Monday May 16th, 2011 - Fox Lake, IL As much as it’s hard for me to believe, on a very small level to certain people I can pass for a celebrity. I may be on the ‘Z list‘, and I don’t claim higher, but it’s a fact. I don’t say that for bragging purposes, but for discussion. I think it’s of extreme importance to have a sharp awareness of how one in any form of the entertainment business handles people. Business relationships are important enough, but I think the way a celebrity on any level treats the public is the true test of inner character. I for one bust my ass to always try to be approachable, especially in a show setting. When someone comes up to me, I realize it’s a part of the business and I chose to be an entertainer. It’s usually not that hard to deal with. Most people are very nice, and more than make up for the psychopaths and wack-a-doo types that come along, and they do too. There are ways to handle them, and there’s never a reason to be mean or nasty. I’m getting recognized a lot more these days, and I’m very conscious of it when it happens. I always smile and sincerely thank people, and mean it. I’ve worked with and met more than my share of real celebrities through the years both in comedy and radio, and whenever anyone asks about a certain person, they always want to know of the celebrity was nice or not. They want to hear either one extreme or another. It’s funny how that is. People want to hear someone famous was either nice to a fault or a flaming butt whistle but NOTHING in between. If I say so and so was ‘just ok’, people are disappointed. They want either Mother Theresa’s kindness or Hitler‘s temperament. Most of the celebrities I’ve met have been on the nice side, but I’m not one to jump in a person’s face and ask for an autograph when they’re eating dinner. I lay back and usually that’s the one a celebrity gravitates to. I try to be a real person, and that’s usually enough. On the top of my list off the top of my head of the all time nicest celebrities I’ve met are George Carlin, Jeff Foxworthy, Craig Ferguson, Bobcat Goldthwaite, Ronnie James Dio, Julius Erving and believe it or not, Rosie O’Donnell. Yes, that Rosie O‘Donnell. I worked with her in Florida years ago, and she couldn’t have been nicer. We got along very well. Another one who gets special mention is Aisha Tyler. I met her years ago when I judged the San Francisco Comedy Competition when I lived in Reno. She wasn’t famous, but big things were in store for her. She’s a gorgeous well spoken woman who also happens to be black. The world is her oyster. Plus, her act was funny too. She had all the tools to win. It would have been easy for her to exploit that and be a raging selfish bitch, but she isn’t anything close to that. I watched her act this weekend and she’s paid her dues and has put a well earned career together. I have nothing but respect for her, and continue to be a fan. Plus, she’s been married for 16 years to the same guy. That says a lot, and then I sat and watched her sign autographs and be nice to her fans. That lady is a class act all the way.
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