This weekend, I was in Iowa City, Iowa for a conference in which hundreds of college students from tons of colleges gather to find entertainment to bring to their campuses. For the entire weekend, performers of all kinds would showcase their talents in the hope of being chosen. A select few (such as myself) would be allowed to play a concert in front of these students.
One conversation I had stuck with me. “We all lead other lives,” a hypnotist told me, “we’re all just trying to stay in this one as long as possible”. By day, she was a therapist. By night, a hypnotic stage performer and magnificent entertainer.
When she said that, I looked around me, and what I saw reminded me of a line from the movie “Almost Famous”:
“This is the circus, everybody’s trying not to go home.”
She was right. Everyone did lead other lives. That weekend, I saw magicians who mystified and comedians who owned the stage; and as long as they’re there, they have the magic. But then they go home to their mother’s basement, and normal life.
It’s the same way for the college students who are there to book these acts. For that weekend only, rock stars and television celebrities would cater to these kids like no one else. At no other time in these kids lives will they feel so close to stardom.
On Monday, they’re back to dorm life and ramen noodles.
But for the weekend, they are kings in a world of entertainers.
