2/19/2020
It has been 24 days since Kobe Bryant's death.
To those who called, texted, and commented on my social media posts, thank you. Thank you for reminding me about the significant impact Kobe had on my life. Truthfully, I knew I was a Kobe fan, but you all helped me remember how BIG of a Kobe fan I was. It's funny because although I never met Kobe and although I had zero impact on his life, for a long time, there was no Brady Kahn without Kobe Bryant.
In the aftermath of Kobe's death, I listened, watched, and read just about every Kobe story that was out there. Collin Cowherd, who has been my favorite sports personality for several years, tasked his audience to "think of this" when reflecting on Kobe's legacy. I want you to do the same:
"When Kobe Bryant retired, he had been an NBA player longer, 20 years, than he had not been an NBA player in his life, 17 years. So Kobe, of course, grew up right in front of our eyes...Nobody asks most 18 year olds and 19 year olds to grow up with a camera" in front of their faces.
I don't know what most of you were doing at 17 years old, but when I was 17 years old, I was still "wrapping" peoples' houses with toilet paper, prank calling friends, and staying up late playing video games like Grand Theft Auto. Frankly, I'm still partaking in most of these activities at 25 years old. For Kobe, at 17 years old, he had just been drafted to play in the NBA for one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world in one of the most popular cities in the world. For this reason, just like Truman Burbank in The Truman Show, Kobe was a star from Day 1.
The Truman Show, starring Jim Carey, is a movie that came out in 1998. If you haven't seen it, I definitely encourage you to do so, because the rest of this blog post spoils the end *SPOILER ALERT*
The Truman Show is a movie about a young man, Truman Burbank, who is literally forced to grow up in front of peoples' eyes. His life is a scripted TV show. His town is a movie set. His friends are hired actors. His parents are hired actors. His wife is a hired actor. His world won't allow him to fail. Truman's entire life is a complete fabrication, but he has no idea.
From Day 1, Truman was a star. Whether it was someone bathing in their bathtub, eating breakfast at their neighborhood diner, or curled up on their couch before bed, anyone could sit back, relax, and enjoy The Truman Show. Just like Kobe, Truman was constant entertainment.
At the end of the movie, Truman pieces together the puzzle and begins to realize that his life really is just a TV show. Christof, the show's creator and executive producer, finally speaks directly to Truman:
"I am the creator of a television show that gives hope and joy and inspiration to millions...I have been watching you your whole life. I was watching when you were born. I was watching when you took your first step. I watched you on your first day of school."
In response, a confused Truman asks, "Was nothing real?" Christoff explains, "You were real, that's what made you so good to watch."
Collin Cowherd helped me realize that the same was true for Kobe. He was a Hollywood star from Day 1. Whether it was someone watching a game from their living room couch, sitting in nose bleeds at Staples Center, or listening to the radio in the car, people relished Kobe's every move. Like Truman, Kobe was real. But his life was unscripted.
My very last memory of Kobe as a player came during his final NBA game. On any given night, you can find movie stars, athletes, singers, rappers, and just about any famous person attending a Lakers game. What you never see, however, are these stars exhibiting normal human behavior. Typically, you'll see them wearing sunglasses, being shown on the Jumbotron, or taking pictures with fans. The stars never seem to break character.
On April 13, 2016, the night of Kobe's final game, Hollywood's finest — Snoop Dogg, Jack Nicholson, Jay-Z, George Lopez, David Beckham, Shaq, Kanye, G-Eazy, Kendrick Lamar — were all in attendance. For the first time ever, I saw these stars simply enjoying the show. On the night Kobe scored 60 points in his historic finale, he also turned the extraordinary into the ordinary. That's what made him so special.
These are real images from Kobe's last game. For one night, the stars became regular fans, just like the rest of us.
Snoop Dogg
Jack Nicholson (OG Kobe fan)
Jay Z
(G-Eazy)
(Kanye, smiling)
