Celebrity Sightings

I jacked the following list from my MySpace blog. I posted this list back in May of '06. It's a list of all of the celebrity sightings that I had while working security in Manhattan from '03 - '04. That's where most of the sightings happened. There were others, as well.


While in New York, I worked as a security guard to "pay the bills." I mostly worked at the high-end retail stores on 5th Ave. and Madison Ave. I hated every inch of the job, but the highlights would come when a celebrity would come into the store/boutique. In order to sate the deep-seated geek within, I comprised a list of all of the celebs that I saw during my days in New York. Everytime I saw one, I'd come home and add it to my list.

Just wanted to share the list from 2003 - 2004, which has the name and location:

1. Greg Kinnear (Prada @ 57th & Madison Ave.--P57) - He was my first celeb sighting. It took me about 5 minutes to convince myself it was him. I finally concluded it was him when the people with him started talking about his "upcoming film with Matt Damon."

2. Susan Lucci (2 sightings: Bergdorf Goodman and while doing security for the NY Women in Film & TV Gala)

3. Katie Holmes (Bergdorf Goodman--BG--couldn't believe how tall she is)

4. Clive Davis (P57) - He walked by mostly every morning, because J Records was right up the street.

5. Al Sharpton (P57) - Saw him a lot. He stayed at the 4 Seasons Hotel next door to Prada a lot.

6. Sigourney Weaver (P57)

7. CL Smooth (P5 - Prada on 5th Ave.)

8. Chad from The Neptunes (2x @ P57)

9. Owen Wilson (PMad - Prada @ 69th & Madison Ave.)

10. Renee' Zellweger (P57) - The sweetest celeb I've ever met.

11. Mariska Hargitay (2x @ P57 and BG Men's Store)

12. Nick Lachey (walking along 5th Ave., picking his nose--not a good look)

13. Renee Syler from CBS Early Show (walking into CBS)

14. Matt Lauer (2x @ P57)- He was pretty cool!

15. Donald Sutherland (Saks)

16. Foxy Brown (2x @ P57 and BG) - she has a BAD rep with security guards!

17. Julie Chen from CBS Early Show (P57)

18. Daisy Fuentes (PMad)

19. Mario Lopez (BG)

20. Dan Marino (2x @ Zegna)

21. Frank Gifford (Zegna)

22. Hillary Clinton (Zegna) -- I about fainted when I saw Secret Service roll out of 3 different vehicles in the rain, open an umbrella, and here comes Hillary stepping out of a minivan, and rush towards the door. I immediately opened the door and welcomed her. She was real nice.

23. Robin Williams (BG) - gotta be 4'11"!!!

24. Dre3000 from Outkast (walking up 5th Ave.)--brotha was looking real content with life!

25. Diana Ross (BG)--looked a bit rough

26. DJ Clue (P57) - he was trying to holla at the cashier there. She was a groupie, straight up. Not a good look.

27. Michael Ealy (movie theatre @ 86th & Lexington going to see "ELF") I was taking my ex-girl to see MYSTIC RIVER. He was with a slim Asian model looking girl.

28. Russell Simmons (Loew's Theatre @ 42nd St. & 8th Ave.) He was coming from seeing SPIDERMAN 2.

29. Wendell Pierce from THE WIRE - he was with Russell Simmons and the rest of the WIRE cast.

30. Jerry Springer (5th Ave.)

31. Slick Rick (5th Ave.)

32. Nick Ashford from Ashford & Simpson(2x @ BG Men's Store & Prada Soho)

33. Posdanus from De La Soul (BG Men)

34. Irv Gotti (BG)

35. Ashanti - with Irv Gotti

36. Rosanna Arquette (Miu Miu)

37. Eve (Butter Restaurant)--Looking GREAT!

38. Bernadette Peters (Madison Ave. in front of J. Mendel)

39. mUMs the Schemer (Prada Soho)

40. Mena Suvari (BG)

41. Oprah Winfrey (I was at BG Men's, looking across the street at the BG Women's store as she exited with 2 bodyguards--she was looking like a billion dollars that day!)

42. Barbara Walters (NYWomen in Film & TV Gala)

43. Sandra Bernhardt (NYWomen in Film & TV Gala)

44. Emmanuel Lewis (5th Ave.)

45. Lil Kim (BG) -- looking rough as hell, dressed down.

46. Janet Jackson (BG) - she has to be 3'11". She literally walked right under my chin, and I didn't notice her until my boy punched me in my chest and said, "Do you realize who just walked by you?"

47. DAVE CHAPPELLE! -- went to a live taping of his show. Sat in the audience. Free from 106 & Park was there that night, as well as Charlie Murphy.

48. Julianne Moore (Prada Soho)

49. BEYONCE' (BG) - she may have been my last sighting before moving back to Virginia. It was a few days before Christmas, and she was in the store shopping with an entourage, including a laaarge brotha who looked to be about 6'10". I ASSUMED that he was the bodyguard. Not too long after seeing her in the store, I made my way back to the security base to get my coat, preparing to leave. On my way out of the employee exit, she and her entourage were standing right in the doorway. I had to excuse myself and squeeze past her to get out. I HAVE NOT BATHED SINCE.

Meet the Parents

Early Saturday morning, I fly out of BWI, heading to Detroit. This is my first time in Michigan, so I am excited. I'm a huge fan of many of the hip-hop artists that hail from "The D:" Eminem, Slum Village, J. Dilla, Proof, Baatin (R.I.P.). However, I'm not going to spit some hot 16's over a Black Milk track. I'm not going to attempt to resurrect the Motown era, or even to appear in a Michael Moore documentary.

My girlfriend, Sonal, hails from West Bloomfield. I am going to meet her parents. Sonal's already driven out there today and will not be returning until the weekend of July 4th. I am only able to go out for a weekend. . . and I'm flying. Forget taking the Kia.

Because I will not be renting a vehicle, I will immediately have to relinquish all of my control issues. (Pray for me, Church!)

Sonal met my parents, brother, and many other relatives during this past Easter. She passed with flying colors. I've met several of her cousins who live in this area, and have enjoyed all of their company. However, since booking this flight, I can't help but feel like Ben Stiller. After all, I am a big fan. When nervous though, I can go from coherent-to-absent-minded in just under 5 seconds.

I've been meditating. Constantly repeating to myself:

Think before speaking

Think before speaking

Think before speaking

This will help to suppress symptoms of "foot-in-mouth" disease.

I'm sure everything will go swimmingly (one of my favorite words), but new adventures always cause some level of anxiety.

My anxiety could also have something to do with this:

These kids work for the welcoming committee?

I think I'll be spending most of my time in the 'burbs. . . hopefully it's a bit "warmer" there.

Through His Smile (A poem based on an actual event)

The soles of my sneakers
Crunched gravel. I had
A rhythm. I was in
Locomotion.

My backpack
Was taking a piggyback.

Cartoons
And nachos on my mind--
School milk on my bladder.

A cloudless sky lit my path home,
Through the only neighborhood
I had ever known:

The yellow townhouses
On grass mountains.
The chain-link fences,
Shady brick homes.

Nothing new;

Another seventh-grade afternoon.

Not even the rumble
Behind me
Could have warned me of the approaching truck--

I refused to be alarmed--

But I never expected
To see a beige truck roll by,
At thirty miles per hour,
Yet in slow motion,

Or a bearded white face
Hang out of the window
And shout, "Nigger!"
Through his smile.

That never happened
On other seventh-grade afternoons.

The truck disappeared into the greying distance.

The brick homes
And yellow townhouses
Seemed to stare
As I walked on.

The gravel didn't crunch right
The rest of the way.

When I walked into my home,
Questions contorted my face.

Questions
Neither cartoons
Nor nachos
Could answer.

--J. J. Johnson (22)

Written in 1997, for a poetry class at VCU.

Runaway

silver rivers
golden night
the pulse of the moon
stills the breath
of a man

who runs on puffed feet
and shredded sneakers

the linen of his clothes
a flaming orange
that seems to scream out
in the night
louder than bloodhounds

his black mossy hands
guide him thru waters
and over borders

though the haunt of sirens
hangs upon his back


--J. J. Johnson (25)

Monday 2/21/00

Coming Home (My last poem)

Too late to do nothing.
Too early to do something.
I walk in the echoes of 4am.

I breathe boredom,
Hoping my sighs will invigorate
The black morning

Tap.
My sole slaps the sidewalk.

Tap.
My sole slaps the sidewalk.

Tap.
My sole slaps the sidewalk.

And resonates off the cool concrete
Of skyscrapers
Whose daytime majesty
Is now lost. Now they sit
Like sleeping skeletons—
Giant sleeping skeletons
Who hold the secrets to the city.

I step into the black canvas night--
Into painted dreams of
Blue-sable ladies.
Red Rolls.
Driving miles on Miles,
Getting dizzy off Dizzy.

We love, laugh and live
Down rain-laden avenues
That wash away painted dreams.

This is where I see Sonia
The homecoming queen
Who can no longer come home.
Her dry eyes shackled in shame,
She strolls the boulevard
In lace that pours over her curves
Like crimson tears.

Her lips once moist and full
Are now chalky and scarred.

She tricks for treats.

L’il Ty is her candyman
Whose little boy dreams
Drifted past Pluto after sixteen.
He guards the corner,
Autographing the sidewalk
With the blood of innocent bystanders.

He’s a celebrity,
Loved and feared by the same.

I continue on,
Dodging the sounds of sex
And arguments
That leap from windows
Ten-stories high
And fall to their death,
In the cracks of the concrete
Where grass grows.

Almost home.
I could howl at the moon!
Stubbing my toe on the steps--
Feeling stupid on my stoop—
I can’t rejoice at my safe arrival.

Instead I cry and curse silently,
Cloaked in the shadows
Of my own throbbing misery.

--J. J. Johnson (31)
written Wednesday August 23, 2006

My Mama May Have Saved Me

I am in no way minimizing the role that God and my Pops have played in my life, but this past week has caused me to reflect a great deal. I have many family members--cousins, uncles, and aunts--who have been in and out of prison over the years, for various reasons. Some who still can't seem to stay away. Fortunately, there are some who seemed to have learned their lesson. All of whom I have a lot of love for.

I wondered this week, what were the elements that kept me from forging that same path in my life? I mean, the odds were stacked in that favor. I was born to a 17 year old mother. My father was a reforming street hoodlum during my first years of life. He, fortunately, got tied up in God, and God changed his life. I do think that that definitely was an element that "saved" me.

However, I went on Amazon.com this week and rediscovered a book authored by Dr. Seuss and Roy McKie, a book, called "My Book About Me." My earliest memories go all the way back to 2 & 3 years of age--memories of this book and my mother. She still complains that I made her read this to me EVERY day, without fail. However, her fault lies in the fact that she, too, was a major bookworm. While my father worked long days as a bricklayer. She stayed at home with me for the first 4 years of my life. From 17 - 21, she was a stay-at-home mother who loved to read.


For fun, we would take trips to the library, on foot, because she didn't drive until I was well into adulthood. I have incredibly fond memories of Samuels Public Library, in Front Royal, a relatively small, one-level structure. For me, it was an escape into magic. The smell of opening up a new book. The smooth, cool pages bursting with so much color (AH! THE COLORS!), the characters that my mother would create when reading these books to me. Books like "Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp," and "Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain". . . shout out to Levar Burton and "Reading Rainbow!"





Then there were books on tape and vinyl! "Clifford," "The Peanuts," "Garfield."

At home, Mama and I would enjoy watching PBS, because we didn't have any semblance of cable. The mother who had to drop out of high school to raise me was a NERD, and I loved it.

My love of books grew. As I grew too, I found authors like Walter Dean Myers, poets like Paul Laurence Dunbar and Countee Cullen, and essayists/dramatists/poets like Amiri Baraka.

It all connects back to "My Book About Me" and my Mama.

This past Friday, I helped my girlfriend, Sonal, who is a 2nd grade teacher, move out of her classroom for the summer. I ran across bins of books. Curious, I grabbed a couple, and when I opened one, that smell and those COLORS took me back to being at Samuels Public Library with my mother. My mother who is now working on her Master's degree in mental health counseling. To say I'm proud is an understatement.

I'm sad to say that I have not completed a book in years now. My addiction to the internet (Facebook, Twitter, Gmail) has killed my attention span. I bought a book a couple years ago, called "Slavery By Another Name"--a fantastic read, chocked full of knowledge goodies. I have been trying to finish this book since 2008, but my attention span wanes. No fault of the book.

I had the opportunity to sit in the presence of novelist/playwright, Pearl Cleage, last night in DC, and listen to her speak about her passion for writing. It reminded me of the love I once had for both reading books and writing poetry. So today I start a blog, hoping that I can muster the energy to get back to writing more, and continue to honor those seeds that my Mama planted in me. It was those seeds that very well may have saved me.