It's all about our FAVE artist, baby!
Chapter 5: Beth meets Weird Al
Running With Scissors Tour, April 26, 2000, Khourassan Room, St. Louis, MO
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It's all about our FAVE artist, baby!Chapter 5: Beth meets Weird Al Running With Scissors Tour, April 26, 2000, Khourassan Room, St. Louis, MO |
Beth's Gift For AlBeth got to meet Al after the St. Louis concert. Beth is my only sister, and a gifted education teacher. One lesson she taught her 6, 7 and 8th grade students was about humor: what was funny, why it was funny, how to write jokes, etc. Many of her kids are Weird Al fans, so she brought in her Weird Al LIVE video (Beth's note: a birthday gift from her loving sister) and played it. The assignment was to write a parody and perform it (along with the original song) in front of the class and a video camera. She then gathered up all her students' songs, added a cover page designed by one of her students, and put them in a folder to give to Al. At the concert before show time, we saw a stagehand outside and went to ask about getting the folder of songs on the band bus before they left. He said the band was planning on coming out after the concert to sign autographs and we could give it to him then. Top
Beth and I had 3rd row seats on the aisle in the center section right in front of Jim. Two women and a child sat down right in front of us and we started talking to them before the show. One woman said she wasn't really a Weird Al Fan, but because she worked for the arena, she got 2nd row tickets AND backstage passes. Beth and I thought that was such a waste of great seats and coveted backstage passes! After the concert, we went outside to wait for Al and the guys to come out. I was especially hoping to meet Steve. So, while we were waiting for Al, the woman with the backstage pass walked by us toward her car. I ran over and asked her if she was going to use her backstage pass. She said NO! (What was she thinking?!? She was obviously delirious!) So, I asked her if I could please Please PLEASE have it. To my amazement and total shock, she said YES! I couldn't believe it! I gave her a BIG hug and thanked her profusely! Of course, I'm totally calm, cool, and collected about the whole thing: I ran back across the street shrieking oh my god, Oh My God, OH MY GOD, SHE GAVE IT TO ME! I ran up to Beth, still screaming like a Banshee, handed her the backstage pass and said, "She gave me her pass!" I grabbed her by the shoulders, turned her around and commanded, "I've already met him. You, GO!" Then I shoved her toward the front door. I could hardly contain myself. Top
Beth said she went backstage with all the other ‘lucky bastiges.’ She first met Bermuda who was looking for the gentleman at the table directly to her right. This nice young man had designed and painted a shirt for Al and had e-mailed Bermuda to get back-stage passes to be able to deliver it in person. The shirt consisted of an original painting for each song on RWS. Beth said this kid was supremely talented and the shirt was a real work of art. Beth told Bermuda about her class and asked him to sign the cover page of the parody folder. Bermuda looked through the songs and thought it was neat that they had written them. Jim then sat down next to Bermuda and Beth told him the story of the class project and had him sign the cover page also. Then, Rueben sat down with them and started talking and joking. He said he thought the crowd was really sedate that night. Beth got Rueben's autograph, too. Unfortunately, Steve was very tired that night and did not attend the meet and greet so Beth couldn’t get my Tangled Strings CD signed. Beth met Al asked him about the rumor that he had hurt his eye during the concert. Al said yes, his stethoscope hit him in the eye during "Like a Surgeon." A doctor from the hospital across the street came by, checked his eye and gave him some eye drops, he said. Beth wished him a speedy recovery. She then told him about her lesson on humor and that she assigned her kids to write their own parodies using him as an example. To this, he said, "Thanks Beth." Al signed a few items for her: the backstage pass, my RWS and BHD CD cover, and the cover page (which she intended to leave with the book of parodies but, since she got it signed, decided to keep it and show it to her kids). They chatted for a little while longer and got her photo taken with Al! (Editor's note: The goofy grin on Beth's face is testament to how excited she was to meet Al! Plus, if you look closely, you can see the red mark that is Al's eye injury.)  When Beth was getting up to let another person meet Al, she kissed him on the cheek and he kissed her back! Beth was really excited about that. She didn't want to leave right away (me waiting outside, on a back street at night in St. Louis with strangers notwithstanding). So, she waited and watched other people meet Al. Top
Example #1One woman, whom I call the 'bulldog', was an attorney who got backstage passes for her friend as a gift. Beth knows this fact because the woman went on and on about how she was a lawyer and if anyone could get passes she could and how she called around and wouldn't give up until she got what she wanted. (Beth's note: Ugh!) (Editor's note: ditto!) Example #2The next person was a whiny little man who asked Al, "When are you going to write some real songs?" Al's response... "These are real songs." Isn't that a hoot? Then this strange little man began to tell Al how his next video should look and what he did wrong in the last one. (Beth's note: Insolent little twerp!) (Editor's note: ditto #2!) He was so rude that Beth said she almost hit him so I can't even imagine what Al was thinking. But Al was nice and just let the little guy ramble on and signed his items and said, "Thanks for coming." Beth stood with Jim for a long while chatting while Al met the other people waiting. Jim was so nice. He said he saw us rocking and dancing in the third row and appreciated it. She got her photo taken with Jim. What a guy!  Then as Beth was leaving the room, nearly 15 minutes after talking with Al and finally remembering her poor sister and that dark alley, she turned around to wave and Al said, "Bye Beth." She was so tickled that he remembered her name! Top
Beth came outside after meeting Al and the guys. I've never seen her so giddy with excitement! Her voice was high-pitched and shaky as well (Beth's note: I don't remember the shaky/squeaky part, I think Tara is editorializing here). (Editor’s note: I AM NOT!) I could hardly see the autographs she got; she couldn't hold the page still her hands were shaking so much! (Beth's note again: Don't remember this part either!!) (Editor’s note: It happened! I SWEAR!) We were going to wait so I could meet Al and the guys, get autographs, and maybe a few photos. Unfortunately, Al cancelled the meet and greet because of his eye injury. I don't blame him! The best concert ever and Beth got to meet Weird Al. All in all, a WONDERFUL night! Don't you think? |