Joan- Reflections

The time is going by so fast. Here it is Monday, November30th,2009 Thanksgiving is over and in just 25 days Christmas will be at our door steps. I can hardly wait. Excitement is still high and there is no way I could have ever imagined that as this opportunity unfolds it would have brought so much fun and positive people exchange. I have literally met people from not only many parts of the United States but the world.There are some people who visit NYC at this holiday season every year and they have included the Charmin restroom Enjoy the Go as part of their NY experience. How nice is that? Until next time.

Leah-Charmin Restrooms, A Home Away From Home

Thanksgiving has come and gone for another year, and for the first time in my life I spent it away from my entire family. I was a wee bit gloomy about it at first, but as I met more and more amazing guests throughout the day, my gloom was counter balanced by gratitude. As much as I missed my own family, I had the privilege to take a glimpse into the lives of hundreds of families celebrating and being thankful. I was surrounded by positive energy. I decided to ask people what they were grateful for on a personal level, and document it on a roll of Ultra Strong with DiamondWeave.

Many were thankful for their friends and family but surprisingly enough, top of the list, people were sincerely grateful for The Charmin Restrooms!! One woman exclaimed," If Charmin hadn't been here for me, I wouldn't have made it back to my hotel! I'd have had to buy new pants!" At the end of a long and full day in Manhattan, travelers need to feel taken care of. The Charmin Restrooms have many comforts of home: A fire place to cozy up to, couches, pillows, and toilets to take a load off! On numerous occasions, weary guests have sat down only to doze off like Cody's Sleeping Beauty! I guess they feel safe and taken care of in our oasis away from the city streets. Granted the Charmin Song was playing instead of football, but our hospitality was the next best thing to being in their own living rooms! At the end of my Thanksgiving Day, I realized how lucky I was to have had a Charmin Thanksgiving, and to have such an extraordinary family of my very own to miss. I owe them a debt of gratitude for their constant support, teaching me to embrace the fun, silly side of life, and that laughter and joy are the true forms of success. With 2009 fading fast, let's try to enjoy the simple, beautiful things of this Holiday Season... enjoy the go.

Funny Man Cody: Promoting Charmin Avenue Q style.

Miss Faaabulous loves Charmin Restrooms Times Square.

Your Prince Charmin

Cody Melton

Cody.TheGoTeam@gmail.com

The Go Team Puppets in Bryant Park!!!

The Charmin Go Team had a little field trip adventure to Bryant Park to explore the Christmas Market!! Turn up your sound to see what the puppets had to say!

Next time, maybe we can go ice skating... whee!!

- The Go Team

Enjoying the Go in the Lap of Luxury- Antonio

It was a gorgeous day in New York City and I felt like a million bucks. Now, there are days when I feel like my last name is Rockefeller and I own the city. (These tend to be horrible days for my wallet.) Yesterday was one of those days.

So I headed out to The Plaza Hotel to start my journey and find some fancy loos. Nothing says luxury quite like The Plaza. The restrooms were gorgeous: beautiful white marble floors and walls. The toilets and urinals were very sophisticated, finished off with brushed nickel faucets. I pulled out my camera to take a picture of this fancy bathroom, but instead got my first lesson of the day. DO NOT PULL OUT A CAMERA WHEN MEN HAVE THEIR FLY DOWN. It makes them very uncomfortable and you will get collective grunts and menacing looks.

Anyway, after walking around like one of the kids on Gossip Girl, I headed out to do some “shopping”. I was in the market for a Tiffany engagement ring, a Cartier watch, and lunch with Donald Trump. (I pretended to buy all of these so I could check out their lounges. Stores like these don’t have bathrooms; they have lounges.)

Here’s the skinny: The lounge at Tiffany is really nice. I especially like the floor-to-ceiling oak door to the very spacious stall and the platinum, diamond-studded cufflinks that would look great with my tux (oh sorry, back to the bathroom). The ecru wallpaper with Tiffany style links looks great with the marble tiles and wooden slats on the floor. Oh, but those cufflinks…

The security guards at Trump Tower were neither pleased nor amused when I told them I had a meeting with Mr. Trump and then confessed I was just checking out the bathrooms. The opulent restrooms were covered floor to ceiling in rose, mauve and taupe colored marble, golden fixtures, and a neat lil’ angular entrance. I snapped a picture of it and was quickly reminded, though, that cameras in or around the restroom are not very welcome.

My next stop was my favorite, and potentially most disastrous one: CARTIER!! Ok…there’s a Cartier watch that I absolutely looooove, so of course I tried it on. Caught up in my story that I was getting a Christmas present for my dad (Mr. Rockefeller, of course), I tried on a couple of different watches and am now officially obsessed with the Large Steel “Ronde Solo” which, to quote the salesman, is “wonderfully priced at $2,625.” For about 7 seconds I considered buying it but reminded myself that rent is due soon and I can’t live for three months in a watch (or can I?). I am, however, accepting gifts for the holiday season, so don’t be shy…a collective gift is fine too. Well, three watches and two obsessions later I left Cartier empty handed. Oh, about the restroom…well, people in fantasies tend to get distracted from their objective by shiny stuff. Yup, I forgot to go.

At this point I figured it was in my wallet’s best interest that I stop being a Rockefeller and came back to reality. My conclusion, though: “Enjoying the go” in the lap of luxury still requires good toilet paper even if dispensed from a silver Tiffany pedestal and not even a Cartier watch will delay when it’s time to ‘go’.

International Bathroom Discussion: Squatty Potties! -Annie

In all of my travels abroad, I've encountered a pretty diverse array of toilets. The first time I went to Europe when I was twenty, I was puzzled and embarrassed when I had to ask for instructions on how to flush… the solution was a pull cord that used gravity to drop the water down from the ceiling! For me as an American, this was a totally novel idea. Now that I'm somewhat more experienced as an international bathroom user, I pride myself in being able to figure things out. Whether it's a pedal on the floor, a hidden flush button, or throwing a simple bucket of water, I can usually manage to flush successfully without consulting the locals.

Here in the Charmin Restrooms, I keep asking people for their favorite international bathroom stories. Now, after a few days here, I've started to accumulate some pretty interesting anecdotes about restrooms from all over the world! Just the other day, I met a girl from Montana named Hannah. (Not Hannah Montana, but Hannah from Montana.) Anyway, Hannah was explaining to me that she grew up in Taiwan, where the normal toilet is a "squatty potty." I'm including some photos to help you visualize, in case you've never seen one.

I've encountered these lovely toilets in Asia, Africa, and South America, so they're pretty common… but to an American, they can be kind of intimidating the first time you use them. They are basically a porcelain-lined hole in the ground, with pedals for your feet. Yep. You've gotta squat, balance, and not fall over in the process. For men, it's easier, because they can just stand up, but for women, it really exercises our thigh muscles!

In Taiwan, Hannah had regular western toilet in her house, but this was new to many of her Taiwanese friends who had never seen one, and had always exclusively used the squatty potties. Hannah said that frequently after her friends visited, she would find footprints on her toilet seat from their shoes… because they didn't understand that they were supposed to sit down, and they balanced on their feet and squatted instead!

Through the power of the internet, I have discovered that this phenomenon isn't completely unique, and you can actually buy an adaptable toilet seat for people who prefer to squat, rather than sit! I guess when we're looking at the amazing diversity of the world, going to the bathroom is just part of the mix!

Send me your international bathroom stories! You can email me: annie.thegoteam@gmail.com!

-Annie

Stars on the Go: The Whoopi video- Antonio

Hey guys. Here's the Whoopi Goldberg video.


Audio is kinda low so here's a paraphrased transcript:

Leah: You don't have a 'gotta go' dance?!?!
Whoopi: Honey, when you get to be my age, you just go!

Funny Man Cody: First Field Interveiw

There is a reason why you should not chew gum while trying to conduct an interview. I look like a cat that has peanut butter on the roof of its mouth the whole time (smack smack, chomp chomp). The interview is funny for many reasons, so I decided to post it. It was my first one of the day. I of course picked a lady (Albina from Albania) who I think was more scared of me than anything else. Her husband was giving me the stare; you know the one. If you notice, she keeps trying to slowly edge away. You know she was thinking, "just answer his questions, and maybe he will leave you alone." I have never frightened anyone into giving an interview, a new technique I will be using. My plan was to ask random shoppers if they would buy there children a doll that pees and poops. I think it sounds too messy and more work than fun. I expect my toys to clean up after themselves...

The Go Team Celebrates Black Friday at the Toy Store!! - Annie

The holiday shopping season has officially begun here in New York, and the city was full to the brim today! To celebrate Black Friday, the Go Team just made a little field trip to the toy store down the street... and there were certainly a few other people there too!

We went straight to the Potty Aisle and had some fun checking out the goods... here Leah, Antonio, and Cody all give it their best shot!

Then, we shopped around for the perfect toy to donate to Toys for Tots, and settled on the "Whoopsie Doo" doll. Apparently she goes to the potty for real when you feed her. We couldn't decide if this was a good thing, or a bad thing, or what!

For our grand finale, we rode the GIANT ferris wheel!! It was great and extremely fun, although by the end, we all really, really, really had to go to the bathroom...

(To see more fun photos from our toy store adventure, check out our Flickr page!)

HAPPY HOLIDAY WEEKEND!!!

-Annie

Fun with the Charmin Bear!

You a big fine Bear, better back that thing up!

Call me Big Daddy When you back that thing up!

STARS ON THE ‘GO’: Donny and Whoopi’s ‘Gotta Go’ Dance- Antonio

This week Donny Osmond won Dancing With The Stars. So, I summoned The Go Team and headed out to “The View” recording studios (where they perform after winning) to try to catch him and ask this legendary star why he Enjoys the Go. I mean, he just won a dance show; he’s GOTTA have a ‘gotta go’ dance. We took on our best paparazzi attitude and set up watch at the stage door. As his car pulled out of the lot, we flashed our big smiles, flagged him down, and turned up the charm. (I mean, it’s Donny Osmond…he understands charm, he speaks charm.) He graciously stopped, lowered his window, and gave us a moment.

Hey Donny, do you have a ‘gotta go’ dance?

“

Gosh, even when he’s confused, he’s charming.

He cracks up as he tells Leah that he does.

Donny flashes that charm.

Natalie Portman, Kym Johnson, Kelly Osbourne all waived as their cars drove away; Elizabeth Hasselbeck wished us a Happy Thanksgiving as she went for a run, but we got Whoopi! YES! The hilarious Whoopi Goldberg! Watch the video to see what see had to say about her 'gotta go' dance.

Funny Man Cody: "Sleeping Beauty"

The first thing I think of when someone mentions the Charmin Restrooms Times Square is: "What a great place to go to... sleep!"

Happy Thanksgiving! -Annie

Thanksgiving Day has been festive here at the Charmin Restrooms -- the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade went right past our front door all morning long! Now we have people from all over the country, and from around the world, coming in to 'Enjoy The Go' and get some relief from the chaos outside!

Hi Moms of America! -Joan

Hi Moms of America,

If you have small children and you take them out with you in New York City, there are times when they have to go the bathroom. My question is: where do you take them? Where have you found a clean, family-friendly restroom to take your children in New York? Kindly email me back and let me know so that I can spread the word.

Just so that you know, during this holiday period Nov. 23 through Dec. 31st if you're visiting the TiMES SQUARE area, stop by the Charmin "Enjoy the Go" Restrooms at 1540 Broadway between 45th & 46th St. These restrooms are the cleanest and family friendliest in New York City -- and clean! If you stop by, ask for Joan! I would love to meet you. Don't forget to email me your favorite restroom suggestions to: joan.thegoteam@gmail.com.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM THE GO TEAM!!!

The GO TEAM wants to wish everyone a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

- Joan, Cody, Leah, Antonio, & Annie

Cody: Cheerleaders outside Charmin Restrooms

Your Prince Charmin, Cody, filmed some of the fun happening outside the Charmin Restrooms Time Square... Can you feel the magic?

Charmin Buddy Bobby Sprinkles- Leah

Hey Guys! this is AWESOME!!! I met Rob, AKA BOBBY SPRINKLES, at around 10 am on the first full day of the Charmin Restroom Experience! He was an amazing guy getting ready for a backpacking journey of a lifetime! check out what he had to say about his opportunity to enjoy the go! - Leah

I found the Charmin Bathroom in Times Square. I had seen it in the past in NY, but always had thought ahhh whatever, why would anyone want to go to the bathroom in Times square? I expected squalor, what I found was far from it. After the cute little black woman, who happened to be the Charmin toilet Mascot, told me that I should go up and have a look and hang out, take off my backpack and play some games! Go up and dance son! All whilst a man with a clanging bell was clanging away. I thought why not? I have time to kill. What a time was had!! Anyone that happens to be in NY during the holiday period from Now til December 31st should definitely stop in. Not only were the toilets spotless, you could try any of the like 6 different varieties of their tissue, jump around in toilet paper roll pit . Get your picture taken on a huge can, do your best potty dancing. When they saw that I was a backpacker, they were thrilled. Where are you from? Canada I replied. HEY EVERYONE CANADA IS HERE was piped into Times Square as was everything else the man with the mic said!! And where are you going? India and Australia I said, Wow India, well go and use our toilets and see what you won’t in India I was told!! Leah a member of the Charmin Ambassador Go Team came over and walked me through the games, took lots of pictures with my camera and actually gave me a huge quilted roll of Toliet paper. As she said I know they often don’t have any TP in India. Take this with you, and stay in contact with us. You can become a field representative for us! I intend to send them lots of pics on the journey. They can follow me around as I find other toilets in other places! After whooping it up for a good half an hour, I would leave there and go back out into the heart of Times Square. BOBBY SPRINKLES - "Field Correspondent"

Happy Thanksgiving Funny Man Cody:

Some of the Go Team enjoying the wonderful Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade as it passes by the Charmin Restrooms.

Opening Week With THE GO TEAM: Seeking International Bathroom Stories!! - Annie

What a fantastic opening week so far in the Charmin Restrooms!! I have literally been bouncing off the walls with excitement! For those of you who have already met me in person, you know that I'm really not exaggerating! Meeting the other members of The Go Team has been such a joy! I feel like we're already a happy little family. We're five very enthusiastic peas in a pod! They're my new best friends. We love each other. It's fabulous! It makes me want to jump high into the air!

The Charmin Restrooms themselves are also truly, truly amazing! Where else on earth can you leap into a big foam pit of toilet paper, sit on (or in) a GIANT commode and have your photo taken, write electronic graffiti on a computerized toilet stall, confess all of your bathroom habits in the "can-fessional" booth, dance the potty dance on stage with pom-poms, AND have ipods and televisions in bathrooms that are cleaned and sanitized after each and every use??! I certainly can't think of anywhere else on Earth!

When I meet and talk to people in the Charmin Restrooms, I always ask: "Where in the world is your favorite place to go to the bathroom?" So far, I've had a lot of people tell me that THESE bathrooms are their absolute favorite restrooms of all time! (How flattering!) But actually, not everyone has said so... when Elvis stopped in on opening day, I asked him where he likes to 'enjoy the go' and he replied, "well, Graceland, of course!"

So, for the next few weeks, I'm going to continue asking everyone that I meet for bathroom stories from around the world! Do you have a favorite international bathroom experience? Or a least favorite? Or a particularly memorable one? Was there ever a toilet that you just couldn't figure out? If you have traveled, then you know that finding a decent bathroom is often part of the adventure. Send your stories my way! Send photos of your favorite international toilets if you have them! You can email me at: annie.thegoteam@gmail.com.

Over the next few weeks, I'll share the stories I hear, as well as some of my own!

“A journey of a thousand toilets begins with the first pit stop." - Leah

Hello America! I’ve been chomping at the bit to tell you that my Potty Platform is (drum roll) America’s Top Places to “Enjoy The Go”!! We need to work together to discover the best public pit stops across our great country! Think of me fondly every time you go, I promise I won’t mind. When you are lucky enough to come across a CLEAN, FREE, FAMILY FRIENDLY place to do your business, take a snapshot and let me know why it was such a stellar place to enjoy the go! I want to hear back from all 50 states. Check out my video below to find out who you are : ) I want all the juicy details: What made this particular seat a “go” vs. a “NO go”. How does it smell? How does the lighting set the mood for optimum performance? Send your descriptions, pictures, and stories, to leah.thegoteam@gmail.com so I can compile a Top Ten List! I strongly believe wherever you go to go, you should get more bang for your butt! I want a sea to shining sea report my friends. Where will your state float in? Please don’t forget to add your finds to Sit or Squat on enjoythego.com Let’s make the USA a better place to pee.

Opening Day Reflections - Leah

November 23rd. It's super bowl season for Charmin. Riding in on the subway creating an itunes on-the- go playlist to both pump me up and calm me down, I looked around and thought, these people have NO idea how I'm feeling inside! I'm giddy with my stomach tied in knots. They have no inkling that I choked down cottage cheese for breakfast simply as a precautionary measure so as not to pass out later from the fun and excitement of Charmin Restrooms Opening Day! I studied faces. Some of these people are simply going through routine just as I've done in the past, but today I am jumping out of my skin ready to embark on something that could change everything...well at least the amount of time I spend in the bathroom. Researchers say that people spend 3 years of their lives in the bathroom, so I guess I'll be significantly upping that time. How stinking awesome! (Hopefully more of the awesome than the stinking.) I arrived early and so decided to sit in the middle of Times Square traffic. That's not as crazy as it seems -- they've made seating zones for pedestrians now! I proceeded to collect my thoughts and take it all in. Breathtaking! The sign was going up as I took down mental notes. Charmin Restrooms Now Open! I can't wait to see what the day has in store...

The Go Team assembled and I learned I was in the company of 4 other Nervous Nellies. The restroom is like a giant playground, and at 10 am, we had the run of the place. We were like little kids exploring for the first time (hence all our silly pics on flickr). We danced out some of the jitters with a little wiggle to the left, a little wiggle to the right, until it was time to focus.

Enter Mario (A.C.) Lopez. Well, actually his dimples entered first. For those of you who are dying to know, yes, they're even better in person. Mario was great and super stoked that he had designed his own VIP boxing bathroom. The media arrived, and Shawn announced Mario, who announced The Charmin Ambassadors Go Team to the world. LEAH, Annie, Cody Joan, Antonio...Is this really happening?! Mario used scissors Sweeney Todd would have been envious of to slice through the bright red ribbon, and gave the first ceremonial flush! All septic systems go! Mario rang the boxing bell for victory rounds Number 1 and Number 2! He also "can-fessed" that with his demanding schedule, the bathroom is one of the only places he gets some R&R. Alright everyone, arms around Mario and say "Please don't squeeze!"

We were whisked away on the Charmin Double Doodie Decker Bus that makes its passengers appear to be fully engaged on the john! Hilarity! Antonio and I were discussing our smile headaches. Throughout the ride, we got a kick out of pedestrians' huge reactions and double decker double takes. The public poured in around 3 B.M. and boy were they loving the relief! It was a whirlwind of a day, but no one gave me a swirly. I'd call that a success. : )

Enjoy The Go . Funny Man- Cody

Pets gotta go too sometimes! Today while Antonio and the Go Team were at The View, catching a glimpse of "Dancing with the Stars" winner Donny Osmond, we met some pretty interesting characters. In particular a very colorful lady, Franny, and her adorable dog Mopsy. Franny was asking us what we were doing at ABC, who we were there to see, and who we were. Well, all the commotion apparently got Mopsy nervous, and she could not "make it" with us around. Franny was determined to see a star, but the funny thing is, everytime Franny walked off with Mopsy, a star would roll through. We would take pics and ask questions, and as soon as they would drive off, Franny would appear, flustered, and ask us who she missed. Then she would look at Mopsy and say, "I'm sorry I interrupted your 'go.'" "Lets try again," and as she walked away another star would roll up. We would see Franny bustling back over, dragging Mopsy, and she would say, "Who was that? Who did Mopsy make me miss?" At the time, it was Whoopi. Franny looked at Mopsy and said, "Mopsy you have to "make it" for Mommy! We are missing all the stars..." This was a hilarious show to watch while waiting for the celebrities. Franny asked us what we did, and I told her that I was a Charmin ambassdor doing all things funny for Charmin. She replied, "I'm doing stand-up at Carolines." (Of course she is!) I could just see Mopsy sitting on the couch while Frantastic practices her stand-up.

On the way back Leah said, "Lets get some children's books." This is what she picked out (see photo above). The page with the baby "going" was, well... I guess my face sums it up best...

Your Prince Charmin,

Cody

Enjoying the Go Like a Star: MARIO LOPEZ, ELVIS, AND OPENING DAY - Antonio

OK! So it was day one of the Charmin Restroom. The morning was busied in preparation of the media extravaganza. The excitement overflowed as all the final details came together for the big unveiling and grand opening. Superstar and our ‘King of the Throne’, Mario Lopez, took care of cutting the ribbon and the ceremonial first flush. He was friendly as ever and we were super pumped to have him on opening day. I was ready to tell him how people always say I could be his little brother and stuff, but played it cool, gave him a bro hug, dropped my voice a full octave and a half and said “What’s going on Mario?” PS- I spent the weekend doing abs knowing I'd be standing next to him for the cameras. Mario admits that he “Enjoys The Go” because, with his hectic schedule, it is the only peaceful and alone time that he really gets.

Oh, before I go on, for the next couple weeks, I’ll be blogging about celebrity sightings in the Charmin Restroom and NYC areas, Hollywood potty stories (Barbara Streisand likes rose petals in her hotel toilet seat and bowl) and bathrooms in NYC hotspots (like the one at Jay Z’s 40/40 club where the glass doors frost upon locking them). So email me with stories and pictures of ‘Stars on the Go’ and swanky bathrooms you see. Antonio.thegoteam@gmail.com

So, the rest of the day…After a couple interviews for the media we rode around the city in a double decker bus decked out in Charmin logos and pics that made the riders look like they were ‘enjoying the go’. (Check ‘em out on our Flickr and Twitter.) People on the street got a real kick out of it. I mean, picture a row of 20 people sitting on the toilets riding down Broadway on a bus. Once the bathrooms opened, people started pouring in. We got all sorts of reactions. “What are we here for?” asked Kelly, a 16 year old from Orlando, FL. “Only in America” said a young woman from London who was here to see some Broadway shows. Tourists from Qatar, families from all over the country, NYC locals who needed a quick relief all stopped by today.

Happy Thanksgiving peeps. Check in on Monday for the weekend happenings.

Stars on the Go: Well, Mario Lopez of course. And an Elvis impersonator hung out for a while. (Elvis is IN the building.) I tried to catch Jude Law outside of Hamlet at the Broadhurst but missed him. I’ll get him for you guys.

The Go Team: A Journey - Leah

The audition notice seemed like a tongue-in-cheek suggestion from my friend Stephanie. I was chuckling, when the mental needle scratched the record. Sign me up for this unbelievable job! Immediately I became Serious about Charmin.

My surreal journey to this stellar post of Charmin Ambassador began early. On November 5^th at 4:45 am I was the first person to arrive at the Hilton Hotel in NYC. (I’m aware those who know and love me are in disbelief.) The guard on duty allowed me to set up camp in the lobby. “I’m Crazy! You’re crazy! This man thinks you’re a nutter asking about toilet paper auditions before 5 am!” Around 6 am, as I began to doze, a gentleman said, “Are you here for Charmin?” I jumped up wondering if my nap would cause me to be lost in the crowd now. My lucky number is 6, but 16 I mused would be the perfect position. After playing ring-around-the-Hilton, I cosmically ended up 16^th in line. I met lovely people who helped pass the time and distract me somewhat from the cold. Eight a.m.: cue the Superheroes, the decked out Granny with Charmin on her fanny, the truck driver named Mr. Whipple, the interpretive dancer… My homemade “DiamondWeave” jewelry collection no longer seemed too over the top. I donned it with a new confidence. At 10 am we were ushered inside to make some Charmin magic. On pins and needles and sixth in line for my audition room I began with what felt like nervous banter, but as I sensed the encouragement and openness from the panel I settled in. I sang my parody “DiamondWeave’s A Girl’s Best Friend.” They gave me a pink callback slip and I felt like Charlie with my golden ticket. The callback was even more grounded and exhilarating. We chatted and laughed, and I performed numbers 1 and 2 from my Charmin Cabaret. As I walked out feeling as light as Ultra Soft, I looked down and found a lucky penny.

The waiting was without a doubt the WORST part of the process! I was lovingly presented with a package of Stay Ultra Strong ”Good Luck Charmin.” I taped the lucky penny to it and as the days went on with no word I admit sheepishly I began to sleep clutching my good luck charms. Finally! A phone call telling me I was STILL IN THE RUNNING to become a Charmin Ambassador?! Later that evening in Times Square, directly across the street from the Charmin Restrooms, I kid you not, a pigeon gave me its “blessing” right smack dab in the middle of my left cheek! I was stunned and hoped Italians were right about the unpleasantness being a lucky omen. Where was the Charmin when I needed it?! Just as permanent nervous nausea was setting in, I received the official phone call asking me to join “The Go Team” as a Charmin Ambassador! I told Amy on the other end of the line that she had made my day. Who knew toilet paper could bring such bliss? I got the job! ...and bronchitis. I am psyched and honored to take this opportunity and “go with it!”

- Leah

The Go Team: A Journey - Joan

It was all so startling hearing the news that came over 1010 wins announcing the need to fill five Charmin Ambassador openings for the “Enjoy the Go” campaign. After I heard it, I said “Why not give’r a try!”

As soon as I got into the house, I went online and found out that auditions would be held on Thursday, November 5^th at the New York Hilton.

On the morning of the open call, I found hundreds and hundreds of hopefuls lined up outside of the hotel. We were lined up for about two and a half hours until we were ushered inside. There was so much excitement and anticipation that filled the air. Four hours later, it was my turn to give it all I had. And I did just that.

I concluded my presentation with a song and before I left the room, I was asked to come back for another meeting on Friday November 6^th at 10:55 a.m.

Needless to say, I couldn’t sleep at all Thursday night. By Monday, I received a call saying that I was still in the running. This was GREAT news! However, still not final. On Monday, November 16^th, the big, BIG news came…”You have been selected as one of the five members of the Charmin “Go Team.” You would have thought I had won the lottery I was so excited.

I have been equally excited preparing for my first day on the job!

- Joan

The Go Team: A Journey - Cody

I’ve gotten a lot of calls in the past from potential employers offering me jobs but I have never wanted a call more than the one I was fortunate enough to receive from Charmin. It has been such an exciting journey from the audition room, to the first meeting with the Charmin staff, to meeting my fellow ambassadors.

I remember at the callback meeting some really interesting people. Potential candidates were in the Hilton rehearsing songs, practicing dance moves, putting on some pretty clever costumes and then there was me in a shirt and tie. (A tie, really?) I didn't have Charmin toilet paper props or parody songs with the word Charmin thrown in and definitely hadn't prepared 'Gotta go!' dance moves. I started to psyche myself out and think, "What am I doing here? Why would they want me? What did I get myself into?" I was a nervous wreck. But then, two thoughts came to me. The first was, "Don’t drink two cups of coffee before an audition" and second was, "Just be yourself. Do what you do best: entertain people."

My favorite thing to do is talk to strangers (much to my mothers dismay when I was younger). I thought, "Cody, go in there and talk to this room of 10 people as if they’ve been your life-long friends and have fun. This Charmin ambassador job is all about fun. Well, making the bathroom experience fun." 'Enjoy the go,' as they say. So, that's what I did. I went in that room and tried to make some new friends. Fortunately, for me, it worked. (They still haven’t Facebooked me though.)

I am so excited to open the Charmin restrooms in Time Square and get to talk with thousands of people. We are going to have a blast New York City.

- Your Prince “Charmin” Cody

The Go Team: A Journey - Antonio

As the morning grew colder, the line grew longer, and the excitement
grew wilder on the sidewalk of West 54th street. Passers-by wondered
about the 250-people-deep line and the cameras rolled by to ask: “Why
are you the right one to be the Charmin Ambassador?”.

I must admit, walking by the 75 people in line ahead of me, I
thought: “Another open call, really? Really?!” But as a Charmin
Ambassador I’d be meeting, greeting, and entertaining people and this
is what I naturally enjoy doing. So to get paid for it…well, I mean…I
stayed. A couple of “bathroom trains”, “stay warm dances” (very
similar to the “potty dance”), and an array of costumes and toilet
paper props later, we finally went into the holding room at the Hilton.

OK, about the costumes. The most impressive was the sparkly
superhero couple. They had long flowy colorful hair, sparkly gold
bodices, red leggings and blue star-ridden capes. Their height was
even stretched further by their six inch, knee-high, silver platform
boots. You get the picture? (Go to Enjoythego.com to see them.) The
rest were toilet paper based or inspired. Toilet paper grandma was
at the very front of the line with her friend, donning a flappery,
fringy, crafty dress, meticulously made out of TP. There was Prince
Charmin, a knight in Charmin armor, sashes, hair ties, crowns,
bandanas, and straggling pieces on people’s shoes.

I wondered if I should have brought in a costume or a prop or a
gimmick; for a little while got kinda psyched out. That’s not really
me, though, and I was well prepared based on what I do—host, party
motivate, entertain, connect and engage with people, etc…--so I stuck
to my original game plan.

Four hours of waiting in lines, and it was finally my turn to go in
the room. I got the usual audition jitters, a combination of nerves
and excitement, but went in there determined to just be myself. It
went very well. They asked questions. Boom, I answered. They asked
how’d I entertain people. Boom, I did a little cha cha. (The Charmin
Cha Cha I like to call it. Come on down to the Charmin Restrooms and
you can learn it too!!!) Then one casting director behind the table
cracked up as she asked me: “Do you blog about your log?” I cracked
up with her.

It was an awesome audition experience! Everyone was super nice and
after a callback round, HERE I AM, blogging with you, America about
how we all ‘Enjoy the Go!’ So keep an eye out for Stars on the Go
(celebrity sightings) and Fancy Flushes (the swankiest bathrooms) and
share them with me.

- Antonio