In London, these untouchables live amongst the "normal people" of the city. They take in a play, go to the movies, eat at Wagamama... Not so in the States (this is just one of the major cultural problems I have with this country...I often wonder if it would have been THAT bad if the colonies lost the war...I LIKE tea!). In fact, Americans build celebrities up to the point where commoners cannot even grasp how these gods could actually BUY GROCERIES themselves, or PUMP GAS, or even CHANGE THEIR KID'S DIAPER. Let's take a picture to prove it! And then sell it to a magazine. Then buy that magazine for $4.
But one man's celebrity is another man's "Who?" One of my all-time favorite actors is a man named Mark Rylance. Nick has met him a few times, and we have seen him in a number of shows. I won't wax poetic about him here, but suffice it to say that he is one of the most fantastic and moving actors of our lifetime, and a pivotal cog in the wheel of theatre history, yet he is many people's "Who?". This doesn't make people any less cultured, or in-the-know, there are just different circles. (Pretty much any sports figure is a "Who?" for me.)
The point, besides the fact that I'm obsessed with a 45 year old British man, is that we all have our celebrities- those people we look up to, admire, emulate. And we think, if we were to ever meet them, they would see in us the true silent respect we have for them...not the hysterical obsession of their other crazed fans. Because we're more composed, better at presenting ourselves, and we're their greatest fan! And maybe they'll see that and give us tons of money for being their respectful admirer.
Is celebrity contagious? Most of us, deep down, think so...or at least, hope so.
I don't think I ever could meet Mark. (The closest I have ever gotten is documented here - First picture, Beth thinks she's sneaky paparazzi before a show. Second picture, OH DEAR GOD HE'S SMILING AT ME! PUT THE CAMERA AWAY!!! BREATHE! BREATHE!!)
If I ever were to meet him face to face, and I haven't yet, I would probably pass out. My palms are sweating just thinking of this possibility. I know myself enough to know that, even though I have the utmost admiration for him, I would come off an absolute blathering idiot and probably make a fool of myself. So I shall admire him from across the pond, secretly hoping one day he finds out about me, flies to Columbus, asks me to direct him in Beckett's "Play" as Man and I become wildly famous! Well, I can dream...
2 comments:
This post is hilarious, as well as right on target. I, too, had many a fantasy growing up about the celebrities I would meet and befriend, and then as an adult realized I would just become a blithering idiot, the way I am around "normal" people I'm too concerned with impressing. Except probably worse. Maybe much worse.
You do realize, of course, that we were celebrities of a sort at Calvin? Nick was of the highest order of Calvin celebrity--CTC and Improv, wow, and he talks to the commoners!--you were an upper echelon celebrity in your directorial prowess and association with big shot performing types, and it turns out some freshmen actually thought I moved in your circles! Like we'd be the sort of people to have ACTUAL CONVERSATIONS!
Celebrity is wack, my friends. WIGGEDY-wack. I wonder if those actors pumping gas would forget they weren't like us if it weren't for all the cameras and fan websites.
I also like tea.
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