The "first guy in line" story is usually pretty funny. These guys are wackos! But Greg Packer, who's been waiting in line for an iPad at Apple's Fifth Ave. store since Tuesday, is way more than a crazed Apple fan.


That's retired Long Island highway maintenance worker Greg Packer in a Mashable video. They mention Packer's notoriety for being first in line for things, but Silicon Alley Insider is more to the point: Greg Packer is "The Same Stupid Guy Who's First In Line For Everything."

Here's a list of Packer's firsts, which SAI's Nicholas Carlson culled from Packer's Wikipedia page:

* The Super Bowl victory rally for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2006.
* The Super Bowl victory rally of the New York Giants,
* The 2005 release of the novel Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
* Bill Clinton's first book signing.
* Greeting President George W. Bush after his inauguration.
* The iPhone launch.

Do you see? He just likes being first in line, so people will ask him about whatever he is waiting for! He's been so successful that the AP sent out this memo back in 2003:

The world is full of all kinds of interesting people. One of them is Greg Packer of Huntington, N.Y., who apparently lives to get his name on the AP wire and in other media. It works: A Nexis search turned up 100 mentions in various publications… Mr. Packer is clearly eager to be quoted. Let's be eager, too - to find other people to quote.

Greg Packer! Only in America, folks.

(For more information on this improbable publicity whore, check out the 2003 New York Times profile on the guy.) (Front page pic via.)