Gritty In The City: The Tonight Show

DEAR DIARY -
YESTERDAY WAS THE BEST DAY. MY PHILLY FRIENDS TALKED ME UP SO MUCH ON TWITTER THAT THE TONIGHT SHOW CALLED AND WANTED ME TO COME HANG OUT. SO GET THIS, I GOT MY OWN ROOM AT THE SHOW'S STUDIO AND THE CREW TOLD ME I WOULD BE IN SOMETHING CALLED A 'COLD OPEN' TO START THE SHOW. IT WAS PRETTY WARM IN THERE SO IN MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION IT SHOULD BE CALLED A HOT OPEN, BUT JAMES IS A PRETTY IMPORTANT GUY SO I TRUST HIM AND HIS DECISIONS.

ANYWAYS, I GET THERE, EAT SOME CARROTS AND HUMMUS WHILE I WAIT, GAVE SOME OF JIMMY'S PEOPLE MY T-SHIRTS (THEY LOVED THEM) AND THEN OUT OF NO WHERE - JIMMY CAME TO SAY HI! TO ME! I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF - I WRAPPED THESE BIG, BUFF ORANGE ARMS AROUND HIM AND WE TOOK SOME PICS.

JUST WHEN I THOUGHT THE DAY COULDN'T GET ANY BETTER - THE PHILADELPHIA ICONS, THE ROOTS, CAME WALKING DOWN THE HALL. PHILLY IN THE HOUSE! PHILLY FAMILY! I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DRUM WITH QUESTLOVE - DRUMMING IS MY SECOND PASSION NEXT TO FLYERS HOCKEY. THAT WAS SPECIAL - ME AND THE ROOTS JUST KICKING IT IN THE BIG APPLE.

I ALSO GOT TO MEET THIS COOL GUY NAMED SHAWN. WE BOTH DIDN'T KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT EACH OTHER, BUT HE HAD GREAT STYLE AND I HEARD HIM SING SUPER WELL. LIKE HE SHOULD PROBABLY HAVE ALBUMS OR BE ON THE RADIO - THEY WERE JAMS. WE TOOK A PICTURE, TOO, BECAUSE MY BEST FRIEND CLAUDE ONCE TOLD ME THAT YOU ONLY REGRET THE PICTURES YOU DON'T TAKE.

SO WE FINALLY RECORDED THE COLD, BUT SERIOUSLY SORT OF HOT, OPEN. SUPER FAMOUS RICKY GERVAIS WAS IN IT WITH ME. EVERYONE TOLD ME HE WAS A CLOWN, BUT HE PUNCHED ME RIGHT IN THE EYE, ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS GET MY DANCE ON WITH JIMMY. RICKY AND I ARE COOL NOW THOUGH, HE GETS MY HUMOR.

WE HAD TO GO RIGHT AFTER THAT BECAUSE I COULDN'T JUST MISS A FLYERS GAME. IT STARTED AT 7 \ SO I HAD MY PEOPLE CALL THE CHOPPER PEOPLE AND WE JUST CHOPPERED OUR WAY RIGHT BACK TO PHILLY. I TOLD YOU GUYS YOU THE FLYERS ARE MY TEAM. WOULDN'T HAVE MISSED THAT GAME FOR ANYTHING, EVEN A DRUM SOLO WITH QUESTLOVE.

IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST DAYS EVER AND I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU GUYS. I'M HAPPY TO BE BACK HOME AND READY FOR THE SEASON AHEAD.

ALL THE WHILE, THOUGH, I JUST COULDN'T HELP BUT WISH MY BEST FRIEND CLAUDE WAS THERE TO SEE IT ALL WITH ME. MAYBE NEXT TIME.
-GRITTY