Star Struck & Dumb Luck
When I was a child my parents took me and my older brother to see a live taping of WCW (pro wrestling) with the main event being Sting VS Goldberg! My mother was a die hard Sting fan but she always had a soft spot for Goldberg; I honestly think it was because of his good looks. My mom was a little too, open about her sexuality by not having any kind of filter on her mouth so it wasn't hard to figure out she had a crush on this celebrity. At the end of the event there was rumor of a surprise KISS concert that was supposed to happen but no one was 100% sure of that.
Fast forward to the end of the show where Sting wins with a surprise blow to the head of Goldberg with his famous metal baseball bat he had hidden under the ring while the referee had his back turned pre-occupied with someone trying to interfere with the match. Obviously Sting had that whole situation set up perfectly and as you can guess, he won the match and the championship belt. It was a disappointing ending to a memorable night with my family that will always be just a memory. To everyone's surprise around 10 minutes after the show had gone off the air all the lights go dim and the startling sound of "I Wanna Rock N' Roll All Night" starts to play. Everyone starts to scream in excitement and head back to their seats to watch the show. KISS played a 5 song set and thanked everyone who stayed to watch. My mother was sure something else might just happen so she insisted on staying plus, it was a good way to wait until traffic died down to head out. After about 20 minutes we were the only ones left in the arena. Even security had taken off! We walked all the way down to the front row just so we can get a feel of what it would have been like to be sitting that close to the action. The crew who sets up and breaks down the wrestling events started to come out to break down everything including the famous ring. My mom called out to them,
"Hey! You think you could make my kids day and let them stand in the ring for just a couple pictures? It would really mean a lot to them!"
Looking around at one another they all shugged there's shoulders and said,
"Why the hell not? Come on over!"
So my dad picks me up and helps me over the barrier and my brother and I get to get a real feel of what it would be like to be a pro wrestler! It was probably the most awesome thing that had ever happened to me as a kid, so I thought.
We started to head back to our hotel room for the night and get some rest before we headed back to California. Since the event was in the same hotel that we were then staying at, which was the MGM Grand, it was a very convenient walk back. When we exited out of the elevator onto our floor we saw people running down the hallway and we were wondering what was going on and we started hearing people talking saying,
"It's Goldberg! It's Goldberg!"
My mom puts each one of her hands on the back of my brother and I and gives us a tiny shove and hands me the only thing she had handy and tells us,
"Run! GO! GO! Get him to sign this!"
My brother and I ran and shoved our way to being right behind him but his private security was doing a good job at stopping anyone from getting to the celebrity. Obviously upset or just tired Goldberg didn't say anything to anyone of us and when he got to his room the door just opened, himself, the security team, and everyone else allowed, went into his penthouse suite the door behind them. I wasn't the type of kid to let my mom down when she wanted something so I also slipped inside his hotel room.
When that door closed, I was way too petrified to even say a word! I just remember a member of a security team turning around, seeing me, and her eyes got wide and she said, in a very loud, intense voice
"OH MY GOD WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE GET OUT, GET OUT!"
I started to shake and my eyes filled with tears as all I could repeat was,
"I-I-I-I'm I'm s-s-s-sor-sor-sorry I-I-I just wa-wa-wanted a-a-a-auto-autograph"
I thought without a doubt I was going to be in big trouble! Then as the security guard grabbed me by the arm to take me out of the room I was shocked to hear in a booming voice,
"What the Hell do you think you are doing! Get your hands off that little girl like that!"
The security quickly lets me go and I could see Goldberg walking over to me as he puts his arm around me and pulls me close to his large body. He finishes what he was saying to the guard who grabbed me.
"Don't you EVER speak that way to one of my fans if it is just a small child! What is wrong with you!?"
He then gets down on one knee so he's face to face with me and asks me,
"Are you okay little darlin?"
I nodded to assure him I was fine.
"You know, you're mighty brave sneaking into my hotel room like that you know that?"
Again, I nodded in agreement. I told him how much I just wanted to meet him and get his autograph and how sorry I was for invading his privacy like I had done. He then tells me,
"Don't you be sorry little one! You earned my autograph! What would you like me to sign?"
I then give him what I had hiding behind my back the whole time to reveal a Sting mask from the merchandise stand my mom had bought before the live show had started.
"Oh darlin! You don't have anything else I could sign for you?"
I shook my head no. He then tells me,
"You know he beat me tonight don't you?"
I responded,
"Yes sir, I was there to watch. He cheated to win! That was not fair! You should have won!"
He agrees and asks one of his guards for a pen. He then signed the mask and then says to me,
"Keep this for as long as you can. Take care of it because this is going to be worth a lot of money one day!"
He then kisses me on the forehead and stands up. He tells one of his guards to let me out of his room and tells them to let anyone out in the hallway under the age of 13 into his room for an autograph. When that door opened I ran to my mom and dad to tell them what just happened. My mom was so proud of me and so happy that I was able to get his autograph for her. I will never forget that smile on her face. She was so beautiful.
That's the story of my very first experience within the MGM Grand Hotel. It was one of the best nights of my childhood and with both my parents being gone today its a cherished memory to me.
Thank you MGM Grand for having slow closing penthouse suite room doors that made that wonderful event from my past happen!
