Mary's coming to Chicago to be interviewed for an hour and a half before a live audience at Columbia College. Ticket's are going fast. I've got mine!
MTM In Chicago (http://web3.colum.edu/press_releases/archives/000629.html)
This is a dream come true for me. I hope I get the chance to at least shake her hand, smile, and say... well, "Hello!" :notworthy

Steve

Wow! That is so great Steve! I hope you have a wonderful time and are able to meet her. :)

Wow, Steve, how cool is that?! I will be thinking of you that night. It will be my son's 12th birthday and we have tickets to the Washington Nationals home opener at RFK stadium that night. We want him to always remember that he got to see the Nats first home game on his 12th birthday. I can't wait to hear about Mary! Take notes and pictures and give us all the details!

Lolac
:wave:

I can't wait to hear about Mary! Take notes and pictures and give us all the details!
Lolac
:wave:
Lolac,
I'll definitely be taking notes, and if they allow it, pictures too. But we'll see what kind of atmosphere is generated there that night. I've ready been advised by a good friend to not get myself arrested! He says he's going to set aside bail money just in case :lol: .
It'll be a late evening, so I may not report back the very next day, but I'm looking forward to telling you all about what a great evening it was.
Enjoy the game with your family!

Steve

My ticket conformation shows I'm in Row 16. Darn it!
That's not nearly close enough! Oh well. :rolleyes:

Steve

I've been really busy and haven't posted on here in forever but just wanted to say I'm SO happy and excited for you Steve :D Last summer I had the opportunity to attend a charity event that Mary hosted and briefly meet her after and it was such an awesome experience. Even though she is in her late 60s and even with all of the botox and plastic surgery she is still so incredibly stunning and beautiful in person ;) Be sure to take a camera with a good zoom!! Even if it says no cameras allowed, often at events like this they are not too strict about the no camera policy. As long as you don't have it out and flashing the entire time they may not care. Since there's a Q&A thing with the audience after the interview, have you thought about asking her a question? You should definitely try!! I hope you get a chance to talk to her and get some good pictures. I'd love to exchange pics with you.

Be sure to take a camera with a good zoom!! Even if it says no cameras allowed.. Since there's a Q&A thing with the audience after the interview, have you thought about asking her a question? You should definitely try!!
Vanilla Waif
I'll bring a camera, but I'm one of those "rules are rules" types, so I hope they don't have a no pictures policy! I'd be tempted to take one or two anyway, but I'd be so afraid of being asked to leave :eek: . As it is, I'm not even gonna wanna leave when the event is over :lol: !
I do plan to speak with her if allowed. How could I not??? I'll come up with a good question - I hope.
Thanks for the advice :wave: .

Steve

You sound like me, Steve. I'm a "rules are rules" kind of person, too. I can't wait to hear about it!
Lolac
:crazy:

Oh! That's great Steve!!!! I hope you have fun there, and I hope you get to meet Mary and talk to her!!!!! I would LOVE to go, and I did ask my parents... but they said 'No'. 'No' in big fat letters.... oh well... I will meet her someday... I think!!! :p

Jessica

Steve,
I'm sure you'll enjoy the whole experience and it's something you'll always remember. I hope you get chance to say hello to Mary and ask a question, but whatever happens you'll have a great time. I'm sure Mary will be very nice to everyone,
but I only wish she read this forum because she'd
only want to meet you that much more. Enjoy the evening and we'll enjoy hearing back from you.

Steve, I hope you get chance to say hello to Mary and ask a question... I only wish she read this forum because she'd
only want to meet you that much more.
That's what my friends, coworkers, and family all say too, "If only she knew who she was meeting!" :lol:
Thanks, Samme.

Steve

Steve, have a great time tonight! I'll be thinking of you while I'm at the National's home opener! It should be a good night for both of us!

Lolac
patriot:

So, Steve, how was it?! We're anxious to hear about your night with Mary!

Lolac
:wave:

I'm sure you had a great time Steve! Anything really exciting happen???? :)

Jessica

Hi,
I'm glad you're so anxious to hear about my magical night with Mary, but I have a slight dilemma to attend to now. Two days ago my emotional middle daughter (20) annouced that she has quit school and is on her way to live with me. Ahhhh! Needless to say, I'm going to get her to finish, but in the mean time, I'm running around like crazy, moving furniture, converting rooms and clearing closets to prepare. I have to be at the airport in a couple of hours, so I just don't have time to post right now.
In order for you to get the full gist of the evening, I've decided it's going to take a somewhat lengthy article, which I don't mind writing. As soon as I get a chance (this weekend?) I promise, I'll get on it.
Sorry for the delay.

Steve

Guys,
I hope this isn't too long. Please post or PM me if you have any questions.

On Thursday, April 14, 2005 Mary Tyler Moore appeared before a live audience at the Columbia College's Film Row Cinema Theatre in downtown Chicago. The buzz was hard to miss from the time I walked into the downstairs lobby. There were ushers directing people to the 8th floor, "if you're here for the Film Row Cinema Theatre." On the crowded little elevator a young lady leaned over and asked me, "What's going on here tonight?" I said, "Mary Tyler Moore is here." "Oh, I see." "At least, that's why I'm here, I said" Then another man spoke up, "That's the reason I'm here too." Then everyone else said, "Me too!" "And you," I asked the young lady? "I wish," she said, I've got an editing class tonight." "Oh, a film student," I said. "Yep." Then the doors opened on her floor, and I bid her good luck on her career, and continued up to the theatre.
The small stage was set with two director's chairs and a small table with a pitcher of lemon water and two glasses, and off to the side was a podium with a microphone. The room was not very large, holding by my estimation about 300 people, or slightly more, but it was packed. Filled with the fans of Mary Tyler Moore! She was to be interviewed by A&E investigative journalist Bill Curtis, who was already in the room chatting with people on the front row. I found my seat, and relaxed into it, thinking "I'm actually here! I'm actually going to see Mary!"
Seeing Mary Tyler Moore in person is something I'd only dreamed of. As a child, my family and I watched The Dick Van Dyke Show, which basically showcased her to a large audience, and I've followed her career and been a huge fan ever since.
Bill Curtis stepped up to the podium and welcomed everyone. He announced that absolutely no photography would be permitted (a big disappointment for me). Immediately thereafter, he introduced a short film montage of Mary's most recognizable roles, which was shown on the small screen to the rear of the stage. They showed clips from The Dick Van Dyke Show (the opening scene from "Never Name A Duck"), The Mary Tyler Moore Show (The funeral scene from "Chuckles Bites The Dust"), and Ordinary People, (the "I quit the swim team" scene). Then, over loud applause for what we'd just seen, he introduced her, "Ladies and Gentlemen, Mary Tyler Moore!" We leaped to our feet with even louder, longer applause. She looked surprised and appeared to be blushing at one point! Let me tell you right now, that despite all of the talk of face lifts, plastic surgery, and botox, Mary is quite a stunningly beautiful woman in person, and I don't think that's just my bias talking. Then she spoke. "Thank you so much," She said. "But I know what you really want from me, and the story of my life. You want the smut! Sooooo, here it comes!" There were billows of laughter as she opened the notebook containing her notes.
We do love our Mary, don't we? I do. In light of that fact; my admiration for Mary, I'm experiencing a little anxiety in conveying parts of my experience that evening to people. Why? Because while Mary was charming, funny, witty, and even cute in her remarks, but she was also candid, honest, emotional, and she spoke to us as adults. From the very outset Mary began to challenge our notion of her, her celebrity, and those of us who say we love her. "Do you? Am I a role model? Or is it my image that you know and love so well?" You see, some of Mary's comments weren't what you would expect from Laura Petrie or Mary Richards at all. I don't mean to say she used profanity or vulgarity, she did not, but she still caught many of us by surprise several times with her choice of words or subject matter. I've decided I won't repeat them here because I know this board has some very young and conservative readers. Also, since Mary spoke for an hour and a half non-stop, I'll avoid going into a long, drawn-out narrative, and instead do a synopsis of what she spoke about, much of which is found in her book, "After All," but for those who have not read it...
Mary told us of her life from birth to present. Her move to L.A. as a child, her learning popular dance and deciding on it as a career, her meeting ("heartthrob") Marlon Brando as a teen. Her first marriage, divorce, and second marriage. She said playing Laura Petrie was some of the happiest times of her career. She credits the whole Dick Van Dyke Show experience with giving her the training she needed as an actress and businesswoman to start MTM Enterprises with her husband and partner, and to play Mary Richards. The Mary Tyler Moore Show gave her a real sense of accomplishment, and through that show she was the only one from the Desilu Studios lot who was able to recreate the strong sense of family in her professional career that had been experienced by the cast of the classic TV sitcoms of old. She was consumed with emotion and her voice trembled as she spoke of the deaths of her sister and son in Los Angeles, only 3 months difference in their ages. Her son accidentally shot himself to death, her sister overdosed on a combination of alcohol and barbiturates. Her husband, Grant Tinker, informed her of the bad news in each incident. Later, their marriage fell apart. "It should have worked," she said. That is what prompted her to leave the west coast permanently for New York City. She felt there was nothing more there for her. She told us how her mother's illness lead to the meeting of her current husband, Dr. Robert Levine, as he was her mother's doctor. He later supporter her as she was admitted to The Betty Ford Center for alcohol abuse, an illness which was threatening her marriage. She's been sober for twenty-something years now (sorry, I forgot the number).
A diabetic herself, Mary is the international chairperson for the Juvenile Diabetes Association. As as a Vegan, she is also very active in Animal Rights and neither wears nor eats them. She was raised Catholic, but her spirituality allows for animals to also have souls. She would also like to do her part to further the understanding that women, even in their later years, are still active, vital, "and yes, even sexy."
The biggest disappointment of the evening came when I realized I would not get a chance to speak to Mary. She only took five questions. So many hands were in the air, there was no way all of us could be picked. Such is life, I suppose. At the last question, Mary quickly said her thank yous and goodbyes, gifting us with an "Oh Rob!" and left the stage. There was no chance for any of us to approach her from the audience.
Mary is in great physical condition. She's 68 years old, but her step is just as spry as ever. She says she continued her ballet training until 10 years ago, and it shows. She stood at the podium for the entire lecture (it wasn't really an interview)without missing a beat. She flailed her arms at times, made faces, did ballet moves, and was otherwise expressive. She didn't even sit or have a glass of water that was offered to her during questions. When she exited the stage, she sort of skipped off through the rear door just as she did when she entered. Seeing Mary Tyler Moore was one of the most exciting events of my life, and one I'll never forget.

Steve

Wow, Steve. That sounds like an unforgettable experience. Thank you for sharing it with us and I'm so glad that you got to go. How is you daughter doing? Is she ok?

Lolac
:bighug:

That sounds wonderful, and I'm glad you enjoyed yourself!!! :D :D :D

Jessica

How is you daughter doing? Is she ok?

Lolac
:bighug:
Yes, she's fine, Lolac. She's settling in now. Serious "talks" to begin shortly :crazy: .
Thanks so much for asking, and for the hug. I needed it!

Steve

Something I forgot to include, but really should have is that Mary did not shy away from the subject of her "facelift." In fact, her recounting of it was one of the funniest chapters of the evening. She appears to have been very displeased with herself, hinting I believe at her alcohol abuse, and decided to do something about it. "So I had a facelift!" Her story of chosing a diguise for the ride home and and attempting to find a working elevator while dodging people at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel where she lived was quite funny :lol: . And she's pleased that she did it, even if people do talk about it from time to time. "No regrets."
She was also very clear that she with her drinking were the problem in her second marriage, and was becoming so in her third. She admitted to starting fights over nothing with her husbands, and feels grateful for Robert's support and endurance through her treatment and "continuing recovery."

Steve

Mary must be a great person. I'm glad you got to meet her. It's good Mary can admit what she had done too. I'm glad to see she's sober.

Jessica

Thank you so much for sharing your story with us Steve! That's so exciting that you were able to see Mary and hear her story. :)

Just wanna add my thanks to everyone else's for sharing that with us, Steve. Great job.

Just wanna add my thanks to everyone else's for sharing that with us, Steve. Great job.

Me too. I'm glad you remembered the details. I probably would have been so star struck with Mary that I wouldn't remember anything! :crazy:

Thank You, Thank You, Steve!

Jessica

i am the BIGGEST Mary fan alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i woulda just died if i had the pleasure of even being on the other side of the street she was on! we (the family) drove past her house once, to see if we could get a glimpse of her, with no avail.

pat

i woulda just died if i had the pleasure of even being on the other side of the street she was on!
pat
I know, TV-DVD Fan!!! She's dreamy, she really is! Talk about a 'young 68!' We were all riveted to our seats and completely under her spell. Including the security guard who was supposed to be watching for cameras!
So let's all just keep our eyes and ears open. Who knows where she'll turn up next?
One point that Mary mentioned is that she's done these types of forums, "Many times over the decades." So she may come to you sooner than you think.
Had it not been for my girlfriend finding the press release in our Sunday morning paper, I would have missed the whole event completely!
Let's post on this board wherever we find out she'll be appearing next. Also, don't be put off by my mentioning that some of her remarks caught me off-guard! She wasn't rated "NC-17" or even "R." Just "PG-13," and barely that. So all of you, please do go see her if you have the chance.
Another thing that Mary said is that she's not ready to retire. One of Columbia College's students asked if she'd do commercials, narration, voiceovers, and such. "Yes," she said. "I'd love too. If only someone would ask me!"
Something I've been asked privately is what she wore, so I'll post it.
She was dressed in a double breasted, camel-colored skirt suit made of some lightweight chiffon-like material, with matching strapped shoes, medium heel. The skirt was knee length and had a slight flare and drape, so it flowed as she moved.
Anyone else with questions, feel free to contact me.

Steve