A small anecdote: At Gary Con a couple of years ago, I played a lazy Sunday game with a young woman who had spent much of the weekend volunteering for the con (free admission). Manganiello had made an (as far as I know) unannounced appearance the day before, and she had gotten to meet him on her shift. "I got to stand next to him for 48 seconds!" she gushed. I thought, I guess anybody who has women literally counting the seconds they get to be around him must be doing something right.
What kind of life does someone have that their biggest thrill is standing next to someone else for less than a minute? I don't get it. Yeah, he's an actor in TV. Yeah, the physical fitness may attract people. But the guy isn't there to be worshipped or kowtowed to...
I've traveled all over the world and have interacted with or have crossed paths with various types of people - CEOs, high ranking governmental officials, celebrities, pro athletes, etc.
Every interaction or exposure I've had, I've treated it like I'm meeting anyone else I've ever met. No fawning over them, no yes-man attitude. It's served me well because it puts at ease people who are used to dealing with obsessive fans or subordinates who tell them what they think they want to hear rather than what they need to know. Then again, my interactions have generally consisted of sitting next to someone on a plane, attending meetings, or hanging out in a hotel exec lounge. Sitting in a hotel lounge nursing a beer and discussing world affairs with such people leads to the understanding that
most people, regardless of their wealth or fame, are similar in their outlook. That want to be successful professionally, struggle to keep their partner happy, worry about their kids' academic future, have hobbies and interests the general public is unaware of (and they're thankful for that fact), and hate the crap associated with their chosen profession (
everyone has someone they report to or that rely upon them).
variety.com
