GLYNN WASHINGTON, HOST:
OK, so every single LA story starts the same way. I know this. But here it goes. Back in the day, I'm with my boy Paulie (ph). And yes, we're heading up to someone's fancy, fancy party up in the hills, right? We get there...
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WASHINGTON: And our hostess - she's LA famous - knows all these former celebrities from the '70s and '80s and such. And I'm not going to expose anyone's business, but everybody you think, everyone that just popped into your head, they're all there. Hanging out by the pool, cocktail in hand, it feels like we're on "The Love Boat" or maybe "Fantasy Island" or something. And Paulie and I are trying to play it cool. But we're from the Midwest, so we can't help ourselves. We go around - hey, hey, hey - aren't you so and so? Weren't you in that movie with that guy? People from LA would never do this because they're too cool. But the celebrities at the party - they don't seem to mind because maybe they've been out of the spotlight for a while. We're having a great time. And finally, it's late. People are still coming in, but it's time for us to go. We walk out. This guy nods past us. And my boy Paulie freezes.
Dude, you know who that was?
Huh?
That was the guy who drove the Bronco.
What Bronco?
Paulie looks at me like I have lost my mind.
O.J.'s Bronco. Right now, the second most famous man in the world, right there.
And I don't ask who the first is because I figured that part out by now. This is pre-selfie stuff, but we have an actual camera in the car. I run and get it. And Paulie asks the dude if he wouldn't mind a photo. You can kind of tell that actually, he would mind. But he's a good sport, the kind of guy that would do anything for you, even drive you around town with half the known universe watching. So he puts down his drink. He puts his arm around Paulie, and he does a real smile - a genuine smile. And I click the picture of the second most famous man in the world.
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WASHINGTON: Today, on SNAP JUDGMENT from PRX and NPR, "Infamous" - amazing stories from real people with their name in lights for all the wrong reasons. My name is Glynn Washington. Please, no flash photography because this is SNAP JUDGMENT.
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