It’s a good thing comedians have good senses of humor. You may have already heard that Conan O’Brien signed a trash can on Whidbey. Yep. It just seemed like a Whidbey kind of thing to do.

YouTube (Craig Cyr’s channel) – The Trash Can Dedication: Conan O’Brien & Langley Mayor Scott Chaplin

YouTube (Craig Cyr’s channel) – The Trash Can Dedication: Conan O’Brien & Langley Mayor Scott Chaplin

Conan also mentioned it on his podcast, which included some of the back story about how it happened. 

Of course, that was a fun episode, but it also pointed out that celebrities come to Whidbey. Sure, why not? Check out a post from January talking about something similar (Movies Come To Whidbey.) The intriguing thing is that Whidbey gets celebrities as guests, but also as residents. 

Quietly and with a sense of grace, or at least humor, many members of the entertainment world decide to drop by. We’re not a place for paparazzi like Miami Beach. Maybe it rains so much that their cameras would get wet. But within the official, unwritten list of communities on the island are members of the Hollywood crowd who can appreciate a place that’s a bit quieter (and soggier) than Hollywood. 

Whidbey isn’t far from Hollywood, by plane. Driving works, too. Amanda Goodwin was interviewed for WritingOnWhidbeyIsland.com during a stop as she drove the coast from one to the other. Whidbey is in the same time zone, can have reasonably good internet access, a few airports to choose from, and is known as an arts community and officially designated a Creative District. And some of their friends may be here. 

Some stand out. Conan O’Brien is almost 6′ 4″ and has red hair. It must be hard for him to hide, so he may be more likely to get shanghaied into an impromptu event, even if it is to sign a trash can. (BTW That could be a thing, having Whidbey’s trash cans signed by various celebrities; but there would be a basic requirement: a good sense of humor – and trash cans that can’t be stolen to be sold on eBay. Charity auction, though?)

Credit should be given to those who give them their space, their privacy, and chance to unwind from a Hollywood existence – unless they want a bit of celebrating their celebrity.

The celebration with the trash can over-shadowed the true celebration.

Liza Powel O’Brien was in town for her play, Apostrophe, which was being performed at the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts. (Closing soon.) She was the main event. Congratulations! She was also an example of how many performance professionals are overlooked at the grocery, at a table in a coffeeshop, maybe at the recycle center, or in line to see a movie. 

Whidbey has talent. Welcome. We’ll try to give you your space – like we try to do with everyone.