Walking in the Valley A bi-weekly column for those who live and walk in Silicon Valley by Barbara Dahlgren

Name Dropping Column for the weeks of February 16-28, 2006

archives |

printer-friendly version

As children we are taught to study hard and do our best. This formula is supposed to guarantee success in life. However, when we grow up we find that many times the job or promotion does not go to the most qualified but to the person who knows a person who knows someone who has the power to make it happen. CEO’s are usually somebody’s friend, uncle, or cousin. This practice is so prevalent in our society that we sometimes resort to “name dropping” to boost our self importance.

Name dropping is the practice of casually mentioning famous people as if they were your close friends in order to impress others. It’s a way of saying, “I am important because of who I know.” Of course it might be difficult working names like Donald Trump, Martha Stewart or President Bush into the conversation and making it sound like you really know them.

Then there may be people you in fact do know but no one cares. I found this out recently when I went to see Glory Road. This movie is the true story of famed basketball coach Don Haskins leading Texas Western to the 1966 NCAA tournament title using an all black starting line up. This had never been done before and changed the history of basketball. I was mesmerized by the footage of the pivotal game played against Kansas University which allowed Texas Western to advance to the finals. It was a fight to the finish and the name being announced again and again as the star player for Kansas was Jo Jo White.

“Jo Jo White,” I thought. “I went to high school with Jo Jo White.” In my enthusiasm I poked the person next to me and said, “I went to high school with Jo Jo White.”

They gave me a blank stare and replied. “Who’s Jo Jo White?”

“Who’s Jo Jo White?” I thought. Memories of fantastic high school basketball games flooded my mind. With seconds left to play, he would sink a shot from near half court to secure our team’s victory. We had classes together. He signed my yearbook with “In your breadbox of memories let me remain just a crumb.” He went on to play for the Boston Celtics. Yada, yada, yada... And like I said, “Who cares?”

Now the poor man’s way to drop names is by association, sort of like six degrees of separation. Some examples of this are brought out in the book Elvis Presley’s Pharmacist Was My Sunday School Teacher by Mr. Whitekeys. Real people share their documented, remote connections to fame. My favorites are:

“I personally know the brother-in-law’s cousin’s mother of the doctor of veterinary medicine that spayed Chelsea Clinton’s cat, Socks.”

“My best friend’s step brother’s next door neighbor’s swimming coach’s son was William Shatner’s gardener’s daughter’s best friend.”

“I used to carpool a kid whose mother’s father embalmed Babe Ruth (after he died).”

“My hairdresser’s sister’s brother-in-law’s grandmother was the lady in the ‘Where’s the Beef?’ commercials.”

“My ex-girlfriend was puked on by Kurt Cobain at a concert.”

“My mom’s uncle’s wife’s sister’s brother-in-law is Garth Brooks’s uncle.”

“My third grade teacher was Liberace’s aunt.”

Are we desperate for fame, or what?

Some people like to drop the name of Jesus. This may work fine here on earth but might not get you into the kingdom of heaven unless you do actually know him. Matthew 7:21 says, “Not every one that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

When we get to the Pearly Gates Saint Peter may say, “Who are you?”

“I’m a personal friend of Billy Graham. I went golfing with him just the other day and died when I got hit with a golf ball.”

“Oh, really? Who else do you know?”

“Well, I know Jesus.”

“You do? Prove it.”

“My next door neighbor’s brother’s aunt’s doctor’s receptionist is a Christian.”

Saint Peter might say, “Hmmmmm?????”

You see, you might drop a name or two to get to the Pearly Gates, but you won’t enter in unless you truly know and have a relationship with Jesus. Who you know really does make a difference!

Be sure to visit this page often to read the next edition of Walking in the Valley. You can write to the author at bdahlgren@wcgsouthbay.org.