Fan's Tales
An Amazing Time In New York
By Cat Ortiz-White, 1983.
David holding a "Da-idy Newsletter." March 28, 1983.
In the spring of 1983, I got a phone call from David's friend Elliot Mintz. Elliot had been David's contact person for his fan clubs since 1982. Elliot said that David would be starring on Broadway in the play "Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." If you remember from my last fan tale, Urda Voss and I had merged our clubs together to be "The Official International David Cassidy Fan Club." I called Urda right away and let her know the news. She said she'd be making arrangements to go to New York right away. She asked if I would be coming too. I told her I wished I could go but that I could afford either the plane tickets or the tickets to the show but not both. Urda insisted upon paying for some theater tickets for me. She said I could pay her back sometime after we returned. I went to a travel agency who booked a hotel for all of us.
When I arrived in New York, I called Urda and Katy who had arrived the previous day. Urda told me that Elliot called them at the hotel. Elliot told them we all had a meeting with David that afternoon, so I needed to hurry and get there A.S.A.P. Urda also said the hotel had not been booked and that it was more expensive than my travel agency told me. It worked out to be $10.00 more a day for each of us! That was almost all my spending money right there! I rushed to the hotel and I called the travel agency and they were no help to me at all. This was the LAST TIME I ever used a travel agency! I went to shower. I asked if I had time to wash my hair and they said "No, there's no time." So I put on a nice dress but my hair was all dirty and greasy. Urda and Katy said it was just going to be a "short little meeting" and that we'd get to see David for a longer time later. So that made me feel a bit better about it.
Since it was near David's birthday, I bought him a nice china plate with a lovely painting of a horse on it. Urda and Katy said not to bring it as we could give David our gifts later at our bigger meeting. So off we went to JoAnna's Restaurant where we were told the meeting would be held. I also purchased a gift from Urda, Katy, Tina (who'd be arriving later) and myself. Since Tina wasn't there yet, we wanted to wait until she arrived to give David the gift from all of us.
When we got to the restaurant, Betty Syzdek who'd started the fan club "The David Cassidy Support Group" was there with representatives and members of her club.
Above is one of the many clipping shown around the world of us with David. So much for this just being "a short meeting!" LOL!
Betty had been active in David's first fan club run by the fan Jan Schulman called "David's Girl's Against Deseise." Betty had started her club from using DGAD's membership list.
David arrived as well as a bunch of photographers. We found out they were from the "International Press." They had us pose for photographs with David. Because I was the smallest one there, they had me sit on David's lap. They had us surround David and kiss him. Yes, it was a tough job but SOMEBODY had to do it - LOL!!! Obviously, I'm joking. We were all pretty happy posing with David and getting to kiss him over and over again.
At one point one of the photographers suggested that we all pick David up and have a photo of David straight across in our arms. David said he wouldn't do that. The photographer said "But it'd make a great picture." David said something like "Yeah, I'm sure it would but you have to draw the line somewhere, ya know? You have to have some self respect." We were all pretty pleased with the way the photographs turned out in the end.
Afterwards, David ordered ourderves and drinks for all of us. Robyn Leach from the T.V. show "Entertainment Tonight" was there as well as his camera crew. So much for this just being a "Short little meeting!" LOL!! Man, I wished sooooo bad that I'd taken the extra 10 to 15 minutes to wash and dry my hair!
Cat kissing David; "Ahhhh....it's a tough job, but SOMEBODY'S gotta do it!" (wink, wink!) He, he!!
Robin asked David questions alone and then with us sitting all around him on three couches. Robin Leach then took each of us aside one at a time to be interviewed while the others stayed to visit with David. Unfortunately, we later found out the E.T. interview would not be shown as the film had been damaged. Luckily though, several of us brought our tape recorders and so I have a cassette tape of our meeting with David to help my now failing memory.
(Unfortunately this was before video cameras were a small and common commodity.) I've transcribed the cassette as well as possible. Therefore, you'll get to read a never before published interview with David! Please forgive me if I've listed the wrong person saying something at the meeting. It's been a long time ago now and it's sometimes difficult to make out who's saying what on the tape and some parts are difficult to hear at all. Especially since sometimes there's people talking over each other. Anyway, here goes:
David: Let me ask you something. How long are you staying?
Betty & Mary: Until Saturday.
Cat: Sunday.
David: So about a week? You're here right?
Urda: Three weeks.
David: THREE weeks?!
The other fans: "ooooh" and David makes a "aaaahh" sound and we all laugh.
Betty: You're so lucky.
Cat: She makes money. (Several of us laugh). She's paying for my tickets. I'm paying her back later.
David: Is that right?
Cat & Urda: Yes.
David: What a wonderful person you are. (To Urda)
Cat: Yes. She's so sweet!
Urda: It is only fair.
Photo Above: David with Da-idy Newsletter and listening to one of E.T.'s people.
David : Ahhh, but that's so sweet of you to do that. You're a very generous person. Katy, how long for you?
Katy: Three weeks.
David: Three weeks too? Oh boy. Well, lets see. The first thing we'll do is go to Central Park, then the Statue of Liberty, ... Everyone laughs.
Someone asked about Meryl.
David: I want you to know. I'd like you to meet her. She'd also like to also meet you.
Liz: When will she get here?
David: Well, she's just got here. She got here Saturday and she's out getting furniture. She's trying to furnish two apartments. Umm - sigh - hopefully by the end of the week, this will all be done. But uh, you may see her if you're around the theater tonight. You might see her. You might introduce yourselves. If that's not the case, if you don't feel comfortable about that, um, it will be arranged - um, something maybe backstage.
Everyone: Oh, that be nice!
David: And um, we'll chat and you can get to meet her and talk to her.
Cat: Maybe in a couple of days?
Urda: Because Tina will come then.
David: Oh is Tina coming then? Well, I'm sorry Tina didn't come today.
Urda: She was not able to because of her work.
David: Ahh...
Cat: We all have a present we'd like to give you. The four of us got you a Birthday Present.
David: You bought me a Birthday Present?
Cat: Katy, Urda, Tina and I, and so it'd be nice if the four of us could all give it to you.
Someone said something about him playing jockey or having a photo of him as a Jockey (from Little Johnny Jones) and David said "I was thinking Jockey Shorts when you said that." We all laughed. David offered everyone drinks and order eves.' He said "That shrimp cocktail are unbelievable. Can you get us more of that?" to the waiter that was going around.
Betty and Elena asked about giving David a gift and he said now would be a good time to give it to him.
Judi, David and Betty.
Liz: Will Sam be coming out to see you?
David: Sam MIGHT come out and see me. He wants to but he's working right now in Los Angeles.
Urda: What is he doing?
David: He got a brand new restaurant he's opened up and managing.
Urda: Where?
David: In Los Angeles, West L.A. A new Italian Restaurant that apparently is excellent and doing very well. So he has to stick with it. You know because he's the manager.
Someone mentioned Elliot Mintz. David said he'd just spoken with him 15 minutes ago and that Elliot told him we'd all gotten the message to come here. David said he actually thought Tina would be there too. Urda said she couldn't make it due to her work. David mentioned fellow fans Sharon and Teresa had come the week earlier.
Katy: Yes, we knew. They sent us a post card and made us very jealous. (Laughingly. We all laughed.)
David: Well, you're here and your going to be here now for three weeks. How did you get off of work for three weeks?
Urda: It is not a big problem in Germany.
David. It's not. Not in Germany?
Urda: Well, only to arrange it with the people I work with and I can take holidays if I wanted to.
David: ANY time during the year?
Urda: Well, I get five weeks.
David: Five weeks? Every year? (You can hear several of the American fans going "Gosh!" & "Wow!") Now wear do you work? What do you do?
Urda: I work at City Hall.
David: You work at City Hall.
Urda: Um-hum.
Above photo: Katy, David and Urda.
David: And they let you off for three weeks huh? Do you tell them where you are going?
Urda: Yes, everyone knows.
We all laugh, especially David.
David: Does that make them a little uh, more ah, do they accept that, do they try and accommodate you?
Urda: Yes because think it's very interesting.
David: Great.
Urda: Because I meet up with other people from other countries and friends of mine.
David: Uh-huh. It is remarkable. It is remarkable. I feel very blessed to have people who CARE enough and support me enough, such as yourselves. SPECIFICALLY YOURSELVES. And I wanted you to know, I wanted you to know - this is - he gestured toward the cameras and stuff! We all laughed. Hey, who know. Hey, you may all wind up with careers from this. You may all wind up being in show business. I'll be outta business and you'll all be... We all laughed. I want you to know though that I'm THRILLED to be doing this show and I'm REAL excited about it and it's been terrific.
Liz: You're very good in it.
David: Thank you.
Elena: We're thrilled you're doing it.
Betty: I love it! (Several are saying similar things all at once.)
Cat: I really look forward to seeing it.
Elena: Will you do it longer if they ask you?
David: Well, I'm going to do it for six months.
Betty says "I forgot about the recorder." Liz says "I'll make copies." Betty says "Thank you." Then to David "Sorry."
David: No-no, that's ok. I'm going to be doing it for 6 months through the summer time until the first part of September. At which point um,
Elena: Here in New York or doing a tour?
David: No-No. I'm not going anywhere else. Just Broadway, which is my - you know, when I didn't finish. I didn't end up doing the whole tour of "Johnny Jones" and coming into New York, which I'm real thrilled I didn't. I really wanted to do. I wanted to come back here and do a show. And it's funny how sometimes you get involved with a specific project and it just doesn't feel right, you know? And then you get involved in other projects where everything about it, you know, it's like it was made for you. And that's the way this piece has been and the producer were thrilled that I was going to do it and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to do it. Which is great.
Cat: Will they have a cast album with it?
David: There is one but it was,.
Cat: With YOU?
David: No. No and they want to, eventually do a film of it. I think I'm too old to do a film of it - but ... He shrugs.
Others: Why?
Cat: You don't look old though! (Others agree.)
David: You must all stay with me. (We all laugh.) I must keep you with me EVERY DAY! I don't look old?
All of us: "Nooooo!" and "No way!" & "Come on!"
David: Ah, come on!
All of us: Nooo!
Robyn or one of the ET crew asks David to repeat the stuff he said about the show. David says "Sure I can do that." Liz says "You remember what you said?" We laugh.
David: No, anyway. Sometime, sometimes we do, I get involved with projects that are just not right, ya know? From the beginning you get involved in it. It's wrong, it doesn't feel right. When, from day one I got involved with 'Joseph,' it just felt like it was made for me, ya know? And the producers I think feel that way and hopefully the audiences feel that way and I feel that way. You know? It's REAL exciting to be here and to be on Broadway. At long last.
Above: David being interviewed by Robin Leach for "Entertainment Tonight."
After a brief stick of 15 years in Los Angeles, doing television & records. (We all laugh.) (To us) But I'm thrilled that your here. I really am. I'm glad that you got to see me in this and ah, some of the things that I've done, I though "Um, I'm not sure you're really going to enjoy this. You know, 'cause it was for ME."
Cat: Like what?
David: Well, like when I did 'Tribute.' I did it because it was a play that I wanted to do.
Cat: But I thought that was the best thing you've ever done!
David: Really?
Cat, Liz, Urda & Katy: "Yeah," Un-huh," & such.
David: Well you see, I don't know!
Liz(?): How's your hand from when you cut it?
David: Oh, my hands' fine. I'm fine. My foot's fine from when I broke it - (We all laughed.) I feel great.
Someone said something about the hand.
David: I knew that's what you were referring to. It took me two weeks. I forgot. I knew that's what you were referring to though.
Cat: Did you get my Saint Patrick's Day Card?
David: I got your St. Patricks day card. Elliott told me that you were ALL were coming in. I'm sorry that Tina's not here. She's coming in next week though? (Urda nodded yes.) Anything I can do while you are HERE, to accommodate you as far as the newsletters, in terms of you know, doing interviews for you and pictures, I'd be more than happy to do.
Urda: We will let you know.
David: Okay, you do that. (We laugh.) Now listen, are you coming to see ALL the shows?
Urda: No, I think that would get to be a bit too expensive.
David: Oh I understand! What do you do? Come in to see a few, a couple each week?
Urda: Yes.
David: Good.
Urda: We're coming on Wednesday.
Right: David reading the Da-idy Newsletter.
David: You're coming on Wednesday's?
Katy: No, we're coming next Wednesday.
Urda: Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday.
David: Saturday, Sunday, one of those days?
Urda: Yes.
David: Well, you have a wonderful opportunity here, uh, to see this beautiful town that I was born in.
Someone said something about taking a day off.
David: Yeah, I'll give you a couple of pieces of advise. Stay away from 42nd Street. That's some place you don't want to go. Stay out of the park at night. (We all laughed.) And stay out of the subways.
Liz: I took a walk in the park with a friend of mine at three o'clock in the morning,
David: Did you?
Betty: Uh-oh!
Liz: no problem.
David: Well, I, uh, in that case - I, uh, I won't uh, I won't, I don't know.
Liz: We walked about 4 to 5 miles yesterday. All through, down the Broadway.
David: Did any body ever talk to you about what goes on in that park?
Liz: Yeah, my mother. (We laughed.)
David: Did she tells you about what goes on in that park?
Above Photo: David & Liz Surges
Liz: Yeah.
David: How does she know? (Jokingly of course. We all laughed.) No, I kidding.
Robyn: David, how does it feel to have fans fly in from all over the world to boast you're arrival on Broadway?
David: Well, I was just telling them that it is - I feel so blessed to have these people um, these ladies have come and seen me in, I think in anything and everything that I've done. And I feel so blessed that have people that care about me and love me the way they do, and support what I do as an artist. And um, they have been 'the communicator' from me to the rest of the fans that I have the world because they know EVERYTHING about me! (We all laugh.) Including, where I go and have lunch, what I have for dinner, what I'm wearing on any specific day, they can tell you. And it's uh - it's real phenomenal. I feel VERY, VERY, VERY fortunate to have all of you in my life.
Robyn: Do you they know a little more about your own history then even you do?
David: YES! (Note: Right away without hesitation. We all laughed.) Without question! They know the dates, the years, the specific days, the times, the places I stayed - from my touring days, you know right through, uh, uh, you know it's just remarkable.
Cat: You have a terrible memory.
David: I do. I have a HORRIBLE memory. You're right!
Cat: You said the Rolling Stone interview was '73 and it was '72. The Partridge Family was to '75 and it was '74.
David: You see that. See. There you go! I just remember it, all sort of, all years just roll into the next. But they all remember EVERYTHING about it.
Robyn: What's the most wonderful thing to you that your fan clubs from around the world have done?
David: Well, they uh - the most wonderful thing that they've done is through my years when I left the business for 3 1/2 years. I would have to think, and ah, you know, I can only speak for these people here in front of me, that ah, they would have left and would not have cared at that point because I was no longer was active in the business or on television. And um, you never, you never, you know, you never split.
Cat: Well, you did record an album.
Right: David & Cat. Photo taken by Betty Syzdek.
David: Yeah, but I didn't do anything. I mean basically, my life was about, my life was about playing and devoting my life to ME. As opposed to devoting my life to perpetuating my career. And having somebody who support you the way you all have done, it's the greatest compliment that any artist can have. And I feel very, very lucky to have you here.
Robyn: Do think they are more dedicated than perhaps 'Trekkies' are? The Star Trek fans? (We all laughed at this one.)
David: I'm sure that they, that they,
Elena: I can answer that, 'cause I'm a 'Trekkie!"
David: So you're more committed?
Elena: I'm a big Star Trek Fan.
David: Are you, are you a big Star Trek Fan?
Elena: Yeah.
Cat: And I'm a big Beatles fan.
David: Yeah, ah - I can't speak for them. They can tell you better probably than I could.
Elena: Well, David we appreciate YOU even MORE because there are very few other stars doing what you're doing right now. (Sounds of agreement from the rest of us.) You know, you supported us too! (Again, all of us nod and agree with her.)
David: I understand and anybody, any celebrity, that tells you or makes the statement that "I don't care about my audience. I just do what I wanna do." Um, I find myself and I've been around people like that. Stars, big stars. I've seen them be rude to fans. I've seen them be very obnoxious and very cruel. And you know, I think you can sit and watch, because you know, it's going to be over for them. Because with out you all and with out people who care about you, you know, I could be in little theater some where in Demoine. (We laugh.) I mean that. I could be acting and I could be singing. But certainly the world would not know about me and I would not have become famous and successful with out YOU! And that's the truth. So as much as you may think you need me, I need you much more (laughingly and so then we laugh with him) and that's the truth.
Robin: What's the furthest that somebodies traveled here today?
David: Germany, probably.
Betty: Germany, right.
David: Yeah.
Betty: Germany, England.
David: England - that's. (To Urda) You went another couple of hundred miles further than she (Katy) did, yeah. Cathy came from California. You came from Texas (Betty), Indiana (Liz).
Robin: David, does it surprise you how far they'll travel to see you?
David: Oh! I mean, well, when I, a couple of years ago when I just opened in a play in Los Angeles (Little Johnny Jones,) I could NOT believe - they all came! On opening night it was like, I went (surprised face of wow!)
Judi said something. (Can't tell on tape, sorry)
David: Well, you'd come from New York (to Judi.)
Cat: Well I was lucky 'cause San Diego.
David: You were lucky 'cause that time you were close. But this time around, she's (Judi) lucky 'cause she's closer. (To Betty) So you're kinda stuck in the middle all the time, right? (Laughing)
Betty: Always! (We all laugh.) Not always -
David: Except for when I played Dallas. (Betty said Dallas at the same time.)
Betty: Dallas, right! That's when it worked out fine because it (LJJ's) was suppose to go to Boston but then it ended up in Dallas.
David: (To Betty) Now did you see me when I played the Astrodome? (In the 70's)
Betty: YES! I did! You weren't feeling too well that day.
David: Well, (laugh like) huh! That was a - a - rather overwhelming experience.
Above: Betty & David. Both loved & raised horses.
Betty: It was very hot. We couldn't hear. It was you know...
David: The Astrodome is like a , it's a barn.
Betty: It is.
David: It's a big barn though! (Betty giggles)
Betty: They changed it since you were there. It sounds much better.
David: Does it?
Betty: Yeah.
Robin: How many members world wide in the David Cassidy Support Group Fan Club?
Betty: The Cassidy "Support Group?"
David: See there are different factions. There are three different.
Betty: There's three or four different.
David: There's three different fan CLUBS. And a lot of them are, they communicate with one other and um they have kept these, unfortunately, Jan Schulman who's...
Betty: She's ill. She has the flu!
David: I know.
Betty: She's VERY sick.
David: I know she's ill. She was going to be here also. She was the first one I was aware of when she started her newsletter...
Betty: '72.
David: In '72. And there are different newsletters which they print, which goes to different places and different groups and fans thoughout the world. But they all communicate and um, as you can see, ah, it is - I do feel like you are all part of my family. And you do know so much about me and my family that ah, that, I that's justified.
Robin: How many member all told? Anybody have their guess? (We all look around at each other and mumble.)
David: Oh, 50 - 60 thousand. (We all laugh including David.)
At one time, the truth of this matter is, at one time, I watched a show called 'Hollywood Squares.' This is a bizarre story. I was in my shorts at the time. (We all laugh.) And I was married at the time. And ah, I heard my wife scream. I'd just gotten out of the shower. And I came rushing in the room, 'What's the matter?' She had television on . She was watching 'Hollywood Squares' and she said; Her face had turned WHITE. And I said "What's the matter?" She said "I, I, I, I, .." I said 'What is it?' The question was 'Who had the largest fan club in the history of world? Elvis Presley, The Beatles, um, um, somebody else, The Rolling Stones, or David Cassidy?' And she went white, 'They guessed wrong, somebody said the Beatles. They said it was you.'
At that moment um, it hit me. What I had LEFT and where I'd come formulas, as I was standing there in my shorts (we all laugh), out of the shower, and turned to my wife and I'd essentially retired, I though 'What did I do that for?' Ya know? My god!
Anyway, it's - You know, I find myself often and when you all come around and I get to see you when I do different things, I find myself feeling... I feel very, very fortunate and I want you know that. I'm thrilled that you're all here. And I'm thrilled for you and I'm glad that I've live through a period of my life, that I, that I ah, needed to devote a lot of time to myself. And my life of LATE and I believe me, the future is going to be about working and about success. So on that note... (We laugh)
Cat: So when's that album finally going to come out?
David: I'm going to finish it um, I going to finish it when this is over.
Cat: Oh good.
David: Yeah. I'm going to take two weeks off after this and go back and I've booked studio time.
Urda: Oh, we are waiting.
Urda & Cat: You said you were going to do it last year.
David: I know, but understand that if I don't go in and do something that's really GOOD and that I feel bad about it. If it takes me SEVEN years!
I have to go in, I have to go in and do good stuff.
Cat: I heard you did three demos.
David: I went in and cut three sides that are finished. I went and cut five sides all together.
Cat: Can you name titles at this time?
David: No, I wanna do that.
Betty: Are you going to do a video? (Several of us say stuff like "Yeah" and "That would be great!")
David: Probably which will work out. Yeah, I'm sure. I probably will. So...
You can hear Robin talking to some of his crew and David asks someone if they want to give him something. Then David says something about seeing what they want to film next. Then a guy says they want to do some re-takes and have Robin rehearse some of the questions he has and then 'We'd like to interview some of you individually.' Betty and several of us laugh a nervous laugh.
Betty: Okay. Now it's time to go. (Jokingly.)
David: No look. You have to remember.
Betty: Relax.
David: Yeah. I'm mean, ah...
Mary(?): I'm very nervous.
David: It's not something to be nervous about. The fact that 32 million people will be watching you... (We all laugh again. Some a VERY nervous laugh!)
Betty: You have nothing to worry about, right?
Liz says something about someone (her mom?) not even knowing she's there. Then we talk about the different times it's aired in places and stuff. Someone mentioned some of the very young fans that had showed up to see David in 'Joseph' and how they'd waited outside for him.
David: It's amazing to me how, some of them weren't even born.
Betty: I saw them! They were running to the limo last night. I couldn't believe it!
Elena: They were screaming.
David: Does it make you feel old?
All of us: YES!!!
Betty: Very old.
David: I dare say there was a time, some where back in the early '70's, when you all,
All: yeah,
David: screamed or screeched. And when you look back on those years. And I look back on those years with all that madness and hysteria, um, I mean it was, it was crazy. And so, I did a lot of crazy, off the wall kind of things. When I walked in and I started doing this and these kids started creating a scene that were like 9 and 10 years old, they wouldn't have been born when I started doing the show in 1970, ya know?
Betty: Yep!
David: It's amazing. It is really amazing. Robin came over. So David looked at him and said "Yeah?"
Robin: Five words after each question.
David: Ok.
Robin: David, how does it feel to have fans come from all over the world to see you in New York?
David: Well, as I was telling them before, I feel very fortunate. I feel very blessed.
Robin: What's the most wonderful thing that comes to mind that your fan club has done for you?
David: Sigh - What is the most wonderful thing that my fan club has done for me? They have stuck with me through the years. And ah, when I left the business, they still stuck with me.
Robin: Do you think they're more dedicated than the Star Trek fans, the Trekkies?
David: Well I don't know. Maybe you all can answer that. Do you think you are? (To us)
All of us: Definatley, Definatley, etc. (David laughed.)
David with Mary on his lap. Judi and Betty on the right watching on.
Robin: Does it surprise you as to how far they travel to see you?
David: YES! It certain does surprise me how far they will travel. (To us) Isn't that a clever answer? (He said winking at us. We all laughed.)
Liz: The first time I went to one of your concerts, I didn't even know who you were. My girlfriend dragged me along. (We laughed again.)
David: Is that right?
Liz: Yeah.
David: Are you serious? You swear?
Liz: I swear. It was 1971 and she was so hung up on you.
Betty: Oh my gosh, everyone!
Elena: Oh that's right, everyone!
Judi: Hey, my parents wouldn't let me go nowhere unless I went with them. No one!
David: What about the concerts.
Judi: Well, I was kinda lucky, ya know?
Someone said something about a concert in '71 and him not feeling too good.
David: After I had my gallbladder out?
Mary or Betty?: I can't remember when it was but you weren't feeling good. Aug. 21st, '71.
Someone: You do remember the dates.
David: You do remember. Um, it was, I did the Garden State Arts Center which was the first concerts I gave. And then I played, uh, I remember we did four concerts there and I think two concerts down in Maryland at the same kind of a venue. Those open air, stadiums. You know the best places I can remember touring were the places that were the places in the summertime and for the most part they were back East. Saratoga, up-state New York, um, Garden State Arts Center. The big places like Madison Square Garden and Melvin Ticket Grounds and you know...
Cat: The fans threw themselves on the car and such.
David: Well you know the big places there is no, you have no communication, you have no intimacy. There is no intimacy.
Betty: Especially the Astrodome.
David: Yeah, well the Astrodome.
Liz: Or the Arie Crown..
David: Well the Arie Crown actually compared to those places is small. You know, in terms of only five thousand.
Betty: I couldn't even see you in the Astrodome. Even with binoculars, I mean...
Cat: Well, at least you got to see him. I never got to see him in concert when I was young and I always felt really bad about that.
Liz: I saw you in Chicago twice and Milwaukee.
David (to Katy): Now did you see me in all the dates that I did in...
Katy: I saw you in Wembly and I saw you in Rockford. At Wembly's was really good. We had second row!
David: Yeah!
Katy: And that was, it's, it's hard to believe it's YOU. Because - I don't know. You just look so different in your little black cat suit wiggling about. (We all cracked up, including David!)
David: Yeah, well those were the days.
Katy: I was almost squashed by the fans.
David: Were you? Do you remember the picture of my live album?
Katy: Ah, I wasn't on that. I was standing to the side. There was a white ...
David: Do you remember where that was taken?
Liz: I have that out in my car.
David: Do you? Ah sure. Well, you remember that album. (We all laughed.) Anyway, that was taken by a photographer. It was taken by Henry Diltz on stage as people were. You know they used to come and review how many ambulances, um, how many people had to be, be careful - about St. John's ambulances.
Katy: I'm sure they sensationalized because they said something about there being eight hundred.
David: No they didn't!
Katy: They didn't?
David: No, I know they didn't. 'Cause I WATCHED it. And I wanna tell you from where I was standing it looked like, well, it looked like a war zone. And it was really scary.
Betty: Was worse though when you went over there as far as over here, as far as the press?
David: The press were, the press were, they made more out of it. But um - I did, uh, the level of intensity, I can't think of anything more intense than Madison Square Garden.
Cat: Australia, they kicked you out of the country, saying you were a health hazard. (Everyone laughed.)
David: They did. They though I was, ah, yeah because all there concerts that I did 'World War Three!" It was all part of that whole - you know, when you come in here, I'm just a guy here. I just wanna sing, ya know? And I just came to town and wanna sing. I didn't want create this kind of hassle and ah, a disturbance. And it's, it hurt me. That kind of press, you know? Because I felt responsible. And ah, that was not my intention. And I don't believe that was anybody's intention that was there. Um....
Cat: They (the fans) just wanted to be near you, to touch you, that's all.
David: Yeah, yeah. That's really what it was really about. And the press blew it up and created something that was violent. Yeah, I was, I was almost thrown out of Australia. They asked me to leave. They also asked me to leave Spain. (Pause) There's very few places I can go back to. (We all laugh.)
Betty says something about giving David a gift and you can hear her say something about letting him know when she's ready and composed.
David: Let me know when you're composed.
Betty: On behalf of ....
David : That'll work.
Judi: Now?
Elena: Any time you're ready.
David: Any time now.
Betty: On behalf of the 'David Cassidy Support Group,' I'd like to present you with this gift and this card.
David: Ahhh.... Should I do the card first?
Betty & others: Yes.
David: (You can hear him opening the card.) And the winner is... (we laugh.) Birthday thoughts! Oh, it's that time of year again, isn't it?
Betty: Yeah. Believe me.
David: Thank you. (Looks at it.) Ahhhhh....see you've given it away what's inside here now.
Betty: Gasps - Ohhh, I, I forgot!
Above: Opening Betty's personal gift.
David: (Reading it) Well, best of luck in 'Joseph' and...
Betty: You know I did that to you in Dallas? When I gave you the gift.
David: Yes, you did!
Betty: Oh! My gosh!
David: Thank you very VERY much! Thank you for this! It's a lovely thought. Actually, it's a book and probably should open it. (You can hear him taking the wrapping paper off.) And now for the moment you've all been waiting for! (Reading inscription) "Best of luck in 'Joseph' from all of us. The David Cassidy Support Group." Ahh, thank you. And here it is! (More sounds of paper.) Ah! Bogey and Bergman, from Casablanca, my favorite film. Thank you. How wonderful. That's beautiful. It goes up in my dressing room.
Betty: Great, great. Glad you like it.
David: Wanna see this?
Several of us: Yeah. (He shows it off to all of us by picking it up and moving it around.)
Sound from us of "ummm," "that's nice," etc.
David: Isn't that nice?
Betty: We thought it was perfect. It was either that or a horse! (David the rest of us laugh.)
David: You know, don't you? Thank you.
Betty: You're welcome.
Cat: You have horses. How many do you have now?
David: I have um, well, I don't know how many I have to be honest with you right now. Because I'll tell you what's happened is...
Betty: Foals are on the ground...
David: Yeah!
Betty: (She laughs.) I'm pretty good at ...
David: Betty knows, Betty knows. I have mares that are about to foal and I also have um, I have some horses with Meryl.
Cat: Yeah. About how many?
David: Well she has about 40...
Betty: Shoot!
David: or 45.
Betty: Does she show now?
David: She doesn't show. She does um, fox hunting and steeple chasing.
Betty: Oh, I jump.
David: Yeah. She does too.
Betty: I'm identify with that.
David: I did a little jumping myself. Little bit of jumping. Like three or four jumps and I realized that I did not want to be in the saddle any longer. (We laughed.) I leave that for her. She's broke her neck a couple of times. (We gasp.)
Betty: I have a brother that's had a couple of bad falls.
David: Yeah, well you do something that's that crazy, like jump, you end up doing that.
Betty: I've learned to fall right now. You know usually forget and you grab.
David: See, I've never learned to do that.
Betty: You roll. You learn to roll after a while because...
David: Yeah, uh-huh. I never learned that one.
Betty: It's hard. You don't think of it.
David: Yeah. Anyway, I'm not sure how many horses we have now. But it's somewhere between, um, somewhere around 50. But some of them, a lot of them are just hers and I have about, oh I guess about 8 by myself. And we sell them together and so I don't know how many to say.
Someone asked him something. (How long he's raised them?)
David: Nine years, nine years.
Betty: Elena ask him about the name of the horse.
Elena: Oh, I was gonna say the next time, the next horse I'd like you to name Bethlehem. Because it means 'The Kingdom of David' and so I think that'd be a great name.
Mary: It might be a winner!
David: It might be a winner! I'm not sure if I could get Bethlehem but...
Betty: Yeah, somebody else might have it.
David: Well, it's very difficult. Especially a name like Bethlehem, you would think that..
Mary: You think it'd be taken.
Read Part II of this tale.
