Well, for at least a few days, anyway.

The 45-year-old Cranford resident was an extra on the New York City-based show on two different occasions, for episodes filmed in 2001 and 2003.

In the first episode, Norbert played a paparazzo in a scene filmed at the Soho Grand Hotel. In order to hold the paparazzi camera, he said he had to give producers his identification and a credit card to ensure that he wouldn't abscond with the equipment. While waiting to film that scene, he saw the show's star, Sarah Jessica Parker.

"She was just standing there," he recalled. "One of the extras I was with, Sarah Jessica came up to her and said, "Oh, I love those shoes. I have those.' And they just talked about shoes.

"I just stood there (and thought) "No one's ever going to believe this.' "

On that hot summer day — a month before the Sept. 11 attacks — Norbert said he also met James Remar, who played Richard Wright, Samantha Jones' (Kim Cattrall) love interest.

"He was a real nice guy," he said. "He stands out as approachable and talked to the extras. . . I just remember (him) making some jokes about the melting chocolate. (Like) "Let's get inside, we're going to melt in here.' "

On the second occasion, Norbert filmed a scene for the sixth-season episode, "Boy, Interrupted," in which Samantha sneaks into an exclusive pool club by using another woman's membership card. The scene was shot at the Soho House in the meatpacking district.

"I was going to be a pool boy, but I guess I was too old," he said with a laugh. "So they pulled me out, and I was in the glass restaurant downstairs where I was just eating with another gentleman."

While Norbert — who worked at Ground Zero and is officially disabled because of exposure to the contaminants there — said being an extra is "not a real profitable business" (his pay was $5.35 per hour), he enjoyed the experience thoroughly.

"It's kind of like getting a front-row seat to watch them shoot the stuff," he said.

He received an offer to film the show again, but said he didn't take the job because of the location — Brooklyn — and the weather that day.

"I kind of regret turning down the third episode," he said. "That was the high point of my career as an extra. Because we were so close to the stars."