edward/Lila photo. At our tables stacked up nicely were
coffe mugs with a picture of Alan/Mon, and it says:
Monica: “I can’t recall if I am reliving the times we were fighting like cats and dogs or
whether we were pledging our eternal devotion. 
Alan: “ Well, we’ve done both on occasion”
It’s a neat mug... Each person at the table got one.
Then they announced everyone...
Patricia Healy, Billy Warlock, Amber Tamblyn, Wally Kurth, Stephen T. Kaye, John
Ingle, Anna Lee...
and then out came Leslie & Stuart in character pretending to bicker like Alan & Monica
do. It was really funny...
Then Brad Maule came in, he was carpooling, so he was going to have to leave early...
Then everyone sat down and ate. I guess the rich have poor tastes in food, because you
basically had to guess what you were eating at “The Hilton”.  Most of it was not that
great, and neither was the desert in my opinion. It looked fancy, but you couldn’t tell or
taste what it was. (Maybe I’d rather not know...)
Then it was time for the “Q” & A! Billy was asked if he wanted to drop a house on Jason
& Carly... and Billy said yes, and also asked if AJ was that bad of a person that he
doesn’t deserve his son. He even said, “Oh c’mon, just because it gave Jason a little
personality with a kid, rather than (crossing his arms), and made a comment about
everyone liking Jason’s steely blue eyes...
Wally was asked if he’d like to resume his affair with Auntie Monica. And he pointed out
that he wasn’t the actor playing Ned at the time, so he would love to remake flashback
scenes with Wally as Ned in them...
Amber was asked what she’s learned from her parents...
“To lie, cheat on your spouse...” Amber said Emily will probably never get married, just
have tons of affairs like her mother...lol...
Anna was asked what advise she would give Alan  &  Mon for staying together, and John
Ingle was also asked this...
Patricia was asked if she would have liked to get together with Alan if Monica weren’t in
the way...
Stephen was asked whey he keeps on being the Q’s butler...
Brad Maule was asked why he didn’t just have an affair with Monica, when Bobbie &
Alan were going to... He said “Wendy (Riche) wouldn’t let me...” I’ve wanted to have an
affair with everyone on the show”, but Wendy wouldn’t let me. I can only sleep with
family.. (Carly)...” lol...
Then Brad had to leave...
Wally also had to leave to do sound check & practice for the K&T concert later on..
It was all really fun, and Leslie announced that Amber would be going out on the town,
so she would stick around for pictures with people for about 15 min...
Then Leslie said her thank you’s to everyone, and Anna Lee left. She’s so beautiful. I
hope I look like her when I’m older.. :)
Then all the actors came around to the tables for autographs & pictures. Amber never did
make it to our table. She had 2 friends at the event with her, and she kept getting on her
cell phone. She was also sporting a very visible tattoo on her lower back, and her belly
button ring was showing. Then she & her friends left. I did manage to shoot some
pictures of her, though...
They were all very nice, and it was great to finally meet Leslie & Stuart. The past 2 years
at the GH Luncheons, I always missed them. (They left early)... and Michelle & I talked
to Billy W about his storyline, and how AJ has turned into a jerk. He used to be a strong
independent character, and made a big mistake by moving back into the Q Mansion and
the whole ELQ thing. Billy agrees & wishes his character were different. I think there
was some mentions of Guza between Michelle & Billy, but I don’t remember what all he
said... (We all know it’s Guza’s fault AJ’s a jerk...)
We also met Patricia and John Ingle. I told Patricia that I had seen her & Wally in Love
Letters in June here in Illinois. :)
Stephen T. Kaye left before I could meet him. He always gets away, too...
The event was great...
Michelle & I got drinks in the hotel lobby and waited for Brenda, and talked about GH...
:) That’s of course where I got my lovely RED ice tea..lol...at first we weren’t for sure if
it was tea. It was, I think it just had raspberry flavor in it. Again, this is the Hilton...
So Brenda got back & said she had fun at the Universal City walk, she went and saw
“The Haunting” and found some “John Wayne Toilet Paper”...lol...
Then we went back to the hotel to get ready for K&T...

Brenda & I ate in the hotel's restaurant, and we heard music 
playing, and then I saw Wally walk by, and I remembered he had 
come back to the hotel to do sound check for that night's 
performance.


To Be Continued... with descriptions of the Kurth & Taylor concert, GH Fan Luncheon, and Rebecca Herbst Fan Event...
and pictures to follow!
:)
Danielle