Anecdote 1

I was born and raised in the “City of Dreams” — Los Angeles, California. Although I’ve spent my whole life in the entertainment capital of the world, my understanding of the world greatly expanded during my 4 years of high school. I went to Notre Dame High School — a private, college preparatory, Catholic High School in the heart of LA. Our school was home to the kids with many different backgrounds, including many famous athletes, actors, artists, as well as kids who have made a name for themselves through their own talents. 

I was heavily involved in the athletics community, particularly with football and men’s basketball. Our men’s basketball was the most prominent sport on campus. Almost every game was sold out — the boys were in the most competitive league in California and even got nationally ranked as a top 10 team the past 2 seasons. All these things lead to the attraction of many well known influencers. Many celebrities would be on campus coming to watch practice, see a game, drop some type of merch off or just stop by to say a quick hi. It was completely normal to see a famous TikToker, NBA player or actor while you were walking around campus. 

As the student athletic trainer / manager of the team for 2 years, I was lucky enough to get to know these celebrities on a more personal level. As I got closer with the team, we started hanging out regularly — dinners together, escape rooms, movies and so much more. When we would go out in public, there were always people coming up to the group asking for something: a picture, an autograph, their Snapchat or even a piece of their clothing. Being in this environment multiple times gave me a new lens on how people admire those in the public eye.

I remember getting asked to take a picture of a little boy with one of our basketball players. Through their small talk, it was easy to see that the little boy totally viewed him as a hero, knowing all his stats and remembering every little play. Seeing that interaction was so heartwarming yet something in me felt shaken up. Many people see those in the spotlight not as a person but rather putting them in a box of statistics, numbers and performances. Being able to witness these interactions first hand changed my view on how I personally see celebrities. Through my daily interactions with famous people, it showed me that fame and statics never define a person. My experiences changed the way I see fan culture, showing me that admiring someone should never discredit the humanity most people miss.