Prince Charming and the Midget

Put the words “Celebrity” and “Cars” together and the first response of 99% of Americans would be “Jay Leno.”

No doubt that he is the most famous car guy in the world, and given that he attends all manner of automotive events, from high-profile appearances at major auto company events to Alfa Romeo Club get-togethers in the park, it’s obvious that this isn’t some Hollywood affectation… Leno really loves his cars. And he has a substantial and eclectic collection that even has its own web site: www.jaylenosgarage.com

View Jay Leno video here:
http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/index.shtml?vidID=182992

This kind of Hollywood connection is one of the reasons that Los Angeles remains the automotive heart of America -- despite traffic density that has average commuting speeds down below 35 mph on freeways designed for 70 mph.

But still, its nice to see a Hollywood star with a more human scale of automotive enthusiasm, like Prince Charming… er, Edward… himself, James Marsden, currently starring in Disney’s hit film, Enchanted.

His collection includes a 1966 Corvette and a 1969 MG Midget, and can often be found at Bob’s Big Boy in Toluca Lake, California swapping car yarns with other enthusiasts. He lives within walking distance and likes to bring his 6-year-old son, Jack.

"Jack gets a kick out of it. He gets to pick out his favorite cars," says Marsden, 34, on one such Friday night as the weekly car show begins. "He loves the old, beat-up ones. It's an effort to share something we both really dig and create memories."