I Have Proof that Hollywood Stars Read Associated Content

I don't get phone calls from celebrities everyday. So when I do get one, I think it's only fair to exercise my bragging rights.

Some of you might be familiar with Jake Steinfeld - not to be confused with Jerry Seinfeld. Mr. Steinfeld is commonly known for his fitness guru status, particularly in Hollywood where he has worked for many years as a personal trainer to the stars. He developed a line of fitness equipment called Body By Jake, and he has quite an impressive resume of acting roles including appearances in Coming to America and The Money Pit. One of his most recent roles was doing the voiceover for the Git, the lab rat in Ratatouille.

Anyway, he called me yesterday.

Well, first he had his "people" contact me. (Stars always send their people first.) In an effort to find me, his assistant actually signed up with Associated Content in order to get a message to me. Within five minutes of responding to her e-mail, my phone rang.

"This is Jake Steinfeld calling from Los Angeles," he said with an unmistakable New Yawk accent.

At that moment, I wasn't really aware of Mr. Steinfeld's celebrity status. I only knew him through my close association with one of his exercise machines, specifically the Cardio Cruiser. In fact, it was writing about my experience with the Cardio Cruiser that was the catalyst for the phone call.

"I just want to thank you for the kind words you said about us," he said. (Referring to his company, also called Body By Jake.) "You had us all laughing pretty hard over here."

The article Jake, if I may be so familiar, was referring to was a column I published in several newspapers in January of 2007 titled, "How To Properly Store and Not Care About Your Exercise Equipment." It documents the short and direct journeys a half a dozen or so assorted varieties of exercise machines took from my living room to my garage. That is until I finally landed on a piece of equipment that didn't ultimately malfunction, freeze up or break down un the middle of my workout, namely the Body By Jake Cardio Cruiser.

I republished the article on my Associated Content page this month and it came across Jake's desk through a clipping service. Hence, the phone call.

I was very flattered that Mr. Steinfeld called me, and quite impressed by his thoughtfulness. He sounded like a very nice man - not too hung up on his Hollywood stature to take the time to call a nobody hick like me in fly-over country.

"You sound like a fun girl," he observed as we wound up our brief conversation.

Yes, I am a fun girl. I want to confirm that here and now. Which suddenly makes me wonder why I never heard from Bon Jovi after I wrote about him last November. Maybe it was the way I shamelessly begged for concert tickets. Specifically for the one coming up in Milwaukee. Next month already.

Jake, if you happen to be his trainer, maybe you could just mention that I also plugged his latest CD in my New Year's column?

You know where to reach me.