THURSDAY 

It’s probably tedious to read my ramblings about traveling to the mecca of LA for the most fun event of the year, the General Hospital Fan Club Weekend but my mind remembers in chronological order so there you go.  I have to type the mundane to find the exciting.  If you can’t stand it, by all means skip ahead. 

The morning began uneventfully around 4:30 a.m.  Or perhaps it was just so early that my brain was too foggy to process anything amusing.  However, by the time the plane landed life began to entertain me as it passed by while I waited for Carolyn’s plane to land.  Let’s see… 

-         A beautiful 15 or 16 year old Eva Longoria wannabe strolled by following a man who probably was her father.  She was wearing a bright yellow dress cut like the pink one Eva wore as she strode into the Paris courthouse for her civil ceremony.  Ordinarily, I wouldn’t pay such close attention but the dress should come with a label that says, “Wearer must remain upright at all times” because it was so short her nether parts were in danger of exposure with every step.  Every man in the area followed her with their eyes hoping she’d drop something and be forced to bend over or a sudden breeze would sweep through the building.  The girl was OK, but the men made me laugh. 

-         A Continental employee strode by with what looked like empty hands but she was moving her arms like she was lifting weights.  Not little movements, mind you, but whole arms holding hand weight movements.  I still can’t figure out what she was doing but it was an entertaining show while she walked by.  The lady sitting on the bench beside me glanced at me and we both giggled. 

-         Two ladies walked about with brooms and dustpans with long handles.  One lady worked diligently sweeping up trash at the curb and around benches.  The second lady walked behind the first lady relating a conversation in which she was clearly put upon, ranting on and on about “He said…and then I told him…” complete with head shakes and hand motions, occasionally stopping to draw breath.  Every so often she’d pause in her diatribe to pretend to sweep but as far as I could see not a pebble or scrap of paper went into her dustpan.  The first lady didn’t even bother to reply, there wasn’t a need because the second lady barely took time from her martyred monologue to breathe.  Note to self:  Try not to complain to my friends for more than a couple minutes, remember to breathe, take time to allow the other person to talk.  On the plus side, she provided sidewalk entertainment for me. 

-         A man walked by wearing a Pee Wee Herman suit and the hair to match.  If the suit wasn’t so outdated he would have looked as good as he obviously felt wearing his suit with tight peg leg pants.  The conversation in my head went sorta like, “Oh look, an Indian Pee Wee Herman.  Funny tight pants but he wears them like he’s a fashion prince.  Ohh, nice behind.  Maybe Pee Wee Herman was on to something.” 

-         A police woman walked by wearing so much hardware it filled her belt.  She had to walk with her arms out to accommodate all the police gear packed around her waist.  I wondered how much that stuff weighed and, more importantly, what if, in the haste of a crime being committed, she grabbed the wrong item?  “Stop or I’ll shoot!  Dang it, that’s not my gun it’s the radio!”  I tell ya, it gave me new respect for the police. 

Happily, Carolyn showed up about then so my musings were cut short.  We grabbed the shuttle to the hotel where we found Katrina and Ms. Starr Raven Madde waiting for us in the hotel lobby.  Big hug time, warm comfy feelings, and slipping into a place of belonging I’ve been missing for a year.  That’s how it feels to meet up with my EOS friends – instant comfort zone, just add hugs and giggles. 

Warm fuzzies aside, we were hungry so, of course, we headed straight to the patio café for lunch and catching up.  The patio café is situated under a covered breezeway next to the indoor cafe with an exit at one end out into the front of the hotel and to the pool on the other side.  Midway through lunch a flustered man dashed to the entrance and asked, “Did you see a naked man run through here?”   

Talk about a loaded question for soap fans with a highly developed appreciation of gorgeous men!  “No,” we answered, “no naked men running through here.”  I could feel the laughter welling up inside of me.   

“Are you sure?” he asked.  “He was wearing a Red Sox baseball cap.” 

“Yep, we are pretty sure we would have noticed a naked man running through.” 

He left then so probably he didn’t hear the peels of laughter that followed.  It turned out that there really WAS a naked man in the vicinity.  Apparently, the upset man’s wife and child were shocked as they came out the door of their room by a man in a Red Sox cap jogging by with his danglies dangling.  We kept an eagle eye for the rest of the afternoon but we never caught sight of the jogging naked man. 

After a munchy supply run to Ralph’s the handy grocery store across the street from the Sportsman’s Lodge and a little more visiting it was time to get ready for the Kick Off Party.  But first, it was present time!  Our intrepid leader, Katrina, brought us tiaras and diva glasses which you will note that we wore like the queens we are in many of the pictures.   

The second annual Kick Off Party was a blast.  The best part of the Kick Off Party is that it’s not an event, it really is a party.  Ignaccio Serricchio and his band, 3-1/2 Feet Under played again this year, actors roamed the ballroom talking and laughing with fans, and people danced, drank a little and laughed a lot.   

After Ignaccio, Scott Clifton took the stage with his band and sang while fans cheered him on.   

Early in the evening Tyler Christopher stopped by to chat with fans, have his picture snapped about a thousand times, and to sign stuff. 

 It’s hard work signing stuff so a guy has to stop and fix his pants and shirt after a while. 

It was really hard getting close enough to take this picture! 

Jason Gerhardt (Coop) wandered into the room and was stunned when fans surrounded him.  It quickly became apparent that he needed a table to sit behind for a while for pictures so one of the check out tables was appropriated and things were soon clicking and I do mean clicking, cameras were flashing like strobe lights gone wild.   

When he smiles his eyes crinkle at the corners.  He has the kind of smile that invites the other person to join in and see the world as a nicer place.  World peace might be achieved if Jason Gerhardt stood in a room smiling. 

Josh Duhon (Logan) made his debut and fans flocked around him.  Carolyn was working with Jason Gerhardt and she spotted the stunned Josh first.  Grabbing him, or perhaps I should say rescuing him, she admonished, “You can’t just walk in like that.”  He didn’t have a clue and he looked a bit shell shocked.  The fans crowding around him weren’t being rude but there were a LOT of folks packed around him.  Thankfully, Jim Warren found a table for Josh on the other side of the room so each actor had a little breathing space. 

This is Mr. Josh Who-Me? Duhon.  He was surprised to see how much the fans loved him.  And you know that bad boy thing he’s got on GH?  It’s real.  He gives off I-go-my-own-way-do-my-own-thing vibes.  Not that he’s arrogant or rude, just his own person.  If I could pick an actor to have lunch with, he’d be high on my list. 

Why, oh why didn’t I ask Bergen Williams to wear the diva glasses?  She would have looked fabulous!  Every time I look at this picture I kick myself.  She is one of my favorite actors to see at the events because she has such a presence about her.  Not your usual soap figure, she’s tall and beautiful with deep reddish hair.  Plus, she has kind eyes.  She’s the kind of person you want for your friend and you want to tell your secrets too because she’ll keep them safe. 

Rebecca Herbst made a 60 second appearance but then had to dash out for her event which was beginning in a couple minutes.  She’d just finished taping and came directly from the GH set. 

A couple minutes behind Rebecca Herbst, Sebastian Roche (Jerry Jax) strolled in closely followed by Annie Wersching (Amelia), both also just finished with taping.  Clearly, they are friends.  Annie Wersching wore her hair in two pigtails and looked completely different than Amelia Joffe, Producer and career woman on GH.  Love or hate Jerry Jax, Sebastian Roche could charm the sweet out of a sugar cube and he’d do it with a French accent.  I hate when that happens because I had a real hate going for Jerry Jax and now when I watch him, I see the charming actor underneath and I can’t hate him anymore.  Now I am busy looking for redeemable qualities.  It’s so much simpler to simply despise a character.   

Camradry, plus two.  Sebastian Roche enjoyed the crowd and wasn’t overwhelmed a bit.  Like Jerry Jax, he has a presence that screams able-to-handle-all-situations, only unlike Jerry Jax he is filled with cheer and good will. 

That same mix of feelings comes into play with Rick Hearst who also stopped by after taping.  His bevy of fans crowded around him but Rick Hearst has to be one of the most at ease in a crowd people I’ve ever observed.  I wish I could tap my heels three times and rub up against him and some of his easiness among people would rub off on me. 

How can a guy who looks this good and who so thoroughly enjoys his fans be so evil on screen?  That’s our Trish looking mighty pleased to cuddle with one of her favorite actors. 

Dominic Rains, Dr. Leo Julian on GH and Night Shift, created a stir wherever he stood.  The guy could melt ice cream at 50 feet because he looks so hot.  He was unabashedly enjoying interacting with the fans.  He talked, he laughed, he posed for pictures, he did a yoga move but my most definite favorite part was when he kissed me on the cheek. 

I don’t think he could help himself.  The tiara and diva glasses were a draw like bees to flowers in a garden.   

See?  It worked on Adrian Alvarado (Dt. Cruz Rodriguez) also.  Not the kissing part but the let’s pose for the camera part.

Scott Clifton charmed his way through the crowd.  I feel like his mom or a proud aunt since I’ve watched him change from a teenager shocked by the crowd around him at his first event to an accomplished crowd pleaser.  

The two guys behind Scott are his band members.  Aren’t they interesting?  The stood around, bemused, until their stage time. 

Sadly, I don’t have any pictures of Scott Clifton singing because a little bird informed us that Steve Burton and Bradford Anderson were on their way in.  As we had worked as escorts during the party we headed out to the lobby area to wait.  It turns out that we weren’t needed, Steve Burton after years of fan events knows how to slip in without causing a ruckus and Bradford, learning the ropes, walked purposefully behind him.  We smiled hello as they strode by directly into the safety of the green room. 

Around 9, Steve Burton and his trusty sidekick Bradford Anderson made an appearance to talk about Night Shift which then aired on the many screens positioned around the edge of the room.  Katrina, Trish and I happened to be standing by a screen when Jason confessed to shooting Spinelli in the foot which made the entire room break out in laughter, including the three of us.  Though I’d been too busy to sit and watch the first episode of Night Shift, I was excited to check it out on my DVR at home knowing I was in for a little comedy with the grittier stories. 

The party wound down around 11 with fans wandering out in a happy daze.  Scott Clifton finished singing and relaxed near the fireplace in the lobby with a couple friends clearly enjoying some good conversation.  I yearned to snap some pictures of him when he was just himself and not clowning for fans but it didn’t seem polite to interrupt so I just enjoyed the view from a distance.   

Another successful Kick Off event wound down to Debbie Morris’ credit.  Each year I realize anew how much effort goes into making the GHFCW a success.  While we run through the weekend helping where we can, talking to actors and snapping tons of pictures, Debbie deals with a million inevitable details.  I bow to her in admiration and she so deserves to wear that tiara!