famous people

In the small space of time I have lived in the big smoke I have seen no less than 3 famous people...

I had been here no less than a week when I had my first episode of 'seeing famous person' sickness. Out in Soho, for a housemate's birthday, minding our own buisness. And there he was, Sam, from Pop Idol (if you're an avid reality TV show follow you'll know who I mean...the young cute one), stumbling out of the bar and puking on the road. Pleasant. I got photos, got shouted at for taking photos, my friends started arguing. And I walked on. I could have sold the photos to 'The Sun' or some other equally distasteful paper...but I wouldn't be that cruel.

Then, and more excitedly, I was near Bond Street, hanging around with some CU friends after an event in All Souls church. As we walked past the theatre where Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was playing, there he was, famous person number2. Jason Donovan. I kid you not. One of the girls went crazy. She loved Kylie and Jason. Posters on the wall and all. Me? I just shoved my phone in his face to take videos and photos-my camera's not sophisticated enough to have zoom. Jason, was very obliging and we chatted nicely then he hopped on his motor bike, revved the engine and drove into the night.

Finally, today on my way to drop off photos for the newspaper (oh yes...) I was underground walking through the crowds to the Northern Line. I saw a familiar face walking towards me. I did that double take you do when you recognise someone. As he continued coming toward me, time stood still, but my brain raced searching through my archives. Where do I know that face? college? belfast? a bar? somewhere on my gap year (I usually attribute unknown but known faces to this last one as i met so many different people that year)...and then it dawned on me...TV. It was Dan (the tall, bald, very camp guy) from Big Brother 2004. The frightening thing is I thought I knew him, thought I'd had at least one conversation with him. But no, I'd just watched him. And I didn't even watch the whole of BB as I was in Colombia for the second half. Shameless.

So this famous person disease...where does it come from and why does it excite us? I've been reading the Beattitudes recently and Jesus' concept of who will be blessed is so topsy turvey to us where rich, famous people that we've seen are what we boast about over the dinner table (or in blogs!), not those who are meek and poor or hunger and thirst for righteousness. But more than that, how on earth could I mistake a TV personality for a friend? Scary, utterly scary.