The Toyota Live Farewell

Thank you, Toyota Live......Goodnight!

 The Ugly Cry....you know, the one Oprah always talks about. 

Every good ending....and beginning starts with a Magnolia cupcake.

Endings and Beginnings......

Post-show and I am a bit puffy-eyed and weepy for our final Toyota Live photo.

If you told me in 2007 that I would still be doing the same show, Toyota Live, in 2012, I would laugh in your face.  Here I am, some 4000 shows later, and finally on the precipice of retirement.  It was a hard decision, but one that was pretty much sealed after this post.  I accomplished everything I wanted with a  show that was basically built around me and my co-host, Matt Troyer. I was having trouble balancing my work and personal obligations in LA with life on the road.  It's hard to give up a job that I really enjoyed and a job that I was incredibly grateful for, but it was time.

An old 2008 team photo with Emily and Amy.

Now Matt and I went through it all from trying to do shows with laryngitis to on-set pranks (usually involving unattended iPhones and new wallpaper.), it was never a dull moment.  We weathered through a rough economy, a massive recall and the subsequent media onslaught, and an earthquake/tsunami in Japan.  Toyota stood behind our show through each and every event.  I am not sure many people can say that about a corporation in this day and age.  I started the show with a Corolla and I end it with a Prius.  Yes, I drive a Toyota and it was a true pleasure to represent the brand on and off the stage.

This was a hard moment, our last sentence of the show:  "This is Toyota Live!"

Yesterday, we said our final farewells to the show as a team.  Matt is off to another city for another job while I still have three more days in New York to finish out the show.  I didn't expect our last show to be so emotional.  I walked onstage not expecting anything but a regular show, then reality set in. The crowd was huge, our supervisor, Simms, started the show with a moving speech, and we kicked it off with a final surprise rendition of Michael Jackson's "Beat It". (A dance I often bust out on command.)  The show was electric, but the final moment had come......"I'm Kristyn"....."I'm Matt"......and I heard the crack in the voices.  I know our last line of "This is Toyota Live" came through a flood of tears.  Even when you are ready, it's sometimes hard to say goodbye.

Backstage, the countdown continues....

I leave with a huge sense of gratitude to Toyota, Productions Plus, Mindfield Pictures, and GPJ. Thank you for an incredible opportunity, it's been such a wonderful journey with all of you. (I will be thanking you individually offline since there are so many of you!)

If you ever wanted to know what a Cobra is.....this is a Cobra. 

To all of the kids who came year after year to see our shows, play our games, and win prizes:  You have no idea how much fun it was to see you each year after growing a few inches, losing a few baby teeth, and still coming up with hugs even though twelve months had passed since we last saw you.  I won't forget you.

To our TDs, Cobra and Larry: Thanks for feeding me lots of candy, teasing me unmercifully, and playing ridiculous sound effects for us.....my Justin Bieber joke will always be my favorite because secretly, I am a Belieber, not Matt.

The team last weekend with NASCAR/Joe Gibbs driver, Joey Logano.

To our Toyota Racing expert, Trackside Tina:  You are a true inspiration and you bring so much joy and enthusiasm to the team.

To my co-host, Matt Troyer:  You are the best co-host in the world, but you are an even better friend.  Thank you for the laughs, the tears, the support, and your friendship.  I will always try to break into your phone and change your wallpaper.

Thank you, Toyota Live, Goodnight!

New York Auto Show, 2010.

First Weekend at the NY Auto Show 2012

This was not choreographed.

If you have been following me on Twitter, you know I am retiring from Toyota Live at the end of the NY Auto Show.  I will post more about this later in the week, but I want to thank you all for the well wishes and support.  Here are some fun photos from my first weekend at the NY Auto Show.  I still have 6 days remaining, so come on down and say "hi" if you are in the NYC area.  My shows are at the top of the hour beginning at 11AM and ending at 8PM, no show at 4PM, because a girl has to eat!

 The countdown has begun on the production room wall.

 Trackside Tina, Camping World Truck Series driver, Timothy Peters, me, and Matt Troyer after our Saturday show.

 Eating a slice at one of my favorite NYC pizza joints.  They are under new management and their pizza is not-so-good. Boo!

You know me....posing on a red carpet no matter where I am.  Um, the sneakers really make the outfit?

First Weekend on Toyota Live in LA!

It's always fun to have guests on Toyota Live and this weekend was no exception.  We had a few fun guests to liven up a very busy weekend at the LA Auto Show.  First up, Tay Zonday, a YouTube sensation from his video, "Chocolate Rain".  If you haven't seen it yet, where have you been?  He has over 74 million hits.  When I first interviewed him for The Web Files in 2009, he "only" had 34 million hits.  Tay has one of the best voices in the world in terms of depth and vocal quality.  It was awesome to have him open up the show.

Our scheduled guests for the show included Toyota NHRA drag racers, Del Worsham and Alexis DeJoria.  Del's top speed in one of his top fuel dragster?  Only 327 MPH.  Pretty impressive from a world champion.  Alexis comes to the NHRA with an interesting background as her dad owns the Paul Mitchell hair care and the Patron tequila empire.  You wouldn't expect someone with that background to enter the NHRA circuit, but she's an incredible driver with an exciting future after her big win in Seattle this year.

Me, Del Worsham,Trackside Tina, Alexis DeJoria, and Matt Troyer after the show.

Finally, I love this photo (see below)!  You look at a photo like this and think, "what the heck is going on?"  Well, it's your turn to caption the photo.  Leave your quote in the comments below.  I will pick a winner on Monday, November 28th.  I have a great prize for the ladies filled with makeup and mani/pedi goodies.  If a gentleman wins, don't worry, I will find something good for you in the KB prize closet.  Ready, set...be creative!

What the heck is going on here?

Scenes from the Red River Rivalry Weekend

Matt hit up Fletcher's Corny Dog. I haven't had my annual treat....yet.

Ah, Red River Rivalry weekend....for those of you not from Texas or Oklahoma, this is a huge football weekend between OU and UT that occurs each year at the Cotton Bowl at the State Fair of Texas.  As someone who went to a high school and a university without a football team, it is sometimes an overwhelming venture.  It's fun to watch everyone decked out in their school colors and see how passionate the fans are about their respective teams.  I am still trying to figure out how a punter and a place kicker differ on the field and why five minutes in football takes twenty minutes in real time.  Nonetheless, I survived my third Red River Rivalry weekend with flying colors....yellow and black.  

 My cute little opening show announcers while Trackside Tina, our racing expert looks on from the audience.

 Immediately following the game.  We survived!  Sweaty, but rather gleeful. 

 I've been tweeting for Toyota Trucks while at the fair. Crystal is one of Toyota's most enthusiastic fans and she came out to say "hi".  We were so happy to finally meet her!

 A night show!  It's been hot here, look how shiny I am!

 And then it rained.  I found a new use for Toyota bags on the way home....and I'm always advertising for them.

 That would be my co-host also avoiding the rain.

 The battle of the teams.  I aligned with UT while Matt aligned with OU for their schools' fight song.

 Hitting the RC Tundra race tent with a little bit of Toyota trivia.

 Limbo time!  Everyone made it through this game safely. Phew.  The crowds had been drinking for awhile when we began this game.

 There were thousands of people in our display watching the game which was only a few feet away.

Parting shot......

Photos Courtesy of Kristyn Burtt, Matt Troyer, and Tina Pettet.

My First Weekend at the State Fair of Texas

Howdy, Folks!  Yes, it's that time of year again and the State Fair of Texas has officially opened.  If you have never experienced the State Fair, you are missing out. It is the largest state fair in the U.S. and it certainly does not disappoint.  Just like everything else in Texas, it's big!  Big Tex is your host and he greets you each day with a big, slow, "Howdy, Folks".  

Yep, Born in Texas and Built by Texans.  The beloved Tundra greets you at the entrance of the outdoor display:

Uh oh, this is what greeted me when I arrived on Saturday:  lots of rain and some flooding reminiscent of last year's fair:

 Lots of rain=really wet sneakers.  Those hand dryers come in really handy on the wet days.

 The show!  Trackside Tina is a great addition this year with some great prizes, a little NHRA and a whole lot of Kyle Busch from the Toyota Racing NASCAR team:

 Perhaps my favorite edition to Toyota Live this year is the new intro:  new music, new graphics, and my picture on the Jumbotron!

 Never a dull moment on the stage:  dancing to our intro music with my co-host, Chris Petschler.

Sunday was the most incredible day with beautiful fall weather, the sun shining brightly, and more laughs onstage than my stomach could handle.  Thanks for a great first weekend, Dallas!  We have 20 more days at the State Fair of Texas, be sure to stop by and say "hi"!