Sure, I've got a few celebrity stories from my time in southern California, but it seems nine celebrity sightings out of ten take place at either a fast food joint or at the supermarket. Seriously. Not particularly glamourous. You go to just about any In-N-Out Burger in Hollwood or the Valley at noon on a Tuesday and you'll see a celebrity.
Okay maybe that's an exaggeration, but still, they eat a hamburger just like you or I.
A tasty, tasty In-N-Out hamburger.
Sorry.
Of course Dubai sees "celebrity" differently. Maybe it's because, although the population is nearing one and a half million people, it still has a small-town feel. It seems that people move in very set social circles and stay in them. We're not all hob-nobbing with sheikhs out here on the weekends. But then we're also not hanging with the construction workers, either.
We also have to define "celebrity". Is it a famous Lebanese singer who I've never heard of? Or maybe a "footballer" from Europe or a basketball player from the States - would half of the town recognize Larry Bird if he were in the Mall of the Emirates? Would I recognize any soccer player in the world other than David Beckham, Freddy Adu or Pele?
And there are no real home-grown celebrities in Dubai. Heck, I wouldn't even recognize the anchor people from Emirates News if I bumped into them at the mall. And you know how I love me some anchor people (see Pat Callaghan on Hardball).
That's why the Dubai International Film Festival is so interesting. For a week in December Dubai gets celebrities - real live movie stars from Hollywood to Bollywood. Nevermind the fact that most of the movies in the festival are small films from other countries, the papers are plastered with photos of George Clooney and Sharon Stone and Gloria Estefan (yeah, I'm a little confused on that last one, too).Seriously - and I love the guy - but I am so Clooney-ed out right now.
Television station Dubai One is even having a "George Clooney Film Festival" right now. Tonight? Batman & Robin - possibly the worst movie ever made.
It's bizarre and goofy and somehow seems quite bush-league. Can you imagine being George Clooney, walking around Dubai all day (okay, not walks - nobody walks - more like drives) and get home to the hotel at the end of the long day, flick on the television to find that the "George Clooney Film Festival" is on?
I'm embarrassed myself right now.
But since celebrity wattage helps brighten up lil websites here's a photo of George at the Burj al-Arab.
Also, I forgot to mention this but a week ago today Justin Timberlake played in Abu Dhabi. I was substituting for the Middle School that week, and boy, did I see some jealous little ladies when they found out that their friends were going.
Yeah, that's ol' JT back on his Mickey Mouse days. And see the goofball in the front row doing the magician hand? That's The Notebook's Ryan Gosling.
Huh.
Celebrities.
