Tad Hilgenbrinck, Rising Star

[squeakywheel]

I talked to my mom on the phone last night, and she told me that one of my high school classmates is making it big in Hollywood. She had spoken with this boy's mother at the store and now my family (and surely the entire town of Quincy, Illinois) is excited about the March DVD release of American Pie 4: Band CampSo I confirmed this tidbit with

Comments

[huakai]

how wierd.
that would be kinda odd to see, someone from H.S. in a movie. But my classmates were shitheads.

[squeakywheel]

Wow, fast comment. I was still proof reading. ;)

I know; it's so weird! I told my family that I guess he's the one from our generation to "make it." I seemed to know of/associate with so many people who wanted to be famous that I was skeptical of all of them. I guess the odds were that *one* of them could pull it off.

I'll definitely Netflix that movie (if they have it) and probably laugh my way through it (but not for the right reasons :P).

[wickedeyes]

Wow that's kinda cool. He already kind of looks all famous and whatnot with that Barbie look-a-like attached to his body.

[squeakywheel]

Hee! :)

I know exactly what you mean. Apparently she's been in a lot of movies, although I've never heard of her (it's Arielle something??). I think she's Jessica Alba's twin.

[discountsatori]

Your post made me think of one of my best friends, who went to junior high with none other than Jessica Alba. When she got famous, my friend had just about the same reaction you did: "I had gym class with her! How on Earth can someone I marginally know be a TV star?"

It must be weird, but kinda cool. Nobody from my high school has done anything that's received much attention.

[squeakywheel]

"I had gym class with her! How on Earth can someone I marginally know be a TV star?"

What's really sad is that I was thinking that I could call him up and shoot the breeze, like we were ever friends or like he'd be so interested in talking to me.

Then I thought of how people who become famous or who win large amounts of money say that old friends and distant relatives really come out of the woodwork. I thought, "Oh my God! I could totally have turned into one of those people and not even realized it!"

I'd be all, "Hey, Tad. This is Kate. Kate from high school...Uhh, we had Spanish class together...Yeah, we may have worked together once or twice...Still doesn't ring any bells? Hmmm...Oh, hey, my sister's going to hell for lying...Yeah, that Kate! It's good to hear from you too!"

[posteverything]

That's kind of messed up. I can't remember where I read this from, but I remember reading something to the extent of: There's two kinds of people who become a success..the fast and meteoric kind, and the slow and steady kind.

Here's to being slow and steady, right?

[squeakywheel]

Hey, I wouldn't mind a little of that fast, meteoric success. But since I'm stuck with the slow kind, I might as well toast it. :)

And, umm, that's a big cock in your icon (har har har). :P

[posteverything]

And it's happy to see you.. :P

[squeakywheel]

Hahaha.

I actually thought it looked kind of angry. :(

[anonymous]

I'm not thrilled with what you had to say about Tad, you made him sound like an ass, which is the opposite of who he really is. He is one of the nicest guys i've ever met.

[anonymous]

i too know Tad. worked with him for several summers doing summer stock theatre. he had his moments, and i am sure that he has quite a past of high school stupidity. but when i was around him, he was gracious, kind, loving, and sweet.... not to mention incredibly talented. lets just hope he has changed for the better from his high school/junior high years.

[squeakywheel]

Yes, I think we can be sure that he has changed.

I didn't explicitly say that I know he's grown up since telling my sister she was going to hell, but even the Tad I knew in high school seemed a lot more mature than Tad in junior high. That's really not surprising.

Both your comment and the other anonymous comment were very respectful, which I certainly appreciate. If the two of you are friends of Tad, then that definitely shows that he has a lot of integrity.

Still, I get the feeling that once Band Camp premieres, I'm going to get a lot of hate mail for writing what I thought was an honest depiction of Tad (that is, an honest depiction of Tad ten years ago and from a distance).

[squeakywheel]

It really was not my intent to make him sound like an ass. I just wanted to relay the few anecdotes that I have about him.

Please remember that I said I didn't know him well. Also, these are events from high school and even junior high. I don't think I'm going out on a limb by saying that I'm sure he's done a lot of growing up since then.

Seriously, I meant no ill will and I'm sorry that you mistook my intentions.