Wednesday, March 14, 2007

CRIMINAL MINDS: MEETING MANDY...AGAIN AND AGAIN!


Criminal Minds Diary, Day Two: I would not even want to guess how many people had told Mandy Patinkin that I wanted to meet him before leaving LA. As I told you in a previous update the scene they were rehearsing and filming that morning for "Honor Among Theives" was a very long scene. I watched as they did it over and over again. I also watched my watch because my time was running down on the set and it was going to have to happen soon. As I told you before, the scene ends with Gideon and Reid opening the conference door and walking quickly down the hall. Gideon enters his office and Reid continues on down the hall. I had all the things I wanted Mandy to sign in my hands so that I would be ready at a moment's notice but my three cameras were still in my purse.

After the fourth or fifth take Mandy motioned for me and "A" to come upstairs to Gideon's office and from his hand gestures I knew he meant to do it quickly. We entered the office and I spoke with Mandy for a few minutes while he signed the stack of pictures and scripts that I wanted signed. He told me a really cute internet story from years ago when the internet was just coming into its prime and how some of his concert fans had really jumped on it and had formed a fan club. It is a long story for another day but it was very darling. I did not have my camera with me at the time so we just talked until he had to leave to go shoot that same long scene again. Mandy reached the conference room set before "A" and I could leave Gideon's office and then we heard it......."Action". When the Director says action you do not speak and you do not move but the problem was we were stuck in Gideon's office and we knew from watching previous takes of this scene that the camera doesn't stop shooting until he is seen going into his office.....and we were in there. I asked "A" what the hell we should do and she said we should stay out of sight. The best that I can remember I tried to hide in the chair that was away from the door and she stood in front of the bookcase against a wall. When Mandy walked into Gideon's office he was more than surprised to see us there but we all did laugh when he realized we had gotten stuck in there. "A", God bless her heart, asked Mandy if she could please go downstairs and get my camera so I could have some pictures of him and I together and he of course said yes. I did get the chance to finish telling Mandy the things I had always planned on telling him and I did get pictures which I will always cherish. When I mentioned how hard it is to get tickets for some of his concerts he gave me the name of someone to call if I ever have a problem. Mandy is an intense person. Not in a bad way. When he is filming he is in character and I know we interupted his concentration that day. When we were done and he went back to the conference room to continue filming we made sure to get the heck out of Gideon's office asap. We went back to watching the filming.

I am very grateful that I was able to meet Mandy. Many people had to do many things to make that happen for me and I appreciate them all. There is still more to my adventure but I will save it for another post. :)

47 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad you got your chance. I'm sure it was very special. I hope I get to meet Matthew some day. :)

Lee

Anonymous said...

I am so happy you were able to meet Mandy since you are such a huge fan of all the genres he performs in. Seeing you in a picture with him really just makes me smile.

Anonymous said...

so happy for you

Anonymous said...

That is soo Awesome!!!
That is a brilliant picture of you together.
*hugs* I am so happy for you!!

Unknown said...

I'm so happy for you, I could tell how much you wanted to meet and talk to him. I bet that picture is going to be blown up and framed. ;p

Anonymous said...

I wish I could personally thank everyone that helped make this happen for you. I have known you for longer than this blog has existed and I know how much you have always admired this man and how his dedication to some of the same humanitarian charities we ourselves support has been an inspiration to us both.

Anonymous said...

That is a nice photo.

Being trapped was not all bad. It makes for a good story and what is a day on CM without drama?

Anonymous said...

I am so glad you got your chance to meet and talk with Mandy. What a thrill for you! I know that day will be one you cherish forever.

The Swedish Mystery said...

Great story and I'm very happy for you meeting Mandy Pantinkin :)

I have followed all your posts of your trip to the Criminal Minds set and it seems you had a great time and all the people working on the series are very nice. I love this blog!

Anonymous said...

You are a fool. You should have stayed in that office and everytime he finished the scene you could have spoken to him some more. Only joking. Lovely.

slashgirl said...

I'm so glad you did get to meet Mandy, it must have been a thrill. And now you'll always have a funny story to go along with it! *lol*

Oh, and being the detail queen that I am, I see that the painting on the wall behind Gideon's desk--the one of the river? That's one of the ones that Sarah Jean (from Riding the Lightning) had painted and hanging in her cell. Which is really rather cool. :D

Elizabeth Bear said...

That is so awesome for you!

Anonymous said...

Only you would get stuck in his office. I love it and I am so glad that you were able to meet him and say all the things you wanted to say to him. Yeah!

lisaw918 said...

Ok, at first when I read about your trip I was bitterly jealous :) Then I was amused and very happy for you. Now I'm jealous again. I've loved and admired Mandy in one way or another since I was 15 (ok, in my case, that isn't even a decade, but so what), and I've seen him in concert, and even through the performance I can tell what a dynamic, quirky and charming guy he is, so full of energy and life. I wish I were trapped in Gideon's office; I'd hide in the desk or something and pop out when he went for his stapler :D

Anonymous said...

You know how some stories are just amazing by themselves? This trip is one of those. But getting stuck in his office -- and it would be *his* office, wouldn't it? -- is just classic. The frosting on the cake! I'm so glad you got to meet with him at last and get wonderful pictures. (Kermit wave) Yayyyyyyyyyyy!

Anonymous said...

My God, Jill...That is SO special. How can you ever top that exciting time? I will be laughing all the time I watch that episode...knowing what was "unseen in the scene"!
PHOTO OF YOU WITH MANDY IS...ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!! (Blue is "your" color).
Thanks for the story...makes my day!

Elizabeth said...

I'm so glad it was Gideon's office you got stuck in and that you got to meet Mandy. Great photo.

Anonymous said...

That would have been so cool if they had let you be in the scene somehow! but either way what an awesome day and I'm so glad everything worked out with you meeting Mandy!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful. I bet you will never forget one detail of your meeting for your entire life. I am thrilled ofr you honey. Really happy.

Anonymous said...

I am so happy for you. You sure picked the right office to get stuck in.

Anonymous said...

I couldn't be more pleased with how well your meeting went with MP and that you were stuck in his office is so funny.

Anonymous said...

Stacy and I would try to get stuck in Hotch's office. Actually, I could be his secretary, sit on his lap and take dictation!!! (I REALLY DO USE SHORTHAND.)

Anonymous said...

Well, if you had to get stuck on set that was the place to do it. And it meant you got to see Mandy twice, so not that bad. Were you able to look around the office at all while you were waiting, or did you wind up hiding right away?

LoraLee

andi said...

congrats Jill, I am thrilled for you.

Anonymous said...

I would hidden under Reid's cubicle but I am glad that you got to spend time in Gideon's lair.

Anonymous said...

So happy for you and what a funny thing to have happen.

Riccie said...

Very, very cool, Jill! Great picture and fabulous post :)

Anonymous said...

Congrats Jill. What a great memory for you.

Anonymous said...

I am so happy for you but you are not smiling in the picture. Where you nervous being around Mandy? I would be.

Anonymous said...

That was cute to here how you got "stuck". Glad you finally got to talk to him to!

Anonymous said...

I am so happy for you.

Amy from NY

Anonymous said...

Stacy, you are the detail queen! It is the picture from Riding the Lightening! Great catch.

Jill, now that you have a connection for tickets, you will have to go to one of his concerts. Trust me, you will have a wonderful time!

Anonymous said...

Glad you got some time with Mandy but it must've been a little nerve-wracking being stuck in Gideon's office, knowing he was going to walk in with you guys still there. Good thing Mandy found it amusing!

Anonymous said...

Great experience and so glad for you.

Anonymous said...

That would have been priceless to have gotten on video or photo. To see Mandy's expression when he came in and saw you....ah, that'd be so funny!

Glad you finally got your meeting with him, and you got to say all of the things you had been hoping to say all this time. :-)

Anonymous said...

Wonderful and I am so glad you had your Mandy moment because you are truly a Mandy girl.

Anonymous said...

So happy this happened. Congrats to you.

Anonymous said...

It sounds like quite the meeting Jill - I'm glad everyone was able to make it happen for you :)

Anonymous said...

How did you resist the urge to hide under his desk and then jump out and say "Boo!"

Anonymous said...

I would have died of laughter in that office... and then they would have kicked me out haha.
I'm glad you finally got to meet him and tell him everything you wanted to!

Anonymous said...

Oh, that story is so cute. You will tell that one your whole life, won't you?

Didn't realize the picture but have to stare at the lampshade every time I scroll over the photo. *gg*

CU sindee

Jen said...

If this photo isn't enough to make a person want to send Christmas card photo greetings, I'll EAT MY HAT! What the hell, Flag Day is coming up--start a new tradition and send pictures of you and Mandy to all your friends and family to mark this patriotic day! Hi Randa!

Anonymous said...

So glad that you were able to meet Mandy. A dream come true.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Jill! I'm so happy you got to talk with Mandy. He sounds like a great guy. :)

JenLCB said...

So cool! Mandy is an awesome guy to let you "break" his concentration like that. He loves his fans!

Anonymous said...

what a nice keepsake pic of you and mandy,question how did you get an invite to the set,not many are allowed this are they,

Anonymous said...

that's great that you got stuck in there. I can't imagine how awkward it must've been trying to hide. hilarious.

jacqui