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| Britney performing at her Piece of Me Las Vegas residency (photo courtesy of billboard.com - Denise Truscello/BSLV/Getty Images for Brandcasting, Inc) |
It is
easy to say that the pop music world experienced a great wave of nostalgia in
the last two weeks. With Britney Spears’ highly-anticipated Piece of Me tour well underway on the
East Coast, Millennials and other cross-generational listeners alike awaited
the return of this century’s Pop Princess from her successful run in Las Vegas.
This infectious Britneymania had me
feeling all sorts of excitement, pleasure, wistfulness, and low-key jealously –
in the best way possible, of course. As a young man who loves to (think he can)
spend his money wisely, I decided not to buy a ticket due to the high cost and
the idea that she will one day rehash her critically-acclaimed Vegas residency.
Last Sunday as I went through my
social media feeds, I came across a familiar name who seemed over-the-moon
about his encounter at Britney’s show at the Borgata Casino Hotel & Spa in
Atlantic City the Friday night before. I could not help but curb my curiosity; I
scrolled down to read the emotional outpouring of pure, unfiltered giddiness
that is very few and far between in this day and age. From the look of his snap
collection conveying his child-like excitement, it was clear that he was not
just an attendee; he was a part of the show! And it looked like he had himself
a time, from being dog-walked across the floor to being whipped with a riding
crop by the Girl named Lucky.
To confirm my skepticism, I came
across the man behind the post: fellow Saint Joseph’s University alumnus of the
Class of 2016, Steven Michael Baron.
It has been two years since I have seen him on campus, where he was an involved
brother of the national business fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi, as well as various
other enrichment programs; from Britney fan to Britney fan, I had to get the T
on his night at the show with the showgirl herself.
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| Steve at the Piece of Me concert on July 20 in AC (photo courtesy of Steve Baron) |
During a
brief conversation on Facebook with the Disney/ABC sales team member and part-time
actor and model, I realized that he was still living off of the high from his
magical meeting. Even after attending not one, not two, but three shows – between AC and New York –
he was more than happy to share his story of serendipity and passion for a
performer that became a reality that you only see in movies. For over an hour,
we discussed his surreal moment on stage with the Princess of Pop, his life
afterward, and his hopes for the future of the original Miss American Dream.
PK:
Out of thousands of people at that concert that night, how does it feel to be the guy who got to be featured [in such
a high-profile show]?
SB:
Well, it was really a case of being at the right place, at the right time. I
went to the Event Center at the
Borgata [solo] and by chance, I caught up with a fellow Britney fan, Jesse, whom
I had not seen in seven years since my first Britney concert at The Wells Fargo
Center in Philadelphia. He too was there by himself and we decided to wait in
line together about an hour before the show started.
Then, a security guard came up behind my back
asking to “borrow” me for a second. Jesse immediately knew what the security
guard wanted with me, but I had no idea. The guard then took a picture of me with
Britney and her camp, of which he had to approve. He made me stand in the lobby
for twenty-five minutes alone. After that, two members of Britney’s security
team, Eric & Justin, [approached] me to follow them into the back; it
turned out to be the complete opposite of [my expectations].
PK:
Wow, that’s pretty incredible! So, it was luck mixed in with chance. What did
the team say when they took you with them?
SB: I found it pretty crazy because
those security guys told me that they typically find [show participants] at
[Britney’s] meet-and-greet prior to the doors opening. Those people pay $2500
for a minute to talk to her and [receive a signed gift bag afterwards]. So, the
fact that they sought me out [after all that] still
[dumbfounds] me, you know?
The most important thing that they wanted to
make sure of was that I was fun and engaging when she performed and crawled me
across the stage! Having gone to her last concert [during the 2011 Femme Fatale tour] as a junior in high
school, I saw what her act brought to the crowd. I haven’t seen this new
[Vegas-inspired] show, so I was definitely [in for a treat]!
PK:
…You got the best of both worlds: you got to see her [in action] and not have to pay the $2500
[meet-and-greet] fee!
SB: Yea, it was really crazy, to be
[in that place, being] picked by her team [as] part of her act. It was really
something. People kept asking me “what does she smell like?” and “how is she in
person?” I was in such shock while on stage with her that none of it registered
with me until afterward! She was incredibly sweet and gave me compliments like,
“Doesn’t he look like the prince from Tangled?”
and “isn’t he handsome?” It was surreal [to say the least]!
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| "Let me see you dance"! Steve with Britney's dancers at the show! |
PK:
Wow! You are the envy of many a – or should I say, every - Britney fan,
including myself! Whenever you’re having a bad day, you should show people the [full 3-minute] video of her whipping you!
SB:
For sure! Even when I am down, I always think of her music. I have been a fan
[for years], and [her music] brings me back to a point in my life when I was
younger and life was carefree. No responsibilities; just purely enjoying it all.
PK:
I saw that [on] your Facebook posts [that] you were a fan [since you were seven],
since she came out, essentially?
SB: Yea. Being a kid who always loved
acting, performing, and singing, I could not help but love her music. My
cousins and I used to choreograph dances to her songs in the living room with
the stereo, before iPods or speakers! Throwback, right?!
PK:
For sure! As a Britney fan from an early age, I’m sure it felt like a full-circle
moment for you?
SB:
It truly was. What really gets me is that I booked tickets to see her in Vegas
a couple of years ago, but those plans fell through. I was pretty bumped; at
the time, I thought that she would never tour again because her show had done
so well. Every one of my friends who went to see her said that residency was
incredible. So, to see her (literally) up close and personal the way I did
feels like a high that I still haven’t seemed to come down from!
PK:
I can only imagine! Have a lot people reached out to you [on social media]?
SB:
Oh, definitely! I got a lot of comments and DMs from friends as well as people
in the [entertainment] industry about doing events and talking to them about
meeting her. Not anything big [like movie appearances or reality TV], but I
have been enjoying the genuine interest in the experience!
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| The "Lucky" boy with the "Girl named Lucky" as he gets his T-shirt signed! |
PK:
Speaking of options, would you be open to [breaking into] reality TV or doing a
docuseries?
SB:
Probably not reality TV. I mean, I am not against it at all. But, for me
personally, it’s just not what I want to do with my career. A docuseries would
more likely be something I would do to get my name out there. There are so many
topics I want to explore that I believe will reach so many people.
PK:
As [Britney’s personal] life and career being so out there, especially within
the last 10 years, [her career exhibits turning something so bad in your life
into something amazing]. In fact, [Jive Records], musically speaking, had this
image of her being a country singer; and she was like no! And “…Baby, One More Time”
was originally written for [R&B girl group] TLC.
SB: I remember that. And [the studio]
also wanted her to do that music video with an outer space theme. But, she
insisted that they go with the schoolgirl theme, as it resonated with her
audience much more, and the rest is history.
PK:
That’s right. She did the spaceman thing for “Oops! I Did it Again”, but that
first video was iconic.
SB: Of
course, and “Oops!” will forever be my favorite of hers. I remember when I
received the Oops! I Did it Again album
for my birthday, it was so awesome [to finally have] the physical copy so I did
not have to wait to listen to it on the radio! My cousins and I would try to mimic
the choreography in our living rooms. Both the song and video bring such
nostalgia of being young and reminds me of a simpler time. It’s a great memory
to keep.
PK:
If you had to pinpoint it, what was the takeaway that you got from everything that
happened [following your moment]?
SB:
Do whatever you put your mind to. You are capable of doing anything if you are
passionate enough about something. Being in the entertainment industry,
everyone is very competitive and trying to get a leg in the door. I come from a
performing background; I still do acting and modeling on the side, on the
weekends; but with a full-time job, it’s hard to do these things as much as I
would like to. But I made sure that I [undertook] something in an industry with
which I am in love.
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| Steve with Miss "Overprotected"! |
PK:
That’s pretty dope! I feel that so many college grads, as you may know, lose
some of themselves while looking for a job because [they have to give up what
they love most]. Do you have any advice for anyone looking for professional
inspiration?
SB:
Everyone [aspires] to make [his or her] mark in the world; but making a name
for yourself takes a lot of time networking and building relationships. For
example, I was able to reconnect with old friends, Lauren & Jesse, whom I had
not seen since the last [Britney] concert seven years ago. I also ran into an
acquaintance, Giuseppe, whom I sat next to on a plane with Paula Abdul when I
went out to LA two years ago. He is now on tour with Taylor Swift along with
another acquaintance, Jeslyn. Both are killing it as Taylor’s backup dancer and
singer (respectively). The power of networking is insane, so don’t burn any
bridges.
[At Radio
City Music Hall] the same night I ran into Giuseppe, I met an executive from Live
Nation and I asked her if Britney really
signs all that merchandise; she affirmed that she does indeed take that time
out for her fans, which is amazing! [To top it all off], Andy Cohen sat in
front of me before he appeared on
stage!
PK:
And [Britney] had no idea who he was!
SB:
Yea! She said “give it up for him!”
which I found very funny. He is in the world of Bravo and what not, so it is
possible that she doesn’t know him all that well. But still, he is Andy Cohen!
PK:
Before we wrap up, I must ask: what’s in store for your future?
SB:
Well, that’s a very good question. My ultimate goal is to grow in this industry.
I adore the entertainment field and whether that means being a top-level executive
at a company or being a performer or creator of any kind, (or both!), I am
certain that I have found my home in this [business].
I
continue to pursue my passion for performance in Community Theater at the
AfterWork Theater and working front of house at The Juilliard School, both in
addition to my full-time gig at Disney/ABC. I enjoy every aspect of these
because I feel like they shape my knowledge from all sides of the entertainment
realm and they are prepping me for a long career in the business.
PK:
I’ve seen that you have modeled while at SJU and working in the city. Are you
with an agency?
SB:
No, I am not, but open to representation as I enjoy it very much!
PK:
What do you want to see Britney do in the next years?
SB:
Definitely, I would like to see her release some new music; half new stuff with
current beats and half that brings us back to that classic bubblegum-pop sound.
And, of course, the Superbowl!
PK:
I couldn’t agree more! Out of [every musician] I know, I am shocked that she’s
never done a solo halftime show.
SB:
I know, right?! It seems like the perfect fit because she’s such a great
entertainer. I don’t like when the public compares her to other artists.
Britney is Britney and she’s still a force in the music business. It is cool to
see how artists like her and unlike her are celebrated in music today.
PK:
A typical case of damned if you do, damned if you don’t. I’ll be sure to look
out for your name on TV someday, haha. And again, Steve, thank you very much
for taking the time to talk with me. “The Hawk will never die” and neither will
the tuition bill! Much luck to you; I hope we catch up again in the [near
future].
SB: PK, thank you for reaching out to
me! It was an absolute pleasure to speak with you. I can’t wait to see what
you’ve written. And we will talk soon. The Hawk will never die!
§
For more on Steve's magical moment, check out this Billboard.com article.
For the full YouTube videos featuring Steve, take a look here!
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