My 15 Minutes of Fame
All of the talk recently about our school days has got me reminiscing now, too, LOL. So here is my high school story that I would like to share with the class. I originally posted it back on MySpace “back in the day”.
Andy Warhol said that “everybody would have their 15 minutes of fame” and I never really thought that I would have mine but somehow, in spite of my low expectations, I actually managed to have a few minutes…..at least on TV. (I’ll save the rest of that story for a future blog.)
I graduated from high school back in 1990. I was my class valedictorian and I also graduated a year early and with honors (I was a brainiac in school). For many years, our local WABC affiliate sponsored a series of TV commercials that ran every summer on their local TV stations saluting the valedictorians from the 5 boroughs of NYC. It was called “The Best of the Class” . They would invite all of the local valedictorians to Lincoln Center in Manhattan to film them in front of the huge fountain outside of the building. They filmed a large group shot of everyone but then also taped cameo shots of two valedictorians at a time and their name and school would also be featured on the screen. I couldn’t have been happier that finally, after watching these commercials every summer for years, that I was finally going to have my chance to do my very own. Yes, this was surreal to me.
Well the big day came and my scene was shot. The whole experience, in fact that whole time in my life, was so exciting for me. Prior to the taping, I had received a letter that gave me a phone number to call in order to find out when my spot would air, which was supposed to be around June 21st or so (I can’t remember the exact date.) My parents and I were so excited that I was going to be on TV that we started calling everyone we knew, from my family to neighbors to people we knew back when I was in grade school. I couldn’t wait.
Meanwhile right about this same time, Nelson Mandela was freed and they decided to throw a parade to honor him……on the same day I was going to make my big TV debute. (You just gotta love timing sometimes, LOL) As what always happens when they pre-empt the regular shows to air special coverage of an event, the entire schedule and the commercials that went with them got totally messed up. Still I lived in hope that MAYBE my spot would somehow still air. So we all waited around the TV for the exact time they said the spot would air. Finally my big moment came……and went. Yes, I was pre-empted. I was crushed, but all was not lost just yet. I called WABC the next day and asked if the spot was going to re-air. The good news was that yes, they told me it would still air afterall. The bad news…….it was going to be on July 4th at 11:25 PM. Considering most people on this day are either away, at some kind of fireworks event and no where near a TV, or are at home but probably asleep at that time, I really doubted my big moment was going to be seen by many people at all. We didn’t re-call any of the people we had called before and I’m pretty sure the only ones who saw it were my parents, my aunt and uncle, and my next door neighbors. Yes, I was very bummed.
So I guess you could say the whole experience was a truly surreal one for me, first because I couldn’t believe I was going to be on TV…..and then because after everything I was only seen by a handful of people. At least I have the memories of a great day that I will never forget and it was a truly wonderful experience for everyone who did watch to see me on TV, especially for something like this. It did feel so good to have everyone so proud of me. I just wish the timing of everything could have been better. Oh well, I guess that’s show biz!
BTW, here is a picture my Mom took of the taping, so at least all of you can see some of what was on the TV.
Cool! That looks a littel like Rachel Maddow on the right.
oh well here I go ,screw Nelson and the fireworks GO REDSSS!!!!!!!!U look like suck a cutie pie in mauve…or is that indigo? I’m such a stinker,I missed my graduation toga party on purpose..and went to a strip joint..and danced at the bar(without stripping..I hope..I guess…ummm…no, I just sleaze-danced,lol)Think I like normal toga celebrations better though…they seem just sooo..perfect!
Well here’s my story, from High School
http://www.friendburst.com/blog/40852/35-year-high-school-reunion/
*2 Kudos*
I think it may have been for the best. As it it worked out, you passed the test, and remained Galadriel… Who knows what may have happened had you been subject to fame and fortune? Some are hopelessly corrupted by such things, and even Satan was an angel once…. too.
The good thing is, it kept that creepy stalker guy from seeing your commercial and becoming obsessed with you.
Naw, but seriously, it sucks you got preempted, but you never know what good things resulted from it. You’ve probably got about 12 minutes of fame left in ya. 😉
Maybe if things had gone as planned, someone would have seen you, taken you away where you would have become famous, and left the path you have now followed far behind as only a whisper of what might have been. As selfish as it sounds, that truly would have been a loss to all of us. We would not have gotten to know you and shared our worlds, thoughts, and dreams with you as we have been so lucky enough to have been able to do. So I for one am selfishly happy that your 15mins of fame did not take you away and instead has given us so many more minutes to share.
Dw
😉 Fame so close to your grasp… and it slipped away? But if things had been different would we still have your company? 😉
Wow! Well, I’m with the others. Fame and fortune don’t do people much good. I had similar experiences. I was an artist and nicknamed Michelangela. I’ve won, throughout my life, top awards for it, including Best of Show. I never did anything with it, but give it as gifts to various people.
But I was also an athlete with wings on my feet. When field day came along, instead of jumping INTO the sandpit, I jumped OVER it. They kept moving the line back for me and I kept jumping over the pit. I could jump further than every student in the school, including the boys.
It so came about that I was chosen to go to a state meet to compete for the Horse (gymnastics Horse, not physical one). I could fly over that horse like no one they had ever seen. I was Olympic material for certain. I knew in my heart they were right. So I went, with expectations flying high.
My turn was finally up. As usual I flew with invisible wings over the Horse, landing in perfect pose on the other side. Not once did I do this, but several times. Everyone was awestruck…except for me. My shins were killing me. I could hardly walk. I popped aspirin, to no avail. The pain was intense. Furthermore, the preliminary matches were completed and I did not hear a word about how I’d done. I waited and waited. No word. So, I went home.
The next day at school, the kids surrounded me. “Why did you go home??” they questioned me. “Don’t you know you were chosen for the finalists? You were better than them all! You could have won the State Championship…..DUMMMMMMYYYY!”
I did win the State Championship, with my little Shepherd Dog, in obedience. The local newspaper had an article about me, even though the author couldn’t get it right, and the State Senator wrote a letter of congratulations to me! The sky was the limit for my little dog and me!
There was only one hitch. She contracted a type of cancer of the eyes at that very competition, and went blind. The next phase of obedience trialing was dependent on hand signals. She couldn’t see me.
Ah, fame and fortune. It is an elusive dream.
Fame and fortune are not all that great Ms Moonlight. It may lead to notoriety, money and attention, but it also may cost you liberty and freedom to enjoy the simple things in life. Just think, you got to experience the fame of walking across the stage as #1 in your class, maybe even had the opportunity to make a speech before an audience of your peers and parents and received praise and esteem from those who really matter …. your family and friends.
Fame from without is nothing compared to the fame one feels within! Kudos to you for accomplishing something very few ever attain or experience!
I agree with Roscoe, you were a cutie then and probably a beauty today.
Thank you for sharing!