This post is part of a series on celebrity spokespeople who ended up doing serious harm to the brands they were hired to promote, or vice versa. See how we rank the 20 top spokesperson fiascos.

When Ben Curtis first hit the TV advertisement airwaves, I couldn't decide whether I was enchanted or annoyed. Personal computers were all the rage and Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) was the sweetest apple on the PC tree. When the "Dell Dude" enthusiastically told his little friend, "Dude, you're getting a Dell!" -- weren't we all a little excited?

And, let's be honest, wasn't he -- and Dell -- trading on the unspoken currency of the pot-smoking twang in his voice? It was hilarious, this college kid computer cheerleader. Unfortunately, hilarity equaled truth. In 2003 (right around the time he was phased out by the four cute Dell interns -- which is a whole different story) Curtis was busted for buying a very small amount of pot. "For personal use."

It was hardly the criminal arrest of the century (probably not even of that night in New York), it marked the end of Curtis' career with Dell. It didn't signal the end of his notoriety, however; he was given some coverage late last year for his bartending gig at Tortilla Flats, a popular financial district eatery in New York. The story goes that he makes great tips from fans of his former alter ego, and he's often asked to say his money line. He even dressed up as the Dell Dude for Halloween.

Who wants to bet we'll see him in an indie flick before too long?

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I've had a couple of brushes with fame in my day, and my track record isn't the greatest. I met River Phoenix in April 1991, about 2 1/2 years before his drug-related death at the age of 23 (I love the people who ask me if I got to meet him "while he was still alive." Ummm.) I also knew Ben Curtis (the spokesman, not the golfer). As an elementary-school-age boy, the once-and-future face of Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) was a peripheral friend of my brother and the son of my French teacher.

As I said, my celebrity encounters haven't enjoyed particular longevity. While Curtis isn't overdosing outside the Viper Room, he has been part of the wait staff at Tortilla Flats, a Manhattan bar at Washington and 12th, for the past 18 months. Last week, for Halloween, he dressed up as his former alter-ego, Steve the squirrelly "Dude, you're getting a Dell" kid. He says he gets recognized every day, but appreciated a job at which he can always be himself. And if you ask nicely, he may just repeat his famous catchphrase while he delivers your margarita.