When we got in I saw a crowd around this one guy and I looked at him and I recognized him from American Idol but I didn’t know who he was (I looked him up when I got home and he's one of the first American Idol finalist). I overheard someone call him RJ so I went up and said, “Hey RJ, could I get your autograph?” and he signed my program (it would have been funny if he had said, “RJ? Who?”) and then he asked me if I wanted to take a photograph with him. I said sure (what the heck, right?) and he put his arm around me (and I put mine around him a bit) and said, “You’ll have to excuse me. I’m sweaty and I smell.” I said, “That’s ok” thinking “wft? You offer to hug me and then tell me you’re stinkin’ sweat pile?!”

Anyway, now I’ve hugged all the threekees, Bill Clinton, Mike Nelson, Cyndi Lauper almost and some dude named RJ who nobody knows who the hell he is. WOO!! He was cute, whoever he is. I hope the photo turned out so I can show everyone I met “RJ” and they can be envious. You know you want to meet someone that nobody has ever heard of and you don’t even know who is but you talked to him anyway just because a crowd of people was around him. That’s an interesting idea for a flash mob. Just have a few dozen folks mob some poor schmuck in the middle of a mall and ask for his autograph.

Anyway, the show was pretty cool. They had lots of neat lighting effects and some pyrotechnics. Here’s a note to show organizers though. When the temp outside is 101 and it’s humid as heck, fire on the stage is not fun. I don’t normally sweat but I came out of the arena hot and sweating. I know it had to be about 200 degrees in there.

I got to see Clay. I was expecting them to be horrible in real life but they were pretty good. His voice is really powerful (Reuben’s too) and I was even surprised that Carmen is less goatlike in person. On the downside, they don’t look as good in person. . . Carmen or Julia anyway. Kimberly Caldwell is gorgeous. Bitch. Clay and Reuben pretty much looked the same too. Kim Locke seemed as if she lost some weight.

You can click on the photo for a bigger view. If you would like to buy copies of any of these, e-mail me for info. I have 3 more rolls that I haven't gotten developed so I might get some more great ones (the first one of Clay is my favorite).