For the past two years, I’ve spent my Thanksgiving Break in Malibu visiting my future mother-in-law. The Los Angeles area was a bit of a culture shock at first to this rainy-farm-town girl. I was awestruck by the amazing houses and the warm beaches. The fact that I was so close to Hollywood also excited me.
I have spent my Thanksgiving dinner in L.A. with some family friends at Michael Moore’s house. No, not the fat and obnoxious Moore, but the one that was nominated for an Emmy in sound mixing for LOST in 2004.
It seems like every time I go to Southern California, I see more of the life “behind the cameras.” I hear stories from my future mother-in-law about the celebrity parents and their kids all the time. This is because she is a fourth-grade teacher down in Malibu and often has celebrity children in her class.
She’s told me stories about the celebrity parents, and I always find them entertaining. When my fiancé took karate lessons, my future mother-in-law would be sitting next to other parents, who were often actors.
When the school is in need of a crossing guard, Pamela Anderson has been known to help. On a field trip, my future mother-in-law recalled a bunch of the kids gathering in awe around a parent. It turns out he was Tobin Bell (Jigsaw from the Saw series). I find it funny that while Bell hasn’t let his own kids watch the movies (for good reason), so many other kids know him as Jigsaw.
While she often sees celebrities just as parents of thier kids, she has been star struck once before. This happened during an open house at the school.
When Brent Spiner walked through the door it took everything she had not to exclaim “It’s Data!” (from Star Trek: Next Generation). Even to this day, when she has meetings with him about school, she is star struck mainly because he talks in a manner similar to his Star Trek character.
I have yet to see a celebrity when i’m in Malibu. However, I do find that when in grocery stores I see a lot of familiar faces. This could easily be me thinking too much or seeing a person who has had a small role in a television series or movie.
I have a feeling that by the time this happens, I will be so used to the area it won’t be a surprise for me.

Megan Myer/Photo editor
Megan Myer can be reached at [email protected].