I've had quite a few celebrity encounters.... but the biggest one was the encounter with Michael Jackson. It was in an autograph signing and I had found out about it by accident. It was a year after I had to quit my job with Sony Music Studios to focus on my relationship and I decided to attend the event despite the fact that I don't normally go to events like that. It was brutal at first because of the weather which was about thirty degrees and people had to wait in line for a long time. I started waiting in line at two o'clock in the morning.
People were singing and dancing to keep warm. I wore a heavy coat and just watched people. Some of Michael Jackson's fans are some of the most maniacal that I've ever seen and it was quite entertaining to watch. The morning had come and his bodyguards showed up to hand out tickets but people were bum-rushing the line at the last minute. I still got my ticket anyway. I then purchased his new album that he was to sign and came back a few hours later.
They shut down the store for him and people were screaming. Television news outlets were present and Carson Daly was booed as he was leaving the store.... for some reason.... after interviewing Michael Jackson. I saw this one woman who was pulling out her hair while I was waiting in line..... which is just insane..... isn't it? People then had to go down an escalator and there he was at a desk. I felt nervous but was tired so I didn't exactly feel it. Sony Music representatives were seated at another desk in the corner of the store as they were watching the fans and Michael Jackson's interaction with them. It seemed more like an orchestrated circus.
One of the things that struck me was the fact that there were two sets of twins helping Michael Jackson out. There were two twin females and two twin males. How strange is that? The bodyguards were impeccably dressed in two-piece suits and they were physically elegant. A person would have to be in top physical shape to do a job like that where there are hundreds of people to watch. You never know what a fan might do. So..... there I was in front of Michael Jackson and at first I could look at him while he had his eyes on the album but then when he looked up to look at me was when I put my head downward so that all he could see was my forehead.
I couldn't look at him in the eyes.... I guess that I was shy about it or something. So.... that's one encounter. I'll write about another one tomorrow.
