Maybe a week ago JPX emailed me that Tommy Wiseau would be appearing at a screening of his 2003 cult classic "The Room" in NYC on April 30th, and when I wrote I was tempted to go, JPX counseled me that would be a little crazy. Fortunately, I didn't have to choose between sanity and Tommy, because just a few days later I found out Tommy was slated to appear this very weekend at the Coolidge Theater in Brookline as part of his "Love is Blind" tour. The Friday and Saturday midnight shows were already sold out, but I quickly purchased tickets for the Sunday night show, and emailed some other local
fans.
I didn't want to get my hopes up, so it wasn't until we actually saw Tommy outside the Coolidge that we knew for sure this was really going to happen. He looks exactly like he does in the film, only shorter. And total bonus: Greg Sestero was there too! Mr. AC and I met up with Angela, Chris, and Sam inside the theater. Chris was in character as scruffy Mark, and had brought his sister Jessica and her boyfriend John, who had never seen the film before. I
was torn between envy and compassion for the newbies.
The spectacle kicked off with a lengthy and bizarre Q & A. I had been wondering if Tommy's personality in interviews was an act, but on seeing him I think there's actually something off about him. His comments were a combination of weird, tangential, vague, irritated, guarded, condescending, and intentionally or unintentionally funny. He often didn't seem to understand what people said. Fortunately the crowd was behind him, so when one poorly mannered questioner asked Tommy what it was like to make a bad film, the questioner himself was booed. Greg Sestero was super laid back
and quiet.
Finally the film was played, to copious fanfare, commentary, applause, and spoon-throwing.
Mr. AC had the brilliant idea of leaving the theater slightly before the end of the film, so as to get a good spot on line for the meet and greet, and so glad we did. We were about 10th in line, and therefore were still somewhat awake as we had the opportunity to meet the boys, get our schwag signed, and best of all have our pictures taken. Tommy was very polite and solicitous in person though he did grab my chest without warning, saying "your husband is going to kill me!" I reassured him that it was all right. Fortunately Mr. AC got it on camera. Greg was extremely handsome in person, and so normal, chatting about the screening and asking us how often we'd seen the film, that it actually compounded the surrealness of the experience. To our surprise, both Mr. AC and I ended up feeling totally starstruck, and someone will have to pry the signed, talking Tommy bobblehead out of Mr. AC's cold dead hand.
