Famous Faces

I was just doing my blog rounds and trying to think of something fun to post tonight when I stumbled upon inspiration. Apparently, a friend of mine recently saw Melissa Reeves a/k/a Jennifer Horton from Days of our Lives in Target this week!!!! If you're a college friend then you understand just how exciting and yet upsetting this news is to me. I admit I am very covetous of Sonja's experience and I'm trying not to hold it against her. So, after pouting for a while that I was in Target for 1 1/2 hours today and saw not one single Salem resident, I realized I've had my share of celebrity sightings in the past and it might be fun to recount them for you.

My earliest sighting came when I was probably 5 or 6. I was sitting in my mom's lap in church one Sunday morning and turned around to see none other than Glen Campbell sitting 2 rows back! He was decked out in a white suit looking very dapper and he smiled at me. I'd know him anywhere since he and "Lassie" were my imaginary friends. You see, I owned the 45 of "Rhinestone Cowboy" and thought he seemed like a nice guy so everyday I would invite him and the sweet dog from TV to play with me. I couldn't believe my luck when he decided to appear in the flesh during Sunday worship service at Elkdale Baptist Church! Of course, my mom had to burst my bubble and point out that he was really just a nice man with blonde hair in a white suit and not a famous country singer. But to me he was Glen Campbell. And you will never convince me otherwise.

My second memorable sighting came when I was a sophomore in college. In truth, it was more of a stalking incident than a sighting. You see, at this time in my life I was completely immersed in Christian Music mania and the Amy Grant/Michael W. Smith tour was coming to a town near me. Champ agreed to accompany me and we ended up spending the entire afternoon together in downtown Birmingham. We drove by the coliseum mid-afternoon to discover their tour bus pulling up out front. We hurried out of the car anxiously awaiting a glimpse of somebody. Anybody. And all of a sudden......there he was. Michael W. Smith himself walked right past us with a stack of music books in his hand. He smiled and said hello and I almost fainted. My mom quickly sprung into action. She grabbed a pen and a piece of paper from her purse, shoved them into my hands and then pushed me and said "Well.....FOLLOW HIM! GET HIS AUTOGRAPH!!" Oh yes she did. And I did as the Bible commanded and obeyed my mother. So there I as stalking MWS through a long corridor that I'm positive I was not allowed to be in and timidly saying "Ummmm.....excuse me? Excuse me? Ummmm......Mr. Smith????" He turned and for a moment probably considered throwing the music at me and alerting the authorities. But I guess I looked pretty harmless. And pathetic. Because he invited me to follow him into his dressing room where he put the music down, signed an autograph and graciously thanked me for coming to the concert. He talked for about 5 minutes but to this day I have absolutely no recollection of what he said. I was in awe of his talent, his ministry and his faithfulness to his calling. And I thought he was really, really, cute.

Then there was the time later in my college life that a big Hollywood movie came to shoot in my hometown. It was called Blue Sky. Ever heard of it? Didn't think so. Anyway, it starred Jessica Lange, Chris O'Donnell and Tommy Lee Jones. I saw all three of them on the day I visited the set. Jessica Lange was pretty and extremely tiny. Tommy Lee Jones was very short and smoked alot. He also flirted with me. I was standing near a barricade and he walked up, nodded his head and winked at me. I'm not even making this up. I suppose I should have been flattered but at the time I only knew him as Dew from Coal Miner's Daughter. So it kinda gave me the creeps.

Since living in Nashville I've spotted my fair share of famous faces. I've seen Faith Hill at The Factory, Steven Curtis Chapman at the movie theater, Kathy Mattea at Arby's and Steve McNair, Joe Diffie, Michael McDonald, Darrel Waltrip and Kenny Chesney at the mall. I saw Matt Lauer and Al Roker in NYC. I've spotted Courtney Cox at The Ivy in LA and Bob Eubanks at the airport in Charleston. I've seen Wynonna shopping at Target and Amy Grant shopping at Christmas Village. And Smitty and I have run into each other at Back Yard Burger, a school fundraiser and even my former church. Oh, and we cannot forget my day with Miley Cyrus. And never mind that I sing in the choir with Miss America 1996 and Mr. Living Proof Live.

I guess I should be thankful. It's not to shabby for a girl from Podunk Alabama. But I have always been fascinated with celebrity and there is still a long list of people in our area that's I'd love to see up close and personal; Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Carrie Underwood. And don't get me started on how Maureen McCormick (Marcia Brady) was here filming a reality show for months and I never once ran into her! Oh well. It's probably for the best. I would have never recovered from that one.

I'd love to know your stories. If you've ever seen a big star leave me a comment. I promise not to hold it against you. Unless it was Marcia Brady. That will make me so stinkin mad. You can't even imagine.