Monday, July 21, 2014

Why I didn’t write last Tuesday. The Planes 2 Premiere

Posted by Susan B James on 12:30:00 AM with 29 comments
 

My wasband, Barry Corbin, got me and our younger son, Chris tickets to the Planes 2 premiere at The El Capitan. 
Decisions. Decisions. Stay home and write or . . .Oh Come on!

I drove Barry to Residuals Bar in Studio City where we met up with Chris, and Barry’s friend Kelly Stephens. Chris drove all of us and parked at Hollywood and Highland, across from the El Capitan.

When we emerged onto Hollywood Boulevard, the barricaded street was lined with Gawkers. (I’ve been one of those Gawkers. When I was pregnant with my older son Jim, Superman premiered at Mann’s Chinese. Barry and I walked down from our apartment on Franklin Avenue and peered through the holes left by a press of bodies to watch the arriving stars. I climbed on one of the iron tree fences to see better.)
We crossed the street and went up to security. Cries of “Barry! Barry! Over here.” Came from fans behind the fences. Barry stopped to sign stuff.
Security detached him from the barriers and led him on to the Red Carpet.
The Red carpet was long. First there was the crowd of Papparazzi: There were fifty two separate video camera stations, starting with the big ones like ET and CNN and passing on to lesser known ones  like ETV China, ending with the Kids one.
Loved the balloon planes

Middle of the line

End of the Reporter Line

Barry stopped and talked to everyone. It took him about an hour and twenty minutes.
Clara wrangling for Barry
Each star had a handler who accompanies him along the line. They have a sheet with pictures of the voice actors which they show to the camera crew that's next up. That way the crew is prepared and know which part the voice actor played. Clara, Barry's handler, says she tells the newer Disney kid stars that the people at the end of the line just starting out may someday be the big people like ET and she was very happy Barry went to every one. Clara worked with Barry on The Big Easy TV series in New Orleans years ago before coming out here to work for Disney. This is her fifteenth year with Disney and she and her friends volunteer to handle events like these.       
My coconut water souvenir. Delicious.
                                                                                                                                  They gave us loot: Planes ball cap, Coconut water, little planes candy fans. I

forgot to take food pics. They had Pizza, Poquito Mas, little hot dogs, trays of cotton candy, and baskets of Ghiradelli Raspberry chocolate squares.

The Voice Cast For Planes2
Front Row  (?Maybe Danny Mann) Brad Garret, Julie Bowen, Barry Corbin, Dane Cook, Hal Holbrook, Erik Estrada,
Back Row Ed Harris, Fred Willard, Wes Studi, Stacy Keach and Dale Dye
On the way to our seats, they passed out 3D glasses, Fire and Rescue popcorn buckets and bottled sodas. I loved the picture. This is the first of the Cars Series I've seen. The voices were all so well cast.
After the picture, they conducted up to a secret room under the El Capitan Theatre. 
Guardian of Secret Room
Stairway to secret room




They have a party room down two flights of black metal stairs. 
The one in the ball cap is Brad Paisley
In the party room  wine, beer, water and sodas were available at two stations / The long buffet table held an assortment of fruits and cheeses and canapes: Curried chicken on a stick, Bread squares with steak topped with a dab of bleu cheese and a fig compote with some kind of cheese on top.
The Toast speech. Producer in Front. Dane Cook in background.
They toasted the voice actors and the director and the producer. I got to talk to Fred Willard and Brad Paisley. Afterwards two Disney security guards escorted us to our car They wouldn't let anyone else in the elevator with us. It was cool and weird.

I’m grateful I had the opportunity to join in the fun. 










I’d like to give away some myself. I’m giving away three prizes: A twenty five dollar gift card to Fandango so you can choose your own movie fun,  and two copies of Time and Forever. This is my first Rafflecopter.  Contest ends Saturday and I will email gift card or book to the winner. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

29 comments :

  1. Sounds like a really fun time, Susan! What an exciting life you lead.

    -Cheryl

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    1. One of the Trevi Fountain days set against lots of days of ordinary joy. Thank Cheryl.

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    1. Thanks, Ryan. I had more but didn't want to crowd the post.

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  3. Loved hearing about your fun day. I so admire many of those "voices" too. I've read your wonderful book and reviewed it because I liked it so much, so save those gifts for new and lucky readers/winners. I'll spread the word on Facebook, too. :)

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    1. Lynne, your new book came today. Thank you for your wonderful comment and for your review.

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  4. Hi Susan, I had no idea you were so connected to the rich and famous of Hollywood. I should have picked up on that from reading "Time and Forever" (great book). I forgive you for not writing --you were too busy living life! Sounds like great fun. You Go Girl! Thanks for sharing, xoxoxo Penny
    www.penelopeannecole.com

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    1. Thanks for reading, Penny. The funny thing is that last year, I was showing Nicole Weaver Hollywood and we were across the street at Hollywood and Highland watching the Planes 1 Premiere. I called Barry and asked why he wasn't there. Neither of us realized they had voice three planes movies at the same time.

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  5. Hi Susan, What a whirlwind! I also enjoyed reading Time and Forever and highly recommend it. I'll tweet!

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    1. Thanks Joanne. I wrote a post for you last night.

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  6. What a fun event! Loved your book, so don't enter me in the drawing. : )

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    1. Thank you so much for the review, Robena. Coming from you, it's awesome!

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  7. Hi Susan, What a fun day for all! I will be reading your book soon, so count me out of the drawing, but I'm glad we are connected on social media now. It's funny there's six degrees of separation in this Hollywood world! Barry was on One Tree Hill and we have relatives that worked on producing and directing that show.

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    1. love it! 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon! Barry had a great time working on that show and our son, Christopher Corbin got to play his dad on one episode.

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  8. I love that you shared your fun day and a behind-the-scenes look. (BTW - I so enjoyed the character Barry played on "The Closer." Hated when it went off. Great show.) I'm sure the new movie is fabulous.

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    1. Thanks, Donna. I was sad the Closer ended too, but Kyra was exhausted.

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    2. I cannot imagine flying back and forth across the country the way she did. Now when will there be a series based on your book? I can 'see' it in my mind's eye already.

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  9. I LOVE THIS POST. I was just telling my husband on the way to us taking our 3 year old to see Planes 2 that I "knew you" (writing cyber friends) and about your book. And he is like why are you telling me this? And then I said, "Oh because she was married to one of the voices in the movie." Then I said, "Oh, it's the CLOSER's Dad." Then he said, "OH, cool." Anyway, thank you so much for sharing this with us. HOW FUN! :) And such a fun movie. I loved the fire and rescue angle and so did my daughter, who said it was just a little scary. But then I heard her playing in her room and she said several times: "Do you copy?" :)

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    1. Thanks Margot. So glad your daughter liked the movie. I sent my souvenir cap and candy fans to my son and wife and 2 1/2 year old granddaughter, I put their videos on my Facebook.

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  10. You are amazing and this book is excellent. I love being in your world. Love, Hilde

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  11. Oh my, this brings back wonderful memories from last summer. Your book should be made into a movie! What a masterpiece you wrote!

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  12. I just typed a comment. Where did it go?
    I shall repeat.
    "Does Mr. Dye preferred to be called Captain Dale Dye?"
    Sincerely,
    Cub Scout, Wolf Pack, Retired

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  13. What a wonderful write up of the event, I felt like I was walking alongside you. Very exciting!

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  14. Yikes, forgot my email… donna@donnamcdine.com

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  16. What a terrific way to spend your time. I enjoyed reading about your Tuesday.

    janna@jannashay.com

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  17. Sounds awesome! I intend to read your book during some traveling in a couple of weeks! - Angela Randall.

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