Celebrity encounters A dressed-down and incognito Dennis Miller, in town for the annual Pro Bowl earlier this year, marveled at how the Cid family recognized him ambling through Honolulu Airport in faded bluejeans and a rumpled shirt when no one else gave him a second look.
The Cids make getting photos
and autographs of stars into a scienceBy Shawn "Speedy" Lopes
Star-BulletinBut Joe Cid, his wife, Magnolia (who prefers "Leah"), and sons J.J., 9, and Jacoby, 5, are old hands at star tracking and have quite possibly met even more celebrities than Miller has had on his HBO talk show.
Since 1993 the Cids have amassed scores of photos and autographs of famous figures who have visited our fair isles, and now estimate their spectacular collection to number "in the hundreds.""We have a picture of Michael Irvin holding our 10-month-old," says Leah, who can remember their chance meeting with the former Dallas Cowboys superstar at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki eight years ago like it was yesterday.
"That was the first one that got us started."
Upon request the Cids can also produce photos of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Adam Sandler, Cuba Gooding Jr. or Shaquille O'Neal mugging for the camera and playing with their children. An impressive array of singers, musicians and pop stars like Elton John, Kenny Rogers, Mariah Carey, Dr. Dre and Wayne Newton occupy several family photo albums as well.
Perhaps it is an acute sense of awareness sharpened by years of autograph hunting, but the Cid family now seems to stumble onto celebrities with unusual frequency. Once, they spotted R&B songbird Aaliyah shopping at Pearlridge Center, and only months ago happened upon Kid Rock while on their way to meet renowned chef Ming Tsai at a recent appearance. They even bumped into former middleweight great Marvin Hagler here twice, both times by coincidence.Of all their encounters with stardom, however, Leah says one in particular rests close to the hearts of her family. While trolling for autographs at a celebrity golf tournament at Ko Olina several years ago, the Cids were accosted by a security guard who wanted to know their business in the area. "Walter Payton came up and told him, 'No, please don't bother them, they're with me,'" she recounts.
Although in the company of complete strangers, the football legend shared a warm conversation with the Cids, took photos with the family and happily signed autographs for them. They knew nothing of it at the time, but Payton was suffering from a rare and potentially fatal liver condition. Months later, when it was announced that the Hall of Famer had in fact succumbed to cancer brought on by his ailment, the Cid family was greatly saddened. "That's one memory we really treasure because he was so nice and so down to earth, you wouldn't believe it."
For those who wonder how an average family from Maili are able to hobnob with society's elite, the Cids have several pointers for obtaining souvenirs of visiting celebs.
Tip 1: Plan ahead. "I look around in advance to see who's coming in concert or making an appearance," says Joe. "Or for athletes, I check to see who's going to be here for training camp or (sports) clinics and jot it down on our calendar. Then I collect cards or photos of them and make sure they have something to sign."One popular method among collectors is to find a favorite shot of a celebrity on the Internet and transfer it onto glossy photo paper (available at most computer stores) using a standard printer at home.
Research on celebrities, particularly those of the up-and-coming variety, can pay big dividends, though sometimes years down the road. In years past, Joe made it a point to seek out rising football stars whose teams were in town to play the University of Hawaii. As a result, when Minnesota Vikings all-pro Daunte Culpepper arrived in Honolulu for the Pro Bowl this year, the Cids were able to get his autograph while others were being turned away.
"We first got Daunte Culpepper when he played against UH as a freshman in college," notes Joe. "Then at the last Pro Bowl, people were trying to get a piece of him, but he was already in a rush to get on his bus. When we showed him the picture we had of him from years before, I think it took him by surprise. He actually stayed to talk to us."
Tip 2: Arrive completely prepared. Your camera should be dependable and easy to load. Pack extra film (you should be taking multiple shots of your subjects, just in case). Carrying several types of writing utensils is also suggested. If waiting outside a building or arena, you should have a good idea of where your subject will be entering and/or exiting.Tip 3: Be patient, and expect to wait several hours for your brush with greatness. "If you're not willing to wait, forget about it," he adds. "Even though our boys get restless, we all understand it's something we have to do to get what we want."
Tip 4: Act swiftly. "You have to work quickly because there's no room for hesitation," Joe states. "There's no time to drop your jaw when they finally show up. When it's time we move fast. Everything's ready; we have our photos and Sharpies out right away."
Tip 5: Always be polite. "You've got to give them respect," insists Leah. "Especially if they're out with their family. If you see them out in public with company, don't go up to them; stay back and wait until they're free. You just have to give them as much space and respect as you would want others to give you."
The Cids add that having a couple of delighted youngsters in tow when approaching celebrities will do much to allay their suspicions. As Joe explains, memorabilia dealers can make a fortune selling stars' autographs, and celebs can be leery of those seeking their signature. "But I think when they see the kids, they realize we're doing this mainly for their enjoyment," Joe says. "That's the way it should be. We're just a family with a hobby."
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