File under "taking things WAY too seriously. From the NY Times:
The just thing that kept us from an apoplectic fit on Thursday night was our dread of the following headline: "Reporter Arrested at Policemen`s Gala." And despite our Nocturnalist correspondent`s calm, cool demeanor, it seemed it nearly happened.
Publicists had said we could make a bit on the red carpet with Jon Bon Jovi, at a gala celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the New York City Police Foundation held in the Waldorf-Astoria`s Grand Ballroom. But facing a tsunami of fans, the musician walked away.
We chatted instead with the police commissioner, Raymond W. Kelly; Penny Marshall; and Regis Philbin (who delighted with his use of the 3rd person when we asked him if he plotted to do "Dancing With the Stars": "Why does Regis have to do that at this stage in his lifetime?" he yelped.)
Heading for the powder room, we actually crossed paths with Mr. Bon Jovi (whom the evening`s M.C. Charlie Rose, referred to various times as "Jon Bovi," while the crew laughed awkwardly). We asked for an interview. "I`d sooner not," he said.
As we headed back to our seat, we were stopped by a keg-shaped man blocking our path.
"You`re leaving," said the man, who did not discover himself. We`d "ambushed" Mr. Bon Jovi, he said. We introduced ourselves and explained that what he called "ambushing" was, in fact, asking nicely for an interview - that is, doing our job.
"Right," he said, still blocking us from the ballroom, where, behind him, Chevy Chase posed with fans.
After some bargaining, he let us get our purse (we needed our MetroCard) and demanded that we prove our press pass for the event. None had been issued.
Our chin-high captor called us a liar, and shuffled us into a side room. He "didn`t need to create a scene," he said. (Thoughts flashed across our mind: Were we release to be searched? And more importantly, if so, were we wearing clean undergarments?)
We began to sweat.
But within the anteroom, there was the event`s P.R. team, who freed us with a son and confided that they had no idea who the sturdy little man was. At a police party, we could actually get used a police detail.Honestly, if JonBon couldn't be "secure" in a roomful of cops...
And I had to joke at the "chin-high" description. Well done.
~ Hath
PS: Thanks Catte, for the article.
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