Guest editorial

It’s a question I’ve often asked: who is the most famous person to have spent time with me? And it’s one I’ve often answered in my column, on my radio show, at book launches… in fact anywhere when I feel I need to tell people interesting things about stuff that really matters, i.e. me.

I’ll tell you a funny story – when I was first approached to do this guest editorial, I had my doubts. I mean, why me? Surely there must be someone better placed, more qualified, far more famous that yours truly who could do it? So I asked around and, as crazy as it seems, there wasn’t! Laugh, you should. It’s the best medicine, so they say, and as for those laugh lines, well let me tell you they don’t stand a chance up against the best intervention money can buy.

So getting back to these famous people who’ve met me. There’s so many, I could write a book. Two books. Or pad out an entire year’s worth of Herlad columns. (The typo’s deliberate by the way – it’s a gentle dig at their lack of proofreading. But gentle – no sense in biting the hand that feeds.)

If I have one regret, it’s that I can’t remember a single thing they’ve said. I can recall to the nth degree of the minutest detail how they reacted to what I said, and that’s just as good. And handy as well – if I were to fill all my columns, or most of my on-air time, or book launch speeches with long lists of famous people who have enjoyed listening to me, that might be boring. So that’s why I add a little extra – added value if you will.

It’s a win/win situation. It gives the famous people some valuable exposure to commercial radio listeners and Herlad (teehee) on-line readers, and it lets everyone – the famous people, commercial radio listeners and Herlad (still funny!) on-line readers – know just who they’re dealing with.

Actually it’s a win/win/win situation – when you’re faced with a daunting word count, it’s great to be able to vamp for time until you need to come up with anything of substan