Jo’s Quantum Cafe

The weekend was perfect!! I arrived at 5:30pm local time and thought there was a courtesy shuttle to the Culver Hotel but after almost an hour wait with no bus, I took a Super Saver for $16 to the hotel. When I arrived and checked in, I learned Nancy was already there. She had paid for the room and checked in, but she wasn’t upstairs.

I then went searching for Billie and other friends and headed up to Helene’s room for Scottfest. Helene, MJ and Barbara had bought lots of drinks and goodies for starved Leapers. We watched Scott videos and then the special guest arrived with a bag full of dailies, Rich Whiteside.

I got up to give Rich a big hug which I think surprised him. Rich was one of my guests at 2001 Orlando Leap. I showed him the album from the Orlando con and he asked for a pen to make a note about one of the photos he had given me for the album.

After he left, Billie and I bid farewell to the group and went our separate ways.

I got ready for bed after doing some more unpacking and by that time Nancy came down from Helene’s room. She tiptoed in but I told her I was still awake. We lay in bed talking a long time, finally going to sleep about 2:30 which was 5:30AM by my body time (East coast).

In the morning, both Nancy and I were up around 8AM and I felt somewhat rested. Nancy was meeting Bonnie for the afternoon but said there was a Scott tape I missed last night that I HAD to see so I called Helene to schedule a time during the day to see it. There were also copies of Scott singing the National Anthem from this year’s hockey event and I bought one of those.

Several people contributed stuff for autographing for my friend’s memorial fund (a friend of mine lost her daughter to a very rare disease and is trying to raise $30,000 for a research fund through NORD in her daughter’s name).

I spent the afternoon with Helene, Barbara, Carol and MJ. Helene had a van and Barbara rode shotgun with all the directions and steered us around LA like a native. Our first destination was the Luminarias restaurant where the movie was filmed but it was closed for renovation. That didn’t stop us. We got out, walked around a bit, took group photos. Helene was hobbling on a cane with her 5th bout of broken toe. We stopped in the office and got business cards and talked to one of the restaurant women. Then we drove on to the downtown area.

Helene found a parking spot near Broadway, our next stop. It was by a broken meter. She was concerned about getting a ticket, but we encouraged her to stay parked and we headed for the Bradbury building which was open on the weekend. Even if this didn’t turn out to be where they filmed “Play It Again, Seymour,” it was well worth the stop. A beautiful wrought iron staircase, marble stairs, open wrought iron cage elevator, towering ceiling - just a magnificent building. Later on, I verified with Scott that it was, indeed, the site for that QL episode - not that any of us had any doubt.

Helene was starving, having missed breakfast, so we walked into the Farmer’s Market for Thai lunch. On the way out the back, Helene recognized it from the Invader movie. Three film locations in one day!

The Hamilton: That evening, Nancy drove us to Hamilton High, and we were entertained for 2 hours by a wonderful variety show. Ted Lange (soft g) from Love Boat was the MC with Alyce Beasley (Moonlighting) doing voice over MCing. Scott came on stage first as part of a mime skit - the mime was being pulled by an out-of-control dog that, you guessed it, peed on Scott’s shoe. The program was too long to list all the acts, so I’ll highlight some of the best: There was Ron Davis from A Chorus Line, Mark Goodman and company, a phenomenal tap dancer, and Ben Lanzarone who kept everything going with his skillful piano playing. One or two lob mics kept cutting in and out during Act 1 but being the troopers they were, the show went on. Jaclyn Miller and Joe Joyce did a great skit to “They’re Playing Our Song” from the Marvin Hamlisch show. I loved their high energy performance. Paul Kreppel and Stuart Pankin sang a gay take-off of “Do You Love Me.”

There were 2 BESTS of the show. The top act of the night had to be Jay Johnson (SOAP) and his monkey ventriloquist act that had the audience screeching with laughter. The bass player of the 3-piece ensemble was doubled over and the drummer had tears rolling down his cheeks. It was the funniest routine I had seen in a long time.

The climax of the evening was Scott and Chelsea. They came onto the stage in pajamas, carrying a trunk and sang “When the Kids Get Married” from I Do, I Do. Chelsea played the violin during the number and Scott the sax - badly - as the skit called for. He said he had one lesson for the number. It was cute, high energy, comedic, and an enjoyable piece. The whole shebang ended with “One” from A Chorus Line.

But the evening wasn’t overas there was a reception that followed the show. I left with Margaret but eventually wound up by myself following the crowd to the food. I didn’t eat anything. I stopped at the silent auction table to bid on a poster signed by the entire cast. (I got one - several were offered.) I did find Rene Auberjonois and asked him autograph a photo for Karen. I also saw Jay Johnson there. He was talking to some friends and I didn’t want to interrupt. Besides, I was getting a little worried. I didn’t see anyone from the Leaper group. I wound my way back the way I had come and found a classroom off to the side of the hall with a sign saying “Scott Bakula” that I had missed the first time. Apparently last year they had a problem with crowds around Scott (can’t imagine why!) so this year they gave us a room! We had about 50 people.

Jay Schwartz came in first and he had changed. His hair was blonde. I thought he looked great. I got up from my chair to introduce myself to Jay as having run Orlando Leap and to thank him for his help with the con. When Scott came in shortly afterward, he was immediately his animated self, chatting with the group, making everyone feel special and welcome. He stopped by Rosie to say hi to her, bent down and gave her a kiss and a hug, hugged Margaret. Rosie lit up like a Christmas tree ornament.

One of the first things that happened, Margaret gave Scott a card and a purse full of coins that Billie had collected with the instructions to buy a light bulb for Enterprise. Scott laughed but told us that it wasn’t the way it was filmed but had to do with the way UPN was transmitting the show. Some people, especially those getting the show off the Canadian satellite feed, had very good images. He also said we would see a vast difference when the show was released on DVD. Scott didn’t say when that would happen but I got the impression that they were working on that project NOW.

Early on I had a chance to give Scott the Orlando Leap booklet I brought for him (don’t remember how this opportunity presented itself), tell him that we cleared $6000 (actually $6700) for charity, and to also give him a composite photo I had done of the Enterprise crew with me as a member of the crew! I autographed it to Scott. He had a good laugh over it and I think he really enjoyed the joke.

The group bantered a bit and asked a few questions but we all decided we wanted autographs and photos more than Q&A so Scott obliged. One Leaper suggested that all the newbees line up first and I thought that was a wonderful idea. I knew Scott’s rule is all or none, but I guess I didn’t quite believe it. I had been anxiously waiting since 1996 for an opportunity to talk to him.

I was well prepared. I had three items for autographing and there were sticky notes on all three of what I wanted Scott to write. I handed him a pen. He handed it back to me and said he would use a silver pen so it would stand out. I told him this WAS a silver pen at which point he took back my pen and said he would use it.

I remembered sometime during the night (I think when I gave him the con book and photo) to reintroduce myself by name. He autographed my laser disk cover of Necessary Roughness and I had two more composite photos - one of me as a member of the Enterprise crew and one with Karen in the crew. I asked him to sign “To–, Welcome Aboard, Captain Jonathan Archer, AKA Scott Bakula.” He read the sticky and started to sign, then confided to me, “I don’t know how to spell Jonathan. I never write it.” So I showed him the sticker again. I handed Jay my camera and he took two photos. I stood on Scott’s left and he had his arm around my shoulder. I put my right arm around his waist. Jay said, “Move to the right.” Scott and I danced to the right. Jay said, “Move back.” Scott and I danced back. Jay wasn’t talking to us! He was talking to some people behind us. I didn’t mind the dance.

While Scott was signing my autographs, I asked him if he remembered the shark tooth from the ‘93 con (I said 93 but it was 94). He said of course and I told him I was the lady who gave him the tooth. I thanked him for the autographs and moved on. The camera never left my hand after that! I checked the photos on the camera and they looked fine.

Scott stayed for everyone - almost two hours! At the end of the session, we could all tell that he was tired - and hungry. Like many performers, he didn’t eat before the show. Chelsea came in and we got photos of Scott and Chelsea together. Someone made up a large bowl of cookies for Scott to take with him. They also put leftover food on a table in front of Scott’s room for all the Leapers who had missed the reception line.

Back at the hotel, neither Nancy nor I could sleep. We were too wired. We again lay awake talking till almost 4AM and we left the Hamilton around 12:30! Both of us were up at 7:30 and starved. Nancy had an early flight. We threw on some clothes and went down for breakfast, then Nancy left and Debbie O moved in for the night. Debbie O and Kate came up to my room to see the albums I brought. Kate went to get some sleep, Debbie met Ann to go to the beach, and I went up to Billie’s room where a group of us chilled and talked the afternoon away. I then went back to my room to shower and dress for dinner, we met up with Janey’s group, and 10 of us ate at a lovely Italian restaurant across the street.

Monday morning, Carol and I shared a cab to the airport and I flew home to celebrate Karen’s birthday at a Hawaiian restaurant and recount the weekend to the family.