Against our better judgment, some friends and I ventured out to XES, one of those “Hollywood-type” nightclubs. Usually, the people I roll with prefer the local dive bars where not only do you not have to worry about getting in and expensive drinks, but girls think a ’97 Honda Accord is a “pimp” enough ride. But this night we had a plan: We’d go to the club posing as casting directors scouting fresh faces for our latest reality show (we had credentials to support this). Believe it or not, this worked like a charm; but although we skipped the line outside, we were still required to pay 15 bucks cover. Ouch.
Once inside, we went directly to the bar, still excited about avoiding the hour wait outside. Just as our first beverages went down the hatch, I saw a familiar face walk past – a friend of Justin Timberlake’s I’d seen on TV, on Punk’d, I think. I wondered if JT himself was there but, to be honest, I was more focused on getting the bartender’s attention. The heat rising from the nearby dance floor was making me thirsty.
Much later in the evening, as we were about to order our last couple of drinks, two of my friends raced over to me laughing, saying they had just seen Justin – yes JT – having a dance-off in the middle of the dance floor. I had to see this in person, not as some adoring fan, but as someone who couldn’t believe this dance-off stuff actually happens in these places. Sure enough, as I made my way to the circle of people in the middle of the dance floor, there was what appeared to be a dance-off happening right in front of me. But I couldn’t see Timberlake. I leaned forward to look for him, using the shoulder of the guy in front of me for support, and began to nod my head to the music. Then I realized the shoulder I was resting my hand on and the guy I was nodding in unison with was Justin.
I looked over to my friends: They were watching and laughing. I decided to show them my skills. I waited for my chance, then parted the circle formed around Justin, telling him and his friends, “Watch out, let me in, let me in!” I pulled out the only move I know – the Running Man, of course. I went at it for a few seconds and then stopped. I got a few laughs from the group, slapped a few high fives, and I think Justin got a kick out of the whole thing because he showed his approval with an elaborate hand shake with a couple of snaps and a fist-pound or two. I then made my way back to my friends, but as I left the dance circle I came face-to-face with none other than Cameron Diaz. Apparently, she’d been there the whole time watching me make a fool of myself. Damn!
We left shortly after that. As for the dance-off, I didn’t hear the final decision but I think we all know who was the big winner.
