Random Celebrity Memories! Vol. Two: Curly Neal

I don't get star-struck. I work in this business and while there are careers I admire and talents I covet, I try not to get all crazed around celebrities.

However, when I got word that I was going to be able to work former Harlem Globetrotters star, Curly Neal, I threw all that composure and calmness out the window!



Curly Neal is da' MAN! I was a huge Globetrotters fan as a kid and the thought of getting to meet Curly Neal was enough to make my whole year seem like a great year!

I was working as a clown at the Food Marketing Institute trade show at McCormick Place. The client was Procter & Gamble and they wanted some Ringling Clowns at their booth to help promote the fact that they were sponsoring the Greatest Show on Earth in 60 different markets that year.

We did so much to draw in new business for them that we were asked back the following day. I was the one of the only clowns that could attend. I was particularly to go because not only would I make another day's pay, but I would be there the day Curly Neal would be there signing autographs and helping P&G promote that they were sponsoring the Globetrotters across the country.

That was a fun day. Curly was the coolest! He was as friendly and funny as you would hope he'd be. Whenever you meet a celebrity, or in this case, a hero, you hope they're not total jerks and can meet your expectations of greatness you have built up in your head. Mr. Neal was better than I'd ever expected.

What was most impressive to me was the fact that he was genuinely a nice guy and not just putting on an act for the crowd. I got to spend time with him in the green room, in the elevator, and on the floor and he was a very cool guy in every respect. He was just as interested in my job and skills as I was in his. He shared some great stories, engaged in memorable conversation, and instantly became a friend. He even shared some of his ice cream with me on break. LOL!

The best part of the day was watching him with his fans. There were many big name celebrities in attendance at this event, but everybody wanted to be around Curly Neal. He posed for photos, signed autographs, and joked around with everybody. If you went to meet him you did not walk away disappointed.

OK, I lied. The ACTUAL best part of the day was when "Sweet Georgia Brown" played on the speakers. There were some basketballs being raffled off at the booth (signed by Curly, of course) and when that music came on, Curly would occasionally grab the ball and do some of his amazing tricks and patented moves with the ball. The juggler in me was dying inside from happiness! Then...it happened.

Curly called me over and asked me to be his partner during the routines. Even though it was just the two of us, in my mind I was passing a basketball around with Curly Neal in "The Magic Circle"! I was careful not to take too much time from him as he was really who the crowd came to see. However, since I could juggle and had a few moves of my own (all inspired by him, no doubt) I had to take the chance to put on a good show. We had a great time and the crowds ate it up. He was not expecting me to have any moves at all and it encouraged him to really pour on the magic. I will never forget that feeling and that moment.

At the end of the day we had a most surreal moment together. We were "off duty" so we could let our guard down a bit. The conversations were much more relaxed and casual. When we got into the elevator to head out, some guy came in and had the current issue of Playboy with him and was eager to "read" it right away. I forget which celeb was inside, but it was a big deal and it seemed everyone had a copy of this issue. Before too long the guy noticed both of us and asked if we'd seen the issue yet, holding the open issue out for us to see. So there I was, in clown make-up, standing next to Curly Neal, in an elevator, sneaking peeks at some naked celeb. When the guy...uh...got off the elevator, Curly and I laughed very loudly and said our good-byes.

Somewhere out there, are candid snapshots of me with Curly Neal and some Procter & Gamble clients. I'd give just about anything to have a copy of just one of them. If you were at the FMI show at McCormick Place some time around 1988 or 89 and has a photo of Curly and some clown, drop me an e-mail!

I've gotten to meet quite a few famous folks over the years, including some other Globetrotters at different events. However, meeting Curly Neal will always be one of the highlights in my life. He was everything a fan of his would want him to be and then some. If nothing else, he was a lot more fun to be around than Meadowlark Lemon.