After seeing Ira Glass last month, I’ve been thinking a lot about the people I’d be the most excited to meet. (Under heavy sedation so that I acted like a normal person). I mean, what’s the criteria for that even? Who’s work I most admire? Who I’d want to be friends with? Who I’d just like to be friends with? When people see celebrities, what makes them giddy? What do they want to happen? I’ve never really known because I didn’t really follow movies and TV stars too well. But then I realized how star struck I felt the first time I saw Ira during undergrad, so….
In no particular order and with no consistent ranking system:
- Ira Glass. Obvs. After listening him and his show for hours for years, it’s hard to not already feel like you’re friends. But you’re uneven friends because he doesn’t know anything about you. (A unique concept that has only been so widely possible with the internet and which I think about a lot as well).
- Jon Stewart. I know that it wasn’t like I watched the show consistently, ever, but sometimes I just go on Daily Show binges and I can’t believe he’s retiring! I feel like haven’t stumbled upon something he’s done that I didn’t like.
- Noam Chomsky. I don’t know why, but I’d just probably quietly flip out if I got hear him give a peppy lecture. He’s just one of the people that instantly come to mind as someone I’d like to meet/hear lecture for the longest time.
- Tina Fey. Always great on SNL, but I think I really fell in love during her impersonations of Sarah Palin, which was happening simultaneously as 30 Rock, so you know. Unstoppable at a certain point.
- Stefan Sagmeister. Another person I’ve been fortunate enough to have met before, but I would always be excited to see him again! I was flustered because I was late last time, so, maybe a calm friendship would be nice ;).
So, there you have it. But, if I was being honest, it was hard for me to think of any one after Chomsky. Like, someone I’d be really star struck over. There are plenty of people I’d like to meet and admire, but I’m not so into celebrity I guess. I also think it would be really interesting to meet Hayao Miyazaki after seeing The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, but logistically there would be quite a language barrier during said meeting. (Besides, I know there are many more die-hard fans than me). Also a lot of authors: Oliver Sacks, Frank McCourt, Malcolm Gladwell, Steven Pinker…And, you know what, I would be absolutely thrilled to meet or see designer Chip Kidd, who i know is an great public speaker too. Bonus number 6.