The day Michael Jackson and Rod Stewart signed my paintings

It was early 1997 when I was at the Tonight Show with my portrait of Rod Stewart, hoping he would sign it for me. As usual in those days, I got there about an hour before the show finished taping. I was talking  with a couple young ladies while we were waiting for the stars to exit the show. I struck up the conversation by asking them if they were hoping to see Rod Stewart or Pierce Brosnan, Jay's other guest that evening. It turned out that Helen and Beth were from England and they said that they were there hoping to meet Jay Leno. I assumed that they were fans of the show and wanted to meet the friendly host.

Helen asked me if I was a big Rod Stewart fan and I told her I was and I also went on to tell her about my collection of signed portraits. She then asked me if I've ever painted Michael Jackson. I laughed and I told her that I have a painting of him. I laughed because Michael Jackson is the only portrait I had ever painted without having some near event planned to try to get the autograph. I have him painted just in case I might have the opportunity someday to get it signed without the week's notice that it normally takes me to complete a painting. The 2 ladies smiled at each other and said that they know him and he's going to be in town in a few weeks.

Stunned, and of course a bit skeptical, I told them to call me when he comes into town. They both smiled and said "No." Still doubting their claims of knowing Jackson, but not wanting to shoot myself in the foot in case they really do know him, I continued with my questioning. Oh, he's going to be here in a few weeks, is he?" "Yes he is," they restated. "And how do you know this?" I asked. They said that they are fans of his and they follow him around the globe at his events and appearances.. and this event that he'll be in town for is what brought them to America. They went on to tell me that they use their homeland as a springboard for their globetrotting adventures when following Michael. They go home to England, get some part time or short term job to save up enough money to fly to Michael's next scheduled appearance and for their hotel stay while they are in town. After his appearance, they return to England to start a new job to save up for their next planned event to see Michael again. I saw shocked and amazed by their story. This was the first time I had ever encountered real "fans" .. as in the word... "FANATICAL!!!!"  They seemed like 2 ordinary, sweet young ladies and certainly not the kind of stalkers that I would have associated with this kind of story. Nevertheless, I'm still engaging them in conversation just in case any shred of what they are claiming is true and maybe, just maybe, they really do know him.

Helen and Beth went on to say that they are there to hopefully talk to Jay, not to talk to him as fans, but to stand up for Michael and to tell Jay to cool it on the Michael jokes. They weren't there in any mean capacity but just to remind Jay that Michael is loved and that they appreciate him for all that he is. I told them that Jay is very nice to any fans that want to say hi to him and that he would most likely pull over and chat with them.

Two limos exited the Tonight Show and neither one of them stopped... so I'm left holding my UN-autographed portrait of Rod Stewart. Jay normally doesn't leave before his guests have left and this day was no exception. Jay finally came out in one of his early model, convertible, sports cars.. something similar to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I stepped out toward Jay as he was leaving the property and told him that there are two young ladies that want to say hi to him. He pulled over and Helen and Beth both stepped up to Jay to have their few words with him. I stepped back a few steps to give them their privacy.. and that's when I had my brainstorm. I had an Instamatic camera in my pocket and I stepped back up to the girls and told them to turn around and that I would take their picture with Jay. Jay is always very accommodating and he smiled his beaming smile as they each took their place around Jay, Helen on the left and Beth on the right. I took one pic and that was it.... this pic would be my hostage, and hopefully it'll be my golden ticket  :)

They finished their chat with Jay and he drove off. They turned to me and I said, "OK, you want this pic????? I'll give it to you if you'll tell me when and where Michael is going to be. They looked at each other again and smiled again. They agreed!!!!!. Now I still don't know if a single word of their story has any truth to it but I'll still take the chance. I told them that I'll go get a couple enlargements made for them and they'll tell me where he's going to be. They gave me their phone number of where they were staying and we said our goodbyes.

I immediately rushed to the one hour film developing store that I was a very regular customer of at the time. I dropped the film off, and walked around the mall for nearly an hour for my very important pics. Anxious, I returned to the store after 50 minutes so I could get them as soon as they came out of the printer. Chris was the guy that was helping me that day. He told me that nothing came out on that roll. "WHAT??? That's impossible!!! I have a picture on there that is sooo important.. it HAS to be there!" He just shook his head and said, "Sorry, there was nothing on the roll." He told me that he threw the roll away and he reached into the trash can to show me the negatives so I could see that there was in deed nothing on their to be developed. He pulled the film out of the trash and held one end of it up in the air, letting the entire roll dangle beneath it. He stepped closer to me and I looked at the whole roll. As I looked down the roll, I saw one image in the center of the otherwise unexposed roll of film. I said, "WAIT, there's something there!!! What is that? Let me see it!!!!" He looked where I was pointing at the film and he saw just one image in the middle of the roll that he of course hadn't noticed when he developed the negatives earlier. He handed me the roll and I held it up to the light and I could Jay and the 2 Brits... "That's it!!! That's the one!!!!! I need one 4x 6 and two, 8 x10's. He said he'd print them tomorrow because it was too close to closing time. I rushed to the mall the next morning and got all 3 prints, They looked beautiful!!!!!



I called Helen and Beth and told them that I have fulfilled my end of the bargain and that I have their enlargements and asked where I could meet them so I could deliver on my promise. They said that wasn't necessary and I could just hold on to them until Michael made his appearance and I could just give their prints then. Even better I thought. I still have the hostage prints in my possession. They told me that he was coming to town to rehearse for Elizabeth Taylor's 65th birthday party. It will be at the Pantages Theatre on Feb 15. It was to be a televised event and a fund raiser for her Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. Beth went on to say that on this particular rehearsal day, Rod Stewart will also be rehearsing.

I'll can tell you so many times during these stories about how extremely lucky I am at all this and this is definitely another one of those times. Rod Stewart is the painting I had when I met them at the Tonight Show and he drove off without signing it.. so now I have another chance!

A few weeks went by and the big day was here. I arrived at the Pantages Theatre at about 7am where I saw they had already had all their security up and running.

I worked at the Grammy's from 1995 to 2005 and the job I had was called Talent Credentials. I had all the backstage passes and I would give them to the stars so they could get inside the Grammy's. The Grammy's are so big that not just a star's famous face could get them inside the door, they had to come to me to get their pass or otherwise there was no entrance for them. I had 4 or 5 people working with me ever year and Feb of 96, there was a lady named Jill working with me. I was waiting for Rod Stewart to arrive and the door to the theatre was close to the table where they had the credentials. While waiting for Rod, I looked over and saw Jill sitting behind the table... (another amazing stroke of luck for me). People would come up to us at the Grammy's and ask/plead/beg for a credential so they could get inside to see the show. We know that this will happen and the ONLY way that anyone ever gets a pass is if their name is on the list... otherwise, NO CREDENTIAL!!

Security at the Pantages for Elizabeth Taylor's party was tight, but not as tight as the Grammy's and I asked Jill if she could give me a pass to get inside the theatre so I could see the rehearsal. Jill knew me and knew that I was no threat to security so she slid me a daily stick-on pass. A short while later, a limo pulled up to the curb to the closest spot possible to the theatre door and out jumped Rod Stewart. The crowd of about 30 people all shouted for him as he lept from the limo and was making a beeline toward the door. I could see his eyes caught a glimpse of my portrait and that's when I shouted, "ROD, will you sign my painting?" He stopped in his tracks and turned back around and came to me and signed it. He also signed a few other things that people had for him. The morning was off to a good start for me. One down. one to go!

Michael's first son, Prince, was just 2 days prior to this event and there was a story on the street that the first paparazzi that could come up with a pic of Michael with his baby would earn a whopping, one million dollars. I don't know the truth to that story but I can tell you that the paparazzi there was going crazy. They were even more gutsy than normal. Security for Michael was always high so they built a tent, approximately 30 x 30 and it was connected to the Pantages, of course with an entrance door to the theatre inside the tent. Michael's van pulled into the driveway past the crowd and into the newly constructed temporary garage. Once his van was in the tent, they closed the entrance to the tent and sealed it up tightly so no onlookers could get a peek inside. He went from his van to the theatre without anyone ever getting a glimpse of him.

At some point in the morning, I remember looking up the street and seeing a guy come walking toward the crowd. This guy looked familiar. He reminded me of a kid that I went to elementary school with. He looked like the older brother of a boy that was in my grade and that I shared plenty of classes with. As this guy came closer, I saw that it was in fact the same guy. "Cesar?" I asked, "How are you?" We chatted during the next few hours that morning, only interrupted with news about Michael coming form the crowd. The crowd was shifting, as crowds do, and I lost my spot next to Helen and Beth.. but that was OK because I was now more focused on my newly found old friend. Cesar and I talked about his brother that was my age and my brother that was closer to his age. We talked about the old neighborhood and our elementary school and our teachers. We must have been talking for about 20 minutes or so when I don't know what caused me to turn around, but I saw Helen and Beth inside the fenced lot, about 20 feet away from me and walking away. I yelled their names as loud as I could.. and they heard me. They hurried back to the fence and reached through the chained gate and took my painting. They explained that Michael's personal assistant came and met them at the gate and he is escorting them in to see Michael. They also said that forgot about my painting in all their excitement... Sheesh!!!!

Helen and Beth made a huge embroidered work of art that they had framed and under glass. It was beautiful. The two of them hand made it. It was Michael surrounded by about 10 to 15 cartoon characters.. and it was fantastic.. and they were there to present it to Michael. One of the perks that comes along with following a pop star around the globe is that they learn who his staff is.. and they knew just who to ask for and that he would most likely escort them to see Michael, which he was now doing. They were now inside and I was left outside with all the other waiting fans. I was told that the rehearsal was closed while Michael was performing and that I had to wait outside. I continued talking with Cesar and catching up on the old days. After a half hour or so, Helen and Beth came back out, thanked the man that escorted them back to the gate and they said their thank yous and goodbyes. They handed me my freshly autographed Michael Jackson portrait and they were beaming about having the chance to meet him and give him their gift that made for him. They told me that they know Bobby Jones, that's the name of Michael's assistant that let them in the gate and took them to meet Michael. They know him from seeing him at other Jackson events around the world. I got a look at this Mr. Jones and I would figure him to be in his mid to late 50's, taller than me but not too much taller, maybe around 6 feet tall and he was wearing a beret.

They were just excited as you'd imagine but at the same time, there was also a dejected sense about their story. They said how great it was to meet him but they didn't feel the love they had hoped for from him. I guess this is something that might be common from "Fanatical" fans when they meet their idols and when that idol doesn't return all their love and affection. It was sad for me to see them sad, but it would be impossible for anyone to be as loving as they had hoped for. They said that this was the last time they were going to follow Michael anywhere. They were so sad and now there day was done.. and they went back to their hotel where they were staying.

Now I can have my own little private celebration with my Michael Jackson autographed portrait!! I was beyond ecstatic but I couldn't act so happy when they were so sad. But they had left so now it's my time to show off. I was running around showing anyone and everyone my newest, hottest possession. I showed the crowd that was still there milling around outside on the sidewalk and I also showed Jill and her staff at the credential table. This was the first day that I had 2 paintings signed in the same day and I was going crazy about that too. It was definitely a great day for me. I got both my Rod Stewart and my Michael Jackson portraits autographed... and I still had my daily stick on pass so I could go watch the rehearsal.

I went inside the Pantages and as I was making my way through the lobby toward the theatre when I saw Mr. Bobby Jones walking ahead of me. I ran a few steps so I could get a bit closer to him and I blurted out, "MR. JONES!" He turned back to see me waving my painting at him but he never stopped his stride. I said, "I just want to say thank you for getting my painting autographed." He smiled and waved and said "You're welcome" as he kept up his pace without even slowing. I found the theatre door and went inside, took a seat and watched Rod Stewart rehearse. I left the Pantages a short time later and said goodbye to Jill.

Here's a side note this story which I find as astonishing as anything else.....

I went to work the next day and told all my friends at work about my latest adventure with all the details. When I got to the part in the story where I mentioned the name Bobby Jones, the old timers all looked at each other and began laughing hysterically. I didn't know what was so funny. He wasn't the comedian of my story, he was the hero!!!! They caught their breath and dried their eyes and proceeded to tell me that Bobby Jones used to work for the same company that now employed me and where I had been working for the last 17 years. I told them that they were crazy but they all assured me that it was the absolute truth. Bobby Jones used to work at this newspaper, before I had ever started working there and he used to go to a club in Los Angeles where he used hang out. This same club was also the club where all the biggest names from Motown would hang out and eventually Bobby Jones found his way into that trusted circle and he became the personal assistant to Diana Ross as well as Michael Jackson and so many of the Motown greats. The old timers at work also told me that Bobby Jones' nephews work with us. I told them they are out of their minds and they are making all this up. I saw Martin and Tony that night, Jones' supposed nephews and they confirmed the whole Motown/ Uncle Bobby story, but they added that there was a rift in the family and they hadn't spoken to him in several years. I never got a second chance to thank Bobby Jones but I was happy that I got to thank him that day at the Pantages. I looked him up online recently and saw that he passed away on Sept. 20, 2008.

Thank you Bobby Jones, Helen, Beth, Jill, Jay Leno, Rod Stewart and of course Michael Jackson!!!