Eclectically Yours,: Exclusive Johnny Weekend!!

I know you are all waiting patiently for my update on Johnny and his doings in MY HOME TOWN!! Let me first say, that it is not at all surprising that the filming should take place in this very old and untouched courthouse. I remember when I first moved to Darlington (I was around 12 )I went to visit the courthouse and it was just replete with history. I've always loved that place. It has a little bell/chime thingy that rings every hour. Some might find it annoying, but it was oddly comforting. See, even then, Johnny and I thought alike when it comes to authenticity in film. I felt, at 12, it's hallowed dome should be left unchanged. I also had the coolest old middle school that is now used as a municipal building,because Darlington built a Elementary McMansion School and I was so sad because my unborn children would never get to experience this totally 1930's esque school, but it's all okay because the old Middle School has been left almost totally intact and it's still lovely and reeks with history.....but I totally digress.

Because we are all here for one thing. The interview. Today, I am interviewing a lovely person who I went to school with not long ago. I mean, it certainly hasn't been as much as, say, 20 years. No, no, I'm far too young yet. So here is Ms. Judi's EXCLUSIVE interview for your pleasure...along with some lovely photos of JD at the end.

Maria: Tell me about the excitement around this little town of 2700. What have the last couple days been like?
Ms. Judi: I don't get out much, due to working from home, but I did take a little "lap" around town yesterday at 5:30 to see what all the fuss was about.[Judi is referring to "doing laps" around the boulevard that comprises Main Street. "Doing laps" is a right of passage for all high schoolers...and clearly, as in Judi's case, those that want the Depp scoop.] The gas station and grocery store parking lots were filling up and the court house was all lit up. For a few seconds I thought I was in Hollywood.[Judi, this would be impossible because Hollywood has traffic lights.]

M: Was I your favorite person in high school?
MJ: A toss up between you and Mr. Peterson. [Judi is being cruel to Maria of Eclectically Yours, and I may not renew her subscription]

M:What did the courthouse area look like? Cranes? Lifts? Trailers?
MJ:They had huge lights on lifts outside the court house windows so it looked like daylight out, as they were taping into the evening hours. Rumor had it that they worked very fast inside the court house setting it all up and everyone was very polite.

M: Why did they pick the courthouse in Darlington?
MJ: I'm really not sure.

M: How many days did filming in Darlington go on?
MJ: Wednesday morning early the extra's started pulling in and they taped into the late hours ( I left at 9 and they were going back to finish taping)

M: What is your favorite high school memory of me?
MJ: Are you sure you really want me to share this?

M: Were the extras imported or local?
MJ:Quite a few were imported but we had a few lucky home towners!

M: Don't you think I could've been a great extra? I was always very dramatic in school wasn't I?
MJ: Oh wow, I think you would've been exactly what they were looking for.[We at Eclectically Yours, choose to take that in a good way instead of meaning that I dress drabbly in a 1930's style]

M:Tell us about Johnny coming out and greeting everyone. Did he seem to enjoy it, was he at ease, was he frantically scoping the crowd, say looking like he was missing someone?
MJ: After about the 4th time of them telling us he would be out in just a few minutes, he finally arrived. I believe it was the Darlington police officers big night as they were "body guards", ready to throw him back in his sharpe looking Escalade if anyone got out of line. He was very kind, tried to shake everyone's hands and spoke to them about 30 seconds each. They had to hurry and get back to taping, so he moved down the line as fast as he could, trying to make the crowd happy.. The crowd of a few hundred were very excited. I do believe I had some paparazzi by me. They talked with an accent, hit on all the young girls around, they talked how they flew in from LA and they had HUGE lens on their camera's. I mean HUGE people, like the ends were the size of a mixing bowl. (sorry Maria, I rambled a bit here)[No, no, Judi, I LOVE that you rambled. Accent? THEY had an accent? Oo, ya, dere Ms. Judi, dey don't have accents dare in da midwest dontcha new...No, I'm just teasing...I'll bet they had culture shock coming to the MidWest, though, dontcha tink?]

M:Did the 80's really happen?
MJ:Of course, I have pictures to prove it.[Eclectically Yours, would like to discuss rights to those pictures.]

M:Did Johnny say "Arg"?
MJ:I didnt hear him say anything as I was trying to focus my brand new Canon XTI.....which I know nothing about, I thought I'd have the best pictures ever......ugh......not so.!

M: When we were in school together did you ever think I would become a famous writer?
MJ: I thought you'd become a lot of things.

M: Did he make eye contact? Did he smile or was he morose looking?
MJ:He did make eye contact, and he was very polite and smiled and talked as much as he could without the "body guards" whisking him down the row.

M:How do you think this will change Darlington? Will people move in by the droves?
MJ:ummmmmmmmmm, I doubt it.....but it will be topic of discussion for awhile, you know the " he shook my hand" type of talk. [Kinda like my "He was in MY hometown although I'm 1500 miles away"talk you mean?]
M: Did Johnny eat any fried cheese curds, brats, or have a genuine Wisconsin beer while there?
MJ:Sorry can't answer that either... I do know that a camera man, did get his beard cut by my sister in her salon..........oops, sorry, that wasn't the question was it?[It's minutiae like that, Judi, that keeps my readers entertained]

M:Where did Johnny stay when he figured out I wasn't there anymore?
MJ:With me! [Oh, I love your little joke, Judi. Johnny wouldn't do that to me...]

M: In what ways has your life changed since meeting Johnny?
MJ:I can't say that it has

M:Johnny has been around as long as we have. We were there for 21 Jump Street, yet he looks better than us. Why do you think that is?
MJ:I don't believe he has a 16 year old daughter and 2 boys that are a 1 year apart....

M:Was he taller/shorter/wider/thinner/balder/hairier/handsomer/uglier/well dressed-er than you thought he would be in real life?
MJ: He was taller then me..... he had a hat on so I couldn't tell the hair style. He was well dressed, polite, handsome is some pictures, and your brother is better looking in some as well.[Judi, that is so sweet that you would say that about my brother, but we at Eclectically Yours, feel that perhaps you felt obligated to say that, and Josh's therapist says it would really be better that we are all completely and totally honest with him at all times. So while we appreciate the thought, we'd rather you tell the truth.]

M:Do you remember playing Chinese Jump Rope on the very middle school grounds that Johnny walked upon way back in 6th grade?
MJ:Do I ever!!! how cool was that game!!!!!! They also parked their buses on the track where I nearly died running the 600.[I would like to add, with all due respect to Ms. McKeagan, PE teacher, who was a wonderful woman, no doubt just doing her job when it came to INSENSITIVELY PUSHING US HARDER in relay and short distance running, it is due to her, today, that I completely HATE running and exercise of any sort. I get flashbacks that send me in three day slumps. I blame my weight gain on her also...how can I get exercise when I need therapy??]

And now, without further ado I give you Judi's pictures of Johnny (should that be a title for a 50's all girl group song?)

Clearly, Johnny's "Handler" was a bit possessive (above) The GIANT crowd of, oh, say 200 whole people, were obviously getting a little too close. C'mon, buddy, no one would've hurt Johnny...they would've all been really, really nice. They'd have him in for some beer, brats, and fried cheese curds...treat him to some local brew. C'mon, after all, this is hometown midwest hospitality.

And now, I share with you one last picture of our Interviewee and Johnny. While there is something a bit odd about Ms. Judi's hair and skin tone, it still turned out really well.

Ms. Judi, my readers and I would like to thank you for stopping by and sharing your once in a lifetime HOMETOWN experiences with us!

Stay tuned, dear readers, for more excitement tomorrow as we embark on our Johnny Depp Exclusive Weekend from ~~Podunk~~ Darlington, WI!

(Aw, c'mon Darlingtonites...you know I mean Podunk in the best way possible. I have love and affection deep in my heart for Darlington, in that way you can only have when you move 1500 miles away and miss things like potlucks, party lines, Friday Night Fish Fry's and cheese curds with sweet corn.)