49 replies to this topic

[MikeDonovan]

A word to the wise, if you're heading down there on Sunday, make sure you get there as early as humanly possible. For a myriad of reasons I didn't get there today until 12, but have gone home without having met him, which is pretty disappointing.

It's no-one's fault, it's just purely down to the fact that Leslie is not a young man anymore - in any respect. I'll be going back again tomorrow morning - early. Not ideal, but I don't intend to miss the chance to meet him. If you're going tomorrow for the day, make sure you get there as early as you can. As a guideline, he went through 130 tickets today.

...and I've just noticed the earliest I'm going to be able to get there is 10:30 thanks to Virgin Trains. So I probably won't get the chance to meet him. We'll see.

Edited by MikeDonovan, 08 May 2010 - 05:39 PM.

[MikeDonovan]

Edited by QS: Nice try. But sorry, this had to go.

Edited by Queen_Sindel, 08 May 2010 - 06:23 PM.

[indio]

130 tickets, explain

[MikeDonovan]

indio, on May 8 2010, 07:19 PM, said:

130 tickets, explain

He had a VT queue that only got up to 130. Whether that VT queue only started partway through the day, I can't tell you.

[indio]

so he only met 130?

[1of2]

The VQ tickets were handed out straight away from opening time at 9am

[MikeDonovan]

MikeDonovan, on May 8 2010, 07:11 PM, said:

Edited by QS: Nice try. But sorry, this had to go.

Yes, fair enough

indio, on May 8 2010, 07:23 PM, said:

so he only met 130?

That's the implication, yes

[A007]

That's a bummer Mike. Got in at 10:00 with an earlybird ticket and he was open queue, I'd met him within 15 minutes or so. He waved me back after he signed my photo because I'd forgot to shake his hand, which was a nice touch. He did seem busy by the time I left at 3:00.
Might be worth getting a photo shoot ticket, he was shaking hands and joking around in them which is why it took longer.
Hope you get to meet him.

[MikeDonovan]

A007, on May 8 2010, 07:30 PM, said:

That's a bummer Mike. Got in at 10:00 with an earlybird ticket and he was open queue, I'd met him within 15 minutes or so. He waved me back after he signed my photo because I'd forgot to shake his hand, which was a nice touch. He did seem busy by the time I left at 3:00.
Might be worth getting a photo shoot ticket, he was shaking hands and joking around in them which is why it took longer.
Hope you get to meet him.

Me too - but on the evidence of today I doubt it; we'll see. I'll get up there as early as I can, and keep fingers crossed.

[Daniel]

Its true he wasn't a fast signer, but you are right in what you say it is a struggle to sign loads.

He was a nice guy though, I was so happy to have met him. I hope everyone else who wants to meet him gets to.

[Purple_Vamp]

We wasn't sure if we were going to get there on time or not, we arrived at 10.30 ish and still got to see him.

Fingers crossed for you tomorrow Mike.

[indio]

MikeDonovan, on May 8 2010, 07:24 PM, said:

MikeDonovan, on May 8 2010, 07:11 PM, said:

Edited by QS: Nice try. But sorry, this had to go.

Yes, fair enough

indio, on May 8 2010, 07:23 PM, said:

so he only met 130?

That's the implication, yes

thanks

[A007]

MikeDonovan, on May 8 2010, 07:34 PM, said:

A007, on May 8 2010, 07:30 PM, said:

That's a bummer Mike. Got in at 10:00 with an earlybird ticket and he was open queue, I'd met him within 15 minutes or so. He waved me back after he signed my photo because I'd forgot to shake his hand, which was a nice touch. He did seem busy by the time I left at 3:00.
Might be worth getting a photo shoot ticket, he was shaking hands and joking around in them which is why it took longer.
Hope you get to meet him.

Me too - but on the evidence of today I doubt it; we'll see. I'll get up there as early as I can, and keep fingers crossed.

Its normally quieter on the Sunday, good luck all the same.

[dufresne]

Yeah, I believe he was on number 83 around 1.30 this afternoon. Not ideal, but what can you do ?

[MikeDonovan]

dufresne, on May 8 2010, 07:57 PM, said:

Yeah, I believe he was on number 83 around 1.30 this afternoon. Not ideal, but what can you do ?

Absolutely - he's not a young man anymore in any respect - no-one's fault, just one of those things.  I'm hoping it will be a bit quieter on the Sunday as A007 says <crosses fingers/>

[gidda1974]

his queue was long around 2.30

i managed to get him this morning, he spent time with fans a real gent

hope you get him tomorrow Mike

[crippsy_99]

MikeDonovan, on May 8 2010, 06:47 PM, said:

A word to the wise, if you're heading down there on Sunday, make sure you get there as early as humanly possible. For a myriad of reasons I didn't get there today until 12, but have gone home without having met him, which is pretty disappointing.

As a guideline, he went through 130 tickets today.

Yep, agree get there early.
I too arrived about 12 into the actual event after Leslie's photoshoot, but at first I couldnt even find his table for a good half hour as was looking for his picture on a table and with my bad eyesight, I just couldnt find him until someone pointed his table out, then a whiteboard with his name. It took me even longer to realise he was on a VT queue system, and by that time I got number..135!!!
I waited around all afternoon, I thought id see him easy with that number so bought an 8x10 for him to sign, paid by credit card for a £25 autograph voucher, and waited more..Even though he was the only one I went for, I did end up meeting two others as I had the time.

They then closed his queue just before 15:30 at number 130 for his talk, and said he'd be back after. Went to find something to do for an hour, then went back just before 16:30 to see if people were queing yet, only to find written on the notice board "Closed: Back tomorrow!"

I was only there for today as I have to work all day tomorrow, alas I never managed to meet him for an in person autograph  
I did see Jason at the show about this and even he thought that Leslie would be back after the talk, but anyway its being sorted so I still can get an autograph, however its not quite the same as in person   

MikeDonovan, on May 8 2010, 07:11 PM, said:

Edited by QS: Nice try. But sorry, this had to go.

???

A007, on May 8 2010, 07:30 PM, said:

Might be worth getting a photo shoot ticket, he was shaking hands and joking around in them which is why it took longer.

Agreed! I arrived at the hotel at 11:30 which was better than I expected, so on a whim I decided to go for a photoshoot. Glad I did now otherwise I wouldnt have met him at all  
He was great in the photoroom though.

Edited by crippsy_99, 08 May 2010 - 08:39 PM.

[1of2]

crippsy_99, on May 8 2010, 09:37 PM, said:

Agreed! I arrived at the hotel at 11:30 which was better than I expected, so on a whim I decided to go for a photoshoot. Glad I did now otherwise I wouldnt have met him at all
He was great in the photoroom though.

Bummer that you (and others) didn't get to meet him for the autograph.

I fell 'victim' to him in the photoshoot. As I sat down he held out his hand to shake, I noted where it was and got ready for the photo (i.e. looked at the camera). My hand missed his, so I looked for his hand again, lined up, looked at the camera, missed his hand. It took another failed handshake before I realised what he was up to -  intentionally moving his hand out of the way ! He looks so innocent in the actual photo as well whilst I am still in mid recovery from laughing.
Edit: Definitely one of the most memorable photoshoots!

Edited by 1of2, 08 May 2010 - 08:52 PM.

[crippsy_99]

1of2, on May 8 2010, 09:51 PM, said:

I fell 'victim' to him in the photoshoot. As I sat down he held out his hand to shake, I noted where it was and got ready for the photo (i.e. looked at the camera). My hand missed his, so I looked for his hand again, lined up, looked at the camera, missed his hand. It took another failed handshake before I realised what he was up to -  intentionally moving his hand out of the way ! He looks so innocent in the actual photo as well whilst I am still in mid recovery from laughing.
Edit: Definitely one of the most memorable photoshoots!

Exactly the same with me! I too wondered what was going on until I realised lol, then he started off on some story about us being old friends from the old country and stuff, poor Malcolm wanted to take the photo but he was having none of it lol.

[MikeDonovan]

crippsy_99, on May 8 2010, 09:37 PM, said:

They then closed his queue just before 15:30 at number 130 for his talk, and said he'd be back after. Went to find something to do for an hour, then went back just before 16:30 to see if people were queing yet, only to find written on the notice board "Closed: Back tomorrow!":headscratch:

I was in the talk. To be honest, there's no kind way of saying it - he'd had enough for the day, was obviously tired. Like I say he's not the man he was. I think the plan was for him to come back after the talk, but his security man (who, in my estimation, was under the misapprehension he was Secret Service) made it clear he was done for the day.

crippsy_99, on May 8 2010, 09:37 PM, said:

MikeDonovan, on May 8 2010, 07:11 PM, said:

Edited by QS: Nice try. But sorry, this had to go.

???

Lets just say that I made an tacit offer which QS had to remove as it contravened forum rules!

crippsy_99, on May 8 2010, 09:37 PM, said:

I got number..135!!!

I was 136 - to be fair we didn't miss him by much, I think he cleared 130 just before he went into the talk.

Talking of which, I know this is going to be controversial, but I wonder if there's an argument for curtailing the talk tomorrow if large amounts of people aren't going to get to meet him (including yours truly!)  

Edited by MikeDonovan, 08 May 2010 - 09:33 PM.