Erik and I picked up my press pass at the Delta hotel where it seems several of the industry professionals have been set up. Unfortunately I don't have an eye for celebs, so I have no idea who we saw coming in and out of the building while we were there. Various media were also flitting about and there was definitely a check and be checked out vibe.
The Just For Laughs PR staff was extremely helpful, and were able to get me into both An Evening at Eve’s Tavern, and the Reading It show. The plan would be to watch the first to intermission, then hop in a cab and catch Sarah Vowell who would be reading second to last at the other Centaur theatre.
The reason for seeing both was to connect with the funniest comediennes at the festival, and make sure Sarah had received my package from last week. I really wanted to get them a copy of Sand..but how? The JFL pr staff said that they could deliver a package to their room for us. Erik and I racked our brains about what we could send them. Flowers? No, they were leaving the next day, but at least they’d look at it. Wine? No, plenty of that around, and they would have to carry it with them. Candy? You never know with women.
In the end, we bought gift bags and put in enough copies of Sand for all of the artists. Signed, and stamped. Erik, the Leo-tern, did a terrific job of tending to this detail while I scurried about getting ready for the evening and what not.
So, now to get it to them….
With fifteen minutes before both shows started, Erik and I hopped into separate cabs and hustled to our venues. An Evening at Eve’s Tavern was held at the Spectrum, and the doorman directed me to the the backstage area where I was then escorted behind closed doors to yet another doorman. I explained that I had gifts for the artists, and I was taken by another man behind more doors to the green room.
Though I was expecting seven women, the room was filled with nine gussied up femmes. I smiled and said I had gifts for all of them. At first I asked which were the artists, and someone was helping point them out, but I said it didn’t matter and that I had presents for all of them and reached into my bag where I had signed three extras just in case something like this happened. They started to pass the gift bag and take their books and some started flipping through it right there. One woman who took it said that she was on the road a lot and could take it with her.
Mission accomplished. Sand in the hands of some of the funniest women touring the U.S. Not wanting to intrude any further, I let them know that we were working on book two and to let me know if they wanted to be in it. Some interest sparked and I went back to the crowd where I could find my seat.
Sorry, no pictures. It was big enough to pull this off, and afterwards I ordered a drink, and watched the hilarious show.
What if you’d put bras in the gift bags?