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mojo2 · Jul 18, 2005, 01:04 AM

You may be rich and famous in your own right. I don't care. I want to know of your experiences with people who EVERYBODY knows. Rich or Famous. Rich AND Famous. Either way.

Tell us the person and the STORY. The more the merrier. If you only have one, that's great. If you have dozens, list each one separately if they are long but you can group the short ones together.

I'll start.

Dr. Martin Luther King was in my city leading SOME kind of protest or boycott or voter registration or something. I was a kid and there was a small crowd of people at the church across the street from the candy store I frequented. The owner suggested I go across the street and say hi to Dr. King because it would be something I'd remember all my life.

He was right. I did and I have.

Shook hands with him, too.

I have many brushes with celebrity but this is the greatest.

Now yours.

dillerX · 01:10 AM

Ricki Lake is my love child.

tooki · Jul 18, 2005, 01:17 AM

I saw John Waters once at his favorite watering hole here in Baltimore. (And I had this response in mind before I even saw the Ricki Lake reference.) I didn't talk to him.

And I was 6 feet away from Steve Jobs at Macworld NY 2000. I didn't get a chance to talk to him, alas. I think Phil Schiller was nearby, too. But I did chat with David Pogue, Andy Ihnatko and Ted Landau. (If only briefly with the last two.)

tooki

Zimphire · Jul 18, 2005, 05:55 AM

I met Henry Rollins once.

mojo2 · Jul 18, 2005, 06:56 AM

Originally Posted by tooki

I saw John Waters once at his favorite watering hole here in Baltimore. (And I had this response in mind before I even saw the Ricki Lake reference.) I didn't talk to him.

And I was 6 feet away from Steve Jobs at Macworld NY 2000. I didn't get a chance to talk to him, alas. I think Phil Schiller was nearby, too. But I did chat with David Pogue, Andy Ihnatko and Ted Landau. (If only briefly with the last two.)

tooki

Yeah, I noticed the seeming connection with the Ricki Lake post and I think it's just one of the many miracles, small and not so (that we tend to dismiss) that play out in our lives almost daily. lol

Randy Crawford sat next to me in the Hollywood Free Clinic many years ago and was all excited that she'd just gotten a recording contract that week (obviously the money hadn't reached her yet) I wouldn't have known her from Eve had she not told me I'd be hearing of her and to remember her name.

She was right.

For those who don't know Randy Crawford sang "Street Life."

http://music.yahoo.com/track/1233993

And, no, I don't know what her ailment was. Even in the Free Clinic there's respect for the privacy of others.

Eug Wanker · Jul 18, 2005, 08:03 AM

I met mojo2 once. He let me kiss his ring after I donated $1000 to "the cause".

Shaddim · Jul 18, 2005, 09:59 AM

I've met a few, some are decent, some aren't.

Hung out with Maynard K a few times. He came over to the house for the weekend to talk, we have very similar interests. Hell of a guy.

Mario Van Peebles, a$$hole. `nuff said.

Jimmy Buffett, a very gracious host. Went to a private party he threw at his beach (on Stock Island, which is next to Key West).

Christian Slater, met him twice. Very funny fella, very vulgar.

First time was when I shared a cab with him in LA (imagine my surprise when he ran up and asked to share the cab

). Second time was at a seminar several years later, I was crushed that he didn't remember me.

Dolly Parton, very short (maybe 4'10"). They looked real from where I was standing.

Rush Limbaugh, nice guy, gave me a $50 A. Fuente. That was a while ago, before he quit smoking.

Alyson Hannigan and her hushand Alexis; she was very nice, he was a jerk.

and I have email correspondence with others, though I've not met them in person.

budster101 · Jul 18, 2005, 10:22 AM

Does the Pope count? Private meeting...ok semi private. I got a picture somewhere.

I've met a few other celebreties but I don't get all weird and ask for autographs or pictures. They are real people and no more. I just chat if the occasion arises, otherwise I don't bug them.

Mastrap · Jul 18, 2005, 10:24 AM

Sat next to Sean Connery in a restaurant, which kind of ruined the date I was on, accidentally bumped into Linda Evagelista and got a 'Oh, you're tall and lovely' from her. Which was nice.
Partied with Bjork before she became famous. Was friend with Michael Nyman's and Ringo Star's daughters.
There's more that I forgot about. When you live in London you're surrounded by famous people.

waxcrash · Jul 18, 2005, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by Zimphire

I met Henry Rollins once.

You're a liar.

iLikebeer · Jul 18, 2005, 10:27 AM

Seen lots and lots in Park City, especially during Sundance Film Fest. But the one that will always stand out is Gwyneth Paltrow.....working out at the hotel exercise room at 7AM. Heh, several of us young kids working at the hotel just staring at perfection through that little window. Probably kind of creepy if she had noticed us, but

she looked good. Wouldn't have mattered anyways, the security guy was the one that called us over on the radio.

Tony Danza used to drink at Mulligans occasionally. Played doubles pool against Forest Whitaker there once.
Most actors tend to be pretty short, but Willem DeFoe could play Halfy in a live action South Park. He seemed like a pretty good guy though.
Emilio Estevez tried to buy some weed off one of the activities guys.

budster101 · Jul 18, 2005, 10:33 AM

We get a lot of celebs in Chicago.

I remember speaking with one a while back, and this guy walks up to us and just busts into the conversation like he was a part of it, and she let him have it. It was funny. I think celebs mostly want to be treated like anyone on the street, because when you break it down, that's what they are. That's just my own limited experience though.

budster101 · Jul 18, 2005, 10:33 AM

Oh, I did play a game of darts with a famous Blues Singer and Band once too.

Edit: Too lazy to edit..

mojo2 · Jul 18, 2005, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by Eug Wanker

I met mojo2 once. He let me kiss his ring after I donated $1000 to "the cause".

Yeah but you left so quickly I didn't have a chance to tell you I was just f-in with you, man! Partied the grand away, though. Everybody left happy and asked me to thank you if I ever got the chance.

So, here's to YOU Eug!

ManOfSteal · Jul 18, 2005, 10:49 AM

I've met Rickey Henderson...oh wait, you said "rich and/or famous"...nevermind.

mojo2 · Jul 18, 2005, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by ManOfSteal

I've met Rickey Henderson...oh wait, you said "rich and/or famous"...nevermind.

Hey, Rickey Henderson qualifies ANY way you look at it!

Rich. Famous. Talented. Record Setting. MVP. Played on World Champion teams. Long Career. First Ballot Hall of Famer.

Doofy · Jul 18, 2005, 11:01 AM

Brush with the famous?

Me: "Hello"
Ronnie James: looks up, gives a "hang on a minute, I'm brushing my teeth" hand signal.

True story that.

wdlove · Jul 18, 2005, 11:08 AM

Rev. Franklin Graham spoke at our church, got to shake his hand.

I also was about six feet away from Steve Jobs at MWNY in 2002, looks a though that will never happen again.

 · Jul 18, 2005, 11:21 AM

Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky. I've met many more, but those are the two that I actually care about - the rest of them were (and the majority of celebrities are) ordinary people that just got lucky.

ManOfSteal · Jul 18, 2005, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by mojo2

Hey, Rickey Henderson qualifies ANY way you look at it!

Rich. Famous. Talented. Record Setting. MVP. Played on World Champion teams. Long Career. First Ballot Hall of Famer.

Well said.

mojo2 · Jul 18, 2005, 11:38 AM

Ok. Here's another one.

I called the ABC TV Network in Los Angeles and asked to speak with Ernie Anderson whose career was really extraordinary. You might recognize the voice on the old ABC promos for 70's - 90's TV shows like "the Fallllll Guy!" and America's Funniest Home Videos as the staff announcer. He was also the announcer for the Carol Burnett Show.

Well, that's not REALLY famous. But if you grew up in Cuyahoga County in the 1960's you'll know that Ernie Anderson was the late Friday night and Saturday afternoon and Saturday night local TV horror movie host, Ghoulardi!

There's never been a bigger and more well known and loved local TV personality than he.

To give you an idea of how big he really was, he was the FIRST (and for several years the only) local TV personality in ANY city making more than a million dollars a year...in the 1960's!

Soon, his friend, Tim Conway lured him to Hollywood and there he remained until his death in the late 1990's I think it was.

But I called him up on a lark and he answered and we had a nice 5 minute chat about the old days and I have to tell you I was like a little kid again.

I had a personal chat with GHOULARDI!!!

Not QUITE as good as meeting Dr. King, but it's up there!

Eug Wanker · Jul 18, 2005, 11:41 AM

Some guy in Bermuda just walked up to my friend and started talking to him about their kids. (Their kids were playing by each other on the beach.)

They talked a while, and then the guy left. Then my friend noticed his housekeeper was waving and freaking out. It turns out the guy was Michael Douglas, and his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones was sitting at the side of the beach. They have a place in Bermuda.

BTW, Laura Bertram of Andromeda fame used to work at my local bike store in the summers when she wasn't on TV. It was always amusing to see the male teenage sales geeks get all tongue-tied when she asked them a question or whatever.

I found it a bit odd that a working TV local celeb would be doing low-pay sales drone jobs, but I guess it was just something to do when off season. I suppose it was in the neighbourhood, cuz I've seen her at the local grocery store too.

Zimphire · Jul 18, 2005, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by waxcrash

You're a liar.

Nope, it was in 1991. The Rollins Band was opening up for Jane's Addiction.

Before the show, he was just walking around.

Nice guy.

Shaddim · Jul 18, 2005, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by Zimphire

Nope, it was in 1991. The Rollins Band was opening up for Jane's Addiction.

Before the show, he was just walking around.

Nice guy.

I think he was referring to the song.

mojo2 · Jul 18, 2005, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by MacNStein

I think he was referring to the song.

nice pickup, mac.

link to lyrics for those who'd care...

http://dag.wieers.com/personal/lyrics/Liar.php

waxcrash · Jul 18, 2005, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by Zimphire

Nope, it was in 1991. The Rollins Band was opening up for Jane's Addiction.

Before the show, he was just walking around.

Nice guy.

I was referring to the song.

I remember that show. I saw it when it came to Chicago. Lollapalooza - Jane's Addiction, Rollins Band, NIN, Ice-T with Body Count, Siouxsie and The Banshees, Living Colour, Butthole Surfers, Fishbone.

boardsurfer · Jul 18, 2005, 01:29 PM

Tony Dorsett sat on me. My aunt worked for soem kinda marketing place, he was doing a photo shoot and she invited me there. I was sitting on a small couch watching and he came over and plopped down pretty much right on me.
Lorenzo Neal is a friend of the family. Very cool guy.

BlueSky · Jul 18, 2005, 01:33 PM

John Wayne: A pal and I coming down the escalator in a dept. store..."Hello Mr. Wayne"..."Wellll, hello boyyys".

Elke Sommer: I was a waiter at a dinner theatre where Elke was perfroming. After the play she was seated at one of my tables. I was new at waiting, too nervous, gave the table to someone else.

Leonard Nimoy: Same dinner theatre, "Hello Mr. Nimoy", "Hey there". Resisted giving him the vulcan sign.

Patricia Nixon: In a dept. store.

John Lennon: He and Yoko were doing their "concept art" thing at a museum. Only saw him from 20-30 feet away, noticed his hair was redder than it looks in pictures.

Gary Marshall (Announcer for "Laugh-In") (Yeah, I know): Was working at my first job at a Pier One in Laguna Beach, He came in and was impressed by some of the artsy fartsy signs I had around the store. Gave me his business card, told me to get in touch when I got something going art-wise. Card said "Gary Marshall, Nepotism Director, KNBC.

Was crossing a street on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Looked to the right and noticed the guy in the Mercedes was some popular actor...big beefy guy/white hair/don't know his name, but you'd recognize him if you saw him. I smiled and waved, he looked at me, confused, until he apparently remembered he was a semi-celebrity and smiled/waved back.

Saw Susan Day George the same day but who the hell cares.

Shaddim · Jul 18, 2005, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by Bluesky

John Wayne: A pal and I coming down the escalator in a dept. store..."Hello Mr. Wayne"..."Wellll, hello boyyys".

dude, I'm so jealous.

Paco500 · Jul 18, 2005, 02:26 PM

Wow- I've had a lot.

Met Ned Beatty at a family reunion when I was a kid. He's married to a distant cousin.

Met/Waited on the following while working in a fancy-pants kitchen store in the Hamptons:
Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley
Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgewick
Roy Scheider
Kury Vonnegot
Paul Simon
Al Pacino

Got back stage and hung out with the Proclaimers (moderately famous in the early 90's).

Not teribly famous, but got quite drunk sitting at a bar and talking to Thomas Hedley, the guy that co-wrote flashdance with Joe Esterhaus (although each claim the other did nothing and he was responsible for it's brilliance). This was a wild night- the guy has clearly done not much of note since, and was really hanging on to this- It was a least 10 years after the movie and he was in this bar going on and on about it to some 19 year old kid. It was a hoot.

Went to Elementary and Middle school with Nancy Thurmond, the daughter of Strom Thurmond. As a result I met him, John Glenn and some other Senators I don't remember. Sadly, Nancy was hit and killed by a drunk driver in college. Beautiful girl.

Hung out with Jerry Brown during his '92 presidential campaign- I was good friends with his nephew. He's a crazy as they say.

Cornered and talked to Dick Gephardt at a Food Lion in Sterling, VA.

That's all I can think of now.

Oisín · Jul 18, 2005, 02:29 PM

Hung out a bit with Sigur Rós, Amina, and efterklang (the latter might not be particular well-known) after the Sigur Rós gig in Copenhagen last Saturday.

I've also met all kinds of famous people when I was a kid, due to my granddad's working at Nordisk Film where they filmed lots of tv shows that occasionally had people like Paul McCartney, Take That, Cliff Richard, etc. playing. Don't think I ever met anyone there who I'd really like to meet again, though (not because they were bastards—most of them were very nice—but because most of them were the type of artists I don't care much for, at least not anymore).

JoshuaZ · Jul 18, 2005, 02:36 PM

I got a hand shake from John Glen a few years back. I also got to meet Tom Brokaw, who is from South Dakota (back when I worked there).

Bruce Campbell come to the B&N where I worked... only I was working at my college IT depo for a while that summer and missed it. Completely.

SimeyTheLimey · Jul 18, 2005, 03:23 PM

Probably Lech Walesa would be the one I was most impressed by. I was in Poland for an Army exercise when he was president. I can't say I really "met" him though. Slight language barrier.

I used to know a bunch of generals, but most of you probably wouldn't know them. Also some diplomats who you occasionally see on TV (e.g. Robert Gallucci), but you probably don't know them.

Met Quentin Crisp at a book signing in Washington, DC. I also ran into Sylvia Rivera at a club, but most of you probably don't know who she was. I have met a few politicians. I found myself in line behind Newt Gingrich last year, met Bob and Elizabeth Dole, Sonny Montgomery, John Ashcroft, Susan Collins, Justice Ginsberg, James Schlesinger, ran into but didn't get to talk to King (then Prince) Abdullah. I have met Crown Prince Phillipe of Spain several times. Maybe there are others, I can't remember. I also see other people about town quite a bit. I almost ran over Mark Shields a few months ago. He jaywalked in front of me. I've seen Clarence Page several times at the deli near my office. I almost literally ran into Fareed Zakaria last year. I would have said hello, but he was running to get a cab.

Back in England I was in the presence of Maggie Thatcher when she was PM, but didn't really meet her. I got a pass to go into Downing Street. She posed for me as she greeted the Prime Minister of Thailand, and that was it. I did meet the then Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson (not to be confused with Nigella Lawson), John Gummer (knew him quite well), Jeffrey Archer (who was a dick), and Roy Jenkins posed for a portrait (a perfect gentleman). Oh, and when I was a kid I met Prince Philip, but I don't remember it. I do remember meeting Joyce Grenfell though. But how many of you know who she was?

And I also forgot. I met one of the dwarfs from Time Bandits. He lived in the town I grew up in. So did Griff Rhys Jones.

Oh yes, best of all, I met the FBI sniper from Ruby Ridge and Waco.

I don't know his name though. He's a friend of a friend.

Zimphire · Jul 18, 2005, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by waxcrash

I remember that show. I saw it when it came to Chicago. Lollapalooza - Jane's Addiction, Rollins Band, NIN, Ice-T with Body Count, Siouxsie and The Banshees, Living Colour, Butthole Surfers, Fishbone.

It was before Lollapalooza. It was just Jane's and the Rollins band.

SVass · Jul 18, 2005, 03:54 PM

I went to a meeting at CALL APPLE where Mike Markkula pitched his product.

I also was walking in DC when a limo parade pulled up directly across the street so I stopped and watched. Several people jumped out of one of the cars and I reached into my shirt pocket for a cigarette. One of the guys watching reached into his jacket and stared at me. I took my hand out without the cigarette and watched JFK get out and go into a hotel. sam

karent · Jul 18, 2005, 04:03 PM

I could have been Princess Leia. But my dad didn't date Debbie Reynolds long enough...

My husband and I were eating in Little Italy in B'more after an O's game several years ago. Suddenly the room breaks out in applause and in walk Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner. They were seated next to us and even admired my husbands muscles, I mean mussles.

Railroader · Jul 18, 2005, 04:29 PM

Mojo Nixon. We were going to a Dead Milkmen concert and Mojo Nixon was opening. Before the show we went to eat at Top Dog in East Lansing and he sat down with us to ask us what was good on the menu. He was by himself so we invited him to eat with us. He accepted and we all had a great time. Later on at the concert he thanked us and dedicated "Elvis is Everywhere" to us.

legacyb4 · Jul 18, 2005, 04:34 PM

I've seen and shaken hands with Konishiki (famous Japanese sumo wrestler) as well as Hulk Hogan in random spots in Tokyo.

SimeyTheLimey · Jul 18, 2005, 06:24 PM

I knew I was forgetting one. I kind of met Ted Heath (who died today). He had me thrown out of a press pit I had infiltrated at the 1985 Tory Party Conference trying to get closer to get better photographs. He guessed (correctly) that I didn't really have a press pass and had me thrown out.

I'll never forget his glare.

Oh yes, and I met Carol Thatcher (daughter of the PM) at the same conference, only I didn't know who she was at the time. She was annoyed because I took a picture of her snoozing during a really boring debate.

ghporter · Jul 18, 2005, 07:18 PM

I met Buzz Aldrin at a (curiously underattended) book signing. We had our son with us-he was 9 or 10 then-and of course we bought his book. There was NO prior publicity, which may be why nobody was crowding around. But the people who were there kind of looked and said "Buzz who?" Their loss.

Same place, I SAW Tom Clancy, and that was all anyone could do because of the ENORMOUS LINE to get his book signed.

Again, same place, David Hackworth was signing books, and we passed as he was walking out for a break. "Hi, Col Hackworth!" "Hi sergeant, how's it going?" That was about 9 or so months before he passed away.

I met the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen Richard Meyers about a year and a half ago. Nice guy. Tall. VERY tall, particularly for a fighter pilot.

I met James Doohan and George Takei at a (very early) Star Trek convention in Detroit-about 1974 or so. At the same convention I met Natalie Trundy, the only actor other than Roddy McDowel to appear in 4 of the 5 "Planet of the Apes" movies.

Oh, and I sat about three seats away from then Texas governor Mark White at a performance of Fiddler on the Roof in Austin.

That's all I can think of right now. I'm sure I'm forgetting several.

nonhuman · Jul 18, 2005, 10:35 PM

Kirsten Dunst was in my 2nd grade class. In 3rd and 4th grade she was in the other class. Ranney School in Tinton Falls, NJ in case you're curious.

I also met the president of Toyota. He probably doesn't count.

There's probably all sorts of others that I just didn't notice. I came very close to meeting Pierce Brosnan and Rowan Atkinson (would have met Pierce but I declined to go for a run with my uncle, Rowan I would have met but didn't go to dinner with my family that night...).

waxcrash · Jul 18, 2005, 10:46 PM

A few times every year, I'll see Harold Ramis sitting outside of the Starbucks in the morning. Everyone leaves him alone and respects his privacy.

dcmacdaddy · Jul 18, 2005, 11:08 PM

I met Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Kahn/Vinton Cerf through work.

I met a lot of other big-name computer pioneers through work. Met the guy who invented the computer mouse and saw his original device--It was a big cube made of cherry wood. He was kinda crusty old coot, though.

I met Al Gore (very briefly, didn't even get a handshake) through work when he was Veep.

For you guitarists I met Paul Reed Smith when he was doing a program at the museum with G.E. Smith. They are both very cool, down-to-earth guys.

I saw Sonny Bono with his kids coming out of a photo store on Wisconsin Avenue in Georgetown. Meh . . .

I've seen George Stephanopolous and James Carville when they were out running (not together, though).

I'll add more as I think of them.

budster101 · Jul 18, 2005, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by dcmacdaddy

I met Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Kahn/Vinton Cerf through work.

I met a lot of other big-name computer pioneers through work. Met the guy who invented the computer mouse and saw his original device--It was a big cube made of cherry wood. He was kinda crusty old coot, though.

I met Al Gore (very briefly, didn't even get a handshake) through work when he was Veep.

For you guitarists I met Paul Reed Smith when he was doing a program at the museum with G.E. Smith. They are both very cool, down-to-earth guys.

I saw Sonny Bono with his kids coming out of a photo store on Wisconsin Avenue in Georgetown. Meh . . .

I've seen George Stephanopolous and James Carville when they were out running (not together, though).

I'll add more as I think of them.

Can't wait...

Zimphire · Jul 18, 2005, 11:17 PM

Oh, and I met Vinnie Moore.

greenG4 · Jul 18, 2005, 11:28 PM

I met and performed with Dino Kartsonakis once. (Well-known pianist.) Very cool for me. Might not be impressive to others, though.

deej5871 · Jul 19, 2005, 12:18 AM

When I was on a trip to DC, my dad and I were walking down the street and saw this crowd of people (about 10) crowded around this car. We go over to investigate, and we see Rob Lowe getting into this limo, waving at the fans. Only celebrity I ever met, unless you count my uncle (was a Congressman) and Senator Mike DeWine.

However, my dad apparently met and interviewed William Shatner once, in the 70's I believe. According to him Shatner is a real asshole.

Cubeoid · Jul 19, 2005, 12:24 AM

Cubeoid · Jul 19, 2005, 12:25 AM

Oh..and my cousin went to school with one of the children from the popular mid 90s family sitcom "Home Improvement"

GSixZero · Jul 19, 2005, 01:12 AM

I walked up to John Connors, the CFO of Microsoft, and asked for a job. He was impressed and said if I emailed him he'd guarantee to get me an interview. I did, and never heard back from him, or his people. Maybe that's why I'm a Mac guy now.

My roommate took music appreciation with Duff McKegan (the bassest) from Guns and Roses. This was like two or three years ago.