2003-12-14 ~ 11:32 a.m.

Oh What A Circus!

Wow. I just had the neatest neaty neat fun neat neaty noodle night of my entire dealing career.

I think it was just last week when I said that, "I never really get to deal to anyone cool." I mean, I dealt to Sully of Godsmack once, and that's great if one likes Godsmack......and that person isn't me. In fact, I told him to stop whining and go have dinner at one point.

And Betrothed, Rally Edition got to deal to two of the famous members of No Doubt (the drummer and the bassist) and then also the guy that does the triangle. (I'm not kidding. Sure, I believe he also does keyboards with another guy, but when I saw him on the Billboard Music Awards, they showed him while he was playing the triangle). And that was really neat. Cause BRE got to say really stupid crap to them like:

BRE-So what do you guys do?

NoDoubt-We're in a band.

BRE-Duh. (cause they looked too scraggly to be playing the money they were playing. They were obviously in a band.) What band are you in?

ND-No Doubt.

BRE-(a pfff, then) No, really.

ND-No, really. No Doubt.

BRE-But how can you name your band after an already famous and successful band? (Yep, that's my baby.) (Oh yeah, keep in mind, No Doubt is actively one of our favorite bands. A band that he has SEEN twice in the past year.)

ND-(sigh) Yep. It's a marketing ploy so we can sell more records.

BRE-But isn't that illegal?? I mean, couldn't No Doubt sue you?

ND-(laughs)(and this is amid more than a few people who have come up to get a picture with them.)

BRE-Oh..... you guys ARE No Doubt, aren't you?

ND-Well, geezus, we TOLD you that.

BRE-Wow, I'm sorry I didn't recognize you. You know, I've even gone to SEE you, but--

ND-Yeah, we know, you're only looking at Gwen.

And then they all participate in a hearty chuckle.

So, that's cool. But then....last night... I'm dealing to these two guys. And, I mean, these guys had been there for 3 hours or so. I had basically grown bored with them, so I would look around while I was dealing to them. As I was looking around while I was shuffling, I noticed one guy who looked like he was about to stop at my table. I only saw the side of his face, and in my head, I thought, "Wow, he looks a bunch like Kiefer Sutherland." Then he turned and faced me and in my head, I thought, "OH MY GAWD, IT'S KIEFER SUTHERLAND!!!!!"

Ya know. I don't want to be the type of person that gets star-struck. I think I've mentioned that before. But goddammit, Kiefer Sutherland was at my table!! And that just makes me a little squishy inside.....and below. :D (Hehe, yeah, I went there...)

And he was really just the humblest, nicest guy.

I immediately had started shaking. (Yep, that's me. Nerves of steel.) He asked for a $25,000 marker. (Which means he asked to borrow $25,000 from the house to play with. And, no, it's not that he doesn't have $25,000 of his own to play with, it's just a lot easier than actually carrying $25,000 around.) So he handed me his player's card, so that I could give it to my supervisor, and this is where I started with my stupid giggly girl thing, handed it to my supervisor, and said, "Yep, we need a $25,000 marker for" (mouthing out and pointing to the name on the player's card) Kiefer Sutherland.

Yeah, it never got much better.

My two players that had been there, I showed them how much my hands were shaking, and they nodded. Looked towards Kiefer, and he said, "What?" in that concerned way, and I said, "You're making me nervous." And he said, "Oh, no. Why?" And I said, "Because I love you." And he said, "Oh. That is so sweet, thank you."

He wasn't much on the tipping, but he made up for it in personality. I've never seen a celebrity as generous with his time. I mean, I've seen celebrities who will give autographs and take pictures, but there's an underlying annoyance there. But Kiefer was really good about it. Asked EVERYONE's name. Had conversations with everyone. His friend, David, said that he just loves people. And that seemed to be true.

I went on break, and saw BRE. I showed him how I was shaking and told him that Kiefer was at my table. And he laughed at me. Tried to make my little event insignificant by saying that he had dealt to Kiefer a few years before. And then made comments how I don't get that excited to see him. And I mentioned how he's not a television star. :b

So, when I went back to my table, I told Kiefer that he got me in trouble with my fiance. :D Kiefer said, "Not possible. Trust me. You wouldn't be excited if you had to see me everyday." And his friend said, "No, really. It's true."

There were a few more anecdotes, but to sum up, if you ever see Kiefer Sutherland, and you want his autograph or something, don't be intimidated to walk up and ask.

What's even neater is that, since I work where he is playing, I'm NOT ALLOWED to ask. That's right. NOT ALLOWED. But, before they left, friend-David said, "And before we leave, did you want an autograph? Well not of me, but Kiefer's?" And I said, "No, David, I want yours too." And he just looked at me. So I said, "Ok fine, yes I would love one." So we got him some paper, and Kiefer was talking to someone else during this conversation. So when David slid the paper in front of him, Kiefer said, "Who is this for?" and David said, "This one is for Chris." And Kiefer said, "Don't push one on her. If she wanted one, I think she would have asked for it." And David said, "I don't think she's allowed to ask."

And that was really nice of David to recognize that.

Then Kiefer asked BRE's name, and made it out to the two of us and wrote "All My Best" and signed it.

And THEN....... he got up and shook my hand and shook everyone at the table's hands plus my supervisor's hand. And no way I was passing that up!

THEN on my next break, I got pulled aside and was told "Security called down for you 'crossing over' when you went to give Kiefer the paper for the autograph and when you shook his hand while you had cards in your other hand." ("Crossing over" {and not the John Edwards kind} is when you take one hand and do something on the other side of your body with it. For instance, I had cards in my left hand because that's where they were supposed to be, but I absolutely HAD to shake Kiefer's hand, so I crossed my right hand over my body to shake his hand.) So I got in trouble for it. Not serious trouble. But I got a talking to. I asked if there was a right way for me to do it, and no one really gave me an answer, so I just smiled and nodded and said, "Well, ok, because it's not like I am getting every other customer's autograph too." And my supervisor smiled and said, "Yeah we don't usually get superstars in this pit." And then I thought two things: 1)AND I'D DO IT AGAIN!!!!!! and 2) Funny. If I got called on anything, *I* would think that it would have been for the $1000 that I paid him that I shouldn't have. teehee.

And, ya know, I think it would have been worth it even if I had gotten suspended for it. And it's not that I don't like my job, but how often do I get to meet Kiefer? And also, I don't really like my job. :D

AND THEN...I get to see Eric Idle in concert tonight. And you would think that he would HAVE to give out autographs at some point, wouldn't you?

This has been a star studded week for me. I think I have to go pass out now. :D

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