What I did for the Super Bowl

Aside from answering a total of 347 calls on parking, events, and zip line questions, I was one of the 450 volunteers that had the privilege of working the Madonna Half Time Show for the Super Bowl.

Since I had worked the NFL kick off a few years back, I got an email that asked if I wanted to be part of the crew again. I mean who the hell refuses that opportunity? So the week we all got back from the holidays 500 people went to orientation, 400 were chosen for stage crew and 50 for audio and lighting.

We were all told that Ms. M herself had be rehearsing since the first week of December with her dancers. Right there told me this wasn’t going to be your run of the mill show, she had plans. And of course rumors were flying around about what Madonna’s plans were and they changed daily. All we knew for sure was that we were going to make sure her happy as was on and off the field in the time we were allotted!

Two weeks before the big day we were all gathered along with the stage in the bubble at University of Indianapolis and were divided up into groups. I was place on cart #10 which was one of the back bleachers sections that the dancers and choir used. There were 12 of us a motley crew of people from all walks of life but we all came together like we knew each other for years.

First few rehearsals were terrifying. I had no idea how the hell we were going to be ready to do this in two weeks. Getting 450 people to work together was like trying to put pants on a bag full of cats! But somehow we did it. In three nights we managed to impress our leaders with our abilities!

That weekend we moved to the big house and things started to get real! We were pushing the stage around and the lighting and sound crew was with us this time. There were the added elements of getting the lighting to mesh with the music, and then there was the visual effects that had to be added to the mix. We learned the art of “hurry and wait”.

By that Sunday we were all experts in “hurry and wait”. We got so good at it and putting the stage together, that our rehearsal the following Wednesday was canceled. We were all devastated because that was the day that Madonna herself was going to be there! So some of our posse got to rehearse with her while the rest of us were envious. But that was okay, because we were all getting the scoop from TMZ of what was going down on the show, because we all know they are always right!

Thursday night we all rushed into the stadium not sure if Ms. M would be there or not. Yep she was there on our stage with her dancers in her costume, working her little ass off! We sat and watched her for about an hour before we even got to touch out stage pieces. Whether or not you like Madonna, she is amazing to watch. She is a hard worker, focused and professional. Well not so professional she didn’t flash her ass at us a few times having a good time. And she made sure to let our bosses know that she appreciated all the hard work we were doing.

So I was pretty close to Nicki M, MIA and CeLo, got to meet LMFAO, got some autographs. Nearly plotzed when I saw that Tabitha D’umo was choreographer! I am such a fan of hers I cannot even tell you! If I hadn’t been working, I would have bum rushed her and made her sign my freaking shoe! And that was just rehearsal!

On the big day before we even got on the field we saw Madonna’s kids, Adam Levine, and some saw Ms. Katy Perry! I saw Adam as I was walking out of the Portolet, awkward! But I got over it once the reality of us having less than five minutes to get a stage and all this crap on the field in front of millions of people! But we did it!

And there I stood on the New York End zone watching everything come together and as the oiled up gladiators brought in Ms. M I cried. I helped do this with 449 plus people that were strangers two weeks earlier, and now we join the family of 6000 others who have done the same thing we did. We worked for a sweat shirt, some bagged lunches and soggy pizza but we put on one hell of a show! I did however get a piece of the stage! That is pretty freaking cool!

It was surreal standing there watching the audience’s reactions. No one was sitting they were all on their feet Vogueing and Luvin’. And yes watching MIA flip the bird that was no part of the show I can tell you. Despite MIA’s finger malfunction, the audience didn’t lie, they loved it and it made us feel like a million dollars!

I may not have gotten one of those snazzy Super Bowl scarves but what I have is the knowledge that for ten minutes on February 5, 2012 I was one of the most important people on TV. Five minutes on, five minutes off. Those ten minutes will last a lifetime!