(#52) Walt Disney World Half Marathon (Goofy Challenge, Day 1) (January 12, 2013) – Part 1 (Accidentally Blew Off Drew Carey… And Met Joey Fatone)

January 14, 2013

As I was waiting in the staging area to go to back to the corrals, I got a text message from my mom asking if I’d met Joey Fatone.

(For those who don’t know, Joey Fatone was a member of Nsync. When I was in elementary/middle school, I pretty much adored them and saw them in concert 22 times.)

When I got a text asking if I met him, I sarcastically thought, “Yeah. In this sea of 25,000 people, I met Joey Fatone – whom I’m sure is being treated like a total VIP and not even anywhere close to us commoners. ;)”

Not that long after that, I got to go up around the start line so I could be interviewed by David Baumann of NBC Sports.

Sure enough, before you knew it, I was standing around Joey Fatone and Drew Carey. This is where it gets nice and embarrassing.

Someone who travels with Drew Carey’s team (his assistant, perhaps?) asked if I wanted a picture with him. I think she thought I had made my way up there to get pictures with famous people. (I saw a small group of girls get their picture taken with Drew and head out right as I was coming up there.)

I didn’t want to annoy him, and I wanted to be all cool and seem like I belonged. So, I was all, “oh, that’s okay. I’m just waiting to be interviewed.”

But then I looked up and saw with my own eyes – could that be Joey Fatone?! I glanced away, then back. It’s him. It’s really him.

With Joey Fatone only three or so feet from me, I kept thinking, “That’s Joey Fatone from Nsync!!! An Nsync member is standing so very close to you. You have to ask him for a picture.” Then I thought, “Be cool. Be cool. Be cool. You’ve met famous people. They’re just people. You’re super cool and totally supposed to be up here since you are now apparently super famous as well. ;)”

Followed of course by thoughts of, “It’s Joey Fatone! Let your inner super fan out. You are a nerd. Nerd out and be okay with it.”

So, I went up and tapped him on the shoulder. I said, “Sorry to bother you.” And he very sweetly was all, “No, it’s fine!” I said I’d seen him in concert 22 times. He said, “I’m sorry.” Tehehe.

Then I asked if I could have a picture. He said, “Of course!” I looked around for who would take it. Sure enough, the only person around was Drew Carey’s assistant person (or, I suppose Drew Carey lol).

I sheepishly asked the assistant if she would take the picture. She was nice about it, but I could see in her eyes she was probably thinking, “Are you joking me? I just asked if you wanted a picture with Drew Carey. Now you’re asking if I’ll take one of you with Joey Fatone? Aye, aye, aye.”

I hope Drew Carey didn’t overhear all of this. I wasn’t trying to snub him! I was just trying to be cool, but then abandoning that…

Thank goodness I didn’t wait one more second with the loop of “Should I bother or not bother Joey” going in my head, because right after I got my picture, it was time for my interview!

David was so incredibly nice and cool. I hope he thought I was nice and
cool too, but my bet is I didn’t seem super cool. I had a bit of nervous energy – last race, big interview, super early morning (and I’d just met Joey Fatone!). But David didn’t seem to mind that I was totally nerding out. (I kind of feel like I am constantly nerding out lately. But that’s okay. I think that just means I’m having lots of fun.)

You can see some of the fun of that interview here.

Then I went on back to my corral, and I’ll talk about the race tomorrow.

2 thoughts on “(#52) Walt Disney World Half Marathon (Goofy Challenge, Day 1) (January 12, 2013) – Part 1 (Accidentally Blew Off Drew Carey… And Met Joey Fatone)”

  1. Hi Aurora! I met you when we got off the bus at the half marathon. My husband and I are from Alabama. You were telling us your story, and then I was looking at Twitter today and someone that I follow had re-tweeted you. When I saw the 52 hlfs in 52 weeks I knew that had to be you. What an inspiration you are! Congrats on meeting your goal! We also finished the half (our first) and look forward to more.

    All the best,
    Tammy Robbins
    Calera, AL

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