TouchOfMyHand
Nov 22nd, 2003, 10:43 PM
Credit: someone posted this at efg Forum
There are so many false reports about Britney (like that one from Z100) that I think her fans should hear a REAL Britney story. I want you all to know just how sweet & kind Britney and her family are. My daughters always visit BritneySpears.org, but never signed up for the forum. We signed up now to tell you this story.
A while back, I made a donation to the Britney Spears Foundation (among other things - they send underprivileged children to a summer performing arts camp). Because of my donation, my girls (now ages 12 & 7) would get to meet with Britney.
It took a while longer than promised to arrange the meeting. In the meantime, Britney's mother sent us a two-page handwritten letter apologizing for the delay and promising the meeting would certainly happen. They sent us about 6 or 7 items signed by Britney (tour books, photos etc) during this time. Between Britney's mom & dad, we received about 4 packages via FedEx (from Britney's HOME ADDRESS in Kentwood, LA). I also received a nice phone call from Britney's personal assistant, Felicia).
Then we got THE CALL. A great guy (I'll have to call him Bill) from Britney's office. "Hi Dan. Can you guys get to MTV's TRL on Tuesday, Nov. 18?"
"Duh...Yes!"
When we got outside the Times Square studios at 4:00 there were people EVERYWHERE - on both sides of Times Sq. and down the middle island as well. Groups singing Britney songs and holding up signs in the hope of getting a glimpse of her through the MTV window on the second floor.
Virgin records, across Broadway, was closed, with NYPD's finest in full force, because Britney would be signing 500 copies of her CD there at 6:30.
Bill comes down to get us and bring us up past security. He leads us into a small MTV employees lunchroom. We see the TRL hosts stopping in for a soda before the show. Tyra Banks (!) comes through.
It's now 4:40. TRL goes on air at 5:00. Bill comes back.
"Okay guys, come with me".
We go to a corridor just outside the studio. Bill asks us to wait a moment by the wall, near a doorway. In the doorway, the kids spot "Big Moe" - who any Britney fan knows is her personal bodyguard. Big Moe is one fierce-looking dude, but he breaks into a huge smile when he spots my 7 year-old waving to him. "How you doing, Darlin'? What's your name"?
Over the next 2 minutes three different MTV security officers ask us "Who are you with"?, etc. One of them finally goes over to Big Moe. He tells them "Hey, those folks are cool. Leave 'em be". Then he waves at the girls again.
We hear Britney's unmistakable laugh coming from the room. The kids' eyes widen. Bill comes out of the room:
"Let's go, guys".
He leads us in. It's Britney's freakin' dressing room. She's standing right there waiting for the kids, with Felicia beside her.
"Come on in, y'all" they say.
"I've got some stuff for you guys", says Britney. She leads the kids over to a couch to sit down. I'm snapping pictures like crazy. There are NO OTHER fans in the room. It's just us, Britney, Felicia, Bill and two girls who work for MTV. Big Mo remains outside the door.
Britney plays with my youngest's curly hair. "I wish I had hair like that", she says.
My little one blurts out "Have you ever been on the Rock 'N Rollercoaster, Britney"?
"Yes, I sure have! That is soooo much fun"!
Felicia says "That's a new question! No one's ever asked that one before".
My 12 year-old shows Britney several photos of the kids with all their Britney memorabilia. The singer takes the time to go through each photo and laugh with the kids about them. She signs a CD made out to each of them personally. She then signs some 8X10's for them. They continue to talk. Felicia talks to my wife and me. The kids give Brit a bag of gifts.
Amazingly to me, there is no sense of "rush" at all. Britney invites us to all take a photo together. Bill takes the picture. Naturally, I use the opportunity to put my arm around Britney and get my big paw on her tiny shoulder.
The kids give Britney a hug. Before we leave, I shake Britney's hand and thank her for making this happen.
She replies "Awww, you're very welcome, Sweetie. This was a lot of fun".
Sweetie.
I think I may have that put on my headstone someday :-)
Then as we're about to leave, Britney's people make sure our kids get into the audience at TRL just as it goes on air. I believe the audience age requirements for that show are 15 to 24, but they brought my 7 & 12 year-olds in to watch Britney some more.
My wife and I waited in that lunch room again while the show was on (along with, oddly enough, the "Hunky Husbands" finalists from the Regis & Kelly show - hey, my wife deserved a thrill as well!!).
Felicia came by again and we chatted some more. I thanked her for making us feel welcome and relaxed. It really was like they invited us in their home. It was that informal and friendly.
Felicia left and I sat down with my wife to watch TRL on the monitor. Five minutes later Britney walks by the doorway - alone! The "Hunky Husbands" have a group heart attack.
Note - Britney DID NOT make anyone at MTV "close their office doors" as Z100 says she did there.
Our daughters could not believe that they spent a good 12-15 minutes in Britney Spears' dressing room while a huge mob was screaming for a glimpse of her outside.
Even I was astonished at how kind Britney, Felicia, Bill and Big Moe were. It was much more than I ever expected. We have about 8 photos of this experience. I sent one to LordBio, but I haven't seen it posted. I'd like to post some here, but I can't figure out how to do it. Any help would be appreciated.
I won't try to change those who dislike Britney Spears, but I wish you could someday see the person we spent a small part of Tuesday with.
She made my kids so happy.
She's the best.
__________
photo:
http://www.britneyspears.org/news/images/britssweetie/01.jpg
There are so many false reports about Britney (like that one from Z100) that I think her fans should hear a REAL Britney story. I want you all to know just how sweet & kind Britney and her family are. My daughters always visit BritneySpears.org, but never signed up for the forum. We signed up now to tell you this story.
A while back, I made a donation to the Britney Spears Foundation (among other things - they send underprivileged children to a summer performing arts camp). Because of my donation, my girls (now ages 12 & 7) would get to meet with Britney.
It took a while longer than promised to arrange the meeting. In the meantime, Britney's mother sent us a two-page handwritten letter apologizing for the delay and promising the meeting would certainly happen. They sent us about 6 or 7 items signed by Britney (tour books, photos etc) during this time. Between Britney's mom & dad, we received about 4 packages via FedEx (from Britney's HOME ADDRESS in Kentwood, LA). I also received a nice phone call from Britney's personal assistant, Felicia).
Then we got THE CALL. A great guy (I'll have to call him Bill) from Britney's office. "Hi Dan. Can you guys get to MTV's TRL on Tuesday, Nov. 18?"
"Duh...Yes!"
When we got outside the Times Square studios at 4:00 there were people EVERYWHERE - on both sides of Times Sq. and down the middle island as well. Groups singing Britney songs and holding up signs in the hope of getting a glimpse of her through the MTV window on the second floor.
Virgin records, across Broadway, was closed, with NYPD's finest in full force, because Britney would be signing 500 copies of her CD there at 6:30.
Bill comes down to get us and bring us up past security. He leads us into a small MTV employees lunchroom. We see the TRL hosts stopping in for a soda before the show. Tyra Banks (!) comes through.
It's now 4:40. TRL goes on air at 5:00. Bill comes back.
"Okay guys, come with me".
We go to a corridor just outside the studio. Bill asks us to wait a moment by the wall, near a doorway. In the doorway, the kids spot "Big Moe" - who any Britney fan knows is her personal bodyguard. Big Moe is one fierce-looking dude, but he breaks into a huge smile when he spots my 7 year-old waving to him. "How you doing, Darlin'? What's your name"?
Over the next 2 minutes three different MTV security officers ask us "Who are you with"?, etc. One of them finally goes over to Big Moe. He tells them "Hey, those folks are cool. Leave 'em be". Then he waves at the girls again.
We hear Britney's unmistakable laugh coming from the room. The kids' eyes widen. Bill comes out of the room:
"Let's go, guys".
He leads us in. It's Britney's freakin' dressing room. She's standing right there waiting for the kids, with Felicia beside her.
"Come on in, y'all" they say.
"I've got some stuff for you guys", says Britney. She leads the kids over to a couch to sit down. I'm snapping pictures like crazy. There are NO OTHER fans in the room. It's just us, Britney, Felicia, Bill and two girls who work for MTV. Big Mo remains outside the door.
Britney plays with my youngest's curly hair. "I wish I had hair like that", she says.
My little one blurts out "Have you ever been on the Rock 'N Rollercoaster, Britney"?
"Yes, I sure have! That is soooo much fun"!
Felicia says "That's a new question! No one's ever asked that one before".
My 12 year-old shows Britney several photos of the kids with all their Britney memorabilia. The singer takes the time to go through each photo and laugh with the kids about them. She signs a CD made out to each of them personally. She then signs some 8X10's for them. They continue to talk. Felicia talks to my wife and me. The kids give Brit a bag of gifts.
Amazingly to me, there is no sense of "rush" at all. Britney invites us to all take a photo together. Bill takes the picture. Naturally, I use the opportunity to put my arm around Britney and get my big paw on her tiny shoulder.
The kids give Britney a hug. Before we leave, I shake Britney's hand and thank her for making this happen.
She replies "Awww, you're very welcome, Sweetie. This was a lot of fun".
Sweetie.
I think I may have that put on my headstone someday :-)
Then as we're about to leave, Britney's people make sure our kids get into the audience at TRL just as it goes on air. I believe the audience age requirements for that show are 15 to 24, but they brought my 7 & 12 year-olds in to watch Britney some more.
My wife and I waited in that lunch room again while the show was on (along with, oddly enough, the "Hunky Husbands" finalists from the Regis & Kelly show - hey, my wife deserved a thrill as well!!).
Felicia came by again and we chatted some more. I thanked her for making us feel welcome and relaxed. It really was like they invited us in their home. It was that informal and friendly.
Felicia left and I sat down with my wife to watch TRL on the monitor. Five minutes later Britney walks by the doorway - alone! The "Hunky Husbands" have a group heart attack.
Note - Britney DID NOT make anyone at MTV "close their office doors" as Z100 says she did there.
Our daughters could not believe that they spent a good 12-15 minutes in Britney Spears' dressing room while a huge mob was screaming for a glimpse of her outside.
Even I was astonished at how kind Britney, Felicia, Bill and Big Moe were. It was much more than I ever expected. We have about 8 photos of this experience. I sent one to LordBio, but I haven't seen it posted. I'd like to post some here, but I can't figure out how to do it. Any help would be appreciated.
I won't try to change those who dislike Britney Spears, but I wish you could someday see the person we spent a small part of Tuesday with.
She made my kids so happy.
She's the best.
__________
photo:
http://www.britneyspears.org/news/images/britssweetie/01.jpg