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Ballfesting with Michael at
WLIW-TV Channel 21
Long Island NY

Thanks to
Helena, Linda Z, Elaine, Gail
and Jo Ann
For sharing their
"Ballfesting with Michael at PBS" stories with us


Photo
courtesy of Gail Fink
"Have
a Piece of Michael"
The
photo cake - doesn't Michael look yummy?!

From
Linda Zacharyczuk ~ New York ~ August 8 2000
Hi
Everyone,
I was hoping I wouldn't be the first to post about the NY show as I am so
poor at writing detailed reports. Bear with me and I will try to give
a little idea of what we experienced that evening. I have been to
three shows so far and must get up early to head to
Connecticut tomorrow.
Just want to add my reaction to the first two shows already reported.
WOW, WOW, WOW! This has been the very best vacation of my life!!!
The man is incredible, warm, funny, beautiful, generous, and talented to
boot!!!
Some of us met in the lobby of my hotel before the show and began sorting
through a lovely array of gifts that we had gone together on to present to
Michael. There was an incredible cake with Michael's picture on it, a
very clever card created to look like a
newspaper headline announcing Michael's visit, See's candy, wine, an NY tee
shirt, and yellow roses, and a cookbook (if I've forgotten anything the
others will fill in later I'm sure).
We headed for the station where we were warmly greeted by Linda West, the
wonderful lady who helped was coordinator for the station. We set
everything up for Michael to see when he came in. It was quite a wait
but when he finally came into the studio for the first
segment he looked fantastic and well rested. The interviewer really
seemed to take a shine to him and the interview went very well. I
believe it was after the second break that Michael came into the visitors
room with all of us to see the gifts. He appeared genuinely surprised
and pleased with everything and was sooo very gracious. He took the
time to sign things and take some pictures. I got a lovely hug which,
fortunately, was photographed.
At the end of the show, in the studio, Michael had half the room say
"dead" to a beat and the other half say "turtle" (all I
can figure is that he used it for the beat??? THEN HE BROKE INTO A
CHORUS OF "NEW YORK, NEW YORK", was absolutely wonderful!!!
As if this wasn't enough the studio asked if we wanted to be the audience
while they did a 10 minute interview with Michael for another show.
Of course we said no, NOT!!!! I still don't know how I got so lucky
but they placed him so that he was facing straight at me.
My eyes didn't move from that adorable face the entire time and the
interview was wonderful. Michael had to leave then but seemed very
happy with the evening.
I really apologize to my fellow volunteers for such a sketchy first posting
but felt pity on those waiting for reports. Please fill them in with
the kind of wonderful reports I know you are all capable of sending.
I MISS YOU ALL TERRIBLY!!!! I must get some sleep and I still
have to pack for tomorrow. It will be a bittersweet day, wonderful to
spend one more
evening with our Michael but time to say good-bye:( . He does say he'll be
back soon but I'll let the others fill you in on that wonderful bit of
news.
Hope this helps until the others start posting!! Talk to you all
again soon and thanks sooo much for the good wishes and support we've all
felt. You all are the greatest!!
Hugs,
Linda Z

(Note: the following is Helena's
first post ~ Post seeing Michael (2nd post follows!)

From Helena Weaver
~ New York ~ August 8. 2000
HI to all and
Linda,
I just got in
from New York City, and it is beginning to storm here so I must make this
short for now. I can't thank everyone enough for making Tuesday with
Michael go so perfectly!! I had the most wonderful group of people
and Michael was absolutely beautiful. I got two kisses and a hug
besides talking to him about the cake that I brought which had his picture
transferred on it. He loved it, loved the candy, wine, cookbooks,
etc. I asked Phil if he had gotten them and he said yes. I will
fill you in later on the most exquisite experience of my life and the
others.
Thanks to Linda
West, the staff at WLIW and all his "Ladies". I am still in
a dream world. Thanks to Joan, Jean and Jackie Hope for their
beautiful gift of Mikey stuff for me.
Just a little
note to say Linda West said we were the best group of volunteers she had
and would we consider doing this again for Michael. Of course, I am
sure!
It was wonderful
meeting everyone before, after and at breakfast. I am very tired so I will
try to post more when I get my thoughts together and my pictures
developed. I still get weak knees when I think he looked at me with
those beautiful blue eyes while he was talking to me. Linda West
thought we had done at
least $10,000.00 in the short time we were on the air. There were no
results from the 800 number when we left. I will get the results as
soon as I can. Love to all who helped me make this a perfect evening
for Michael.
Still on cloud 9,
Helena

Here's Helena's second post...
Michael Night-WLIW-Warning
read at your own risk!!

Hello to
Everyone,
What can I say? I can die happy now. It was a wonderful night
with Michael looking fantastic in a pink shirt and blue suit. He looked so
trim and fit and gorgeous (He did have his grandmother's wedding ring on
his finger again) Our night started off in the Holiday
Inn, with everyone meeting and introducing ourselves in the lobby
with all the gifts that we had decided to give him. Of course,
we had to take pictures there too. Jack and Elaine Campbell brought a
camcorder so it is well documented. After packaging the gifts,
signing Michael's cards, roses-yellow and bringing the cake that I
was able to get his picture
transferred onto a sugar based film like sheet, (which My friend Lynna and
I carefully brought with us in 85 degree weather, from Troy-about 250-300
miles) , we headed out to the studio. (Thanks Jack for carrying it
into the studio).
We met Linda West, who brought us into the room where we could set up the
gifts, cards, cake, etc and wait for Michael. It seemed like ages
before we finally got to see him. It was the second break before we could
meet him. We were already seated in the studio when Michael finally
in with Phil. A burst of applause greeted him from his
"Ladies" and he was very pleased by the smile on his beautiful
face. He greeted many of us sitting in front of the cameras. I was to
the right for the
first break and didn't hear much of the conversation at that time. Perhaps,
the first round of fans could fill us in on that part.
When he finally came in to greet us, he noticed the cake (We have many
pictures and will share them) was very pleased and surprised. He
asked me about it and I told him how we have a market/ bakery in my area
that does this, He kissed my cheek!! My friend Lynna asked him to
repeat it so she could take a picture and he did! His first kiss was
so wonderful - but the second was the thrill of my life. So, I kissed
his cheek too. I still haven't recovered from his kiss!
He cut the cake using the bagel knife, pretending to stab it. Then he
had a piece of it since it was Chocolate Marble Someone
asked who left lipstick on Michael's cheek and I proudly announced it was
mine! He was so friendly, and such a great sense of humor.
We were so proud to sing along with Michael (I was on the turtle side).
Joan Arthur presented him with the card she made and we all signed.
He loved it! Linda Z described the card which was made like a
newspaper article with a picture of him and both the American and British
flag on the front. I can't remember what
it said exactly but it was how Michael has captured America. Joan can
better describe it. In fact we all took pictures of it and can send
them on to the sites so everyone can see it. He loved his SEES
Candy one was a blue tin with gold lettering (Millennium) on it and
it was a special edition for this year. Inside were a variety of
chocolates.
The second item
was a bag of gourmet lollipops. I told him to use them whenever he felt the
urge to smoke again and he laughed. We had wine and cookbooks.
Debbie (IceDeb) got a beautiful one with recipes from all across America
and Canada, which we all signed. Lynna and I gave him one from our
area. Albany, NY which also had a lot of our history and pictures in it
too. Gail made a special sand bottle of Long Island sand with decorative
items in it. It was really nice and unique
besides. Before we knew it, we had to return to the studio, so
Phil took all the gifts up to Michael's dressing room. He assured me
that Michael had seen them and would enjoy them very much.
Michael continued to talk with us and make comments about the phone calls
as we took them. One person phoned in and said the a donation of $350
would be made if Michael signed the Video and CD in front of the cameras.
Michael got a set and did just that. So he got a huge pledge
immediately. He was obviously pleased and kept smiling when the
phones started to really ring in rapid succession. ( I have e-mailed
Linda West for the final amount and will forward it on to the list as
soon as I get it).
One of the greatest moments besides getting two kisses was when he signed
my music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and his song "Love Changes
Everything" which was from our June, 1999 concert of music
from Les Miz, West Side Story and Andrew's musicals. You can believe me
when I say - no one will ever get this copy from me nor will I ever use it
again. It is going in my memory box. I was thinking of hiring a
security guard to protect it, but that is a little too much, don't you
think?
When we finished the pledge drive, we learned that Michael was to be
interviewed for a show produced by the station, called Media week or
something like that (My group-help me out with the name if you can). Linda
came in and said although, this show generally does not have an
audience , they thought it would be great if we were all in there for this
interview ( I am sorry, but I forgot her name)! It was wonderful!
He was so witty and sweet. We did behave and laughed when he
was
funny, etc. It seemed to take quite a while for the interview to be
set up and Michael, sitting on a stool said he wasn't sure what to do and
the interviewer (who was positively breathtakingly beautiful said
something about all of us there to help him, I told him
to "Just Help Himself". He turned, looked, smiled and told
me "Now be good"! ( If this isn't just the right
interpretation, please let me know ladies). However when he finished
the interview, he said we were too quiet!
Right now I am trying to find out when this interview will be shown in that
area. If anyone in Long Island, Manhattan or New Jersey knows
of this program, please let us know. Better still, if you can tape
it, that would be wonderful! I have asked Linda West if the
station can provide me with a copy so I can get someone to reproduce it and
use it for the list. Michael left soon afterward. Phil said they were
going out to get supper since Michael and the group hadn't eaten yet.
With that Michael and his group became just wonderful memories to all of
us.
We did go in and finished cutting the cake, so we could all have a
little "piece of Michael". However, I couldn't bear
to cut his face. So I gave that part to *Linda Z. I am sure she took
good care of it.
After going back to the Holiday Inn, we met at the poolside and spent quite
a while together. (Of course you know who the topic of the
evening was most of the time)
A special thanks to Joan Arthur and Jean for my special bag of Mikey
goodies-just for me. They will go with my music of Love Changes
Everything- never to be touched by anyone else.
We met for breakfast and had another picture taking session. With the
breakfast over, pictures finished, Michael gone, we left for our other
destinations. Our lives obviously changed forever and for the better.
THANK YOU MICHAEL - for being an exquisite entertainer, as well as a one in
a million human being. Thank you for your devotion to your fans.
We love you dearly in America as well as the world. You have
definitely captured the hearts of all American fans. Please
come back soon. You did say you would be back in February, 2001 and I don't
believe you are coming back to shop as you told me with a devilish smile!!
I, along with all your American fans hope it is for a concert tour or
at least huge one in New York City or another of our cities.
I hope this is not to long and I hope it is as accurate as I remember it.
Forgive me if I ramble on, but I have been seriously afflicted with MBFAN
Disease. I hope I never recover from it!
Lots of Mikey
Hugs and love to all,
I'll keep my Mikey kisses if you don't mind!
Helena

*Later info from Helena...

Hi Jo Ann and
Everyone,
I had mistakenly thought I gave Michael's face to Linda Z. Forgive me
Jo Ann but I was mixing you two up for two days. SO, please
fans, Jo Ann now has Michael's face at her house. Were you able to
preserve him Jo Ann?
It was wonderful
to meet everyone and maybe we'll get to have Michael here again.
Helena

August
17, 2000: Update: Jo Ann let me know today that his head is still in good
shape too!
Helena

From
Gail Fink ~ New York, USA
Hi
everyone!
My name is
Gail and I live just north of NYC. This
is my first time posting, but I have been - gulp! – lurking for quite
some time now. I can’t
imagine why something is
telling me that this is the time to come out of lurkdom. LOL!
Oh, I know why - I was lucky enough to be one of the
volunteers at WLIW on Tuesday night. I
know that Helena gave a detailed description of the evening, so I will try
not to be repetitious.
I have
been a devoted fan of Michael’s since April 1990 when I saw him in AOL.
Believe me, ten years ago it was next to impossible to get any
information at all. Finding
music was no easy task either, even in NY.
If it weren’t for all of the PBS treasures – TAC, ALW, HMP, and
the web, Michael would have been as scarce as water in the Sahara.
Tuesday night added an “s” to the desert and made it dessert! I guess you could say that “yummy” would be a good
word to describe the evening!
First of
all, I have to thank everyone at the station, especially Linda West, the
volunteer coordinator – they were the best!
They were so much fun that I am going to volunteer for non-Michael
events! Also, thanks to Helena
for arranging everything. Everyone
was so friendly and I am thankful for the opportunity to have met so many
wonderful people. Ironically
enough, I seemed to be the only “local” and didn’t have a story with
mileage attached. Actually,
finding a babysitter that my 4 –year old will stay with is probably
harder than a 20-hour drive.
Michael
was everything that I read he was. I
have met many celebrities through contacts in NY, and not one of them comes
close to exhibiting the sincerity that is Michael.
You just can’t fake something like that.
His sense of humor, the twinkling of his eyes, the infectious smile,
and anything else that I haven’t mentioned are the real thing.
It must be very exciting for him as well as for us, because although
the fans have been here all along, Michael hasn’t.
The U.S. is a new world for Michael to conquer, and I don’t think
I’m alone when I say that I am ready to wave the white flag.
Hopefully, this will be the first of many visits, and maybe my dream
of having him back on Broadway will come to fruition. I would, however, be just as happy to go to a concert.
LOL!
The entire
evening was like being at a party, even while we were taking phone calls.
The WLIW people were really laid back.
I don’t know if they are always so relaxed and humorous, or if
Michael’s attitude was contagious - he was charming, playful, funny and
very interactive with all that was going on in the studio.
I have been watching WLIW for a very long time and I have never seen
the woman who interviewed him act like she did.
I believe she was actually flirting with him.
He just has that kind of effect on people, and hopefully his
charisma affected everyone out in TV land as well.
Michael
was flashing that smile and those dimples all night long.
At one point, he looked right at me, I smiled and he smiled back –
really smiled. Well, I have to tell you - that smile put me on
the disabled list. I happen to
be very computer literate; however, the WLIW computers were tricky because
some the keys had different functions than they normally do.
After that smile it was a miracle that neither my computer nor I
didn’t have a meltdown. Although
I am fairly reserved in terms of being a fan, and Michael is the only
target of my fan genes, several of my callers must have thought that I was
a blithering idiot because I kept losing information.
Oooooops! Was it my
fault that the scenery was such a distraction?
A few of my callers kept saying, “Is he really in front of you?
Really right there?” I
think that those callers understood my CKS
(computer klutz syndrome).
During one
of the breaks, Michael signed my Broadway AOL poster.
It is going to be framed tomorrow!!
I also got a bear-hug photo moment, and any time I feel like it
never happened, I just turn on my digital camera and there it is!
I think that all of us who were fortunate enough to experience
Michael in this way realize that most of you have never had this kind of
opportunity. Even those of you
in the UK that have had the advantage of easy access to Michael as far as
concerts, TV, music and video, probably haven’t had the pleasure of just
“hanging” with him. Thank you for sharing!
Linda West
told me that Michael was coming back in the near future, and I know that I
will be more than happy to do anything to help establish his presence in
the U.S. I mentioned to
several people that I felt like the whole PBS thing was a bittersweet
moment. On the one hand, I
would love to have easy access to Michael and his music (wouldn’t we
all); however, I also feel that Michael has been a well-kept secret for
those of us in the U.S., and it has been kind of special not having to
share him with the masses. Maybe
it was because we had to work so hard to get music, videos, information,
and Michael moments, that the fruits of our labor tasted so sweet.
I suppose that for those of us who were lucky enough to have a PBS
Michael moment, this will be the memory that reminds us of the time before
Michael crossed the pond and discovered the America that wants to discover
him as well.
B4N,
Gail

From: Jo Ann Higgins ~ Maine, USA
Mom and I headed off for Long Island about 2 with her
navigating and me driving. She had read the directions and said she
was familiar with how we wanted to go until off the Long Island Expressway.
Well, we were headed for the Holland Tunnel when she said she realized that
wasn't what we wanted to do but we couldn't change at that point. We
were in bumper to bumper more stop than go traffic. I kept watching my
watch and she was just enjoying the ride. Mentally I was screaming.
After a scenic tour of many of New York's boroughs we made it to the *LIE
and the rest was a piece of cake.
*Long Island Expressway
A stretch limo was taking the studio exit and we followed it but it seemed
empty in back so we went to the motel and got ready to go to the studio
ourselves. There was a group of 8 or 10 in the lobby when we arrived
so I said Hi, told them what room we were going to, and got ourselves
ready.
Mom and I gave "The California Girls" a ride to the station,
Jean, Joan, and Jackie (who was really here from England). I am not sure
how many there were altogether because they were at least two
"groups." We were in getting our training when we were told that
Michael was in the building but they had whisked him out back to do a
promo, etc. I did spot him going down the hall a bit later. He
was talking to someone so his face was turned away from us. A bit
later he went by with no one next to him and he did a funny sideways skip
so he could keep his back to us. He just wasn't ready to make an
appearance.
We were in our places in the studio when he finally appeared. Black suit
and open collar pink shirt. The two women in the studio happened to
be wearing pink as well. "Gethsemene" was playing and
he sang along occasionally. During the first pledge break I never got a
call so I could
listen in to his interview though it was on the other side of the
room. When we had our break he was elsewhere but we got to see him
and get pictures during the next. Hopefully my picture with him turns
out! I was sorry we didn't get more out of the studio time with him.
I had printed on the computer a Hi Jackie sign that I was hoping to get a
picture of him with and an autograph for you but just didn't have time.
The good news, if you haven't heard already, is that he is coming back in
February but he didn't say for what. Of course Jean Van Buskirk
thinks it should be California but most of us are hoping east coast.
(...small private portion edited out
here)
Helena had a cake make with his picture on it. He did
the initial cut. No one could bear to cut his face and Helena was
going to "auction" it off. She finally told me to take it.
It make it home to Maine with just a bit of wrinkling in the corner but his
face is intact! It won't keep or freeze so I'm not sure what I'll do
with it but it is fun to have for now.
Mom has a video of the show and I am anxious to see it. It seems like
it all happened so fast, its hard to remember everything. Once he was
watching himself on the monitor ending a song and he said "Sell it
Michael." He is just wonderful!
We had fun with the California Girls and spent most of our time with them
since they rode with us and stayed at our hotel. Jean said to let her
know when Mom and I will be in San Fran in November and we'll try to do
lunch. Linda and daughter Kristina were with us a lot along with Kim
D...,Helena, and Lynna. My daughter is Lynna and the NY Lynna thought
she was the only one.
It was a great time but too short. I just hope I have lots of good
pictures! Oh, and when I got home the Movies cassette that Alicia
sent from England had arrived so I started to listen to that on the way
back to the office, and reality, this morning.
If I remember any other details I'll pass them along. Gotta get back
to work right now!!
Take care, Jo Ann
ADDENDUM:
Wow, is he great!!!! We
didn't have nearly enough time with him. My mother said her tape of
the show came out great so I'm anxious to see it.
There were two bits I can remember that I wanted to tell you about.
We were in the studio practicing when we were told Michael was "in the
building." I saw him walk by the door once, pointedly talking to
the person to his other side so he was not looking towards the door into
the studio.
We went into the conference room expecting to see him while there but were
sent back to the studio to be ready for phone calls. I saw him go by
the door again. There was no one next to him to give him a reason to
hide his face from us so he did a funny sideways skip to keep his back to
the door. He finally entered the studio while Gethsemene was playing
and he did a bit of a sing-along. Some time later he was out in the
hall singing along and boogie-ing (is there such a word) with the music.
He watched himself doing a grand finale to one of the songs in the concert
and said "Sell it, Michael!"
The bottom line is that he is a handsome, talented, caring, and charming
man!
I'll pass along other tidbits as I remember them. Can't wait to see the
pictures!!!
Jo Ann
PS-Helena, his face made it back to Bangor with only a little wrinkling in
one corner! Face intact.
Note:
Also see Jo Ann's Scarlet
Pimpernel Stage-door Report.
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