True story:
David Copperfield toured through Philadelphia a few years ago while I was attending college there. When I initially found out the news, I was excited and determined to meet the individual who ignited my interest in magic as a child. Now, FYI... when I get determined, I typically walk on the line between ballsy and foolish. In this particular instance, it all paid off.
I purchased a few (cheap) seats to see the show with some friends and family. I rushed everyone to get ready and out the door; after dealing with the shotty public transportation of Philadephia, we managed to arrive at the theater about 20 minutes prior to showtime. They just started accepting tickets seating everyone. Well, while my group looked for their seats, I drifted from the crowd and approached the front row.
I was greeted by a stocky gentleman dressed in black and he asked if I needed any help. I assumed he was security; he had a loud hand-held radio in his hand which he needed to turn down in order to concentrate on our interaction. I gave him some charming story about how I had a friend on Copperfield's crew that I haven't spoken to in years and wanted to see. I said she invited me to come hang out early. He spoke into his radio to confirm the story and he asked me who my friend was. Ha. I pulled a name out of thin air, looked him in the eye, and lied to his face. Straight-up bold faced lie. I don't even remember what name I gave him. But he spoke into his radio, looked at me, and pointed me in the right direction to get backstage.
By then, I was nervous as hell-- I was backstage peering around without any sort of official VIP access badge or anything. I ran into a few people and asked where the rest of the crew was-- trying to sound like I randomly fit in somewhere. After a few minutes, I finally stumbled across David hanging out with a some of the stagecrew. He stopped in mid-conversation, looked over at me, and hesitantly asked, "Can we help you?"
"Absolutely, an autograph would be awesome."
He looked puzzled, glanced at those he was with, and then looked back at me. Awkward pause. Then laughter. I smiled and walked closer and introduced myself, explaining how I was just a college student and a fan. I obviously didn't belong where I was, but he didn't seem to mind. We actually spoke briefly for a few minutes. He admittedly looked like he was in a hurry as the show was about to start, but he made sure one of his guys brought out a small notepad to scribble down his autograph for me. Then he had me escorted back to the souvenir booth in the lobby where I was able to get a free copy of his performance DVD, Illusion.
I finally met up with my friends and family in the nosebleeds as the lights dimmed. They had no idea where I was; I showed them my gifts from the man, himself. Their jaws dropped more than they ever have for any magic trick I performed for them. It was obviously one of the best nights and memorable experiences of my entire life in magic. It was such a good time and to this day-- I'm extremely grateful for David's generosity. Total hero.
RS.
