Saturday, November 22, 2014

Famous-ish Encounters

What are the qualifications for fame? What makes us star struck? Why are some people so obsessed with individuals whose credentials are sometimes limited to being on TV?  I try to avoid it honestly. People are just people. I don't care if you are in movies, recording music, or writing books.

But I do care. A little. If you happen to be someone that I actually know about. Which is rare because I am pretty out of the loop when it comes pop culture. On more than one occasion I will hear a song and "say who is this?" Or "I've never heard them before" Only to have a friend or family member react as if I just shot them with a stun gun. "Have you been living under a rock!?" they ask in disbelief. My answer is, Yes. The rock of motherhood. If it's not on PBS kids or Disney don't expect me to be in the know.

However, with that being said, I do care a little about famous people. I can't help but get jittery over a chance interaction with a celebrity. I compare it to seeing a whale in the ocean. It's so far removed from what your daily routine is that it's intriguing. Maybe you've watched a documentary about whales or possibly even seen one in captivity, but what are the odds that you would happen to see one out in the wild! I had the same reaction when I saw a giant black bear in the woods in Georgia or when I saw  Reba McEntire at the mall in Tennessee. I was unable to photograph the elusive bear or Reba, but it happened. There were witnesses.

Everyone whose spotted a rare animal or a celebrity from a distance pretty much thinks the same thing in both scenarios.

WOW! Okay, don't make any sudden movements. I am just going to talk quietly through clenched teeth. We've seen pictures and footage of you. We've read about you, but here you are in your natural habitat live and in the flesh!

I am not comparing Reba McEntire or any other celebrity to wild animals, even if the media often treats them as such. It puts it in perspective though.

The internet has been a game changer when it comes to making contact with enertainers you admire. Sometimes all it takes is an email.

For example when I wrote about Rachel Coleman of Signing Time (As seen on Nickelodeon!!!). All it took was a google search for me to send her a link to the blog post and she actually wrote back! It was a sincere heart felt response too. She even gave me and update on how her daughter Leah is doing. It was really cool. The same thing happened when I quoted one of my favorite podcast speakers and I sent him a message and a link to my blog. He responded to my email right away! It's pretty cool when busy people (and that could mean any of us) take the time reply to someone they don't even know.

Then there have been times where I wasn't even trying to connect, but thanks to #HASHTAGS it totally happened (notice how my language and puncuation gets more juvenile the more I talk about fangirl stuff. This is not at all intentional).

First of all I was listening to this audio book called Glitter and Glue, because I had heard it was was good and it was a New York Times best seller so why not?



 I put something on instagram and it wasn't even really about the book, but I did hashtag #glitterandglue and author Kelly Corrigan commented her exact words were  "This makes me insanely happy!"



My respones? I freaked out. AHHHH! Best selling author Kelly Corrigan who I have never even heard of other than listening to this one book actually just commented on my instagram. I made her insanely happy. This must be a big deal! 


That was this summer, fast forward to this week and I came across this funny video about Christian Girl Instagrams.



I posted an instagram. By the way these two just happen to be pics of me, but I do post other things. I promise.



Anyway, who should comment? Christian comedian John Crist who tours with Tim Hawkins and I never ever even heard of him until this one youtube video, but still, A LOT of people have seen this video so again this is a big deal. I'm thinking AHHHHH! John Crist just called me perfect (not really, but I'm fanfirling so just go with it.) I love you too John!!!  

It's funny how little, I mean oh so little, it takes for me to become star struck. My mom is a ticket agent at Delta so she has the best stories about famous people. She's a lot like me though, she will go ga ga over some Pastor that she has heard of from California and Lady Ga Ga herself would be flying and my mom would be like whose that weirdo? I don't think you are allowed to wear raw meat on the plane. For the record I am sure Lady Ga Ga flies on a private jet and I had to do a google search to find about the meat dress because like I said, I am not hip.

Everyone has that story of seeing or knowing somebody who is a somebody. Please tell me your best celebrity story. Even if it's a celebrity that's only a celebrity to you, it's cool. I totally get that. Alright, let me hear it!

9 comments:

Lauren said...

That video is hilarious!!! (Even though I may or may not be guilty of posting pictures just like what he talked about!!!) My most "famous" encounter was when Mandisa retweeted me and replied. I had tweeted about being excited about her concert and she replied she was ready, too, or something. I may or may not have also instagrammed a screen shot of that!!!! =)

nancy from ky said...

I posted my famous sightings and then read your blog. I love the video.My touches with fame still apply. Fun blogg!

Jennifer Pepito said...

Our family gets that way over worship leaders, even less famous ones. We were at a wedding with The Ember Days and told everyone about it, whether they knew who they were or not, and when I met Chris Quilala and Katie Torwalt, you can bet I was a little starstruck. When someone has the drive and devotion to become well known for what they do, I think giving them a little honor is only reasonable.

Tara Ulrich said...

What fun stories! My best friend and I went to see the Christian group Point of Grace in concert. Afterwards they did an autograph signing and we met them. So cool. I would totally be fan-girling if one of my fave people emailed or commented on an Instagram etc.

~Karrilee~ from Abiding Love, Abounding Grace said...

LOL - that is so great! (That video WAS hilarious!) I have met a few 'celebrities' but probably the most memorable for me are the fangirl fails when meeting fellow bloggers/writers! Yeah. Like that one time I sat next to Emily Freeman and shared a table and I didn't even look at her because I didn't want to go all Fangirl on her so instead I pretended to be the Good (indifferent, cold, uncaring) Girl... yeah. that time. (She was gracious - and so was God - and I got the change to have a conversation with her later that day!) Or when I saw Melanie Shankle and turned around and walked right into a wall... because I couldn't handle an introduction because in my mind, we were already besties! ;)

Man, I love social media because it has the ability to connect us all in some ways! Fun post!

~K~

Jessica @ Barefoot by the Sea said...

Love that video, too funny! Thanks for starting my morning with a laugh :)

Unknown said...

Oh I love how you are just owning that we all get this way sometimes! I totally get star struck over certain Christian celebrities! Thanks for the laugh!

blestbutstrest said...

I think I live under a neighboring rock ;). Melanie Dickerson commented on one of my blog posts when I wrote about the release party I had at my school for her latest book "The Princess Spy". Now THAT was exciting!

{amy} said...

I mentioned my celebrity sightings on Facebook (one of which you were a part of!). The comment from Tara reminded me that I met Point of Grace before they were Point of Grace! My senior year in high school, I saw them at my boyfriend's church. They were called Say So, but they were in the middle of changing their name (because it was already taken). I met them after the concert.

I totally understand the Instagram fangirling situation...Two of NEEDTOBREATHE's members liked my post from the last time I saw them in concert! And I took a screenshot of their "likes" and posted that! Ha!