Wordless Wednesday: Missed Chance
This week’s Wordless Wednesday will be nothing but words. Because I sometimes don’t do things for fear of being thought of as a crazed fan.
For example, back in the late ’80′s a little known actor was filming a largely unseen movie about a cop dog. This actor, I think he had a brother who was on some late night comedy show and may have been in a movie about blues music, anyway, he took a break from the set while they were filming a seen he wasn’t in. He was riding his bike around casually and came by and said, “Hello, how’s it going?” And I, being the person who didn’t want to be the gushing, annoying celebrity stalker, said, “Fine, thanks. How are you?” He said he was fine, then rode off. Of course, there’s no way I can prove any of this because I DIDN’T ASK FOR AN AUTOGRAPH OR PICTURE WITH HIM. But hey, I didn’t annoy him.
It’s happened a few other times in the past. Just run into someone with a little fame behind them and treat them like an everyday Joe. It appears to be how I roll. Most recently, on my business trip to Buffalo, I was setting up the tradeshow booth I was to man when a few people happened by. The man, who was in a motorized cart, looked awfully familiar, but I couldn’t place him. He was very nice, said hi and asked how I was. I was nice back, racking my brains… was this someone I knew? Should I know his name? Will he expect me to know something about him and where he works?
It was driving me insane.
Later, when my co-worker came to help, I asked if she knew who the man was. She said, “Oh, he’s some celebrity chef. Paul something. I didn’t recognize his name, though.” A dull glow of recognition started in my own brain, but I still wasn’t sure. I mean, it couldn’t be HIM, everyone knows who Paul Prudhomme is, right?
WRONG
It was Paul Prudhomme, as I was to find out later. GAH! And it has now happened again. Because you know damn well I didn’t go up to him later and say anything. Something about rolling and how I do it.
<sigh>
Hi,
I found your blog via the NaBloPoMo December blogroll, and just wanted to say hi. I once accidentally snubbed Steven Spielberg by asking his first name when he placed an order for food where I was working. He wasn’t a regular, so he didn’t look familiar to me!
I recently blogged about an accidental Chuck Norris encounter, actually (the title has Chuck Norris in it, in case you’re interested.) In general, though, I try not to bug famous people. It must get annoying on their end.
Nice to meet you!
Tui