Not a movie review, but a full rundown of an epic night that’s kinda movie adjacent. By the time this posts, I should have a bunch of pix on my Insta, and I also made a highlight of all the stories I was posting live throughout the best night ever. The following is copy/pasted from my FB
Buckle up folks, this is gonna be a pretty longish post about where exactly I was tonight and what craziness I got myself into. (If you saw my Insta stories, you already know some highlights).
A couple of weeks ago, Seth Rogen posted a really bizarre video on Twitter advertising the Hilarity For Charity County Fair. Instead of the annual variety show where his comedian friends all perform, this would be a fair with rides and food and games, which would be run by his comedian friends. I think I had heard him announce it earlier this summer, and I completely balked at the price. I did so again when I first clicked on the add, and then I thought about what other dumb things I’ve spent that much money on. And since I’d been extra good with my budget lately, maybe it’d be okay. Finally justified it by saying I woulda spent that much on Moulin Rouge tickets this summer and didn’t. The list of guests included Tony Hawk, Adam Devine, Ike Barinholtz, Jeffrey Ross, Ilana Glazer and others. Really all I want is a selfie with Adam Devine (not to be confused with Adam Levine)
I was worried how I was gonna afford the night itself (not just admission) but soon found out that food and drinks were all included, and I’d get 5 tickets for rides and games. So I’d just hafta pay for parking and any extra tickets. Totally doable. I checked the list of expected guests and picked out the five that I’d wanna play with. I could skip the rides.
Anyways, I get there, and it really is a (very small) county fair. There’s a ferris wheel and bumper cars and a few other possibly sketchy rides. Casey Wilson is hosting the water squirt game, but there’s also basketball and a rope ladder and the rolly ball thing that I’m terrible at. Foodtrucks are scattered around the back and there’s open bar stations scattered throughout the area. Tony Hawk has just started his skating demo, so there isn’t much room to get a good view. I manage to grab a couple videos of him and decide now’s prolly a good time to get food while everyone is crowded around the half pipe.
While I’m waiting for my Shake Shack burger, I see a sign about a scavenger hunt. I find a card with some clues on it, and I’m supposed to take a photo of 5 signs that will be posted around the area. Turning in all five gets me entries in the raffle. Perfect, something fun I can do that doesn’t require any money or tickets. Takes a little while until I find that last one, but I go and turn them in. As I’m filling out the raffle form, I hear a familiar voice. Andrew Rannells is standing right next to me buying tickets. I still hadn’t gotten a feel for the event yet, so I didn’t interrupt him for a selfie (in retrospect, I totally could and should have), but I figure I’ll catch him at his game booth later (I’d previously mentally reserved one ticket for him).
I figure it’s time to use some of those tickets. No one cool is hosting the games yet, but there’s a long line for basketball, a game I’d play either way. Maybe someone will show up while I’m waiting? Right as I finally get to the front, Regina Hall climbs into the booth and starts giving encouragement to all the players and narrating what’s going on. I manage to sink 2 of 5 shots, which wins me a toy dolphin and Regina congratulates me.
I wander around. Ilana Glazer is now hosting the rolly ball game, but I don’t know that I wanna use one of my tickets on her. Not too long after, Andrew Rannells takes over the water gun game, so I make my way over there. Just before I’m able to move into an empty seat, I spot Nyle DiMarco (?!) on the other side of the game. It’s now my sole to track him down at some point and get a selfie. I use ticket number 2 to play the water game. It ends. I wasn’t sure what was going on or how you could tell who the winner was and next thing I know Andrew Rannells is telling me that I won and I can pick my prize. I tell him to choose for me, and he picks this super blue teddy bear. I’m somehow 2 for 2.
There’s an announcement that Anderson .Paak is about to take the stage. I walk over that way and hang around for a bit, but I’m not really that interested in him. I’m more interested in finding Nyle. Long story short (and absent the stalker-y details), I run into him after he grabs a churro from the cart. I sign “picture” and “please” and he smiles and nods yes. I’d already mostly figured out how to juggle my prizes and purse and phone and am able to snap a selfie. His friend who’s with him offers to take a photo for me and gets one of the most perfect shots I could have ever hoped for. I sign “thank you” and he signs back “You’re welcome” and waves goodbye. He smiles and I melt. No matter what else happens, this night has been absolutely worth every last dollar and ounce of effort.
I’m wandering around again. The concert’s still going, so no celebs are manning the booth. As I walk past the entrance, someone comes up to me and offers me the rest of their tickets. “Are you serious?!” “Yeah, I’m leaving and I didn’t use any” “Oh my God, thank you so so much. I’ve been trying super hard not to use mine all up” “Yeah no problem” He hands me ten (?!) tickets. I continue to thank him profusely, and he grabs his buddy that’s leaving with him and directs him to give me his tickets as well. There are now 23 in my pocket. Not only will I not have to buy any more (at five bucks a pop), I’m likely to not even use up all of them.
I immediately run to the nearest ride, the hurricane. I hadn’t even seen what it does, but I pay a ticket and hop on. Turns out, it was much more intense than expected, but ended up being my favorite. I then go and ride the swings which is not the nice calm swings like Disney’s Silly Symphony. These nearly crash into each other and sometimes you feel like you’re gonna fall out of the seats. While I’m on the ride, Seth Rogen gets on the mic and announces that Jeffrey Ross is roasting people on the bumper cars, the Garfunkel and Oates girls (Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci) girls are on the water guns, and Ike Barinholtz is on the rolly balls).
I leave my swing seat before it’s even fully stopped and run to the rolly ball game. It takes a few rounds until I can get a spot. Jeff Garlin comes over from Skee-ball and trash talks with Ike. I’ve always been terrible at this game, but the first round doesn’t go too badly. Ike calls out my number a few times in the play by play as being in contention for the win. Okay, maybe I’ll try again. Second round, still actually did pretty good. Third time’s a charm, yeah? Um, yeah! For maybe the second time in my life ever I win that game. Ike asks if I like pandas, then asks if I like puppies. I tell them both are cute, but he can pick the prize for me (especially since the last Superman doll at the booth was awarded in the previous round). He hands me a panda that is big enough to eat both the bear and the dolphin from earlier. I’d say I looked ridiculous carrying around these giant animals, but half the people at the fair were in the same boat.
The next while is a bit of a blur. Mostly just wandering and waiting for Adam Devine who has yet to host a game. I play a couple of terrible rounds of basketball. I’m texting friends freaking out about my day and posting more highlights on Insta. Finally, I see my boy at the water guns. After a few rounds, I take my seat. I don’t expect to win right away, but I’ve got a pocket full of tickets and I did miraculously win on the first try before. How long could this take?
I must’ve played maybe 15 rounds (I later counted 10 tickets used, but there were def a few where the ticket taker never got to me). Absolutely NOTHING. A few times Adam offers me encouragement, saying he knows I’m going to win the next one (I don’t). I accuse him of being bad luck. Honestly, I’m just happy he’s talking to me. I stay until he finishes his shift. I stand by the exit and a few people are already lined up with their cameras out. He eventually gets to me. We take a couple photos, then he grips my shoulder and says that he’s so sorry that I didn’t win. He was so sure I’d get it eventually. “Hey no worries. All I really wanted was this right here (gesturing towards my phone and him)” I get some awws from the crowd. But no really, that was the one thing I wanted most going into the evening.
I ride the hurricane and the swings one more time. I’ve still got tickets ,in my pocket. Seth Rogen’s in a dunk tank, but you hafta actually donate to play. That’s not happening. I make a few more laps to see who I run into, but the crowd’s thinning out. I spot Nyle having an entire conversation in ASL with an excited fan and it warms my heart. Eventually Seth announces that it’s closing time so people start to leave. I try to find where he was to make that announcement. I saw him decline selfies earlier in the evening, but maybe now that there were fewer people and less things going on he’d acquiesce? I don’t find him. I keep circling to see if there’s anyone else to meet and they’ve clearly all gone home. I leave and go validate my parking.
While I’m in line, I spot Seth right across the street (his wife’s sparkly jacket gave them away). I resist the urge to run over immediately and wait until I pay for my parking (which by some miracle was only 5 bucks). I’m thinking he went back into the fair, but no! He’s talking to people at sign in. I walk towards him. Security stops me. Says I can ask for a picture, but he could say no. I tell him I understand, and I stand by waiting for Seth to finish his convo with his wife. Someone else comes up from the other side and grabs a picture. He then walks over towards me. I politely ask, and he says yes, clearly exhausted from the long night. I tell him how much fun I had as I thank him and run off. I still had 5 tickets in my pocket
What is my life?!