Fan's Tales
Magical Moments From EFX
David reaching down to shake my hand during EFX, 1997.
In Feb. 1997, I got to see David in EFX in Las Vegas. I got to go backstage to see David with Cheryl Corwin who runs the club "Friends of the Cassidy's." She also now has a web site FOR ALL CASSIDY FANS. We went for the weekend with another fan who belonged to Cheryl fan club who I hadn't met previously. Her name is Teresa Mackey and she's now my best friend! Unfortunately, David had to change our meeting from after the Sunday matinee to after the evening show, which was after Teresa's flight back home was scheduled. Cheri and I bought tickets for the evening show and at one point the Dragon didn't come up and David had to improvise. He did a GREAT job of it too!!
I took my video camera and taped most of our meeting. We mentioned to David what a great improviser he was and he said "Unfortunately, I have to do that more than I'd like." We said "Really?" David then joked, "Yeah but it's great practice for me, being a 'Stand-up.' Just in case this 'Acting Thing' doesn't work out." We laughed. I told him I felt it was a wonderful role for him. David asked me if I still lived in San Diego and I said I did and that I loved it there. He said that was great. David asked us if we wanted our programs autographed and took them to sign. He also autographed his Autobiography and a photo for Cheryl and something for one of her friends.
Cheri asked how much Shaun had changed the script. David said "Well, he re-wrote it. Along with David Chisum." Cheri said she'd wondered because Shaun seemed to be into things that are a bit "mystical" now with "American Gothic,"...David said "Well, it's not so much THAT. It was just getting a script that people could understand."
David & Cheryl Corwin, Feb. 16, 1997
David said he didn't know Cheri & I knew each other and we said we knew each other through the fan clubs. I told him after I stopped the club, I didn't really keep up much with him that much as after running a fan club for him for 7 years, I'd kind of O.D' on that "if ya know what I mean." He said "Of course, it's like ANYTHING! To much of anything can do that." I said "Yeah, exactly." I told him I didn't really keep up that much with him until his 1990 CD which was incredible. He was signing a message for Cheri's newsletter and so we were silent for a bit so he could finish the message.
Then I said, "Of course I saw you in concert which was great. He grinned and said "Yeah, I remember that." I said, "Yeah, I was a bit disappointed though that you didn't do more from the RCA Albums." He paused and said "Yeah, yeah, I know. A lot people really like those albums. But I THINK, I THINK, that MOST of the fans anyway, just come to hear the hits." I said "Yeah, well, I DON'T!" laughingly. "But that's because I just love those albums." He said, "Thank you." I said "Well, they're what kept me a fan. 'Cause after the Partridge Family, I was older and ... you know. But then I bought the "Higher They Climb" and I played it and it was like WOW!!! It was just BRILLIANT and it just blew me away! I still think those are some of the greatest albums EVER! He said jokingly "Ahhhh, my creative period!" We all laughed.
Cat & David, Feb. 16, 1997
David asked if we wanted our photos taken with him. (Was he KIDDING? OF COURSE we'd LOVE a photo with him!) Cheri and I got ready to take photos of each other with David. I put the video camera away and got out my still camera which did not have automatic focus. David asked me if I was still doing "Rocky Horror." I was so surprised he remembered!! Pleasantly surprised of course! I told him it had moved to another theater farther away and so I wasn't doing it any more but that I used to do a lot of theater a few years before Rocky. Mostly musicials and that when I was in practice, I had a 3 1/2 octave range. I took a photo of Cheri with David. David's assistant Robyn kindly offered to take the photo of David and I together. Cheri said she'd do it. I had Cheri stand where I'd been and told her she shouldn't have to adjust the camera much as she was in the same place I'd been. She said it was WAY out of focus and adjusted it and took two pictures of David and myself. I was wearing a nice dark purple velvet dress and David even mentioned that I looked beautiful - SIGH!!!! After the photos my earring which was a dragon holding an amethyst stone fell off my ear. Both David and I went to pick it up at the same time and we were both bent down together on the floor while reaching for it. He got it first and looked at it as we came up together, David said "Wow! Cool earring!! Heavy but really COOL!" I said "Thank you! I got it at 'Fair.' I really like the Gothic and Renaissance stuff after hanging out with people from 'Rocky' now as most people were into that and we'd go to the Goth clubs together after doing the shows and stuff. That's why we're staying at Excalibur. And yeah, it DOES get heavy after a bit. I can only wear it for a few hours at a time or it starts hurting a bit." He said "Yeah, I bet!" Then it was time to go. I asked him quickly if he read the article I wrote for the SD Reader about him and he said "Yeah, it was GREAT!" David gave each of us a kiss good bye before we left. He headed out the other door in his dressing room.
Cat & David, February 16, 1997
On the way back to the Excalibur on the ramp, I asked Cheri to take a pic. of me with the castle in the background. She said she didn't know how it'd turn out as she didn't have her glasses on. I then asked if she'd had them on when she took the photo of David and I together. She said "No." So sure enough, the photos of David and I were totally blurry. However, I recently scanned the photos in Adobe Photo Deluxe and to my surprise, when I clicked on "Sharpen," it made the photos look in focus. So, I'm pretty happy about that as you can well imagine! Let's all give a BIG CHEER for MODERN TECHNOLOGY - Hip, hip, HORRAY! He-he! As you can see, I put them here for your enjoyment as well.
Needless to say, the show EFX was absolutely fantastic and David was just MARVELOUS in it! EFX was voted "The Best Show in Vegas," and David was voted "The Best Performer In Vegas" by the Vegas Chronicle. I returned to see EFX several times with both friends and family during its run. I also got to meet and make some very close friends through David. Matter a fact, when I got married on June 27, 1999, three out of four of my Bridesmaids were fellow DC fans that I'd met during EFX! I also dragged, I mean took my husband to several shows as well as some of his family. They actually all enjoyed it and said that both the show and David were great! What can I say except that they obviously have good taste - he, he! Here's hoping you all have some Magical Moments seeing David sometime soon too.
