CALIFORNIA HERE WE COME!! Part 2: Starsky and Hutch!!

2/11/12- Arrived in LA (Burbank) last night and today I'm off to meet David Soul, Paul Michael Glaser, Antonio Fargas and several other celebs as I hobnob the day away!  This is the REAL REASON I decided to go on this trip.  I could not pass up the chance to geek out with the cast Starsky and Hutch- one of my all-time favorite tv shows.  And David Soul lives in England now so its rare to find him in the states- this may be the last time I'd have a chance to meet him! :) 

First up, the autograph line.  I discovered I don't have enough cash on me to get all my memorabilia autographed, but I had a lot fun regardless. I chatted with Antonio Fargas about Cleopatra Jones (he played Doodlebug).  I asked him about Shelley Winters ("she was an odd duck- you couldn't recognize her when she was in character!").  He was very sweet and gracious. 

When I met David I told him that my sister and I used to watch the show when I was a kid and we debated as to who was "hotter".  He said "well, if you ask him"  (pointing at Paul), "he'd say he was... if you ask me.... I don't care".   We also talked a little about Salem's Lot ("I liked doing it- I like working").  David was a bit more reticent to talk but that could have been because he was recovering from a couple of recent surgeries. I suspect he is not that comfortable with fandom and small talk.

Paul, on the other hand, was gregarious and called me "sweetheart" and "doll" right away.  I told him the same thing about "who was hotter" and he laughed and pointed at himself.  He asked me about my job, etc.  He was very sweet.

Next up: the official photo shoot.  The photographer later said that he took more fan photos of Starsky and Hutch in one day than he did in all of the previous year put together!  The lines for both the photos and the autographs were never ending!!

The photo shoot exceeded all my geeky expectations.  The minute I arrived on set Paul said "Here comes Goldilocks with her pigtails".  I said " Yes, and I'll be sandwiched between two handsome fellas".  Paul proceeded to tug on one pigtail, reach his arm around me and tug on the other, trying to hand it to David.  David staring pulling me tightly against him and leaning his head into me, whispering while Paul was whispering in the other ear and tugging on my pigtails.  I said " You are making me blush!" and he said "like the color of your shirt?!"  and I laughed.  That's when this first photo was taken!  I absolutely love it because it captures the fun of the moment, even if its not the most flattering of me.  The second photo was shot a few moment earlier by someone in the audience.

The photo below was taken after the special dinner I was able to attend!  A few of us were able to have dinner with the cast and special surprise guest Joseph Narr, who produced the show.  David Soul and his woman (wife? gf?) sat at my table.  We talked about England, Hemingway (sigh, he actually loves Hemingway), and Cuba.  Paul was at the table behind me- many of the women at his table seemed silent!  Antonio was at the table to my L where one of my newfound friends (Florence) was sitting.  They appeared to be having a good time.  After dinner, they did a Q & A which was a lot of fun.  Paul reminsced about how they had met each other back when David did Brides.... Paul growled "We weren't friends exactly...here was this tall gorgeous blonde man who could sing, play guitar and had all the girls gaga over him..." 

After dinner, we did a group photo shot around one of the Striped Tomatoes that was on the scene. 

 Speaking of Striped Tomatoes!  There were 4 of them present at the event.  Very cool. 

Dessert after dinner:

Wish this was mine!

There were some hardcore fans there- the women in the sweaters also had bedazzled dresses proclaiming Starsky and Hutch.

David, Paul, Antonio posing for fans before the official shoot.  Paul: "How long are we supposed to stand here like this?!"

I have been to quite a few of these shows, including when they had a Batman Reunion and I don't think I've ever seen lines as long as the ones for these 3.  It was amazing- I honestly had no idea there were so many fellow S&H geeks out there!!!