DOUBLE DOWN UPTOWN

It was sunny and hot yesterday afternoon as the five of us trudged slowly back from Chicago’s annual gay parade (which is a story in itself, let me tell you).

As we approached the intersection of Lincoln and Southport, I noticed four guys in the street heading right for us. The tall, shirtless guy in the middle with dark hair had a real familiar look. I definitely knew him from somewhere, but couldn’t for the life of me remember his name. To make matters worse, we were on a crash course. I racked my brain in vain, desperately trying to place him before our impending crosswalk rendezvous. Was he a friend from college? Why couldn’t I remember his name? I seemed to recall having a LOT to drink with this guy somewhere. Maybe he was a regular at one of the bars I used to go to? It was driving me mad. Did I work with him? Was he a friend of a friend? Which friend?

It didn’t finally hit me until my girlfriend whispered in my ear, “Is that Vince Vaughn?”

Sure as shit – there was Double Down himself, just cruising down Lincoln Avenue with three of his buddies in the middle of residential Chicago on a Sunday afternoon. I made eye contact as his entourage met mine, half expecting him to recognize me as well as I recognized him. I will spare you the suspense - he did not.

My quick-thinking girlfriend announced suddenly to her 5-year-old son, who was perched upon her shoulders at the time, “Hey – remember that guy in the movie we saw the other night? That’s him! Recognize him?”

She was referring to the movie, “Be Cool,” one of the worst fucking DVD rentals either of us had the satisfaction of returning unfinished.

“Remember?” she went on excitedly (and presumably for her son). “He’s the guy who said ‘twinkle, twinkle.’”

Upon hearing this, Vince Vaughn smiled wide, reached out to tickle our adorable star magnet (who was more confused than anything else) uttering playfully, “Twinkle Twinkle, baby! Twinkle, twinkle.” Everyone laughed in appreciation as Vince & company continued down the street – toward a bar, we were certain (but did not follow to find out which one). I hastily pulled out my Samsung camera phone and snapped two quick pictures of the Hollywood hotshot as he and his inconspicuous posse meandered south. Much to my disappointment, he resembles a small speck of white sand in each. [PHOTOS ATTACHED]

“See that little white spot there?” I’ve been telling everyone at work today. “Yeah, that’s Vince Vaughn. We hung out yesterday. It was cool.”



Turns out Vince is in town doing a film with Jennifer Aniston called “The Break-Up.” Notes on this, and other, film/s being shot in the beautiful city of Chicago, including information on how to become an extra, can be found here:

http://www.cityofchicago.org/FilmOffice/currently.html