Gilda Radner statue to be auctioned off for charity...spread the word!

[Convincing John]

Hi, everybody! Convincing John, here! I was a member of the Forum a long time ago, but my recent jobs limited my internet access But now, I'm back! Let me impersonate a young Traveling Matt...ahem..."Yes, I am back! And I have wonderful news!"

Well, over the past two years, I have become a huge fan of Gilda Radner. After reading her biography "It's Always Something" and viewing the ABC movie of the same name, I was touched by her struggle with cancer. I know what its like to have a close family member have cancer. Three of my closest family members have had cancer more than once, and one of them passed away from bone cancer in 1987.

With this in mind, I decided to make a special contribution to a Gilda's Club near me. As an artist, I decided to make a piece of "Gilda art", that would be auctioned off with all proceeds going to help the Gilda's Club Quad Cities. I wanted to portray Gilda in a classic character or sketch...but which one?

Due to my deep admiration for Jim Henson and the Muppets, I decided to portray Gilda in the show I saw her in first (it wasn't Saturday Night Live!)

In January 2003, I started a prototype for a "Tap Your Troubles Away" Gilda Radner. I got permission from the executive director of the Gilda's Club Quad Cities and from Michael Radner (Gilda's brother) to make this piece of art. It took seven months (roughly 550 hours of work went into it), and on August 6, 2003, it was finally finished.

I created a life-size replica of Gilda as she appeared at the beginning of the "Tap Your Troubles Away" number on "The Muppet Show". The statue is made from various materials, including a wig, clay, a mannequin, and real clothes and shoes! Gilda even has eyelashes and painted fingernails! A dedication plaque comes with it, too!

Unfortunately, Beaker is not with her Both I and the Gilda's Club Quad Cities faxed and phoned the Jim Henson Company's legal department with my proposal, there was no response. So, no permission, no Beaker. I really wanted to include him! But I left room on the statue base, just in case...

Anyway, the auction: the final details are being ironed out, but I'll tell you what I do know. The statue will probably be auctioned off on Ebay this fall, with all the proceeds going to help the Gilda's Club Quad Cities. There will be a picture of the statue in the next issue of the Gilda's Club Quad Cities newsletter. It will probably be mentioned at their site www.gildasclubqc.org and the main Gilda's Club website is www.gildasclub.org I'll keep you guys updated on any news I get, but I would encourage you to check out these sites too, just in case they add something new about it.

Anyway, feel free to ask any questions about the statue! It's good to be back with you guys!

Convincing John

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I remember you!!

Welcome back. Hope the statue sells for lotso money!!

FOZ

 

[radionate]

Please keep us posted on this. I too have a great love for Gilda since the moment I saw her on TV many many years ago.

When you have pictures of the statue, please share those as well.

What a wonderful way to help an incredible charity.

 

[Convincing John]

Hey, thanks, you guys! Like I said, I'm not quite sure when it will be auctioned off. But, it looks like October.

Just to let you guys know, there's a "Voices for Gilda" CD with songs by different celebrities, some of whom have worked with the Muppets. Find it at the Gilda's Club Quad Cities web site!

Convincing John

 

[Convincing John]

I have some more news about the statue.

I forgot to mention this before, but as I worked on the statue, I took literally dozens of pictures of my progress. Michael Radner wanted to see everything as it developed, and I became like Gonzo in the Great Muppet Caper, snapping photo after photo. Anyway, I put all the photos in a photo album and gave it to the Gilda's Club Quad Cities. This was back in late April. Mr. Radner visited the Quad Cities for a huge meeting with representatives from Gilda's Clubs across the country and looked at what I had done so far. Now, I was not there when he was. But he left a message saying how he was pleased with my work and was looking forward to the finished product.

And so, I have made a few trips there since to drop off more photos as I worked. And finally, on August 5, 2003, the statue was finally finished and delivered. The last batch of pictures was dropped off a few weeks ago. I have had a chance to meet and speak with the wonderful staff at the Gilda's Club Quad Cities, who are impressed with my work.

This week, as we speak, the executive director of the Gilda's Club Quad Cities is in New York at another big Gilda's Club meeting. She informed me that she is taking along the pictures...the whole photo album...to show everybody there! I was also told that Michael Radner will see the photos, so as of right now, he is looking at them!

As a die hard Muppet fan, I couldn't help comparing this experience to the scene in "The River of Life" where Boober is pushing the postcards through the hole to Outer Space. Even as I dropped the last batch of pictures off, I left the Gilda's Club muttering "I've done all I can do." and I've been thinking of Boober's other line "All I can do now is wait and see."

But the executive director of the Gilda's Club Quad Cities emailed me, saying she'd let me know what everybody thought of my work. In the meantime, I have to wait Well, that's all the news I have for now. If anybody has any other questions about the statue, please let me know!

Convincing John

 

[suggsy]

Sounds great. I read that Gilda was the ONLY one on SNL that appreciated Henson and the Muppets on that first season of SNL (and the only one to host TMS later).

 

[Convincing John]

Sounds great. I read that Gilda was the ONLY one on SNL that appreciated Henson and the Muppets on that first season of SNL (and the only one to host TMS later).

Yeah, she was, pretty much, unless you count Chevy Chase. He helped write one of the Gorch sketches. Even though he wasn't on "The Muppet Show", he guest starred on "Follow That Bird" as a newscaster.

Convincing John