It’s time for the second half of my list of people I find interesting and would like to meet. Again, these are not ordered. They were randomly assembled and written in that order; I didn’t even bother alphabetizing them. The only rules for my list are the people must still be alive, so there is a chance for me to meet them. As of writing all of these people are still with us. Like part 1 I expect there will be a few, of which, most readers have never heard.
Here’s a quick review of Part 1 – Isaquis Queivoz Dos Santos, Ellen DeGeneres, Malcolm Gladwell, Eminem, Jerry Seinfeld, N.T. Wright, Al Sharpton, Allison Fisher, Anne Lamott, and Questlove.
In the second half of this post let’s start with someone everyone knows and everyone wants to meet…
Betty White – She is 98 years old and still makes people laugh. I first knew of Betty through, The Golden Girls (her TV career started in the 30s). I would laugh at the delightful, naïve, innocent Rose. Years later she made a guest appearance on one of my favorite shows, Community. As we learned in the first half, I have soft-spot for people that make me laugh.
Chris Rock – Chris is an amazing performer… He has the special gift of helping us see deeply serious issues in a way that makes us believe we can be better as people. He makes us laugh and recognize how flawed we are as humans while we laugh. I don’t connect with all his humor, but that’s fine by me, I can hear and sense the passion behind it. The passion is what makes Chris Rock most interesting to me.
Mike Pilavachi – Until a little over a year before writing this, I had never heard of Mike Pilavachi. Then a friend sent me a link to a livestream of a conference where Mike was speaking. As Mike wrapped up his sermon he invited the audience to be quiet and asked the band not to play — he wanted stillness. Then Mr. Pilavachi said one of the most profound things I have ever heard. (This is a bit of a paraphrase…) “We are going to sit and wait for God to show up and meet with us. Why wouldn’t He want to meet with us?” It was the second half that grabbed me. Why wouldn’t He want to meet with us? It’s so true. God loves us, He will show up. Soon after I read one of Mike’s books and, as I finished the last page, I knew I had to meet Mike Pilavachi. I want to ask a simple question… Will you tell me about Jesus?
Alex Honnald – Alex is a big deal right now. The movie about his ascent of El Capitan, Free Solo, was huge hit. He’s been on the cover of countless magazines and lots of TV interviews. It’s not the celebrity I want to meet though. I want to sit with the guy that lives as a dirtbag, in and out of a van to make the early morning climbs. I want to hear from the man that climbed dozens of walls to celebrate his birthday. Then I want to talk about fear. Alex doesn’t process fear like most of us do. I want to hear what it’s like to stand at the edge of death and look at it with calm.
Desmond Tutu – Serving as the Anglican Bishop of Johannesburg and Archbishop of Cape Town make him interesting enough. His tireless work for the people of South Africa, his willingness to endure extreme criticism from everyone, and, above all else, his work to end apartheid add layers of character to this gentleman. However, it was a story I hear about Bishop Tutu that was most intriguing to me. I don’t really know if it was legend or truth, but the tale says he stood down a tank to end violent conflict among those he considered his people. That is a gentleness that could overwhelm the world.
Brené Brown – If you have read anything about leadership, emotional development, vulnerability, being in community, learning from failure, and a host of other areas, then you have at least seen the name of Dr. Brown. She is a brilliant mind that humanity can learn a lot from. Her book, Daring Greatly, was impactful for me. I have often quoted her work on vulnerability and our need to share life. The world could use a reset guided in part by some of her thoughts.
Rob Bell – Several years ago Rob fell out of acceptability with the conservative church. The response was understandable but more reactive than loving. It was such an intense response some would question my including him on this list, since I am more theologically conservative. I still think Rob is an interesting person who has value and I would love to meet him someday and talk with him. Most interesting to me, though, is his ability as a communicator. Rob is an engaging speaker and accessible writer. That has been part of his success even after he became an “exile.” He connects with people… Him standing on stage and us out in the audience, it feels like he is talking to each individual not the masses. That is a special gift.
Lewis Hamilton – It was just a few years ago when I started paying attention to F1 racing. I needed a team and a driver to give my fandom to. There was a new team entering the mix and they had a young driver that was showing some promise. I went for it and decided I would be a Mercedes fan. Turned out I picked a winner. Within a couple of years they would become the powerhouse team on the F1 circuit, led by an amazing young driver, Mr. Lewis Hamilton. A few short seasons later, he was quickly rising to become one of the greatest drivers of all time. He has the second highest all-time wins record behind the legend Michael Schumacher (84, 91 respectively). At 35 years old he still has plenty of time to race.
Frank Zane – Mr. Zane is not a tall man, but he did stand as a giant on top of the mountain we call Mr. Olympia. He was crowned best in the world, among the best in history, three times. Frank has been nominated several times by multiple organizations as having the greatest physique ever. He had a build that I only dream of having (and in his 70s probably is still built better than I am). Not only was Mr. Zane a tremendous bodybuilder, he’s smart and nice, too. He has a degree in Chemistry, which he taught for several years, and a masters in experimental psychology. In the handful of emails I have exchanged with him, he has always been encouraging and helpful.
Richard Branson – Mr. Branson is last on my list (again there is no order to the list, everyone is randomly placed) but certainly not least. Richard Branson is probably at the top of most list of interesting people to meet. He’s not your typical rich guy. He doesn’t like to wear suits. He doesn’t like to stay in one place for long and he’ll give things a go when no one else will. It’s not just that he is a rich guy either, he is an adventurer, family man, humanitarian, advocate for addicts, and philanthropist. He travels the globe challenging himself to live deeper and he thrills in bringing others into the journey with him. Do you need more than that to be worth meeting?
As I close this two part series, who are the people you would like to meet. Are there any on my list you had not thought of but know you are?