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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.