Writer's Block: Close Encounters of the Celebrity Kind

[apocalypticbob]

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Let's see...I suppose it depends how you define meet and how you define celebrity. Most of the famous people I have met have been authors or musicians and most have been at meet & greets or autograph sessions. Here are a few of the cooler ones, though.

I met David Copperfield briefly after a performance in Panama City, Fl, when we lived there. He signed an autograph for me and smiled at me and I thought he was the most handsome man ever. (I was about 10.) I still think he is pretty hot. I do have a weakness for magicians.

I met Robert Cormier when I was in fourth grade. He was friends with my fourth grade teacher, and I had just finished reading The Chocolate Wars and The Bumblebee Flies Anyway at her urging, and when the class assignment was to pick someone famous to write to, I chose him. He wrote me back, and was very nice and gracious. He came to the Panama City branch of FSU to speak to the students and invited me to attend. I was the youngest person there, and most of what he said went over my head, but I do remember that he treated me with respect, treated me as an equal, instead of condescendingly as most adults did. He listened to what I had to say with interest, and I have never forgotten that. I hope that remembering that makes me a better parent and teacher.

I met Rodney Carrington on my 22nd birthday. He was performing at Tumbleweeds in Stillwater, OK, and I went with a couple of guys from work to see him. It was a long, awesome performance, which was great, except for the fact that we had to stand through the whole thing and I had worn cute high heeled espadrilles. My feet were killing me by the time we passed his autograph table. I didn't have anything for him to sign, so I leaned forward and pulled the neckline of my shirt a little lower and had him sign my left breast. He looked back at his wife, and she not only nodded her approval, she pulled out a camera and snapped a picture! He seemed incredibly amused by it, and remarked on my "tig ole' biddies".

I met Laurell K. Hamilton a couple of years ago at Conestoga. I found her to be lovely, and short. She told me to stand up straight when I had my picture taken with her, and joked around with me as she signed the books I had bought for friends. I still haven't read anything of hers...maybe I'll add her to the list after I finish the Jacqueline Carey books.

I don't get star struck easily. I tend to remember that celebrities are people, even when they themselves seem to forget it. As far as I'm concerned, everyone should be treated the same. When I meet someone who is considered a celebrity, I treat them as I would anyone else, with kindness, with manners, and with a touch of humor, and it has always stood me in good stead.

Comments

[ravenchilde-art.livejournal.com]

*chuckles* You've actually met a few more than that just at Conestoga. But I guess it depends on how you define 'celebrity'. :)

[morgaath.livejournal.com]

With that comment, if you are not careful, you might get recruited by the Star League.

And yes, defining celebrity is always an interesting task.

[arseaboutface.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't bother with Laurell K. Hamilton if I were you. She sounds like a lovely person, but what I read of her books was terrible.

[ladygules.livejournal.com]

I know that this has nothing to do with your post, but when did you live in Panama City? I lived there for 5 years.

[apocalypticbob.livejournal.com]

I lived there from 1984 to 1990. We actually lived in Springfield, and I attended school at Springfield Elementary third and fourth grades (I did fourth twice to let my class catch up with me, since I skipped kindergarten in Scotland), and then went to Calloway Elementary for fifth grade for a magnet program for gifted kids. Sixth and seventh at Everitt Middle School, and then we moved to Texas following my parents divorce. Dad worked at Naval Coastal Systems Center as part of the Naval Experiment Diving Unit, and Mom went to school at Gulf Coast Community College and FSU to get her bachelors, in between being a PE teacher, raising kids, and working at a lab out at Tyndall Air Force Base.

We went back a couple of summers ago. It was the last season for Miracle Strip Amusement Park...they were tearing it down to make room for more freaking condos. Blargh. Shipwreck Island was still there.

Of course, we moved away before I got old enough to really appreciate it, but I miss the beach like crazy, although you'd be hard pressed to find public beach there now anyway.