The Disaster Of Meeting Tom Felton, Draco Malfoy In Harry Potter

Tom Felton, Draco Malfoy In Harry Potter Normally www.ParamusPost.com tries to treat its articles positively. The few positive things in this instance that can be said are about the Paramus Police and Fire Departments and Westfield Garden State Plaza management. A 'Media Alert' came to my e-mail with a 12:18 PM timestamp announcing that Warner Bros. & Hot Topic present exclusive fan event with Tom Felton, "Draco Malfoy" in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince that evening.

It listed media times and that a RSVP was required for media credentials and gave the approximate location of the Hot Topic store. I made the error of believing that things would go smoothly!

I asked Co-Publisher and Picture Editor Sophie Stone if she would like to cover it, that I wasn't interested. When Sophie got back to me and mentioned that Cassie and Christy wanted to go and preferred that I be there, I acquiesced. Due to the last minute notices, I called the cellphone listed and told the PR firm representative that the four of us would cover the event specifically mentioning that Cassie and Christie were not adults. No problem, we were on the list.

Walking over to the GSP, I made the turn towards the Food Court, saw a Security Guard and asked him for the location of the store. Without hesitation, he authoritatively told me it was straight ahead and make a left. If I followed his instructions, I would have wound up at the restrooms! On the return trip, I located the store diagonally across from Auntie Anne's Pretzels, a store I know well and like.

At 6:25, the area was already starting to fill up with admiring fans of all ages. Paramus Police were out in force, well prepared, and I noticed Police Lieutenant Ken Ehrenburg escorting Fire Inspector Kevin Sheehan into the store where he remained throughout the entire mass scene. I went to look for the scheduled Press Check-in and finally noticed a white sheet posted on a wall next to Skechers that indicted that this was sign in location. A young lady with a pad took my card, but couldn't locate my name nor that of www.ParamusPost.com even though I was wearing the company shirt with a logo.

After leaving and going inside the store, she acknowledged that I was on the press list as were Sophie and her two daughters who were coming a bit later. She gave me a paper to sign stating that it gave permission to take pictures. Figuring that we were going right in, I signed it without going over the two sheet presentation. For this, I was given a gold wristband which was to have admitted me to all areas. It was never used!

Crowds of camera bearing people were admitted into Hot Topic, but not me. There was very little communication between the promotion people and the press. I stood outside for an hour, cooling my heels, while various groups went in. After an hour, the small media group was allowed to enter, only to be asked to leave. We were told that we would be able to come in after another 10 minutes.

Needless to say, my patience was wearing thin. No spring chicken, I had walked over to the site and now had been standing outside for over an hour with no communications, refreshments or an area to sit down. No one who seemed to be representing the promotion could give a definite answer so it required standing around impatiently.

When Sophie, Cassie, Christy and I were finally admitted, we were told that the two girls could not go up to the star of the show where we were taking pictures. They were on the press sign in sheet! At least they were allowed to stay inside the store.

From there it went further downhill! Let me tell our readers that I have done security work of all kinds off and on for over twenty years. I am accustomed, even as a member of the press, to so called stars not arriving at the scheduled time and to crowd control.

It seems that Warner Bros had brought in their own security to be inside the store. Our Fire Marshall had insisted upon a clear path for the admirers to be able to walk in, get a poster signed and walk out. We, www.ParamusPost.com, were told to move several times because these Los Angeles imports seemed not to be prepared.

After taking a few pictures, I decided to leave. Before leaving, I leaned across the exit pathway to impart some information to Sophie. One of the staff members told me I couldn't stand there and pushed this 84 year old when I didn't move fast enough. Did I mention that I had done security work in the past? Part of it was doing personal bodyguard work. It was lucky for the young chap that I was tired and just wanted to leave the entire rhubarb.

I'm sure that Cassie and Christy were disappointed as well!