Hugh Laurie et al

Not taken by me Beard shorter now
(https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-9358063/Hugh-Laurie-61-unrecognisable-sports-bushy-grey-beard-walking-dog.html)

I try and get out walking from time to time. On my travels I often see former newsreader (etc) Martin Bell. From time to time I see Ricky Gervais and more recently have twice seen actor Hugh Laurie walking his black labrador. Former mayor Ken Livingstone continues to use the bus and I saw him the other day, now quite unrecognised by most.

10 others who refused the CBE

1. Julie Christie, film actress
2. John Cleese, actor/comedian (in 1996; he reportedly thought it was "silly", and later declined a life peerage)
3. John Cole, journalist, latterly BBC Political Editor (in 1993)
4. Brian Eno, musician (in 2007)
5. Lucian Freud, artist (in 1977; later accepted appointment as CH in 1983, and OM in 1993).
6. F R Leavis, literary critic. Refused in 1966; but later accepted appointment as CH.
7. Ken Livingstone, former Mayor of London, due to be honoured for his services to the 2012 Olympics (turned down an honour in the 2013 New Years Honours due to his belief that politicians should not get such awards).
8. Malcolm McDowell, actor (in 1984)
9. George Melly, musician, writer, critic, artist and raconteur (in 2001)
10. Paul Weller, musician (in 2007).

Famous faces

I was walking down Oxford Street this week and I saw Lionel Blair. (Looking very well for a man in his late 70s - I have his autograph somewhere). I smiled to him and he smiled back. It's part of London life I guess. You do see people whose faces you recognise. I got on a bus with former Mayor Ken Livingstone the other day and sold Twmpath tickets to Cerys Matthews last week. A few weeks back on Hampstead Heath I spotted local girl Lynsey de Paul who I see about from time to time. In the past I've knocked the doors of the late Alan Coren, actor George Layton and others. I once gave a tract to Sue Perkins, who used to live in the next street. What is most difficult is the many character actors who live around here - faces you know but can't usually put a name to (eg Janine Duvitski - I looked her up, there are others and I don't even know what they were in).

Anyway my point is that it's a weird thing, one pretty much the result of TV and beyond. You know who they are but they don't know who you are. When I smile in recognition, they look back and think 'do I know this person?' It must be unnerving if you're not sure.

(I notice that all the people I mention are quite old. Am I just walking past the young and famous?)