If I wanted to be famous, I could have been famous before.

Host: The evening was settling in, the sky a deepening shade of purple as the world outside seemed to slow its frantic pace. Inside the café, the faint murmur of conversation blended with the soft clink of spoons against coffee cups. Jack and Jeeny sat near the window, the dimming light catching the sharp angles of Jack’s face. He was lost in thought, staring out at the street, while Jeeny, a little more animated, had a quote from David Gest lingering on her mind.

Jeeny: “You know, I read something today that stuck with me. David Gest once said, ‘If I wanted to be famous, I could have been famous before.’ It’s one of those quotes that makes you think, doesn’t it? Like, what does it really mean to want fame? And if he could have had it already, why didn’t he?”

Jack: He half-smiled, but his eyes remained distant, his voice calm. “Fame, huh? You know, Jeeny, people chase fame for all sorts of reasons—sometimes it’s glamour, other times it’s about validation. But if Gest really could have been famous before, maybe he realized that it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. It’s one thing to be famous when you don’t need it, but what happens when the spotlight’s no longer fun? Maybe recognition just loses its appeal.”

Host: The café seemed to grow quieter as the words between them took on more weight. The light outside flickered, leaving long shadows stretching across the room. Jeeny’s eyes softened as she took in Jack’s response, but there was something more that she wanted to explore.

Jeeny: “But that’s the point, isn’t it? If fame is about attention, about how the world perceives you, then why would anyone ever walk away from it if they had the chance? I mean, why even say, ‘I could have been famous before’ unless you want it, right? It’s like he’s saying, ‘I didn’t need it then, but I can have it now if I want.’ There’s something about that idea that feels like he’s acknowledging that fame is a choice. It’s not just something that happens to you, but something you actively decide to pursue or avoid.”

Jack: He shifted in his seat, the quiet hum of the café pressing in around them. “Maybe it’s a choice, but it’s a dangerous one. Fame doesn’t just give you power—it gives you a target. The public eye is a double-edged sword. People love to build you up just to tear you down. The more famous you get, the more they expect from you. So yeah, maybe he could have been famous before, but maybe he knew what it would cost him. Maybe he realized that the price of fame is more than just the attention.”

Jeeny: “But isn’t that the whole point, Jack? The price isn’t something everyone’s willing to pay, but it’s a price some people are okay with. Maybe David Gest wasn’t trying to avoid it. Maybe he was just making the point that fame is a tool—a weapon, even—that you choose to wield at the right moment. It’s not about running from it. It’s about knowing when to step into the spotlight and when to step back. Sometimes people think fame is this random, uncontrollable thing, but maybe for some, it’s just a calculated move.” Her voice softened, thoughtful. “It’s like he’s saying, ‘I can control my fame; it doesn’t control me.’”

Host: The moment hung between them, the soft clink of a spoon against the edge of a cup breaking the quiet. Jack sat back slightly, his fingers tapping against the wooden table, a subtle shift in his expression as he considered her words.

Jack: “I don’t know if I agree with you there, Jeeny. I think fame is something you can’t truly control. You might choose when to step into the limelight, but once you’re in it, it’s hard to step back. People build you up, sure, but then they tear you down, like you said. You get caught in a game of expectations, and even if you decide you don’t want it anymore, it doesn’t really give you a way out. The thing is, maybe Gest didn’t want that. Maybe he wanted something else—something beyond the noise.”

Jeeny: “But is wanting fame such a bad thing, though?” she asked, her voice now almost gentle, as if she were teasing out a deeper thought. “If he could have had it, and he didn’t, isn’t there something powerful in that choice? Isn’t there something freeing about saying, ‘I could have had it all, but I chose not to’? Maybe that’s what makes the idea of fame so complicated. It’s not just about wanting it or avoiding it. It’s about knowing what it means to you, what it represents, and when you finally decide to embrace it—or walk away from it.”

Host: The room felt still, the weight of Jeeny’s words settling like the last rays of daylight before nightfall. Jack’s gaze softened, and for a moment, the café felt like the quiet before a storm, the air charged with unspoken thoughts.

Jack: “I guess I see your point. Fame is a complicated thing. It’s easy to look at it from the outside and think it’s all about the glitz and the glamour, but when you’re actually in it, it changes everything. Maybe David Gest didn’t need it because he already knew the truth about it—that it’s not just about the attention. It’s about what you give up to get it.” He paused, his voice quiet now. “Maybe it’s not about being famous at all. Maybe it’s about choosing to live life on your own terms, not based on what everyone else wants from you.”

Jeeny: “Exactly,” she said, her voice light but filled with a knowing warmth. “It’s not about the fame. It’s about the freedom to choose when you want to be in the spotlight, and when you don’t. It’s about the ability to define your own life, not by the opinions of others, but by your own decisions. Fame, in the end, is just a tool—one you can either use or leave behind.”

Host: The soft light in the café had faded entirely, leaving only the glow from the streetlights outside. The world beyond the window seemed a little more distant now, but inside, the conversation between Jack and Jeeny had settled into something deeper, something more real. Fame, it seemed, wasn’t just a matter of wanting it or not—it was about understanding the choices that came with it, and the freedom to walk away when it no longer aligned with who you truly were.