1. Who is your favorite celebrity?

That�s tough. I guess I could say Madonna, since I like to read about her controversies and exciting life. I also like Oprah � but who doesn�t? I have been a fan of Steve Martin ever since I was a teen, in part because we share the same birthday.

2. Who is your least favorite?

That�s tough, too. I really detest Anna Nicole Smith, because she is soooooo tacky, and gives celebrity a cheap name. And, no, I do not watch her show � although I am sure that watching her be a sleazy, trailer-trashy attention-grabber is what attracts most viewers.

3. Have you ever met or seen any celebrities in real life?

I�m so glad you asked!!!! I have been blessed with many celebrity sightings.

Minor sightings include Walter Mathau in Lafayette, LA, where he was filming Casey�s Shadow, Zachary Richard � probably only zydeco fans know him at a cochon de lait hosted by a professor at our university. I also shook the hand of Jack Jones (he sang the Love Boat theme) at a performance, just to irritate my mother...

I also have met Helen Gurley Brown, the former editor of Cosmopolitan, and author of Sex and the Single Girl and Having It All, at a book signing. She said that I looked like Andie MacDowell and was very nice!!!

While I was working at Phipps Plaza in Atlanta, Steve Martin walked into the store where I was slaving away at minimum wage. He had a baseball cap and dark glasses on, so I knew he was trying to go incognito. So, I tried to be cool. When he came up to purchase his soaps, I said �We have the same birthday.� and he replied, �Is that right?� I went on to babble, �There are not a lot of...- I was going to say celebrities, but didn�t want to blow his cover, so I finished lamely- ...people...with that birthday.� What a goober! I wrapped his gift and sent him on his way. This was a big deal for me, as I am a BIG fan of his, but when I acted excited and told my co-worker, the blas� queen said in a bored tone: �we get a lot of celebrities in here.� My high school students were more appreciative.

Let�s see � Laurence Fishburne came into another store where I was working, and I think he got a massage!

4. Would you want to be famous? Why or why not?

You�re darn tootin� I�d like to be famous!!!! Why? Because I crave attention, and would love to live the life of the rich and famous! It would be the coolest! I admit that there are downsides � such as having even your mistakes up for public display and comment � but the cool things would outweigh the bad for me!

5. If you had to trade places with a celebrity for a day, who would you choose and why?

Again, Madonna. I think that she is a fascinating person. I am not saying that I approve of everything that she does, or that I would love to do them, but she leads what I would call a high �rich and famous� life, and that would be fun to experience, even for a day!

So, speaking of celebrity, I have a student who is going to be on America�s Most Talented Kid. His name is Zachary and he is competing in Age Group 13-15 years old as a singer, although I am pretty sure that acting is his aim. Here is his picture:

I taught Zach in 6th grade, and thought that he was adorable then. He was blonder and even cuter then, and so interested in everything. He took Exploratory Spanish with me, and was one of the few students who went to the trouble to make positive comments on creative or fun things that I did to educate my students on Spanish culture! I will always appreciate that. He left 6th grade at the end of the year to go to Hollywood and audition, and didn�t make it then, so I hope he does now!!!!

Watch him tonight � it�s on NBC, I think, at 8:00PM Eastern time. He�s got some tough competition: a girl singer, and a young Asian piano player!