Is there a part of you that wishes to be famous? Have you had a brush with fame?

Is there a reason that you wouldn't want it? Have you had it and lost it, or perhaps gave it up?

-- Anonymous, May 17, 1999

Answers

To be famous, you have to do something no one else, or very few people, can do. Being different won't automatically make you famous, but it is a requirement. It would be nice to be recognized for creating something of value (of value to whom is the really complex issue). However, too many people don't understand that fame itself isn't necessarily a sign that value has been created (*cough!* *cough!* *lewinsky!* *cough!*). They are, as Alan Watts has said, confusing the menu for the meal.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 1999

I suppose I do want to be famous, but one of the advantages of being a writer is that you can be perfectly famous even if you hole up in a shack in New England (cf. J.D. Salinger). I've always been in awe of actors, who have to show up for auditions and go on Letterman; writers can sit at home in their bathrobes.

But I digress.

The answer is yes, but I'd prefer not to have people recognizing me at checkout counters, only at book signings. And at reunions of Guggenheim Fellows. (sigh)

-- Anonymous, May 17, 1999

Y'know.. I'd like to be famous. Well, not famous in "Oh, he's the one who ate three people and did donusts in a 4x4 on the White House lawn" famous type of way, but in a good way, like "Hey, that's Rich.. he's got these great theories, (did you read his latest book?), and he's fun to talk to, and he has this cool web site, www.inferiority.com (ok, shameless advertising and whoring, I know)..."

Anyway, it's more a thing of saying that I actually had some influence or affect on the world rather than a egoistic "I need to wanted and accepted" type of fame.

Also, it probably has something to do with wanting to have somebody give me a $100k advance to write a book so I don't have to work anymore.

As for brushes with fame, I can't remember anything off the top of my head, although my memory is pretty bad and I have a feeling i'm forgetting something that I ay have done personally. Otherwise, I remember I've met a few celebrities, but I forget exactly who.. I'm pretty bad with names.

However, I graduted high school with Jay Mohr. We used to call him J.J. He was somewhat of a goof, not a great student, but a nice enough guy. I also was friends with Yancy Arias in college. He was in my fraternity, even. He also produced two shows we did, and I missed seeing him in a matinee of Miss Saigon because he was doing a soap during the day, letting the understudy do the day shows and showing up for the night performances. Now he's on HBO.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 1999

Well, yes and no. Definitely want to be famous for the chicks, but you know, the rest of the deal is just a hassle. I am writing a book right now, so we'll see if that gets me famous. It's kind of "Squishy" inspired, so thanks Pamie. But it's also Jon Stewart/Ben Stiller/Janeane Garofalo/Drew Carey inspired. Anyway, the point is, maybe I'll achieve moderate fame with that, i.e. get lots of groupies, but still not be bothered when doing the everyday stuff in my life. So, anyway, keep an eye out for the thing, the title along should cause a stir and get me famous -- "Mein Kampf."

I had a few brushes with fame, like I helped Michael Moore out when he was in DC for his new show The Awful Truth, and he signed my book, and I have wandered in James Carville's "office" (his basement) from time to time and caught him napping on the couch, and then getting pissed off at me. I have a website devoted to my incidents with TV Food Network's Emeril Lagasse. 30,000 hits so far and quotes in 2 articles, so I guess I'm derivatively famous (check it out at http://www.netaxs.com/~jeric/eric/emeril.html)

Anyway, so I don't want to be Michael Jackson famous, but Tito Jackson famous would be pretty good.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 1999

I would like to be famous to an extent. I don't want to have all of the peeping eyes and the struggle for privacy, but I wouldn't mind being set apart from every other average Joe. I would like to be one of the most successful business women in the country....not going to happen. Too many cons and not enough pros. I love the business world, but I want to love my job more than anything.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 1999

I'll admit it. I want to be famous. I decided that since I want to be famous and I love music yet I have no talent, i will become an audio engineer, and work with a bunch of different music groups. then i'll find one that i like and we'll be friends and they'll invite me to go on tour with them and then i'll be recognized by their fans for my work and even if i'm not at superstardom (which i don't want, because i still want to lead a normal life) that in itself will make me happy.. just to be recognized for what i'm good at. every time i see my name in the paper or hear it on the announcements or even see it being used in vain in the bathroom walls (no, that hasn't happened.. yet) i get so happy and i feel nice and special. ohyeah, and i was on nickelodeon before for a good 3 minutes. HA!

-- Anonymous, May 17, 1999

Being rich would be great, but I think I would hate being famous. I like being alone a lot, anonymous, almost invisible when I'm out in public - all the better to be able to observe *other* people, both the famous and the everyday Joes and Janes of the world, like myself.

Brushes with fame.... hmmm, I live just a few blocks from Robin Williams' house in San Francisco, and have seen him on the street several times when I was walking to China Beach. He seems very sweet, says hello, walks his baby in a stroller through the 'hood (a very posh 'hood, close to mine in distance but eons away in income levels), that kind of thing. He's probably the most famous person who lives in SF, and says he likes living here because people on the street don't intrude on him, they treat him like a normal person, don't make a fuss and act like idiots. I can see how being famous in placeds where people were always in your face asking for things would be a drag.

But being rich and anonymous... that would be the best (for me).

Judy

http://www.judywatt.com

-- Anonymous, May 17, 1999

Sometimes I really wish I was famous. When I was a little kid I dreamed of being famous one day. Not just the for money, but the for things that you mentioned in your entry, Pamie. To have someone remembering you - someone admiring you and what you do and talking about you. For the knowledge that you made someone happy with your comedy, or singing, or whatever it is that makes you famous. Just to touch people's lives.

But then I thought about the negative side. No more quiet walks around my block or anywhere else. No more just getting in my car and driving to the mall. Your whole life changes. You need bodyguards, you are recognized and harrassed wherever you go. You never know who is your friend because they like you or because you are famous. And then what happens when you fall from fame? You start to feel like a failure. You start to get depressed because no one seems to remember you anymore. All those people that loved you when you were famous are gone and you feel used.

So, I think that I'm just happy to just be me. I'd prefer to be famous to my family and friends - people who I know will always care about me, and not famous to a bunch of strangers. I still want to do things to make people smile and be happy, but I'm content to do it at a small level.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 1999

Oh, I've always wanted to be famous. Being rich would be great and all, but I've always found fame much more seductive.

I used to belong to an improv show called "Naked Brunch," which performed in Boston and toured around New England from time to time. I got used to being recognized once in a while out at bars or whatever, but that's sort of like being seen in your neighbor's home movies.

The greatest moment of "personal fame" came when someone stopped me on the street while I was in San Francisco, and said, "I've seen you on stage somewhere!" I asked if he had been to Boston, and he said, "Yeah! Naked Brunch! You're a fucking riot!"

I lived off of that one for weeks. Famous on two coasts!

-- Anonymous, May 17, 1999

Pamie, Talk about brushes with fame: when my sister told me you wrote her back and said you were in OM I was ecstatic! How cool is that? So I guess you could say taht You are a celebrity to me! She forwarded you message later. Thank you for reading my site!

-- Anonymous, May 17, 1999

Only posthumously. After I'm dead, I want everyone to know who I was. I want everyone to build shrines to me, but only when I'm not around to be annoyed by it anymore.

But in life? Nuh uh. No way.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 1999

I had my own little Matt-like experience a few weeks ago. A buddy of mine had come in town to see our show and afterwards we went to a cheesy frat-boy bar (he had brought some cheesy frat-boy friends with him). I noticed two girls pointing and giggling and assumed my fly was down until one of them came up and asked if I was in Monks. They had seen our show a few weeks earlier and recognized me despite the now normal hair. It was kind of cool, and my girlfriend just watched while I harmlessly flirted. Hey, I was just trying to build our fan base.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 1999

I'm beginning to think I may be some kind of freak, because I don't want to be famous in any way. I want to achieve things - like having a book published - but more because I want the satisfaction of having achieved it, not so I see my name in lights.

I also don't want to be fabulously wealthy - as long as I can afford to enjoy life and give my future children a nice standard of life and a good education I'll think I've got enough.

Mind you, what I consider a nice life is probably what others would consider being fabulously wealthy!

-- Anonymous, May 18, 1999

Ahh Fame- the fleeting goal of millions. Yes, me as well. Not goal- but harmless desire. Actually I was on the track to have a promising acting career. That was what everybody thought I would do because that (acting) was my life, and I was damn good at it to. Unfortunately, I'm one of those people that needs someone encouraging and supporting me to achieve or even try for a goal that the odds are stacked against, and all the well meaning people in my life went to great pains to discourage me from even trying. I, being very impressionable, succumbed to what I thought were wise people that were smarter than me. STUPID! Oh well-maybe someday.

Now I have to settle for the occasional person mistaking me for Kiefer Sutherland. Which is odd. I really don't look that much like him. I have been asked for my autograph quite a few times anyway despite my protestations to the contrary. I just sign my own name, and exit as quickly as possible.

Yes, wealth to the point where money wasn't a factor in the decision making process of life would be a glorious thing.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 1999

If I had to be really basic on the reason why I would want to be famous, I would have to say "immortality". We may not achieve it in the physical, but to be famous is to be immortal in a way. You will be remembered, forever, or for as long as there are mediums for allowing your presence to be known over and over again (documents, books, movies etc.) So fame would be achieving my own immortality in a way, if I knew that I was famous enough before dying that thousands or millions would remember me.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 1999

Cryogenics, baby! That's REAL immortality!

Screw fame! With a few thousand dollars, you'll be seein' me around for a long long long long long long long long time.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 1999

I want the Johnny Bates sort of fame (Mike will probably be the only one who gets that).

-- Anonymous, May 19, 1999

Chris,

Please don't put me in a position to testify against you in a court of law.

-- Anonymous, May 19, 1999

I think everyone wants to be famous at one time. The question isn't do you want to be famous but why? I go through phases and right now I'm in my "I want it all phase". I want the fame and the glory and the adoration...Not to mention the money. Let's face it we all want the security and financial stability that goes with fame. We just don't always want the responsibility and the endless duties and personal intrusions that come with fame.

It's hard being a performer. Especially when you realize how many other people are trying to do what you do.

-- Anonymous, May 19, 1999

Yes,yes,yes. I do want Fame for being an actress but then comes that warning light that says be careful what you wish for, so i try to make it specific like :

Iwant to be famous for being an incredible actress. REALITY- I end up being fmous for being an incredibly bad actress. I want to be famous for being an incredibly good actress. REALITY: i end up being famous for being incredibly good in that horribly bad film. OK, i want to be an incredibly good actress in incredibly good films REALITY-Inredibly good defensive driving films or incredibly good soft porn?

you get the picture. so i guess I'll just leave it up to the fates and continue being a fan and an incredible unknown.

-- Anonymous, July 31, 1999