When I first saw Come Fly With Me back in high school (thanks, Gary Villanueva), there was a portion in the video where an awestruck kid looked up at Michael Jordan as he patiently signed autographs. I've never been one for autographs but I do get some once in a while. Of course, I know the feeling of being awestruck having been side by side with Marky Ramone (Virgin Records Times Square), Courteney Cox (at Ray's Pizza in Greenwich Village), Zach Braff (while he was promoting Garden State at the Siren Music festival in Coney Island), the New York Yankees' Jason Giambi (at Burger Heaven on East 86 and Lexington), Jorge Posada (Yankee Stadium), and Roger Clemens (Rockefeller Center), Dwyane Wade (NBA Store on 5th Avenue), the Golden State Warriors, and a lot of others.
I didn't even recognize Zach Braff as I'm not too particularly a fan of Scrubs. But I unknowingly struck up a conversation with him when I was at the Siren Festival to watch Deathcab For Cutie, the Ponys, and some Latin American jump swing band. We chatted and I never knew who the hell he was until later. There were a lot of booths and they were giving away free CDs, pins, and stuff. I was more intent on watching Pam Anderson talk smack about KFC (it didn't help that she was showing off her cleavage). The Cure had embarked on their Curiosa Tour (I saw them at Randall's Island) and someone was playing their new album nearby. I remarked that I thought that their music was once more darker in tone much like their previous efforts Pornography and Disintegration. And Braff then interjected that maybe I should give the Shins a try. That's what sparked the conversation. He later gave me a bush hat promoting Garden State. He said he directed it and me, still a dunce, didn't still recognize who he was had the moxie to say (but nicely), "So who's starring in it?"
He offered, "Natalie Portman."
To which I incredulously replied, "You're shitting me?"
I then looked at the promo material in the booth and suddenly realized who he was. Hahahaha. But I didn't even think he was like a major star. Hahahaha. Garden State, yeah I love it. Saw it twice at AMC on 42nd Street with friends and the other during a date.
Another fun experience was leading a "Let's go, Yankees" chant (I had to run out of the office) going against some Boston Red Sox fans who were trying to encourage Alex Rodriguez to sign for their club. It was a good natured exchange as NBC filmed us for the Today Show. It was reported on NBC that Rodriguez and his agent, Scott Boras looked out at the window at what was going on outside. And that was special.
I have this picture of Bill Ray Bates slamming home the ball during his time with Ginebra San Miguel and it was a thrill meeting him outside the dugout of the Araneta Coliseum. I've been trying to look for the picture (I know it's somewhere at my parents' home) though. And receiving a jacket and a Christmas card from Sonny Jaworski was an awesome experience.
Not so cool people -- Sean Penn during the filming of The Interpreter (outside the office in Brooklyn) and James Gandolfini (at Burger Heaven on East 86th). I can understand a person's need for privacy but they do not have to be rude. A kid was asking for Gandolfini's signature and he rudely brushed off the kid with a few expletives.
During the 2004 US Open in a battle of virtual unknowns in Men's Singles, former Stanford All-American KJ Hippensteel went up against Italian Filippo Volandri. I don't remember the score but the American lost (Volandri I do know would go up against Argentinean Guillermo Cañas next) and as he made his way out, a kid -- maybe around nine or ten years old waved at Hippensteel and asked for his autograph. I do remember the exchange quite well:
Kid: Mister, can I ask for your autograph?
KJ: Sure, but I just lost. Is that okay with you?
Kid: It's okay. I know you'll bounce back.
Honestly, I don't know who felt better after that. But I looked at the kid as he went up to his dad and excitedly exclaimed, "Dad, guess who I got?"
For some people, an autograph is a big deal. Some treasure them while others look for profit. I can understand a celebrity's reticence over such things. Nowadays, I prefer pictures more. Nevertheless, people should never understand the power of such things have over kids. Whether rightly or wrongly, celebrities become role models. The chance meeting -- even the autograph -- become founts of inspiration.
If athletes and celebrities are willing to accept the adulation of people then they should accept the criticism as well. It comes with the territory; no questions asked.
I was watching a seniors basketball player (who wasn't busy, tired, or harassed as he was joking around with others -- I won't say what team) the other day being asked to sign an autograph by a team official for some people and he wasn't thrilled at all by it. Of course, he's entitled to that. Why not? Several feet away from him was a player from the juniors team watching him be an ass rather than politely decline.
The juniors player shook his head then walked away.
I didn't even recognize Zach Braff as I'm not too particularly a fan of Scrubs. But I unknowingly struck up a conversation with him when I was at the Siren Festival to watch Deathcab For Cutie, the Ponys, and some Latin American jump swing band. We chatted and I never knew who the hell he was until later. There were a lot of booths and they were giving away free CDs, pins, and stuff. I was more intent on watching Pam Anderson talk smack about KFC (it didn't help that she was showing off her cleavage). The Cure had embarked on their Curiosa Tour (I saw them at Randall's Island) and someone was playing their new album nearby. I remarked that I thought that their music was once more darker in tone much like their previous efforts Pornography and Disintegration. And Braff then interjected that maybe I should give the Shins a try. That's what sparked the conversation. He later gave me a bush hat promoting Garden State. He said he directed it and me, still a dunce, didn't still recognize who he was had the moxie to say (but nicely), "So who's starring in it?"
He offered, "Natalie Portman."
To which I incredulously replied, "You're shitting me?"
I then looked at the promo material in the booth and suddenly realized who he was. Hahahaha. But I didn't even think he was like a major star. Hahahaha. Garden State, yeah I love it. Saw it twice at AMC on 42nd Street with friends and the other during a date.
Another fun experience was leading a "Let's go, Yankees" chant (I had to run out of the office) going against some Boston Red Sox fans who were trying to encourage Alex Rodriguez to sign for their club. It was a good natured exchange as NBC filmed us for the Today Show. It was reported on NBC that Rodriguez and his agent, Scott Boras looked out at the window at what was going on outside. And that was special.
I have this picture of Bill Ray Bates slamming home the ball during his time with Ginebra San Miguel and it was a thrill meeting him outside the dugout of the Araneta Coliseum. I've been trying to look for the picture (I know it's somewhere at my parents' home) though. And receiving a jacket and a Christmas card from Sonny Jaworski was an awesome experience.
Not so cool people -- Sean Penn during the filming of The Interpreter (outside the office in Brooklyn) and James Gandolfini (at Burger Heaven on East 86th). I can understand a person's need for privacy but they do not have to be rude. A kid was asking for Gandolfini's signature and he rudely brushed off the kid with a few expletives.
During the 2004 US Open in a battle of virtual unknowns in Men's Singles, former Stanford All-American KJ Hippensteel went up against Italian Filippo Volandri. I don't remember the score but the American lost (Volandri I do know would go up against Argentinean Guillermo Cañas next) and as he made his way out, a kid -- maybe around nine or ten years old waved at Hippensteel and asked for his autograph. I do remember the exchange quite well:
Kid: Mister, can I ask for your autograph?
KJ: Sure, but I just lost. Is that okay with you?
Kid: It's okay. I know you'll bounce back.
Honestly, I don't know who felt better after that. But I looked at the kid as he went up to his dad and excitedly exclaimed, "Dad, guess who I got?"
For some people, an autograph is a big deal. Some treasure them while others look for profit. I can understand a celebrity's reticence over such things. Nowadays, I prefer pictures more. Nevertheless, people should never understand the power of such things have over kids. Whether rightly or wrongly, celebrities become role models. The chance meeting -- even the autograph -- become founts of inspiration.
If athletes and celebrities are willing to accept the adulation of people then they should accept the criticism as well. It comes with the territory; no questions asked.
I was watching a seniors basketball player (who wasn't busy, tired, or harassed as he was joking around with others -- I won't say what team) the other day being asked to sign an autograph by a team official for some people and he wasn't thrilled at all by it. Of course, he's entitled to that. Why not? Several feet away from him was a player from the juniors team watching him be an ass rather than politely decline.
The juniors player shook his head then walked away.
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