“Mom, I got in a fight today at school,” C.J. said to me as I entered the house after a long day at work.
“What?!” I said setting down my purse, laptop bag and workbag while trying to get my heels off as quickly as possible.
“Yeah, it’s true. I got in a fight with Mia,” he said.
“What kind of fight? Why?”
“I told her that I got to stay up late to watch the Tony’s that you recorded and she said that Neil Patrick Harris is not a real person, that he is fake and not a real human being,” C.J. explained.
“And, what did you say to that?”
“I told her that yeah huh he is. But then she kept saying it. She said it ELEVEN times!” he said both irritated and dumbfounded.
“Well, she’s wrong. He is a real person,” I said.
“I know, I tried telling her but she wouldn’t listen. I told her to watch the Tony’s tonight like I’m going to.”
“And, what did she say to that?”
“She doesn’t know about that show. None of my friends know about the Tony show. But, everyone else believed me that Neil Patrick Harris is too a real person,” he explained.
C.J. has been watching the Tony’s in 30-minute increments since they aired. He is obsessed. Now, he can’t decide which awards show he wants to go to next year: The Tony Show (Tony Awards) or The Night When Everybody Dresses Fancy (Academy Awards). Lucky for him he has several months to make up his mind and figure out a way to score an invite to one or the other.
* * *
Thanks to all of you for the awesome suggestions of things to do while in New York City. Thanks to you, we’ve walked the High Line and visited Chelsea Market — where we ate a grilled cheese sandwich, drank a hot chocolate and had a People’s Pop. Tomorrow we have a tour of the Tenement Museum. You guys are the best!
Raising My Rainbow 
Just saw this on yahoo, did you see it yet?
http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/transgender-girl-wins-right-to-use-bathroom-at-public-school-183951487.html
Tell CJ that Neil Patrick Harris IS legend-wait for it and I hope he’s not lactose intolerant-dary, but that doesn’t mean he’s not real. Like Santa.
Good for him recognizing NPH’s awesomeness!
NPH IS REAL! Now, his medical degree is questionable.
I hope CJ scores tickets to both. It would be so much fun to watch his face at the award shows. Have fun in New York!
This dialog is so precious. Good luck on scoring an invite to the Awards Shows. Maybe after you write a screenplay based on C.J.’s life and get it filmed..
I’ll bet that NPH appreciates CJ’s defense.
Clearly the answer is to turn the book into a movie that’s later adapted into a musical. Problem solved!! Glad you’re enjoying your time in NYC!! Can’t wait til you get back here for the book tour!!!
NPH is awesome. Sometimes even I don’t believe he’s real. CJ sounds pretty awesome, too. I hope he gets to attend both shows!
We had this issue with Jessica. We always tell her that the people on TV aren’t real people. They’re real actors (real people) playing a character. Well, Chris Bosch of the Miami Heat was on Jessie. My mom told Jess that he was a real basketball player. My Jess fought her tooth and nail telling her he wasn’t real, just on TV. (We finally had to watch part of the Heat game to prove to her he was a “real” person)
I bet Mia thinks the same thing!
And if CJ figures out how to score some tix to either one of those shows, I want his secret! (Although since you do know NPH, he might have an in!)
Have a great time in NYC!