--- In ringostarrfanclub@yahoogroups.com, "beatlefanlove"
<redrosespdwy@a...> wrote:
> Latest news...we have forwarded letter below to Oprah Winfrey--we
> decided Ellen Degeneres may not approve our idea
> because she does not do special interest shows, mainly famous
actors
> & singers. Oprah Winfrey got our original letter first in early
March
> 2005.We need help from each of you. Please send a letter with your
> history as a Beatle fan and/or John, Paul, George or Ringo fan. We
> know whether short or long, your story is special.
> We have forwarded our letter to Oprah Winfrey because she would be
> more likely to do a full Beatle fan show. Oprah does special
interest
> shows quite often. So we are asking each of you to send your Beatle
> fan story to Oprah. However, it is tricky-you have to keep your
show
> idea statement under 2,000 characters. Click or paste link below-
> http://www2.oprah.com/index.jhtml
> Then click on E-MAIL US then next window click again on E-MAIL US
> under YOUR STORY. Then click WE WANT YOUR SHOW IDEAS under Regular
> Features.
> Dear Oprah,
> We have an idea that will be very refreshing, as well as
> nostalgic, to many people. Beatle fans often have unique, charming
> stories to tell about their devotion & life long passion. We hope
> this idea can be considered as a show theme or segment to honor the
> Beatles. The theme would be"FANS OF THE BEATLES" You have always
> seemed so kind. We hope you will consider this idea. All the Beatle
> fan sites for fans & merchandise are visited by millions of people.
> This show idea would likely be very popular.
> My history as a fan for 41 years follows. I am Rick
> Linville, a 48 year old fan from Columbus Ohio. I have been a Paul
> McCartney/Beatles fan since 1963 , when I first started hearing
about
> the Beatles in the news. My first contact with them was on the Ed
> Sullivan Show. I was eight years old, mesmerized & deep down knew
my
> life had just totally changed. I gave up toys at that point & all
> desires became Beatle albums. My parents, sisters & girlfriends ,
for
> the next 40 years or so, knew what I would want for birthdays or
> Christmas. Initially, the Beatles were so cool looking & had a cool
> different sound. Their songs were meaninful & romantic (sometimes
> playfully romantic) All their songs seemed different from each
> other.They wrote most of their own songs from the beginning. I
would
> organize Beatle shows with 3 friends at 8 & 9 years old. We made
> wooden guitars, used overturned wastebaskets for drums & pie tins
for
> cymbals. We would setup on top of my parents big chest freezer in
the
> basement. Neighborhood girls would pay us 10 cents each to watch
our
> show. We would play a Beatles record on a small 16 inch by 16
> inch "phonograph (AKA record) player & lip sync. At the end of the
> show we would run out of the house with the girls screaming behind
us
> in play. I have always loved singing Beatle songs(even though
family,
> friends ,even total strangers would ask me to stop singing) When I
> was in the third grade 1964 I wore my moms black crushed velvet
boots
> to school because they looked like the boots on Meet the Beatles.
> I have seen Paul McCartney 7 times in concert, Ringo 3
> times, George almost once (1971 canceled) & John never. I saw Paul
> once around 1976 with his group Wings. Then I saw him 3 times in
> 1989. Before the 1989 tour I found out if you joined his official
fan
> club you can get preferred seating. So I joined & sent a money
order
> to England. After 3 weeks I got concerned so I sent another money
> order. A lady from England called me at work & said the fan club
had
> received my first money order. She said the only question-do you
want
> the 2nd money order returned or an extra pair of tickets for a
> different show? I thought I must be dreaming. I said send the extra
> tickets. I had 2 Cincinnati tickets 18th row. The two extra tickets
> were for Detroit 8th row dead center. I was thrilled. A buddy & I
> went to Detroit to see him. He was alone on stage singing "Put It
> There". The song about his father putting out his hand to shake
hands
> when Paul was an upset little boy. Everyone was seated while Paul
was
> on stage singing. When he went into the main chorus, I stood up &
put
> out my hand. He winked, smiled & nodded at me. I fell back in my
seat
> dumbfounded. It was the one personal moment I always wanted with
> Paul. After that show I also saw him in Cleveland & Cincinnati on
> that tour. He came back on tour about 1993 & I saw him in
Cincinnati
> with my soon-to-be wife. In about 2001 he came back on his Driving
> Rain tour. Another friend & I saw him in Cleveland & on the 2nd
> leg "Back in the US" saw him in Columbus Ohio. The interesting
thing
> about the Back In The US tour-my dying mother knew the greatest
gift
> she could give her then 45 year old son was a main floor seat for
the
> show. Another bonus-my twin sister Kay, who was ho-hum about the
> Beatles since we were kids, wanted to go see him.
> So Kay, myself & two other friends went to the Columbus
> show. Before the concert, we went to the venue early to see some
> Beatles impersonators band. While we were waiting for the doors to
> open, we decided to go over by the limousine entrance. I thought
what
> a waste of time, but I agreed. While we stood there for 15 minutes
> with 20 other people, an English guy said Mr McCartney will be
> arriving in 5 minutes. Please do not rush the limo or he will not
> slow down for a wave & photos. Pauls entourage (4 limos & police
> escort motorcycles) arrived & I handed the camera to my sister,
> thinking I might be the one to get too excited to get the picture.
> Paul pulls up, pops his head out the window & begins waving. My 45
> year old sister begins screaming & jumpimg up & down. She messed up
> the most important photo & got a photo of the front door of the
limo.
> That broke my heart. So we went on in to the concert.
> Well. I finally stepped up to a microphone & sang Live &
> Let Die (without musical backing) on 3/18/05. It was "The Step Up
To
> The Mike Columbus" American idol type contest for local singers. I
> saw it advertised on a news show at PM. So I drove down to see how
> many people were lined up downtown at the Promowest Pavilion.
Pretty
> long line but I decided why not. My sisters Kay & Jane probably
got
> the biggest kick out of me, of all people, being in a singing
> contest. The only phone call I would get would be a request not to
> return next year. But it was fun. I told everyone as we waited that
> people often ask me to stop singing. I also joked my wife makes me
> lip sync in church.
> The newer fans of the Beatles will carry on the
> Beatle legacy. I am proud to have them join those of us around
since
> the beginning.
> Of course, my lifelong dream is to meet a
> Beatle....
> In conclusion, I am honored that you allow your own
fans
> to give feedback about your show.
> I AM
> RICK LINVILLE- COLUMBUS, OHIO, USA
> RedRoseSpdwy@a...

I think that's a terrific idea. There were no fans featured, but
Oprah has done TWO Beatle shows, both starring McCartney. (In 1984
when he was in Chicago promoting "Broad Street" with Linda, and in
late '97 during "Flaming Pie" when he appeared alone.) She has also
done shows where she hooks up the likes of Travolta, Cruise, etc.
with some of their most devoted fans. So, it can be done!!! I think
we'd have a better chance of having an actual Beatle appear if it can
be used to their promotional advantage; if we can tie it in with a
recent release, appearance, or concert. (Ringo's SOUNDSTAGE
performance on PBS later this year, for example.) With so many of us
First Generationers still crazy about The Beatles on one hand, and
kids and teenagers who've just discovered The Beatles on the other,
she'll have a wealth of "fan guests" to choose from. Add to that our
diverse nationalities and ethnicities (I'm a 52-year-old African-
American, as fanatical today as I was in February 1964. You think I
don't have some stories?). She'll have herself something really
fresh and different.

Good luck to you on this project. I haven't the slightest idea how
to cut and paste (still semi-illiterate computer-wise, I'm afraid),
but you're welcome to forward this post on to the Oprah site if you
wish.

Marla