White Collar Comes Clean – The Paley Center Event - PART I

[elrhiarhodan]

White Collar Comes Clean – The Paley Center Event

There is something magical about the cast of White Collar. It’s more than just the chemistry between the principals, the excellent supporting cast, the sparkling writing, or the use of New York City as another main character. The magic begins with their genuine decency as human beings and the generosity they have towards the fans of the show. I first noted this when I saw some video of the L.A. Paley Event, and everything I observed on Monday night confirmed my initial impression.

White Collar Comes Clean – Cast Appearance Paley Center New York Announced

On May 18th, I saw a post on one of the LJ White Collar comms about the event. It took me exactly five minutes to go to the site and buy my ticket. The date was originally set for Tuesday, June 1st at 6:30, but a few days later, an announcement was made that the date and time were changed to Monday, June 7th at 7:30. This worked out better for me, because I didn’t want to have to take a partial vacation day the day after a public holiday.

The ticket cost $16.50 (inc. a $1.50 processing fee), but I spent a lot more than that. Photographs were going to be important to me, and I know the limitations of my little point and shoot. Even if I was going to be able to use a flash (which I wouldn’t have been), the little camera wasn’t good for low-light photography. So, I finally bit the bullet and bought the 50mm f/1.4 lens I’d been thinking about for at least a year. For non-photography people, this is a “prime” lens – and has no telephoto capabilities, and at 50mm, it also means that it captures images at their real size. It is also a “fast” lens, meaning that it doesn’t need a lot of exposure time to capture images in sub-optimal lighting. This last bit is important to me. I have a condition that makes my hands shake without reason (it’s called an “essential tremor” and all the women in my family have this problem), so unless I have a tripod, photos with a long exposure setting are always going to be blurry. If you’ve looked at the photos I’ve posted from the event, particularly some of the inside shots, you’ll see why this lens was such a great investment. As much as I would have loved to have had long glass for close-up shots of the cast on stage, I doubt they would have come out. The longer the lens, the greater the likelihood of lens shake (and blurry pictures).

The planning for this event couldn’t have gone smoother. Initially I had thought about taking the LIRR into the city, and then catching a subway to the Paley and taking a cab back to Penn Station. But since 9/11, I’ve hated to take the train (we can talk about that some other time), and by the time I paid for the round trip train ticket, the subway fare, the cab fare back and all the extra time and effort I’d need, I just said “fuck it” and planned to drive in to NY. Even if I had any doubts about driving in and worrying about parking, they were solved when I got a discount coupon for the garage in the CBS Building right next door to the Paley Center.

(A brief digression. I love driving in Manhattan. It’s like going to an amusement park and never having to wait on a line for the thrill rides.)

Arriving At the Paley Center

I got in and parked around 5:30, and there was already a few people waiting on line. (If you are not from New York, you may be more likely to say, “waiting in line”, but fuck it…in New York, we wait ON THE LINE). I hadn’t had dinner and there was a nice restaurant with a menu posted outside. I took a look and blinked one, twice, and a third time. The appetizers started at $24. Turns out it was the 21 Club – probably one of the most famed and most expensive old-school joints in Manhattan. I went across the street, got a bottle of club soda and a small container of barley salad to tide me over. It was a little before 6 when I got back on line. There was a older couple behind me. He was annoyed that the event was starting at 7:30, not the 6:30 originally posted. First he said that he was never notified of the time change, just the date change. But when confronted by several people that the email from Kathryn Fulde (Paley Center management) included both the time and the date change, he finally admitted that he never thought to actually read the thing. A bat-shit crazy type of guy, really. He was angry and she was passive and all he was doing was being a buzz kill. Finally, he just said, “we’re going home. I don’t want to wait”. They actually had bought tickets, drove in from NJ and were going home because this guy couldn’t wait an hour. The wife looked like she wanted to cry. I couldn’t feel sorry for her, with my luck, they would have sat next to me and annoyed me all night.

After Mr. and Mrs. Buzz Kill left, a group of people arrived, and we started talking. I admitted that I had never done this before, and really, White Collar is my only fandom. The discussion invariably turned to LJ, where I admitted that I just wrote a long, extremely pornish piece of fic (The Consequences of Ill-Conceived Competitiveness) and only of my new friends laughed and said that she just read it and commented. Turns out, she’s lifefiction and I recognized her user id. I admitted to being very embarrassed – here I am waiting on line and hoping to get autographs and I’m writing slash.

The embarrassment didn’t last long. A white van pulled up and guess who got out.

Mr. Tim DeKay.

Sigh. Oh, Sigh. Oh. My. God.

Sigh.

(sorry…I am still all verklempt)



He’s standing there, signing autographs, getting his picture taken with fans. He’s nice and patient and sweet and gentle and a little in awe of the attention. He signs cast photos and artwork and asks for your name.

He’s gorgeous and fit and smelled really good.

Best moment – hands down. lifefiction’s friend, cerublu02 was a little shy after posing with Tim for a picture, so I asked Tim to give her his autograph. Cerublu02 then realized she needed to get one for Lifefiction, who’s wheelchair-bound for the moment. She approached Tim and when he asked where her friend was, she said her friend couldn’t come over to the doorway – she’s in a wheelchair. Tim said to the waiting fans that he’d be right back, and he walked over and posed for pictures. (Posted this right after it happened – you can read it here)

Gah. Gah. Okay. Just gah.


Getting Inside and Some Pre-Panel Stuff

Neither Matt, nor any of the other cast members, arrived through at the front of the Paley Center before they let us in. Frankly, I don’t think I would have survived that.

The Paley Center auditorium isn’t that big – four hundred seats at most, and the first and last three rows were reserved for USA personnel and the cast and crew of White Collar. Not surprisingly, the event was sold out. Being a single, there was an empty seat next to me, which I offered to my other new friend, Carol. Carol, like me, is not accustomed to following a show like this, but she and a friend did attend the event in the winter when Matt and Tim rang the opening bell for the NASDAQ. Apparently there was a fan event afterwards, and they were the only two people there. Carol’s also seen some of the Season 2 episodes being taped. She shared a small spoiler with me, but I’m going to hold on to that one. Sorry folks…

We were told that recording and taping were not permitted and photography had to be flashless. However, I think every third person had their cellphones set to record (I kept my tucked in the girls for a while, to be less conspicuous, but when I saw a dozen people with personal video recorders going, I took it out to get better quality audio. I’ll work on the transcription over the weekend.

The event begins when Jeff King (Co-Producer with Jeff Estin) Sharif, Willie, Marsha, Tim and Matt walk in. The all wave, but Matt, before he sat down, turned to the audience and waved…like he was in high school. He kept turning around and smiling.

The President (?) of USA Networks got on stage, talked for a bit and introduced the clip shows – where are the three featurettes on the DVD set. Those went on for about 15 minutes, and while they were great, I don’t feel I learned anything new about the show. I think that most of that information has been disseminated over the past few months – except for maybe the bits about how Mozzie’s wardrobe is created. I’m not going to write anything more about them because I don’t want to reveal spoilers. I suspect that a lot of you will be buying the DVD set next month.

Michelle Kung, of the Wall Street Journal was introduced, and then the cast was brought on to the stage.

End Part I



 

Comments

[asimaiyat.livejournal.com]

Eeee TIM. Good god that is a pretty picture. :D

For some reason it made me giggle that you said he smells good.

I am really excited for the thing about Mozzie's wardrobe. How weird does THAT make me?

[elrhiarhodan]

For some reason it made me giggle that you said he smells good.

Do you have any idea how many people have asked me if he smelled good? I thought I'd stave off those questions by just including the information up front.

He touched me. You know. He had his arm around me.

Gah.

Oh.

Gah.

[suebsg9.livejournal.com]

That was great of Tim to come in the front and do that for fans. Shows how much he cares for the fans of the show. It was like when I sent a letter to him with some pics he took time to get matt and willie to sign them. He's very generous and you can tell a vetern of the biz. He doesn't take anything for granted. And guessing Matt probobly would have been mobbed had he gone out there but suprized that the others didn't stop. Very nice of Tim to take the time though. Got to ask know he has great arm'age but he seems slimer this season or is it just me??

[elrhiarhodan]

No. it's definitely not you.

He's lost about 15-20 lbs since the Pilot was filmed.

There are screencaps of him naked from TMYLM, and he's a bit of a chunky-monkey there (even a bit of man-boobage). None of that anymore...he looks as hard as the proverbial rock.

I think the others arrived late because they were filming that day. I know that they had moved the time to 7:30 because of the production schedule.

[suebsg9.livejournal.com]

Well Tim was always kinda built like a baseball player; but I thought from the pics from the set something seemed different and not sure wardrobe; but nice I mean the man had a great bod to begin with I mean his arms don't get me going on those and you got to be in those. But thanks for confirming. Can't wait to read rest of report and your pics are great by the way. thanks as always for sharing those!

[sonia6349.livejournal.com]

One, you are right. Tim smelled like a MAN. Strong and capable. Secondly, I had fantasized about Tim/Peter being a good hugger. Um, let's just say, I was, ummmm, excited to find out I was right. You know how Peter seems very tactile? I think that's Tim's personality coming thru. He put his arms around *strangers*. My other fan favorite, in the 29 years I've been meeting him has NEVER done that. I have to go now. The memory is too much. *puddling on floor*

[hoosierbitch.livejournal.com]

OMG. Your comment makes me SO HAPPY.

I love Tim (and by proxy White Collar) EVEN MORE!

[ostaras-journey.livejournal.com]

Now that's a write-up. Love all the detail. :D

LOL! @ Tim smelling good (not that I would have thought anything else) and you sharing your slash 'hobby' with another fan on line.

Tim is just amazingly awesome. What a joy to have met him.

They all wave, but Matt, before he sat down, turned to the audience and waved…like he was in high school. He kept turning around and smiling.

Am I sensing disapproval?

[elrhiarhodan]

No...actually just the opposite. Everytime I bring that image up in my head, I grin like a jackass.

He was so beautiful and adorable and delightful.

I think I would have died if I got within 5 feet of him (I was about 10 feet from his seat in the auditorium before they went onto the stage).

It was like a light was shining and everything was good and pure and wonderul and perfect.


gah.

[ostaras-journey.livejournal.com]

LOL Ah, okay, I gotcha. :)

And I am pretty much dying at the thought of being only 10 feet away from him for five minutes, let alone a whole hour! I seriously don't know how people go up to him and get photos and stuff; I'm not sure I'd be able to do much more than grin like a loon.

And I love how even in that comment your descriptions are poetic. :D

[elrhiarhodan]

I was so glad (in a way) that Matt didn't arrive in time for fan interaction.

I would have just died. Right on the sidewalk.

[hoosierbitch.livejournal.com]

YOU ARE AWESOME. AND YOUR PICS ARE AWESOME. AND TIM DEKAY IS AWESOME. AND SO ARE YOU. AWESOME, THAT IS.

Tim DeKay is ruining me for other men.

[elrhiarhodan]

Yeah...he has that power.

Gah.

Did I mention that he touched me.

Gah.

I am still incoherent.

[hoosierbitch.livejournal.com]

NEVER BATHE AGAIN.

[elrhiarhodan]

I tried that yesterday. It didn't work.

I will, however, never have the shirt cleaned.

[sonia6349.livejournal.com]

OMFG!!! He has RUINED me too. I watch other shows and I say "Ah, he's no Tim Dekay." He's everything you want in a person. Funny, sharp, patient, thoughtful etc. Oy gevalt...I'm melting again....what a world...what a world.

[redjeweled.livejournal.com]

Hee. He did smell good! And he was so kind, too. (And warm. Both temperamentally and physically. Bwee.)

And I meant to say at the time--thanks for lending me your sharpie. (cerublu02 was the middlewoman in the exchange.)

(Heh. Afterwards, after DeKay had gone in and we'd all returned to the queue, I discovered that I'd had a sharpie in my bag the entire time. I blame the contact high.)

[phantomminuet.livejournal.com]

I do love me a man who smells nice. :-) Sounds like a great experience. I'm looking forward to part 2.

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

Apparently there was a fan event afterwards, and they were the only two people there.

What? You mean after NASDAQ there was an organized WC event and nobody showed up?

That's... very odd.

[elrhiarhodan]

Apparently.

I had no advance notice of the NASDAQ thing (I don't think I was so heavily into fandom at that point anyway). I don't know if I would have been able to go, but I may have tried.

Carol said that they sat and chatted for quite a while and the NASDAQ publicity people took professional photographs of them.

[damietta.livejournal.com]

This is just tremendous, thank you.

I always want to know how someone smells (you know what I mean) every since an acquaintance met Paul McCartney and said he smelled heavenly. Another person online mentioned once that when they met (Queer as Folk actor) Gale Harold he smelled like peaches.

Anyway, thank you again for taking the time to write all this out!

[elrhiarhodan]

I am working tonight on the new chapters of V-World, so I will finish with Part II of my event review tomorrow.

I also want to get the rest of the pictures watermarked and uploaded.

You have no idea how high I still am about Monday night.

Gah.

Did I mention (and I think I did) that Tim touched me.

Gah.

[daria234.livejournal.com]

:D Love all the details! Sounds AWESOME. It's great he's so interactive with fans. And so sexy.

[elrhiarhodan]

The sexiness is like "this is how a decent man behaves" albeit one with a great body and a smile like the sun coming from behind the clouds.

He's got a mole, right at the base of his throat, you know. I wanted to kiss it.

I didn't.

[daria234.livejournal.com]

lmao

kudos for resisting the temptation to smooch the Tim. I don't think anyone on lj would fault you but event security might ;)

[elrhiarhodan]

Well, if I wanted to be a total dork, I could just print a picture out and smoosh that one.

But no...

I will just dream.

[whitecollarfan.livejournal.com]

THIS IS AWESOME! Thank you! Looking forward to the next part. :)

[elrhiarhodan]

I'm working on pictures and fic tonight...because if I keep thinking about the event, I think I will just turn to goo.

The rest of the write up will be done by mid-day tomorrow.

[secretsolitaire.livejournal.com]

This makes me smile on a cold, rainy, cranky day. :-)

[shelley6441.livejournal.com]

I think it's adorable that Matty kept waving to the audience. And I am so pleased to know that Tim smells good - love that in a guy!

Thanks, Elr!

p.s. I'm so chuffed to know what the LIRR is. LOL!

[elrhiarhodan]

LIRR = Long Island Rail Road.

*facepalm* I really need to try to remember that not everyone knows everything about the New York Metropolitan Transit System.

[photoash.livejournal.com]

Can I just say that you had your phone tucked in your tits to get good video and that makes me love you so much girl <3 you have no idea :D Oh that's awesome :D :D :D

What we do for a good shot eh? <3

[elrhiarhodan]

Ash - I was capturing the audio, not the video from my boobies.

I still haven't listened to it yet (well, not past the first few minutes).