Comments on: Scene from an Airport

By: Aidan Kehoe

Aidan Kehoe — Thu, 29 Sep 2005 09:36:26 +0000

What is the proper way to acknowledge celebrities that you don’t care one way or the other about?

Why do you think acknowledging them appropriate?

By: Slayton I. Mustgo

Slayton I. Mustgo — Tue, 27 Sep 2005 22:07:52 +0000

I was waiting for a flight to Tokyo and noticed Huey Lewis and the News were waiting for the same flight. I wanted to go up and say something, but it would be “Mr. Lewis! I don’t really like your music, but you seem like a nice guy and all, so, ummm…”

What is the proper way to acknowledge celebrities that you don’t care one way or the other about?

By: bryan

bryan — Tue, 27 Sep 2005 20:22:28 +0000

“Finally, the guy finished counting out his money, slowly gathered his food and his silly bag and turned around to leave.

It was Michael Stipe. My brother, fed up with the long dithering over payment, figured that kicking Michael Stipe’s ass would not be difficult at all. So that’s what my brother did, he kicked Michael Stipe’s ass.”

That was a horrible thing for your brother to do. You should tell him that from me too.

By: Britpundit

Britpundit — Tue, 27 Sep 2005 20:09:04 +0000

re: 25. Me too! Isn’t Thom Yorke a tiny man?

By: Uncle Kvetch

Uncle Kvetch — Tue, 27 Sep 2005 17:57:27 +0000

What is this tyranny of the nickname anyway? If your parents saddled you with Richard, does that mean you have to go by Dick? Are all Johns, Jack? Which is the non-loser nickname for Robert, Bob or Rob?

FWIW, my own (completely anecdotal) take on this is that gay men tend to prefer the full name to the diminutive. Most of the gay men I know are Andrew, William, Michael, Robert, etc., not Andy, Will/Bill, Mike, or Bob. And David Rakoff backs me up on this:

In New England, everyone calls you “Dave” regardless of however many times you might introduce yourself as David. I’m reminded of those fanatically religious homophobes who stand on the steps of St. Patrick’s Cathedral during Gay Pride, holding signs that say “Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve!” I have always wanted to go up to them and say, “Well, of course not Adam and Steve. Never Adam and Steve. It’s Adam and Steven.”

(The only snag is that I’m gay but I go by the diminutive form of my name, which blows the whole theory out of the water….)

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 27 Sep 2005 14:58:00 +0000

My wife and I had our first date at a huge concert in Austin with Radiohead, then N. Merchant, and then REM. Fantastic show. Just thought I’d throw that out there.

By: Tim Worstall

Tim Worstall — Tue, 27 Sep 2005 10:30:18 +0000

My interactions with Van the Man were limited, some years ago, to “Guinness? That’ll be two pound twenty Sir”. Robert Powell was a bitter drinker and Keith Waterhouse dry white wine.

Odd pub really.

By: Aidan Maconachy

Aidan Maconachy — Tue, 27 Sep 2005 01:25:20 +0000

I’ve got a story to share also.

I was back home in my old home town of Belfast, N.Ireland, a couple of years ago and my parents took me (wife and daughter included) to a scenic village close to Belfast lough named Crawfordsburn. We had lunch at the local inn then went for a walk on a path overlooking the lough.

Part of the way along I noticed a guy approaching who looked familiar. He was on the short side and was wearing a tweed flat peaked cap also (touche Kieran). As he passed I gave him the old Ulster nod, and I got one back. After we exchanged greetings I realized it was Van Morrison. Apparently he has property in that area and has been spotted on and off in the pub at the Crawfordsburn Inn.

I hate doing the fan thing … rushing over and demanding attention. So I told my daughter who it was and she got a quick polaroid shot of him as he headed in the opposite direction.

Around Belfast he’s known affectionately as Van the Mawn.

By: Hektor Bim

Hektor Bim — Mon, 26 Sep 2005 23:33:42 +0000

Have to agree with Kimmit. What is this tyranny of the nickname anyway? If your parents saddled you with Richard, does that mean you have to go by Dick? Are all Johns, Jack? Which is the non-loser nickname for Robert, Bob or Rob?

I’m always believed that people, out of politeness, should call you what you want to be called, within reason.

By: rea

rea — Mon, 26 Sep 2005 23:20:10 +0000

“Just because Stipe and REM fit under the same vague heading of “alternative rock bands” as Yorke and Radiohead, why is Stipe supposed to know anything about Radiohead’s plans?”

A little googling reveals that Yorke and Stipe are VERY close friends . . .

By: Rebecca Allen

Rebecca Allen — Mon, 26 Sep 2005 22:30:27 +0000

Just because Stipe and REM fit under the same vague heading of “alternative rock bands” as Yorke and Radiohead, why is Stipe supposed to know anything about Radiohead’s plans? Also, I recently took a trip to Canada, and I also took an absurdly long time counting change at check-outs (I’m sure I annoyed many natives, though they were all too polite to say so), even though I’ve been there many times. Paying with an unfamiliar currency is difficult, and has nothing to do with being an idiot (I have several college degrees), or, for that matter, a musician.

By: Kenny Easwaran

Kenny Easwaran — Mon, 26 Sep 2005 21:41:26 +0000

I believe the CS professor at Berkeley wants to sound more like "Mike Jordan" than "Michael Jordan".

By: Kimmitt

Kimmitt — Mon, 26 Sep 2005 19:41:11 +0000

“here we have ourselves a twat.”

Hey, now. Some of us decided, when we were 14, that we wanted to sound more like Michael Jordan than Mike’s Auto and Body—and then stayed with it. Not that there’s anything bad about running an Auto and Body shop, just that it lacks the panache of being, at one time, the greatest basketball player in the world.

By: The Navigator

The Navigator — Mon, 26 Sep 2005 18:59:16 +0000

Rea,
No, no, that’s your benzadrine, not his.

By: dp

dp — Mon, 26 Sep 2005 18:27:53 +0000

What does Steve mean?

(By the way)