People fantasize and gush about meeting their favorite actor or musician. Not me. I think one of the worst things in the world is to meet a celebrity, and especially one whose work I really admire.

I am a huge fan of Harison Fords films. I love the characters he plays. I love Han Solo, Indiana Jones, Richard Kimbel, etc... What young boy would not want to be Indiana Jones? But I hope I never, ever met Harison Ford in real life. Why? Because I believe it would destroy the image I have of the characters he plays. What if I met him when he was having a bad day? I have actually heard that Harison Ford is grumpy in real life. What If he was more of a pansy than what I expect of a person playing Indiana Jones. Or worst of all, what if he didn't like me, or couldn't stand me? You see things could absolutely ruin the love I have for the character. You know, there is a very real possibility I wouldn't really care for Harison as a person. Perhaps he wouldn't only be a jerk to me, but perhaps he is a jerk in general. Actually, I have no idea what Harison Ford is like in real life because I haven't met him, nor do I care to. However, I love the characters that he plays, and I know it is his characters that mean the most to me.

Meeting an actor is liking walking on the set and looking at all of the things around. Imagine how much a movie about mars would be ruined if you saw the site in Arizona where it was filmed to look like mars. Every time I saw the movie from then on out, my mind would be thinking about all of the scenery that isn't being shown on the screen. I would be thinking about the round that is right behind the camera and the cars driving on it. I would have a harder time getting lost in the film and allowing my mind to play pretend.

Meeting an actor or seeing a set is like knowing a magicians magic trick. Some things are better left to the imagination. When you know the trick, you know there is no magic and the show is ruined.

Say you were to meet your favorite celebrity. Let's say it was even more than just a short hello and signing of an autograph. Do you even think you would really have anything in common? If your conservative there is a good chance that celebrity despises everything you believe in. There is a good chance that their interpretation of the creative work is completely in conflict with what you take away from it. There is a good chance that they wouldn't even like you, nor would you like them.

In addition, I believe in this day and age we have a real hard time recognizing the difference between fiction and fantasy. Fantasy is great and movies allow us an opportunity to escape, however, I believe too many people today have a hard time recognizing the difference between fantasy and reality. I remember talking to friends who like to watch movies, and that talk about how bad, tough, or awesome someone is in a film. Or they might see a character who really does have attributes that are admirable and then begin to attribute them to the actor themselves. Movie stars make a living by pretending to be something that usually doesn't really represent them. Often times they play parts where they are playing the part of a person who existed in real life. I have come to realize that there are people in real life who are far more awesome than a movie star. How much cooler would it be to meet a person who's part they are playing. Actors and Actresses have their good looks no doubt, but they don't have the substance that really makes their lives in and of themselves great movies.

It is my hope that people can let their fantasies be fantasies and understand that they model the real world. But anything can happen in a fantasy. Let us re-evaluate who we look to as role models, let us look at people who have been able to make changes in the real world for the better, and then why not fantasize about meeting them? Perhaps meeting a Nobel prize winner you might actually learn something or some piece of advice that might actually affect your life.

But let's go even a step further than that, why not look around and see if you can't find heroes in everyday life? A person doesn't necessarily have to be famous in order to be someone worthy of being a hero. What about the every day fireman who puts his life on the line in order to save someone from a burning building. When I was younger, a fireman was a person everyone loved. What about the soldier who serves their country selflessly in order for us to be free? What about the person who does all that they can to always help people around them because they just simply care. Let's let these be the people that we desire to meet.

Though I appreciate and respect those who master their craft in the arts of filmmaking and music making, I hope that we can get those butterflies in our stomachs when we think about meeting real people, the real heroes of our every day lives.

There are two types of actors, those who are dedicated to the art and craft, and those who are in it for personal reasons such as money, sex, or fame. I believe a true actor or actress who was a master of their craft would agree with me. A true thespian would be just as willing to play the villain as much as the hero because their love is the to craft and not the fame or fortune and they know the story can not be told without a good villain. And to those actors and actresses who play your parts for the story, for the entertainment of those who pay to watch, who plays the villain or sometimes have to wear a mask and thus get very little recognition for your work among the masses, you are the heroes in real life who work in entertainment. Thank you for all you do and keeping the magic alive. You are not the typical celebrity, and you are the type of person I hope I can someday meet.

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