Thanks to my blessed life, I have done many unique things that have involved celebrities and special events. I attended the after-party for the Daytime Emmy Awards at New York’s Webster Hall in 1996, I did an Old Navy Press Conference with Kevin Bacon, Iovanna Trump and the three runners-up of American Idol in 2002 – and I filmed the World Wrestling Entertainment charity tug-of-war against the NYPD and FDNY aboard the U.S.S. Intrepid in 1998. But of all the celebrity and event related nights I have had, tonight was one of the best by far – it was the premiere of the 20th Century FOX Film Taxi – starring Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon.

When I worked for the Taxi & Limousine Commission, I worked on the film by helping to provide 20th Century FOX with the stickers that go inside a New York City taxicab as well as some advice on how it is inside the TLC’s licensing facility. After I left TLC in April, I stopped working on the movie but still eagerly anticipated its release. Last night, my dear friend David Pollack, who I worked with at TLC and have become fast friends with now that I am no longer a City official – called me and told me that he had an extra ticket to the premiere of the movie if I wanted it. Dave was responsible for organizing the dozens of taxicabs that lined the inside of the Jacob Javits Convention Center, the site of the premiere. Considering that I worked on the movie, seeing as how I did work on the film – and remembering how much I love going to celebrity events – I leapt at the chance – and had one hail of a time.

When we got there and got upstairs, the main floor of the Javits Center, which is normally reserved for huge conventions like the auto show or the PC Expo, was lined with the aforementioned nearly 100 cabs in a drive-in movie motif with a hundred or so VIP seats that had names like, “Queen Latifah” “Jimmy Fallon” and “Gisele Bundchen” typed on paper that was taped to the appropriately yellow seat. In addition, there was a paparazzi section for “stills” when the stars walked in and a yellow “red carpet” where the press could interview the stars. At the front of the line were shows like Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood – and at the end of the line were David and myself.

With a camera in one hand and a micro-cassette recorder in the other, I interviewed everyone from co-stars Gisele Bundchen, Ingrid Vandebosch and Henry Simmons, to Director Tim Story – to the dynamic duo themselves – Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon. When she approached me and shook my hand, Queen Latifah seemed very personable and eager to speak with me as I asked her what it was like to be a New York City cabdriver in this movie. “It was great,” she said enthusiastically. “especially getting to shoot in New York City was fantastic.” As for Jimmy Fallon, he was, in my opinion, the most enthusiastic of the cast. As giddy as a kid in a candy store, Jimmy started our interview by saying, “Hey Paul! Jimmy!, Nice to see you man! How are ya?” After that incredibly warm greeting, I asked him what it was like to do a movie with such a great cast. “I lucked out…again” was his very genuine answer. I then asked him about a movie he is working on called Fever Pitch in which he will play a fan obsessed with the Boston Red Sox and said that he could use the same accent that he used on Saturday Night Live when he played Sully, the obsessed Boston Red Sox fan – which is when we both broke out into his traditional, “You Are!” accent that he did with his co-sketch star, Rachel Dratch.

After the interviews were over, it was time for us to take our seats. I had second row seats, which were ironically in front of all of the stars of the movie. Before the lights dimmed, I stopped at co-star Jennifer Esposito’s seat. She plays Lieutenant Marta Robbins, a hard-nosed cop and former love interest of Fallon’s character, Washburn. After telling her that I was sorry that I did not get the chance to interview her, I told her that I find her to be an amazing actress and a stunning woman. She told me that my statement made her night and allowed me to take a picture with her. After that, I sat in my seat, the lights went out – and the movie began.

I have to admit that it was quite surreal to sit and watch a movie knowing that every person on the screen is sitting around you while you watch it. As each celebrity’s name popped up on the screen, the crowd erupted into applause. When Jennifer Esposito’s name came on the screen, I began to applaud and turned to her – and as the crowd was cheering – she smiled at me and waved – something that in turn – made my night. As the movie was proceeding, which was so good that it will surely make number one at the box office when it is released on October 8th – I couldn’t help but look around me and see all of the stars of the movie watching it with me. That is something I have never experienced before – but will cherish all the days of my life.

When the amazing movie was over, I got out of my seat, hugged Jennifer Esposito and told her she did and amazing job – and then approached Jimmy Fallon once again and said, “Bravo!” – to which he responded in the most sincere voice, “Really? Did you like it?” Of all the wonderful actors and actresses that I met tonight, I will forever credit Jimmy Fallon for his honest and heartfelt enthusiasm at his own success – especially considering that he stayed after every other celebrity left to make sure that he took pictures with and sign autographs for every person that was still there.

I was also happy that I got to see some of my old colleagues from the TLC. From Commissioner Matthew Daus, to Assistant Commissioner Jed Applebaum, to First Deputy Commissioner Ira Goldstein – to my former boss and current friend Allan Fromberg – who not only drove me home – but interacted with me so well – that I forgot that he and I no longer work together.

Life is not a cakewalk for me. With all that I do, there comes with my daily existence a lot of work and a boatload of stress. But how I love nights like tonight that allow me to mingle with Hollywood’s elite, attend an exclusive premiere of a movie that will not be released to the general public for another five days – and ad another amazing memory to the library of my life.

Thank you 20th Century FOX, thank you Queen Latifah, Jimmy Fallon, Gisele Bundchen, Jennifer Esposito, Henry Simmons, Ingrid Vandebosch and Tim Story – and thank you so much Dave Pollack…

…for one hail of an evening that I will never forget.