Subject: DaveCon2002 Trip Report- WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From: Traci Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 00:53:34 -0400 Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman whew! Finally getting to post this after several technical difficulties over the weekend. The full report with pics still isn't up on the website yet, more technical probs, I'll let ya know when I get it posted. Hope you all enjoy this, minor useless details and all....... Traci ********************************************************************* Another DaveCon come and gone. Hard to believe how quick time flies from the initial planning stages to the final gathering. Renee and I start this process in February for our June show date. Trying to get over 20 folks in one place at one time always proves to be quite the challenge, but it is always worth it. For the last four years we have put this trip together and every year it has only gotten better. I can not even begin to relate how much I enjoy getting together with the wonderful AFL folks that come on this trip. After four years of DaveCon, we have discovered that we have much more in common than just being Letterman fans. We have become good friends. DaveCon may be the major event of the week, but many of us now get together this one time of year to do other things as well. I am so thankful that I have had the joy of making the acquaintance of all you folks. You have added more to my life than I ever thought possible from a bunch of Internet geeks. So....on to the trip report. It won't be as long as Helen's, not as funny as Brad's nor as eventful as Cathy's, but it will be, well, yet another trip report. Don't Touch Me! A small group of us planned to go to the Daily Show the Wednesday before our Late Show date. The original group was myself, Carl, Brad, Chad, Ann and newbie, Steve. Brad bailed the day before, whining about not having cleaned his Venetian blinds that week. So I shot a quick email to Libby and she agreed to come with us. Carl, Steve, Chad and I arranged to meet for lunch at Island Burger over on 9th. If you are in search of a great burger and a fabulous milkshake, Island Burger is the place to go. Carl and I had a bit of trouble with the subway, which hasn't been running quite right from downtown since 9/11 and we end up late and in a cab for the final leg from the Seaport. It is the one time I'm grateful for my cell phone. I check in with Chad and Steve to let everybody know we haven't forgotten them. Finally we get to the place and are immediately introduced to Chad's friend Carla Rhodes. Carla is a stand-up spending some serious time in NYC trying to get as much stage time as possible. She and Chad are both comics back at Zanie's in Nashville and on the cusp of making the big time. I'm serious, kids, you'll be seeing both Carla and Chad on the TV real soon. Only one thing odd about Carla. She orders chicken in the best burger joint in midtown. Go figure. Steve is running late as well and finally strolls in as we are wait for our burgers. I had talked to Steve earlier in the day and was a bit concerned that this polite, soft-spoken guy was going to be completely freaked out by the likes of us. But moments into the conversation, he takes a cheap shot at me and I know he's gonna fit right in. After lunch we head over to the Ed for a bit of loitering and to meet the great and powerful Donz. As we stroll up 53rd street, Carla spots Paul Shaffer and yells over to him, "Hey, Paul! Will you go to the prom with me?!?!?" Paul turns to look and smiles a smile that says, "Oh, great, more freaks." We meet up with Donz in front of the Ed. After a few minutes he asks if we want to go see Walter. Go see Walter? You mean in the ED????? Hell yes we want to see Walter! So we stroll into the side door of the office building and Donz has the security guy call up to Walter. He announces that Don and 4 others are down in the lobby to see him. I actually hear Walter say, "I'll be right down." Jeez, imagine that, he didn't want us up in his office. Walter comes down and much to my surprise is familiar with us, finally putting names to the faces of AFL. It still stuns me that the staff actually pays attention to our little group. We chat for several minutes about the show, ask about the Wahoo archives and are told they will be up in a week (got that one on the money) and generally pester Walter. About 10 minutes into our conversation Alan, Maria, Barbara, Jude, Steph, and Mike, come in from rehearsal to go upstairs. The look on Maria Pope's face as she recognized us was priceless. "Oh my god, they've breached the airlock!!!" Alan shakes hands all around and asks, "You guys are N'Sync, right?" As we are chuckling about this Mike is slipping Donz that night's script. A few more minutes with Walter and he asks if we are staying around for Tony the next night. The entire lot of us nearly yells a resounding "YES!" It's the first indication that we will have an incredible night on Thursday. I can tell by the cat-ate-the-canary-grin on Walter's face, something is planned. We head out of the office building to go looking for the band. Donz is handing out his CD's to anybody willing to take one and the band is next on the list. At that moment Libby calls and we get her to meet us outside the theater. She's literally just rolled in from the airport. Two minutes to drop her bag and she's out the door. As we are standing around looking for CBSO folks I hear someone say, "Traci?" Uh-oh. I turn around and see this guy looking at me and saying my name yet again. I'm flipping through my memory trying to match a name to the face in front of me. Finally the guy introduces himself as Dave Sikula. Yea!!! Mr. Cranky!!! Hugs and intros all around. I immediately realize Mr. Cranky ain't as cranky as he likes us to believe. We see Alan again and try to get a picture of him touching Don. The horror on Alan's face is only overshadowed by Donz screaming at everyone in the vicinity "Don‘t touch me!" The TDS group finally decides it's time to move on, but not without first rummaging through Donz's grab bag from the dentist. I score a tooth brush, Chad some floss. It's a great day! Before we leave, we see Bruce Kapler and Donz introduces me. Bruce is the only CBSO member I haven't met. We talk a bit about Donz's CD and I tell Bruce how enjoyable it is to come to the show and get to listen to the band play throughout the breaks. I tell him we'd all love to see the band get to play a full song once in a while on the show. He rolls his eyes, "That'll never happen." Finally we head off to TDS. Due to some well-placed whining on my part, we're VIP'd for the show. Ann meets up with us and we proceed to wait, in the rain, to go in while Steve studies his digital camera instructions. Once we are finally seated for the show, I rehearse my question for Jon. I've been to TDS 4 times. Each time I've gotten to talk to Jon. I've been to the Late Show 10 times and have NEVER once gotten called on. Something ain't right. Jon calls on me first during the Q&A. My question to him concerns his upcoming contract negotiations and went a bit like this. "Jon, I know you're getting ready to negotiate a new contract with CC. And I just wanted to let you know that the fans want you to stay." Jon, incredulous, "What? I had no idea I was leaving CC. What have you heard?" "Well, during the whole ABC/Koppel/Letterman thing your name was bandied about." "Really? How did I do?" "I and the other fans want you to stay here on TDS. I can't offer money as an incentive, but I can offer cookies. You stay on TDS and I'll bake you cookies every month." I get a huge round of applause from the audience and get up to hand a tub of my homemade cookies to Jon. He thanks me and proceeds to go on about having the intern taste them first. "Yeah, I'll be eating unwrapped food brought in by a stranger." About half way through then show a stagehand comes over and hands me back my empty cookie bowl. "We can't eat this," he says. I look over and a group interns are wiping cookie crumbs from their mouths. I wonder if it's all they have had to eat that day. After the show we all head to Goody's in Chinatown to get the best soup dumplings in the Universe. We nearly walk poor Libby to death, but I assure her the dumplings are worth it. After satiating ourselves on dumplings, I convince everyone to roll up to Little Italy to my favorite pastry shop. I'm jonesing for a cannoli and this is the best place to get one. As an added bonus, there is a motorcycle rally going on. Harleys everywhere! Guys in leather everywhere! Motorcycle cops with bushy mustaches everywhere! My god, it's better than Fleet Week! After several unsuccessful attempts at scoring a ride, I finally relent and go home. I need to get some sleep for the lonnngggg day ahead. He Just Might Have The Stuff You're Looking For Thursday and it's Late Show day! Unfortunately, I get some bad news early on. Greg Anderson has a bit of an emergency and can't make it in. Nothing serious, but enough to keep him in Philly. I'm bummed, so's Greg, but there's nada we can do. The gang is meeting at Manhattan Chili Club for the pre-show festivities and I head out early, remembering the subway debacle from the day before. This time everything goes smooth and I end up at the Chili Company nearly an hour before we are to meet. Trying to kill a little time, I head into Rock America. Mujibur is sitting in the back next to a stack of ‘Mujibur and Sirajul Across America' t-shirts. I ask if they have any new merchandise. "We have these," he says to my cleavage as he waves to the stack of t-shirts. I'm giggling at Mujibur as he shamelessly looks me right in the chest. He compliments my top and says, "Makes me want to know what's under there." By this time I'm laughing hysterically. I tell him he doesn't make enough money to see what's under my top. That gets a good laugh from him and I decide to head up to the Chili Company before I get into trouble. As I nurse a vodka and cranberry juice for the next half hour, the gang starts to roll in. Pretty soon we are gathered at tables eating, drinking and making much frivolity. This is my favorite part of the day. Seeing everyone again. Hugging and catching up, meeting the new folks. It's one of the few chances to really socialize with everyone before the craziness of the show begins. We hand out the DaveCon buttons and T- shirts and head down for our first stint in line. Thanks to Renee, and our wonderful audience coordinator David Kay, we are once again "dotted" for the show. We've made it through the first round of waiting and head back up to the Chili Company for more socializing. Back downstairs for the next line-up. We get in line and suddenly find a group of strangers in our midst. The pages have told them it doesn't matter where they are in line, we convince them otherwise and shuffle them out. Good riddance anyway, one of them was a Leno fan. And in the dot line!! What the fuck? Inside the theater and it's time for the pre-show warm up. I've been studying the warm-up for the last four years. Carefully noting just exactly what the warm-up gal does. And I think I'm ready. I've learned at her feet and I'm positive I'm ready for a shot at the big time. I know I can do this. I know I can whip the crowd into a frenzy and get them ready for the show. I hope against hope that THIS year they'll pull me from line, just like Ruby Keeler from the chorus, and put me in the show. Alas, it doesn't happen. Maybe next year. I think a write in campaign may be the next step. Whaddya think, kids? FINALLY the group gets seated. Right up front, center section, first and second rows. Micah, appropriately, gets a seat by the band. Rona and Greg Donofrio get thrown to the side next to the band, but seem perfectly happy with their seats. Carl, myself and Helen round out the second row, center section. I'm always excited to go to the show, but once I'm in the theater, in my seat, I just about lose my mind. It's always, ALWAYS, a fantastic experience. Eddie comes out and introduces the band. They jam to "Dance To The Music" and I bounce along in my seat. Then it's the time I've been anticipating since last year. Eddie introduces Dave and he bounds out across the stage to a huge roar. The audience noise is distinctly lead by our two rows. The crowd is hot tonight and we are white hot. Jesus, no matter how many times I've seen Dave I'm still knocked out when he hits the stage. In my mind all I can think is, "Oh...my...god....It's David Fucking Letterman!!!!!" My heart pounds like a teenager with a crush. I'm 35 fer chrissakes, you'd think I'd be over it by now. But I'm not. And I doubt I will ever be. Dave comes downstage and acknowledges our group with a nod and a smile. He chats amicably with the audience, talking about downing margaritas in the office and being shit-faced. I miss most of the conversation staring starry-eyed at him. He asks for questions and my hand shoots up. DAMMIT! He looks at me and picks someone else. At least it was someone in our group. "You sir, what's your question?" he says as he points to Brad. Brad stands up and Dave asks his name. The audience applauds and Brad, unbelievably, turns his back on Dave to wave to the audience. As he does this I see Corky signal Dave to wrap it up. By the time Brad finishes waving to what he believes is his adoring audience, Dave says, "We're out of time. Sit down, Brad." Bill Lehecka laughs. It's the Friday night show and I'm looking forward to the mailbag. I can only hope to see Gerard in his gold Hollywood hat or a sleazy bit from Alan. I get neither, but still enjoy seeing the mailbag live. Especially the Martha Stewart letter. Accompanied by Dave's throwaway line, "I'm gonna visit her whenever I can." This night Biff and his map are in Hawaii for the Mailbag segment and Bruce Willis is along for the ride. I'm not a big fan of Bruce's movies, but he's a great friend of the show and I love when he participates. The mailbag segment is waaaayyyy long due to Willis' goofing. I'm not sure exactly where the edits were made, perhaps that has been discussed in other trip reports, but I realized then they were over time for act one. Bruce made the segment for me and I laughed my ass off the entire time. I do tend to miss a lot of the actual show when I'm in the theater. I spend most of the time watching Dave's and the other staff member reactions to what is going on. I enjoyed watching Dave during the mailbag segment. He seemed to be thoroughly delighted with Bruce and Biff. During the break, it is obvious that the staff is changing the show on the fly. The mailbag did run long and something was going to have to be dropped. Turns out Will it Float was the casualty that night. Bummer. During the Mailbag the band played a Beach Boys song. Dave loved it and requested Beach Boys songs the whole night. Of course, Paul and the band complied. It's good to be king. The TTL was a rather weak military offering, but being the fantastic fans we are, we all laughed long and hard at the entries. Ya know, when you get in that theater something just comes over you. Watching the show the next night, I barely broke a smile. But when there, it's really a different story. One thing bugged me about the list, though. An entry about walkie talkies came through with no audio. We all thought it was supposed to be that way and it actually got a real laugh out of us. But they re-did the entry and got the audio back, stunning all of us. Made much more sense to leave out the audio as far as we were concerned. First guest, Connie Chung. I'm not nearly as enamored with Ms. Chung as I used to be, but she did a good panel, no matter what Dave Sikula says. One moment during her interview, while discussing her new gig on CNN, she stated that CNN was the last place for real news. Bill, who was sitting in front of me, guffawed at the comment and I nearly lost it. I had to put my head down I was laughing so hard. I was afraid Dom and Bill were going to boot me. The most interesting part of the interview occurred during the commercial break. Dave and Connie had this long embrace after her panel. During the entire break they were holding on and talking. I wish I could have lip read that conversation. Where's Kathie when we need her? Final guest was Gary Mule Deer. I remember Gary from Late Night. He did a performance back in the 80's that was legendarily bad. Tumble weeds rolled across the stage, but in some twisted way I enjoyed it. I had no idea what he would do that night, but I was certainly looking forward to it. Gary came out and his first joke was about his name. "Gary Mule Deer isn't my real name, it used to be Anita." The absurdity of the joke got me, but it really got Dave who was watching the desk monitor and laughing heartily. Gary went on and did a great set no matter what Dave Sikula says. He had most of the group cracking up the entire time. During the last commercial break Helen and I waved at Tony Mendez, who promptly bolted off the stage. For a brief moment towards the end of the show I thought he really had bolted. He was no where to be seen and the show was over. I thought uh-oh, they're gonna dump us this year. Just as I said that out loud to Helen, here came Tony, motioning us to the stage. We could hear Dominic saying there was 26 of us and to not let anyone else on stage. I saw Walter with the camera and knew it was TMS time! Put That Down! As we climbed the stairs Tony shook each of our hands as Walter filmed. Like last year, I was completely overwhelmed being up on that stage. And getting to participate in the TMS?!?!?!?!? What a freakin rush! The whole lot of us crowded around Tony and Walter. Not one to be camera shy, I muscled my way up front and started talking. I really did lose track of what was going on, but I remember Nick making smart-ass comments, Donz hustling his CD's, Chad plugging his website, Bill plugging for Tony Kornheiser and Tony yelling at people to put stuff down. Thank god I can go back and watch the shows just to prove to myself I really was there. As we finished up, the only thing I could think to say was "Sharon, eat your heart out." Sorry Sharon, I just couldn't resist. It was done with the love, though, always with the love. Tony asked if we wanted pics at Dave's desk. So what if most of us did this last year? Hell yes we wanted pics! Tony's patience with this process is unbelievable. He snapped photo after photo with great humor and indulgence. As everyone was getting pics taken, I wandered around the stage ogling the set. Good lord it is beautiful up close. It's difficult to tell on TV, but the background has several layers to it. It's quite intricate and detailed, with lots of little lights. I want it for my living room. Finally it's time to get my pic at Dave's desk. Once again I decide I need to spice it up a bit and give a Sophia Loren lean over the desk and reveal a bit of décolletage. Perhaps this will become an annual event? After the pics Tony takes us on another tour. By this time many of us are scrounging scripts, run downs and what ever else we can get our hands on. Tony, trying to keep half the theater from walking out the door in Chad's and Micah's backpacks, keeps screaming..."Put that down! Don't touch that!" I try to get the Martha Stewart bed sheets prop from the mailbag, Tony says no way. Greg finds them backstage and grabs them, Carl snaps a quick pick and Tony, ever the policeman yells at us again. We wander around and see a few things we didn't get to last year. As we get back to the main theater I have a quick chat with Mike in the back. Mike actually hung out with us this year. I think we still scare the crap out of him, but maybe, just maybe, he does like us just a little. Back on stage Tony is handing out cuecards and telling SNL stories. He's had a great career and I could listen to him tell stories all night. Unfortunately, our dinner reservations are waiting, George Clark wants to lock up and it's time to leave. We head out the guest door, but it's locked. Okay, to the audience doors, but they are locked. Out the front of the theater? Nope, locked. Corky comes in and tells us we have to leave through the office building. Damn, and I though we were going to get to sleep in the Ed. Outside, Tony tells a few more stories about Dave and the TMS. But we really have to go now or dinner is never going to happen. We hug Tony goodbye, as well as Micah and head off towards Martini's. Get A Life, Eat The Chicken! By the time we hit the restaurant I am famished. My blood sugar has plummeted, and I am toying with the first symptoms of a migraine. I hog down a piece of bread, eat a banana that was supposed to be a part of the "Will It Float?" bit and slurp a Bellini, hoping to stave off the impending headache. I spy Eddie Brill as we come in, having dinner with a pretty, young blonde. I'm handing out candy necklaces and decide Eddie and his date really need one. So I go over to his table, situated right behind ours, and proceed to interrupt his dinner. He's thrilled to say the least. Soon he realizes who we are and he and his date pack up and leave. At least we get a wave. Wonder if they sampled those necklaces that night? As we wait for food, I get Tom Pie-Boy Cronin on the phone. He's promised the group a bottle of wine, but I can't seem to get the waiter to take his payment info so we bag the idea. Since I don't have the unlimited cell service I have to hang up. Bill comes to the rescue and calls Tom back. We pass Tom around the room. I try to get Greg Anderson on the phone and soon realize the only number I have on me is his office number. I'm totally bummed. Poor Greg had to bail earlier that day and I was really looking forward to sharing at least part of the night with him. As food slowly trickled to the table my migraine really began to take hold. I could barely stay in the conversation. Hell, I could barely stay upright. Before I completely passed out, Tony and Mike showed up. Within a few minutes, I notice Tony sporting a candy necklace and decide I must initiate him to our yearly ritual. Brad snaps a pic as Tony screams about me being a vampire. My favorite pic of the evening. The food at Martini's is great, but as the night wears on I've gotten to a point where I'm seeing double from the migraine. I hate this, because I know it is the last time I will get to talk with many of these folks in person for another year. As we all leave, I linger with the last few folks, hugging and saying the final good byes, trying to memorize Dave Sikula's laugh and Brady's sweet Southern accent. As usual, Brad tries to run out without saying goodbye and I have to chase him to the cab. Sheesh, you'd think he hated me or something. Finally Carl, Rona and I grab a cab and head back downtown. Of course, the ride is a nightmare. Taking waaayyyy longer than it should and making me think the driver obtained his drivers licence from Fisher Price. Finally we get home and I collapse on the bed, lights flashing in my head and stomach churning. I blissfully fall into a deep sleep and dream of the events of the night. Pass the Sun Screen Friday I wake refreshed and am ready for a new day, with no trace of the migraine. I really want to do a little touristy stuff and convince Steve to come with me. Carl agrees to a ride on the Staten Island Ferry, but balks at the Statue of Liberty tour. Carl ain't much for boat rides, but I convince him the Ferry is stable and his motion sickness shouldn't be a problem. Four seconds on the boat and Carl goes green. He bolts and we agree to meet back at Rona's later. Steve and I head to the bow for the ride. I watch as Steve bakes in the sun, the smell of Coppertone fills the air. I gotta say one thing about Steve. He has the best hair! Reddish brown, long and curly and flowing across his shoulders. It takes every bit of self control to keep my hands out of it. I'm trying to make a good impression and not freak poor Steve out completely, but I secretly take a lock of the stuff for a souvenir. The trip to the Statue is rather eventful. A stiff wind off the harbor is causing the boat to rock violently and getting on is almost dangerous. I laugh as I think about Carl. He couldn't even had looked at the rocking boat, much less been on it. We do make it out to the Statue safely snapping pics like crazy. It's been 17 years since I'd been out there and I must say it was as mesmerizing this time as it was the first time I laid eyes on it. It was quite moving really. Every person in this country should go out there and stand under the Statue at least once. Finally, it's time to pack it up and get back to Rona's. The Dave-Anon party is that night and I'm in charge of the clips. Steve and I brave our way onto the rocking boat and head back to Battery Park. We say our good byes, I get one last hair fondling moment, and we're off to our respective Friday night soirees. Menopause And Puberty Don't Mix Rona and I arrive at Helen's Times Square hotel about 6:30pm. As the gals arrive we dish about the previous night and try to decide what food to order. Finally we decide on pizza and soup dumplings. I get the delivery going while Cheryl and our Pool Boy, an unexpected treat that night, head out to pick up the obligatory mixers and sweets. Within a few minutes Cheryl calls from the lobby. "Guess who I just rode down the elevator with?!?!?" My mind reels...."B.B King!!!" Cheryl tries to get tix for his show that night but to no avail. Finally we have food, liquor, sweets, 8 women and our Pool Boy crammed into Helen's small living room. Everybody takes turns with bathroom breaks before viewing the clips and I hear the same reaction as each gal goes in..."Holy crap this bathroom is HUGE!!" Once I take my turn, I realize I've lived in apartments that were smaller. Sheesh! They should have used some of that space to enlarge the living room. Finally we settle in with our Twinkies and Ho-Hos for the annual viewing of the Drawstring Pants. For those of you ladies that haven't seen this, you're soooo missing out. It's Dave on Password+, mid 70's, wearing the tightest pair of pants you can imagine, showing off, his, um, assets quite well. This year the ladies notice that Marion Ross, the other celebrity player, takes several looks at Dave's......pants. Well, who can blame her? It's a spectacular view!!! We watch clips from years past for several hours and finally end the night viewing our show. Dave was so pleased with our mood that night and the excitement comes through on the video tape. I know it had to do with our group's fervent cheering, laughing and general excitement at being there. We were certainly the audience ambassadors that night. We file out of Helen's around 1am and say our final good byes on the street. This time the cab ride goes smooth and easy. So, You Gals Are From Virginia? Saturday and Sunday the last few diehard AFL'ers are still hanging around. That includes me, Carl, Helen and Ann. Carl and I head out Saturday morning to get pics with Carl's convertible in front of the Ed. I gotta tell ya, there is nothing like cruising up 6th avenue in a ‘69 Pontiac Convertible with Steely Dan blaring out of the speakers. It was sublime. As Carl and I finish up our pics, I spy one of my favorite sites......a group of Navy guys in dress whites. I run up and tell them they have to pose with me. Oddly enough they comply without hesitation. I'm in heaven! Helen meets up with us and gets her own pic in the convertible. We head to Rupert's and pick up a quick lunch, then we drop off the car and head to the Natural History Museum. What a geek fest!!! Carl, Helen and I discuss the intricacies of space, marvel and the new Hayden Planetarium show and go ga-ga over the dinosaur skeletons. So cool to hang out with other science geeks! Carl and I introduce Helen to the bliss of the 2nd Avenue Deli after our museum romp. I get my annual pastrami sandwich and gorge myself on the famous pickles. As we sit, we all realize we have had it. The three of us sink quietly into food and activity induced comas. We finally wrest ourselves from the restaurant and catch cabs. I get one quick and turn it over to Helen. Just as I'm hailing one for Carl and I, here comes Helen again. Seems the cab driver decided he was getting a flat tire, couldn't take her all the way to mid-town and booted her. I hand over the SECOND cab to Helen and she's off. Carl and I finally get our own cab and get back to Rona's in a flash. We crash early, asleep by 10pm. Sunday, Carl and I make our usual breakfast trip to Bubby's in TriBeCa. He leaves around 10am for the trip back to the Hoosierland and we have an emotional goodbye out on Pearl Street. I go back upstairs and try not to cry. The final event of the week is to Gotham Comedy Club. I've convinced Ann to stay in town one more day to go with me. We are sat right up front and instantly are part of the show. The MC asks where I'm from and immediately makes Ann from Virginia as well. Every comic the rest of the night says the same line, "So, you gals are from Virginia?" Ann tries desperately to tell these guys she's NOT from Virginia, but to no avail. It isn't until the end of the night, as we are gabbing with several of the comics that she finally let's everyone know she's from RHODE ISLAND!!!! Monday noon I leave for home. I'm exhausted, but totally elated from the trip. I thank my incredible hostess, Rona, and head out the door. I'm carrying my cue card with me and get stopped by airport security. Seems they consider the cue card an additional carry on item. I hadn't wanted to fold it, but the gal refuses to let me to the gate with it. I get it into my carry on bag with as little damage as possible and get to the plane. Reflecting on the weeks events, I am amazed at how fantastic everything turned out and how incredibly lucky I am to have been a part of it. Thanks to all of you that came on this little jaunt. You guys are just the best. Thank you for giving me memories I will cherish forever. There's a few other folks I really feel the need to thank as well....... Kudos to the fabulous audience coordinator David Kay. Without David we wouldn't even get into the show. We love ya, David, and we promise we will always do you proud. Huge, wet kisses to Tony Mendez, Walter Kim, and Mike McIntee for their time and hospitality. We can't thank you enough for allowing us to come up on stage, participate in the TMS and generally be starry-eyed fans. Big thanks to the rest of the Late Show staff and crew as well. We know how hard you all work on the show and we appreciate it more than you will ever know. And finally, thank you David Letterman. Without you, this group wouldn't exist, these friendships wouldn't have formed and the world would be a lot less fun to live in.