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When Carly Smithson Bumped Into Prince
I thought Michael Johns visit to Access Hollywood was chaotic two weeks ago. Who knew my time with Carly Smithson would turn out to be even more bizarre!
It all started out fairly normal. Carly and her entourage pulled up to the studio and I led her into the hair and makeup room for touchups. We share space with "The Tonight Show" and when I go in for hair and makeup, I always sneak a peak at the dressing room door at the top of stairs. That's the room where they usually put the musical guests. I glance over to see who it is and there is no sign on the door, but I see these two huge bodyguards posted outside the door.
Governor Schwarzenegger (man that still sounds strange all these years later) was Jay's guest on Thursday, yet I never once saw a bodyguard for him. So, I figured this must be somebody huge, right? Then I glance at the door across the hall and it says Prince's musicians. Prince? That's who needs this massive security detail? His name is Prince. He's not actual royalty.
I roll my eyes at his bodyguards who are assessing whether or not I am a stalker. Carly doesn't notice until I point out to her and her gang that Prince is in the house. One of the gals from 19 Entertainment is freaking out because she loves him. She is determined to catch a glimpse of him and explains to me that Prince does not like people to make eye contact with him. This makes me roll my eyes again.
I go back to the stage to inform the crew that Carly will be ready to perform in about ten minutes. All of sudden the alarm goes off on the stage and a man's voice comes on telling us their has been an emergency in the building and we must evacuate, "and do not use the elevators."
Earthquake? Fire? Someone is attempting to harm Prince? I hear panic in the hallway from "The Tonight Show" people as they begin to evacuate and so I head upstairs to grab Carly... and who do I pass but you guessed it -- his shortness, umm, I mean his purpleness -- no his symbolness. You get it. It was Prince being rushed outside to his limo. Just for the heck of it I looked him right in the eyes.
So, all of the NBC studios are evacuated including "The Tonight Show" and its entire audience. We wait about 20 minutes to find out what the emergency is. Carly is a big hit and several people come over to ask for a photograph or an autograph. Prince sits in his air-conditioned limo while we all sweat. Meanwhile, I'm also trying to hide producer David Foster from Carly, who I had brought in to mentor her after her performance (More on that drama in a second).
Finally, we are allowed back in and the security guard informs me that someone had tripped the alarm and no emergency existed. I'm not sure if I'm relieved or pissed. Probably more pissed. Determined to catch a glimpse of Prince, Carly and crew hang outside for few minutes to see if he emerges from his limo. He doesn't so they head inside. I stay outside to wait for David Foster and a few minutes later who comes walking by me again, but Prince. Again I look him in the eyes and get no response, not even a smile!
So, Carly comes in and belts out her tune - Heart's "Alone." She sounds great. She loves this song. Then I bring her Foster as a surprise. I had mentioned to Carly, at the morning interview we did, that I had a surprise for her. She jokes, "Is it Brad Pitt?" David walks out and mentions he is sorry, he is no Brad Pitt, but he hopes she is happy. She seems genuinely happy to meet him. Then it turns a bit uncomfortable when Foster lays into her about song choice and keys. She is visibly upset and I feel horrible. I understand he is trying to help her but the delivery is a bit harsh. He does ease up a bit and eventually tells her how much he loves her and what a great career she has ahead of her. I think if he had started with this, maybe things may have gone a bit smoother.
While Carly does an interview for Billy Bush's radio show, Prince is performing across the hall at "The Tonight Show." He stays after the taping to perform a few extra songs for the crowd. I don't respect all the pomp and circumstance surrounding him but I do respect this. Carly and her gang finish up at our show and head outside to there waiting car service. Just as this happens, Prince comes walking by me for a third time (still no smile) out to his limo and Carly and my gal from 19 Entertainment get their chance to see him.
You are wrong... Prince is royalty... a royal ass, that is! How rude.
Stella
Sorry to tell you, but PRINCE is and always will be a BIGGER, MORE POPULAR and loved than ANY AMERICAN IDOL!!!!! Who cares how he does or doesn't act!! He's stayed away from the hype and MUST NEEDED publicity, unlike all those wanna be singers and STILL he SELLS OUT EVERY CONCERT TOUR AND RAKES IN MILLIONS FOR HIS MUSIC!!!!
Don't know who David Foster is, but I don't get why he and everybody else is so hard on Carly. And I truly hope that he didn't suggest she go all schmaltzy like Mariah (why has she sold so many of this new album with such forgettable songs?) or that new chick Leona (ditto on the forgettable.) I'm so worried all these "experts" will steer Carly towards cheesiness like Celine Dion or something akin to these bland divas with awesome voices. Go on with your rockin self, Carly!
I don't know where else to state this but since you brought it up, I really think David Foster is out of touch with what is good on American Idol. Her performance of Alone was pretty good and even if she wasn't, he shouldn't pick her apart. I saw him trying to "mentor" Michael Johns and thought he had terrible advice for him. He was trying to make him into something he is not and if he sang like that on AI, I doubt he would have made it into the top 12! Please pass it on that his critiques are off base, especially since most people would rather agree with Paula than her. There's a reason Simon gets paid millions for being a judge and not David Foster.
Cary IS the best!.. Carlys IS an Idol and Carly IS a SUPERSTAR!!!!.. i love her to death!!
Your just mad cuz Prince paid you NO MIND. You should have done the same to him. I've met Prince in person who was very nice to me. When you actually act like you don't care about him as this superstar, he's actually friendly.
Who cares about this twits opinion of Prince.
Pleasssseeee - you need a life girl!
Prince is as close to royalty as you get - he's the best live performer of our lifetime and he didnt act anyway towards you - you felt this way so thats what you walked away with
Lame-o
From your own words are the following statements:
"I always sneak a peak at the dressing room door"
"I roll my eyes at his bodyguards"
"This makes me roll my eyes again"
"Just for the heck of it I looked him right in the eyes"
"who comes walking by me again, but Prince. Again I look him in the eyes and get no response, not even a smile!"
"Prince comes walking by me for a third time (still no smile)"
By your own admission of your behavior, you carried on very childishly and I would have considered your behavior suspect. It is obvious that you did not conduct yourself in what is considered normal , unaffected or even more importantly as you were at work, professional behavior and that you were looking for some sort of acknowledgement from Prince when you should have been completely focused on what your employer was paying you to do. That is a fact that is not arguable.
Prince's behavior was very normal for any human being, not just a celebrity. He was there working as well as the security guards and you have unfairly assesed and attacked them all.
Prince, the security gurads and Carly, were the only ones focused on doing their jobs and you were preoccupied with getting someones attention who was actually focused on their work. He is a business man, you do understand that I hope.
Perhaps you don't understand show BUSINESS. The business aspect is an indication that people are actually working.
If I were your employer and I read this online from you, I would reconsider you working for me for many obvious reasons that were shown by your own admissions. You would definately be fired young lady.
Allen Sternberg
Beverly Hills, Ca.
I'm a Prince fan and I'm used to hearing things like this but what did Prince do? All you said was the way the bodyguard/ assistant behaved. So what he didn't smile. So what he didn't speak. Do you speak to and smile at everyone you come in contact with? How would you feel if everywhere you went people were gawking at you like an animal at the zoo? I think the media should give him a little break. Stop being so judgmental.
Oh get over yourself Laura!
Prince is a genius and for more than 3 decades he has made great music, sold out stadiums, won every kind of award.
Sold 100's of millions of records and still is very much so relevant in the music industry and abroad.
Just because he has security and an ego, doesn't give you the right to insult him.
Madonna has body guards and so would you, if you had the type of job they had.
So get over youself, Prince ROCKS!!!
Carly SUCKS!!! thats why she's no longer on idol.
all i can read is blah blah "prince didnt smile at me"
Why do we worship false gods? Prince is a spoiled brat just like 95 percent of the people we call celebrities. Clearly this girl was trying to make eye contact as a joke since Prince is known for not making eye contact. And I was at Coachella Music Festival last weekend and saw Prince perform and half the crowd hated it. He is so full of himself!
LMAO @ this nonsense. Shouldn't you have been focusing on YOUR job. Clearly the bodyguards and musicians were focusing on theirs. You copped an attitude at whomever the star was as soon as you saw the bodyguards and "rolled your eyes" when you saw that it was Prince. You hung around "for kick" yeah that's it, and you say you purposely stared into his eyes - which by your admission is only annoying to him by hearsay... has he said this directly to you? - and then proceeded to hang around when you should have been back into the building only to harass the guy again. Sounds like you were acting like a groupie trying to get attention and because you got "no smile" you were pissed. Had you focused on YOUR job you would have spoken more to this David guy (whoever he is) and maybe caught a vibe that he was going to say something unkind to Carly (whoever she is). Sounds like you need a job with less responsibilities since you CLEARLY shirked many of them as you hung around outside like a lame waiting for Prince to give you 'eye contact'. LMAO how pathetic.
It's sad how we worship false gods in this world. Celebrities are spoiled rotten brats who become monsters because their families, friends, agents, publicists, bodyguards and managers let them. Clearly she was joking and making light of a stupid situation. somehow I bet a person working at access hollywood knows how to do her job and act around celebrities. but who gives a crap. they are just people like everyone else. they take a dump just like you and me. Anyone who read this blog and is taking it seriously is in need of a celebrity intervention. leave this poor girl alone. you are just jealous because she has access to celebrities that you will never, ever have.
Jenny and Susan, grow up. This twit acted like an azz and now she's getting hers handed to her by Prince fans and others who see her behaviour for what it is: childish and immature, and definitely unprofessional.
Jenny are you Laura in disguise or just someone who works with/for her? What makes you think people cannot have their own opinion without being a celebrity 'fanatic'? Truthfully I don't know any of the people described in this blog but it clearly sounds like someone was trying to get Prince's attention. And what makes you think that because someone works with celebrities they canNOT be a fanatic? Let's let people have their own opinions because when you put yourself out there into cyber world, you just may not like everything that comes back. It's a lesson learned all around. Being on television doesn't make you a professional.
Prince Sucks. Deal with it.