The Random Yak

Allegedly Good idea: get a celebrity to come to your Christmas party.

Decidedly Bad idea: get the kind of “celebrity” no one is willing to admit they recognize.

Hot off the “you’ve Got to be Kidding” Desk: it appears some hosts will do anything to make their parties a success…even if their actions appear completely counterproductive.

Case in point: inviting a “D-List” pseudocelebrity to your Christmas party – and paying for the privilege. Apparently mistletoe, egg nog and cookies no longer suffice to make a Christmas party a hit (could have fooled me – you had me at “cookies”). No. What your party really needs is a “D”-lister who hasn’t done anything of note in the past ten years, and probably won’t do anything noteworthy any time soon. Celebrities willing to party (for a price) include Kevin Federline (At $20,000 a pop? Get real.It might – MIGHT – be worth that to get him to stay away…), Anson Williams (Potsie, for those old – and culturally unversed – enough to remember) and William Hung (who couldn’t even be ‘noteworthy’ on American Idol), though I’m sure there are plenty of others out there willing to show up if the price is right.

There are people who actually think this is a good idea? Seems sort of creepy to me. Scratch that – really creepy. Picture it: you show up to the office Christmas party, lean over to the spouse and say, “You know, that guyover there with the lampshade on his head looks a lot like Potsie from Happy Days” – at which point your co-worker responds, “That is Potsie from Happy Days.” At which point you realize two things you didn’t know before.

First, you arepathetic enough to admit (in public) you watched Happy Days (and that you still recognize Potsie – by name).

And second, someone at the company actually thought enough of the show – and little enough of the rest of you – to think Anson Williams’ presence would turn an otherwise boring get-together into a real event.

Scary thoughts, both.

Trackposted to Wake Up America, Planck’s Constant, and Culturetastic, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.