Name dropping part 2
By ElicBxn
@ElicBxn (64169)
United States
April 6, 2007 12:00am CST
I mentioned in my previous post about name dropping all over someone that I didn't realize until after I had done it, I had just name dropped all over her name dropping!
In this case, my roomie, about 13 yrs ago, wasn't my roomie & she briefly had a gal she went to the blind school with room with her.
This gal was from an area of town where the monied people live - in fact, now the movie stars that buy houses here in Austin are buying in this area. She named dropped an old school chum of mine.
I started talking about this friend, then some of the other people that I knew that were mutual friends of this friend & who I had gone to school with. It wasn't until later when the now roomie pointed out that I had just dumped a load of names on her one that I realized what I did. But I didn't see any reason to appologize, she's the one that started it! I didn't really think of them as name dropping, after all, the last time I had seen them was at a high school reunion. I was pretty unaware that she had been, again, when my friend pointed it out.
Ya know, this gal never really liked me much after that & that was FINE with me.
So, have you named dropped? Do you find it irritating?
I mention that I've met writers, but I really don't think of that as name dropping, I think name dropping implies an intimacy that may or may not be there. I don't think of these high school people as more than people I knew in high school, I don't see them now, I don't run in that circle, I don't think of them as "friends."
1 person likes this
4 responses
@seamonkey (1976)
• Ireland
9 Apr 07
I think whether it is irritating or not depends on the way it is done. Some people have a way of saying between the lines, "Look at me! Look at how freaking wonderful I am because I met so and so but they have no recollection of me whatsoever". I find that not only irritating but sad. They seem to have a way of turning any discussion back around to that sort of thing.
I think that is different than talking abouta subject and being able to add something interesting to it, like, "Yeah, once I met so and so and this is what they were like and they were really cool etc". I don't find that irritating. I think it is interesting to get a different perspective on public personas.
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
9 Apr 07
That's like when I spotted Kenny Rogers in a casino in Vegas. He was isolated on a row of slots with secuity on both ends, probably because the pirate ship fight had just ended & rather than try & walk thru the rush of people leaving they just put him on this empty row of slots. I think I was about the only one to recognize him, tho I did hear another lady say she thought it was him when she was in the bathroom with us. My mom didn't see him at all. I was just trying to gleen as much info about the various casinos I was going in because I sure wasn't going there to gamble! I don't consider knowing him, infact, I consider that a celeberity encounter of the first kind - more than just seeing them on stage. The second kind is to get an autograph type encounter - have a few words with them. The third kind is to be able to sit down & talk or have a meal or maybe clean their pool. I guess the 4th kind would be to go to their house & be friends (or **gasp** sleep with them.)
@hookfan (447)
•
6 Apr 07
How is it name dropping if you went to school with these people? Mutual acquaintances, friends or whatever...if they are posh now or famous. I know a few people I attended school with who have done quite well (actors, authours etc) and I seriously don't see it as name dropping. If your roomie started the conversation then I see no need to apologise either nor do I see any reason for her to accuse you of name dropping :)
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
6 Apr 07
the roomie didn't start it, the gal she went to blind school with, who was her roommate did.
And she never accused me of name dropping, it was only after the fact that I realized she was trying to name drop on me.
But she really didn't like me much after that because I did it to her. That's alright, I never really liked her that much anyway. Before that she had called the house once & got the now former roommate, I guess she lost my number.
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
6 Apr 07
I don't see what the problem is if you know these people you know them and if you are not saying their names just to show off that is one thing but if you don't there is no problem and the people calling you name dropper are just jealous.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
6 Apr 07
Well, you understand why name droppers aren't appreciated, when people do it a lot they are showing off. That's what she was trying to do, and then I just went way beyond that without really being aware of it. She was then jealous, or embarassed, I frankly never cared enough to check, but I was glad when the roomie was out of that situation.
@slickcut (8140)
• United States
6 Apr 07
I may be wrong but i thought name dropping is when you are talking about someone and you meantion their name.I thought it was something bad,like telling something someone did and then tell everybody who it was that you were talking about.I don't want to come off as someone ignorant ,but i thought name calling was a bad thing..am I wrong? If so maybe you need to enlighten me on what name calling really means...
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
6 Apr 07
what you describe is called name calling. Name dropping is when you let go a name of some one famous, or at least someone sort of important, in a field. So, by this lady saying she knew so & so, who was the daughter of a former state senator, she was basically saying "I know this state senator." Well, I knew the gal, her father (my dad again) and all these other people - at least one of whom's dad gave him a recording studio here in Austin. His dad used to own a chain of local movie theaters before the big chains came in & muscled all the local theaters out of operation. I just thought that if she knew the one person, she'd know the rest... silly me, I forgot she had the social skills of a troll & her mother hid her away from her (the mother's) social set.
