JAKE GYLLENHAAL - PRINCE OF POLITENESS

Los Angeles is known for its traffic. So, you can only imagine what a ‘pleasant’ drive I was having on the bumper to bumper Hollywood Freeway. AARRGGHH!! Remember those drive-by traffic shootings? Hey – I’m not supporting it – I just really am beginning understand it!

OK, back to the car – convertible actually - la de da de dah. So here I am, merging onto the Hollywood Freeway and nobody, I mean nobody wants to let ‘little ol’ me’ in. I’m such a nice guy and I was having a good hair day, I just couldn’t understand why nobody was letting me in.

My merging lane was coming to an end – and you know what that means – the lane is slowly getting narrower – and my patience is slowly getting less and less. Is anybody going to let me in??!!

Finally another dude (did I just say dude?) in a convertible motions to me. He is letting me in! I was reassured that I was a nice guy and having a good hair day. Even better, I check into my rearview mirror after I pull in to wave to this good highway Samaritan and wouldn’t you know it? It was Jake Gyllenhall! Yes the Prince of Persia himself! As I wave thank you, he gives a cool Brokeback Mountain nod of acknowledgement. Is there such a thing as a Brokeback Mountain nod?

At any rate, my point is this: just like Charlton Heston parted the Red Sea as Moses, Jake Gyllenhaal parted the sea of traffic for me! I needed someone to let me in and my Celebrity Law of Attraction worked like a charm. I truly believe that if I did not have huge faith in my Celebrity Law of Attraction – a huge star like Jake Gyllenhaal would not have let me in. With little of no faith, a much smaller celebrity, like Charo, would have let me in. Or possibly Rip Taylor. Or that guy from Survivor Season 2.

So do I love Los Angles traffic? Absolutely. Now, if only I can get into a fender bender with Angelina Jolie! Well, one day......

ON A HIGH ... SCHOOL MUSICAL!

OK, so once again, I am shopping at the mall. What is it with me and malls?

Funny thing is that whenever I go to a mall, I don’t just think about what I am going to buy, I think about if I will bump into a celebrity. And of course, I always do.

This time, I wonder if I was too old to get excited. As I am window shopping, Lucas Grabeel (Ryan Evans from High School Musical), walks by me. I walk past him thinking, I CANNOT and WILL NOT go up to him. Afterall, I am a grown man and he is ... well ... he is one of the High School Musical kids.

But all of a sudden, the teenager inside of me took control:

Like I totally always find celebrities, so like I had like no choice but to go up to him. Of course I told him that like my daugher totally LOVES him and thinks he’s like totally awesome (even though I was totally just as thrilled to meet him). After all, it is High School Musical. Like, duh! I was even thinking of like totally jumping up, legs folded in, just like the poster. But hey - that was like totally overdoing it. I am like totally mature.

Ok, Marshall, time to grown up!

Lucas was very nice. He chatted and his sister took our photo. I was happy to meet him for my daughter. OK - for me!

It was like a totally awesome experience! Totally!

IRON MAN, ROBERT DOWNEY JR. AND ... PIZZA?

OK, so it’s been a while since I last blogged, but hey - there’s been a lot going on with filming, etc. Blah, blah, blah...

Anyhooo - I was sitting having a little lunch at Mulberry Street Pizza in Beverly Hills. As usual, with any restaurant in Los Angeles, I sit so that I am facing the door - afterall, you never know who you might see entering.

As I am biting into my slice of cheese pizza, who walks in, but Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr., picking up his order. What no delivery for Iron Man? He picks up his own pizza? I’m impressed!

Of course, rather than finish my own pizza, I just drop my slice and quicker than Iron Man himself, walk over to introduce myself. ’Hey Robert’, I call. ’Who dat?’ he replies. We chat a bit, I offer to deliver his pizza - he laughs but in a ’OK, this guy is making me nervous’ type of way. Hey - gotta make as much small talk with a big star as you can - keep the conversation going - lengthen the star-filled moment.

After his, ’catch you later’, Robert Downey walks away with his pizza. I walk away knowing that even though I only ordered a cheese pizza with no toppings, nothing could have topped meeting Iron Man - Robert Downey Jr. To top it off, the pizza was really good! OK, OK, enought with the ’topping’ play on words!

iCarly - i spy a teen (i)dol!

So, here I am almost 2 months since my last blog - been quite a while. I have been working hard, and had a business trip out in LA. And, wouldn’t you know it, as I am meeting with one celebrity (at a very posh Santa Monica restaurant, if I may add), sitting to the table next to me is teen star, Miranda Cosgrove, aka, iCarly.

Now, I will be honest, I recognized her face, but had no idea who she was, or how famous she was or what show she was on or what movies she was in. The fact that she was being woo’ed by the execs of Neutrogena at the table, did give me some inclination that she was famous.

Look, I know many teen stars - Donny Osmond, Leif Garrett, The Brady’s, Susan Dey, etc. But hey - thats my generation. As for the younger generation, I do know Miley Cyrus, but it sort of stops there. Ok, maybe one more - those High School Musical kids.

Something told me this young, fresh faced kid at the next table was a famous teen idol. How does one confirm this? Easy! Simply follow one of the execs from Neutrogena as they are leaving the table to the restroom and ask them a simple question: ’My daughter loves the girl at your table! What’s her name and what show is she on again?’

Once I got the information, I quickly made my way to her table, addressed her by her name (Miranda Cosgrove), told her how much my daughter is a fan of her show (iCarly), and could we have a photo.

She bought it, hook, line and iSinker.

And so, now my celebrity law of attraction as given me an iPhoto with iCarly and iMarshall.

WILLEM DAFOE - WHAT A RELIEF!

I try my best to attend the wonderful, Toronto International Film Festival. every year. And of course, being the celebrity journalist I am, I try to attend the film festival galas. Such was the time in September, 2002 when the film, Auto Focus (starring Greg Kinnear and Willem Dafoe) was premiered.

In addition, to trying my best to attend premieres, I also try my best to get a great seat - to best see the celebs on stage or when they enter the theatre or wish them good luck or tell them how great they were in their performance. This was not the case at this premiere. My seat sucked. I mean, really sucked!

How was I ever to come in contact with the stars of this film?

I watched the film - a wonderul biopic about Hogans Heroes star, Bob Crane. Although I enjoyed the film, I definitely did not enjoy my lack of coming in contact with a celeb.

Then nature called - brought on by my Grande Starbucks coffee.

Off to the urinal I go (sounds like a children’s song doesn’t it?).

As I am standing at the urinal, relieving myself, I was even more relieved to find the incredible Mr. Dafoe relieving himself next to me. I mean I was relieved! What a relief - finally I made my celebrity contact! Who would have thought that I would have my relief while relieving? OK, OK, I am totally over-killing this joke.

Mr. Dafoe finished his business before I did and began to walk to the sink. I too, finished by business - well, I was not actually finished but I forced myself to stop mid-stream so that my timing to meet Willem would coincide with his handwashing stage.

I don’t recall what I said to Mr. Dafoe (I am sure it was something like, ’What a relief to meet you!’).

OK, I’ll stop now.

The point is this: just when you think you have given up, The Law Of Attraction answers what you ask for and envision. I envisioned meeting a celebrity. The urinal? Not so much.

And for those who are wondering, Willem Dafoe does wash his hands!

A STRING OF ’PURLS’

While researching celebrities to track down for my TV show, I came across the name, Linda Purl. Do you remember her? She played The Fonz’s girlfriend on Happy Days? No? Well, I too sort of forgot about the 1970’s actress until last week.

That was on Wednesday.

The next day - Thursday to be exact (duh!) - I am watching my favorite show (and favorite set I have ever visited) The Office. Low and behold, there’s Linda Purl playing Pam’s mother. I haven’t seen her in 20 years and haven’t thought about her in as much time - until the day before.

And now, Linda Purl is crossing my path - two days in a row. Coincidence? Of course not. Just the Law of Attraction sending me a gift - a string of ’purls’. Sorry, corny play on words, but it works. I think!

IT’S ALL GREEK TO ME

August 31, 2009 - vacationing in Los Angeles with my wife and son - the middle child - need I say more. Of course, no trip to LA is complete without lunch at the famed, Ivy restaurant.

Reservations are at noon. We eat. No celebrity sigtings. What’s up with that? The wife and child want to leave. I don’t - I know a celebrity will show up - I just know it.

And so we wait. A few more coffees, more ice water, some more dessert, stalling and waiting for at least one celebrity sighting. And then it happens.

Nia Vardalos. Who? The star of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I have had my celebrity fix, albeit Nia Vardalos is not much of a celebrity fix. But hey, that’s not the best part of the story - it’s just the beginning of my Law of Attraction encounter.

Next morning, we are on the flight home to Toronto. Older plane - no movie screens on the seat. No satellite radio or TV stations to watch. There is only ONE movie playing on the flight ...

My Life In Ruins, starring (you guessed it) Nia Vardalos!

Was I surprised? Of course not. Seeing the Greek actress was only a sign of greater things to come - The Law of Attraction. There is a greater power out there - and in this case, it was all Greek to me - literally! Opah!!