More than 150 people braved the rain last night to attend D CEO magazine’s quarterly happy hour event at Vapiano, a sleek new eatery in Mockingbird Station. But the evening’s real action was across the street, where a long line of people snaked around Urban Outfitters aiming to see actress Drew Barrymore, in town to flog a new roller-derby flick called Whip It. According to several people who waited patiently for Barrymore, however, the “meet and greet” turned into something of a fiasco. Reports one:
Drew showed up 1 hour late, spent 1 hour with press, a few minutes with
contest winners and then the rest of us, who had wristbands and [had] been
standing for 5 hours in the rain, were told they’re running behind and we
can leave now. She didn’t sign any autographs for us! So, thank you Moroch
Entertainment and Fox Searchlight and thanks Drew, for having my wife, me
and my 3 year old stand in the rain for 5 hours. We now know what you think
of your fans.
16 comments
Who knew Drew Barrymore had such power!
Who stands in the rain for five hours with a three year old during flu season!?
I have been sprinting everywhere with my two year old for five days just to make it five steps to the door.
I am desperately trying to pick my brain to think of someone, anyone really who I would stand around for more than like, 10 or maybe 15 minutes tops, to meet or take a picture with or get an autograph. The last time I did it was at the Dallas Auto Show in 1992 only to be tossed a hastily-signed head shot by a very clearly hungover Mark Paul Gosselaar.
At least Drew was sober(ish).
Whoever stood in line more than 10 minutes for this got precisely what they deserved…more let down in their life and more reason to watch Lifetime.
Although, I might stand in line that long to beat her with a bat (kidding, only slightly).
What Drew really thinks of her fans: “Holy $#!t, who would drag their wife and kid out here for 5 hours to wait for me?! Kinda creepy, let’s cut this short. Hopefully they can just rent ‘Poison Ivy’ and get on with their lives.”
While she is one of my favorite celebrities – really? 5 hours? And with a 3-year old? Who knows exactly who is a fault: production companies, assistants or celebrities for timing issues, but come on people, get your priorities straight!
I’ve heard she’s very accomodating – she sometimes visits a nightspot I sometimes frequent in LA and everyone says nice things about her. So maybe it is a handler SNAFU.
Best autograph I ever got growing up in Dallas – Vincent Price after he played Fagin in “Oliver!” at the Music Hall. What a wonderful, gracious person – he was asking US the questions and making conversation.
Maybe they can get their money back!
You have a wife and at least 1 kid. It is time to start acting like a grown up.
No one forced you to stand in line. You chose to stand in the rain, don’t whine about the bad decisions you make.
@AmandaCobra
That was awesome … nothing like a SBTB reference to brighten my day.
I was at the event, and say what you will, but i waited in line 6 hours. yall can talk it down all you want but if you had the opportunity to meet a celebrity you realy like and take pictures with her and get her autograph im sure you would take it. you might not admit it, but thats not my problem.
it was very frustrating to say the least, after being in line that long, and only 25 people in front of me that we didnt get to go in. she was an hour late and then the press took their sweet time meeting her and interviewing her. it was bad planning on the event organizers. drew had to be at a q&a right after the pics and signings and she was already late. they should have separate events for press and fans. and the screening should have been on a different night than this meet and greet as im sure drew herself felt all of it was hectic running from place to place.
i think urban outfitters, fox searchlight, kiss fm, or moroch should do something to make amends to those of us who have wristbands from last night…dont they care about their fans at all??
I waited in line for three hours to have Ann M. Martin sign my copy of Kristy’s Great Idea. Probably worth a fortune…
I guess everyone should ditch the line and buy a cheap plane ticket. I ran into her and her entourage (Drew 3) in front of me at Starbucks in DFW Terminal A yesterday evening. I did one of those “hey, I know who you are doubletakes” and received a “Drew” smile back. Venti Black Iced Tea in case you were wondering.
1. Exposure to cold weather doesn’t cause the flu, KellyK. Urban myth, old wives’ tale, etc. Kids used to start school later in September when it was starting to get cooler. Kids returning together to an indoor classroom sneezing and picking their noses near each other = incubator of sick. The correlation was not causation.
2. Standing in line for five hours to see a celebrity who didn’t save your mother’s life, especially with a three-year-old, sounds pretty sad.
3. Waited on Drew Barrymore in the mid-90s when she was dating Luke Wilson, and she seemed exceedingly nice and pretty much like the characters she plays.
I waited in line for several hours and had a great time. We were told early on that we would not get to meet her, but decided to stand and wait to catch a photo of her. Even if it was of her leaving Urban Outfitters. I met some great people in line, and we all got together and had drinks afterwards.
Yes, it was raining, but most people had umbrellas.
I never gave up, and met her hours later at the Angelica. This was my second time meeting her and she was as nice as can be. I apologized for the morons who were yelling and cursing because they did not get in to meet her. That is not Drew’s fault at all. It was everyone’s choice to stand in the rain.
Celebrities are often at the mercy of handlers, pr flax who over schedule times slots, traffic and airline delays just like anyone else. Having met many famous people myself, I am certain that the star in question had no intention of blowing off fans or making a bad impression as her livelihood depends on the goodwill of her fans.
If I were standing in the rain with a five-year-old I would have left as the child would have priority over brushing shoulders with a famous stranger who won’t remember meeting you anyway.
I was the one who wrote that blog entry.
A few points:
1. Regarding your “helpful” parenting tips. Thanks, but I got it. He was actually the only one who had fun during the event. He befriended a camera crew, got to look inside their van, etc. And, he has an immune system and loves the rain, so he’s fine.
2. People who evaluated my “sad” life for waiting in line for an autograph. Thanks to you, too. Since you know me so well, your judgment must come from a good place.
To clarify a few points:
- The idea was to stand in line for a bit to get the wristbands. On every other event I have been to where wristbands were handed out that meant one thing. The wristband had a number, once you had it, you left and came back 30 minutes prior to the event and got in line corresponding with your number.
So the plan was to get it, then go to dinner and come back.
Well, here we were not allowed to leave the line or we’d be going to the end of the line.
- Then, the wait wasn’t supposed to be this long. They ran late. But, if you are being told that it’ll be time soon and you’re still guaranteed an autograph, would you leave after already waiting for a few hours?
- Why is it, that it seems y’all are blaming the people waiting in line? Not the organizers?????
In regards to Drew Barrymore, she might well not have been aware of what was going on, but I have no power over what organizer is hired. The only people I can hold responsible are the studio and the celebrity.
Especially after the press was atwitter the next morning about what a great job Moroch did with the event, I found it necessary to let people know that it wasn’t well organized at all for the fans, who after all are the ones paying for movies. Maybe she or the studio can evaluate who to do business with in future.