Dec. 13: Famous egos
The most famous person I ever met is Al Pacino. I met him at a
fundraising event in Ottawa, where I got about 10 seconds with the man.
It was long enough to shake his hand, get a picture, and have him tell
me the name of the play he was working on in New York. Then I had to go.
I also met Per Gissle and Marie Fredriksson of the Swedish pop duo, Roxette. I met them backstage at their Ottawa concert. Also backstage I met Daniel Alfredsson, former captain of the Ottawa Senators. Daniel was talking to people but when I approached, he stopped talking so he could talk to me. Most famous people are like that. They are used to being approached. Most of them are gracious about it but sometimes they probably have bad days too.
I have heard stories about famous actors not wanting people to make eye contact with them when they're eating at restaurants, about not wanting to be disturbed as they wander through art galleries. I sympathize sometimes. Everyone has a right to privacy.
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I don't like trash talking people, including celebrities. If I read in People magazine or the National Enquirer that so-and-so was a douche to some hapless waiter in Times Square, I usually dismiss it as one perspective, probably third or fourth hand, written up so said magazine can sell a few more copies. I hate the celebrity-obsessed culture in which we live. It bothers me that shows like Politically Incorrect were so successful because it showed that people were more interested in hearing what Pamela Anderson had to say about the national debt than some Harvard professor of economics.
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A friend of mine's son once scored a small role in the Dustin Hoffman movie Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. He had a couple scenes with Mr. Hoffman and in between takes, Mr. Hoffman peppered this kid with question after question about his life. I always liked that story and I get the impression that celebrities are bored talking about themselves (though they never get bored talking about their craft) and they wish people weren't so obsessed with them.
They probably like Mad Magazine because it reminds everyone that they are flawed mortals, not gods on Olympus.
I also met Per Gissle and Marie Fredriksson of the Swedish pop duo, Roxette. I met them backstage at their Ottawa concert. Also backstage I met Daniel Alfredsson, former captain of the Ottawa Senators. Daniel was talking to people but when I approached, he stopped talking so he could talk to me. Most famous people are like that. They are used to being approached. Most of them are gracious about it but sometimes they probably have bad days too.
I have heard stories about famous actors not wanting people to make eye contact with them when they're eating at restaurants, about not wanting to be disturbed as they wander through art galleries. I sympathize sometimes. Everyone has a right to privacy.
-
I don't like trash talking people, including celebrities. If I read in People magazine or the National Enquirer that so-and-so was a douche to some hapless waiter in Times Square, I usually dismiss it as one perspective, probably third or fourth hand, written up so said magazine can sell a few more copies. I hate the celebrity-obsessed culture in which we live. It bothers me that shows like Politically Incorrect were so successful because it showed that people were more interested in hearing what Pamela Anderson had to say about the national debt than some Harvard professor of economics.
-
A friend of mine's son once scored a small role in the Dustin Hoffman movie Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. He had a couple scenes with Mr. Hoffman and in between takes, Mr. Hoffman peppered this kid with question after question about his life. I always liked that story and I get the impression that celebrities are bored talking about themselves (though they never get bored talking about their craft) and they wish people weren't so obsessed with them.
They probably like Mad Magazine because it reminds everyone that they are flawed mortals, not gods on Olympus.
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