Louella {akaTerri} is back today! She was at a super exclusive, super cool Hollywood event last week and she has the photos to prove it! Thanks Terri for sharing your experience with us! We can all live vicariously through you…
When Angela asked me to write a guest blog about attending the “Mad Men” premiere, I was a little worried because I knew that a picture would be worth a thousand words. For several years of my career, I was a regional movie publicist and in that role, there was one cardinal rule: NEVER ever act like a fan.
I have wonderful memories of hanging out with celebrities on personal appearance tours but not one picture or any other piece of hard evidence for that matter to prove it {Oh, except for a wickedly witty thank you letter that John Irving wrote me!}
Jump ahead several years. Thanks to the determination and hard work of my very best friend who now is a very successful TV producer, I’m finally able to just be a fan. Well, sort of. My BFF works on a very popular show that studies human behavior – the good, the bad, and the ugly – in the midst of a zombie apocalypse.
The show happens to be on the network that is home to a show about the fascinating study of human behavior – the good, the bad, and the ugly – in the midst of Madison Avenue circa the 1960s.
Luckily for me, I’ve been fortunate enough to be my BFF’s “plus one” to many fun Hollywood events. In fact, I was invited to the “Mad Men” premiere in 2012 but had to cancel at the last minute because my dad had back surgery scheduled.
Oh, and then I was invited again in 2013 but had to cancel at the last minute because my dad had back surgery scheduled. YES, that is right, back surgery scheduled on the day of the “Mad Men” premiere TWO years in a row. What are the chances?
This year, there was no stopping me. Not the fact that for the first year in three years my BFF didn’t initially receive an invite. Not the fact that there have been a series of earthquakes in Los Angeles. Not the fact that my dad had back surgery scheduled again… Kidding! I love you dad! But seriously, since this is the final season of the show, premiere tickets were tougher than ever to come by, but it all worked out and I was there!
Let’s go back to my first paragraph. Remember that cardinal rule… well, it kind of applies to the BFFs of successful TV producers. I couldn’t just go around stalking Jon Hamm while my BFF was busy talking to other producers; the head of the network; critics; publicists; actors, etc. – right?
Yes, right… but my BFF can. And, she did! At the after party, she was talking to her boss and cut him off mid-sentence to tell him that we had to go stalk Jon Hamm. She grabbed my arm and we were in hot pursuit {he was walking to the restroom.} There is no better place to find celebrities at an after party than hanging out right next to the restrooms. Even celebrities have to go!
Fans have to be brave and fast. There is no time for posing to make sure that you get your best angle… you get in, take the shot, and get out of the way. I was able to get my four favorite actors from the show – Don, Roger, Pete and Ted. {Notice I say ‘actors’. The actresses were all there and they were all gorgeous, but if you think I’m going to take a poorly staged photo standing next to one of them, you are crazy!}
“Mad Men” fans, you’ll be thrilled to know that the premiere episode was as thought-provoking as ever and that maybe, just maybe people do change – and some maybe even for the better. While I don’t want to give too much away, I will tell you that there is an extremely graphic scene where zombies invade Madison Avenue and Don and Pete get into a fight.
At one point, Don winds up biting Pete’s… Wait, I can’t say anymore or Matthew Weiner will come after me. You’ll just have to watch for yourself! Season premiere happens this Sunday {April 13} on AMC.
{Special thanks to Tom, Jill and Alex who all helped make this happen and most importantly my BFF,Denise!}
[…] crazy this week. I know I’m not the only one {read Terri’s post on the “Mad Men” premier here}. We’re all concerned going into this final season about what will happen to Don Draper and […]