Update, 12/10: Last night, Guynes' Crowdtilt campaign for "Jared's Epic Party" surpassed its fundraising goal of $35,897.44 with just six days left to go, meaning the party will happen and he won't have to sell one of his beloved pinball machines. Guynes wrote to his followers on his Facebook page from his home in Rockwall, "I am in tears right now...truly...I cannot explain to you all how much this means to me." As a way of thanking everyone for their support, he topped off his crazy party cake with the most insane sounding layer of icing yet by revealing another headliner: Miki, the rap music loving Capuchin Monkey. Guynes assured his followers, "There will be a live monkey at the party...and he will wear a tuxedo."
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The fundraising campaign to reunite Vanilla Ice with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with a live concert in Dallas is heading into its home stretch and organizer Jared Guynes has some interesting plans in the works to sweeten the deal that is Jared's Epic Party.
Guynes told DC9 at Night that he's talking with rapper Sir-Mix-a-Lot to perform at the Feb. 22nd show at Gilley's on South Lamar Street along with some other surprises for the people who purchased an advanced ticket. He said he's so determined that he promised to put his own money on the line if the campaign falls short.
"It will happen," he said. "I'll put my own pocketbook on the line to say that it will." Guynes has fielded quite a few interesting offers since the story of his party hit the web and gained so much viral traction. Sir-Mix-a-Lot's people actually reached out to his chief sponsor and showed a great deal of interest in attending the party that's become a Who's Who of 90's hits with names like Vanilla Ice and Coolio already on the docket.
"He wants to come and his management has reached out to us and we're in the middle of negotiations," Guynes said. "He wants to come and I want him to charge us less money but we're certain it's going to work out."
He also scored another name from TMNT's past. Partners in Kryme, the New York hip hop group whose single Turtle Power appeared on the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie soundtrack and became the group's biggest hit, also reached out to Guynes.
"It fits into the whole Turtles theme," he said.
He also managed to attract the interest of local legend Burton Gilliam who heard about the party and volunteered to make an appearance and Jason Ybarra who actually built his own TMNT van out of a street legal Volkswagen Microbus. Guynes said he's just wants to do whatever it takes to drive all the way from California for Jared's party.
"He doesn't want any sort of appearance fee or anything," Guynes said. "He just wants help with gas."
As if just being in the crowd with such names wasn't enough, Guynes is also offering everyone the chance to be part of a world record by holding the world's biggest Nerf gun war beating the 430-participant record set by Washington University in 2010. Those who participate can also donate their Nerf gun to a local children's charity, Guynes said.
Of course, all this depends on whether or not Guynes can raise all of the funds in time but he assured his guests that he plans to make this party happen one way or another. He's still seeking sponsorships and starting last Saturday, the price for a ticket went from $50 to $55. If all that still doesn't put him over the goal line, he said he'll pick his own pocket to make it happen.
"I am nervous but I'm confident," he said. "I'm much more confident than I was before, just because of the momentum, the energy and just seeing so many people excited and believing in it. Even if for some reason in the next few days I was not able to get any more donations, I would cash in a couple of my pinball machines. It's too awesome not to happen."
