Now, I've met and worked with celebrities before, and I'd like to think that when I do I maintain a certain sense of decorum and professionalism; I tend not to get 'star-struck' as the term goes. That having been said...
It was an absolute pleasure to do some natural event makeup for Mr. George Takei for his meet-and-greet appearance at Dragon's Lair in Austin on Monday. From his online presence, I had already known that he was clever and had a good sense of humor, but never before have I met someone so humble, so gracious, and so kind and accommodating to his myriad fans.
What was supposed to be a short two-hour event stretched out to six hours as people continued to join the line that snaked around the store for a chance to tell Mr. Takei about fond memories of watching Star Trek with loved ones, and thanking him for his activism and support for the gay community. This included one gentleman who purposefully removed himself to the back of the line, just so, as the last person, he could have an extra minute to tell his story of how he was shunned and faced a court martial in the military years ago for coming out, and let Mr. Takei know how much of an important influence was on his life. Tears were shed, hugs were shared, and it was impossible not to be moved.
If the scene at Dragon's Lair on Labor Day were any indication, it would seem evident that George Takei has made a positive difference to the lives of countless individuals, although to hear him tell it, it's all of us working together to make a difference for each other; in his words, "We're all pulling the same wagon".
Not only is it 'OK to be Takei', but a little Takei is something that we should all strive to be.