I Am All In Podcast: LIVE at iHeartRadio Studios
Last week my mom and I went down to LA for the I Am All In podcast event with Scott Patterson (Luke Danes, “Gilmore girls”). We didn’t leave too early, which was nice! We had a lazy morning in town, then left a little after 11 a.m.
While the traffic wasn’t too bad, we did hit patches of fog, which made us a little nervous. But it broke up after a few minutes, thank goodness!
We knew we’d still have a few hours before we could check in for the podcast event, so we ate lunch at Bob’s Big Boy. It tends to be the quickest and easiest before something is planned. We were going to switch it up with Paty’s down the street, but parking was chaotic. We ate at Bob’s, which never disappoints, and is basically our LA version of Luke’s when we’re in the area. The food is always fresh and the service is always friendly and quick.
According to their website: “The studios buy all types of clothing to dress the character from a movie or TV show. We sell designer labels such as Giorgio Armani, Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, Thierry Mugler, Anne Klein, Barney's, Romeo Gigli, Escada, Prada, Hugo Boss, Canali, Ralph Lauren, Tahari, Nicole Miller, Ellen Tracy, Carroll and Company, St. John, Bagley Mishka, Jean Paul Gaultier, Gianfranco Ferre, Yves St. Laurent, Anna Sui, Betsy Johnson, Product, Versace, Moschino, Chanel, Ann Taylor, DKNY, Dana Buchman, Banana Republic, Gap and more!!! We also sell custom made items which are one-of-a-kind and cost the Studios up to 10 times more! Most items in our store are priced at 35% to 95% OFF retail price!”
In the past, I’ve bought items from Jane the Virgin, The Office and Nashville. This time, there were a number of items from The Rookie, which is one of my favorite shows. There were other items from shows like The L Word, Blacklist, Ghostbusters, Goosebumps, The Good Fight, Blue Bloods and more. There were so many cute women’s jackets that were on The Rookie racks, but they were tiny or out of my budget. I found a men’s pullover sweater from The Rookie (marked $14) and a really cute Alex and Ani bracelet that said “Not All Who Wander Are Lost” which was on the $2 jewelry rack. Unfortunately, because it wasn’t marked, they couldn’t sell it. But, I’m still pretty happy about my sweater. I’d also forgotten that it was 75% off so it was under $5.
When we finished there, there was a garden store just up the street (where we parked) so we stopped by because the door said there was a cat. It made a quick appearance but was not up for visitors. It was very cute though! Then, we were onto the main event.
The parking lot for the event opened at 3:30, so we made our way over to the iHeartRadio Theatre just down the street. It was formerly known as NBC Studios, so we’ve been there a handful of times throughout the years for tours when Days of Our Lives filmed there, went to a taping of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and a few years ago once it had made the name change, we went to a special recording with Brad Paisley for Veteran’s Day weekend.
We gathered with a few others in front of the studio before they let us officially get in line. We didn’t have to wait too long but talked with a few others in line with us, swapping Gilmore cast encounters and what the show means to us. It was fun hearing what other experiences other fans have had. We’ve never been to one of the official fan fests in CT, so this was one of the first REAL fan experiences we’ve been able to attend, other than book signings.
We were in the VIP section, so we were able to go in an hour before we were , a giant yellow digital board with the podcast name greeted us, while the rest of the theater walls were lined with artists who have performed or visited iHeart Studios/Radio events through the years, I saw a Justin Timberlake and Taylor Swift photo, which was pretty cool. Further in, there was Cold Stone Ice Cream available and a cart kiosk, cart kiosk (I had to) with Luke’s coffee (from Scott Patterson’s coffee company) in iced and hot forms. I was like a kid in a candy store, not sure what to do or where to go first.
We decided to get seats, since they were first come, first serve. We were able to grab seats in the front row and left our stuff so we could explore. It was a nice surprise to find a bag (with a bag of Scotty P.’s coffee), a water bottle and a flannel shirt on our chairs. We geeked out over that for a few and snapped a few pictures before making stops in the bathrooms, grabbing coffee, and checking out the merchandise upstairs (courtesy of the WB Studio Store). I decided on a Luke’s Diner hat, which I love and can’t wait to wear all the time.
The iced coffee was creamy and smooth to the last drop, even without sugar or cream (which I usually use), but this was nearly a perfect blend. Luke really does know what he’s doing…Scotty P., too. Ha! It also gave me another boost for that afternoon crash. We went back to the seats and chatted with a few people near us and sang along to the Gilmore-esque playlist that included “There She Goes,” “Where You Lead (I Will Follow),” “Here You Come Again,” and other hits from the series.
We had a meet and greet with Scott Patterson but weren’t too sure how it would go. A few minutes later, he’s standing just a few feet away from us introducing himself to the first fans in our row. I was freaking out (as said in Babette’s voice). He came over to me and I introduced myself. I honestly don’t remember much of what was said. I told him my name and he thanked me for coming. I probably blurted something about being such a huge fan. It’s all a blur! But, he was so nice and took pictures/signed autographs with each person. He asked everyone questions and let people have time to tell their stories or random facts about the show.
It was such a fun show! Scott brought out each person individually. Scott brought out each guest, individually, to speak with one one one – Sally Struthers, Sebastian Bach, Vanessa Marano and Keiko Agena. There were so many laughs, behind-the-scenes nuggets, singalongs and so much more.
A few highlights/thoughts:
In between a couple of the interviews, Scott did a cooking demonstration with the official Gilmore Girls cookbook writers – They made a peach pie. They shared a few slices with those in the audience who’d traveled the farthest, like Germany, Ontario and Connecticut. There was still half of the container left and Scott asked who wanted it all. Everyone was cheering. There was a group behind us that said they would share with those of us who were raising our hands in the front row. So, he handed it to them - And a few minutes later, they shared it with us. I’m not a huge fan of fruit pies, but it was very good!
After everyone had joined for their one-on-one, they all came back out to the stage for a Q&A. As they made it to the stage, they played “Where You Lead (I Will Follow)” and we ended up making it a full on sing-a-long, which was amazing.
Fans were able to line up at the microphone to ask anything. It gave everyone a chance to share more fun facts from the show or their wild nights with Sebastian. I was trying to think of questions, since that’s usually my thing (with a background in journalism). But, honestly, I was just taking it all in. And they were addressing a lot in their discussions.
Someone asked about the craziest interactions with fans, and it was great to hear that they haven’t had any. Scott reiterated that Gilmore fans are “the greatest fans in the world.” Everyone he has encountered has been lovely. It’s because of us fans that the reboot happened. And that events like this keep taking place. Everyone was misty-eyed talking about their love for the people who have supported them through the years.
I remember when I was younger, I always said I wasn’t sure that I wanted to meet anyone from the show because it held such a special place in my heart. What if they weren’t like I thought they’d be, or it ruined the illusion of the show? For the longest time, I held off on getting to know the actors outside of the show because they were such iconic roles to me. But, I’ve now met three of the main actors (and learned a lot more about them in the last 15 years through this digital age) – Lauren Graham (Lorelai), Scott Patterson (Luke) and Milo Ventimiglia (Jess). They’ve all been so lovely and delightful, even more so than I could have imagined. You can tell they truly love their craft, love meeting the people who support them and are all just fun people in general. I would love to go to another event in a heartbeat, knowing what I know now.
As Scott closed out the show he “smelled snow” and sure enough, soapy snow suds fell from the sky. It was quite the magical moment — At least on the other side, since we weren’t covered in the suds, ha!
They thanked us for coming then dismissed us to the food truck, where we all got in line for burgers and fries to go. It was great! We made our way back to the parking lot and I drove home. It was a really wonderful day. I hope it’s an event they’ll make annually. I’d love to make it to the Fan Fest in Connecticut someday, but until then, more LA events would fill my Gilmore Girls loving heart.
While the traffic wasn’t too bad, we did hit patches of fog, which made us a little nervous. But it broke up after a few minutes, thank goodness!
We knew we’d still have a few hours before we could check in for the podcast event, so we ate lunch at Bob’s Big Boy. It tends to be the quickest and easiest before something is planned. We were going to switch it up with Paty’s down the street, but parking was chaotic. We ate at Bob’s, which never disappoints, and is basically our LA version of Luke’s when we’re in the area. The food is always fresh and the service is always friendly and quick.
It's a Wrap!
We didn’t have anything else on our agenda until 4 p.m., so we had a little time. We stopped at Target and the TV production thrift store, It’s a Wrap! It’s one of my favorite spots. You never know what you’ll find. After TV shows wrap for good (or for the season), some of the studios will pass along their wardrobes over to this spot and sell for fans to be able to buy. Even if you aren’t into the TV scene, you can still find some great designer duds for a more reasonable price.According to their website: “The studios buy all types of clothing to dress the character from a movie or TV show. We sell designer labels such as Giorgio Armani, Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, Thierry Mugler, Anne Klein, Barney's, Romeo Gigli, Escada, Prada, Hugo Boss, Canali, Ralph Lauren, Tahari, Nicole Miller, Ellen Tracy, Carroll and Company, St. John, Bagley Mishka, Jean Paul Gaultier, Gianfranco Ferre, Yves St. Laurent, Anna Sui, Betsy Johnson, Product, Versace, Moschino, Chanel, Ann Taylor, DKNY, Dana Buchman, Banana Republic, Gap and more!!! We also sell custom made items which are one-of-a-kind and cost the Studios up to 10 times more! Most items in our store are priced at 35% to 95% OFF retail price!”
In the past, I’ve bought items from Jane the Virgin, The Office and Nashville. This time, there were a number of items from The Rookie, which is one of my favorite shows. There were other items from shows like The L Word, Blacklist, Ghostbusters, Goosebumps, The Good Fight, Blue Bloods and more. There were so many cute women’s jackets that were on The Rookie racks, but they were tiny or out of my budget. I found a men’s pullover sweater from The Rookie (marked $14) and a really cute Alex and Ani bracelet that said “Not All Who Wander Are Lost” which was on the $2 jewelry rack. Unfortunately, because it wasn’t marked, they couldn’t sell it. But, I’m still pretty happy about my sweater. I’d also forgotten that it was 75% off so it was under $5.
When we finished there, there was a garden store just up the street (where we parked) so we stopped by because the door said there was a cat. It made a quick appearance but was not up for visitors. It was very cute though! Then, we were onto the main event.
Luke's, here we come!
Then, we were onto the main event.The parking lot for the event opened at 3:30, so we made our way over to the iHeartRadio Theatre just down the street. It was formerly known as NBC Studios, so we’ve been there a handful of times throughout the years for tours when Days of Our Lives filmed there, went to a taping of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and a few years ago once it had made the name change, we went to a special recording with Brad Paisley for Veteran’s Day weekend.
We gathered with a few others in front of the studio before they let us officially get in line. We didn’t have to wait too long but talked with a few others in line with us, swapping Gilmore cast encounters and what the show means to us. It was fun hearing what other experiences other fans have had. We’ve never been to one of the official fan fests in CT, so this was one of the first REAL fan experiences we’ve been able to attend, other than book signings.
We were in the VIP section, so we were able to go in an hour before we were , a giant yellow digital board with the podcast name greeted us, while the rest of the theater walls were lined with artists who have performed or visited iHeart Studios/Radio events through the years, I saw a Justin Timberlake and Taylor Swift photo, which was pretty cool. Further in, there was Cold Stone Ice Cream available and a cart kiosk, cart kiosk (I had to) with Luke’s coffee (from Scott Patterson’s coffee company) in iced and hot forms. I was like a kid in a candy store, not sure what to do or where to go first.
We decided to get seats, since they were first come, first serve. We were able to grab seats in the front row and left our stuff so we could explore. It was a nice surprise to find a bag (with a bag of Scotty P.’s coffee), a water bottle and a flannel shirt on our chairs. We geeked out over that for a few and snapped a few pictures before making stops in the bathrooms, grabbing coffee, and checking out the merchandise upstairs (courtesy of the WB Studio Store). I decided on a Luke’s Diner hat, which I love and can’t wait to wear all the time.
The iced coffee was creamy and smooth to the last drop, even without sugar or cream (which I usually use), but this was nearly a perfect blend. Luke really does know what he’s doing…Scotty P., too. Ha! It also gave me another boost for that afternoon crash. We went back to the seats and chatted with a few people near us and sang along to the Gilmore-esque playlist that included “There She Goes,” “Where You Lead (I Will Follow),” “Here You Come Again,” and other hits from the series.
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We had a meet and greet with Scott Patterson but weren’t too sure how it would go. A few minutes later, he’s standing just a few feet away from us introducing himself to the first fans in our row. I was freaking out (as said in Babette’s voice). He came over to me and I introduced myself. I honestly don’t remember much of what was said. I told him my name and he thanked me for coming. I probably blurted something about being such a huge fan. It’s all a blur! But, he was so nice and took pictures/signed autographs with each person. He asked everyone questions and let people have time to tell their stories or random facts about the show.
It was such a fun show! Scott brought out each person individually. Scott brought out each guest, individually, to speak with one one one – Sally Struthers, Sebastian Bach, Vanessa Marano and Keiko Agena. There were so many laughs, behind-the-scenes nuggets, singalongs and so much more.
A few highlights/thoughts:
- Sally Struthers. That’s it! She’s such an amazing storyteller and has so many wild stories. She’s animated and enthralling with every word she speaks.
- Singing “Hollaback Girl” with Sebastian Bach when he came out and hearing more about his wild rock star life and the fun times the cast had with him outside of filming, ha!
- Vanessa Marano is so eloquent and charming. I love what a fan of the show she was before she was cast, and loved hearing her appreciation for Amy and Dan, and just how excited she was to be on the show. She also sounds like such a pro with her work ethic and what she brings to the table on a set, memorizing lines and speaking so quickly.
- Keiko Agena - I loved her character, Lane, and Keiko’s personality is just as fun. I loved that she did her best to make eye contact with everyone in the audience and just really took in the moment.
In between a couple of the interviews, Scott did a cooking demonstration with the official Gilmore Girls cookbook writers – They made a peach pie. They shared a few slices with those in the audience who’d traveled the farthest, like Germany, Ontario and Connecticut. There was still half of the container left and Scott asked who wanted it all. Everyone was cheering. There was a group behind us that said they would share with those of us who were raising our hands in the front row. So, he handed it to them - And a few minutes later, they shared it with us. I’m not a huge fan of fruit pies, but it was very good!
After everyone had joined for their one-on-one, they all came back out to the stage for a Q&A. As they made it to the stage, they played “Where You Lead (I Will Follow)” and we ended up making it a full on sing-a-long, which was amazing.
Fans were able to line up at the microphone to ask anything. It gave everyone a chance to share more fun facts from the show or their wild nights with Sebastian. I was trying to think of questions, since that’s usually my thing (with a background in journalism). But, honestly, I was just taking it all in. And they were addressing a lot in their discussions.
Someone asked about the craziest interactions with fans, and it was great to hear that they haven’t had any. Scott reiterated that Gilmore fans are “the greatest fans in the world.” Everyone he has encountered has been lovely. It’s because of us fans that the reboot happened. And that events like this keep taking place. Everyone was misty-eyed talking about their love for the people who have supported them through the years.
I remember when I was younger, I always said I wasn’t sure that I wanted to meet anyone from the show because it held such a special place in my heart. What if they weren’t like I thought they’d be, or it ruined the illusion of the show? For the longest time, I held off on getting to know the actors outside of the show because they were such iconic roles to me. But, I’ve now met three of the main actors (and learned a lot more about them in the last 15 years through this digital age) – Lauren Graham (Lorelai), Scott Patterson (Luke) and Milo Ventimiglia (Jess). They’ve all been so lovely and delightful, even more so than I could have imagined. You can tell they truly love their craft, love meeting the people who support them and are all just fun people in general. I would love to go to another event in a heartbeat, knowing what I know now.
As Scott closed out the show he “smelled snow” and sure enough, soapy snow suds fell from the sky. It was quite the magical moment — At least on the other side, since we weren’t covered in the suds, ha!
They thanked us for coming then dismissed us to the food truck, where we all got in line for burgers and fries to go. It was great! We made our way back to the parking lot and I drove home. It was a really wonderful day. I hope it’s an event they’ll make annually. I’d love to make it to the Fan Fest in Connecticut someday, but until then, more LA events would fill my Gilmore Girls loving heart.
That's all for now,
Shelby
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