Celebrity Sightings

Only in New York (and maybe LA) can you walk down the street and see a celebrity either giving a concert, stopping for pictures, or even playing games.

In the two weeks that I've been here, I've seen more "celebs" than I have in, well, let's just say a very long time. So, for those of you who follow the tabloids and can't get enough of the media mayhem, here's your blog...

I was walking down 5th Avenue the other day, just minding my own business, looking for a blouse to wear my first day at my new job, when I noticed a massive crowd clumped around a tiny little stage. I decided to stop and see what the commotion was all about. Mainly, I stopped because I had nothing else important to do because when you're unemployed in New York City, you've got to find all of the free entertainment you possibly can. There was a man onstage trying to pump up the crowd becasue "Jennifer will be out here in just a few moments!" Well, there are a lot of Jennifers in the world, but I was intreagued, so I stayed. I ended up watching CBS film their Early Summer Concert Series with Jennifer Hudson. She sang 3-4 songs, had a few dancers and some fun lights, and that was that. I moved on and so did everyone else. You don't get that in Biloxi, MS.

A few days before that, I was meeing my friend Chris at Washington Square. Chris and I did community theatre together back home, and he's now a student in New York. It took awhile to find Chris because I got so distracted by the sight of Mike Meyers playing beer pong in the middle of Washington Square! Who knows what he was doing!?!? Not me. There were a few cameras around, so they may have been filming something, or he may have just been killing some time, kickin' it in the square.

For those of you theatre buffs out there, you'll appreciate this one. If you've never cared about Broadway, you might as well skip this paragraph. I was walking back to my apartment after a relaxing picnic in Central Park when I saw Cheyenne Jackson driving down Park Avenue in a Range Rover! I almost passed out in the middle of the sidewalk. That may not be as exciting as meeting Cheyenne Jackson in person, like I did a few years ago at the stage door of Damn Yankees, but you definitely don't see that kind of thing in Montevallo.

Let's see. Who else is on the list...

OH, two more theatre names: Aaron Tveit and Norbert Leo Butz! I saw "Catch Me if You Can" last weekend and was floored by those two performers. Aaron's voice is beyond beautiful, and Norbert, well, he's Norbert flipping Leo Butz. I'll have a "show critique" blog soon, so you'll hear my whole opinion of the show.

I went to the filming of the Today Show's summer concert series at Rockefeller Center last Friday Morning and saw Matt Lauer. The Script performed that morning, and even though the lead singer had laryngitis, it was fun to watch the show.

THIS WAS MY FAVORITE! I was exploring Downtown Manhattan about a week ago (Battery Park, Brooklyn Bridge, Wallstreet, etc), because I've never been down there. I was wandering around Battery Park when I was redirected by an individual with a sign explaining that there was a television filming in process. I was nosy, and asked about the show. They were filming Damages, my mom's favorite show - with good reason (Damages has probably the best acting on television right now). Glenn Close was on set that day, right in front of the Statue of Liberty! I sat and watched for about an hour. I was close enough to hear some of the dialogue, and I got a couple of decent pictures before getting called in to sign some forms for my Temp Agency.

It's incredible what kinds of things you can see and do in the city if you just get out and go. I had no idea most of these were happening, I was just in the right place at the right time. I've realized that in life, those are some of the best moments: the stumble upons. So, here's to hoping for more stumble-upons, and more exciting adventures in New York City.

Grace be with you,
Lindsey Shea