We all share a secret desire for otherness, an expanded or richer self. At the New York Aquarium in Brooklyn, I am alternately a walrus, sea otter and a penguin. That's my imagined shorthand for stardom, some vestige of late-60s glitz.
Author does the boogaloo.
As a walrus, I watch as the audience eventually accepts me, a Disney-like character. Professionally known as Mike Memphis, he's enjoyed a thriving career in Bell Atlantic ads and as a guest on Sally Jesse Raphael. Now, it's his turn to work the crowd. A recognizable icon, Memphis embodies the pop idol who refuses to die. Families smile giddily.