By Anne (amytych@yahoo.com)

Tuesday, March 19, 2002
More pictures from this event at LeeTergesen.com

The first time I met Lee Tergesen, my friend Rami and I drove up to New York to join the throngs of fellow Oz worshippers at Tower Records for the first season "Oz" DVD signing. There were several "Oz" actors there, but I only had eyes for Lee.

As the line moved slowly up the escalator, I could see Lee, who was the second person at the table. The first guy looked familiar. I thought he might be Derek Simmons, the actor who played Billy Keane, Jefferson's younger brother. (I was right, but didn't know until later.) So finally we get up to the table and I look briefly at Derek and then my eyes were just drawn to Lee. I can't stop looking at him, even though I am standing in front of Derek. How rude am I?!

Lee was wearing a dark gray shirt and (I later found out) leather pants! His hair was long -- down to his shoulders. And his eyes were amazingly blue.

So Lee smiles at me and takes the DVD from my hand and slides it over to Derek so he can sign it. I look back at Derek, say "Thanks," or something and then turn my attention back to Lee. He takes the box again from Derek and looks at me. He asks me my name. And I remembered it. ;) So I tell him, and he asks, "With an e or without?" I tell him with, and say, "Thanks for asking."

So while he is writing my name on the box, my brain finally starts working and I tell him how much I love his work and not just on "Oz." I tell him he was fantastic in "Shot in the Heart." He looks up and says, "Thanks," and gives me one of those adorable smiles. So then I sort of usher my sons up to the table and tell him they are "Weird Science" fans. He looks at them, smiles again and says, "Alright!" or "Yeah!" or something equally enthusiastic.

Then I continue talking because no one's stopping me or pushing me onward (thanks, Rami!) and I tell him that his audio book is amazing. He says, "My what?" And I said, "Your audio book." He looks confused for a moment and I am searching my brain for the title, which I can't remember despite the fact that I am carrying the damn thing in my backpack. (It's called "Touching Spirit Bear." It's great because of the amazing way Lee reads it. You should buy it. I promise you won't be disappointed.) Finally, he says, "Oh, yeah." Then he chats a little about how weird it was to do the audio book because he had to listen to himself read.

I tell him he did a really great job with all the different voices and that it was far better than most audio recordings I had ever heard. He said, "Thanks. That means a lot." And he smiled again. At that point, I think, he gave me the DVD back and I held out my hand for him shake it because I really wanted to touch him and he shook it. Then he sort of turned a little to get a drink of water, I think, and he joked, "So you're the one who bought it," meaning the audio book. So I laughed and then I was standing in front of Dean Winters. And since that's where the Lee part of this meeting ends, I'll stop there.

So I sort of fulfilled my New Year's resolution -- to meet Lee Tergesen and spend at least two minutes talking to him. It was not quite two minutes, but I was a happy camper. Besides, I figured I have more opportunities to head back up to New York to meet him again. Just have to keep an ear out.

Meeting One
March 19, 2002

Meeting Two
May 19, 2002

Meeting Three
October 7, 2002

Meeting Four
December 7, 2002

Meeting Five
January 28, 2003

Meeting Six
August 31, 2003

Meeting Seven
November 13, 2004

Meeting Eight
January 7, 2005

Meeting Nine
May 31, 2008

Meeting Ten
May 2, 2010

Meeting 11
Dec. 4, 2010

Meeting 12
Nov. 23, 2011

Meeting 13
June 9, 2012

Meeting 14
Aug. 17, 2013

Meeting 15
June 14, 2015

Meeting 16
October 15, 2017

Meeting 17
June 8, 2019