Well, dear readers, let me tell you what magic is. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, let me tell you what magic is – magic is the kind of day I had yesterday. I was lucky enough to be invited to a lunch at Walt Disney Studios, thanks to my pal, the wonderful Howard Green. He’d asked me if we could get Hayley to come for lunch and to see the meticulously restored Walt’s Office. Hayley was delighted to come and of course Juliana Hansen, who was the person who actually got Hayley here (with a little help from some terrific folks), was there, along with Richard and Elizabeth Sherman, Leonard Maltin, either one or both of the directors of Frozen, and several other really nice folks it was a pleasure to meet. And so we all met in the private dining room in the Team Disney building. The food was excellent, of course, and the service was amazing, but the conversation around the long table was the best of the best. There was lots of laughter, and Richard made a beautiful toast to Hayley, and Hayley spoke eloquently, and we all had a splendidly splendid time.
But as if that weren’t enough magic, we were all then taken to see Walt’s Office. Well, it was amazing – it’s been put exactly as it was when he passed away – every paper, script, books, whatever, is where it was, including the piano that the Sherman Brothers would play when they’d play their stuff for Walt – well, it was just breathtaking. We also visited the adjacent working office, where story conferences were held. Lots of photos and videos were taken, and then as if all that wasn’t enough magic, Richard sat at the piano and played For Now, For Always for Hayley, and then they reprised their Let’s Get Together duet they’d just done for the ALS show. Everyone was smiling from ear to ear. That all lasted about two-and-a-half hours, and then we all took our leave. I said goodbye to Hayley and I think she said she’s coming back in October and hopefully we can have a meal when she’s here. So, let the fun begin. Here’s Richard standing behind Walt’s desk.
Here’s that famous piano.
Here’s Hayley and Richard just after they’d sung together.
And here’s the video of them doing Let’s Get Together. If this doesn’t make you smile then you are not human.
But we’re not done yet. Here’s the actual Let’s Get Together from the ALS benefit.
But we’re not done yet. I had to use a link to Facebook for this one, but here’s Richard playing For Now, For Always for Hayley.
https://www.facebook.com/bruce.kimmel.3/videos/10154036016427763/
But we’re not done yet. Here are some photographs from the benefit. First of all, because you know it’s coming – here is the ubiquitous Sami and me photo.
Here’s musical director Richard Allen, Sami, and me.
Here’s Richard, Hayley, me, and Sami.
And finally, last but not least, here’s Hayley and me.
Prior to that I’d gotten six or seven hours of sleep. After the afternoon’s festivities I came directly home, the helper came by and got everything she needs to ship The Red Balloon CDs tomorrow. Then I tried to get through some of the over 100 e-mails that were piled up, but I just didn’t get very far. I did a two-and-a-half mile jog, went to Gelson’s for some snacks, and by that time it was almost nine o’clock. I got the great news that Alet Taylor will be coming back to recreate her role in The Brain from Planet X, and I found out that we now have lost BOTH our September show men, so I’m desperately trying to replace them. One was very understandable – Robert Yacko got a nice gig at the Taper that would conflict with us. But the other guy – well, not the first time he’s left us in the lurch, so I simply dropped him an e-mail and wished him well and told him we would never be asking him to do one of our shows again, nor would I ever use him in any show I had anything to do with. I hate this last-minute scrambling, I must say. But we have great gals, great guests and listen, if I can’t find two guys right away, I’ll use two more ladies.
I ate my snacks and that was that.
Today, I really have to get through these e-mails and see what’s what. We’ll ship the CDs, I’ll eat, I’ll hopefully pick up packages, I’ll jog, and I’ll hopefully get the Kritzerland replacements and be done with it, so I can get everyone their music. We have quite a merry troupe thus far, including Ilene Graff, Reagan Pasternak, Sharon McNight, Sami and Jenna, Richard Sherman and more to come. I’m told Guy Haines may sing something, and I’m thinking about asking Grant Geissman to do a song on guitar.
The rest of the week is meetings and meals and going and doing and taking care of some bank stuff that’s been an annoyance for the past week and a half – more fraud, but this not so easy to fix as the last one – it’s getting fixed, just not quite as quickly. Hopefully the last of what needs to get put back will be put back in the next couple of days and then all will be well and well will be all.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, get through e-mails, ship CDs, eat, hopefully pick up packages, jog, and get this Kritzerland show fully cast. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have had a magical day and to have seen the magical kingdom known as Walt’s Office.