The longest update ever or "Our Dinner with Chandler, Casey and Freddie"
Hey ya’ll!! I know that a lot of you have seen Vines and pics from our night with the boys, and I’ve addressed a lot of things on my ask.fm (ask.fm/Susenmc) but I promised a write up.. just warning that there may be a lot of things that you’ve seen before, just may add a little context – and I’ll try to set the mood. This could probably be 20 pages long – but I’ll try to stick to the main points. I want to share as much as possible because I think by sharing info it helps everyone like them even more (seriously, all the guys did everything they could to just make it a great experience), but I absolutely want to respect their trust as well.. hopefully I’ve found that balance. It’s long. Be warned. And most of the stuff is just little things that made us laugh… I hope that it gives you an idea of just how incredible these guys truly are; so generous with their time, and just giving us some nice memories to take back with us. I've had a tumblr account but never posted anything to it -- I thought I'd give it a try! I wrote this up in bulleted chunks of info as I thought of things - it's not necessarily the order that it happened (disclaimer). HOPE YOU ENJOY! We'll see if I can figure out how to link it to twitter. I probably should have had Hannah do this... ok here goes...
We met with them on Saturday December 14th (2013) – I had talked to Casey briefly on the phone before coming out to LA, and we set up a time and a place. Casey said that they loved this restaurant and the food was amazing (it was) – it was a great environment and the tapas style food made it more social because we shared all the food on the table - well Casey and Chandler tried to steal our food quite often – but to be fair we weren’t really eating. I was too focused on other thing to think about eating – but every dish was excellent and the guys knew all the best dishes to order because they were so familiar with the place. It was fun to be able to sample their favorites and literally “break bread” with them. I had kind of mocked Casey for his love of cucumbers – he ordered like 3 things that were cucumber based, but totally had to eat my words because he was right. Everything we had was so amazing.
I had been talking to Freddie about coming to the dinner as well but he couldn’t confirm his schedule until that morning – I was so beyond thrilled to get the message that he would actually be there. I was so nervous to meet Chandler and Casey, that I was hoping that Freddie being there would make me less nervous (fear of the unknown) – didn’t matter… still CRAZY nervous! Heather had met Chandler before, and everyone who had met the guys before had reassured us that as soon as we met them that they would put us at ease… and they did.
We had tweeted them a little during the day, including what might have been a picture of a bottle of vodka to take care of some of our pre-dinner jitters. Finally the time comes. We walk inside and I see Casey and Chandler walk in – Chandler notices us immediately, greets us with that classic huge smile and walks over and gives us both a hello hug and a “Hi! How’s it going?!” Casey was further behind but also comes in for a hug – Chandler reassured me that Freddie is definitely coming first thing (I might have mentioned that a few times), he just might be a few minutes late and I tell him thanks for asking him – that he also told me that he was coming. I really appreciated it all their patience and the effort they made to make this everything that we wanted. Chandler checked in with the hostess about our reservations, and I hang back with Casey to try and get out of the way of others waiting in line for the hostess. The first thing Casey asks is how much vodka I’ve had to drink “So you’ve been drinking since like noon?” – I tried to play coy, but he says that he saw pictures.. no secrets.. “Ohhh, you SAW that?” Casey. (I had honestly forgotten that we tagged them in that pic – not sure what we were thinking) – I tell him that we’re all good, we have our senses, but we might have pre-gamed a little bit.
We went in and had a seat – the place opens at 5:30 – so we had the pick of the place. Casey and Chandler sit across from us.. They’re so nice and we just start chatting (and ordering drinks) –we just start chatting about where we’re from and what we do, what they’ve been up to.. Casey mentions that he’s actually going to be in St. Louis for NYE - his gf’s band Krewella is playing a show there and he’s going with her! I asked if they would ever do a show together – but he just laughed, they play such different styles of music. Asked the boys if they have any dates for their band to play – and they said that after they get the EP out (which they’re working on), then they’ll set up a tour and let everyone know. So they’ve really been working on the music lately trying to finish the EP and they ‘ve been auditioning quite a bit. We get drinks at some point (mandatory).. Chandler and I both get a vodka and cranberry, and Heather takes it up a notch and gets a Jack and coke.. we both feel out done by her. But I’m geeking a little that Chandler and I are drink twins.
We talk about the videos – how much we love all three of them… and they admit to working hard on at least one of them. (ha!) The other two were just “let’s see what happens”… and I was surprised to hear that Chandler was truly a fan of the song “Escape” – it didn’t come from making fun of the song.. he was just obsessed with that song and so they decided to do it. Other random video bits that I remember -- The gnome sweater from Chill Escape is a sweater that Chandler actually has as part of his wardrobe (still, it has to be worn in irony, right?) – Oh and how soon after did Casey have to change his cell phone number? About 15 minutes after (Chandler joked) – he was pretty amazed that people were that observant and got his number from that.
The Wrecking Ball video – they wanted to do the cover to try and draw more attention to the band, and then didn’t want to just post it without a video. So they just kind of threw together a story on the fly -- And Casey claims to have no memory of taping the video for Wrecking Ball. I asked if their mothers had seen the video – Casey’s mother hates it.. but Chandler’s mother loves it.. so do we mom. It was Chandler’s decision to blur out the ghost “bits” in the video for fun – just a taste of his sense of humor coming through. Casey said that Wrecking Ball actually has more views than their real video (so get those 65 Roses views up). I tell them that when I first heard they were going to do it, I wondered who was going to be naked on the ball – they joked that they had to edit that part out… pity. Would have been more views. ;)
I tell the guys that we have tons of stuff for them – and explain how the cake came to be… that Hannah who runs his twitter fan account got fans together and they donated money to get him a cake because they felt that he didn’t get to have one when he left. We attempted to give him the cake several times but kept getting interrupted – food would come.. and then Freddie came in! Super stoked that he brought our Addicts DVDs for us!
65 Roses video – Freddie saw it and thought it was cool; the guys were involved in the casting of the video and the guy that played death was actually creepy in real life too; I asked Casey how many times people asked him if it hurts to sing like that – a lot – and “hell yah”, it does hurt.
The Cake! We get to it… I tell Chandler that he should be the one to open the box for the Vine, and we discuss ideas for what to tape – Chandler actually came up with the idea for what to do. (What’s this? A cake! YUM!).. he takes a bite and was SO excited to find out it was red velvet – So you guys did good!! He was making moans as he was eating… and he ate nearly half of it himself… He’s so touched by the thought, the cake, the cards, the balloons from the fans…
All the guys catch up – just talking about how everyone is doing on the show, who’s still there, who’s not – what’s happening with the story, and with their lives. Chandler asked about how the babies were doing, and Freddie said they were really getting big. It was funny because we really didn’t want to ask about current story and what was happening since it wasn’t Chandler filming it – but HE’s the one that was asking all the questions about what was happening. All the info we got about spoilers was really due to Chandler asking Freddie (maybe for our benefit?) – who knows. J Freddie talks about how Addicts is going, how TN went – and he makes a note to watch the Wrecking Ball video (he didn’t know they did that). They discussed their respective Kickstarter campaigns and their experiences so far with that – Freddie was excited that as of that Monday they were going to be done. Chandler and Casey had a little bit further to go and still have a lot of incentives they need to take care of, but they’ve just been trying to get the EP done (so patience). We chime in about our experiences with TN and the kickstarter projects – and really just thank them for making this feel so comfortable. All we’re looking for is just a feeling of a little connection to them, an opportunity to pick their brains – and they’ve all been so great in just making it feel as “normal” as possible.
We’ve already spoiled this on twitter – but I had asked if they knew Guy before he was cast (thinking that maybe they had met in an acting class, or another audition or something) – and Chandler told us that Guy had actually auditioned for Sonny, and that he read with him! We were pretty surprised – it had been assumed that the role Guy had auditioned for on Days was “Brian”… Chandler was very complimentary of Freddie, said that there’s only one Sonny, and that’s Freddie – but that Guy would make a great Will (very gracious guy).
We break out the other gifts from people – Mary and LIzzy sent cookies and gifts. The guys hadn’t been able to eat the cookies she brought in Boston because they were on a “no sweets bet” with their friends – but they devoured them this time. There were like 8 different kinds of amazing crack filled cookies, and we all just kind of had a little of each kind. I gave Chandler a letter from Anthony, and a shirt from Susan (with a picture of Freddie as Gary Goldberg on it!) – Chandler thought that anything with Freddie’s face on it was amazing – and I suggested that it be featured in their next video – so keep an eye out! Chandler also said that he’d put a secret message to me in the video – so look for “Susen” somewhere in the video.
I was going to try and get Chandler and Casey to teach Freddie the dance from the “Chill” video – after Joan had Chandler teach her in LA, we had both plotted to get Freddie to do it in TN.. On our skype I told him it would be happening.. and he said “In TN, we’ll do it in TN”.. so at breakfast in TN he says, “Let’s do it in the afternoon at the VIP.. “… and the VIP he says, “Let’s do it at the bar.. “.. and then we all got a little distracted and it never happened. He’s a wise one that Mr. Smith. I tell Freddie that he’s off the hook – BUT that I’m on to him, and he jokes that we’re still going to do it.. we’ll do it the NEXT time we see each other. Yep, so on to you. But then he says that he’ll do it the next time he’s in St. Louis – he’s just going to show up at my door doing the dance. The boy should not make idol threats like that. Someday this is happening.. maybe.
All through dinner food just randomly shows up, they pace the food so that there is always something new coming out. Freddie has never had lamb before – he’s a beef and chicken kind of guy. But Chandler gets him to step out of his box and try it – and he liked it, he really liked it.
At some point the conversation turns to Chandler’s last day – and I know this is a sensitive topic – but I just want to say (and I’ve said in some of the ask.fm answers) that he’s not angry about this. I’m not trying to say that he never was, I can’t know that and he didn’t say – but when we talked to him he was very positive, very happy with what he’s doing now – ready for school, and excited about auditioning and the music. It was a surprise, but not completely unexpected after he put it all together. And he didn’t seem upset about how it happened, he said that he understood that they have to let people go at the end of their day so they don’t destroy sets or ruin their scenes. And he understood the timing to give the new actor time to build something and not come in after a proposal or even after a wedding. I only share this because I just think some fans need to hear that he seems at peace with all of it. I’m not trying to speak for him – I’m trying to be very careful not to put words in his mouth – this is all based on my perception. And he does not seem to harbor any hard feelings. He’s excited about going back to school and he’s going to continue with the plan to study Mandarin and international business – and keep auditioning!
(Spoilers) The guys discuss and try to remember what their last scenes were together, what was the last thing Chandler taped, versus what will air last… It was funny that Chandler said his last line that he taped was to Ari in the apt, something like “So where do you want to go now, huh?” – and Chandler just thought that was so interesting that his first line on Days was “huh?” and the last thing he taped was “huh?”. They last thing they taped together was something in the apt (we didn’t get any other details) – but the last thing that will air according to Chandler is them in Club TBD with the NYE countdown and the kiss at midnight. I ask about scenes with the cocoa tin – and we do get them (and I asked Chandler if he filmed them and he didn’t really remember – but Freddie said that he did).
We get a little nostalgic and tell them just how much Wilson has meant to us – and Chandler talked about how he was so proud to be involved with it and really felt that it’s the most well-written and most relevant story that Days has *ever* done. Casey baulked at that a little, thought that maybe Chad and Melony being kidnapped by cyborgs would rate as more relevant and Chandler had to concede that fact (they’re always joking just a *little*). But I do tell them that one of the things I loved most about the characters was that their problems were all organic – based on real things, emotions – not satanic possession, evil twins and cyborgs..
I asked C&C about “Chill” and what they would have done if the show had actually approached them about being a couple. They both said that they would have done – you do what is written – but admitted that it would have been a little awkward since they were already such good friends.
We talk about the great job that Freddie and Chandler do on the show – adding the little touches and the adlibbed kisses. I asked at what point they adlib them – like when they’re looking at a script together, or during blocking, or are they just happening in the moment as they tape. And it’s a little bit of all of that – just whenever it feels like it would naturally happen. There are actually times when it’s scripted and they don’t kiss because it didn’t feel right, but they might add one at a different time in the scene later. They really make an effort to convey the romance and the relationship, even when it’s not the focus of the scene. I mention trying to get Freddie to say “Babe” for months, and then Heather has lunch with Chandler and right after Freddie reports that Chandler said “my love” in a scene (to which Chandler said, “I DID?? On purpose??”). It's so funny that they don't remember these things that are huge milestones for US. They both say that they weren’t fans of saying “dude” and “man” all the time, but they didn’t want to be too stereotypical and call each “babe” all the time - This lead to the Vine with the endearments – I wanted to hear them say those their favorite endearments to each other because I knew that’s what every fan wanted to hear. I thought they might say “babe” or “my love” – but also suggested sweet cheeks, pumpkin, and some others. Chandler thought babe and my love had already been done – but he loved “sweet cheeks” – I told them they would both be in the shot – and they were such great sports, they just rolled with it.
Along those lines I mentioned that when Chandler flips his leg over onto Freddie’s that it gets a lot of attention – they don’t respond to that, in fact it’s a “crickets” moment – they’re a little embarrassed by it actually.. and I didn’t expect that, but we laugh it off.. And since that went over so well (lead balloon), I decide to ask a question that was on a lot of fans’ minds – have they talked about who “tops”. Now, to preface this, I knew that they both had a great sense of humor and I figured it was either going to be really funny or an epic fail. And I was actually really surprised by their answer! They cracked up and YES, they *have* talked about it – they “fight” about it all the time on set and they try to take turns (even though Freddie tried to say that it was just him, Chandler was like “NO!”).. But whoever has their arm in the upper position, or when the stage direction called for one of them to roll over onto the other they were like “yes!” (like they “won”).
Emmy reels come up – Chandler wasn’t sure that he would submit (but I’m not sure how much he meant that) – it was just that since he was off the show that the process wasn’t as easy because he had to submit himself. But we’ll see – if he does submit he’s going to let his mother pick his scenes again. Freddie said that he wanted the fans to pick this year – and we told him that it needed to be one of the days in the hospital. They all ran together because it was all one “day” - but that any of those days would be good.
I asked about their costumes – when I asked about Will’s boots Chandler said that they were great at first – but got old, he wanted Will to have a storyline based on Will buying new shoes. Freddie just wears whatever they tell him and isn’t too picky about it – but they were both jealous that Casey got to wear a lot of his own clothes most of the time and they weren’t really sure how he made that happen. Chandler thinks Will looks a little like Mr. Rogers with the sweaters and the vests..
I had been looking for my list of questions (thought they got buried in all the things we brought for them), and eventually figured out that I must have left them in the car. In looking at them later I really was able to get to most things on the list – but Chandler was very nice to offer to answer any questions that I forgot later.
I asked when the “Angel” movie would be out and he had no idea. But that he really just had a small role in it despite being featured twice in the trailer. I might have mentioned that he sure knew how to throw a Frisbee – and he had mad skillz because he was on the Frisbee team..
Travel talk – traveling through UK, and Casey and Chandler said that we took the trip that they wanted to take (a month driving through England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland) – they were totally jealous. So maybe that trip is in their future? We talked about Chandler’s trip to Peru – he ate guinea pig… and came back a lot thinner than when he went.
Chandler’s mad piano skillz – he’s very modest and says that he’s still learning… but I think we’ve all heard enough to know that he definitely has a talent for it. His real passion is fantasy football. He said a lot of things about it that I didn’t understand (but Heather seemed to follow, so maybe she can update you – but he seems to be doing very well from what I could make out).
The “defacing” Vine – I had Chandler sign a picture for a friend, and I had a back up.. Chandler asked who it was for and when I told him for no one he started defacing it immediately! We thought it would be funny to show everyone drawing on it.. but really Chandler did most of it himself. Freddie did the unibrow and Casey did the mullet – but the rest is all Chandler.
We just had a great night – we made notes about the big things, but a lot of the night was just chatting and joking and having a great time. I tried to remember just random bits like Casey kept trying to get me to believe things that weren’t true..like that he saw the Jonas brothers in the bathroom and they recognized him.. I’m so gullible. It’s sad. I think he could tell me anything and I’d believe it. … and I was surprised that Chandler knew a little sign language (he can actually form sentences) – I should have gotten Vines!
The last thing we did was take pictures and just chatted in the lobby for about another 30 minutes– it was too dark in the restaurant at the table (and we didn’t want to be too obnoxious with the flashes). So we went out to the lobby and Chandler nabbed somebody to take pics for us – it was funny just because he had so much fun with his role as photographer. He was doing “crane shots”… And the last pic that we got of Freddie and Chandler was the pinky swear pic – told them to pose as if they were just two dudes promising on a pinky swear. Again – where was the video?! I was just too caught up in the moment I guess. In a way that’s for the best – too busy living it to document it. The guys said their goodbyes to each other and promised to keep in touch and get together again soon..
Forever grateful for this night – thanks to the guys for making all of that happen, and thanks so much to Heather, my LA partner in crime! Epic night!
Hope you liked it! We love sharing it!
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