A Star is Born

A friend sent me a YouTube video of a children's program of some sort. I guess it was graduation day from Christian kindergarten. There were probably twenty children on stage. Most of them looked bored out of their minds, or were fidgeting with their hair or shoes or picking their nose. Not really in the moment, so to speak.

Then one little boy stepped up to the mic, and with a big grin on his face, began to recite the books of the New Testament. Of course he had a lisp, which made it cuter. "Mafyou, Mawk, Wook and John and he ended with "Jude and Wevuhlashun." With a satisfied look on his face, and before the audience could applaud, the boy took a deep breath and began to wail, "All my exes wiv in Texas."

Of course the audience roared and a very embarrassed mama rushed the stage and took the mic away from him. She was mouthing, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" But she was laughing too.

This boy obviously did not have stage fright. In fact, it was quite clear as to why he had been chosen to recite in the first place.

I've seen the type all my life. Before a play or a recital, everyone is a nervous wreck except for one person who is cool as a cucumber. The one who is the star, usually. Their voice skill is way above everyone else's, or their ability to play an instrument. They can charm the audience in a heartbeat.


It's as if they are born to be on stage.

I can speak publicly now without nerves most of the time. It's fun for me. But singing, I usually get nervous. Sometimes worse than others, and for no reason I can discern.

Shirley Temple, probably the biggest child star in history, was obviously at home behind the camera or in front of crowds. She was a true natural. They said she memorized the whole script the first read through or so, and when adults would forget their lines, she'd whisper them to the actor from off stage.

There are also celebrities who are very comfortable on stage and not comfortable anywhere else.

Their star usually burns brightly and burns out quickly.

I worked with a woman whose daughter showed a lot of singing ability at a very young age. The child was eager to perform, and so the parents put in a lot of money and effort. She made some CD's and appeared on stage with some pretty famous county singers.

Then in high school she decided she was tired of it all and dropped it entirely, leaving her mother addled.

It was probably for the best.

Who wants to be a star, anyway?