Harry Connick Jr.

By Diana Nollen/ SourceMedia

My face is hot, my hands are freezing and my heart is pounding. It’s going to be quite a while before my blood pressure returns to normal.

I just had a 25-minute chat with HARRY CONNICK JR.!!! You won’t see me use all caps or exclamation points in my Hoopla story on the eve of Harry’s Cedar Rapids concert. So I’ll use them now!

He was on his way to New York City when he called. He promised that if he lost the connection, he’d call back. Sure ‘nuf, 18 minutes into our chat, I lost him. About 2 minutes later, he was back on the line, to wrap up our interview.

We talked about his career arc, his family (wife and three daughters) and his musical influences. And of course, what it means for the New Orleans native to be part of the monumental step in our flood recovery, by re-opening the Paramount Theatre with his sold-out show Nov. 3, 2012.

“My history with flood devastation is something people can relate to there,” he said. “Any chance that I get to be a part of a healing or closure for something like that, I love to do it.”

That’s all you’re getting for now. Watch for my full story in Hoopla and HooplaNow.com on Thursday, Nov. 1.

Here’s a little trivia: His full name is Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Jr. His dad, a district attorney, goes by Harry, too.

“People in New Orleans just call me Junior.”

OK, the blood has returned to my fingers. Here’s a little video to get your hearts pumping, too. We’ll definitely take all of him!

From a media release

Meat Loaf

SPECIAL MEAT LOAF CONCERT RUSH TICKET OPPORTUNITY

CEDAR FALLS — A specially priced rush ticket of $15 plus service fees in the bleachers has been announced for the Sunday’s Meat Loaf concert at the University of Northern Iowa’s McLeod Center. (7 p.m. Oct. 21, 2012)

Other tickets remain, including additional floor seats released by the artist.

Tickets can be purchased at Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, McLeod Center Box Office, unitix.uni.edu or (319) 273-4849.

The concert is one of Meat Loaf’s many stops across the nation as part of his Mad Mad World Tour, in support of his newly released album, “Hell in a Handbasket.” The singer-songwriter is best known for such tunes as “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” and “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That).” His “Bat Out of Hell” album has sold more than 43 million copies. His total album sales top the 100 million mark. He also plays prominently in the cult-classic film, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

The UNI concert is supported by The Isle and is in partnership with Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, Maucker Union and UNI Athletics.