Joss Whedon

This one is all Abby! Well, I mean, it’s Mike Myers, but, Abby got him. :) Myers plays in her hockey league... which, in a way, made him a little trickier to approach than other more random people because she certainly didn’t want to make him feel self-conscious or anything when all he wants to do is play hockey! A few weeks ago, though, she approached him to ask if he’d mind doing it and he said it was cool, so, she brought the bear the next time and... voila! :)

We had our sort-of-but-not-quite regular work retreat at Chelsea Piers yesterday and during the post-teambuilding bowling, Stephen A. Smith was shooting a segment with a pro bowler for ESPN. I didn’t actually recognize him, but, some of the guys did and assured me he’d be a good person to get for Project Teddy Bear. I was a little nervous because a) apparently he’s got a pretty caustic on-air personality and b) I was a wee bit drunk, but, he was actually *very* nice... and check out that smile! After the teambuilding and bowling and drinking, I left to go meet up with Danny, Abby and Adam to go to an Equality Now event honoring Joss Whedon. Funnily enough, it was at Symphony Space... the same place where Abby had gotten Joss to sign a bear *last* year. Now, the first prioirity of the night was to support the cause and support them honoring Joss, but, hey... if I could get a bear signed, too... well.... ;)

When I got to Symphony Space (running a little late and, yeah, still a bit drunk), everybody else was already there and Abby had already spoken to Joss! She told him how much I raised last year and that we were doing the bears again and that I’d be there soon with a bear and camera... and he was more than happy to help out again.

So, when we headed into the theater... and there he was, just standing in the aisle... we went up and talked to him. I think I handled myself okay... in spite of the alcohol and the awe. ;) He was so very, very cool. He shook my hand... and when I congratulated him on the event, he congratulated me on my fundraising... and I got another bear. And I met Joss. It was awesome. :)