Julie Andrews throat cancer?

[tomwingfield]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 9:34am

Went to Barnes and Noble last night to pick up Julie Andrews new book and it was quite the mob scene. It was what was termed a "limited event" and you needed a yellow wristband to be seated. The Barnes and Noble employee doing the seating on the fourth floor said that Miss Andrews would not be speaking because of throat cancer and would only be signing a limited number of books because of arthritis. When I purchased the book, the clerk on the first floor told me the same thing. What gives?

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 9:36am

Well, apparently she has throat cancer and arthritis.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 9:38am

^^What Foster said.

I was going to go,b ut if it was such a "mob scene" I guess I'm glad that I didn't.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 10:07am

It sounds like prior to Miss Andrews' arrival, the staff at the Barnes & Noble were briefed with some inaccurate information.

No truth to the throat cancer, but she DID suffer damage to her vocal chords during a 1997 throat operation. This took place after she was experiencing vocal trouble during her run on Broadway in VICTOR/VICTORIA. The surgery was to remove non-cancerous nodules. She likes to keep public speaking engagements to a minimum, as expected. This could be what the Barnes & Noble staff were informed and taken as 'she has throat cancer so she can't speak'.

As for the arthritis... due to her age, its expected.

[softershade]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 10:45am

I was there and got my book signed. Mob scene is definitely the term I would use to describe it. Even after they announced to the people not in the event area she would only be signing for people with wrist bands many of them hung around for the entire signing. When I went up and she signed my book she was so lovely and gracious. I was a tiny bit too starstruck to say anything really profound besides the typical "You're amazing" babble. It is definitely a night I will always remember.

Updated On: 4/3/08 at 10:45 AM

[broadwayjules]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 10:52am

Does anyone know if she'll be doing other signings in other cities?

[softershade]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 10:57am

One of the people who were working at Barnes and Noble mentioned she was going to be in Boston today. A schedule of events are listed here...
http://www.julieandrewscollection.com/sitev2/promo.php

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 11:23am

Dear God! Where and when in Boston?!

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 12:23pm

She'll be on Rachael Ray's show on April 22. She will be in Los Angeles for like 3 signings and an event at Disneyland.

[mauriposa]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 12:30pm

I can't believe she was in Chicago last year and I didn't know. ::headdesk::

[defyingravity11]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 12:59pm

I was there last night! She was as sweet as could be. And she shook my hand! It was amazing!

[xoxRogue]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:25pm

I was there -- didn't get my booked signed, got there after they ran out of wristbands, but I did hear her speak.

What truly annoys me is that the employees were saying that she would not be speaking, yet they had prepared four questions for her to answer. I assume they were lying to get a lot of people out of the store.

The woman who asked the questions looked my friend right in the eye saying she was just going to come on stage and sign books. That was all.

Nevertheless, it was still amazing to see (and hear) a life-time (not that I'm old) idol of mine in person.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 5:30pm

I've actually seen Ms. Andrews do commercials for the Arthritis Foundation. I would imagine that if she's connected with them she has it pretty bad. My mother's hands are so bad that she often has trouble holding a pen. So I could understand limiting how many books she signed.

[hermionejuliet]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 6:14pm

I had a chance to see Ms. Andrews when she had a signing of one of her children's books in Chicago. It was an amazing experience. I, too, was completely star struck. Usually I babble, but I didn't even know what to say. I mean, I was standing in front of MARIA!!!!

That woman is amazing. Ordered her book from Amazon, and I can't wait to read it.

Updated On: 4/3/08 at 06:14 PM

[kec]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 10:09pm

"It was an amazing experience. I, too, was completely star struck. Usually I babble, but I didn't even know what to say. I mean, I was standing in front of MARIA!!!! "

For me, it was -- I'm standing in front of Mary Poppins!!!"

I got the chance to meet her a couple of years ago when she visited my place of work. I accompanied my boss to the meeting, and confined myself to saying how much I admired her work. I let my boss do the talking because I was so afraid I was going to babble and make a fool of myself. She was a delight.

[haddaddy3]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 10:21pm

I knew of the surgery that damaged her vocal cords, but I was worried when I read she had throat cancer. Thanks for clearing it up. She's so wonderful and I hate to see her have to endure even more than she already has.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 11:08pm

PLEASE please change the awful title of this thread.

[BDrischBDemented]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 11:53pm

So, how early would one recommend getting there for the 1 PM appearance tomorrow?

[softershade]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 11:58pm

They give out wristbands when the store opens. For the signing on Wednesday the store opened at 10am and I got in line at 9 with a decent amount of people already ahead of me. I would recommend getting in line sometime before the store opens and no later incase they give away all 150 wristbands early.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 4/4/08 at 6:52am

She is 72 remember and probably isn't up to endless signings etc. Ms Andrews is very well known for non love of signing autographs!

[DKNYNC]

Posted: 4/4/08 at 9:38am

Has anyone seen any photos of this event? I know they asked that pictures not be taken but a lot of people took them anyway and the press was there taking pictures too.