That time I met Tom Hanks

So here it is…that time I met Tom Hanks. (And thanks to the 15% of you that voted at my IG feed, @hey.its.sooz for a summer recipe but I think we all knew how this poll was going to lean.)

You voted. I listened.

First, I’m going to start this by saying, these are old Iphone 4s pictures so the photo quality sucks, so there’s that.

Second, My youngest was a 10 month old baby at the time and when I look back at these photos I was definitely still carrying on baby weight so I look a little puffy. I used to cringe at these pics because when you have to go to an event you want to look like your best self and one thing I remember from this night was stuffing myself into a full body pair of Spanx that hurt like hell to get on and off. Anyhoo, when I look at these pictures now I see a healthy, voluptuous, glowing nursing mother and I miss that time in my life. Amazing how time and age changes our perspective.

Third, When Matt is on the road he obviously has had many opportunities to meet really cool people. Rock icons, TV and movie folks, and all around interesting public figures. BUT I seem to miss nearly every. single. damn. opportunity to meet cool, famous people because as you know, MY LIFE AS A MUSICIANS WIFE is not nearly as glamorous and simply put, I’m usually at home taking care of kids.

Lucky for me, on this particular occasion we decided to trek my sleep deprived, nursing, mothering self the 8 hours from Flag to L.A. with the whole brood just so I could have one freaking night out on the town. (We go to great lengths for date nights). My incredible younger sister Chelsea came to our hotel to watch the kids so I could go and have a fun ML as a MW night with my hubby (Thank You BUG!) And luck was with me that night for sure! I mean Tom Hanks you guys!

My face say’s “Look how well we clean up.. So fancy.” But inside I’m really saying, “I think these Spanx may be doing long term damage to my kidneys and bladder.” All in the name of beauty!

At the time Matt was working with some of the other Beach Boy kids. They had a group for 5 minutes called California Saga and they were asked to perform at an awards event. I believe it was called the ELLA awards and it was held at the fancy Beverly Hilton which is where they have the Golden Globes every year. I think it was the second time I joined Matt for a show at that venue. Always fun. Definitely glamorous.

California Saga. AKA sons and daughters of The Beach Boys. Pictured left to right: Christian Love, Matt Jardine, Justyn Wilson, Carly Wilson, Carnie Wilson, Ambha Love, and Wendy Wilson

So let’s get on with it. Here’s how I met Tom Hanks.

Tom (like we’re on a first name basis now) was at the event supporting his wife, actress and singer Rita Wilson. She was performing at the event.

To set the scene for you, at some of these events there is a “Green Room”. A green room is basically a holding room backstage for the performers to hang out in before they go on stage. Sometimes the really famous people have their own “private” green rooms. But at this event it was one giant room for everyone who was performing that night.

Green rooms are usually filled with either banquet style gourmet food and fully stocked ice buckets of drinks galore, OR they are filled with a measly tray of room temperature cold cuts, bottled water and some soda. I can’t even recall what this one was like because as I walked in, who was standing there?

BEHOLD….TOM HANKS!

(Ok, so if you’ve seen Splash 100 times, like me you will recall Eugene Levy saying BEHOLD THE MERMAID! Geez you guys, do I have to spell everything out for you?!)

Stock image of Tom Hanks just in case you forgot what he looked like or who he is.

Normally when I see people who I really LOVE from movies or music I really don’t do anything. It’s awkward and feels forced to approach them and I don’t want to bug them. I just feel super dorky for some reason. But in this case I was like “Susie, how can you NOT meet and get a picture with Tom Hanks? Get it together!”

Self talk really works people.

So, I whispered to Matt, “I really want to meet him honey. Can you help me.” Full on wife plea for him to DO SOMETHING! Make it happen for me. Instead he said, “I don’t know what to say. Go ask Dad.”

Smart move. Of course. Tom would surely know my father-in-law Al Jardine. Everyone knows the Beach Boys, right?

So, I go up to my pops-in-law and quietly say “Al, I really want to meet Tom Hanks.” If you know my PIL he could make conversation with aliens from another planet. He is one of the best public speakers I know and always has an easy way of conversing with anyone. Years in the business I suppose.

He grabbed my arm and said, “Oh sure hon. Let’s go say Hi.” Whew. It’s happening!!!

He took me over and tapped on Tom’s shoulder (BTW, Mr. Hanks is so tall in real life).

Here is how the conversation went down:

Al: Hey Tom!

Tom: Hey Al. Nice to see you.

Al: Hey, I’d like to introduce you to my daughter in law Susie. She is a fan of yours.

Tom: Oh, hey Susie! Hi, yeah we met before. At that party, right?

Sooz: (inner voice, neurons firing): He said my name. Bosom Buddies. And Splash. And Forrest Gump. And You’ve got Mail. And Big and…and…and… WAIT, WHAT? What in the sam hell is Tom Hanks talking about? Party?

Sooz: (in real life): Uh…no, I don’t believe we’ve ever met. (of course we’ve never met! I’d remember meeting you Forrest, I mean Tom!)

Tom: Really? You look so familiar. The party…at Tom Jones…in the hills?? (that would be the Hollywood Hills). Were you there?

Sooz: (inner voice): He thinks he knows me. What are the odds? Act like you were there. Be cool. Play along. Wait, be real dummy, you can’t lie to Tom Hanks. Always be real Sooz! Damn you conscience!

Sooz: (in real life): No that wasn’t me.

Tom: Well all be! There was someone that looked just like you.(Ok he might not have said “all be” like Woody from Toy Story but in my version of this story he did.)

Sooz: Awkward silence. (OK, so I didn’t quite know what to say at this point. My normally chatty Cathy self sort of froze up.)

Al: Hey Tom, do you think we can get a picture with you. (Oh whew. Pops to the rescue).

Tom: Absolutely.

This was 2014 so I pulled out my fancy iphone 4s and handed it to some nice person and we took this picture.

Ok, so me and Pops In law are grinning like two monkey’s and Tom looks like we literally just grabbed him and tricked him in to this pic. I can assure you that he was in a very happy and jovial Tom Hanks mood even though this picture definitely doesn’t portray it.

I then got up the nerve and asked him if he would take a selfie with me because really, as much as I love my father in law I didn’t want him in between me and Tom for my one dang picture of me and Tom Hanks.

Tom obliged and he started joking with me and said “Let me have your phone, I’ll show you how to take a great selfie. And inside I was like “OMG Tom has his arm around me, and he’s taking the selfie of just the two of us and I will treasure it forever and pull it out to reminisce about the time we hung out like old buddies every Christmas when I watch “You’ve got Mail” for the millionth time and…more Sooz brain ramblings. I take my phone back and graciously back away and I low key find a private spot and open up my photos and find this:

Yeah, I’m practically hugging Tom Hanks. He had his arm around me. Almost touching faces. Oh and that’s my husband…sigh…

Yes, that’s my husband. Matt Jardine. Photobombing my crowning glory of a photo. Because you see he doesn’t have enough photos with famous people, so he had to freaking get in mine! Ugh! But at least I have my picture of that one time I met Tom Hanks…and my husband.

And so heres a funny kicker to this story. He and his wife Rita, who is just as sweet and lovely as you can imagine, happened to be in the vicinity where I was milling around like cattle like the rest of the wives and husbands and non-famous spouses, and Tom said, “Oh Rita this is Susie Jardine”. I put out my hand and said hello as one does and she says with a big smile, “Great to see you again!”

I was literally in my head like what in the hell is going on here?! They think they know me from a party in the Hollywood Hills.

Luckily Carl got a photo of us milling around. We were watching the other performers on a T.V. So thrilling.

Then an hour or so later, I run in to the comedian/actor Wayne Brady who I loved from that Drew Carey improv show (sorry, I can’t remember the name and am too lazy to google it.)
Anyway, he approached me and said “Hey how are you! It’s good to see you again!”

And now I’m like what in thee actual fork is happening here?

Wayne goes on to say, “You were at that party right? At Tom Jones place? We met there.
And now I’m like, I’m either getting punk’d or in the twilight zone.

At this point I just had to laugh and I explained that Tom and Rita also thought I was there and it wasn’t me and that somewhere in L.A. my doppelgänger is frequenting Hollywood parties with A-list stars and all I can hope is whoever she is she behaved herself and wasn’t a nut job.

We had a little laugh about it and then I worked up the nerve to ask if he’d take a picture with me because, well hell, when in Hollywood right?

So there ya go buddies. That’s the story of how I met Tom Hanks. And Rita. And Wayne.

What I learned from this experience is never be afraid to go up and say Hello to your idols. Why not?! Because life is like a box of….ok, I won’t but you get my point. You just never know who you’re going to have the opportunity to meet.

And anyway, they just may think they already met you… at that party…at Tom Jones…

xo, Sj

P.S. In all fairness my sweetheart would love for me to be able to come to all the events and meet all the fun celebrities but we have these darling kids that need one of us to be with them at all times. It’s called parenting right?! Also, I don’t know what in the hell he’s looking at which made me laugh. Hahahaha.

4 Comments

Sil says:
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What a funny story!I loved it!
1. Sooz says:
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  Thanks so much for stopping by! I’m so glad you loved it. I sure appreciate the kind words. -Sooz
Debbie says:
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I love your Tom Hanks story!!! I can identify with how you felt when meeting him. I could barely speak when I met Bruce Johnston. He must have know I was speechless and star struck…he then started the conversation. He was so incredibly kind and there I was all shy and afraid if I opened my mouth who knows what I might have said. Sad thing is I had rehearsed what I would say and wanted him to know how much his music meant to me after losing my husband. I have since met him again and still get all weird and clam up 😐
I actually met your husband and pops in law back in 1997. They were both so charming and put everyone at ease.
1. Sooz says:
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  Haha. I’m not alone with the clam up!

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