John Scalzi is doing this cool feature on Whatever where he takes lets readers ask him questions, to which he provides thoughtful and entertaining answers. I’ve thought about doing this (and did it for a brief time on Radio Free Burrito) but I’m not all that good at it, especially when John sets the bar as high as he does.
Today, he was asked a question about fame that goes something like this: ". . . you have the perfect type of fame. You are unlikely to be mobbed in the
streets, however, at certain places (ConFusion, for example, we were on
our way there when we had this discussion), you are among the most
famous, most recognized, and most well-respected people in the room. Do
you agree that this is the perfect fame level, or would being just a
little bit more, or even a little bit less, famous suit you better?"
In fact, it goes exactly like that, due to the power of copy and paste.
John’s answer is pretty much what I would say, if I were asked the same question:
I am famous in a very constrained and limited way, to a small number of
people, who have to go to a certain place at a certain time in order to
see me at all: usually a science fiction convention or a book signing.
Outside these constrained and limited circumstances, I am distinctly unfamous; indeed, as a late-thirties balding man of modest height, weight and physical attractiveness, I am practically invisible to
anyone under the age of 30, and visible to anyone over that age only to
the extent that they have to walk around me, or have to have some
limited amount of social interaction with me as we stand in a line or
some such.
I am not balding (yet) and I have the occasional "Hey, I think I know you from someplace . . . oh, you used to be an actor lulz!" thing, but for the most part, I, like John, have exactly the right amount of unfamousness. In fact, when I’m at a con, I never rise to the level of "most recognized, and most well-respected people in the room" because if I’m lucky, I’m standing in line to meet that person.
About Radio Free Burrito!!!
Are you going to do another one?! I found them very entertaining as I worked (Checking backups, email server performance and firewall logs can be a little on the mundane side).
In fact, when I’m at a con, I never rise to the level of “most recognized, and most well-respected people in the room” because if I’m lucky, I’m standing in line to meet that person.
I would never make you wait in line, Wil, but thanks for the kind words all the same.
In fact, when I’m at a con, I never rise to the level of “most recognized, and most well-respected people in the room” because if I’m lucky, I’m standing in line to meet that person.
You’re just not going to the right cons then. At least not as a guest. 🙂
Dave beat me to it. 🙂
What? No way! I just saw “Stand By Me” for sale at the Target and your face was totally on the cover.
So, there you are. You’re famous at Target.
Outside these constrained and limited circumstances, I am distinctly unfamous
This could not be more true. I can’t help but be amused at my own small fame. I am a founder of an Anime convention in Pittsburgh, PA called Tekkoshocon. To a number of attendees I am famous and important. I will still on occasion get the big eyed, jaw drop, OMG expression when I mention my status as founder and first Convention Chair.
I see a paradox. Fame is described as being widely recognized. By adding the qualifier of “limited”, this makes the use of the word “fame” pointless. You are either “Famous”, or not.
There is a better term I think, which would be “celebrity”. The root comes from celebrate, and its power is in the eye of the beholder. You could be a “baseball celebrity”, or a “publishing celebrity”. This would account for the people that aren’t into a particular field in which you are famous, so they think you are just taking up space.
The fun part is when someone initially thinks you are a “space taker”, and then they have the realization or discovery that you may be “famous” or may be a “celebrity”. There’s usually a squeal, maybe a question about how much money you have, and then endless inquiries about what it was like working with Christina Applegate. At least that’s my experience.
You’re at least a C lister. If Kathy Griffin can do it….
So. you’re a minor celeb in the bigger realm of celeb status, but you have a huge cult following in the underworld of all niches. Be proud! It pays the bills and keeps you working/playing at what you love to do. Not many can enjoy that kind of lifestyle. You are notorious enough for people to remember ‘that scrawny kid’ from “Stand by Me” and for those of us who followed STTNG, you certainly made a lasting impression there. I think the ladder climb to being popular is how you treat your fans, your clientele, your customers. I built a nice following making Renaissance and Celtic headpieces for weddings. For those who appreciate it, that’s where I’ve built my base. It’s all about the niche factor, to me.
I was just going to say that ‘unfamousness’ was not a real word, but I looked it up using my trusted dictionary… google.com. It sent me to a blog called WWdN. Turns out it IS a real word. (-;
I do think, though, that you’re not giving yourself enough credit.
See, and I’m always afraid I’ll creep you out by acknowledging that oh, hi, I used to watch you on television.
Andrew ahahahahahaha! Win! Major win! 🙂
I think reaching that level of “most respected person in the room” is relative to each person’s interests. So, technically you can be both the most known and least known person in the room at the same time.
A few years ago, my band opened for Rick Springfield at a pretty well-known local theatre. After our set, we went into the lobby to our merch table; we were MOBBED like you wouldn’t believe. I’m certainly not comparing my band to the Beatles, but being mobbed like that made us feel like we were the Beatles. 🙂 Nobody would recognize me if I walked down the street right in front of that theatre today (even though I look exactly the same), but it was a lot of fun while it was happening. I think that sort of relates to this post… I dunno, I just wanted to share.
Camias Designs- do you have a website of your headpieces? I’d love to see them- I’ll bet they’re beautiful. 🙂
-Alicia
[email protected]
http://www.thewagband.com
I happen to know with great authority that when Molly and I made the , excuse the pun, Trek to last August’s Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas, with all the various stars there you were at the top of her list to meet and talk to, and I must say I was pretty excited too, I mean, your Wesley Freakin Crusher!
Sorry for sliming you with adoration once more . *hands you a towel to wipe your self off with *
*Drops Dark Side of the Moon hat and puts vulcan salute in the air turning into a fist*
“Power to the Geeks , we shall inherit the earth or at least , a ton of cash from our computer skills!”
OMG – I still find myself singing “I hanker for a hunk of cheese” whenever I think of cheese! How awful is that??? heehee
In fact, when I’m at a con, I never rise to the level of “most recognized, and most well-respected people in the room” because if I’m lucky, I’m standing in line to meet that person.
I strongly believe that if the stars had aligned for you to be at Penguicon, you would have had that experience pretty much all weekend. And although perhaps not absolutely 100% of everyone would have adored you, anyone having anything negative to say about you playing Westley at the uhacc.org Guiness-fest (to which you would have been invited as party GOH) would have been quietly removed and put on a bus to Atlanta.
I presume, though, that riding that edge of not-famous-enough-to-mostly-be-bothered is why you sometimes grow a beard?
I am practically invisible to anyone under the age of 30, and visible to anyone over that age only to the extent that they have to walk around me, or have to have some limited amount of social interaction with me as we stand in a line or some such.
I think that unlike him, you’re moderately more recognisable in face and voice vs. an average middle-aged guy. I would think that a beard would disguise your face enough that only someone very in tune with voices would be able to pick you out.
Makes sense to me. When I was a teenager, I wanted to be famous enough to go on Conan O’Brien’s show, but not famous enough for one of the main late-night shows (this was back when nobody though Conan would make it). Now I’m just trying to think of an awesome, controversial book I can write real quick so I can go on the Colbert Report 😉
I tried to pick the most Star Trekkie recent post to send you a link to today’s Savage Chicken comic –
http://www.savagechickens.com/blog/2008/04/trekkie.html — love Savage Chicken!
So, I have a brother that works in the film business – one of the names that speed by in the credits while you wait to see if they added gags to the end.
Right now he’s working on a film with a Major Star, one that the tabloids have on the cover all the time. (Though in his case not for bad behavior.)
Scalzi was right that real fame can be a burden. This guy can’t go out without an ex-SAS bodyguard and off-duty cop escort. They rented him a ranch to live on so they could set up a security perimeter. He can’t go anywhere without being mobbed. They have had to deal with a stalker and huge hordes of photographers. I’ve seen him interviewed and his main complaint is that his kids can’t go anywhere without being photographed and harassed.
Yet, despite this he’s a nice guy. He came around the locations and introduced himself and shook hands with everyone on the crew. There have been times on other films where the stars have been incredibly rude and obnoxious to the crew. Unlike this Major Star, they don’t follow Our Host’s advice at the top of the page. (One worked with Our Host onscreen, btw. The game is to figure out who.)