Bill Cosby!!!!

[redgravedisciple]

Bill Cosby has been up here in Rexburg, Idaho performing on the college campus for the past three days! Because of time, he can't stay after for a meet and greet. I saw his show on Thursday and it was HILARIOUS! And, sure enough, he promptly left. WELL...today was his last day of performing. They sold tickets for a pre-show dinner and I and a friend went thinking he'd be there...NO! Well, I'm not one to walk away empty handed. I love his work. I bought a photo for him to sign. We went to where he was performing. I went to the side door off the stage and I knocked and knocked and no one answered. I went around the building and tried to find a place. I mapped it out. We even saw where he would come out and thought of waiting. Then, I noticed a door slightly open. We went in. It was to the backstage!!!! We walked through all nice and quiet and went up the stairs and sadly went to the wrong room first! A man saw us and asked what we wanted and we said we wanted to just get a signature. He took my photo and friends ticket stub and said he'd give them to him and that we could go down the stairs wait and he'd bring them down. We went down and talked. We then noticed a man sitting on the steps leading up. We though they put him there because of us. He then saw us (he was a security guard) and asked us who we were. We said we were just there to see Mr. Cosby. He was furious and ordered us out! I told him the man had our stuff upstairs and we were waiting for it. He went up and they were there for a while. He comes back down and says, with an attitude, "Congratulations, you're the only two people to get his autograph. If I had thought that leaving my post would cause people to pull this stunt I'd have NEVER left! Don't you ever, EVER pull a stunt like that again!" Oh well, we had our signatures! He then told us to go on the stage and down and find our seats. We said we saw the show yesterday and didn't have tickets. He was furious! "How'd you get back here then?" "The door was open." He said, pointing to the stage, to just get out! Then said, "Wait, go out this door!" The young guy who opened the show said, "Don't worry, it's not your fault they got a crappy security guard!"

[Justin]

I don't mean to rain on your parade but I don't think this is any way to go about getting autographs: sneaking in, moving around the backstage area, trying to look for a celebrity--especially an elderly man like Bill Cosby. The security guard had every right to be upset and in the process someone probably got in trouble because of it.

Perhaps I'm not that aggressive like you but I don't think sneaking in to a restricted area is the way to go--regardless on who it is or where you are. The last thing I"d want to do is make enemies at my local venue in case I wanted to come back and get an autograph from someone else coming in town.

[redgravedisciple]

I understand the concern. Trust me, I had every intention of simply asking someone at the door to take it to him...but no one was there! And where he was performing wasn't your typical theater...it was actually a gym! If I were in New York and found a backstage door open, well A I have done that and they have people there and you ask if you can get an autograph and they simply, and nicely, say to wait where you stand and the person will be out...or they take it to them, I would not then wonder the building looking. As I said, this was a gym...a gym I knew. And when the I saw I could walk up there I did. I do have my regrets about doing it this way and I understood the guy getting mad (he wasn't a real security guy though. Just average Joe...who failed! lol) but really he wouldn't have even sent our stuff up. He would have told us to get. I don't make a habit of it, but it was exciting!!!!

They had an article in the paper about a 17 year old boy who got to meet him with a friend and talk with him...yeah, he had an in! They made it sound like he just happened to be there and they just let him up...they said in the article though that he wanted to take his private jet from SLC to Idaho everyday but it was down and being worked on so he stayed in town. He had a special diet and so people gave him the food he needed. They had the manager at Jamba Juice say, "We made sure his vegetable smoothie was top notch." and I thought, "Shouldn't everyone get a top notch smoothie????"

But yeah, I do understand the error in that behavior...but it a great memory! I won't do it again...and where he performed he's been the biggest name since the Beach Boys who performed back in the 70's...that's why it was such a big thing...five time Emmy winner coming to tiny Idaho.

[droidguy1119]

I mean, I don't advocate anything illegal or mean, but if you want to get autographs and meet people sometimes you just gotta take your chance if you see it. Lots of security guards and representatives and whatnot are not the nicest or friendliest to fans.

[redgravedisciple]

This is true...that's why I went cause I had the chance. Best thing??? Maybe not. But We kept our cool. We weren't crazy fans causing trouble. We were just there to get an autograph and go.

[mymymy]

I can see peoples point on this but no one has also given this success the major congrats it deserves. Well done

[MW1221]

From where I stand, it's the "security guard's" fault. He left the area unguarded. He's there to stop people from doing what you did, because without him, people would do what you did. It's not your job to not go backstage, it's his job to not let you. He dropped the ball, you did nothing wrong. I think part of the reason he was so angry was that he knew that it was his fault and not yours.

[redgravedisciple]

Thanks! I'm very happy about it! I do feel bad for doing it...but the feeling is even greater that I got it!

[Heyheyyou]

Congrats it's always a dicey situation when it comes to those things. I have snuck around where I shouldn't of been and have lucky and have also been not so lucky...... Dicey situation like I said. Depends on the guards.... Most guards really loathe ( no offense) fans and get a power trip when they see them wondering about and will do anything in their power to stop them like saying Hey! leave they aren't here or hey this is private property... I have all heard it before...... In some rare cases you have the cool security guard that says I don't care what you do just be quiet. It all really depends but majority of the time security guards loathe the fans and this is their moment and they want to protect and serve and pretend they are a cop and you better respect their authority! Still congrats on your moment!