In the media business, one of the things you learn is that your idols and people you admire are not gods but actually just regular people like you and me.  Actually, they’re generally a lot shorter, so when you think of someone as being larger-than-life and then you see them and you feel like a giant next to them, you kind of get over that middle school feeling of being starstruck.

So, what have I experienced when meeting my idols in the past? Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips picks his nose. In front of people.  Colin Meloy of the Decemberists, might be one of my favorite songwriters, but he reeks of body odor.  Or, at least he did when I met him.  Erlend Øye of Kings of Convenience and The Whitest Boy Alive has no problems with grabbing your butt. And Regina Spektor looks like a scared little mouse up close…I had to have cleared her height-wise by at least a foot!  In fact, the only “famous” person I’ve met who actually looks like he might be famous was some country guy named Dierks Bentley.  I don’t know much about him but he was at least taller than me, and handsome.  But to talk to him, even he was very down-to-earth and normal, nothing really intimidating about him whatsoever.  I later saw him on a CMT version of “Cribs” at a relative’s house, and he had this gorgeous modern house that utilized every inch of space and he mentioned that he was a dog lover. So, Dierks:  if you ever decide to get rid of that pesky wife of yours, give me a call.

At this stage in my life, there’s basically no one I could meet or see in concert that would make me have that “OMG” feeling I used to feel about Hanson when I was in the 7th grade.  Even if George Harrison and John Lennon decided to rise from the grave for a Beatles reunion, I probably would just want to know if they’d take interviews.

So, why am I so excited that Clark Howard is coming to Chattanooga (for FREE!)?  Clark Howard, as in the nerdy, middle-aged white guy who hosts a radio show about “spending less, saving more, and avoiding getting ripped off”.  His radio show has been a breath of fresh air to me over the past several months, a genuinely nice guy in a sea of beligerent political talking heads.  I listen as often as possible, and with each show I learn something new about how to get something awesome for less.  And if he is not teaching me something new, he is confirming something I already do that I have tried to share with other people.  I have Clark to thank for my $21.95 Zenni specs, eating at fabulous restaurants for less than I would pay at Krystal, and for joining a credit union.  I can thank him for letting me in on Southern Savers (dot com), which when used with Coupon Mom (dot com), helps me continue my journey of eating great food for $3 a day.  So, to me, that nerdy, middle-aged white guy is a rock star.

Here are the specs:  Syndicated radio host Clark Howard comes to Chattanooga for a special engagement at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre on January 14, 2010 at 6pm. Howard has been protecting the wallets and pocketbooks of regular Americans for years, and is all about helping you, the consumer, hold onto your money. Sponsored by Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union and Pulse News 95.3. For more information call Brewer Media at 265-9494.

I am really hoping he does a meet-and-greet and won’t shatter my larger-than-life image (don’t forget your deo, Clark! Keep that finger away from that nose!)  It’s totally on my Bucket List for him to say “hi Jebbica, how are you doing?”

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