Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Rhonda Shear and Kato Kaelin walk into The Hub …
If you were one of the lucky few at downtown Tampa’s favorite dive bar on Thurs., Sept. 19, you know that’s no joke; it actually happened. During Tampa’s Fashion Week, the creator of the top-selling Ahh Bra and the man best known for sleeping in OJ Simpson’s pool house downed stiff drinks in Tampa’s least fashionable bar.
For me, it was literally a high school dream come true.
The high school me wanted to meet Rhonda Shear for obvious reasons — what blue-blooded heterosexual American teenage male did not have fantasies about getting drunk with a Playboy Playmate?
As for Kato, the high school me figured if I was hanging out with him, it meant I had finally made it to the big time — the celebrity pool house! Admit it, while so many like to poke fun at Kato, would you truly pass up an opportunity to live in the lap of luxury without having to put in all the work it takes to obtain it?
However, meeting Kato in person was actually a bit disappointing. Don’t get me wrong — the man is fun. What was so disconcerting about meeting him, though, was I realized he is no longer the slacker I once looked up to. He actually … GASP … works hard!
He is constantly hustling to find acting gigs, and succeeds to some degree in doing so. He hosts comedy nights. He appears in commercials and reality shows. He's always on the go. True, these successes are still tied to the 15 minutes of fame that began 19 years ago, when he was a witness in the OJ Simpson murder trial. However, regardless of how you feel about how he got there, you cannot deny it takes hard work to stay in the limelight for so many years.
“It used to bother me a little bit that I was known as the world’s biggest slacker,” he admitted as he made history by becoming the first person to drink wine rather than liquor or PBR at The Hub. “I am not like that at all. But then recently I thought, it is time to embrace my inner slacker and just go with it.”
Which is how he came up with his latest business venture — Kato KouchPotato Wear pajamas.
This pajama line has been released through Shear Enterprises and will include such amenities as one pocket specifically labeled to hold the remote control and another for your potato chips.
“How many times have guys not been able to find their remote control? Well, that will happen no longer. Now, all they have to do is look in their pocket labeled ‘Remote Control’!” exclaimed Kato.
The idea behind his own line of pajamas was recently born at the Playboy Mansion over drinks with his longtime friend Shear. She said to him in passing that they should do a project together. In response, he blurted out, “Kato’s Couch Potato Pajama Line!” The idea was off the cuff, but everyone in their circle at the party responded, “F’n brilliant!”
“I think these are going to be huge,” said Shear, whose knowledge of what the public wants in underwear and pajamas has turned her into a multi-millionaire. “I’m excited.”
Hopefully, if Kato follows in Shear’s financial footsteps, he’ll have a spot in his pool house for me.
