Jared W. Smith

Looks like Invest 99 became Subtropical Storm Gabrielle, and the Hurricane Center has just put us under a Tropical Storm Watch. Here’s the watch text in full: Continue reading Why, hello, Gabrielle: Tropical Storm Watch just issued »

So my friend Mel and I were out celebrating his 23rd birthday tonight at Tsunami, when our waitress comes up and shares some interesting news. It goes a little something like this:

“I have a secret.”
“Really?”
“See that table over there? At about 9:00, Ryan Seacrest and Randy Jackson from American Idol are coming in.”
“No waaaaay.”
“No, seriously, they’ll be here…”

With skepticism, Mel and I stuck around for curiosity’s sake. And I’ll be damned if the clock didn’t strike 9, and Ryan and Randy were walking through the doors with their entourage seated at a table about 15 feet from us. Once word got around as to WHO was at the table, the entire room began texting. Like, I have never seen an ENTIRE room raise their phones and begin sending text messages rampantly. Naturally, Mel and I both joined the throng of eager texters all relaying OMG AMERICAN IDOL PEEPS OH NOES.

People were cool about it, though. Sure, people kept looking at ‘em, but nobody went up to them and talked to them or tried to bug them (at least from what we saw). Randy appeared to give Mel some props as we were leaving, giving him a nod. You could see the star-struckness on many folks’ faces. It was interesting.

It definitely will be a birthday he remembers, for sure — it’s not every day you see people from the highest-rated television program ever, after all.