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Spending a grand day in paradise
Actor gets key to Fort Myers, fans' hearts
By Francesca Donlan
James Denton won't forget Fort Myers anytime soon. Besides being a grand marshal for the SunTrust Edison Festival of Light Grand Parade, the mystery plumber on ABC's hit show "Desperate Housewives" had a day most people would be desperate to experience.
Early morning
Denton wakes and remembers last night's Edison ball where intoxicated women pleaded with the actor to show them his gunshot wound he sustained in last week's episode.
10 a.m.
He takes a trial drive through the parade route with his cousin, John Sheppard. But he's interrupted by a huge Oprah bus. The next thing he knows, he's on Oprah's "Wildest Dreams Come True" bus on route to the Boston Red Sox training facility.
11 a.m.
Oprah's bus pulls into the Red Sox facility. Hordes of media had their cameras set up to cover Red Sox spring training practice. Denton steps off the bus, heads into the Red Sox locker room and changes into a uniform.
11:30 a.m.
He hits the batting cages with Red Sox hitting instructor Ron Jackson.
12:15 p.m.
Fort Myers Mayor Jim Humphrey watches Denton hit a few balls, and gives him the key to the city.
"It's been fun keeping it a surprise," he said. "It's true an elected official can actively keep a secret."
Denton hits most of the pitches really well. His sister, Cindy Doak, arrives from the airport and is glad to have made it in time. Their mother, Mary Jean Woolslair, a Fort Myers native, was Queen of Edisonia in 1957. Denton catches some balls, runs bases and heads back into the locker room.
4:30 p.m.
Denton and his sister sit down for an early dinner with local relatives. Lt. Michael Maurer of the Fort Myers Police Department shows up to escort Denton to the parade and is invited in for roast, green beans and cheesecake.
5:10 p.m.
Denton and his sister get in the unmarked police car. Denton then hops out to remove a barrier to get into the VIP tent in the Harborside parking lot.
"My wife loves you," a man on the street yells out.
"Thank her for me," Denton responds and gets back in the car.
5:11 p.m.
He is mobbed seconds after he arrives in the VIP tent. He autographs everything: T-shirts, letters, dollar bills. A woman is standing in the crowd constantly clicking her camera.
"I just can't stop taking pictures of him," she said.
6:15 p.m.
Denton turns around and notices Bronson Arroyo, Red Sox pitcher and honorary grand marshal, behind him. Arroyo's wife watches "Desperate Housewives" and he met Denton earlier at the Red Sox locker room.
"You should be autographing stuff as well," Denton said to Arroyo with a smile.
Together they signed autographs for people in the line and happily stood for photos.
The two stars drive off in golf carts toward their parade convertibles.
"I love a parade," Denton said.
Hilary Sasso-Schleh, 17, center, and Doreen Sasso, both of Fort Myers, laugh Saturday as they have a friend take a photo of them with "Desperate Housewives" star James Denton during the Edison Festival of Light Grand Parade.
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