Willie was a teen idol in the late 70's/early 80's, an actor on Eight Is Enough and Charles In Charge into the '90s. My sisters had posters of Willie on their bedroom walls when I was kid. We all thought Willie was on top of the world. But, as the show reveals, Willie was troubled. He was a lonely guy.
Cut to a more recent time. I was doing a radio commercial for a client, and Willie Aames was one of the talent we'd hired for voice work. He came in, delivered his lines like a pro and joined a few of us in the studio to just hang out. He saw my friends and I having a great time, laughing & cutting up, and I think he just wanted to be part of that -- just regular guys hanging out. He shared his personal story. Teen idol, drugs & alcohol, failed relationships, lost soul finding God, the whole story.
After chilling with us for some time, Willie said, "Hey, guys, this was fun. You guys are cool. You want to go grab a burger someplace?" For varied reasons, we all had to bow out. I actually saw disappointment on his face. As I drove home, I felt bad (sad for Willie), because I realized that Willie really did want to hang out with us. He was a recovering celebrity who just yearned to be a regular guy. I wish we had gone with Willie to grab a burger. He was just looking for some friends -- real friends, not fake celebrity-chasing friends.
In watching Famous & Broke last night, I saw the same Willie Aames. A guy who is good at heart, who just wants a regular life, but has trouble attaining it because everyone treats him like Willie Aames, the celebrity. I'm glad to see that Butch's friends at Waddell & Reed have given him a break and hired him to be a Certified Financial Planner, helping those who have also struggled with money management like himself. I'm pulling for Willie.
Willie, if the offer's still good, my friends and I would love to just have a burger with you some time. Sorry we couldn't make it last time.
Brand perceptions are tough to break, even though not always accurate. It's true, you can't always judge a book by its cover.
What do you think?
- Butch
1 comment:
Sometimes life gives you bad breaks; that's when you find out who your true friends are. I'm pulling for Willie, too. I'd trust him with my money; after all, he's lived the worst-case scenario, so that makes him an expert. How many of us can say that we would look any better in the same situation? I'm sorry that his marriage to Maylo is over; at least now he has a good relationship with Harleigh. Willie, I'm praying for you.
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