You know, now that you mention it, I know how that feels. Also back in my 20s, I was hired by the largest newspaper in Utah. I sometimes found myself in meetings with well-known politicians, television personalities, and other famous or rich people. Some of these connections led to freelance work where I worked directly with similar kinds of people. I remember how inadequate I sometimes felt.
I eventually got used to it and finally realized that they were all just regular people who happened to have high-profile jobs and who needed my help on things. Several of them turned into long-term friends. I had forgotten about those feelings until you mentioned something similar. This kind of thing doesn’t really bother me any longer, I guess.
… and don’t you get so much further with them, the second you do that. They usually have so many sycophants surrounding them, that if you treat them normally and talk straight, it is usually really appreciated – except by B-Listers who want you to think they are more important than they are.
I think that sort of thing is more common with entertainment celebrities who have lots of fans. I haven’t worked much with those kinds of people other than through their producers and agents. I just finished up a book project through a publicity company for an up-and-coming YouTube influencer (14 years old) who recently signed a recording contract and released an album. I don’t think she’s old enough for all the attention to have gone to her head yet, but I could see it coming given the way people were treating her.
The people I was referring to were mostly semi-big-name politicians, corporate CEOs, television news anchors and that sort of things. Beneath their public persona, I’ve found them to mostly be just regular people — some likable, some not, but typically focused more on their work than on any fame they might have.
I’m good friends with a syndicated political cartoonist with a big local following and several books. We have similar interests and used to go camping, mountain biking and backpacking together a few times each year until his health no longer allowed it. When we stopped at restaurants or ran into others on backpacking trails, people would sometimes recognize him, get excited and ask for autographs, which always seemed really weird. His personality would change and he’d go into this well-rehearsed act of playing the part of a celebrity. Two minutes later, he’d be back to his regular self complaining about how much his knees hurt.
I genuinely think Just-B should write a text book about design. And if a young student were to read everything Just-B has written over the years, it would certainly amount to a Doctoral-grade education in the profession. Those young designers who have the good fortune to land on this forum should thank the Good Lord that Just-B and this top-notch educational opportunity exists for them. — Hey, Just-B, I got an idea! — Since no real credentials in design are sorely needed, and since none exist anywhere else (that I know of), perhaps Graphic Design Forum should develop and promote one.
Thanks PopsD, but as you know, experiences just add up over the course of a career. In the short biography you posted two or three weeks ago, it seemed apparent that you’ve had many similar kinds of experiences over the course of your career.
Some of us here have sort of joked around about that — a Graphic Design Forum certificate of some sort after reading and responding to a set number of posts. Maybe we could enlist you as one of the tenured professors.
This would be absolutely awesome!! Maybe have a design understanding portion where they have to prove their knowledge and not commit the silly mistakes that started this whole thread.
You’re right, Just-B. Those and more. But I am having too much fun in my retirement playing with my grandkids and playing golf to write a book. You could do it though!
Same to you and yours 