The Lovely Mr. Ira Glass

Celebrity sightings are always an odd experience. You don't really see it coming, but you are always pleasantly surprised.

Saturday March 28, 2009 My cousin and I had met up in Central Park (after a brief episode of triangulating each others position, since there is no concrete way of giving directions in Central Park). Emily decided that it has been much too long since she has had a hot dog.

Which also made me think: how often does one really eat hot dogs when one actually lives in New York? I feel like only tourists and men in powersuits buy hot dogs. Anyways...

back at the hot dog stand in the park, I was loitering by while Emily went back to get a soda. I look to my left and who do I see walking towards me in all his top heavy gray hair and over sized black frames glory, but Ira Glass. American Public Radio personality and host of This American Life.


Ira Glass is a very adorable man. He is much taller and bulkier than I had presumed. But the glasses, hair, face...and that voice. I had introduced myself and sheepishly on impulse asked for a picture. I was holding in my shame and embarrassment of the situation. I mean I live in New York, celebrities are everywhere. Spotting one usually generates an eye roll at most. But he was standing a mere two feet from me. I couldn't help myself. So we took the picture and we parted ways...I immediately texted my other NYC cousin Kevin to share the news. Mainly since I knew he would fully appreciate meeting Ira Glass since he is a much bigger fan than I am. After gloating to Kevin, Emily and I continued on our way and I hoped that Mr. Glass had already made some distance ahead of us...