ALMOST FAMOUS

(2006) TARA ISON  THE WEEK 10/6 / 44-45

The author was fixed up with a date of an almost famous actor. This person is seen often in movies, television, advertisements, and related. In fact, he is seen all over and yet no one knows his name.

It is as if we live among the NON FAMOUS. That includes most of us. Perhaps a few people may recognize you, but that is it. Then there are the PRE-FAMOUS. You will see a movie again and now they stand out, because they are famous now, but they were not back then. The ALMOST FAMOUS are folks who are working actors that never quite get center stage. They make a good deal of money and they have gotten a few awards from the movie industry, but you just don't know them. When you read their name in the obits, you remember them. Of course, you know their work in an indirect way and may recognize them in public, but you are not sure if you are right. So you turn the other way.

This is the type of person she dated. Everywhere they went, people would look and stare, but not approach for an autograph. They are thinking that they may be foolish enough to ask some one like someone who turns out to be a class mate. At any rate, he always had to be on, because some people did recognize him, but they did not remember his name. In other words, there is not a set of instructions for the interaction with an ALMOST FAMOUS person.

Then there is the FAMOUS. You know them as they have been in your home via the media for years. You may approach them and say something dumb or you may say something very tasteful. Then you move and are a bit star struck.

Finally the PAST FAMOUS must be mentioned.. They are the tragedies. Most people knew them at one time and fought for their attention. Now, no one looks. They are just another face in the crowd. They may work behind the scenes in movies or they do any type of work related to the industry. The loss of fame may turn them to drugs or other behavior. PAST FAMOUS is probably the hardest of all.

The happy ending to this story is that she dropped him. She grew up in LA and in school knew a lot of folks who went on in to sit com's then their famous time faded and now they are selling real  estate.The break up wasn't bad. When she called, he was putting clothes in the washer and babysitting his child with his second wife. They said good bye. However, he lived in the neighborhood, so they may run into each other at the super. Then again, they may not.