Take the Picture!

Who wouldn't want their picture taken with Indian Jones and his infamous sidekick? I've had my picture taken with a great many heroes, but this just beats them all... doesn't it? I was 8 years old when Make A Wish treated my family and I to a week of bliss at Disney World. Scrambled eggs every morning with extra cheese, secret VIP passageways to the rides, and a fresh pile of stuffed animals to welcome us home at our villa every evening. It was every kid's dream vacation.

One day we went to the Universal Studios park and watched a live stage reenactment of Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark. I'll say, it was a great time of up close action and high adventure! Fun for the whole family. But afterward, I was a bit confused because the stars came over to say hi and take pictures with people. What bothered my 6-year old mind was that these were not Harrison Ford and Karen Allen. They were just stunt actors at Disney World, making a living by portraying people much more famous than themselves. Why were people going crazy for them?

Now before I go on and sound like a jerk, let me point out that I appreciate these people. My brother has been Bob Ross, Elvis, Big Foot, and one of The Monkees. And people flock to him for pictures. I'm a fan and heck, I get picture with him too! And then there's all the awesome cartoon characters wandering around life size. But don't you find it odd that we are so attracted to this kind of farce? We're not getting our picture with Indiana Jones; we're getting our picture with Jimmy Stubble in a fedora and boots. And when we look back at that picture or show it to our friends, what do we say? What synapses fire in our brains that drive us to fandom in these moments? I'm reminded also of tribute bands. Crowds go nuts for fake Frank and Dean!

We want so deeply in our bones to live those glory moments of interaction with stars that we psych ourselves out over an imitation. That's how obsessed we are as a culture with stardom, that we'll lie to ourselves for the sake of feeding that unhealthy desire. Where do we place value and excitement, folks? I think it's time for a reality check. When I see fans' responses to imitation, I fear for the real thing.

And by the way, some of these folks, like my brother, are really good at imitations and makeup, and should be celebrated for their genius. But remember who they are under the makeup and realize their greatness as well. Sometimes, I even wonder if we're focusing on the wrong stars. I mean, I don't know about Bob Ross, but I'm pretty sure my brother is cooler than Elvis Presley ever dreamed of being.