Thursday, 2/15

It always blows my mind that, for some people, I'm a celebrity.

I was reminded of that earlier this week as I was walking from my radio job to one of my TV jobs. A young man stopped me, and said something I hear quite a bit--”You're Jim Koski, right?” I informed him I indeed am that dorky individual, after which he proceeded to give me a sticker for his business in Calumet, a business that was actually a question sponsor for “High School Bowl” earlier this year. Apparently he had no idea that walking down Washington Street in Marquette would lead to a “celebrity sighting”, but it did, and he seemed quite happy with the encounter.

I HAVE mentioned in here before that my life is weird, right?

I, in no way, think of myself as a “celebrity”. I'm just, you know, me. But that line I wrote a few paragraphs ago--” as I was walking from my radio job to one of my TV jobs”--should probably act as an indicator that I'm not just "someone".

I'm someone in the public eye (and ear). By definition, that kinda, sorta, DOES make me a “celebrity”. Even if both you & I know that I'm really not.

Of course, I don't help that cause by agreeing to something along the lines of what I agreed to yesterday. I received a message from a writer at a local publication asking if I'd be willing to be a subject for an interview. I guess some people are interested in my many varied interests and gigs (what some of us call “my inability to say 'no'”) and she wants to showcase it.

So there's that.

I guess one of the reasons my "celebrity" hasn't really registered is that it's been a gradual process. Sure, I was “that dude on the radio” for a long time, but over the past decade or two I've added two TV jobs and a wildly successful third career as a history entertainer, and apparently at some point it all reached critical mass, leading to me (improbably) becoming a “celebrity”.

Who would have figured?

I guess, from now on, I'll no longer be surprised if I'm approached a whole lot more, much like with the young man from Calumet this past Monday. I mean, I'll still think it weird, but I won't be surprised. I'm guessing that's just part of being a “celebrity”.

8-)

(jim@wmqt.com), in no way a “celebrity”.