Takes one teeny bopper to know one

Wow, what a week it has been on the entertainment beat in Shreveport and it all boils down to one thing -- Hannah Montana. When the concert first announced several months ago, I couldn't tell you a thing about Hannah Montana or Miley Cyrus. Even if you follow entertainment news closely, she seemed to be a phenomenon that captivated only younger audiences and their parents. You didn't see Cyrus in entertainment magazines or see her picture in popular tabloids and unless you were a Disney Channel viewer there's a good chance you didn't even know she existed.

But all that changed when her tour announced, Shreveporters found themselves caught up in the Hannah mania. It didn't take long for us all to know exactly who the young Disney star was, even though we may not know a single song she performs. The question soon became, "Did you get tickets?" Even if you couldn't name a single song, you knew this was the hottest ticket in town.

Thursday night, it all paid off for local fans. The CenturyTel Center was packed with youngsters who have likely counted down the days until this event. A huge preparty greeted those who arrived early. And as I stood there in the midst of young girls, whose hearts were likely beating out of their chests in excitement, I can't say I understood the mania.

I was sent to cover the story for the paper and all day fellow reporters expressed their sympathy, knowing the madness I would soon encounter. It was no less hectic than what everyone had foreseen. But I felt like some of the excitement was wasted on me. Before the concert, I set up my computer in the CenturyTel offices. As I walked down the hallway to exit the arena, my escort said, "Hey, that's Miley right behind you." I turned around and there she was. She looked like your everyday 14-year-old girl, which I must say is refreshing.

I couldn't help but think about the thousands of girls waiting outside the arena who would give anything for that moment and all of that excitement was wasted on me. At that point, I started to get it. I started to understand what the young star meant to the adoring fans ready to pound down the doors for this concert. It all boiled down to one simple thought for me -- New Kids on the Block.

My dad can tell you a similar horror story about camping out at the Fair Grounds to get me tickets to that concert. It meant the world to me -- and everyone else I knew. I sat among thousands of fans in Independence Stadium when NKOTB played Shreveport. The five members weren't much bigger than my pinkie nail, but the concert was so thrilling my dad had to take me to the medical tent for a few minutes to cool down. That's the embarrassing truth about being a teeny bopper -- something about it consumes you.

One parent at Thursday's concert said something along these lines too. Her teen favorite was The Osmonds. I guess every generation has a similar story to tell.