The Waldorf Astoria, March 2005

At the time I was still just a contributor for @U2, so the site’s press pass into the event went to one of their regular staff writers. I put my name into the pool for other accreditation directly with the Hall of Fame and a few weeks later, received an e-mail from VH1.

They were in charge of the red carpet coverage and invited me to be one of the lucky ones. I probably answered them in less than 30 seconds: “Yes please, I accept! Where do I pick up my press pass?”

My sister bought me a new outfit, I booked a room at the Waldorf, and flew in a few days early so could get my bearings and prepare to meet my Gods of Rock.

I was a ball of nerves the day before, so Jeff (who lived in Brooklyn at the time) took me to breakfast, then we made a special trip to Central Park to see the Strawberry Fields area, which is a tribute to John Lennon. From there we went to The Dakota, where Lennon lived and was shot, and finally back to the W hotel for cocktails and a bite to eat. I distinctly remember knocking back their delicious key lime martinis before everything went fuzzy.

We had a good night and the next morning it was a hurried rush to get from the hotel in the village where I stayed the first few nights to the Waldorf Astoria, where I would remain for the duration of my trip.

I needed to shower and change before heading down to the press tent, but my room wasn’t ready when I arrived, so I planted myself in one of the plush chairs in the lobby. I soon learned that U2 was conducting their sound check in the ballroom right behind me, so I blogged about it on @U2.

The plan was for me to provide audio updates from the red carpet for @U2, but having never been on the red carpet, I had no idea how chaotic and ultimately loud things really get. There was no way that anything I taped would be audible when transmitted over a cell phone, so I quickly bagged that idea, but taped the interviews anyway, so I wouldn’t forget anything.

We were given the tip sheet of guests scheduled to come down the red carpet: Michael J. Fox, Ice-T, the cast of SNL, U-freakin-2! I was stationed in between The New York Times and People Magazine. Each time someone would enter the tent, I’d say their name and the other reporters would jot it down. Clearly I was the pop culture nerd of the crew.

We all chatted in a friendly way and they soon learned I was a U2 nut, a red carpet rookie and had traveled the farthest of anyone in our little group to cover this part of the event.

When the celebs came down the line, the VH1 folks would help distribute them to the reporters who wanted an interview. I was so timid at first, I let Patty Smyth of Scandal and her tennis star husband John McEnroe pass right by me (all the while singing Shooting out the walls of heartache/Bang, bang!/I am the warrior in my head).

Other reporters asked me who I was most excited to see, aside from the obvious. I answered Michael J. Fox because I was obsessed with both Back to the Future and Family Ties as a young girl. I even cried back in ‘87 when I learned Fox was engaged, reading the announcement in one of my Grandma’s tabloid newspapers.

Not two minutes after I said that, the VH1 folks said that Bruce Springsteen (who was inducting U2 that night) and Michael J. Fox were both detained and would not have time to come down the red carpet. That news was disappointing, but the still-handsome John Bon Jovi soon distracted me, flirting with the People girl (Jennifer) and me. I asked his wife who designed her dress, and used her first name, which must have impressed him considering the smile I got in return.

“How the hell did you know her name was Dorothea?” one of the other reporters asked. I replied, “Years of watching MTV and VH1, and reading every Rolling Stone in existence.”

I was just getting warmed up.

Next down the line was Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty. He approached me sweetly, shaking my hand and introducing himself as “Rob” (in case I didn’t know). We had a fast chat and I could tell by the way he answered me that he was really there to support U2 that night, which warmed my heart.

As his handlers pulled him away, the cast of Saturday Night Live walked in. Their “people” came through and asked us who we wanted. I got very brave and shouted “AMY!” because she had recently had a “moment” with Bono on her show.

Much to my surprise, she came right over. She’s one of those people who looks identical to their television self so I had a tough time focusing on my questions and not saying out loud, “I’m interviewing Amy Poehler from SNL who I watch EVERY WEEK!”

She was very gracious and kind, answering each question with a smile until she was led away by her handlers.

Then came the punch in the stomach.

After The O’Jays passed through, we knew to expect the remainder of the inductees (U2!). My palms were sweaty, my neck hurt from straining to see the entrance, and the battery was dying in my tape recorder because I kept accidentally leaving it on after I finished my interviews.

The VH1 team came down and said they had an announcement to make: U2 would not be coming down the red carpet.

I felt like I had the wind knocked out of me. Even the VH1 folks came over to console me.

My whole reason for being in New York, being on this red carpet, was to get those few precious moments with the band, but this time it was not meant to be.

I remained composed (though tears were forming) and when Percy Sledge approached me, I asked him the same question I was set to ask Bono, Larry, The Edge and Adam, had they graced me with their presence. You can read a transcript of all my interviews from that night here.

It would be the first of many times that U2 would dodge the “Tassoula, Reporter-at-Large” bullet.