Who is the most famous or infamous person you have ever met?

As a journalist I have met or spoken over the phone to quite a few celebrities, near celebrities, and want to be celebrities…

It all began in college when I was given the press release, to write about a distinguished lecturer coming to town, a very famous astrophysicist.

I wrote the article and when I went to pick up the newspaper at a local store near the campus I let out a little scream. My story was not only on the front page, it was above the fold! I grabbed several copies.

The next surprise came when I attended the press conference and as Dr. Carl Sagan passed on his way to the lectern, he spoke to me and I handed him a copy of the paper. This was my first ever press conference and needless to say, I was VERY nervous and terrified of saying the wrong thing or asking a “dumb” question. It took me 25 minutes of a 30 minute press conference to garner the nerves to ask a question…

Thinking of the Star Trek series I loved. I asked Dr. Sagan if he thought an order for the space program to survive would it have to be a cooperative effort between multiple nations. To surprise his response was that’s a good question. I’m glad you asked and answered yes, I was greatly relieved that I had not asked something that would have been thought as a dumb question.

After the press conference, he thanked me for the copy of the newspaper, and even autographed his picture that came with the press kit. That night, the lecture was, as expected, one about space even complete with photos from Mars.

Since that first famous encounter, I have spoken to a member of the Wiggles – the first female to join the group, one of the guys from Celtic Thunder, a member of One Republic, a member of 54-40, and even had a two hour long distance, phone conversation with Moira from Clannad. The interview was scheduled for around 30 minutes, but when the time came, she did not want to hang up and we talked and talked and talked until finally, she had to go and prepare dinner for her family in Ireland. Most recently, I spoke with Brad Merritt, the bass player for 54-40 before seeing them perform at a local venue.

Occasionally attending a concert I have been able to get backstage and meet the artist thanks to a wonderful PR person at the venue. One such artist was Johnny Mathis. I was wearing my Balmoral hat that night and the first thing he said to me was, “I love your hat, we had scones for lunch.” I also met and had my photo taken with Tony Orlando.

After meeting Thunderhand Joe and the Medicine Show after their first concert, when they returned the following year, Joe wanted me to do some photos with him and the band; so we arranged to meet before the show during sound check and I was able to get on the stage and get close-ups of Joe with his drums. Shots that I would not be able to do during the concert. And then a couple of years later at another show at an outdoor venue when I asked him where he wanted me to be, he says follow me and took me up on the stage where I photographed him on his drums behind the band.

I can honestly say that over my long journalistic career I have had a number first and have had to learn things literally on the fly; things that I never would have learned in a classroom – from composing copy over the phone to an editor to meet a deadline to photographing artist on the stage. All in all it’s been a good ride and I have cherished every moment.