Hey Jude...

I have had several moments in my life that I will never ever forget but a few weeks ago I had the highlight of my PR career happen.
We were asked to work all the press for Julian Lennon's photo/art show at The Morrison Hotel Gallery and it was insane. Weeks of preparing and pitching we had a guest list of over 800 people and a press list like I have never ever seen before. I actually would look at the list and amazed myself that we actually got all these people to cover the event. Rolling Stone, Access Hollywood, CBS Sunday Morning News, People, US Weekly, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Vogue, etc...

I was asked to write the Press Release for the event as well, which I normally don't event think twice about. But this time, as I was writing it, I realized that Julian himself would be reading it and proofing it. YIKES!!! John Lennon's son will be reading something i have written?? The God son of Sir Paul McCartney will be editing my work?? I had a small panic attack when I hit "send" on the computer. It came back with a thumbs up. whew!!

So anywho... night of the event we had a huge line around the block. A mob at the door. I was in the back when Julian arrived, with his baby brother in tow, through the back door. They looked like a good mix of John. Julian was the 60's version and Sean was the 70's. Both Lennon brothers were friendly and smiley.

While he was in the back doing private interviews I made a walk around the main room to make sure everything was going according to plan. That was when Dawn came up to me and whispered in my ear, "Yoko will be here in 3 minutes". I knew she was coming but hearing those words made my heart race. Seriously? I was about to meet Yoko Ono?? What?

All 5 feet of her arrived through the front door with body guards on each side of her. I escorted them all to the back to see the boys. When we got back there Julian's mom, John's first wife, Cynthia Lennon was back there. Really? I was in the presence of John Lennon's ENTIRE family. Cynthia Lennon (his first wife, who he had to keep a secret when the Beatles first came to the US), Julian Lennon (his son with Cynthia, also kept a secret), Yoko Ono (the woman who he cheated on Cynthia with and later married) and Sean Lennon (his son with Yoko). All 4 of them just chatted away and there was a moment where Cynthia and Yoko were sitting down and just holding each others hands catching up. Sean turned to me and said, "this is amazing. This NEVER happens". I was witnessing history.

To make it even more of a moment for myself, Mrs. Patty Boyd (George Harrison's first wife and later on Eric Clapton's wife) shows up. We become fast friends and end up on a first name basis. "Jamie darling can I trouble you for a glass of red wine?" asks Patty.
"Sure Patty, anything you need. Want the whole bottle?" Jamie says in a joking way.
"Haha Oh Jamie darling do you think I need it?" Patty chuckles
"Well you are the one who married 2 musicians, you tell me."

As I was walking out to the main area to fetch Patty her wine I ran into May Pang. May Pang is a Press House friend and she comes to several of our events. She is also the woman that Yoko fixed John up with when they decided to separate for a while. May and John were lovers, if you will. When Yoko wanted John back May Pang put up a fight and there was drama. So...... the fact that May was there was a problem for Yoko. May was trying hard to get in the back to see Julian. Yoko wouldn't have any of it. This was the first time EVER that Cynthia, Yoko and May Pang were in the same room. Awesomeness!!

By the time we were ready to bring the family out to the public the place was so packed. We had to push and scream at people to get them out of the way so that the camera crew and the family could go look at the prints. It was a mad house. I have NEVER been around so many flashes.
By the time we made it back to the back everyone was amazed.
Sean said to me, "holy cow, that was insane!"

Julian walks back and says, "Wow!! I had no idea there was that many people here. Thank you guys for doing all of this for me." and then he gave me 3 kisses. One on each cheek and then one close to my lips. Yes, I just kissed Julian Lennon. I think we might date now!!

Yoko walks back and says in her little Yoko accent, "That was amazing. I haven't been around that much press in a long time." Then walks over to me and says, "Thank you for doing this for Julian. It is such a great thing during this trying time for our family." I think she was referencing to the fact that in December it will be the 30th anniversary of John's death or that the man who killed him was up for parole and was just denied, or that in a few days it would have been John's 70-something bday.

I told he that it was an honor to do this for her family. She grabbed both of my hands and said, "You are so precious." I said back to her, "No Yoko, you are precious."
I was officially part of the Lennon family.

To see photos go to http://www.wireimage.com/SearchResults.aspx?sr=1&igi=453412&s=Morrison%20Hotel%20Gallery&sfld=C&vwmd=e


Later that night after they all left and the party was winding down I had a moment where I burst into happy tears. I could not believe what just happened to me. That if you would have told me 7 years ago that New York would have opened these kind of doors for me I would have not believed it. It was a moment that I will never forget.

Oh ya, And to that guy who once told me 7 years ago that, "New York will eat you alive" and "You will never make it there"... I am now one degree to the entire Beatles family.

How about them apples???