You *can* meet your creative heroes

What it felt like to be in the room with the cast and creators of Gilmore Girls and Mrs. Maisel

I’m sitting in a plush red seat in the famous Dolby Theater, home of the Oscars, a few rows back from the stage, wondering who else has sat in this very spot.

Meryl? No, they probably put her in the front row. Maybe someone more low-key but equally exciting, like Emma Stone or Viola Davis.

I reach for my wrist and tap the heart monitor on my Apple Watch.

“Everything okay?” my husband whispers. I can barely hear him because the pounding in my chest is so loud it’s echoing in my ears.

The lights dim. Everyone around us quiets, but only for a moment. The stage lights up, we’re welcomed, we watch a sizzle reel that makes me cry. And then, one by one, my favorite TV personalities take their places:

Lauren Graham, Kelly Bishop, Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Borstein, Luke Kirby, new-to-me stars Charlotte Gainsbourg and Lou de Laâge, Daniel Palladino, and the queen herself, my creative hero, Amy Sherman Palladino.

How did I get here?

Three weeks earlier, I was standing in line for a glass of champagne at the little wine shop in Epcot’s France pavilion. I’d just finalized my manuscript and it was meant to be a celebratory treat. It was a Friday night, and there was a line, so of course I pulled out my phone! 🙄

The first post in my Instagram feed was from the Gilmore to Say Podcast, announcing a giveaway: they were headed to the Amy Sherman Palladino panel at PaleyFest LA and giving away two tickets! All I had to do to enter was submit a question for them to ask on the red carpet.

(Was I being rude? Yes, I absolutely was. I was waiting in line with my friend Cara. I’m sorry, Cara!) I quickly submitted a question, returned to our conversation, and then it was time to order my champagne.

When I got up to the counter, they were between bottles, which meant when they went to pour mine, they asked, “Would you like this lucky cork?”

The giveaway had already slipped my mind. All I was thinking was, “Yes! I’m about to start pitching my book!” So I accepted the lucky cork and went on with my night.

One week and one day later

It’s a Saturday, mid-day. I’d started querying literary agents earlier that week and had worked myself into such a panic that I wasn’t sleeping well. I was lying in bed with a tension headache, refreshing my inbox like a maniac (you might remember this post).

Eventually, I opened Instagram for a break and saw a message in my inbox. From the Gilmore to Say Podcast!

I cautiously opened the message and read it, hyperventilating. Here’s what it said:

💀💀💀

I scrambled to find flights, square away accommodations (I’ve never been so grateful that my sister lives in Santa Monica!), and plan a little itinerary for this impromptu West Coast visit.

Shout out to my husband, who didn’t blink at my frenzy. “Of course we’re doing this!”

Back at the Dolby Theater

The night was just as dreamy as I imagined. It’s hard to articulate, but being in the presence of so many thoughtful, talented, creative people unlocked something in me. Like I’ve never felt more alive, despite the fact that my AppleWatch thought I was on the brink of a heart attack.

I know Amy’s shows (especially Gilmore Girls and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) mean a lot to many of you, too. That thought…the idea that our creative work can have such a deep lasting impact, even years after it's finished, just makes my heart soar.

Here are my favorite moments from the evening:

1. Amy’s entrance. I’m pretty sure she dropped 3-4 expletives in her first sentence and it was fun to see the obvious connections between her and Susie Meyerson.

2. Amy’s mom was also in attendance. “I was wondering who that was,” my husband remarked, of a very spunky woman wearing a sequined gold jacket. She and Amy were shouting back and forth at each other between the audience to the stage but neither could quite hear one another. Without skipping a beat, Amy finally yelled, “I CAN’T HEAR YOU AND YOU LOOK LIKE A SPARKLY MIME!”

   

3. Amy and Daniel reflected on their earliest writing days, in what led to the inception of Gilmore Girls. Daniel encouraged her to “write what you really want to write.” I immediately reached for and squeezed my husband’s hand because it felt like an echo of the support he’s always given me. ❤️

4. It was exciting to see all of these stars but the one who stood out the most to me was Kelly Bishop, who’s best known for playing Emily Gilmore. The best way I can describe her is REGAL. I was expecting a frail, aging woman and she was anything but: poised, well spoken, intriguing, and as beautiful as ever. Of her experience working on Gilmore Girls she said, “It’s been a little bit of heaven ever since.” 😭

5. Amy, who is notably absent from social media, is a FORCE. I most enjoyed hearing about her experiences pushing back at the network executives so that she could stay true to her intentions for the show, especially with Gilmore Girls. At one point she essentially told them, “let me do what I want or fire me.” That was the last she heard from them unless you count that they sent her flowers the following week. If I took anything from this evening I hope it’s a modicum of Amy’s confidence!

6. Though Sutton Foster (the star of Amy and Daniel’s short-lived Bunheads series + many many broadway shows) couldn’t be in attendance, she sent in a little video, and that too made me tear up.

7. Alex Borstein was another shiny spot on the stage and the person I most wanted to hang out with for longer. I loved that while she shares a lot of Amy (and her character Susie’s) hutzpah, she’s not afraid to show sensitivity. My favorite Alex moment was seeing her get choked up over her favorite Maisel line (also one of mine!), that really spoke to her: “I don’t mind being alone. I just don’t want to be insignificant.” You could see a sense of peace that she felt as a result of being part of Amy’s projects and knowing that she’ll be remembered fondly.

   

8. Of the other cast members on stage: Lauren Graham and Rachel Brosnahan were both poised, well spoken, and you could really get the sense that they give 110% percent to their work. Luke Kirby was charming, funny, and definitely the most eccentric of the bunch. And the two French stars, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Lou de Laâge, from Amy and Daniel’s new show, Étoile, were the epitome of effortless class and elegance, exactly what you’d imagine French actresses to be. I cannot wait to see them on the screen!

9. The more live events I see the more I appreciate them, especially for the impromptu moments that could never be scripted. After the panel had ended and everyone started unplugging their mics and exiting the stage, I watched as Amy and Lauren lingered in a long rocking hug. They then extended their arms to bring Kelly into the mix, where Amy bestowed a loving kiss on her. Again, I cried.
   

10. I wasn’t sure if I’d get the chance to thank the two gals who made it possible for me to be at the event, but afterwards, after being number 50-something on an extraordinary long restroom line, the theater staff sent a group of us upstairs to use a different one, which meant that we exited on the upper level. I spotted Haley (the writer behind

    My Notes App
    ) and Tara from Gilmore to Say Podcast and got the chance to say thank you for making my entire year. Oh! And Liz Torres (Miss Patty!) was there, too!

    

🎧 Listen to the girls’ official PaleyFest recap here!

This trip came at the perfect time. Since I started pitching my book, I’ve been doing everything I can to distract myself and this was the most joyful kind of distraction. It’s a night I’ll never ever forget.

If that wasn’t enough ASP universe content for you, check out one of my favorite posts:

✍️ Creative Exercises/Journal Prompts

1. Who are some of your creative heroes? Search YouTube for clips or talks they’ve given to get inspired!

2. Channel your inner Amy (or someone else with more confidence than you). What healthy creative risks can you take to stand up for the work that means the most to you?

3. Go see something live: a concert, a play, a talk.

☀️ Five good things

When we can recognize the things that bring us the most joy, we invite more of them into our lives. Here are five things that made me happy this week. Share yours below!

Five good things that happened this week:

1. It’s always a highlight when my reserved library books start flooding in! I’m currently enjoying Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley with two more on deck: Between Friends and Lovers by Shirlene Obuobi and Rental House by Weike Wang.

2. It was my parents’ last week here before heading up north for the Spring/Summer and we made the most of it with yummy meals, beach walks, and my angel mom helped me deep-clean our patio furniture.

3. Five months after his cancer diagnosis, our little Rory cat went in for a checkup this week and his doctor was beaming at how well he’s responding to treatment. We couldn’t be more grateful!

4. Laura and I recorded the first episode of our new season of Film to Table. To say that I’m excited about the theme would be an understatement. We’ll be releasing it soon! Click here to subscribe: Podcast / YouTube.

5. One last Amy Sherman Palladino moment! The soundtrack for Once Upon a Mattress (which she produced) was just released and is currently playing on repeat on my phone. Getting to see the performance (and the great Sutton Foster) was such a highlight of last year!

💬 Share your intention

Whether it’s a giant leap, a tiny to-do list item, a habit change, or something else, there is power in accountability, and this is a safe space to share your aim. Some weeks, we’ll fail, others we’ll soar, but with support, we’ll always keep going together.

Until next week, get out there and make something beautiful.

Michelle

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