The Webdude's Story
June 27-29

After hearing all sorts of wonderful comments about SAFE I decided that I'd see what I could do about getting to NYC to take in a performance. I was extremely lucky, and was able to make all the arrangements a few short days before I left. Here is a run down of my SAFE experience...

Friday, June 27th

After a little bit of sight seeing (a trip to the NYPD museum) we went to the theatre to pick up our tickets for the show. What a magnificent play!! Not only was I in awe of -all- the actors, but I was also in awe of how talented Anthony Ruivivar is to have co-written and directed SAFE. It was intense and dramatic, dark and comical. It was perfect.

When the performance was over we went outside and mingled with a few other people, and waited for Jason and the rest of the cast to come outside. I first met Anthony and then Coby Bell. Both guys were very nice and seemed quite relaxed. 

Jason came out pretty quickly, and was pretty much mobbed just like Coby was. I stood back and let everyone else do their thing as I didn't want to rush the poor guy. At one point he was by himself for a second, and we made eye contact. He smiled, and said "hey" before he was once again signing autographs and having his picture taken. I think I was pretty calm on the outside, but I was getting a little antsy. I mean who wouldn't be if they'd spent a year working on a website for someone they've never met.

It was only a few minutes later before Mona introduced me to Jason. He got a big grin on his face and said "I thought it was you." He informed me that he had gotten wind that I was coming, but couldn't remember who had told him. It was as if we were old friends as he pulled me into a hug. I told him it was nice to finally meet him, and he said "you too." He pulled away slightly, but didn't step back. As he spoke to me he made direct eye contact. I admit that extended periods of eye contact make me nervous, but there really is something about Jason that just draws you in. I wasn't all that nervous because he made me feel like it was -he- who was getting to meet someone special for the first time.

We talked for a little while. He asked if I liked the play (which I responded to with something like "oh, yeah"). Then he confirmed whether or not I was coming the next night as well, which I was. He said "Atlanta right?" (that's where I'm from). He then asked if I'd been planning to "sneak up" on him all along because he had been told originally that I wasn't going to be able to make it to a show. I told him that things just fell into place.

Jason then asked how long I was in town for, and when I told him he asked if we could get together on Sunday morning for coffee or something. We talked a little about where I was staying, and where we could meet up on Sunday and then just decided to figure that out the following night after the play. We then had our picture taken together, and after another hug we said goodnight.

Saturday, June 28th

Jason's wife, mother and brothers were there (at the time I was hoping they were his brothers because otherwise there were two guys in NYC who looked a lot like him). I never did introduce myself to anyone in his family, but did smile at Joanne after making eye contact at one point. 

When Jason and Coby came out they were once again mobbed by fans. I stood back, and let everyone else talk to him and have photos taken. Jason was saying goodnight and was ready to leave when I took a step forward and he then came over to me. We shook hands, and he pulled me into a hug thanking me for coming to the play again. I remember commenting on how much better the play was the second night. It was fantastic the first night, but somehow managed to be even better the second time around. Jason said there were a lot of emotions tonight.

He asked if meeting around noon the next day was all right, to which I agreed seeing as all I was planning on doing was sight seeing anyway. He wrote down my cell phone number, and then programmed it into his phone to make sure he didn't forget. As Jason started programming my number into his phone he said my last name and then spelled it asking if he was correct. I was more than a little shocked that the guy even knew my last name let alone how to spell it! It just goes to show that he really does pay attention. As he was programming the phone he must have felt like it was taking him too long (he had family waiting), and he said "almost got it". Then a minute later he chuckled a little. "I never claimed to be smart. I'm an actor."

A smile, a hug and a kiss on the cheek later he was on his way promising to call the next day with where we would meet.

Sunday, June 29th

Jason called me a little after 11 to arrange when and where we'd meet. He gave me directions on how to get there by subway. I got there a few minutes before him, and started to get a little nervous. I was very curious as to how the conversation would go. Would it be forced? Would either of us really know what to say? I was making myself more nervous, however as soon as I spotted him walking across the street wearing his NYPD hat I felt rather calm for some reason. Jason really is a regular guy who just happens to have a job that puts him in the spotlight.

He was kind enough to buy me something to drink, and then we sat down and just talked. Pick a subject, and we probably hit on it. NYC. LA. Golfing. Hockey. TV. Movies. Theatre. Writing. The Manhattan school system. Central Park. Dying our hair. Family. The back story he created for Truss (the character he plays in SAFE). How he gets into character.. (He even did a little 'acting' for me, and got into the character of Truss for a moment, which can be kinda scary, I also got to hear a little Bosco from him). And much more. It seemed to be as much about me as it was about him. It wasn't an interview. It was just two adults having a conversation.

While we were together he spoke very softly, and even though we were sitting across from each other at a fairly small table, and there were very few people around us I had to ask him to repeat himself a few times. He is -very- different than the characters he has portrayed.

One of his first questions for me was "why me?" It's pretty apparent that Jason isn't real sure about all the attention he tends to get. He is -very- gracious, and does his best to sign all the autographs and take all the photos he can. But it seems to floor him that so many people want to meet him seeing as he just sees himself as a guy who goes to work and does his job.

I can honestly say that I'm an even bigger fan of Jason Wiles the man now---actor, father, husband, son, brother, regular guy. My hour long conversation with Jason inspired me in various ways. It wasn't that he said anything real prolific, he's just -that- type of guy.

****I know that many of you are waiting for all the details of my conversation with him, and a few things that I don't think Jason will mind me sharing will be available in a thread at Talk Jason. However after our conversation was only a few minutes old I knew that I wouldn't be sharing very much of what we talked about. In fact, even though I had a camera with me I knew I wasn't going to take any pictures, and I wasn't going to be asking for his autograph. It just didn't seem right in this situation. 

It was as if I was getting reacquainted with an old friend, and in a way I feel like I would be betraying him if I turned around and told everyone about what he said. It was an amazing conversation, and during our time together I was able to separate Jason Wiles the actor from Jason Wiles the regular guy who was sitting across the table from me. His career came up a lot because that's part of who he is, but other things came up as well. Things I'd never known about him and was curious about, but I didn't feel the need to ask him any in-depth questions regarding those comments. I just absorbed them.

So from my experience with Jason I'd just like you all to know that he is a great actor who is talented in many areas, but that he is also an incredibly caring human being.