My Brush With Celebrity
Well, people seemed to like the post about the time I stole a car, so I’ll tell you another true story from my life’s misadventures. This is about the time I used a famous actor’s hotel room for a day care center.
Back in the mid 1980s, I was involved with an annual fundraising dinner in Chicago where the Norman Thomas and Eugene V. Debs Award was presented. Recognition was given to Congressman, political activists, union leaders, and such like.
In this particular year, we were very excited because Ed Asner had agreed to accept the award. You remember Ed Asner, right? He was on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Lou Grant (possibly my favorite TV show of all time), among other things. He was also president of the Screen Actors’ Guild at the time.
I have to confess, our committee was really not experienced in dealing with celebrities. So my friend Kathye and I didn’t think twice about picking Ed Asner up at O’Hare airport with Kathye’s rusted out beater of an old Nissan. I forget the model, but it was definitely a subcompact.
Ed Asner didn’t bat an eye, however. We didn’t know how lucky we were that he wasn’t the temperamental sort of celebrity. Instead, he seemed perfectly happy crammed into the front passenger seat next to Kathye (Ed Asner was not a small guy). Kathye was quite a vivacious young woman, so that might have had something to do with it.
Anyhow, back then lots us of baby boomers were beginning to have children of our own. Naturally, some of us acted as if we were the first generation in the universe to experience parenthood. Many people I knew believed that ALL public events, including funerals and ship launches, should provide free child care. They and their little ones should be accommodated under all circumstances.
I didn’t have kids of my own yet, but I was willing to go along with the zeitgeist. And so for the first time our award dinner offered free child care and we hired a couple of babysitters. (This was a TERRIBLE idea for a lot of reasons.) One of the organizers was assigned to reserve a childcare room at the hotel where the dinner was being held.
So. Evening of the event. Parents with small children are advised to park their offspring with the babysitters, who are standing outside the ballroom where the dinner is to occur.
The question is asked: where are the babysitters supposed to take the children? I check with the person who was supposed to reserve the room. He denies being given that assignment. WE HAVE NO ROOM FOR CHILDCARE.
What space can we possibly use? Only one answer: Ed Asner’s room.
So I accompany the two baby sitters and about half a dozen toddlers up to Ed Asner’s hotel room. Honestly, I had no sense that I was doing something outrageous.
I knock on the door. He opens it and looks at all the toddlers. The toddlers look at him. I explain the situation, and then he looks at me for a long time.
Finally, he says, “OK. But no ka-ka on my bed!”
The event turned out fine, and there was no ka-ka on Ed Asner’s bed when the toddlers left his room, which was a lucky thing.
What did I learn from this experience? First, Ed Asner has a good soul. Second, I don’t mean to sound heartless, but fundraisers should not be expected to provide childcare. Third, if you do provide childcare in a hotel room, cover the bed with a tarp in case of ka-ka.
gardeninacity 
Thanks for providing a good chuckle as I end the day. And how nice that Ed Asner wasn’t full of ka-ka. (which I can’t even believe I just wrote)
He seemed to be a genuinely nice guy.
I always loved Ed Asner, Lou Grant was one of my favorite shows too. I used to be a journalist, so that may be one reason why. What a good sport he was. I can hear him saying “No ka-ka on the bed.” Your tale has me giggling uncontrollably.
He was certainly a good sport.
What a great story! And yes, you just made me laugh – thank you for that!
Any time.
More, more! Always good to start the day with a hardy laugh. Thanks, Jason.
You’re welcome. I have a few more stories I may post about.
He was a great actor, and I love the story. Yes, parents should be parents which includes making appropriate plans for their loved ones including their ka-ka. 🙂
That’s what I think, anyway.
What a way to start the day — laughing. Clearly, Ed Asner was the great guy I always imagined him to be. The trip from the airport would have been enough; adding in the toddlers was double fun!
I think in real life he was much like his acting persona.
This is a fabulous story, and we can use present tense as Ed Asner is fortunately still among the living!
You’re right! I don’t know why I assumed he had passed.
What a story, priceless! It reminds me of my giddy youth when there was no childcare but we used to take our babies to house parties in their carry cots and leave them with the coats. It worked fine until a friend of mine absent -mindedly took the wrong baby home. It wasn’t even the same colour or the same sex. Similar carry cot though. Fortunately it was quickly sorted out. The baby now grown up and a tiger mother, like all her generation is appalled at the story.
This latest generation takes parenting way too seriously. Though I would imagine it would be hard to mix up babies.
Lou Grant was one of my favorite shows, too, and I also loved the Mary Tyler Moore Show. Ed Asner rolled with the punches, that’s for sure, and I bet he had some good stories to tell once the event was over. 😉
I imagine we provided him with some good anecdotes.
He was a wonderful actor~how cool that you got to meet him. You tell a great story!
Thanks. I enjoy listening to stories, but also telling them.
Ed Asner is a treasure; thanks for the chuckle. (P.S. Progressive fundraisers should most certainly be expected to provide child care.)
Maybe we can discuss that some day.
I always enjoyed his work and knowing that he was such a good sport makes me admire him even more. Thanks for the laugh!
You’re welcome!
He is a great guy and that is one fabulous story. Plus Norman Thomas and Eugene Debs, you lefty Socialist!
Guilty as charged.
You were luckt that Ed Asner didn’t let stardom go to his head.
Exactly.
It seems amazing that people expected childcare at that time, nowadays you’d have a lawyer come & sort out the risks in Ed Asner’s room. Ed Asner must have been a gem! 😀
I think legal liability is one reason the practice has died out.
What a great story!
Are Norman Thomas/Eugene Debs awards still given?
I believe they are, but I haven’t attended in a few years.
Oh my goodness. I’m dying. Well done, my friend!
Thanks.
What a great story, and I can just picture the scene with him responding in that classic “Lou Grant” voice! 🙂
My only brush with celebrity was during the early 1990s when my son and I rode up in a hotel elevator with Leonard Nimoy, his wife, and son. They had checked into the hotel right next to us and were assigned a room on the same floor. Of course after years of watching Star Trek I was completely tongue tied and could think of nothing to say except “Good afternoon Mr. Nimoy” !! *smacks head*
Did you wish later that you had said, “live long and prosper”?
Another classic story! I LOVED the Mary Tyler Moore show – I can still hear Lou saying “Get me Ted!!” Ha! When we went to the Minneapolis fling, one of my goals was to get a photo of me doing the ol’ hat swing at the exact corner where Mary did it in the intro to the show. All of the buildings had since been replaced with newer, glassier structures, but hey – it was still a great moment for me!.
One of my favorite scenes from MTM was the job interview where Lou says, “You know, you’ve got spunk.” MTM, flattered, says, “Well, thank you.” Then Lou adds: “I hate spunk!”
Ed went above and beyond. I bet he thought he was involved with the least prepared bunch of people ever. Crazy story. I am glad it had a happy ending.
Most likely you’re right, but he didn’t show it.
I do think Ed was a nice man, Jason. I can imagine how the room looked after dinner ended. I see you have had very busy youthfulness.
Happy Sunday!
Happy New Year, Nadezda!
What an awesome post! I love this!!
I thought this story might appeal to you.
What a marvelous story, and such a lovely guy! This has me smiling.xxx