You know, I've been thinking about writing a story about the time that I warched Six Degrees of Separation with Phil Donahue. Of course, I didn't really watch the play with him. I was just seated one row behind him at Lincoln Center.

At intermission, I said "excuse me" as both of us threaded the aisle toward the lobby to buy an overpriced glass of champagne.

I stanned Phil all those decades ago, but I wouldn't even look him in the eye. I would have been embarrassed if he thought I was trying to take advantage of his celebrity to be inappropriately personal with him.

But I still stanned him, so I kept an eye on him hoping nobody noticed. And you know what? Nobody noticed him. No fans ran up gushing, interfered with his champagne purchase, or tried to intrude on the conversation he was having with his companion, a famous actress.

Those were surely different days! A different ethos. A different sort of respect for public figures.

Of course, that was mostly surface, and I'm sure Donahue could have reported plenty about the lack of privacy.

But at least he could enjoy an evening out! It would be nice if we could think about ways to return to an ethos of at least surface privacy.