Andy Lee’s weblog

Today I went to the opening of the new Apple Store at 59th St. and 5th Ave. Several celebrities were there, and I’m afraid I found myself overcome with celebrity-mania, rudely pointing my camcorder right at the face of anybody I recognized.

My biggest thrill of the night was when I spoke with Ted Allen, the food expert on Queer Eye. At first I wasn’t sure it was him, because he was sitting so quietly by himself. I said, “Are you the Ted that you look like?” He said yes, and I told him what a fan I was. He said the Fab Five are all into their Macs, and he’s thinking of getting a 17-inch laptop. So of course I said, “You can never have too many inches.” Say what you want about me, you can never accuse me of letting a predictable double entendre go unspoken.

Here are two frames from a video bit that Ted kindly did with me while a friendly Apple salesperson held my camcorder. Ted was very generous and patient and funny, which was all the more impressive considering that I was a yammering dork. Note that I tried to pick two frames where not only did he look good, but I looked as little as possible like a bum. Clearly I could use a Queer Eye makeover myself, or at least a haircut and better clothes.

When we finished our video bit, the woman who’s standing behind me in the first picture asked me to take a photo of her with him, which I did. My memory is fuzzy, but I have the impression I was a bit pesky in the way I asked him. Again, he was patient. The woman mentioned that she often sees the Fab Five in her neighborhood, which is Chelsea. I said I live in Chelsea too and I never see them.

Hm — a charming woman in my neighborhood who shares an appreciation for Queer Eye, and I didn’t talk more with her? I have so much to learn.