Andy Daly and my connections to fame

I was listening to a recent Sound of Young America podcast this morning and it was an interview with Andy Daly.  As is often the case with the Sound of Young America, I had no idea who Andy Daly was, but as the podcast unfolded, I soon realized that he’s a commedian who’s appeared on shows that I don’t watch regularly (like MadTV and Lewis Black’s Route of All Evil).

In this way, the Sound of Young America is a little hit and miss.  There are many times where I bail on the episode because I’m just not familiar with the talent.  But there are many times where I find the talent to be entertaining (especially commedians) and I am always amazed with the host’s pop culture knowledge.  Jesse Thorn (America’s Radio Sweetheart, if you didn’t know) is a little bit younger than me and he’s way better plugged in to less mainstream talent like bands and commedians but his interviewing skills are really good (something that really should be better appreciated in interview shows) so that even though some of the people he has on his show may not be that familiar to me, I am still often drawn into the interview.

I was immediately drawn to Andy’s telling of the MustacheTV story and so I found myself mindlessly listening to the interview.  Somewhere along the way, Andy talks about his upbringing in New Jersey and how his small town had a community swimming pool, much like so many of the towns near mine.  This piqued my interest enough to google him to see where he was from.  And it was then that I realized that I knew Andy Daly.  He and I went to college together.

Now let me be clear.  I knew of Andy Daly.  I don’t know Andy Daly.  He does not know me.  I think we were at a few of the same parties and bars and even a class or two but that’s the extent of it.  But it’s funny how once you have a shared connection with someone you suddenly feel more supportive of them.  I now find myself wanting to watch Lewis Black’s show, or old MadTV episodes, or even Match Game, of which he is reportedly the new host.

And yet, I imagine that I won’t diligently follow his career, and I probably won’t see him on MadTV.  But I will still get excieted if I channel surf and happen upon him.  I’ll still cheer him on and hope that he achieves greater fame.  It’s a funny thing, having these contacts from throughout life that come and go.  You never know when you may come upon them again nor in what context.

In this case, I have Jim to thank for pointing me towards the Sound of Young America.  It’s another in the series of podcasts that I recommend and regurlarly listen to.  And without that recommendation, I wouldn’t have known of my connection to fame in Andy Daly.

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