DICK CLARK, THOUGHTS

I GREW UP WITH AMERICAN BANDSTAND AND DICK CLARK.  HIS PASSING IS TRULY THE PASSING OF A GREAT AND YET IN MY VIEW A HUMBLE MAN.

I MET DICK CLARK ONE TIME.  IT WAS IN THE ADMIRALS CLUB LOUNGE AT ORD AIRPORT IN CHICAGO.

IT SO HAPPENED THAT HE AND HIS WIFE WERE ON THE SAME FLIGHT AS I WAS TO LOS ANGELS.  HE WAS MOST GRACIOUS TO EVERY ONE IN THE LOUNGE YET THE BEST EXAMPLE OF HIS HUMBLENESS WAS THAT WHEN WE BOARDED THE AIRCRAFT, A RERUN OF AMERICAN BANDSTAND WAS PLAYING IN THE FIRST CLASS CABIN AND WHEN HE CAME ABOARD HE LOOKED AT IT THEN TURNED TO PASSENGERS AND LAUGHINGLY SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS.

THIS TRIP COINCIDED WITH AN ILLINOIS HIGH SCHOOL BAND TRAVELING TO PASADENA FOR THE ROSE BOWL PARADE.  SO THERE WERE DOZENS OF TEENAGE BAND MEMBERS ON A PLANE WITH THE LEGENDARY DICK CLARK.

ONE OF THE LESS TIMID KIDS CAME FORWARD AND ASKED FOR HIS AUTOGRAPH.  MR. CLARK WILLINGLY SIGNED, THEN ASKED THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT IF SHE WOULD ANNOUNCE THAT HE WOULD SIGN AUTOGRAPHS FOR ALL BAND MEMBERS IF THEY WOULD STAY IN THEIR SEATS AND HE WOULD COME BACK AFTER TAKE OFF.  HE DID SO!  THE REASON HE WENT TO THEM, WAS HE DID NOT WANT OTHER FIRST CLASS PASSENGERS TO BE BOTHERED BY THE DOZENS OF TEENAGERS.