The Burbank Marriott Celebrity Show

True to his word, NY based radio host and horror film maven, Matt Beckoff, knocked me up (in the British sense, i.e., stopped by) at 8:30am Sat. April 2nd, 2011 and ferried me to the Burbank Marriott Celebrity Show. We made it a more comfortable 9:30 the next morning. I filled that extra hour Sunday pulling weeds in the front yard. Big mistake. After a week of daily physical therapy at the spa, I can again face the monitor and get this blog post up.

Yeah, yeah. I  said never again and I meant it. Still do. But then I found out I would be seated at the Police Academy table. And though I am only represented as a leg on the original promo art, that leg grew legs, as we say in "the biz." That is, much good has come of that brief and limited exposure, not the least of which were the residuals that kept me on the SAG health plan. Thank you Paul Masslansky.  As I say in the epilogue of my book, "...may your tribe increase."

The Police Academy contingent 

welcomed me with open arms, even though I was only briefly in the original and PA III.
Alas, my secret love, George Gaynes couldn't make it after all. 'Twas put about that he had the flu. At 91, I suspect he may have had a touch of my major malady, the fuggits. Naaaah. Not the mighty Comander Eric Lassard.

Donovan Scott and my far-better-half, John, are old improvisation  buddies, so I felt completely comfortable with him when we did our "hot" scene in the first Police Academy film. But, in truth, around the rest of the company I felt like an impostor. "What business had I on a set with these pros? I was a porn actress for pity sakes." My perception, entirely. But, I was so flummoxed by it all, that when Bubba Smith asked me if I'd like to join him for dinner, I stammered something about not eating dinner the night before a shoot or some such tripe. I was terrified that he'd think I was "open for business." If I'd known anything about him, or had taken the time to get to know him at all, I would have realized how really stupid that was. I do now. And I am soooo glad I got a chance at this gathering of "the old guard" to apologize to him for my seeming brush-off. I even got to sit next to him at lunch on Sunday - be still my heart!

I wasn't that much more comfortable in my skin when my lucky star passed overhead again and I was called back to appear in Police Academy III, Back in Training.

When the formidable (yet utterly charming out of uniform) Leslie Esterbrook invited me to have lunch with her, I didn't do a paranoid freakout and pull up a lame excuse. No, I jumped at the opportunity. She made me feel totally accepted. She was equally outgoing and charming at this signing thingy all these years later, and, again, made me feel like I was one of the club. What a gal!
 
AND, speaking of great gals, eternally effervescent Marion Ramsey was there, as ebullient, adorable and funny as ever.
 

Scott Thomson , my "leading man" in a "racy" scene in PA III,  was at the table to my right. John's and my pal, Donovan Scott, was to my left. Surrounded by Scotts my two "love interests" in the PA films, I felt positively blessed. And quite at home. I had a really, really good time. I really did. Really. I did.

So yeah, after the weed-pulling, leaning over a table to hear what folks were saying and to sign stuff like this poster for new friend Mike Mosley I was in dire need of the daily self-administered physical therapy I refer to as my workout.

OH, and I got to meet and greet Todd Fulkerson and his Mom Paula. Todd it was who contacted me in the first place to ask if I would be there, as he had pictures he'd like for me to sign. Thank you Todd, for making me make it.