"My Brush with Niceness" or Aaaarrrghhhhh (Part 2)

Today I had the honor of meeting the most popular Survivor All-Star. Yes Rupert was at work today doing our morning newscast. I do not have to be here until 10:30am but this morning I woke up early and got the boy moving. "Where are we going at 6:15?", he asked. "I have to do something at work.", I responded. "Oh, I am recording your station because Rupert is on the news, what do you have to do at work?". "Meet Rupert, want to come??" The rest of this conversation is lost to the generations by the yelling and pounding of feet up the stairs to get dressed and find his bookbag.

We arrived at the station by 7am and I showed the boy around to my co-workers while we were still on the air. We hit a 5 minute break and went into the studio with everyone else, one other co-worker had brought her child and Rupert went right up to the kids and started talking to them, he politely posed for pictures with everyone (kids, parents and crew) then when all was done he just hung out with us. There were only a few of us with cameras (pics to come) and that got out of the way fast. Rupert just hung with us and talked of Survivor and Indy and life in general. He answered a few questions and told a few funny stories.

I did what I've always tried to do when meeting someone whom I admire or have been entertained by, I shook his hand and said Thank You. That's it, no autographs, I asked for a picture with my boy and when I said thanks he said give the camera to one of his buddies so I can be in a picture.

All in all it was a great time, he was a very nice, down to earth, 'regular' guy who hung out with the crew and kept the upstairs people waiting. The boy got to go to school with a picture (Thanks you Canon Digital Photography) of him and hometown hero Rupert and a good story or two.

Me, I got to meet a nice guy and score HUGE Cool Dad points.

Thank You Rupert