Saturday, November 05, 2005

Random Sightings Of The Possibly Famous (Part Two), or Oh My God Is That Clay Aiken?

Okay, I don't know what's going on, but this is getting weird. Within a month's time, I've had Robert Plant, Famous Basketball Player Guy (no, I still haven't figured out his name yet), and now Clay Aiken walk into my store.

To the shame of some of my coworkers I was more excited by the first two.

Still I want to know why all these random famous people are coming to my mall, let alone any mall, because malls suck people. Suck like a ten dollar hooker. Perhaps I might be a bit too close to be objective and all, having worked in a mall for the last six years, but I would like to think that I've not been unjustly colored by my experiences. I work in a really high class mall, comparatively speaking, and it has a lot to offer (clothes, reasonably okay mall food, nice jewelry, etc), but I still wouldn't go there if I was famous.

Or infamous.

Or famous because I almost won a reality TV show and bear a strong resemblance to what would happen if Barry Manalow mated with an elf.

Proving once again that I'm totally oblivious (not to mention reinforcing my belief that I've escaped the reality television trend unscathed), it was my coworker who first pointed him out by saying, "Hey, that guy looks like Clay Aiken."

I nodded, went about my business, and even asked him if he needed help finding anything (he didn't and neither did his body guard who looked tweaked out that I would even ask him if he needed help. Hey, Mr. Hired Muscle! People in my state are nice for no apparent reason, deal with it!) . He continued to wonder around my store and passed my second coworker who looked at me all wide eyed and whispered, "Oh my God! That's Clay Aiken!"

She immediately slapped her hand over her mouth. Apparently she hadn't meant to say that out loud...when he was only four feet from her.

Me being me, I still wasn't sure, so I pulled the same staring thing on him that I did with the basketball player. Luckily, Aiken paid with a credit card, 'cause trusting my memory...yeah, not the way to go.

Good news Aiken fans, he looks much better in person. Less elf like. Of course the only picture I'm real familiar with of him was his book cover, which was probably airbrushed.

It made me laugh every time I had to display it up front. It was probably a good thing that I'd forgotten he'd even written a book until after he left. I'm not sure I could have kept from giggling, not to mention I'm not sure that we have it in stock anymore.

And that would have been embarrassing. "Here Mr. Aiken, please sign our stock of your book," she pauses to check the computer, "which we don't have in stock at all."

Oops. That would have gone over real well.

Considering that he's been my third famous person in a month though, and my mother has pounded into my head the superstition of threes over the years, I'm choosing to believe we'll be famous person free again for a long while.

It'll be nice not having to figure out why someone looks familiar, or feel out of the loop when I don't recognize them at all.

10 comments:

Beth said...

You shoulda grabbed his ears and said wikiwikiwiki.

Bookseller Chick said...

Heee! I should have, but he's taller than I thought he would be. Of course, I thought he was five foot five or something, so being taller isn't that hard.

I'll make a note to do that next time though,

L

Anonymous said...

So what kind of books do tallish reality-show pseudo-elves buy? Please don't say Tolkien ...

Anonymous said...

Hmmmm. 6'1" Clay Aiken as Legolas - I could deal with that kind of elf!

Anonymous said...

By the way, Clay was the runner up to Ruben.

Anonymous said...

So what books did Mr. Aiken and his bodyguard buy?

Bookseller Chick said...

Goodness, who knew that writing the name Clay Aiken would practically double my profile views. Craaaaazy.

Mary and Anonymous (3?)- he bought two children's books that were part of an intermediate series. The actual titles escape me now, but it'll come to me. He also bought a home type magazine for the older woman he was with. The bodyguard didn't buy anything.

Anonymous 1 (who I assume is also Anonymous 2)- 6'1" huh? That would explain why I had to look up a little. I'm sure if you ask nicely he'll slap on some pointed ears and do his best elf impression. He seemed like a pretty nice guy overall, even if he had a habit of shaking his head as he said yes (when I asked him if he wanted a bag).

Anonymous said...

Since I am a true Clayfan I must ask the required question: What was he wearing and how did his hair look? Sorry, but this IS a must know in the fandom.

Anonymous said...

Bookseller Chick, I'm anonymous #1. I don't know who #2 and #3 are!

I'm curious who the basketball player was too! Basketball players read books? (heh, ok, that was uncalled for)

Bookseller Chick said...

Recess--You're talking to the girl with the world's worst short term/long term memory. That I can figure out where I am at any given moment is a miracle. But as for his appearence, he was wearing a leather jacket (a nice one, carmel brown, there was much covetness on my part), had some stubble going on, and his hair was flipped up in the front. I assume the flippy hair is a normal thing because one of my coworkers commented on it (it helped her recognize him).

Anonymous #1--you now have to refer to yourself as Anonymous #1 from now on so I won't be confused by your anonymity. Joking... although it would help. Said basketball player, while mannerly, did not buy a book. He bought two car magazines: Dubs and something else. And I still don't know who is because player rooster photos? God awful. Seriously, I wouldn't recognize a player I did know by name by looking at his player photo. They all look bleached out and there's a noticable lack of neck. Of course my inability to place him might also have something to do with my own stubborness when it comes to checking my home team's players, but oh well. If that's my only problem I'm okay with that.