I got my college alumni magazine yesterday, and I commented to H about how OLD a couple guys we knew in school look. I absolutely would not recognize them if they walked past me - and I am really, really good at remembering people. But they have to look somewhat like I remember them looking!
I, of course, still look as wonderful as I did in my 20’s. 
I’m going to meet up with a good sized group of grad friends and expect not to recognize a number. And it’s less than ten years since we last met. And we’ve been emailing, so names are familiar.
I have to wonder how seriously we can take the idea “I” am somehow so special (or was) that I should be recognized by another after 20+ years. And then be so angry, if not. That was then.
Peace.
There’s a reason gatherings issue name tags after all. 
@lookingforward I don’t think I’m so special that everyone should recognize me 20 years later. I know that this guy could not help but recognize me based on the circumstances of our upbringing. Perhaps he didn’t even bother to look.
Life goes on. But I’ll not make any effort to speak to the guy again.
I was watching an interview with Martin Short. He was talking about famous people going to restaurants, etc., and said he usually likes to sit in the back, quietly enjoy his meal. Not so Kurt Russel! Martin said Kurt likes to be the center of attention, wants the big table in the center, wants everyone to stop by the table. This interview was years and years ago but I still remember it as it was so funny. “Hey look at us, we’re famous people.” Why not enjoy it if people are going to bother you anyway.
I have to laugh at this. The most “famous” person who went to my HS (not at the same time as me) is a serial killer of whom everyone has heard. I doubt I will be running into him anytime soon.
I’ve a friend who tells how his hot-shot brother-in-law blatantly ignored him at event as said BIL accompanied Mr Big Famous Financier Guy (known for his folksy aw-shucks personality, by the way). Not even a hello nod. Obvious snub, just plain rude. Not looking for an intro, nice guy, bit shocked. Same BIL he’d spent every holiday and family bday for 15+ years, their wives sisters. The relationship never quite recovered. And it was indicative of the guy’s true nature.
I would blatantly ignore Kurt Russell, having no idea who he is. Hope he wouldn’t be too offended.
@sorghum -
You clearly didn’t share my childhood. I had my first crush on Kurt Russell when he was the Wonderful World of Disney boy star. My H even has that same type of rugged, blonde athletic look (well, at least till his began going silver; my H, I mean, I’m sure Kurt can afford to color his) and, yes, shallow as it is to say, it’s one of the reasons I was initially attracted to my H. That said, even if I were to ever encounter Kurt Russell, or any other famous person that I didn’t know personally, I’d keep walking unless I was introduced to them. I would never approach a famous person. I’m guessing not too many would be offended if I kept going and, fi they were, I’d never know.
I have no idea who many sports figures, pop singers, current TV stars, talking heads at a particular news outlet, and supermodels are, and I know I’d walk right past them myself. Maybe I already have.
But @sorghum! Kurt Russell is a very good film actor who was an action star of sorts in the 80s-90s (Escape from New York, Escape from LA, Stargate, the remake of The Thing). He’s given good performances in other genres, in movies like 3000 Miles from Graceland and Miracle (about the 1980 US Olympic hockey team). He does a very convincing Elvis. Can you tell he was one of my childhood crushes in his days as a Disney teen star?
Fame is relative and fleeting and all that.
Forget The Computer Who Wore Tennis Shoes and other Disney films. Kurt Russell in *Tequila Sunrise/I was my adult introduction to Kurt Russell. I loved him in that movie!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-lNMAHCbJo
If I saw Kurt Russell holding court in a restaurant, I’d still just leave him alone. With my luck, that would be one of the days he just wanted to have a nice dinner with his family, and I would feel terrible-and embarrassed- if he got annoyed at my interruption.
A couple years ago, I was working out at my in laws’ club and Rory McIlroy sat down on a machine next to me. He seemed incredibly nice, and I would have loved to have at least told him good luck in the Masters … but the club rule was that you couldn’t talk to the golfers. To be honest, I felt like a bit of a b**ch. I am midwestern to the core, and we say hi to folks when they sit next to us.
^Funny, @kelsmom. My friend and I were running slowly around Back Cove this morning, when a couple ran past us and said, “Hi!” Took me by surprise. My friend sped up to run with them for a ways and they had a nice talk. When she returned, I said, “Wow, they were friendly!” She said, “You know why, right? What you always say?” I said, “No, what do you mean?” “They’re from away!” i.e., not from New England. “OH! Yes, that explains it…”
Half the time I don’t recognize people I saw last week, let alone 20 years ago. True story:
Some years ago, my wife and I went to a figure skating exhibition. She’s a huge figure skating fan, having skated competitively (though at a low level) herself; me, not so much. Anyway, the show ended, and we were walking around when we ran into this obviously lost couple. I talked to them for a minute, helped them figure out where they had parked. When they left, my wife said,
“DO YOU KNOW WHO THAT WAS???”
“Uh, no, should I?”
“That was ________ and ___________!” She named two of the skaters we had just seen. I probably should have charged them an autograph for helping them find their car.
Seriously, I think I have that thing where you don’t recognize faces. I’m always walking right past people I’ve known for years. Nowadays I pretend to be looking at my smartphone.
Just saw Kurt Russell In Deep Water Horizon yesterday. Good actor - more than just a pretty face. @techmom99 At least in the movie, he’s gray now as well, just like your husband.
Have to chime in say that Big Trouble in Little China and The Thing are two of my favorite movies which Kurt Russel just happens to be in!
W and I have seen several celebrities running around LA when we’ve been out to see D. Mostly at one of my favorite coffee places. W usually has to point them out and then tell me who they are and what shows I’ve seen them in :)) I’m usually just impressed they share my good taste in coffee. People in LA have a “don’t bother the celebrities” culture so they just buy their coffee and go on their way without anybody bothering them.
Apropos to this thread, I was eating out with W last week and some random older guy shouted “YOU!” And pointed at me. I started wracking (racking?) my brain to figure out how I knew the guy but he looked completely unfamiliar. Turned out he was just a total stranger joking around because W and I were at his usual table. But for a good few seconds I was all like, “OMG this guy is probably one of my customers who spent a ton of money with me and I don’t even recognize him.”
My H is facial-recognition-challenged. I see a few guys admitting to it here. Wonder if this may be a Y thing.
@sorghum Do you know who Goldie Hawn is?
Another Kurt Russell fan here from my youth.
I know a lot of famous people through my involvement with the theatre world, and also some in the hockey world. And my H knows a lot from the business/legal world. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that they truly are just people. Some are nice, some are idiots. Some are great with fans, some hate that aspect of fame. The public can often behave very inappropriately when they see someone who is famous. I could tell you stories. Most often the celebs are gracious but they, too, have bad days, have things going on in their lives that may make it difficult for them to put on a happy face and love the attention.
My sister thinks she is facial recognition challenged, so I guess it happens with women, too.
I’m female and really bad at it. I took that test that @“Cardinal Fang” posted in #18 and scored in the bottom 10%. I thought it was really hard which didn’t surprise me as I’ve always been bad at that kind of thing. I score highly on memory tests in general, just bad at faces.