My Brush With Celebrity

A couple of years ago, I ended up with two special "VIP Industry" tickets to a big Toronto comic book convention. The tickets provided for reservations at a special dinner, with all types of comic book professionals and the convention's celebrity guests. It just so happened that my Mom was in town, so I took her with me--which was fine because my Mom is cool, but I couldn't help but feel like the geekiest geek in the world sitting with all these industry professionals and having to explain that I'm just a fan who brought his Mom.

So anyway, during the course of dinner, I head to the buffet and help myself to some fruit chunks using the provided tongs. I glance behind me, and who could it be but Kevin Sorbo (Hercules, Starship: Andromeda, etc.) standing there! He says, exact quote, "Hm, you'd think they'd have more tongs here." I handed him the tongs and went back to my table.

That represents the closest I have ever been to a bona-fide celebrity, and the moment will always stand in my memory as "The Day I Handed Hercules the Tongs."

I can only hope that some day I'll have the chance to hand another celebrity some sort of eating implement.