Brushes with Fame
Submissions 1 - 10
When I Was Young
My friends and I drove over three state lines to see Eric Burdon and the Animals. No, this wasn’t in 1965; this was just last month. They were performing at the Hard Rock in Biloxi. As a child of the 60’s, I’m not sure what I was expecting, my mind’s eye remembering a scruff young group of working class kids belting out countless bluesy hits like House of the Rising Sun, We Gotta Get Out Of This Place and It’s My Life to name but a few. We were in the second row, stage right but still had a pretty Read more
She Hasn't Met Bruce Springsteen. Yet.
When I was in college, I had lots of odd jobs. I was a survey taker in a mall, a traffic flagger for a tree surgeon, a "flyer" at Sax Fifth Avenue, and "assistant to the Loss Prevention Auditor." I was a server for Katrina's Traveling Bistro, my sister Karen's short lived catering business. But some of my fondest memories were of my waitressing and bar-tending days. My sister and I had jobs at the Harley Hotel in Willoughby,Ohio--known for housing the performers who came to the Front Row Theatre, a nearby theatre "in the round," with Read more
Boston store stranger
I went to indiana to visit my grandparents. We went into boston store and i got in trouble with my mom. Then some lady came up to my mom and said, "I remember when my mom had to tell me that to." When we got to check out i found outt that she was Roberta Flack. I had no idea who she was though and was very quiet and shy around her. Its called stranger danger. Then, convienently when we got in the car her song was playing!
Befriending "Jessie Spano"
I first caught a glimpse of Elizabeth Berkley while waiting in line at CVS on Beverly Blvd in Beverly Hills, CA. I was near the front of the line to speak with one of the pharmacists, while Elizabeth was standing in one of two longer lines to converse with other available pharmacists in the "Drop Off" section.
I had been waiting only five minutes before I swiftly made my way to the pharmacist's desk to handle my prescriptions. Elizabeth entered the vicinity and my consciousness as I was approaching the pharmacy desk. After speaking to a jolly employee Read more
One Degree of Kevin Bacon
I was commuting. It was spring of 2002, and we New Yorkers were still pretty raw from the previous September's disaster, constantly admonished by the police to say something if we saw something. Most of us still thought we would more than just see something.
Public transportation is vulnerable, and the subway felt like a trap! But we had to go on with our lives.
I was halfway along my travels and awaiting the E Train below the Port Authority Bus Terminal, which is near Times Square. Reading during travel was a particular comfort to me, and I was reading a favorite Read more
Tennessee Boys Are Polite
Before they were playing venues like Madison Square Garden and winning Grammy Awards, they were much more accessible after their concerts. "They" being the Kings of Leon. (Longtime fan, longtime listener).
So one night prior to their immense fame, my friend and I were hanging around outside after a show. I turned around and there stood Jared, followed by his brothers and cousin.
We ended up going with them to a run-down bar, which had an upstairs, private, no-frills area with a pool table and a few tables. After hanging out with Caleb, Nathan, Jared, and Matthew for five or six hours, Read more
Starstruck Idealist
My name became the subject of news stories. Never a good thing for a journalist.
"I'm sorry? You said Erin Brockovich called you? It was her...personally?
It was 4:00 p.m. on a Wednesday, and she talked like it was a matter of life and death, the source said.
This was true. But it wasn't until later that I came to terms with the fact that there was nothing the famous environmental activist could do to change that.
The source was a vocal woman who had a sick little boy. As any good mother would, she sought answers for child's ill health.
Erin came Read more
Are you Serious?
A cold and wet Australian sinks into the subway bench on her first day in New York City.
Two hours spent shivering, walking the streets of Soho with an umbrella that was rendered useless in the first 30 minutes.
The doors opened and in walks Mr Big from Sex & The City. He proceeds to sit right next to her.
"Are you serious?" was all she could think, as the gods of New York city made her aware that this was an extraordinary place.
Lab rat guitarist
The name of the new work study student was Steve. He was from California. As we got to know him he mentioned he played guitar. We all did. One day he even brought a guitar in to jam on. He was pretty good. I was just learning.
Later I found out he had a couple of jazz albums out and played on a Steely Dan album (Gaucho). Who knew? To me he was just another lab rat getting a college degree.
Intense
When Jason talks to you, it’s as if you’re the only two people in the room.
I don’t mean that in some fan-girlish way. I also don’t mean to sound like I’m squeeing “Oh my God, he totally just looked at me!!” No, I don’t think I’ve suddenly and magically become the ‘only girl for him’, that he’s suddenly thought that I’m the hottest thing on the plant and perfect for him and he must have me now. I don’t think he’s fallen in love with me. He has a very beautiful, very nice wife and, though I Read more
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