30 seconds: they are you and I.

So the other day, after meeting my longtime teenage idol (musically, poetically, and spiritually) Billy Corgan (B.C.) at his CD release party (a fringe benefit of living so close to Chicago), my fiancee and I were talking about how most of society seems to hold and perceive celebrities up on a higher standard/pedestal then "normal" people, when in fact they are more or less "normal" people. Sure, the whole world may know of them, but in the end, they are just like you and I. I remember the first time when I got to meet B.C. It was in Ann Arbor, MI. I waited about 8 or so hours in line, just to get a chance to get a glimpse at who I considered was the "great one". I would be face to face with HIM, the lead singer/guitarist of the Smashing Pumpkins. The one and only, who I only knew through the chords and phrases he embedded on a plastic circular disk.

I knew that I would have at most 30 seconds to talk to him, befriend him, and know him as a person, not the uber-rockstar that he was. What was I going to say to him? I've always had this notion that if I had ever met someone famous, to not ask the stupid "interviewer questions" that I'm sure they hear all the time. Stale, overplayed questions along the lines of, "You rock! When is your next album coming out? How has fame changed you? Do you like being famous? Do you like pumpkins or just smashing them? Where did your band name come from? etc..."

I wanted to ask him something from "plain and normal" to "plain and normal". Something along the lines of, "Hey how was your day? So, what did you do last night? What do you think about the Cubs?". Somewhere, in a wish lost, I wanted him to see me as a fan that wanted to know him more as a person. Not as someone who was only interested in him because of his fame.

I had my chance, and tons of questions raced through my head as I slowly approached him. What was I to say to him? Do I take the silent approach and just shake his hand and have him sign my CD? This may be my only chance to ever speak to him, I can't do that.

30 seconds glance by. The only stupid words that I mutter through my pathetic slack-jawed mouth are, "You rock! Keep it up man! Keep writing records and I'll keep buying them!"

What the fuck?!?!?!? I had maybe my one chance in life to talk to B.C. and I tell him I'll buy his records? You dumb mother-fucker. I'm the boy who blocked his own shot. All it took was 30 seconds. And in 30 seconds, it was over. I probably said the most stupid thing anyone has ever said to him. You dumb-fuck alex.

Over the last few years I get the chance to meet him a few more times, all with the same results. Everytime, I tell myself, "Don't let it happen again. Ask a better question you dumbshit." and everytime, the same stupid questions/phrases come out, until a couple days ago. This time I just pose a simple "Hi, how are you?" and that's it. That's enough for me now. Don't elaborate, don't ask something stupid about if he misses the Pumpkins.

The thing is, when I finally come face to face to someone famous, I feel like I have to elevate myself to their level. I feel like, "Wow. They're famous! Don't act stupid. Ask them something meaningful. Don't sound stupid." But when it all comes down (which I've noticed now) is that they are no different then you and I (no shit Sherlock!). It seems that once I have met them, I realize that they are just a plain ol' person. They become mortal. They perceive you as you perceive them, a total stranger. That platform they stand on suddenly becomes just a little lower with each meeting of them. Until one time finally, they become level with you.

There is nothing meaningful that you can say to them, just as there is nothing meaningful they can say to you. I feel like I would hold B.C. in more of a "God-like" status had I never of met him, rather than I how I feel about him now (I've met him probably about 6 or so times). It's the same with all Celebs. We epitomize them as "holier than thou" people, but in reality they could be no more than your dad or your mom. Once you meet them and try to talk to them, you realize, that they are no different than that undiscovered friend. There's nothing special about them. They are humans, just like your or I.