By Henry Perez

Okay, I confess.  I am starstruck.

Yes, I've tried therapy, retreats, reading inspirational books and even the Patch, but to no avail.  I'm still starstruck.

Judd Hirsch and the author, Henry Perez

I once chased down Sonny Bono for two whole blocks in Palm Springs just for an autograph. I have kept a match that was struck by Alec Baldwin during a performance of A Streetcar Named Desire. I once listened to a political dissertation given, by Richard Dreyfuss, on the street right after his Sunday matinee performance in Death and the Maiden---but only after chasing down his costar, Gene Hackman, for, you guessed it, his autograph. I have looked into the gloriously famous lavender eyes of Elizabeth Taylor, and was rewarded with a tender smile from one of the all-time most beautiful Hollywood goddesses. I have had the pleasure of obtaining Lauren Bacall's signature on my Woman of the Year program. I have walked alongside Michael Caine and his wife Shakira on Lincoln Road. I have marched next to Gloria and Emilio Estefan, k.d. lang and Antonio Zabata, Jr. on AIDS Walks. I have sat next to, and never bothered or spoken to, the one and only Cher during an off-Broadway production of Two Dogs and A Bone----or was it Three Dogs and A Bone?  I can only remember Cher, sitting next to me.

I have spotted Queen Latifah, P. Diddy, Cameron Diaz, Iggy Pop and Rupert Everett on South Beach. I have sat behind, in front of, or near Joel Gray, Ben Vereen, Dolly Parton and Ann Magnuson, in various Broadway theaters. I have spoken to John Leguizamo from my house phone and have received an e-mail from comedian Paula Poundstone. I have had Marisa Tomei's legs wrapped around my torso---we were both fully dressed and surrounded by lots of people at a club; she was sitting on the bar when my friend Manny introduced us.  She was very friendly. I have sat next to a very inconspicuous Rita Moreno at the airport. I have sat next to and chatted with legendary Bob Barker on a flight from L.A. to Miami. I have also had the great pleasure of meeting legendary actors Hume Cronyn, James Stewart and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Once, Martin Sheen introduced me to his young son Emilio on an Eastern Airlines flight.  I have also flown with Irene Cara, Ronny Cox, Harry Guardino and Pat Morita, and all have been victims of my autograph hound-ness.

I have raised my glass across the room to Holly Hunter in a New York restaurant, and she gracefully reciprocated. I have chatted with David Caruso while bathing in the waters of Miami Beach. I have had the pleasure of meeting the leads in the classic Oscar-winning film, Gigi, yes, both Leslie Caron and Louis Jourdan. I have met Sophia Loren, Linda Eder, Sonia Braga, Brenda Vaccaro, Al Pacino, Tracy Ullman, Liv Ullmann, Glenn Close, F. Murray Abraham, Javier Bardem, Rosie O'Donnell, Chita Rivera, Geraldine Chaplin, Joan Rivers, Antonio Banderas, Armand Assante, legendary directors Carlos Saura, Pedro Almodovar, Oliver Stone, and even Michael Moore. But nothing could have prepared me for what took place last weekend, while I was volunteering for the 10th Miami Jewish Film Festival.

As a volunteer, I was asked to drive film director Todd Yellin and his wife Jennifer Copaken from their hotel in the Grove to the Cosford Cinema, where the screening of his new film, Brother's Shadow, would take place Saturday night, January 20. I was then asked to pick up someone else from the airport earlier that same day, drive him to his hotel in the Grove and then drive him alongside the Yellin’s to their film's screening. He happened to be the star of the film, a legendary actor who has worked on television, movies and theater; winning two Emmys, a Golden Globe and two Tonys, one for I'm Not Rappaport, and the second for Conversations With My Father; as well as being nominated for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor in Robert Redford's Ordinary People. If you haven't guessed who this is yet, well, let me call you a cab, or as we say in certain parts of the world, let me call you a taxi.  Yes, you guessed it, the star of television's classic sitcom “Taxi”, the one and only Judd Hirsch.

Todd Yellin and Judd Hirsch Photo: Henry Perez

Hirsch, who has also appeared in such films as Serpico, King of the Gypsies, Without a Trace, Running on Empty, Independence Day, Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry and Ron Howard's A Beautiful Mind. This is the man that I, Henry Perez, a mere starstruck volunteer photographer and driver was going to pick up from the airport.  I thought I’d died and gone to heaven---movie heaven. 

I called all my friends, from New York to L.A., to tell them the news; yes, I was bragging. I was so nervous, I hardly slept the night before in pure anticipation---it wasn't butterflies in my stomach, but dinosaurs. 

On Saturday, I drove to the airport almost one hour before the scheduled arrival. I wanted to make sure I wasn't late.. His flight arrived at 3:03 p.m. I waited by the gate with one of those signs that read "J HIRSCH"; I didn't want to give him away to fans. He arrived, I introduced myself and promptly went down to the luggage pickup area. There, we waited for about one hour for his luggage to appear, during which time we talked about his current television show "Numbers", for which has to fly every week from New York, where he lives, to L.A., for a few days shooting, as he is the only cast member who lives outside of L.A. We discussed the current state of television, the lack of talent and smart programming that has given way to the barrage of mindless reality shows. We talked about his children and the fact that on Sunday he would be playing a game of golf at the Biltmore Country Club. We also talked about his buffalo skin luggage, which matches his daily planner; a set of luggage which he has had for many years and which is very distinct from everyone else's bags, and very easy to spot in a conveyor belt. We talked about everything. 

Once on the way to the hotel, he asked me how long I've lived in Miami, which allowed me to tell Mr. Hirsch all about me, including escaping from Cuba and the opportunities I've had in this wonderful country (see above for some examples). We discussed Cuban politics and his amazement at how people in Cuba still support Castro, in spite of all the lack of everything.  I explained that one of the things they are lacking is freedom of expression and choice. We then crossed over to the Constitution of the United States, freedom of the press and the Civil War. We then covered topics raging from the origin of man to the possibility of life in Mars. We also discussed dinosaurs somewhere in there, a topic which his 5-year-old finds totally fascinating. The man is a walking encyclopedia, and I was driving him, in my car, having a conversation with Judd Hirsch, and an out of body experience, all at the same time. 

Todd Yellin, Ellen Wedner and Judd Hirsch at the Miami Jewish Film Festival Photo: Henry Perez

I took him to the hotel and advised him I would be picking him up at 7:30 p.m. for the screening. The hours in between are a total blur, ranging from hysterical laughter to tears of joy at the realization of what I just had experienced. Again, many phone calls to all my friends on both coasts, giving them an update of my afternoon with Judd Hirsch. At 7:30, I arrived at the hotel and picked up Todd Yellin, Jennifer Copaken and Judd Hirsch, and drove them to the Cosford Cinema as planned. We arrived, attended the screening of the wonderful Brother's Shadow, after which there was a Q&A with the director and star. After it was over, I said farewell and Mr. Hirsch reminded me that on Sunday we would be going to the Biltmore for his game of golf.  I told him that I would not be his driver the next day, someone else would be taking him. He then looked around the room and said, “Well, they better find me a nice driver like you.” This made my already beyond-belief day. 

I did get another chance to see Mr. Hirsch---Judd, I mean, again. He came to the Cosford Cinema for the Sunday evening screening of Glow Ropes and I had the opportunity to say hello and ask him how his golf day went.  Judd took pride in giving me some golf tips, even after I told him I knew nothing about golf. He showed me how to hit a ball slightly to the left and make it turn right. 

I don't know exactly what I'm going to do with my car, now that Judd Hirsch has been my passenger. I might just have to put it in a very large plastic bag and keep it right next to Alec Baldwin's match.