Way to go Neal!

Last night Ronnie and I went to the America's Got Talent show at the MGM Grand and it was AWESOME! 

First let me tell you what happen to Ronnie at work yesterday.  Ronnie was stuck in his office in a meeting when some of his employees came running in to tell him that Terry Fator was shopping in his Sam's Club.  Terry Fator won America's Got Talent last year, I think it was last year.  He does amazing celebrity impersonations all the while never moving his lips.  He's a ventriloquist.  Ronnie wasn't able to leave the meeting to go down and meet Terry but some of his employees were able to talk to him and they said he was the nicest guy. 

Now back to the show.  Our first ever Vegas show and Ronnie just happens to know the guy, so bizarre!  Ronnie was looking at the tickets online and asked me what seats we should get.  I looked at him and said, you're going to a show where someone you know is headlining...how often does that happen?  We got floor seats. 

So we get to the show and sit down just feet away from the stage.  Jerry Springer is hosting the show just like on TV but unlike TV he is just feet away from me! 

We got to see:

            Terry Fator                                 Joseph Hall                                   Queen Emily                         

     

        Donald Braswell                              Paul Salos                                Jessica Price

    

         Nuttin But Stringz                           Eli Mattson                              Jonathan Burkin

Neal E. Boyd

                                                   

Of course everyone was great, but the star of the show was definitely Neal.  The first time we got to see him in the show was when he came out with Nuttin But Stringz and sang with them.  Later he did some songs by himself and I'm sure that everyone had goosebumps like I did. 

After the show, as we were leaving, I heard an usher say, oh man, why did he have to do that.  Then I looked over to see Neal talking to some fans.  Ronnie went over to say hi and was met with a big giant bear hug.  It was a total Kodak moment, but ill prepared me didn't have a camera. 

We were able to go back and talk to Neal after the show in this room were all the other performers were.  Neal had quite the crowd of friends that had come to see him from Missouri.  People were standing beside Neal and getting pictures and Ronnie asked if I wanted to get a picture with Neal and I said no, it's Neal's night he doesn't know me and I don't want to take time away from him.  Then Neal asked Ronnie to sit down so they could talk.  As they talked I looked around the room and I was over come with the American Spirit in the room.  All of those folks just had their dreams come true.  They didn't feel like they lost a talent competition, but they were the brave few that were able to share their talents with the world.  I realized that there were no losers in the room and I doubt that the prize money really mattered to any one of them.  What mattered was the fact that they made it through the journey.  How many of us have talents that we don't share because we might be afraid of criticism?  This was not a night about hey I won and you didn't, this was a night about overcoming obstacles.  I was in awe to have been in a room with so many kind, strong, and talented people.  Thank you for that opportunity Neal. 

Now back to the lighter side.  Ronnie was talking to Neal about about seeing a picture of Neal wearing his football uniform and get this, it was the number that Ronnie wore.  Neal said I know, when I got my number I looked in the yearbook to see he wore it before me and it was you.  So let's hear it for number 74!  Then things kind of calmed down and Neal wasn't getting asked every few second to look at a camera and smile and Ronnie asked if it was alright for me to take a picture of them together.  Ronnie told Neal, my wife wants a picture of us for her blog.  I was horrified, then Neal said oh yeah sure, I've read your blog.  He said he came across it on a Google search or from a video link or something.  I was shocked!  After that I couldn't stop smiling.  How cool is that!  He read my blog!  So Neal if you ever come across my blog again, please leave a comment it would totally make me smile.

Then Neal introduced us to Terry Fator's wife Melinda.  Ronnie of course had to share the story about Sam's Club people going insane early that day when her husband was shopping.  I think she got a kick out of that.  I can't imagine how her life has changed since her husband won the show last year.  They announced at the show last night that Terry Fator signed a 100 million dollar contract with Mirage.  WOW.  At the show last night Terry Fator sang the song by Brooks & Dunn called the Boot Scootin' Boogie.  Before Melinda left I had to tell her that Ronnie does the Electric Slide to that song every Saturday at 2pm with his demo ladies (the ladies that pass out samples).  So if Terry is ever shopping he'll have to stop over and maybe sing.  Like that would ever happen, but hey stranger things have happened.

It was just an amazing night.  We finally got home around 1:30 or 2:00am and poor Ronnie had to get up at 5:00am for work.  Ronnie said it was worth it, but he is getting too old for that kind of thing.