These days, when I meet an old friend I haven’t seen in a while, he or she always:
a. congratulates me on my recent marriage (yes, very quietly, last November) and then b. asks me: ‘what’s it like to be recognized’?
While hoping not to sound grandiose, I calculate that I’ve become 2.5% famous.
(This is on the scale of the Queen being 100% famous, Paul McCartney 98%, etc. Clearly I’ve chosen a numerical rather than an alphabetical measurement because 2.5% sounds better than ‘Y-list celebrity’.)
Anyway, here are the pluses and minuses of my new condition:
1. Plus: People saying nice things
The best thing is having people of all ages writing to me to tell me they’ve been inspired to read more history, learn more history, sometimes even go to college to study more history, because of some project or other with which I’ve been involved. (This is just great, and outweighs all the minuses below.)
2. Minus: People saying nice things … in person
People sometimes stop me to talk. Now, being essentially rather shy, I don’t handle this very well. I’ve been told that I react as if I’ve been caught red-handed doing something wrong. I’m a little bit better at it now.
3. Plus: Being amusingly mistaken for other people
However, a positive side of this phenomenon is a succession of amusing cases of mistaken identity. I’m often complimented on being Amanda Vickery, for example. And only this week I noticed a woman looking at me narrowly on the train. ‘I recognize you!’ she said, proudly. ‘You’re a teacher, aren’t you, at the Trinity School, Leamington Spa?’
4. Minus: Not in fact being recognized at all
Recently, during the interval of a concert at the Barbican, the lady sitting behind me tapped me on the shoulder. I put on my smile and got ready to say ‘thank you so much!’ Alas, it wasn’t required. ‘Can you please’, she said, ‘not WRIGGLE ABOUT so much in the second half?’
(See no. 2 above? You thought that was just Bridget-Jones-type-paranoia, but here’s evidence that it’s not.)
5. Another minus: Being half-recognized
Uncouth people shouting: ‘Oi! Are you off the telly?’
But here’s another recent memorable incident: I was walking quietly down the street with my rather nice cream Dowager-Countess-of-Grantham-type parasol. A man in a van wound down his window and yelled:
‘Oi! Eff off back to 1912!’
A curious mixture of uncouth, yet at the same time historically accurate.
6. Plus: Getting to meet interesting people.
For example, I went along to the amazingly star-studded Jubilee party at the Royal Academy. There was even a red carpet (but it didn’t occur to me until later that I could have walked up it. I sneaked furtively round behind all the photographers’ backs, again probably unwittingly giving the impression that I was a gate-crasher. See no. 2 above).
To be honest, while I was pleased to be in the same room as Paul McCartney, I haven’t got that much to say to him. But I was thrilled to meet various people whom I much admire in the lower third quartile, like Mary Beard (35%) and Nigel Slater (42%).
7. Minus: Not knowing what to say to them
However, because of the above-mentioned shyness, I didn’t manage to say much to either of them either. My problem was that I was lacking a prop for conversation. I also recently found myself in a lift with Dara O Briain and Rob Brydon. On this occasion, fortunately, I wasn’t at all tongue-tied because luckily I had with me my very first pair of underpants (left). That got conversation going.
Likewise, when I had lunch with the Queen at Buckingham Palace, I took my scrapbook of pictures (left, and top) of her I’d made when I was four.
8. Plus: Going to interesting places
I have more invitations to go to interesting places, very often to give a talk. However, this is problematic because of…
9. Minus: Not having time to go
This is a huge reversal of the last fifteen years of my life, where my default position has been:
‘You’d like me to give a talk about history? Of course. What date and time?’
And very many evenings of the last fifteen years I have been out and about with my PowerPoint presentations.
(NB my PowerPoint presentations are much more interesting than the words ‘my PowerPoint presentations’ may initially suggest.)
However, now I simply can’t say yes to everything I’d like to do or else I would never be at home. So I’ve learned the hard way to say a reluctant ‘sorry no’ sometimes – but honestly, each time it feels like stamping on the head of a kitten.
10. That’s it! But it felt wrong to leave it at nine …
Well I’ve done my best to put your name about. You know the sot of thing, “did you see….”. I reckon you must be up to at least 3% if not more. Regarding more exposure and having mentioned your lift companions, why don’t you put yourself up for a place on QI. I am sure you’d have plenty to talk about with Stephen Fry. Suggest you pick one of those episodes where everybody dresses up in period garb. You could show off your parasol!
A crumb of comfort, you are much more famous than I’ll ever be! Every good wish!
I think you have underestimated your rating. Certainly those underpants have to give you at least 20 more points on the celebrity scale. Thanks for another very entertaining read. Oh, and congratulations on your recent marriage! You know, you look vaguely familiar to me…… : )
I do not care what other people think. I think you are fantastic. Just finished If Walls Could Talk. It is so nice to read about people in everyday life. The amount of research you did for that book must have been huge. Keep up the good work.
In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde wrote, “…there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”
If your fame is measured at 2.5%, then I suppose mine would fall in somewhere around 0.1% Still, during my brief stint I learned two important lessons: 1) Most people mean well and 2) there are more nutters in the world than I wish to ponder. Every definition of ambiguity, dichotomy, and paradox can also be applied to the nature and complexity of fame. It can be a blessing and a curse, a vehicle and a road block. Good to see you’re maintaining your sense of humor and your lovely down-to-earth sensibilities.
But I do think you should take advantage of those red carpets a bit
Well, I have also tried to make you more famous. Unfortunately here in Dusseldorf, Germany, where I live, appart from me, no one seems to be able to see British TV. When I do mention your programmes and name – Worsley sounds quite posh – then those anglophiles amongst my German friends, tend to think you’re the Queen’s maid of honour or something similar. One day though you will become totally famous and of course being 2.5% famous is better than not being famous at all.!
My Fame Index is -0.2%; that is to say, on two occasions I’ve been mistaken for someone famous. Both were people off the telly, the first occasion being as ‘James Tree’, whom two Irish girls swore I was, in spite of the fact that I have a Yorkshire accent as opposed to, I assume, an Irish one.
Your modest self-rating is wildly understated, IMHO. I have only to see your name and I wonder what interesting stuff you’re putting out this time, and how I can see it. As a shy person myself, I can relate to the importance of having a prop for conversation; I’m intrigued as to WHY you were on that occasion armed with those (very attractive) underpants! NB. I can safely claim fame rating=0!
And of course………. there is ‘the thinking man’s crumpet’ mantle.
Congratulations on your secret marriage! Cunningly done.
Being equally shy, or at least not wanting too much limelight, I know what you mean about something you bring along being a ‘useful talking point if all else fails’. Hats and bags and pens and one’s car can often get things going if they look odd or unusual or don’t seem to match your personality. Knickers, though…?
I had a 60th birthday family gathering three weeks ago. The usual thing. But had I known you did fantastic Powerpoint presentations, well, we could have skipped the food and chat and had some history!
Lucy
Have you stamped on the heads of many kitten…?
Brilliant as that makes me 0.00000000000000000000000000001% famous as you once replied to a mail I sent and I didn’t delete it! Unfortunately, I haven’t got any interesting underpants so that rules out me ever getting an invite to the palace! I’m still impressed with my percentage!
Great news I’ll be watching. I loved Dr. Lucy’s last prmgraome and am really looking forward to this one. What with this and a WW1 Downton Abbey, it’s enough to wish the summer away
Dear Lucy, I’ve watched and tremendously enjoyed all your YouTube presentations… which reminds me of a vaguely (and perhaps inaccurately)-remembered conversation in the ‘In & Out’ movie, between best actor winner in the Academy Awards, Cameron Drake (Matt Dillon) and his former teacher, Emily Montgomery (Joan Cusack):
Emily: I’ve seen ALL your movies.
Cameron: BOTH of them?
Bridget Jones wouldn’t win in the ‘underpants competition’ with you, that’s for sure.;oD
My best wishes to you and your exceptionally lucky partner on your recent marriage. Blessings to both of you.
…. maybe carrying your first ever underpants with you and producing it when the conversation doesn’t seem to get going, is THE solution! Could be useful on other occasions too probably. BTW, congratulations on your recent marriage – lucky bloke!
fames sells books
I’ve just reread your blog and I’m afraid I have to ask, why do you still have your first pair of underpants and I’d love to know how you brought them in to the conversation in the lift.
PS have you thought of entering them for the Turner next year.
All the best people are married, even the queen !
Dear Lucy,
What a lovely and typically modest Blog. We, like others who have commented, know you are a superb historian whose every appearance – on TV, radio or in print or e form – is stimulating, informative and always fun.
You deserve every bit of praise that you are given and more. We hope you will continue for many, many years to come your wonderful insights into the byways of history, its personalities and eccentricities.
Thank you for all the pleasure you give us.
I think that being 2.5% famous sounds about ideal.
I loved ‘Harlots, Housewives and Heroines’ – I almost never manage to watch all of a TV series but it was so enjoyable that I made a concerted effort! – and I shall definitely look out for anything you present in the future.
Showing your knickers to Dara O Briain and Rob Brydon! You hussy, you
In our house you are at least 98% famous and we would watch you above Paul McCartney any day.
‘Oi! Are you off the telly?’
Hahahahaha.
You’re definitely not even 2.5% famous in the US, so if you ever want to go out and be completely unmolested, come visit! (Except among my friends, that is, since I’ve talked so many into coming over to watch If Walls Could Talk.)
From one person uncomfortable with (slight) fame to another, here’s a tip I’ve used to great success:
When tired or nervous, in a conversation, all you have to do is turn the topic back to the other person and they’ll never even notice you feel uncomfortable. Have a few topical questions ready, such as “What’s your favorite period of history?” etc. Not only does this give YOU a rest, it makes you seem like a charming person to talk to because you make them feel interesting. Conversational aikido.
Keep up the awesome work!
PS – Lots of wonderful history in Old City, Philadelphia. *hint*