Ruben is my Home Boy

I signed up a while back to work as a runner for this award show going on at the Kennedy Center this week. I didn't know anything about it, but it paid well. It turned out to be the Bradley Awards, which is one of those "make the world a better place" foundations honoring people whose work fits under their mission. Monday we mostly sat around in between a few minor errands, but today was pretty busy, and pretty dang cool!

Guess who the main entertainer was for the award show? RUBEN STUDDARD!

Each person making a stage appearance was assigned to one of us runners to be in charge of them and make sure they got where they needed to be on stage, etc. No, I wasn't assigned Ruben. I had the CEO of the Foundation, and he's done this enough times to not really need much help. All morning was spent running through the show with us standing in as our people. All afternoon was spent rehearsing certain parts with the actual performers. All evening was the show!

Ruben is really laid back and cool. He is also very talented - each of his numbers were absolutely fabulous. He has a beautiful voice.

I was standing in the wing when Ruben was on stage rehearsing one of his songs this afternoon (which was sounding amazing!). After he finished the song the stage crew started chatting about something and he looked over into the wing. I gave him a big cheesy smile and two animated thumbs up. He did it right back at me! It was so cool!


I am totally friends now with Alvin. Alvin is technically Ruben's Music Director, but they go way back (way before American Idol) and used to play in a band together in Alabama. I asked him if Ruben ever votes on American Idol. He said he definitely watches it, but he doesn't think he votes. He gave me his card (yes, I'm special), so I asked him if he would come to Texas and play at my next birthday party if I asked him to. He said yes... until I added the "for free" part.

I still think he's persuadable.

I got Ruben's autograph on my program!

Sarah Pfisterer, a Broadway singer, was also there. She is really really nice - a very pleasant person. I really enjoyed getting to know her and all the great people on the crew as well.