Green Day is getting the "Spirit of Liberty" Award

[Parley]

they dont deserve the award. they wrote a song called American Idiot. liberty? yeah right. xD

Sounds like something written by a 14-year-old.

[spark in the night]

haha Idiot Club is slow

they dont even have this on their news updates

and we have pictures too!

muahahaha

[farley drexel hatcher]

I just saw the video from this of the speech, it was great. They all seem so down to earth still. Billie's speech was brilliant, you can tell he practised it a few times!

[*Megan*]

I just watched the speech.

Aww, I think I just fell in love with Billie again.

Anyways, I'm glad they won, and they clearly were too.

[beth hardy]

^ Megan!! he was being a dork..lol (teenie moment over)

[netty]

they dont deserve the award. they wrote a song called American Idiot. liberty? yeah right. xD

care to explain that?

[Guest 16PaperLanterns]

they dont deserve the award. they wrote a song called American Idiot. liberty? yeah right. xD

shows how much you know.

[**nobodylikesyou**]

I think it's generally positive!

This is the shortest post I have EVER seen from you. LOL.

Did Jnine post the pics and delete them already?

they dont deserve the award. they wrote a song called American Idiot. liberty? yeah right. xD

What exactly do you think the song is about? Because what i interpret it to mean, they still deserve the award.

[justcause]

This is the shortest post I have EVER seen from you. LOL.

Lol, I wouldn't count on it being a trend!

[**nobodylikesyou**]

Lol, I wouldn't count on it being a trend!

I wouldnt want it to be!!

[brooksy]

I think it's great they have the award they've done heaps for the comunity over the years and Billie should be President.

[*Megan*]

^ Megan!! he was being a dork..lol (teenie moment over)

Haha, so true.

Gotta love Dorky Billie.

[tre_kicks_ass]

aw, that was cute lol

[Waffles]

I'm happy they won

[pismodiver]

A brief account:

Ros said some people might be interested in hearing a little bit more about the People For the American Way Spirit of Liberty Awards.

PFtAW is an organization that I am familiar with and support, so when I heard they were giving Green Day an award, it seemed like too good of an opportunity to pass up.

I live a few hours from LA, but a good friend of mine who is a long-time (like Kerplunk! era) Green Day fan decided to fly out from Florida to join me. At the dinner, we were seated at a table with 7 other people, who all also turned out to be there to see Green Day. At least two of them post here on GDC. We were towards the front, but on an elevated level off to the side of the banquet hall. I'm guessing there were about 800 or so people present.

During the opening speech by Norman Lear, my friend spotted Mike, Tré and Billie Joe, along with Adrienne Armstrong, Chris Dugan, Rob Cavallo, and Bill Schiender at a table near the front. (Those were the people I saw and recognized.) There was a short break after the opening speech while the salad course was cleared away, and my friend and I got up and went down to their table.

There were certainly a number of folks milling about to talk to them, but this was a Hollywood crowd, not a music crowd, so it was hardly a mob scene. Given the nature of the event and the cost of the tickets ($300), it was also an adult crowd as well. Everyone was very respectful and waited for their turn basically. We were able to meet Tré and chat with him for a bit, then found Mike and met and spoke with him for a few minutes. He was very impressed that my friend came all the way from Florida for this. Mike was very charming and seemed to be enjoying himself. As we were waiting to speak with Billie Joe, some security goons shooed us away because the main program was about to start.

Green Day received their award last, of the four honorees. I videoed the acceptance speech given by Billie Joe using the video function of my digital camera, off of the large digital display screen that was right by our table. You can find the link to download it in the video section of the forum. Billie Joe was fairly articulate (for him, that is!), but Mike and Tré didn't speak at all.

When they came out from back stage and the lights went up, we grabbed our programs and headed back down. This time we found Mike first and got his autograph, then did the same with Tré. Tré had definitely been imbibing his share of the wine at the table, shall we say. While my friend tried to track Billie down, I went over and spoke to Rob Cavallo. What a nice man! He still seems surprised that people recognize him and want to talk to him.

I followed my friend over to where she was talking to Billie Joe, and did the pic and autograph thing with him. I really didn't get much of a chance to talk to him, although my friend did. He seemed to be in a pretty good mood. On the way out, in the lobby, we ran into Adrienne Armstrong. She is as beautiful and lovely as you could possibly imagine, and incredibly sweet. As they were headed out to the limo, we saw Mike again with a pretty woman with long, brown hair. I didn't think it looked like his most recent SO, Brittney, and neither did my friend, but someone on LiveJournal swears it was her and she dyed her hair. *shrug* We watched them climb into a limo and drive away; Adrienne said they were flying back to Oakland that night, which means they must have chartered a plane, as it was approaching midnight.

So, in summary, it was a wonderful experience. Short of climbing into the limo with them, I can't think of how it could have been better. All three of them were polite and gracious, although I would say Mike was definitely the most personable, at least that night. It was certainly worth the price of the ticket, and I know my friend from Florida agrees it was worth the cross-country flight. I'm glad I got the pics and autographs, but even more, I'm glad I got the chance to speak with them, even if it was only for a few minutes. Now if only that next album and tour would hurry up!

[TotalBasketCase13]

pismodiver, you're so lucky! I loved Billie's acceptance speech and it was so cute when he dropped his money

[*withoutadoubt*]

^Thanks pismodiver for recounting all of that! It does sound like you had a great night! And thanks again for the video.

[goodday]

^Thanks pismodiver

[just_fucking_kill_me]

My mum raised me on Green Day since they first started. LOL a baby hearing Green Day.. Good for them that they won.. They deserve it.

[Waffles]

My mum raised me on Green Day since they first started. LOL a baby hearing Green Day.. Good for them that they won.. They deserve it.

wow...that's fucking cool!!

[Shadowiegirl]

A brief account:

Ros said some people might be interested in hearing a little bit more about the People For the American Way Spirit of Liberty Awards.

Thanks for the video (which has now gone round the internet) and thanks for the account, it just brings it to life for us sad people who don't get to mix with them

[RevolutionRegained]

hey kiddos- i know its extremely late haha but i scanned some stuff that i got at the award ceremony just so you guys get to see all the stuff everyone there(including green day) got!

there huge, as they are scans,just so you know!

the ticket you got when you check in- (i believe GD were seated at table 100 to give you an idea)

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/4644/scannedimage3pm1.jpg

the donate/booklet you receive-

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/3070/scannedimage4ra8.jpg

these are scans from the book you get at your seat-

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/2323/scannedimage5af0.jpg

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/372/scannedimage6dh6.jpg

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/2984/scannedimage7qb7.jpg

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/7385/scannedimage8rs2.jpg

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/1969/scannedimage9rj3.jpg

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/8518/sc...dimage10do8.jpg

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/4473/sc...dimage11ci5.jpg

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/6076/sc...dimage12gw9.jpg

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/1905/sc...dimage13zk6.jpg

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/4937/sc...dimage14zm8.jpg

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/7259/sc...dimage15ru4.jpg

from the book, info about the award itself -

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/6873/sc...dimage16os7.jpg

again, excuse my extreme lateness(haha 6 fucking months geez im lazy)

A brief account:

Ros said some people might be interested in hearing a little bit more about the People For the American Way Spirit of Liberty Awards.

PFtAW is an organization that I am familiar with and support, so when I heard they were giving Green Day an award, it seemed like too good of an opportunity to pass up.

I live a few hours from LA, but a good friend of mine who is a long-time (like Kerplunk! era) Green Day fan decided to fly out from Florida to join me. At the dinner, we were seated at a table with 7 other people, who all also turned out to be there to see Green Day. At least two of them post here on GDC. We were towards the front, but on an elevated level off to the side of the banquet hall. I'm guessing there were about 800 or so people present.

During the opening speech by Norman Lear, my friend spotted Mike, Tré and Billie Joe, along with Adrienne Armstrong, Chris Dugan, Rob Cavallo, and Bill Schiender at a table near the front. (Those were the people I saw and recognized.) There was a short break after the opening speech while the salad course was cleared away, and my friend and I got up and went down to their table.

There were certainly a number of folks milling about to talk to them, but this was a Hollywood crowd, not a music crowd, so it was hardly a mob scene. Given the nature of the event and the cost of the tickets ($300), it was also an adult crowd as well. Everyone was very respectful and waited for their turn basically. We were able to meet Tré and chat with him for a bit, then found Mike and met and spoke with him for a few minutes. He was very impressed that my friend came all the way from Florida for this. Mike was very charming and seemed to be enjoying himself. As we were waiting to speak with Billie Joe, some security goons shooed us away because the main program was about to start.

Green Day received their award last, of the four honorees. I videoed the acceptance speech given by Billie Joe using the video function of my digital camera, off of the large digital display screen that was right by our table. You can find the link to download it in the video section of the forum. Billie Joe was fairly articulate (for him, that is!), but Mike and Tré didn't speak at all.

When they came out from back stage and the lights went up, we grabbed our programs and headed back down. This time we found Mike first and got his autograph, then did the same with Tré. Tré had definitely been imbibing his share of the wine at the table, shall we say. While my friend tried to track Billie down, I went over and spoke to Rob Cavallo. What a nice man! He still seems surprised that people recognize him and want to talk to him.

I followed my friend over to where she was talking to Billie Joe, and did the pic and autograph thing with him. I really didn't get much of a chance to talk to him, although my friend did. He seemed to be in a pretty good mood. On the way out, in the lobby, we ran into Adrienne Armstrong. She is as beautiful and lovely as you could possibly imagine, and incredibly sweet. As they were headed out to the limo, we saw Mike again with a pretty woman with long, brown hair. I didn't think it looked like his most recent SO, Brittney, and neither did my friend, but someone on LiveJournal swears it was her and she dyed her hair. *shrug* We watched them climb into a limo and drive away; Adrienne said they were flying back to Oakland that night, which means they must have chartered a plane, as it was approaching midnight.

So, in summary, it was a wonderful experience. Short of climbing into the limo with them, I can't think of how it could have been better. All three of them were polite and gracious, although I would say Mike was definitely the most personable, at least that night. It was certainly worth the price of the ticket, and I know my friend from Florida agrees it was worth the cross-country flight. I'm glad I got the pics and autographs, but even more, I'm glad I got the chance to speak with them, even if it was only for a few minutes. Now if only that next album and tour would hurry up!

haha, i would say the people on gdc your talking about are me, but i was at a table with howie,ex reprise president. it was verrry awesome. i cant wait to go to this years(even if gd isnt there )