nyj42: Big Red comes full-circle


Some of you may recall that my freshman year of college (1996-1997) was spent in a tiny faux-Dutch town in the middle of Iowa, home of Pella windows. Pella's population was perhaps 8,000, of which the college accounted for possibly 1,400. For all its relative obscurity, however, the school boasts a famous alum (CBS' Harry Smith, as touted on nearly every promotional piece for prospective students). And I must say its hospitable follow-up over the years damn well beats the lukewarmth expressed by ASU's request for alumni giving. Central only had me a year, but still prints whatever updates I supply in the alumni pages of the quarterly magazine. ASU gave me a free year's membership to the alumni society and then started asking for money.

ASU crops up occasionally — in the wake of Pat Tillman's death, for instance — or in the form of a random ASU baseball cap or jersey. But Central, in the form of Pella windows (especially their striking yellow trucks), is equally resurgent. Since moving into 268 15th St., it's been no secret the lot next door is under construction. Every morning a T&A Construction van (yes, that's really the name) pulls up in front of the building, and we're convinced half the problem with our literally bugged phone is a migration from the lot next door (we live on the ground floor).

A typical van.

While stripping my F.O.S. desk last weekend, in the parking spot normally taken by T&A, I noticed the building finally had windows ... whose familiar yellow logo made me shake my head and laugh.

But the real Central Connection happened yesterday when I took in a Norah Jones concert.

A few days before, an email from the Norah Jones website showed up in my bulk mail folder (luckily I review it regularly). The email announced a special appearance on The Early Show, for which 150 fans would be permitted tickets. I emailed the woman listed, but didn't expect much. To my pleasant surprise, however, she responded saying I and one friend were now on the list for Friday's taping. Ultimately I was even able to bring two friends.

As we gathering in a waiting room mid-Friday morning, the three of us confessed our total and complete ignorance of the show and its host personalities. After a while, we were sent by 15s up a stairwell to the studio. Where we waited some more. As the noon taping time approached, an attractive but balding man in his 50s suddenly appeared on the stage. "I'm Harry Smith," he said and began explaining about the taping. I was too distracted to listen. Of all things! Suddenly I was 15 or 20 feet from the Central College legend. With a chance like this, I knew I had to say hello. But how? And more to the point, when? I tried to push through the crowd to the front of the stage, but they weren't very giving. And when not actually speaking, Harry constantly had a look of preparing to use his microphone.

Better to wait until he wasn't distracted, I figured. He seemed like a friendly type. And he went to Central, after all. Surely he'd stick around afterward. Better to try my luck then.

I returned to my friends and tried to quell the sudden adrenaline. Finally Norah arrived and sang several songs. Her boyfriend and bassist Lee Alexander was catching up on sleep after a late night at the studio for a record he's producing, but even with a sub the band sounded good. Adam Levy, my insider-scoop-on-the-DUMBO-music-scene buddy was his usual wacky self, hamming it up when Harry joked about the name "Handsome Band." My friend thought Norah's interview segments a little too natural in their ums and pauses, but I didn't mind. Isn't her image all about the genuine girl-from-the-'hood appeal? Besides, during a commercial break, she confided in us that we were a much nicer audience than that at her Today show taping the day before. They only cheered on behalf of the cameras, but we seemed genuinely into her act. I guess that's what happens when the audience is recruited from your fan base. We beamed back at her, Harry's rapturous praise sufficing to voice our good will. (Well, that and applause, as issued on cue and for the mandated chap-hands marathons.)

She only played four or five songs, but somehow the taping took almost an hour. After a closing performance of "Creep On In," Harry thanked everyone for coming, shook hands with all the band members, then escorted Norah offstage ... off the back of the stage. Bummed that he didn't appear to be sticking around for fan-time, I joined the crowd heading toward the doors. But shortly before leaving, I turned around to look at the stage. And there he was again!

No else seemed to be hanging around to chat up the "stars," so I fended my way through the exiting crowd to wait until he finished taking a picture with a middle-aged woman. "You went to Central College!" I announced ... and we were off to the races. A friendly chat ensued that somehow ended with me handing him my business card (hey, I'm in autopilot network mode — what can I say?). "Strategic thought," he said, looking at it. "We always need some of that."

I guess I could have given him the card for my other blog (the um, bawdy, rather vapid one), but I was wearing a cleavage-bearing paisley shirt as it was. No need to sacrifice self-respect entirely! Thanks to my pairing of pigtails and jeans, I'm sure he took me for a new-to-New-York-city recent grad anyway.

But that's OK. I talked to Harry. I can say I've had the Central College experience now. ;)

The episode aired Aug. 4.

posted @ 12:28 AM on Sat - July 31, 2004 remark! Email |  as quoted:
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