Los Angeles
Late
Night (and all is well!)
By. Forrest Robinson
After a ridiculously cold week spent in NY, I was so glad to get to L.A.
where it was much warmer this time of year. Tuesday Jan. 21, 2003 was
my first time ever to perform on Jay Leno. India and several of the others
had already performed there a couple times before with the previous lineup.
I must say that I’m so glad my folks brought me up to try and always
get my own opinion of people and experiences instead of being overly naïve,
because with everything that I’ve heard several people say about
Jay Leno – which weren’t very nice things – I was almost
ready to brace myself for an unpleasant experience with someone who may
not be a warm person.
Now here’s a guy that we only see on television telling jokes, entertaining the audience and interviewing his guests – all the while sitting there at his desk looking as though he has a dream job where not much work is involved at all. I don’t know exactly what his job description is by detail, but I can say that every time I saw him, it seemed to me that Leno was doing a million things at once AND while trying to keep himself and his staff in order, still found a moment to come to guests’ dressing rooms to greet them cordially and extend his hospitality.
Obviously, we aren’t old friends or anything but he never once passed by me without shaking my hand each time. I suspected that maybe he was just in autopilot-host mode and would forget that he’d seen me each time he passed by.
After a quick and very efficient soundcheck (Leno’s audio/video
crew is on top of it!), the audience was let in and then Leno came out
and spent 20 or 30 minutes with them introducing himself and really entertaining
them - giving them the chance to really get comfortable and settled in.
It was almost better entertainment than in the actual show itself! I just
stood back behind the props and everything and tried to keep from being
run over by a moving camera or something because I just wanted to take
it all in and assure myself that I was present for what I was experiencing.
It was a blessing to be there. Gigs come and go sometimes, so you just
never know.
But as I stood back there, suddenly Marvin “Smitty” Smith walked by. Anyone who has heard Smitty outside of what you hear on Leno knows that this dude is no joke in the Jazz element, let alone anything else he plays! He was a nice guy. I was glad to have the opportunity to tell him how much his musical skills are appreciated. I didn’t actually expect to meet him so, why not take the opportunity? Just before the Tonight Show Band began their soundcheck, Smitty sat down to warm up a bit. It was NICE! A wonderful little clinic before the show is alright with me!
So then Leno walks out to get ready for the actual taping of the show. He sees me for what is now the fourth time. At this point, I’m wanting to hide because I just keep running into him and don’t want to be in the way or anything. He shakes my hand again and says, “Just have fun tonight. That’s what it’s about. Tell India thanks for being here.”
You know, I’ve met people who seemed to have not been very nice to me, but other people would have had the coolest experience with the same person. We never know what mood the person is in or what’s happening in their lives. I guess a little patience every now and then never hurts anybody.
Forrest Robinson