[Timo]

I once interviewed Graham Chapman for a TV show. He was very patient with my terrible interview.

[dencamp]

Played pool with the UK Subs
Drank with Eliot Smith (When he was with Heatmeiser)
Spoke briefly with Ian MacKaye
Talked Extensively with C.D. Wright

[bleuvixen]

Tori Amos, Davy Jones, Willie E Gary all live in my town. All of them have come into the dry cleaners that i work at.

Ashton Kutcher in Key West at a fancy hotel. No one was sure if it was him so i had to ask "you that guy from the 70's show?" "yeah." "ok,
cool."

[starman]

I completely forgot that I spoke a bit with Kevin Smith also.

Mike

[philzilla]

i spoke to maxelson, the other night. you're all gonna find it hard to top that one

[Gul Banana]

Terry Pratchett, probably.

[SimeyTheLimey]

Lech Walesa, if you use the phrase "talked to" very loosely. I don't speak Polish and he doesn't speak English. I saw him at a function in Poland during the first Partnership for Peace exercise when I was driving for generals.

Of course, in that job I got to meet some high ranking generals. Most of them aren't household names, though. Then-Supreme Allied Commander of Europe George Joulwan is probably the best known. I also used to work with the current Sergeant Major of the Army, whose name is Jack Tilly.

Quentin Crisp.

British politicians I recall meeting:

Lord Jenkins (then just Roy Jenkins)
Jeffrey Archer (a real prick to talk to)
Nigel Lawson (not to be confused with Nigella)
John Gummer.
Alex Salmond

Other brits:
Carol Thatcher (daugher of the then-PM)
Gryff Rhys-Jones
One of the dwarfs from Time Bandits, sorry, I don't recall his name.

Some American pols I have met:

Bob and Elizabeth Dole
James Schlesinger
John Ashcroft
Sonny Montgomery
Togo West
Andrew Cuomo
Susan Collins
Arlen Specter
There are probably others that I don't recall off hand or who nobody would have heard of.

Others:

Crown Prince Phillipe of Spain.

[MacGorilla]

I met Mike Tyson in Florida when I was young. He was then just a rising star in boxing. My father had interviewed him the night before so we got all chatty for a few minutes. He signed a postcard for me, which I've lost. I remember how nice he was. I guess a few years of getting your brains smacked around changes you.

I also met Rick Mears, an old Indy Driver and Rick Hendrick, racing Guru. Cool people and so down to earth, in a midwest sort of way.

[davesimondotcom]

President Reagan

President Bush (41)

V.P. Quayle

Pretty much every governor/politician in Montana over the last 20 years

Dick Cheney (when he was a Senator from WY)

Alan Simpson (Former WY Senator)

Alan Keyes (Former Presidential Candidate)

I'm sure there are plenty more politicians...

Biggest thing for me was when I was a kid I got to wear two different World Series rings. One belonged to Dave McNally, who played for Baltimore in the late 60s-early 70s. He's still the only pitcher to hit a grand slam in the World Series. He was from my hometown and played for the same American Legion team. He passed away earlier this year of cancer, and I heard that they gave a moment of silence for him at Opening Day in Baltimore.

Also met quite a few other pro ball players, some before they were stars, some after they were fading. Advantages of hanging out in a ball park. Met the Commisioner once, when it was Bowie Kuhn .

Oh, how can I forget, I met Joe Dimaggio once too!!

[daimoni]

.

[bewebste]

I think Yo-Yo Ma and Yitzhak Perlman are probably the most famous people I've met. My stepmom actually teaches Perlman's daughter, and I met him when he was visiting the school before she came. I met Yo-Yo Ma back when I was a kid, don't remember much, just that I met him and shook his hand.

[Gene Jockey]

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:

One of the dwarfs from Time Bandits, sorry, I don't recall his name.

Simey, if you can't remember his name, he's probably not famous.

I'm just bitter I've never met a dwarf.

--J

[SimeyTheLimey]

Originally posted by Gene Jockey:
Simey, if you can't remember his name, he's probably not famous.

Actually, he is pretty famous. He's been in many movies, but I still can't recall his name.

[Josh Reid]

Rosie O'Donnell...first when I was on her show in 2001, and then about a year later at a comedy event (she was only attending, not performing). She was different than on her show...more quiet and reserved, but very kind and gracious.

-Josh

[chris v]

I hung out with Iggy Pop for a couple days back in the late seventies. Me and some friends of mine scratched up a left-handed guitar for him so he could do some song-writing while hanging around in the hotel, and the fruits of that labor became the beginnings of the album "Lust For Life."

Joe Ely comes by the t-shirt shop all the time, and I've printed for Double Trouble, (Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon) who drop in now and again.

I got an impromptu funk slap-and-pop lesson from Stevie Ray Vaughan back in about '83, and got to sit next to him in his practice room while they all watched their first appearance on Austin City Limits. He kept elbowing me, saying "Look! We're on TV!" He was kind-of in disbelief about the whole thing.

I played 2 songs on an Iain Matthews album (founding member of Fairport Convention) in 1990.

Did a demo session with Eric Johnson's drummer tommy Taylor, and occasionally see Eric around, tho we don't really "know" each other.

Got to talk to Ani DiFranco for a few minutes at the studio as she was leaving for New York, and was coming in to start a different session. She's really nice.

I met Joey Ramone back in '78, while was making a-- how do you say-- "delivery." He was smacked out of his mind.

Of course, I'm famous in my own mind.

CV

[boardsurfer]

Brace yourselves. Here is my list.

Tony Dorsett. Cowboys runningback for many years. My Aunt worked an ad agency and invited me to a photo shoot. She knew he was my hero at the time. I was like 13.

Jimmy Buffett. Met him at a book signing, then his concert the next night.

Phil Mickelson. PGA Tour Player. His errant drive on the 4th hole at Torrey Pines almost hit me. He asked if "everyone" was ok, but he was looking at me when he said it. I know, that one is stretching a bit.

One more: Chuck Buck. Yes thats right, Chuck Buck as in "Buck Knives" Chuck Buck. I took some scouts to tour the factory. He personally engraved his name on the blade of each knive the kids bought.

fairly pathetic, i know.

[wdlove]

President George H. W. Bush in 1980 during the campaign for President when he was the sitting VP. He landed at Offfuit AFB. He deplaned from Air Force One, awe inspiring, "The Flying White House."

They had a roped off an area by the tarmac. He came over to us. I shook his hand, still gives me goose bumps. I wished him well on his on his campaign!

Here in MA, I met our governor. It was in 1985, I shook his hand and thanked him for giving our state back to the people. He was coming out of a clothing store in downtown Boston. He's almost as tall as I am!

[dcmacdaddy]

Met a lot of famous people--some known to everyone, some just famous in their own way--who pass through my place of work. Here they are in no particular order.

VP Gore (twice)

Tim Berners-Lee (chatted with him a while but he is kind of standoffish)

Glenn Seaborg--Only Physicist to win two Nobel prizes and have a new element named after him (just said hello and shook hands)

Buzz Aldrin (just saw him at an event, was too dumbstruck to actually say "Hello" as he walked right by me)

Janet Reno when she was AG

Lord something-or-other (British Ambassador to the US in 1996, went to a schwank reception he was hosting at the embassy here in DC)

Douglas Engelbart (Inventor of the computer mouse, got to actually see the first one he ever made. Pretty Cool!)

Dick Darman (Said hello to him a couple dozen times)

G.E. Smith--Guitarist with Hall and Oates and former bandleader from Saturday Night Live (Met him three times. talked to him extensivly on two of those occassions. He is a very cool, very mellow guy; VERY knowledgeable about various guitar playing styles and the history of the evolution of the guitar. I don't think he ever goes anywhere without a guitar in hand.

[Zimphire]

I met Senator Byrd once. Not something I really brag about.

I also met Henry Rollins and Perry Ferral back in 91 at a concert. Perry was very well Perry, and Henry was a nice guy.

[andi*pandi]

philzilla said:
i spoke to maxelson, the other night. you're all gonna find it hard to top that one

well, I've met him in person so there! Ya gonna get on a plane and do that anytime soon???

Actually, I need to meet another famous person soon. I'm tired of telling my Steve Tyler from Aerosmith parking meter story. sigh. Bored now.

some of you get around!

[bradoesch]

Originally posted by Mac Zealot:
darn I woulda loved to meet douglas adams. Funny imagination he has

Same here!

[chris v]

Originally posted by Nonsuch:
Met Andy Partridge (XTC) at a signing, met and interviewed Marshall Crenshaw and John Doe (X).

You Bastard.


I forgot about Eddie Munster. (Can't remember his real name-- that's sad) He moved to Austin for a while in the '80's and we played at a Haloween party that he hosted. Ended up hanging with him, and he hooked up with my then-girlfreind's sister. They dated for several months, and we hung out quite a bit. He was kind-of a spoiled brat, though, who never really grew up because of his big moment of fame happening when he was so young. He moved somewhere else a year or two later, and I haven't seen him again.

CV

[Simon X]

George Cole and Dennis Waterman from their Minder days, when I was about 8 or 9.
(a UK thing)

Sold a Super8mm camera to Bj�rk a few years back in a previous jobs.

Dave Stewart from the Eurythmics (I'm not a fan) also used to pop in from time to time and bought some lights from us. We also once sold a top of the range Beaulieu Super8 camera to Demi Moore, whist in London, as a present for Bruce Willis. Never got to meet them though, is was all done through the buddy Dave Stewart's PA.

The director Ken Russell bought an old 9.5 projector once, shame I didn't tell him his films sucked.

Martin Clunes popped in a few times too. I sold hime an intervalometer for his Canon Super8. Nice guy.

Had a beer with the director Mike Leigh once after he gave a talk on a film course I was on.

[InterfaceGuy]

I was on vacation in Florida a few years ago when Jim Carrey was filming The Truman Show at Seaside, west of Panama City. I got to meet him and Lauren Holley and got their autographs, my most valued possessions.

I met Kenny Rogers and got his autorgraph back stage at a concert about 10 years ago.

Also about 10 years ago I met Bob Eubanks when he was filming a commercial at a campground I was staying at. (Yes, my family used to do a lot of camping. =) I didn't even know who he was when I met him.

I met Rod Roddy and got his autograph about 8 years ago at a game show he and Bob Eubanks were hosting in Branson, Missouri.

I worked at a recording studio in Branson about 8 years ago and my manager was Rodney Dillard, who played on the Andy Griffin show. He was one of the sons in the hillbilly family from up in the hills.

I've also met Kirby Vanburch. He has a magic show in Branson and used to perform on the World's Greatest Magic back when it was on TV.

I've also met quite a few country musicians, but most of you wouldn't know them, right?

[AleroLeanne]

The biggest celebrity I've talked to has been Reba McEntire, and I've talked to her a few times now.

I also met 2 guys from "Lifehouse" the band, and there's a bunch of others but Reba is the biggest celebrity I've spoken with.

[Paco500]

Now that I think about it, I've met quite a few.

Living in the DC area, I've had several political encounters.

Spoke to Dick Gephart as he was shopping at a Food Lion.

Worked on Jerry Brown's '92 presidential campaign and spent about an hour with him. As nutty as they say.

Spoke briefly w/ Clinton at a campaign event. He was running against my man Jerry, so never warmed to him.

I also spent a few summers working at an exclusive kitchen store in the Hamptons (NY) and had many celeb customers, including:

Al Pachino
Billy Joel and Christy Brinkley (in happier times)
Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgewick
Roy Schider

And I made small talk to Chevy Cahse and Paul Simon at a party.

Had too many drinks with the original writer of Flashdance. There is controversy as to how much of his material made it to the screen. He claims it was all him, Paul Verhooven claims to have done a complete rewrite. He was, by my observation, just a sad drunk.

And just a few weeks ago, I passed Barry Diller getting into a limo outside the Washington Post building.

[SeSawaya]

Mini Driver & Willie Nelson to name a couple of people you've all heard of. (Musicians dont really count though being as I am one)

both were more than pleasent

David Swimmer was an ass though

Oh and Joe Montana when he was at Notre Dame in '77 (I was only 7 but knew how great he was)

[keekeeree]

Let's see:

- Sen. Tom Daschle
- Former Pres. Jimmy Carter
- Indian Activist (and part-time actor) Russell Means
- Former MN Vikings coach Dennis Green

Those are the ones I've talked to that I can remember. I've been within a stone's throw distance from numerous others from my days as a photojournalist.

[GiacomoSeingalt]

Some people I have never met, but I cooked for them:

Helmut Kohl, former chancellor of Germany.
I even cooked twice for him, both times the same - calves liver Berlin style, well-done (*brrr*)

William Defoe - vegetable soup

James Brown - herring 'home-made style'

Jean-Paul Gaultier - oysters Rockefeller, then soured boiled rump Vienna style

Famous people I've met:

The members of Pink Floyd. Brought them a beer crate into the cellar of the Hotel I was working. They rehearsed there. I was listening a few minutes then. Alone.

Lots of German actors and VIPs you wouldn't know anyway.

[denim]

Originally posted by rjenkinson:
[img]i ate breakfast with the houton astros in florida once. had no idea who they were.

How'd you manage that one, w/out knowing who they were?

The most famous people I can think of off-hand who I've spoken with in person are all writers: Bujold, Vinge, Asimov, Pournelle, Brin, Chalker, Clement, Spider Robinson, S.M. Stirling, McCaffery, ... um... that's all I'm coming up with quickly. A number of these people are not hard to find, honestly. Others are impossible.

It's what happens when you go to science fiction conventions: you encounter writers and can talk with them.

Politicians... I think I spoke with Lieberman many years before he ran for VP, and might encounter him in the future. (shrug)

As far as I can figure out, they're all people.

edit: spoke to and roomed with RMS at a con, once. He got the floor, I got the bed.

[Anomalous]

David Pogue, at BMUG in Berkeley before it closed down.

[denim]

Originally posted by Montanan:
Anyhow, I answered the phone one morning and the voice on the other end said, "Hello, this is Jane Fonda!"

"I guess someone had to be," or "I'm sorry" perhaps more to the point.

[nonhuman]

Originally posted by Axo1ot1:
2. I grew up with George Zimmer's kid (the guy that owns the Men's Wearhouse and does all the "I guarantee it" ads)

Oh right, me too. It just never occured to me to count the Men's Wearhouse guy as famous...

[denim]

Originally posted by cms:
Used to be a journo in Asia in the '80s, so met lots of famous people as they passed through on tour. Elton John, the Clash, Siouxsie and the Banshees, David Sylvian, Bauhaus, Depeche Mode, John Farnham, Carlos Santana, Tom Jones, to name but a few.

Hadn't thought of musicians. I spoke with Arlo Guthrie last year after a concert, but it wasn't really "chatting" as much as "fanboy meets legend", if you follow me.

[chris v]

Originally posted by denim:
Hadn't thought of musicians. I spoke with Arlo Guthrie last year after a concert, but it wasn't really "chatting" as much as "fanboy meets legend", if you follow me.

Wow. He was really that much in awe of you?

CV

[denim]

Originally posted by chris v:
Wow. He was really that much in awe of you?

"Patient", was more likely the word. We'd just had them out for something like 3 or 4 encores.

And he would not do Alice's Restaurant. Can't really blame him, I guess. Anyway, as I understand it, he lives around here somewhere, a bit further into the boonies.

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

Well I dated the guy from naked news. Before he went on that show though.

[oryx93]

lesse....

I once played pool with Dave Grohl and shared a pitcher of beer with him. That was tres cool. His girlfriend was also there but I can't remember her name (I think she's a famous snowboarder).

I also met Andie MacDowell in a restaraunt in Sorrento, Italy. We literally just chose a hole-in-the-wall for a quick bite, and there she was, eating with some friends. We sat next to her table, and next thing you know, we were all talking. The one thing that I remember from it was that she had horrible smokers breath and her teeth were pretty gross!!

[wdlove]

I forgot that I met and spoke with Bob Levitus, "Dr. Mac" at MWNY '02. Attended his class on shareware for Mac OS X. I'm one of those along with my wife that wore his icon tattoo on our forehead. For wearing the tattoo at MWNY we won an autographed copy of his book "The OS X Files." Bob took a photo of us for poof to his friends!

[capuchin]

Catherine Zeta-Jones. On a train. About nine years ago - while "The Darling Buds of May" was still showing. She popped out of first class for a smoke, and we chatted amiably about this and that for about twenty minutes. Really sweet, at least, back then...

Oh, and I helped Douglas Adams get his powerbook working, but didn't talk with him much. He was irritable. I did my job and didn't bother the man.

[William_F_House]

Geez....how much time ya got?

[gorickey]

*Jerry Springer back when he was the hottest thing on TV (sad, huh?)...

*George Brett....

*Will Shields...

My brother however has shaken Michael Jordan's hand and been within his personal business office in Chicago doing marketing business for the Tribune...pretty sweet deal, too bad he isn't a sports fan though.

[boardsurfer]

I cant believe I forgot about the legend Tony Gwynn. I was in line at Fry's and he got in line behind me. I didnt even notice until he said something to a guy he was with. The voice is unmistakable (if you live in SD and hear it regularly). I said hi and shook his hand. Told him that he was my son's favorite player and calls his name when we go to Padre games. His hands were a little full so I didnt ask for the autograph.

[SupahCoolX]

I was visiting my uncle in the Hamptons (rich part of Long Island, NY) and I met Pele buying a TV in a Caldor store.
I've also met a few wrestlers before/after events (John Cena, William Regal, among others).

[Face Ache]

Originally posted by wdlove:
President George H. W. Bush in 1980 during the campaign for President when he was the sitting VP...

...I shook his hand, still gives me goose bumps.

Yeah it would give me chills too.

[lawgeek]

Most of the famous (at least to me) people I've talked to have been backstage after concerts they've given. Some of the most famous ones include Murray Perahia and Michael Tilson Thomas.

[Jansar]

I was the water boy for the NHL all star team during the 1994 strike, so I got to meet all of the greats.

On another note, I had almost an hour conversation with Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Pretty cool, eh?

I'll be famous soon, so if you all meet me soon enough, you can start another one of these forums and put my name in it.

[ThisGuy]

Drank beers and wine with Gene
Drank beers and got high with Carter The Unstopable Sex Machine
Played pool and drank beers with Death in Vegas
Drank bers and played pool and Golden Tee with Dieter Moebius
Denis Rodman at Borders Books

So who here is the person who is related to someone REALLY famous? Or, who is the REALLY famous person he/she is related to?

[NeXTLoop]

I met Woody Harrelson once. I live in South Dakota, and was coming home from a visit to Kentucky. When my wife and I got off the plane and walked out of the airport, there he was, standing there and talking with people who were passing by. I went up, introduced myself, and got not only his autograph, but also a picture with him, myself, my wife, and our friend who was picking us up, in it.

He came across as one of the most down-to-earth guys you could meet. Not at all imposing like a lot of stars have reputations as being.