Wednesday, 18 June 2014

That time Adele met FNL...


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Having just returned from an awesome three week holiday in the US, I should have started blogging immediately upon my return.  I sadly did not.

Though I spent more of my time in NYC (and there will be a post about this), I made a quick visit to Austin for the ATX Festival (also another post.)  I immediately fell in love with Texas and its people...and the margaritas.

On the shuttle ride to my hotel I saw field lights from a sports field  in the distance.  The strains of Explosions in the Sky started weaving their way through my brain and sure enough I started getting a little teary eyed.  I love Friday Night Lights. I reference it way too often, watch it continually and gift it to many.  A few years back I even asked a series of YA authors to write about it for this blog. I have a love affair with the show, its cast and creatives, and Texas in general. Football, however....

The ATX Festival is a celebration of television, new and old, and it was the perfect kind of event for me.  Attendees were passionate and lovely. The program was diverse featuring in depth industry panels alongside screenings and reunions that tugged on our viewing nostalgia. But one of the most special experiences for me was attending the FNL tail gate screening. Basically a parking lot was taken over, a large screen brought in, live music played, beer drunk and several members of the cast available to the adoring (but v chill) public.

While I had a ball meeting so many actors who have a special place in my heart, watching an episode (Ch-ch-changes) with so many other fans in the Austin heat was an unique and very special event. In fact, having attended many screenings over that weekend, I think we should all be watching television as communities. 

Anyway - I met people.  I spoke with people. FNL people. And I hugged the people. I think my face says it all.
Yes - I met Grandma Saracen (aka Louanne Stephens)...
 
When she heard I was there from Australia she bowed down.
She also hugged the stuffin' out of me. She also had the longest line.
I think in some way people came to check that she was okay and in the end she made
everyone else feel looked after.
Stacey Oristano (aka Mindy) - super lovely.

Derek Phillips (aka Billy Riggins) may have been the only person in attendance who was redder than I. He was so open and enthusiastic to all the fans.
Tyra-freaking-Collete. Actually Adrianne Palicki, who is the most beautiul person alive. She hugged me when she heard I was there from Oz too. 
Jason Katims - he who makes awesome TV (FNL, MSCL, Roswell, Parenthood etc).
I thanked him for making me cry weekly.
I had a blast...and soon there will a post about all the other programming I enjoyed at ATX.  But for now, let's remember how awesome this show was.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.

4 comments:

Rebecca said...

Oh my goodness, that's so amazing you got to meet them! I'm a big fan of the show, too. Sounds like you had a great time :)

Danielle said...

Your fan-girling leaps off the page :)

Jess - The Tales Compendium said...

Oh how awesome! Wish I could have been there fan-girling with you!

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