"A celebrity is one who is known to many persons he is glad he doesn't know." Lord Byron

I'll do my best to distract everyone from this being

The 8 month old king in waiting.

Tuesday because it's also April 15, 2014. You know the April 15th I'm talking about. Enough said. Now for this newsworthy item. You might as well forget about it. Don't even try to find them anywhere. They may show up on eBay soon at an unbelievable price but for now every unit is gone. I am, of course, talking about the little jumper worn by Prince George on his outing in New Zealand the other day. One look at that cute little guy wearing his cute little outfit and BAM, folks are in a frenzy to get hold of the same outfit for their little one. The little tyke has no idea that he is already a fashion trend setter although the earlier photos of the car seat used by the royal mummy and daddy also sold out almost immediately. He is a cutie and appears to be thriving. Just think. For those doing everything from his clothes to his toys to anything he just happens to touch, well, business could be very good for many years to come. I've tried to think if we ever saw someone who was of celebrity status and went out and bought something because of it. I'm not saying we never did. I do remember going to the rodeo one year and I did buy myself and the boys cowboy hats that were like the ones worn in the Urban Cowboy movie.

We didn't see the movie but the hats featured those gaudy big feathers and they were very popular at the time. (Richard Petty, the NASCAR legend, still wears that same style today.) That's about as close as I can come up with something but there might be others. And, while I greatly enjoyed that older lady's 1980's commercial saying "Where's the beef?," I don't recall it causing me to visit even one of the fast food joints she was promoting. (Wendy's)

You don't need to thank me for keeping you abreast of the latest international news about fads and fashion. It more or less comes with the territory on any given day. I'm not completely sure about all that is involved in the fascination folks have with celebrity, but, there's little doubt it is a huge money making enterprise. I'm sure part of it has to do with escape. I can't really see how that a little fellow wearing the same jumper worn by Prince George will make things better for him or his family, but, obviously, there's a vicarious fulfillment of some sort going on. Maybe it's the fact that you have something that other folks have trouble finding or affording. I guess I still have that image stuck in my mind of my wife being moved to tears when the boys tore their new Toughskins jeans. These Sears products had double knees but our boys always seemed to cut or tear them above or below the double layer. I can only imagine the bawling she might have done had they messed up the replica clothes worn by Prince Charles. Just joking. Just for grins I checked out the price on that hat in the photo. It was listed on eBay as a vintage cowboy wool hat, priced at $75. I can't be sure but I think I paid more than that for mine and it was only worn a time or two. Yes. I still have it and it is still in its original American Hat box. If you were to be interested you can reach me at BR549. (Famous number from Junior Samples' Auto Sales on Hee Haw.)

I could advertise it as the hat worn to a Charley Pride concert at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo at the Houston Astrodome in the early 1980's. I don't have the ticket stubs to prove I was there but I do remember how odd it was to be in that huge dome watching someone sing who you could barely see on a stage out in the middle of dirt. Same thing for the rodeo. Of course you could always watch it on the big screen. You have to love that. Right? Go to the big show so you can see it live and in person on the big screen. Yep. He was right folks. "There is a sucker born every minute." That quotation was not spoken by P. T. Barnum of circus fame. It was actually said in criticism of Barnum by a fellow named David Hannum. No. I do not charge extra for history lessons. That was my first and last time to visit the rodeo and if I recall correctly, the tickets were given to us. At any rate, it is time to get on with our day, therefore, I bid you a so long for now pardner with a hope to see you soon thrown in for good measure. May God bless each one. Amen.   ....More later.