How Not To Meet the Manzo Brothers...a personal tale

If there is one thing I am good at it is NOT meeting celebrities.   I have met a few celebs in my day including several athletes, singers, and Bravolebrities.  One would think that I would be able to control myself.  However, this just isn't the case.  Example 1:  I met Derek Jeter when I was a freshman in high school.  I got so nervous that I dropped my camera then screamed "WHAT AM I GONNA DO NOW BECAUSE I CAN'T POST A PICTURE TO MY MYSPACE!"  Embarrassing yes.  But did I learn from this situation?  Ummm, no.  No I did NOT.  In my life I follow a very simple formula, 98% normal 2% awkward.  And no other experience in my life further exemplifies this formula better than Erin meeting celebrities.  Case in point, my Saturday meeting with the Manzo brothers.

So last week my mom informed me that the Manzo brothers (of RHONJ fame) would be gracing Cherry Hill NJ's Wegman's with their presence.  The famous Jersey clan would be at Wegman's to sell and promote blk water.  So Saturday morning my friend Kate and I drive to Wegman's to meet Chris, Jacqueline, Chris, Caroline, Albie, and Lauren.  So we arrive 20 minutes early to find that we are 20th and 21st on line respectively.  The best part of these Bravolebrity events is that everyone around you becomes friends.  Not just like quasi ehh friends, no full on I will die for you friends.  So noon rolls around and still no Manzo's or Lauritas.  Well, the crowd is getting restless and tweeting the boys.  We find out via twitter they will probably arrive between 12:45 and 1 with Chris Manzo arriving first.

So at 12:45 Chris arrives.  Everyone cheers and claps!  YAYAYAY!  So he starts talking to some people and taking pictures with some fans, but he never comes over to our side of the snaking line.  Well, this is not suitable to the mom in front of us.  "Chris!!! Come over here and get a picture with these girls!" So he says send them under the rope.  So Kate, random girl, and myself walk under to get our picture taken with him.  Well, random girl gets her picture taken.  No issues.  Kate gets her picture taken with him.  Again, no issues.  My turn rolls around and I decide it will be a GENIUS idea to ask Chris Manzo to Cajun Voice!  So I say, "Chris, can you please do the Cajun Voice for me?" He says no I get so nervous! I say, "Well, if you Cajun voice for me I will Cajun Voice for you.  I'll go first," so I begin Cajun voicing and he stops me and goes, "Oh MY GOD!  That's terrifying!" and he walks away.  This would deter a lesser woman.  Nope!  Not Erin!  So we return to our place in line.

After 10 minutes the rest of the family shows up and they begin signing water bottles.  Well, it's finally our turn to get our water signed.  Now, a lesser woman would just pretend that their Cajun Voice incident did not happen.  Nope!  Not this girl!  I strut up to Chris and Albie's end of the table and say, "Chris!  You owe me a Cajun Voice!" Chris looks at me and says to Albie, "She did the Cajun Voice and it was terrifying!  I literally ran away."  Albie then asks me to Cajun Voice.  I decline and then Caroline says, "Christopher!  She Cajun Voiced for you?  You Cajun Voice for her!  Here, we'll Cajun Voice for you!"  So then, like a gift from God, Caroline and Chris start Cajun Voicing!  Life.  Is.  Complete.

Caroline was such a sweetheart!  Literally the nicest person in the world!  She was gracious that we all came out and was apologetic about being late.  She even texted my friend Kate's mom after reading Kate's mom's text about how much she loved her.  Soooooo sweet!  Jacqueline and Chris were so sweet too.

So at the end of the day, even when you think that you have hit the bottom of Cajun Voice hell, you can still rally and have a successful day.  However, I think my efforts to CajunVoice to seem funny did fail...but they still made me stand out.  Not too shabby.

Kate and I looooooved going to the signing and you can bet, given the opportunity to meet more Bravolebrities will inevitably mean more opportunities to prove the formula 98% normal, 2% awkward.