‘Glee’ Star Harry Shum Jr. Reflects on Relationship With Steve Jobs

While many 'Glee' stars tweeted about not having the chance to meet the late Steve Jobs, one cast member has a different story to tell. In a new blog post, Harry Shum Jr. mourns the loss of the Apple co-founder, and talks about his personal connection to the innovator.

Beyond having an attachment to Apple products, Shum, Jr. revealed that he was one of the silhouetted dancers in one of the first iPod commercials. He writes: “I was asked to do a test commercial shoot for an Apple product which didn’t mean much to me at the time. Some music player that holds all your songs. Sounded cool to me and I never gave up an opportunity to work especially with the possibility of it turning into a national commercial."

But this wasn't just another paying gig. He adds, "Coolest job I did in that time. Just for the fact that I was chosen for my dancing and just my dancing alone. It was a silhouette of me so looks and race didn’t play into it unlike most of the jobs I would audition for.”

Although Shum, Jr. didn't meet the visionary back then, he finally got the opportunity to at the 2009 Oscars. “As I approached him, I interrupted a conversation he was having with Disney’s Bob Iger,” he explains. “I told him about how I did the iPod ads and have always wanted to meet him. I was speaking at 100 mphs and not sure if I was making coherent sentences. He just smiled at me and said, ‘That’s great! Thank you for all your hard work you put into it. Those were great ads.’”

The 'Glee' star finished his post with this: “He has influenced the world more than anyone could have ever imagined. An innovator, a pioneer and a genius who only come around once in a lifetime. This is a very sad day but I will use it to remember Steve by all of the amazing things that he has brought into this world.”