I’ve been in Chicago this week, speaking at Web Content 2008 (notes from my talks) and hacking up a lung. In one of my talks, I referenced the notion of micro-celebrity, and how many webby folks are famous to a couple thousand people.
Coincidentally, on Wednesday we visited the great, labyrinthine Art Institute of Chicago. While wandering through it, I spotted Britney Barber, the star of the amusing video podcast The Midwest Teen Sex Show. Not surprising, I suppose, given that we’re in the heart of the Midwest (or so somebody told me).
Ms. Barber is famous to me, so the feeling was pretty similar to past celebrity spottings. I didn’t, you know, bother her for an autograph or anything, but there was that sense of ‘hey, I usually only see you on a screen”.
DarrenBarefoot.com 
Hey Darren, I’ve just moved to Chicago for the summer – are there any networking events happening off web-content that you think I could get away with dropping in on?
Finding it hard to find the OpenCoffee/Web2.0’y crew here.
I had someone recognize me as a micro-celeb a few months ago, when a listener of Inside Home Recording recognized me while browsing in a music store. That felt pretty neat.
Nikol and Britney are having a gathering tonight.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=16668497611&ref=nf