How To Rub Shoulders With Celebrities

If being around famous people intimidates you, the advice in this article may help put you more at ease. After all, aside from being well-known by the masses, these folks have the same basic needs, hang-ups, pressures, and feelings as you and I -- and, like all of us, they have to deal with everything life throws at them, except they often must deal with these issues in public. So, let me use examples of the celebs I've "rubbed shoulders with" to show you what I'm talking about.

1. The "tough guy" celebrity. Many well-known celebrities are stereotyped by the way they appear on television or in the movies. I met Thomas "Hit Man" Hearns during his troop tour to Desert Storm. When I told him I was assigned to be his guide, he looked me straight in the eye and said, "Great. I'm starving. Guide me to some food 'cause I'm hungry!" Intimidating? You bet -- especially coming from somebody who could beat the crap out of you, having mauled other guys in the ring who were in much better physical condition than I was at the time. But instead of letting him put me on the defensive, I immediately grabbed a MRE (meals-ready-to-eat) packet of chicken ala king (which was about all we had left for MREs because everybody hated it), tossed it to him, and said, "Here ya go! Eat up!" He stared at me for a few moments and then busted out laughing. I laughed with him, and the ice was broken.

   I took him to the dining tent and we had a nice dinner of BBQ chicken and all the fixings. For the next few days, he told me a lot about himself and asked me questions about my family back home. He was genuinely interested. Anyway, we had an awesome time together as I showed him around the Tent City, introduced him to the troops, and fitted him for a set of BDUs (battle dress uniform). The tough guy wasn't that tough. He was an interesting, caring individual who fit right in with the troops and shed his own celebrity status to make THEM feel important.

2. The "grumpy" celebrity. Bob Hope gave his final USO show for the troops at our base in Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm; it was my job to make sure he was comfortable. If being assigned as an escort for arguably the most loved entertainer of all time isn't intimidating, I don't know what is! I met Bob as he got off the C-141 cargo plane at our base and spent the next two days with him, preparing for the show. During that time, I discovered that off camera, he is the most down-to-earth person you could imagine. But he's also a perfectionist, and during the time he was preparing his cue cards to deliver his famous one-liners, I realized he was exactly the way I would imagine any 90-year-old man to be -- set in his ways and easily led to grumpiness when things weren't exactly the way they should be.

   His cue card handlers were not meeting his expectations, and Bob Hope rapidly morphed into my grandfather -- grumpy, ornery, and downright mean. But what 90-year-old hasn't earned the right to want things his way? But that was a rare moment where I was allowed to see again that celebrities are really no different from the rest of us. They hurt, they cry, they get angry, they give love -- and Bob Hope was a pleasure to be around because he had a lot of love to give -- and a special heart for our fighting men and women throughout the years. That is still my opinion of Bob Hope, even after seeing him as human as anyone could, and I'll always cherish the time I was able to spend with him over three days. This time it was me thanking Bob Hope "for the memories."

3. The sports legend and the rising star. Hall of Famer Johnny Bench and up-and-coming country music star, Aaron Tippin, were also on the USO tour with Bob Hope. Both of these guys were also put into my care for the days leading up to the show. Johnny Bench was like being with my own Dad -- always concerned about me, my buddies, and our families. He never asked for any special treatment -- just wanted to listen to our stories and be our friend.

   Aaron Tippin was much the same way, and to show you what a "regular" guy Aaron was, I'll relate a short story. The first thing Aaron asked for was a pair of desert combat boots -- and they didn't even have to be new! I went to supply and the sergeant gladly furnished a pair of size 9s. You would have thought these were the only gift Aaron had ever received -- he was like a little kid as he stripped off his expensive cowboy boots and slid on what I can say from experience are some of the most uncomfortable footwear ever made. He handed me his old boots and said to keep them. Without even thinking, I simply tossed them into the nearest dumpster -- an act I would regret to this day.

   Several years later, Aaron Tippen was performing at Six Flags in New Jersey. I tried without success to get a backstage pass to see my old "friend" again and wondered if he'd even remember me. I asked the security people to deliver a message to Aaron and tell him the guy he hung out with during Desert Storm was outside and would like to say hello. They delivered the message, and in minutes, Aaron emerged with a huge smile on his face. He spotted me, hurried over, and hugged me like a brother. He did, indeed, remember. We chatted a few minutes, wished each other well, and Aaron had to get back to his fan club -- but for me, it reminded me that celebrities also have fond memories of the times, places, and people they "rubbed shoulders with" along their way to success.

4. The "couple." Gerald McRaney and Delta Burke also visited troops in the desert. These two people are as genuine as they come. Both donned BDUs and spent long hours just talking and listening to the guys and gals stuck hundreds of miles from home. It was easy being around these two because they didn't want anything from us -- they just wanted to give of themselves. They signed so many autographs and gave so many hugs and handshakes, I asked at one point if they'd like to just go somewhere quiet and relax for a while. Almost simultaneously, they said these were moments that were all too few in the lives of most entertainers -- and they had the rest of their lives to rest. They were here for the troops and felt blessed to be accepted and loved by those who were giving so much for their freedom. It was a pleasure getting to know this awesome couple.
5. The "nutcase." Anyone who remembers "The Gong Show" will recall the nutcase host, Chuck Barris. Long after his show was taken off the air, he owned and managed his own radio station. When trouble broke out in Haiti, he asked to be part of a news media tour I was taking to Port au Prince to report on our military operations there. I picked him up at his hotel room, along with several other local media folks, at about 2 a.m. to catch our military flight to Haiti. Chuck was far from the crazy guy we remember from the show. During the flight, we talked about everything from politics to the Knicks. Again, I discovered that we often make the mistake of assuming celebrities are the characters we see on the television set. But Chuck turned out to be a sensitive, caring individual who was as easy to make friends with as anyone I've ever known. My one regret is that I couldn't spend more time with him. He got violently ill shortly after we landed in Haiti and had to be sent back home on the first plane available. Still, the lesson was learned again that most celebrities are only intimidating because of the assumptions we make based on the characters they portray or the success they've had. Chuck Barris was no nutcase.

My experiences have led me to several conclusions. First, never assume anything about celebrities prior to meeting them, especially if you're basing it on what you've seen on television or heard in the news. Second, these are people -- they are just as bombarded with life's problems as we are and perhaps even more so. They are seeking acceptance as much as we are. Third, you've heard the cliche that states it best -- "They put on their pants the same as we do." Finally, rubbing shoulders with a celebrity should be viewed as an opportunity. There are always exceptions, but for the most part, a celebrity wants to be your friend just as much as you seek his acceptance. Intimidation is all in your head -- not theirs. My suggestion is to take every opportunity to hang out with the rich and famous, but keep in mind that oftentimes, they are seeking the same things you are -- acceptance, fair treatment, friendship, and a chance to "rub shoulders" with regular folks!