At Days of the Dead in Indianapolis

Another of the celebrity guests at Days of the Dead is Roddy Piper.  I have been a fan of Piper for a long time.  As previously documented here, Piper appeared in a literacy ad series I ran when I was at Lerner Newspapers.  Since then, I met Piper a few times and it is always a pleasure.
I remember seeing Piper in the wrestling ring when I was a teenager.  He had a unique style, a magnificent presence and a real charm about him.  First on the phone and later in person, I found out that he is basically the same in real life.  Oh sure, it is all magnified in the wrestling ring, but what you see is pretty much what you get with Piper.
The strange thing is that there is a big contradiction with him.  When he enters a room, he commands attention.  He can pull you in immediately.  The odd thing is that he is basically a quiet, respectful person.  Larger than life, but modest and humble.  This is all Piper and it is all good.
Meeting celebrities, especially your favorite ones, is always risky.  You want the celeb to be what you envision.  You want your memories to be validated.
Meeting Piper was one of the great thrills I have had.  He respects his fans and gives them as much time as he can within the confines of an autograph signing.  I look forward to meeting Piper again.

Roddy Piper (and the ad) and me in Indianapolis, IN-October 2006.