My friend Hollywood Housewife is having a linky party this Friday on celebrity sightings/experiences, etc…and so I hope you’ll forgive this detour and enjoy my story of how I spent 2006!
They say that Washington, DC is the Hollywood for ugly people and I arrived there in 1998 ready to find out. A wide-eyed optimist, I was ready to conquer DC, change the world and surround myself with powerful people. Turns out though, that most of the powerful people I was working for/with were totally normal…jerks, dorks, and the kind that required affirmation just as much as the next guy. One boss, who I still love visiting today, never read my speeches from the Floor of the House and it always pissed me off, until I later learned that he had struggled with dyslexia his whole life…that’s when I realized that the lure and excitement of DC had worn off. Yep, I now knew just how normal all these people were.
As a southern Californian, I was always on the periphery of “the industry,” the powerful elephant that truly serves as our economic generator. But it didn’t hold as much excitement for me as politics. While I was climbing the political ladder, paying my dues with crappy jobs and crappy salaries, which were replaced by slightly better jobs and slightly better salaries, I had friends back home who were running parallel tracks in LA. I’d hear fun stories and sometimes would wonder what I’d do if I were to come in contact with a celebrity, but at the time, I was the one clambering for pictures with First Ladies, leaders of the House and Senate, etc.
In late 2001, I moved home to CA and continued to find better jobs in my field. I ran a government affairs program for a local transportation agency for a few years, but in the beginning of 2006, felt I’d hit a wall for growth potential. In early April, a good friend called me and told me that she had a job offer that I couldn’t refuse.
A week and a half later, I’d quit my job, found a renter for my condo, gave my cat to some friends for safe keeping, and had hired a mover. I was on my way to Sacramento.
I’ve mentioned my year on “the campaign” before, but don’t know if any of my newer readers are aware of what I do and who I worked for. I was one of the “adults” (in spite of all the beer drinking) on the reelection campaign for this guy. And suddenly, my world of politics and the world of celebrity converged.
The year on the campaign is almost indescribable. It was HARD…but the people who I worked with made is so fun. I have a handful of friends from the campaign who are still some of my closest friends to date. I also look back at some of the experiences in total shock and awe.
The boss and his awesome wife live in a world so different than ours…I mean, REALLY different. But ultimately, they are smart, surprisingly strict and hands-on as parents, and always call each other “baby.” Early on in the campaign, they visited the office and stepped into mine and looked at all the pics on my bulletin board. He was really impressed to see a pic of me in an afro wig. He said it was a good look for me, then moved on.
They are also very hospitable. One weekend, they invited all the senior staff down to their Brentwood home because that’s what THEY used to do back in the day. We danced to a callypso band playing Earth, Wind, and Fire songs…I kid you not. It was great being at their home and seeing things like an original Andy Warhol of the Mrs. on the wall. 
She also invited some of the neighbors. I happened to have a long conversation with this guy on the way to the ladies room. It was surreal.
And they are still really close friends with the folks from his movie days…I spent time with the guy on the right a few times, and he brought along the guy on the left once. He told me that I was “really really attractive.” So I naturally decided that he was a dirtbag with a heart of gold and that somehow we’d end up together again someday. {snort} Ya, I had a total crush on the bad boy…and I still love him on his new show!
But the BEST, and I mean BEST experience was with THIS GUY…he’s amazingly yummy to look at, is a killer actor, and has total intensity in his eyes. I just got a brief chance to say hello to him, but my friend Sarah spent some time talking with him. She’s a smidge taller than me, but loves to rock her 4 inch heels. And he’s as tiny as a peanut. But there she was talking to him. And when I say talking, I mean, he spoke and she just chuckled, snorted, and guffawed! Sorry SAS! But in all honesty, I have a major celeb crush on him and would have been the exact same way had I spent more time with him!!!
So, I spent a year surrounded by politician and celebrities alike. It was insane…and amazing. I had a number of crushes all year long, but really fell in love with the people who I worked with. I staffed the candidate on all of his political appearances, so I also fell in love with the people at Southwest Airlines (and the 10 free flights I earned)!
I may not love what he’s been doing lately with his leadership over our state. It’s unruly and our Legislature is WHACKED OUT, too. You may HATE the man and his politics, but that’s not what this post is about…it’s about the opportunity I had and the incredible memories I made. Ultimately, I was a part of something amazing and I know it was a perfect moment in time that could never be repeated.
I no longer work in campaigns…as it’s a job for the young and tireless. Now I’m in Corporate America directing a public affairs program. I’ve been back to the boss’ home a couple of times for fundraisers (hello, political budget!) and he’s still gracious and lovely, as is the Mrs. I’ve continued to interact with celebs at these functions, too…and you know what?! These celebs TOTALLY crush on the politicians, which just makes me laugh as it brings things full circle, doesn’t it?!
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