An Empty Nest Reunion - June 2019

Hi folks,

I did make it to the Empty Nest reunion at The Hollywood Show in Los Angeles last weekend, and it was great! 

It was a two-day event, and Dinah Manoff and David Leisure were there both days. Kristy McNichol was only there the second day. David was the first cast member I met when I arrived, and he was fantastic -- very friendly and open. He knew who I was from the interview I'd done with him at EmptyNestTV.com and was very grateful for the work I've done to keep the show alive. He was wearing the leather jacket he wore as "Oliver" during the original pilot -- the ill-fated Rita Moreno TGG episode. And he also had Richard Mulligan's original "Dr. Harry" coffee mug. We chatted for a while, talked about the show, I updated him on Park Overall (she had surgery the week before so wasn't able to attend...although I also know she's not a big fan of flying, so she may not've been game for it anyway; she lives in Tennessee now). I have an Empty Nest T-shirt that I brought with me to get signed, which he did, and we got a photo together. He also did a video greeting to the fans on the Facebook page. When I went to pay for my autograph and pic, he didn't charge me! Super nice guy!

Dinah arrived a little later and I was able to meet and chat with her a bit as well. Very nice lady! She also knew of the site from the interview I did with her. She loved seeing the T-shirt and was also game for doing a little video for Facebook. She pulled David over to do it with her. There were people behind me in line, so I didn't get to chat with her as long as I did with David. (I'm still a little new to the etiquette at these shows -- I'd have loved to talk more, but there's often not the chance to linger around and chat.)

I didn't spend a lot of time at the show the second day, opting instead to do some sight-seeing around Los Angeles. (I visit bookstores whenever I travel and LA has plenty!) But I did get back to the show in time for the full-cast photo op with Dinah, David, and Kristy at the end of the day. I had met Kristy last year at a similar show, so she'd already signed the shirt. She's very nice, but seems to be a little more politely distant with fans. I wasn't sure she'd be game for a video for FB, so I didn't bother approaching this time. She did remember meeting me at the show last year though.

Anyway, the professional photo op was fun but also a little fast-paced. No real time to chat at length but again everyone was very cool. David was cracking jokes and such. The photographer seemed really impressed when he realized Dinah was in Grease. ("Maraschino, like the cherry! That was you!?")

It was a quick trip. I'd been in Texas the week before for a conference, flew into LA on a Friday morning and back out on the red-eye Saturday night. So I was a bit jet-lagged by Sunday, but it was totally worth it. Dinah and her mother, Oscar-winner Lee Grant, are doing one of these shows in September closer to where I live, so I may drive up for that one....we'll see.

Head over to the Empty Nest Facebook page to see all the pics and videos! 

Thanks!!

Matt
EmptyNestTV.com

Nice!!!