Here's my Phoenix/L.A. KITH report. I won't report about the actual show, just the highlights leading up to and after the shows.
Phoenix
My friend Bridget and I get to Phoenix in 5 hrs. 30 mins, rather than the 6 hr 40 min that mapquest reports. We go to our hotel first then to the theater because we had a taker for our extra Phoenix ticket, but we decided to leave the ticket at the will call window for him. The Celebrity theater is a small round building. With a wrought iron fence around the building and parking lot. The sign reads Parking: $5. We explain we're going to the will call window. They tell us to park get the tickets and get out. We park, drop off the ticket, then Bridget decides that we're staying. Screw that $5 parking. We were parked by a van so we were obscured from view. We walked around the theater, found the back entrance and some people sitting there. Went back to the car and had a festive dinner of pretzels and had fine conversations with the people in the van that we parked next to.
While hanging outside we met with Chris (hottymo on the newsgroups) and his brother Dan. We talked with them as they regaled us with the story of getting stuff signed at the back entrance because of a crazy girl who kept charging at the Kids asking for autographs. They would just follow behind her since she was effectively stopping the guys.
After the show, Bridget and I decided to hang at the back entrance with Chris and Dan. And several others. We were on one side of the back entrance, some folks were on the other side. Scott came out and went to the side we weren't standing at. (They had that yellow Caution tape blocking us off). Finally, the "security" said we could walk under the tape to the other side to get stuff signed but only if we went two at a time. Well that lasted for about two seconds as everyone went under the tape and headed to where Scott was. During his Buddy monologue there was a malfunction on stage that I asked about (I won't go into detail). He saw me and said Hi. I told him to expect to see me in L.A. He said cool. Then I asked for a hug, which he graciously gave me. (Sorry, I never ask for anything, pictures, autographs, but Scott is a great hugger). He kept signing and posing and being gracious. He told us that Dave and Mark left for the airport the minute the show was over. Bruce and Kevin were still discussing the performance in back. We asked him if he could get Kevin & Bruce to come out as he went back inside. He said he'd see what he could do. Bruce then came out and signed things and posed. I didn't have anything to say to Bruce per se. Bridget told him she saw Dog Park and he said, "God bless you!" I snapped his picture for Bridget, but he was gone before she could ask for a picture of the two of them together. Chris and Dan tell us they are going to the L.A. show. We said we'd see them there.
Phoenix audience was rowdy but fun. People would call out the performers names (which got annoying after a while). Dave was trying to start a sketch and people kept yelling DAVE! DAVE! He looked to the crowd and said, "Hi. Umm. This is nice and all but I've got to start this sketch." Then someone in the crowd replied with a loud, but sincere, SORRY. Dave started laughing (as did the rest of the crowd). It took him a minute before he could get it together to start the sketch.
Los Angeles
Bridget and I got to the theater about three hours early. We went looking for a place to eat. Djin, if you remember, the Wiltern is in Koreatown not too far from the Ramada we stayed at once. Anywhoo, we found a Burger King and while trying to park in the parking garage for the theater (which is shared with Ralph's grocery store), the stupid machine wouldn't give us a ticket to open the gate. So we go in on the Ralph's side of the parking structure. We find a spot that doesn't say RALPH'S two hour parking, then sat in the car to eat our meal. We get out and walk to the back entrance where Chris and Dan (from Phoenix) are. They tell us we missed the Kids by 3 minutes. Except for Dave who wasn't in the van. We say, "Oh well" and hang out. There are two seedy professional autograph getters who are pissed that they can't seem to get Dave to sign anything. They are really obnoxious, but we listen to them bitch. We also watch a number of small car accidents as people drive to the parking garage closest to the theater to realize the gate won't rise and they back up into the street and other cars. California drivers were really surly especially since we didn't see any damage on any of the cars that bumped. But the way they ranted you would have thought their cars were totaled.
We go to the show at 8. Bridge and I really have to pee but the line for the can is huge. We decide to wait since the lights were blinking to tell us the show would start soon. Our seats were not bad. They were on the floor, fifth row or so but to the left so we can't see all of the stage because of the speakers. I look down our row only to discover that sitting towards the middle was Brian Boitano! (My brain started singing the South Park What Would Brian Boitano Do song until the show started).
There was one sketch where Mark was going to enter from the audience from the left. He was standing right next to me. I nudge Bridget who was watching the stage, to get her attention. It was very cool. It was also about the closest I got to Mark all night.
The show was great. The audience was more subdued than the rowdy but fun Phoenix crowd. The ushers herded everyone out at 9:55. We blow them off and head for the bathroom. Once we got out of the can, they were herding us out like we were the enemy and talking into their walkie-talkies, "The perimeter is clear".
So standing outside I go to get my late show tickets at the will call window. The seats are in the balcony. We try to look for Ed in the crowd. Or he for me. No such luck, but we did spot Neil Patrick Harris (or as Bridget kept calling him, Doogie), Bob Odenkirk and Dave Cross, the SNL guy that did the Fops sketches with Mark McKinney, Eddie Izzard (well, Bridget spotted him, I missed him) all standing outside waiting to get in. I seriously considered seeing if I could get Bob & Dave to swap tickets with us. :) Our seats weren't bad, you could at least see the whole stage, but they were just so far up. Since I'm in the seat at the front of the balcony I kept looking down in hopes of finding an empty seat or two we could sneak down to. I get miffed when Bob and Dave seem to leave twenty minutes into the show. Thought about getting their fifth row seats.
After the show Bridge makes a bold attempt to stay lingering in the floor where there is a crowd hanging around. Nazi usher says we need a pass to do that and are ushered away. We decide to hang in the alley with other folks. Waiting. Kathy (a person Jen Day here knows and Djin also) appears and asks about Jen Day. We see people walking out of the door and handing their passes off to their friends who go in in their places. Then there was this one usher who would look at us. At one point he asks if we have passes. We say, "No, want to get us some?" Finally he starts walking by us saying things under his breath like, "If you go in, no one is going to stop you." It takes me a minute to realize he's not mocking us but trying to help, so we go in the doors which are propped open so the smokers could go out to smoke.
We walk in. It was very cool. First person I spot with a crowd around him (of course) is Scott. Bridge and I walk over to say hi. He gives me a big hug (without me asking this time) and asks if I saw tonight's show. I told him both shows. Then he tried to place where else he saw me. I reminded him it was Phoenix. His next question was, "Where is it you live again?" I told him Austin, and promised that after Texas he won't be seeing me. While all of this is going on, people who followed us in are asking for pictures and autographs. I become official camera person. Finally a guy (who I assume thought this would be his way of getting to talk to Scott) asks me if I want a picture with Scott. I say, no, not really. He insists and says to Scott, "Scott, do you mind taking a picture with this woman here?" Scott looks at him and then me and says, "Come on Barb!" I say, "Scott, I don't need a picture I already have have some of us together." He says, "So what's one more!" And we get snapped.
We go up to Dave. I wanted to say hi to Stephen Root, but Kathy latched on to him making a conversation impossible. So I went up to Dave. He stares at me and I sense he's trying to remember my name. So I help him out. Barb. "Hey Barb!" I tell him the show was great. Crowd starts asking for pictures and autographs. I hold cameras taking pictures. This time Bridget says, "Barb, take a picture with Dave." I say, "No." Dave says, "Ah, come on!" What the heck!" So CLICK.
Bruce is holding court in a corner near Tom Green. We go to Bruce. Bridget talks to him for a bit and I snap pictures. Mark starts to leave (he was the most elusive next to Kevin who didn't go to this shindig), I quickly snap his picture with Bridget's camera while he's on the way out the door.
Then I head for the food and free beer. Talked to former KITH writer Brian Hartt. He is surprised that 1) I know his name and 2) I know that he's co-executive producer of Mad-TV. I say hi to Paul Greenberg of The Vacant Lot and tell him I like his work. I was on a roll, although I had to explain KITH connections of these guys to some folks. Kathy's friend wanted to talk to Tom Green, I told her to go ahead, but she chickens out and he leaves the party.
I go up to the usher who let us in and thanked him for letting us crash. He said, it seemed silly to have a party for 75 people when there was all this food (and there was tons) going to waste. Bridge and I even spot the Nazi usher from earlier but say nothing to her. We finally get thrown out at 2:30 in the morning. It was great fun.
I asked Dave if he could get Kevin to come out and greet folks in Texas. He said he'd see what he could do. I tell him the only time I've ever met Kevin was the time Djin and I did an interview with him and Dave. He said he remembered that. Pretty cool.
That's my report.