Hanging With Gerard

From GALS - posted by the man who owns the house that they are using in the film:

http://www.gerardbutlergals.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=33575&st=0

Hello, ladies! I've been watching this site for a while now seeing that you all are really big fans of Gerard. I'm a guy (even though this is a site for gals, hence the name!), but I have some news for you all that you might be interested in. I have to be careful of what I say, because I was told not to say too much. But......

Machine Gun Preacher is being filmed at my house here in Michigan. It's pretty insane. I'm going to just tell my story of what I've been though in these past few months.

It all started with a location scout slowly driving up my driveway at about 10AM one morning about two months ago. I went out to see who it was and he told me about the movie and that they were looking for locations that would be suitable to film at. So I take his card, show him around the property and he shakes my hand and says he might be in contact with me. OK. Whatever. No way cool stuff like that happens to me, right?

The very next day, he calls and says he wants to take some photos of the place. So he comes back out with a photographer and they click off about a million pictures. All of a sudden, every week more and more people are coming over. Set designers, carpenters, producers, even the director, Marc Forster. (he's really really cool by the way. Super nice guy.) So it came down to my house and another house about an hour from me. As you all can imagine, I'm really wanting this gig and am nervous as hell. I get a phone call one day and they say they want to shoot it at my house. Awesome.

So now I just have to wait for them to come and do their thing. They spent two weeks fixing up my house to their likings and cleaning, putting their furniture in etc.... That was all exciting, but what happens next is the totally awesome part.

They start shooting. There are trucks, trailers, cars and a whole barrage of people working at my house. Lights, cameras, monitors, the whole nine yards. As a matter of fact, they are there right now doing a late shoot. My fiancé just texted me saying that there were about 100 people in the street trying to get a glimpse of Gerry. The cops had to tell everyone to leave. Just crazy. All the movie people are really nice to us and let us come and go as we please. I feel like a V.I.P going to the club. Haha!

So here's the part you all are waiting for. I met Gerry (and thats what I call him..."Hey Gerry! Whats up man?!?" LOL) and he's soooooo cool. Just totally down to earth and very nice guy. I've been talking to him for the past two days and he's just pleasant to be around. Its like there is no awkward moments, because he's extremely good at keeping a conversation going. He's also a big jokester. The first day I met him I was standing a little aways from my house and he was by my front door. He started to yell out to the crew (knowing I was listening) "HEY GUYS!! SOMEONE NEEDS TO FIX THESE WINDOWS IN THE BACK THAT WE BUSTED OUT!!" Then looked at me and started laughing. What was really neat about him, is that he asked what I did for a living, how I liked living in Michigan, and all that boring stuff no one really cares about...except he seemed really interested in it. All I have to say is that he's a class act and does not act like a stuck up celebrity at all. My fiancé and sister asked if they could take a picture with him and he was totally cool. When he asked me if I wanted a pic with him, I said "Thats OK. You get enough people asking for pics and autographs." He looked at me and said "No way...get over here!" So I did.

Its a crazy awesome time and I'm really excited about all this. I know you all are die hard fans, so I thought I'd share my story with you gals, because you'd appreciate it more than other people. The only thing is, I cant give out the location of where they are filming, where Gerry is staying or anything like that. And I cant get anyone on set that is outside of my immediate family. Sorry. If I could figure out how to insert a Jpeg image on here, I'd show you a pic of him and I. I must be computer dumb or something.

Thanks Dallas.

Update from the gentleman about the wrap party:

http://www.gerardbutlergals.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=33575&st=20

Here is the pic of Gerry and I: http://i841.photobuc.../gerryandme.jpg


I'm constantly impressed with the way Gerry is. Tonight we went to a private party with the cast and crew. Gerry walked in and saw me and my fiancé standing by the bar and came up to us. He then started telling people about the little window breaking joke he did the other day. Gave me a handshake (and he remembered my name right when he saw me...incredible for someone who meets a gazillion people every day.) and gave my fiancé a kiss on the cheek and a hug. The night went on just like a private VIP party should. Drinks, food and a live DJ all paid for by the production company. I'll tell you what...those movie people know how to party!! Of course Gerry didn't drink any alcohol, but he sure did have a great time. Its amazing to me how everyone gravitates towards him and he never looses his cool. Always smiling, hugging everyone, laughing and allowing everyone to take pictures of him. What a guy. I had a bunch of opportunities to approach him throughout the night, but I didn't. I saw a bunch of other people doing that to him and I figured I'd just give him his space.

Mark Forster (director) saw me when he came in and shook my hand. He commented on how he liked my hair style. (fo-hawk) He said "I really like the way you did your hair tonight" and I replied back...."I also like what you did with your hair tonight".....for all those who don't know what he looks like...he has a shaved head. He got a laugh out of that.

I spent a good amount of time talking to Sam Childers who was also there. He's a really nice guy too. You can see that he's all business, but he'll talk to anyone and carry out a good conversation. I met Sam on set (HA! my house is a set) a few days ago and him and I were chatting about this and that, so when I went to the party tonight, he saw me and was very warming and wanted to talk to me. Great guy.

As for my house, in the contract, it states that the house and property have to be returned to original state or better before they wrap up. I've been assured by many people that it'll be cleaned, fixed if anything is broken and in better state than before. Not to mention that they painted my whole house, are giving me a lot of the furniture for free and many other perks. So I'm not worried about that.

I do have some more pictures I will post up later, but I have to go through them and kind of be picky. I don't want to put anything up that will offend Gerry or anyone else who might see them on here. Also, I cant post pics of my house or anything inside. I could get sued for that. Any pictures of the set is technically property of the production company. I watched Gerry do some Keriokie tonight. He's a pretty good singer. And he knows how to get the crowd going. No stage fright from him. It was great. These memories will last a lifetime. I feel like I'm right in the mix with "A list" actors and almost feel like a star myself. It's gonna be hard when they all leave next week and I'm back to normal. It's been one big party so far.

One more thing. I'm seriously impressed with you gals. Everyone here seem to have the uppermost respect for Gerry. I guess after I met him and see how other people just follow him around drooling and clicking cameras right in his face, I feel kinda bad for him. I know he's a celeb and that's what their life is like, but after hanging with these people...I realized, thats what they are...people. Just normal guys and gals in a extraordinary situation. Anyways.....I'll keep you all posted here and there on whats going on. (well...to an extent. I have to keep it cool with the production company and actors)

I'm off to bed now. Too many Vodka and Red Bulls with the crew at the party tonight! Hahahaha! Talk to ya gals later!


P.S. for whoever asked if I was on twitter, not me. I dont even know what that is really. haha!

The links don't work for me. Either there's a technical glitch regarding my account over at GALS, or I've been banned for some reason. I've emailed Dayna for the scoop.

According to Fiera, Gerry sang "Lady In Red" during karaoke at the wrap party.

Yep! Unfortunately I had just left at that point but my sister Yvette stayed and texted me. While she was standing outside smoking and talking to a few people she'd met that night, our other sister Yvonne texted her jokingly asking if she could get her and her friend Monica in. Yvette laughed and relayed the text to her new friends who were all 'Yeah, we can get them in! Tell them to come on up!' so they did!

Later on, Yvonne went up and introduced herself to him and he went 'We met, you're Misty's sister right?' and she said 'Yes, but I'm her OTHER sister' and that was kinda funny. They are not twins but look very much alike.

They had a blast and he sang a few times I guess but I dunno what else he may have sang. They couldn't get over how cordial and nice and normal he was and that he was very patient with everyone wanting pictures and to talk to him.

It was cool because when I was leaving, I hadn't talked to him yet so I hung out near the small crowd around him and after a couple of minutes he saw me and waved and I waved back and then when it cleared a bit Yvette and I went over to him and that's when I introduced them and said I was leaving. He gave me a hug, said again that it was great working with me, told my sister that I'm funny and was very fun to work with. Yvette asked if she could get a quick picture and she knows he's very tired of being asked for pictures but it would mean the world to her and he said sure so I took a quick one of them. I got one of the three of us but it's really blurry. I guess the guy who took it was not one of the camera guys. lol.

It was a fun night. I left around 12:40 or so, apparently it went to like just after 3 AM or something!

UPDATE: here are some BLURRY pictures: http://bit.ly/aZc3uL

Thanks Fiera. Sounds like a great time.

That guy posting on the other site, sounds very sweet.

I remember see video of him singing Wonderwall in NYC. He seems to have his favorites......


http://www.detnews.com/article/20100803/ENT09/8030358/1402/ENT09/Grapevine--Gerard-Butler-serenades-Cheli-s


Grapevine: Gerard Butler serenades Cheli's
Adam Graham / The Detroit News


Gerard Butler serenades Cheli's
Gerard Butler is a karaoke fool. Not only was the actor whooping it up at Rockstarz Karaoke in Garden City a few weeks ago -- alongside Demi Moore and Michelle Monaghan , no less -- but he took to the microphone again over the weekend, when he got on stage at Cheli's Chili Bar in Dearborn during the wrap party for "Machine Gun Preacher," the movie he's been shooting locally in recent weeks. According to witnesses, Butler sang Oasis ' "Wonderwall" while people cheered him. No sign of Moore, at least not at this performance.

thats really a nice story lol !

At least the repertoire has expanded from Light My Fire.

yes! he's branched out from doors tunes!

Dallas wrote:

Update from the gentleman about the wrap party:

http://www.gerardbutlergals.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=33575&st=20

Here is the pic of Gerry and I: http://i841.photobuc.../gerryandme.jpg

The pic link got shortened and didn't work. Here's one that does:
https://2img.net/h/i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz332/thelastpolarbear/gerryandme.jpg