FAME...15 Minutes and Counting

Well, Zac Sunderland's "15 minutes of fame" was just about that long, unfortunately. On August 27, the British sailor Mike Perham, who is a few months younger than Zac, claimed the record. My impression was that Zac didn't do it for the fame. He did it for all the right reasons that remain true even without the record title.
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/28/mike-perham-17yearold-bri_n_270932.html)

As I checked different sites to confirm the details of Zac's transfer of title, I also "lite-researched" (googled and binged) that famous "15 minute" quote by Andy Warhol. I spent at least 15 minutes just reading the origin of the quote, about Warhol, and other equally iconic remarks he made. They cracked me up (and made for a fun 15 minutes of history/pop-culture education). After his original "15 minutes of Fame" became so over-used, Warhol changed it up (and quite possibly prophetically defined blogging):

"In the future everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes." I'm bored with that line. I never use it anymore. My new line is, "In fifteen minutes everybody will be famous."
http://blogbusinessworld.blogspot.com/2006/11/andy-warhol-fifteen-minutes-of-fame.html

I spent another 15 minutes more on "research". I YouTubed David Bowie's "Fame" (also seemingly 15 minutes of song) and "Fame" the musical. Then I "googled-imaged" Zac Sunderland and was surprised to find my face right behind one of the pictures of Zac! I clicked on the pic (Zac Sunderland was more 500 x 750 - 59k - jpg celebgalz.com)--then "enlarged this image" and left it on my computer screen for oh... about 15 minutes! Figured this might be the closest I get to "Fame"! Face it -- in the obscurity that is life in the 'burg, the best shot at celebrity-status is most likely basking in the glow of another's 15 minutes. In my case it's a kid of 17 from California.

Unless I count the other California celebrity story. True story*. I was out in Los Angeles, in Venice Beach. The famous boardwalk along the beach from Venice to Santa Monica (with the Pier and the famous aforementioned ferris wheel) is iconic in itself, but a few blocks east of the ocean is a Mainstreet with shops, restaurants, coffee houses--not unlike our Mainstreet back in the 'burg--only much more eclectic.

I was at one of these local spots and ended up talking with the people at the table next to me. That's not too surprising because I end up talking to a lot of people a lot of the time. I didn't give it much thought after that (actually no thought after that).

About a month later, I was sitting in my night class at the University and I got this text: "Watch this show on FOX tonite". I recognized the area code as California, but not the number, but I didn't want to let on that I didn't know who it was, so I texted, "why?"

The next text back said, "'cause I'm in it!"

That's a pretty big deal, so I thought I better try and figure out who this might be. "Really?!," I replied, "That's great--I'll be sure to watch" (hoping that I might be able to recognize some one in the show).

Then he sent another message, "we met in Venice Beach"

Not really a big clue there since I already narrowed down the area code. I said, "I'll be sure to watch and good luck w/ the show," then had to get back to paying attention to my professor.

I googled the show to take a look at the cast and jog my memory. I thought I recognized one in the ensemble as my possible mystery texter. I would have watched the show too, but I had class the same nights as it was on, plus I'm not even sure my t.v. works, and I don't have dvr, tivo or even cable --yeah, I'm that isolated (though that's partly by choice-- not because the 'burg is technology void)!

A short time later, I sent a text to him to see how the show was going and to try to confirm my hunch of who he was. Not too long after that, I was back out in Venice and we texted to meet up again at the same place we first met. I made sure I got there first. Turns out I had a whole conversation with someone I thought might be my mystery celebrity texter, but was not.

The real celebrity texter showed up next. It was too funny (but then again, I'm easily amused 8-D). We hung out for at least 15 minutes--actually more. He invited my friends and me to a few fun events going on in L.A., which was pretty cool! Since then, we have remained friends. He's a great guy, always kind and very personable towards me--not the ego-centric, arrogant or self-absorbed celeb most think of as famous people.

This past week, after a former high school classmate read the previous postings on this blog, she emailed me about all the things she's done since high school. It's been fun to reconnect with her, but a bit depressing.

After high school, she graduated from college, traveled the world, and worked for International corporations with high profile individuals. She pursued her profession, then married a successful man and now enjoys her children, a career, and a wonderful life.

As I read her email, a couple favorite lines from 2 different movies came to mind: 1) "I think I just threw up a little in my mouth" (from Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story); and 2) "I'm heading for the shower curtain [to hang myself]" (says Carrie sarcastically, played by Sara Jessica-Parker in "Sex in the City" after her "Big" break-up).

It's not that I wasn't impressed, inspired, and awed by all that this seemingly unassuming classmate in high school had actually gone out and accomplished once she got out of the 'burg, because I am. It just made me feel so unaccomplished in my small life and small town--going nowhere in a hurry here. My life did not turn out as I aspired it would-- and when I was living the dream, with a happy husband, household full of children and homestead we loved-- it turned on a dime into a nightmare that I've just recently been able to wake up from.

I'm thankful for the re-connection with her and though we weren't necessarily friends in high school, I count myself fortunate to have a friendship now stemming from our common hometown history.

I was sitting at my laptop, still feeling a little funky, emailing her back.

Then a text came in: "My show debuts again for the coming season in Sept. and I have a movie coming out in Feb."

It was my famous friend again. Suddenly I felt a little better. I had a connection to the outside, more exciting, world. So I locked that text in my cell and kept it on my display screen for about... oh, 15 minutes. :D