Hugh Laurie Story: Didn't It Rain

House. Most of you probably know him as the misanthropic doctor from the TV Show 'House, M.D.' that ran on FOX from 2004-2012.  Originally, I never really watched the show but I had friends who insisted that I should be watching it.  They kept saying "You are House."  Complete with a limp.  Stumbling upon it when I lived in the north of Manitoba one bitter winter, I realized two things, 1) they were right and 2) Hugh Laurie is an amazing actor.  The thing with actors and actresses for me is that they have to be so good that they literally jump off the screen.  They feel real.  Not the characters, but the actor as a human being.  Laurie spoke to me in that way among an already stellar cast.

As the years passed, I learned he was a musician.  Well, don't we have that in common?  I picked up a CD/DVD combo from a group called Band From TV, a group of celebrities that play music to raise money for charities.

When House was coming to a close, Laurie started to release albums and delve further into his music.  He released a fantastic documentary called Let Them Talk about his blues pilgrimage to New Orleans.  It culminated with a performance with Alan Toussaint, who I saw a few years ago as a 2nd headliner (behind Los Lonely Boys - seriously?) at the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival.  By this time, I knew he was for real as a musician.  Not only does he play piano like a true blues guy, he's got great swing and surrounds himself with top notch musicians.  Not only that, but he knows his history.  It's passion you can almost feel.

In the summer of 2013, word got out that Hugh Laurie was here in Vancouver filming a Disney movie called Tomorrowland.  While many people were interested in finding George Clooney on the very secure set, my mission became Hugh Laurie.  I mean, I wouldn't be complaining if I ran into Clooney either, but Laurie was my objective.  His newest CD, Didn't It Rain was set to release in August.  I headed down to Starbucks and picked it up vowing to get that bad boy signed.  I even told the barista.

I had a lead on the filming location, it was at the planetarium in Vancouver.  I hopped on the skytrain and headed down there, finding the location and meeting up with a few other fans that had come out to watch.  While I waited there were lots of extras, green screens and fans.  At one point we saw Laurie just across the street from us.  There was some discussion about trying to get his attention but we figured it was best to let them work and catch him on the way out.  Unfortunately, after a few hours of waiting, he headed out without us noticing.  I was defeated.

I was on vacation from work so I figured I had one more day to try this thing.  The next day I knew they'd be there again so I headed back out.  This time it rained.  Hard.  Not many fans on this day, in fact, I was the only one.  I chatted up some security workers and found that Laurie was indeed there.  I didn't have to wait too long before he came by in the passenger side of an SUV.  I had the CD in my hand but was standing on the drivers side.  Laurie was looking over at the giant inflatable screen's they had erected the previous day and didn't see me.  I was disappointed he missed me, but the security guy assured me that he'd be back.  He encouraged me to wait.

Sure enough, within 10 minutes the SUV returned, but with only the driver.  He pulled over asking me if I was looking to get the CD signed.  I told him yes and he offered to take it to him.  He explained that Laurie didn't see me, said he hadn't been wearing his glasses and he for sure would have stopped if he'd have noticed.  Excited, I handed the CD over and told him my name when he asked.  Off he went with my CD and Sharpie.

Quickly again the SUV returned, this time with a woman as well.  She rolled down the window and handed my CD out.  On the front, it was empty.  I was a little disappointed until she told me to open it up.  Inside was what is probably my favorite autograph in my collection  Not only was it signed, it was personalized all along the inside of the CD cover.  It read, "Julie, And didn't in rain on you too.  Best, Hugh Laurie".  I knew that was way more than I would have gotten from a quick car autograph.  I thanked the two in the car profusely before heading back out in the pouring ran to get home.