The Thrill of Recognition: Celebrity or Common Man?

Have you ever been approached by someone who recognized you from social media or in public for something you do or somewhere you work? The feeling can be exhilarating or even a bit bewildering. Here are some stories of personal experiences of common people being recognized in various scenarios.

A Local Hero on the Bus

I was recently at the neighborhood party store with my husband, who is in his 80s, buying lottery tickets. A woman suddenly ran up and hugged him. She was in such an excited state that she told her daughter, as if she had just met Brad Pitt, ‘This is Sarge! My bus driver! ’. My husband, who had retired from over 20 years in the military, worked on the city street department for another 20 years, and then became a bus driver, was obviously known to her. The lady had ridden his bus when she was in Head Start. Clearly, he was recognized not only for his job but also for the positive impact he had on the community.

Stand-Up Comedy’s Calling

I am a stand-up comedian in Honolulu, and I get recognized about once a week. It always makes me feel good. There was one time when I was in San Diego having brunch with my new daughter-in-law. We had a nice outside table near the street, and this woman rushed over to tell me how much she enjoyed my show back in Hawaii. It’s good to be recognized, but it’s even better when you receive that recognition in a different city while trying to impress a new family member.

A Pizza Place’s Secret

When I was younger, in my late twenties, I often got recognized in public due to where I worked. I worked at a well-loved local mom and pop pizza place called Rennas. I started working there at age 17. Once I had finished school and became an IT guy by day, I continued working at Rennas part-time, saving to buy a house. Rennas had been in Clarkson since the early days of take-out restaurants, well before any Pizza Pizza, Pizza Hut, or other chains showed up. When I started there, it was Rennas or Ginos, and we were way better.

I worked there for 17 years and bought an apartment in a building nearby. Anytime I went anywhere in Clarkson, I would run into people who recognized me and said 'Hi'. A daytime trip to the local grocery store would result in 5 to 6 encounters, always positive. It really was well-loved pizza. For me, it felt 'small-townish', even though Clarkson is part of Mississauga, a large city now.

The Power of Recognition

Recognition can happen for many reasons—from social media, to public recognition in a small town, or even recognition in a different city while trying to impress a new family member. The joy of being recognized can vary from exhilarating to humbling.

Keywords: celebrity recognition, public recognition, local recognition