June 10, 2016- Dancing

 

 

I’m embarrassed to be dancing around at concerts, maybe partly because mom used to tell people that when I was a little girl I used to dance around to the” I Dream of Jeannie” theme and that song from the Gypsy soundtrack- “You Gotta Have a Gimmick” sometimes. I was always so humiliated when she did that in the 70s- mid 80s.

   It’s just so hard for me let go of past moments like that. I did dance around a lot at the DD Foxwoods concert which I totally regret. Amy has asked me if I was feeling ashamed at the time or not until afterwards; a little during and much more later on.

   In 1979 or 1980, Cindy, Jessica and I were disco dancing in the basement at our house. Mike was mainly waving a flashlight around to make it seem like we were at a club. “Hot Stuff” by Donna Summer was one of the songs that I remember from that day.

   We had been having a good time until Cindy fell and slightly injured her head when hitting it on an end table.

   Jim H asked me to dance at our 8^th grade “M*A*S*H” - themed dance but I turned him down and felt so ashamed because he had only done this as part of a dare. I saw 2 boys talking to him and laughing and pointing to me before he came over to me. They were laughing afterwards too.

   I’ve never really danced with a guy; doing so with my cousin Kevin at his wedding does not count. That was in 1988 at a country club in Saratoga Springs, NY.

   I can’t remember my 2 proms that well which is probably for the best. I’m wishing that I had never even gone to them. Friends of the family set me up with dates for both. “One More Night” by Phil Collins was the theme for junior year. 

   My date looked a little like the actor Jon Cryer. He only went because a classmate of his was there; he seemed to be talking to her more than me. They were seniors. I might’ve danced with him but only for like 30 seconds.

 My brother called him Duckie but not to his face. That was the name of Jon’s character in Pretty in Pink. I hadn’t even seen that movie until a year after that- I wasn’t really that into those teenie bopper films like my friend Cindy was. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off was okay, I guess. 

   I had an even worse time at my senior prom and was so glad when that night was over.” Never Say Goodbye” was the theme. I never did care for that song because it brought back some bad memories.

   I’ve only seen Bon Jovi perform that once at a concert- Giants Stadium 2001. I’m pretty sure that I’m right about this. A friend of a friend did dance with my date but I don’t think that I did. I’d rather not remember.

 

I Dream of Jeannie-opening sequence

 

1983

 Jon Cryer-on right

 

 

 

 

Note- The Jeannie and Donna Summer photos are from the internet

 

Regis and Kathie Lee – 1980s

The first time that we went to this show Ann Abernathy was the co-host. It was called The “Morning Show “and was 90 minutes long then.  Regis was not there that day though; Ira Joe Fisher was filling in for him. There was a cooking segment, some sort of chocolate dessert. I really hadn’t remembered who the guests were; Mike told me that Gary Coleman was one of them. Dad was with the 3 of us as he was for the next time that we went.

   I don’t even remember any of the guests from the 2nd time, one might have been a girl from the US Olympic luge team or perhaps that was the first. Mike might know for sure so maybe I’ll ask him sometime soon.

   We stood outside the “All My Children” studios which were across the street for a little while afterwards. We saw some of its stars – the 2 who played Myra and Sloane, Julia Barr, Michael E. Knight who I had a little crush on and Peter Bergman who jogged right past us. Mike saw the actor who played Travis getting into his limo and actually went up to him and got his autograph.

   We both got Regis and Kathie Lee’s autographs. Dad talked me into doing so and he also took a picture of Regis and I together which was embarrassing. We did get Ira Joe’s and Ann’s autographs previously too.

   The third time Kathy and Helen came with the 3 of us. Mike told me that Dom DeLouise was the guest and that Kathy had said that she wished that it had been his son Peter that was there instead. She was a 21 Jump Street fan and might’ve had a crush on him.

   I have this vivid memory of the producer Gelman making us move over 1 seat. Before that I had been in the one that had the number of the winner of the contest prize winner on it. I was pretty mad about this. I think that the prize was dinner for 2 at a nice restaurant.

   We walked all the way back to Penn Station – that’s like 32 blocks. It was kind of cold out that day. I’m pretty sure that I had set up the videotape for this show. I never did watch it though; I wonder if we still have it and if we are shown when the camera was on the audience.

   My brother did not want to take the day off from school so the fourth time just mom and I went. We found out while waiting on the line that Phil Collins was going to be a guest. I hadn’t read the TV Guide or watched the show the day before to find out who would be there

 A couple of girls had driven all the way from Ohio just to see him and they didn’t even have tickets. They were asking people if they had any extras; we gave them our 2 which they were extremely grateful about.

   Mom had no idea who Phil Collins was. He didn’t even perform a song; all he did was a bit of the drum part from “In The Air Tonight”. Mom did take pictures of him and the other guests. I think that one of them was a sports commentator – Curt Gowdy?  Two celebrity impersonators were there – Elvis and Marilyn Monroe.

   Mom was in the hospital so she couldn’t go the next time with Mike and I. Petula Clark was the guest. The audience had to sing part of her hit,” Downtown”. There would have been a 6^th time too but Mom was in the hospital yet again and Mike didn’t want to take the day off from school. I was too afraid to go into the city alone. I wish that I hadn’t been; mom’s favourite girl singer, Rosemary Clooney, was the guest. It’s a shame that she had to miss out on her.

   One day when Mike and I were talking about our experiences regarding this show he mentioned that the actor who played Freddie Kruger in the Nightmare on Elm Street movies was taping a segment either before or afterwards which I hadn’t remembered until we were talking about this.  We always did have such a good time and kind of wish that we had gotten tickets to see it more.

Regis and Me-1986

Kathie Lee 1988

Phil Collins

 

Junior Prom 1986

I can't believe that it has been 25 years since my Junior prom, not that I really enjoyed myself at this event. I was set up for it with a friend of our family friend and I think that the only reason that he was going was because one of his friends had also been set up with a guy in my class. They were both seniors. We are all in the picture outside of my apartment. The prom theme song was Phil Collins' One More Night. I don't really remember much about the night only that I was glad when it was over and wished that I hadn't even gone. Boy does my hair look ridiculously high. My brother and others said that my date looked like Duckie from Pretty In Pink. I wonder if my aunt still has that Jessica McClintock Gunne Sax southern belle type dress in her attic - probably not, I think that she had been planning on giving this and other stuff to the thrift shop years ago. I do still have the gloves, shawl and jewelry though.

Regis Philbin

I watched the news yesterday and saw the report about Regis Philbin retiring sometime later this year and was thinking about the 5 times during the 1980s that I went to see his show in New York City. The first time it was still called The Morning Show and was 90 minutes long. Dad came with Mark, Mom and I. We had called at least 5 months earlier to get these tickets. Regis was not there that day however and Ira Joe Fisher was filling in as cohost to Ann Abernathy. We got both of their autographs. I only remember that there was a cooking segment. My brother's memory about this is better - he said that Gary Coleman was one of the guests. I don't know if that was 1983 or 1984. Afterwards we went across the street and waited outside the All My Children studios. We saw some of the soap stars - Michael E. Knight, who I had a little crush on, Julia Barr, Peter Bergman, the 2 actors who played Myra and Sloan. Mark got the autograph of the actor who played Travis.

The second time that the 4 of us went it was now the Live with Regis and Kathie Lee show. Dad made us get both of their autographs and even took my picture with Regis. I was really not wanting to do so and felt really anxious. I wish that I had kept a journal back then. I would have written who the guest stars were at these shows. Mark said that the guy who played Freddie Kruger in Nightmare on Elm Street was there but that they were just filming a segment.

I remember the 3rd time a little more clearly. Our friends Stacey and her mom Barbara were with Mom, Mark and I. The producer Gelman made me move over a seat. When they called out the seat number for a prize it was the one that I had previously been in. I was mad about that. I think that the prize had been dinner at a nice restraunt. Mark said that Dom DeLouise was the guest and that Stacey had wished that it had been his son Peter because she like 21 Jump Street.

Mom and I went the fourth time. Mark didn't want to take the day off from school. When we were waiting in line a couple of girls asked if anyone had extra tickets. They had driven really far just to hopefully get the chance to see Phil Collins. Mom didn't even know who he was. We gave them our extra 2 tickets which they were happy about. Mom took pictures during the show and got a few of him. He only did a bit of the drumming part from In The Air Tonight. I was hoping that he'd sing one of his hits. There was also Elvis and Marilyn impersonators there that day.

Mom couldn't come with us the next time because she was in the hospital. Petula Clark was one of the guests. The audience sang part of Downtown. There would have been a 6th time of going to this show only mom was in the hospital again and Mark wouldn't take the day off from school. I was too afraid to go alone. Rosemary Clooney, one of mom's favourite singers, was the guest star. It's a shame that we had to miss out on this.

By the early 1990s we weren't really watching Regis much anymore. I am glad that we had the opportuites to go to this show. It will seem strange with no Regis on morning TV. They said that the show will go on though. I wonder who they will get to replace him?

Concerts

I never was really that into going to concerts until 2000 when I saw Bon Jovi for the first time. I did go to a few in 1991, or was it 1992? My brother wanted to see Styx and didn't drive so he offered to buy me a ticket if I took him. I wasn't that into them but I did like some of their songs. Major disppointment to us both that they did not do Mr. Roboto. No Tommy Shaw either. This was at the then Garden State Arts Center. We saw John Denver there a couple of months later and Rod Stewart at the then Brendan Byrne Arena shortly after that. I saw the Oak Ridge Boys at Great Adventure a year later.

I enjoyed that Bon Jovi show in Philly so much that I just had to see them again. My boyfriend took me and we joked about Bad Medicine alot. He tried getting tickets for the Meadowlands but they were sold out. We saw them in Camden about 8 months later. I don't think that he was too pleased when I told him that I got tickets to see them at Giants Stadium for later that week. It was a last minute thing. Part of the reason I did this is because I was mad at myself for not using the binoculars at the Camden show. We got there late and missed a little of the opening act, Sugar Ray. I loved the fireworks at the end. This show was taped for a VH1 special that we watched.

I went with this same boyfriend to see The Monkees at a small club in Delaware and Brian Wilson at the PNC Center. He also got us tickets to see Duran Duran at the latter venue in the summer of 2000. I refer to it as the Simon and Nick show because it wasn't the 5 original members. Embarrased to say that I really wished that John were with them then.

I went to see Mellencamp in 2002. My brother was supposed to go with me but he was in the hospital. My mom came with me so the ticket wouldn't go to waste. She knew nothing about his music but said that she enjoyed the show. My brother did get to see him 3 years later at the same venue - PNC Center. We went to the Hall and Oates concert there a couple of months later. I went to 2 shows there that summer also but I never told him about them- Donna Summer and Duran Duran. Maybe I should've, but I just wanted to go on my own for a change.

We did go to the Def Leppard concert that fall at the Continental Airlines Arena. It was a very rainy day and the weatherguy Bill Evans said don't drive anywhere unless you absolutely have to. He'd probably think we were nuts for doing this. It was really scary. My driving anxiety gets worse when there's bad weather. Bryan Adams also performed at that event.

My brother went with me to see Bon Jovi at the new Prudential Center in Newark in the fall of 2007. Daughtry was the opening act. That was the seventh time that I saw Bon Jovi. My brother thinks that I've seen them 4 times. I was afraid that he'd tease me and say that I'm obsessed with them. He already does this enough. I went on my own to MSG in 2005 and Giants Stadium in 2006. I wish that I could afford to see them at the new Giants Stadium this spring but I'm saving for something else.

I have been to 7 Duran Duran concerts as well, although part of me says 6 because it doesn't officially count the one without John Taylor. That is so mean. I was so excited when I first saw him at the MSG concert almost 5 years ago. Should I be ashamed to admit that? I just had to see them again when they were at PNC a few months later. I went to one of their Broadway shows in 2007 only it turned out to be at Roseland because of the strike. I went to both of the Central Park shows in the spring of 2008 and a week before my birthday in December that same year saw them at the Wellmont Theater.

I'm usually in the nosebleed sections at these events or close to that but for the last three DD shows I was pretty close. It almost felt surreal being there. It was general admission which is why I was able to be in that spot. I wish that I could have gotten that close to Bon Jovi. I do have this crazy afterlife fantasy that your spirit gets to go to any concert or other event in whatever time period you want. I hope that this is true. God is probably laughing at me.

I definitely will be posting more about my Bon Jovi and Duran Duran concert experiences in the future. I've gone on enough about this subject for one day, plus I have some laundry to do now-real exciting.

Ooops- how could I forget about Genesis and Phil Collins? I'm sure that there are some people who would like to forget that they even exist. I had been into Genesis since 1986 and was so glad when I got to see them in 2007 at Giants Stadium with my brother. He went with me to the Phil Collins MSG show too- I think that was 2004.