You know the old question "If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?"? That question interests me quite a lot. Wouldn't it be amazing to have your favourite people, your idols, your heroes and your biggest influences all in the same room together?! The thought of this excites me to no end. So, in honor of my heroes and idols, I have decided to reveal who I would most like to invite to my imaginary dinner party and why I would have them there.
1. Waleed Aly
Waleed Aly is an Australian journalist, news reporter, academic and TV presenter who won the hearts of people right across the nation after a segment he produced on The Project titled "What ISIL Wants" went viral. Aly called out the terrorist group, labeling them "bastards" and "weak" after their attack on Paris in November 2015. Although known for more than just his hosting of The Project, Waleed has taken on numerous other projects in the media and academic world.
The reason why I would choose to invite Waleed to my dinner party is because I love listening to him speak and learning from him every night on the television. He has a way of explaining complex topics in a way that easy to understand and has some views that align very strongly with my own. I would honestly just love to learn from him, asking him questions and discuss world issues with him. He'd be an amazing addition to any conversation.
2. Jenna Marbles
Jenna-freakin-Marbles. I have issues trying to come up with the words to describe her. She's a unique, intelligent, awkward yet charismatic individual who's name almost everyone knows because of her uber successful YouTube channel. Jenna is one of the first YouTubers I followed, as she would be for a lot of viewers. She began her channel filming rants about subjects that are relevant to her life and those of her viewers. Sarcastic/funny videos are Jenna's specialty. From explaining what a girls eyelashes mean to creating elaborate outfits for her three dogs; Kermit, Marbles and Peach, Jenna's videos never fail to make me laugh and put a smile on my face, no matter what mood I'm in.
I would invite Jenna to my dinner party for so many reasons. She's obsessed with animals like I am so we'd have that to talk about. She's extremely intelligent and has a love for more obscure topics like conspiracy theories, ghosts and all things that make her happy. I'm not sure how I would go creating a vegan meal for Jenna as I'm a HUGE fan of a good steak, but anything to my favourite people I guess.
3. Robin Williams
The day I found out the Robin Williams died, I actually shed a tear, and that's not something I do often. Not having seen all of his films, I didn't think he meant a whole lot to me but the movies I had seen of his were all amazing. His comedy routines were clever and silly at the same time. It takes a huge amount of talent to appeal to both young and old people alike. Turns out his work was something constant and reliable in my life. The movies of his I enjoyed the most were Good Willing Hunting, Dead Poets Society and of course his voice as Genie in Aladdin. Just look at his face, full of wisdom yet behind those Grandfather-like eyes, Robin was struggling.
Like Robin Williams, I have also struggled with depression and I know how tough it can be. I haven't ever contemplated suicide thankfully so I can't imagine how excruciating the pain his was in was. Having Robin as one of my guests would me I have someone who can make the rest of my guests laugh as well as be an active participant in any discussion.
4. Meshel Laurie
Meshel Laurie is a hilarious, honest and inquisitive comedian, TV personality and radio host from Australia. This quirky woman has appeared on The Project, Can of Worms and also hosts her own podcast called the Nitty Gritty Committee. Every appearance Meshel makes becomes an entertaining show that can also open up discussion for deeper issues. She frequently talks candidly about her experiences as a mother, wife and divorsee, addict and a Buddhist. Nothing is off limits when it comes to Meshel. This openness is what makes her so lovable and relatable to me and probably many others.
Meshel would be invited to my dinner party because of how open she is to talk about any topic that could arise. She'd also be likely to get along with everyone else at the party. While she can be serious, Meshel would be able to lighten the mood of the conversation if it was needed which is what I think some parties need at times. I am such a huge fan of Meshel and even though this dinner party would be impossible to create, I'd love to meet Meshel one day.
5 & 6. John and Hank Green
I know it's not super kind of me to group the Green brothers together into a single body of writing but they just come so hand in hand for me. Also, I can't choose which brother is my favourite and so I am inviting both of them to my metaphorical dinner party.
John Green is the world famous author of The Fault In Our Stars but that's not his only book, nor his only accomplishment. He is also a renowned YouTuber and producer of the channels in which is appears. Along with Hank, John can be found on the Vlogbrothers and Crash Course channels as well as their very successful podcast Dear Hank and John.
As well as appearing on the two channels with John, Hank is also a businessman in his own right. Hank is the creator of VidCon and many other internet based projects. He is a very quirky and passionate man who takes on so many projects, it's hard to keep track of what he is currently up to or what he'll be doing next.
I am inviting John and Hank to my dinner party because I think they both have a lot to teach me. I also think they'd be a lot of fun to listen to and would be amazing at telling witty jokes and keeping everyone on their toes. I'm even considering spending $100 to go see Hank at VidCon this year.
7. Dave Grohl
For the people who personally know me, you shouldn't be surprised that the legendary David Grohl made my guest list. In fact, you should probably be shocked he wasn't the first person I mentioned. But for anyone who is uneducated and doesn't know who Dave is, allow me to enlighten you. He is the current lead man of the rock band the Foo Fighters as well as previously being the drummer for a little band called Nirvana. Nothing special really. Dave can play almost any instrument and is a self taught musician as well. He's always passionate and strong willed. Even after falling off stage mid-concert where he broke his leg, he came back on stage and played the rest of the concert for his fans. He then played every concert for the next few weeks in a special rockstar chair. That's what I call dedication.
I could go on and on and ON about Dave and how wonderful he is and how I have a slight obsession with him, but that would be unproductive and I'd end up on a tangent as well as probably hyperventilating. So instead, I'm going to tell you that Dave is a charismatic, well-informed, kind man that I would love to meet and someone who I think we could all learn a lot from.
As you can probably see, the people I have chosen as my dinner party guests all have something in common. They are people who I would love to learn from and people who I would just love to have a conversation with. Pick their brain and what not. They're all inspirational in their own right and people who I look up to in my own life.