We posted THIS the other day. Part of the query was asking if you have met a celebrity.
It got me thinking that in my life I’ve met a fair share. I think “met” has to be that you talked to the person or had at least a passing engagement, shook hands, etc.
Ralph Kiner once stepped on my foot. Does that mean I met him? Maybe.
But, also, how far down the totem pole do we go on what constitutes a “celebrity”?
I ran into Sy Sperling once and we exchanged hellos. Is he really a celebrity, though? I didn’t know quite who he was until I sat down later on. l thought he might have been a high school teacher I had. We were at a club in Long Island called Governor’s. Jay Leno was the headliner.
And there are people I’ve spoken to on the phone at length, but never met them, and I think that counts more than getting your foot stepped on.
I talked at length on the phone with Dick Martin of Rowan & Martin. I’ve talked a lot to Tammy Bruce on the phone, but never met her. And I’m friends with Shane Barbi but never met her.
I shook hands with Richard Nixon when I was 12. That was weird.
One thing, before we launch into this post, I would like to say that on a scale of 1-10 of how much I am starstruck when meeting celebrities is about a zero, unless I really like them. My tendency, for some reason, is to almost have a reverse starstruck reaction, and I’m often kinda rude.
Quick story. I’m at Yankee Stadium with Hippie Critic and this dude stands up between innings stretching his back and turns around to face the crowd. It was Paul Gleason, who obviously was begging to be recognized. I had an aisle seat. An inning or so later who comes walking up the steps? Gleason. I tap Hippie on the foot.
As Gleason passes I stick my arm out and say, “oh, wow, you’re that guy… ” and he smiles, probably thinking I want an autograph. But before he could blow me off I said, “hey, if you’re going to the snack bar, can you bring me a pretzel? Thanks.”
He looked pissed.
So how do we do this thread? Maybe categories?
Sports:
– Played a ten dollar 9-hole nassau with Lawrence Taylor. That was unexpected and sorta fun.
-Sat next to Len Berman at the 1990 All-Star game at Wrigley Field and he did the play-by-play for my home video. That was cool.
-Played in a baseball game with John Stearns in an over-30 league. Stole a base while he was catcher, and got a single when he pitched.
-And I sorta punked Mookie Wilson, as a joke. I asked my brother to take a picture of me and my mother and father with Mookie. Then I asked my father to take a picture of me, my brother and mother and Mookie. Then I asked my mother to take a picture of me, my father and my brother and Mookie. Then I asked an exasperated Mookie if he would take a picture of me, my brother and father and mother. He was doing it when I stopped him and said, “c’mon Mookie, that is silly. That makes no sense.”
I’m an asshole.
Music:
-Billy Idol played a private birthday party for my friend at the China Club in Manhattan. He was pretty stoned or drunk.
-Got Fee Waybill of The Tubes to say J*** R***** Sucks on a video because I had a running feud with some guy who idolized Waybill and the Tubes. I posted it on a large email thread. I am proud of that one. There is no real comeback for that one.
-Played Balderdash with Ace Frehley. He accused me of giving him bad roasted peppers to put on his sandwich, which caused diarrhea— but had nothing at all to do with the fact that he’s a raging drunk.
-Went to a NAMM show and spotted Eddie Jobson wandering halls, and followed him into a room where he tried out, I think, a Trident keyboard. That was cool. At the very same show I heard someone playing in a small room and it sounded great. I went in. It was Stevie Wonder playing by himself with some handler dude sitting on a chair bored out of his mind.
I got his autograph.
Okay, that part is a joke. But the rest is true.
Comedy:
-I did posters for a theater, and got comped and got to meet some of the acts. Went backstage with Irony Curtain and his family to meet Brian Regan. We talked for a bit.
-Sat with Carol Leifer at a table in a restaurant before her set and talked a bit. She was pretty friendly.
–Frank D’Amico was a friend. The 400 pound comic had one of the greatest opening stand-up lines ever.
“Hey. Hi. (long pause… look pensive) I’ve been going through some stages lately.”
Let’s hear some stories in the comments.
Say goodnight, Dick.
Met Imogene Coca (Grindle) at the Sullivan Theater in Sullivan Illinois. She and her husband were the most gracious people that existed. Was a personal friend of Jean Resher (Jean Tolley) silent film star in Ft Lauderdale Florida. She was a blessing to humanity.
Goodnight Dick.
Met Alec Baldwin, his wife and baby in an elevator at the Kahala Mandarin in Hawaii. Chatted with his wife about the baby and he chimed in but I didn’t really address him.
Actually saw him on the beach the day before when we were in swimming. I was going to ask him if anyone had ever told him that he looked like Alec Baldwin. Wasn’t sure it was him. But the real Alec Baldwin had a reputation for being difficult with strangers so I decided not to risk it Was surprised the next day in the elevator.
Met Red skeleton when I was eight in Palm springs when we were eating breakfast. Got his autograph too,
Now I’m over the hill and I couldn’t care less. Most of them just want to be left along and I’m good with that. That and understanding what jerks a lot of them have become or were.
I actually met Sean Connery and the guy actually apologized to me. they were filming a movie in so Cal and him and his stunt driver came flying down the rock driveway i worked at sliding sideways then realized that road was a dead end… all the patrol cars guiding them knew but they didn’t. I jumped of the forklift I was on and they rolled by slow and he stuck his hand out the window and shook my hand… said something like shit sorry man our bad… big shit eating grin… lol. RIP Man!
/Salute
I was on his show and met Blinkey the Clown in Denver. Probably not much of a celebrity is you ain’t 5 years old and living in Denver…..
I shook hands with Joe Louis at some sort of little league football meet and greet when I was 12….
In 1978 I was a pot smoking college student working a short gig with Pinkerton security at the 1978 US open at Cherry Hills….I finally wormed my way to having the key to the outhouse between the 9th green and the tenth tee…Pros only and I ENFORCED it….LOL….Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Andy North etc. all took a leak thanks to my benevolence….
Met a guy that had “A5714” tattooed on his arm in high school. Will never forget. :'(
KR
Met Doug Flutie at Buffalo Bills training camp. I shook his hand and he autographed my hat.
I met / hosted an event for President Ronald Reagan, one of my best memories. Nancy was also there
Had to look up the tattoo. Robert Clary. Hogan’s Heroes.
That’s pretty neat.
My first celeb encounter was when I was 5 or 6. Clint Walker at a boat show in Long Beach. Reports are he hoisted me over his head and said some cowboy shit. I still love watching Cheyenne.
Many many many years later, Golds Gym, Lahaina. I st started loading up the one and only squat rack in the place and this big ass black guy asks me if he can work in. Magic Johnson. Right before he announced he was cured of aids. Freaken lean. We ended up doing an entire leg routine together. Super nice guy.
Our next trip to Maui I ran into David Hasselhoff in the resort gym around midnight. Drunker than a skunk. I doubt he would remember that memorable occasions.
The first celebrity I met was Jamie Lee Curtis a zillion years ago. She was unbelievably gorgeous in person. I met her again about four years ago, and I wouldn’t fuck her with your dick.
I’VE HAD MANY, GREW UP WITH A FEW, BUT THE MOST ENJOYABLE WAS AN ENCOUNTER WITH WALTER MATTHAU DOWN ON THE PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY BELOW PACIFIC PALISADES
THE RAINS HAD CAUSED SLIDES ACROSS THE PCH, SO THERE WAS ZERO TRAFFIC, IT WAS JUST WALT AND MYSELF, HE WAS WALKING HIS BIG SHEEPDOG(?), AND I (WHO WAS ABOUT TO DO MY 5 MILE RUN TO THE SANTA MONICA PIER AND BACK), SAID “GOOD MORNING, WALT!!
HE REPLIED “GOOD MORNING TO YOU!! ISN’T IT GREAT THAT THE MUDSLIDES HAVE SHUT OFF THE HIGHWAY SO THAT WE COULD ENJOY THIS BY OURSELVES?? IT’S A BEAUTIFUL MORNING!!”
ALL I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHILE HE WAS TALKING WAS OF HIS GREAT PERFORMANCES IN HELLO DOLLY, ODD COUPLE, ETC….A REALLY REALLY GOOD MAN
WHEN HE COLLAPSED AT HIS HOME IN PP, JACK LEMMON WAS BY HIS SIDE AND ASKED “ARE YOU COMFORTABLE, WALT??”
“I MAKE A GOOD LIVING” WAS WALT’S REPLY
I don’t believe I’ve met any celebrities. I’m thinking we don’t go to the same places.
I met Pete Fountain as a kid. My Great Uncle played with him in an orchestra near or after WWII…..I had no clue how great he was for years to come. My Uncle and Pete talked about some guy named Al Hirt…
A heck of a lot of Canadian NHL hockey players. At least 50-60 of them.
All very good, & down to earth guys. Had a few drinks with a few of them.
One of the nicest American Players I met was Mike Modano at a charity. We had a friendly conversation. He was absolutely the smoothest skater I ever saw. He barely moved but was so efficient that he flew from a standing start to faster than anyone i ever saw.
OH, I FORGOT..
I EXERCISED POLO HORSES AT WILL ROGERS STATE PARK AS A YOUNG TEEN, AND KATHERINE ROSS RODE THOSE TRAILS WITH ME A FEW TIMES
SHE WAS GOOD WITH HORSES
DAMN, SHE WAS SOOOO CUTE!!!
Met Roy Rogers in Alaska
when he was going bear hunting
many moons ago
Before Carrie Underwood became famous, she would sing at our car shows. Caravanned back from a car show with musician Jimmy Vaughn. Gave a ride to Candy Clark (American Grafitti) from her motel to sign autographs. Met car cusomizers George Barris, Gene Winfield, Darrell Starbird, and many others. Some of the Dallas Cowboys would come to the restoration shop in the late 80s/early 90s. Talked with BHF in an email.
I was part of a chorus group that sang with the Carpenters when they came to my hometown, New Orleans,to sing back ground for “Sing (sing a song)”. My best friend’s mom was part of a music club that was tasked with finding kids to sing back up for their concert. I wanted no part, but my mom made me. I was 14. my favorite music was Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens, CSNY, James Taylor. It wasn’t a horrible experience, I figured no one I knew, besides my friend, would see me there. Richard, was so kind and sweet to us. We didn’t meet Karen until we were on stage. She held the microphone up to me ! “What is your name?” ugh. it was mortifying. Next day at school, one of my classmates, “was that you on stage last night with the Carpenters?!?”. I swore her to secrecy! Now, looking back on it, all of the musicians i favored were/are communists! I like the Carpenters now, and it was a tragedy that Karen died not long after. Anyway….young and stupid.
by the way, I was a 6. possibly a 5 on the quiz. A 5 because I’m pretty sure I broke, or at least cracked my tail bone falling out of a car as it turned a corner (the door wasn’t closed all the way) . lol, it hurt for YEARS.
Rickles had a show in the 70’s, CPO Sharkey. Sharkey’s boss was a buck toothed guy that Sharkey always mimicked behind his back. I saw him in a store at mall in Albuquerque. Ok, that’s a reach.
Had to meet a builder customer west of OKC, near Yukon, at a quarter horse operation. It was Haymaker Farms, owned by Dale Robertson. I got to meet and visit with DR for a few minutes.
Grew up in same neighborhood as Buddy Holly, met his Dad and Mother.
Does coffee with BFH count?
Damn near got run over by Barry Goldwater’s limo tear assing out from under a stadium after a speech.
Met Bobby Knight at the gun shop.
I chatted a bit on the phone with Big Fur Hat a few years ago. Helluva nice guy.
I’ve been fortunate to have met a number of celebrities, the most rememberable one was on a flight from Atlanta to LaGuardia. I was sitting in last row of first class (traveled enough in the 90s to almost always get an upgrade) when an older lady sat next to me. She started a conversation about the book I was reading and we talked the entire flight. She was one of the nicest ladies and was very easy to talk with. When we were landing the stewardess gave me my coat, then “here is your coat Mrs Bombeck”. I did a neck turning double-take and she broke out laughing. She went on to thank me for talking with her, it was so nice taking with someone who was talking to her, not Erma Bombeck.
Met Miss America in…I don’t remember the year, maybe 1995. And the Niity Gritty Dirt Band. Some bestselling business authors who are celebrities in some circles: Jim Collins, John Maxwell,, Marcus Buckingham, Marshall Goldsmith.
My mother was hostess for Pizzeria Due in Chicago long before Pizzeria Uno franchised nationally. At 14, 15, and 16, I worked in the coatroom there. I met all the local news and radio personalities including Siskel and Ebert. I got to meet and talk to many others such as Mr. Rogers, Billy Joel and his wife Christy Brinkley (who kissed me on the cheek, by request, which was good for some 15 year old wood). Many sports stars whom I never gave a crap about or remembered. Elke Sommer, Phyllis Diller, John Astin, and many more. I had quite the autograph collection.
Toured the Vatican and met Pope John Paul II decades ago. He showed me his personal library of historical books. Great sense of humor, that one. In ’73, I dined with the Queen Elizabeth but declined an invitation to stay late, fortunately. Gave her a big hug, instead, which she seemed to cherish. Indian wrestled Ronald Reagan at his ranch and beat him. As the loser, he had to cook breakfast. It was good, but could have been better. Once gave a drunk Bill Murray a lift when his car broke down on the Ventura freeway. Ran into Barry Goldwater in an airport (can’t remember which) and told him he was getting a little soft. (There’s more but it’s pretty boring.)
Brett Saberhagen when he pitched in KC. Shaq O’Neill but from across the room so hardly counts. Man what a big, big dude! Dropped a foul ball hit by Bo Jackson during Spring Training when he played for the White Sox
Hadn’t thought about some of this in years. What a trip down memory lane
Paul Newman held the door open for me and my five year-old son at Slope’s BBQ in Roswell GA many years ago. We were coming out with a big to-go order, and he was going in. I said thank you and he said you’re welcome. That’s my only celeb encounter.
Not much to brag up here but once saw Hitchcock in his sports car in Hollywood.
Once was invited into the home of The Dartells in Oxnard.
My uncle worked for numerous studios and when my brother and I visited him and my aunt for the night, we slept under sheets marked ‘Los Angles Morgue’.
They offered my sister a hair brush from Marilyn Monroe.
I met Sandy Koufax when I was 12. I was a huge fan. Those were the days that Vin Scully used to announce when the Dodgers would be arriving home from a road trip. I begged my mom to take me to the airport to see them arrive – we only lived a couple miles away. The meeting was limited to me saying “Hi, Sandy” and him smiling and saying “Hi.”
Met and chatted with Charlie Pride at a golf tournament in San Diego.
Rode an elevator with Ray Charles and his handlers at a hotel in Las Vegas.
Met Michael Flatley multiple times when I was following his show. My husband and I and several other fans closed down a hotel bar near Wembley Stadium in London with some of the dancers from the show.
Silent Bob, Kevin Smith. Met him at a comic store in Little Falls, NJ. I was on a traveling sales crew, and was in NJ for a month. We hung out a bunch. 15 years later, I had my own crew, one of my guys talked to him in LA, and he remembered me. He invited us all to a BBQ.
We had another interaction, a few years later. Nothing will ever beat his generosity.
My friends and I ran into Carroll O’Connor the bigoted Archie Bunker on a NYC street corner and my friend asked for autograph and he said he doesn’t do that but he would speak with us a bit But he never made eye contact. I was not crazy aout him anyway but he was totally recognizable.
Yesterday I forgot about meeting Konrad Adenauer when i was somewhere around 8-10. he knew my Grandmother’s family, the Mampe liquor family. I just thought he was some wrinkly old guy.
Chatted with Bill Haley in the shop where i went to buy sheet music. The Comets were trying to make a come back. He was very congenial.
Had dinner with Vincent Price and Christine Jorgensen. I worked for the university newspaper, The Fountainhead, and got to go to dinner with some of the school hot shots. Price was 100% charming and spoke about his love of cooking. Jorgensen was very quiet, soft spoken and self-contained. We were to take Judy Collins to dinner but she wanted a McDonald’s hamburger and fries. As a lowly freshman I had the task of fetching her food. She was rude and ignored everyone except her own people. She still owes me for a burger and fries.
I had been elk hunting in the mountains north of Lake City, Co for days and finally went into town to take a break and grab something to eat. I was walking up the board plank sidewalk leading to Poker Alice Pizza Restaurant and passed a guy who had just come out of there. We exchanged greetings as we passed. When I walked into Poker Alice’s the girls were going nuts and hopping all around. They asked if I saw him and I asked, Who? They said it was Robert Redford. He was driving through and had stopped to get something to eat. I didn’t recognize him and it’s just as well as I wasn’t a big fan of his.
I shook the hand of a man who met Andy Griffith.
I sat next to Dr. Michael DeBakey on a flight to Omaha in the 70’s. I decided not to bother him as he was emersed in a huge book about heart surgery. He probably wrote it. One of his students saved my dad in 2000 at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston.
See myself in the mirror every day. Enough said.
I’ve done a number of commissions for notables, every one, lib or conservative was very congenial. Ran into the guy that played Mike in Breaking Bad at the gym, again, a very nice couple minutes. He was very self depreciating telling me his wife was going to get on him for indulging in the locally brewed ales.
And talking to the Hodge Twins backstage was a hoot. Great show and they showed not a whit of wanting to get the fook out of Dodge.
I smoked dope with Johnny Hopkins …
I grew up in Malibu and lived in Santa Monica, so way too many.
Drove a limo (just a few times), once with Woody Harrelson and a few of his friends. Horrible experience – left late to go to a U2 concert downtown, heavy traffic, and Woody kept asking ‘why aren’t we going faster Dan?’
Visited Mel Blanc in Pacific Palisades (HI BENITO!) when I was college age, friend of a friend lived next door. Mom made me bring him a bag of home-grown apricots.
I’m generally not tongue-tied, but once was when I asked Jennifer Grey, who occasionally came to my coffee shop, about her brother – because he was a classmate in elementary school. It was less about talking to her and more about bringing up an off-topic subject.
I’ve met numerous movie and TV celebrities when I lived in NYC and volunteered security at sci-fi conventions, but the one that stands out the most was meeting Sir Christopher Lee backstage at my first Fangoria convention.
I was performing a task for the con in one of the back rooms that happened to be where they would put the next guest appearing on stage in the main ballroom.
I tried to keep to myself and not bother the legendary star but he approached me and started a conversation. Nicest and most personable celebrity I ever met. I can say I met one of the great ones!
I HAD THE OCCASION TO BE Pat Robertson’s DRIVER DURING HIS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN MANY YEARS AGO. what A GENUINELY SINCERE AND CARING MAN. HIS FAITH IS REAL AND HIS LOVE FOR OTHERS IS SO EVIDENT. I TOOK HIM TO A LOCAL CIDER MILL WHERE HE BOUGHT 4 GALLONS OF FRESHLY PRESSED CIDER. GOD BLESS HIM AND ALL HE CONTRIBUTED TO OUT COUNTRY.
Until we moved to Florida in 2017, I had lived in Michigan my entire life. I dated Miss Michigan more times than I can remember.
Partied with Iggy Pop’s band.
A popular New England band used to stop by the house when I was in high school. Friends of my parents.
One of my cousins is Adam McQuaid.
Gave Tommy Heinsohn directions back to the highway from a restaurant opening.
Gave my extra ticket into an antiques show to Kirstie Alley.
Emailed back and forth with Alan Dershowitz.
Went to a basketball clinic as a kid with Celtics Don Nelson.
Shook hands with and got Eric Trump’s signature on my Space Force hat.
Probably a few more I’m forgetting.
Went to Gordie Howe Hockey School 3 seasons as a kid, so met Gordie Howe, Alex Delvechio, Ted Lindsey. Mr. Howe remembered all the kids names by the end of the week.
Gordie Howe’s sons Marty and Mark were classmates of mine in high school.
I won a radio contest and got to meet Robert Cray at his concert, he was supposed to give me the prize, a Robert Cray signature Stratocaster.
Someone along the way stole it most likely, the radio jockey gave him a cheap Japanese Strat and a boardroom erasable marker to sign it, he have it to me and we stood for a photo I still have somewhere. They asked me if I wanted to stay backstage, but his warmup band was Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters, which later became my favorite blues band. I watched the rest of the show front row center with the guitar in its box.
Later I sprayed the guitar with polyurethane to keep the signature and sold it on eBay for a pretty good sum.
One day I heard Ronnie Earl was playing at a bar not far away, I went there and there were only 10 people in the club that night. He came out later and sat at a table, I went over to him and asked him to sign a Stratocaster pickguard with a Sharpie. I still have that one. Talked to him a bit, he was very nice, but it was kinda awkward. More him than me.
I’ve met others and have one in my family, I got Debbie Davies to sign another pickguard for my ex-wife at that same bar, don’t know if I left it with her or not.
Bottom line is you know you’re a Conservative if celebrity isn’t a big deal to you, you have enough confidence in yourself and like yourself enough that you just don’t care. You have enough of a feeling of self-worth and don’t pursue celebrity status.
When I was seven, my dad had died and the little lab school I went to at the nearby teachers college where knew I everyone was closing. I had to start a new school for second grade, was painfully shy and definitely not athletic. Worse than being called on in class (which I ignored) was being expected to participate in phys ed.
I was easy to make fun of but then a new P.E. teacher put a quick stop to that and not with the usual lecture that makes the other kids hate you more. Mr. Knowles told the other kids to stop picking on his girlfriend. And they did. He made it clear I was his favorite and he watched out for me in P.E. and at recess, both of which can be torture to the shy and uncoordinated.
An athletic teacher championing a lost kid probably would have been somewhat effective anyway, but it helped my cause that he had taken the teaching gig off-season from his dream job as a young relief pitcher for the Washington Senators, not sure how far he would make it in the big leagues.
Darold Knowles made it big a few years later, pitching for the Oakland A’s in all seven games as they won the World Series.
These days, he would probably be accused of grooming but back then his kindness to a sad little girl made him my hero long before he won any championships.
Teenage Nikki Deloach and Britney Speers would come to our farm to ride our horses. Both were Mouseketeers at the time. Kadee Strickland was my high school football coach’s youngest daughter. Parnell Roberts’s mother lived two doors down from my aunt. I would see him from time to time. Dad would sell hay to Fess Parker as he had a horse farm in the next county. Girl friend in college parents had a beach house in Ponte Vedra Beach where the owner of the house next door was Tom Petty and anytime someone was there a party was going on. I never saw Tom Petty but Waylon Jennings was a regular and I met Roy Orbison there.
So Many good stories^^^^^
My dad’s older brother when he was in the Navy during World War 2 and stationed at NAS N. Island, just across the bay from San Diego met and became acquainted with Johnny Weissmuller (Tarzan) at the Coronado pool. He was able to get Mr. Weissmuller’s autograph for his kid brother, my dad which was one of his most treasured memories of being a kid growing up in the mid 40’s. I have never personally met a celebrity, but my dad did introduce Senator Henry “Scoop” Jackson once at a meeting of the Wash. state gasoline dealers association when my dad was President of the local gas dealers assoc. in the 1970’s.
I once pissed off Susan Sarandon when she was doing a live feed on the Huff and Poot. I pointed out her hypocrisy and she got pissed.
George Brett -King sized asshole
Chad Ochocinco- Minor asshole
Willie Nelson -Awesome
Kid Rock-Super Awesome
Difference between steroids and pot I suppose….
My son and I met Kirk Gibson at a baseball card show in the 80’s. It was at a VFW hall in New Baltimore, Mi. He drove up in a fancy sports car while we were waiting to get inside the hall. I shook his hand and told him how much I had enjoyed the 1984 season. He was very nice to my son also.
I bowled on a league with a gay woman who was the spitting image of John Goodman, if that counts.
My husband and I were having lunch at a truck stop in Belgrade, Montana, just a few people there and we paid no attention, we were hungry. Someone bumped into me at the salad bar and I saw a bony hand with heavy gold jewelry reaching for the mixed greens. It was Jane. Ted was there, too.
When I was a teenager, I bagged groceries at a supermarket in the south San Fernando Valley, that was frequented by a lot of Hollywood celebrities. To name a few I can remember: Duck Clark, Steve Allen and Jane Meadows, Sergio Mendez, Bobby Tillitson, Roger Miller, Marilyn McCoo, Dick Enberg, Ann Southern. Also went to grade school with the daughters of Robert Conrad and Jack Webb.
Oh, and about 10 years ago we bumped into Clint Walker and his wife in an elevator at a motel/restaurant in Nevada, and had a nice visit with them in the lobby while waiting for the restaurant to open.
When I was an altar boy, used to see Don Ameche and his mother at church on sundays, and Gary Crosby at daily mass nearly every day.
I took a shit one time that looked and sounded exactly like Barack Obama.
I knew the guy who installed the solid gold faucets in Big Daddy Grace’s house on Logan Circle in DC.
Does that count?
mortem tyrannis
izlamo delenda est …
So my nephew just graduated from Seal Training and he was at a small swanky oceanside restaurant and he came face to face with Bill Murray on the way to the john. My nephew said he looked at Murray and said “Ahoy, Bill. You know, like in What About Bob”. And Murray says “Yeah, I know” and walked away.
Answering this question is like answering “What states have you been to?” I once was in Memphis on business back when airfare was a lot cheaper if you stayed over a Saturday. I had a rented car so on Sunday I went to Graceland. As I got on the freeway to head back to the hotel I noticed I was at mile marker 2 so I got off and went south into Mississippi where I got off at the first exit and headed back north again. So yeah, I have been to Mississippi but for maybe five minutes.
Years ago I met Richard Beals, voice of:
Speedy Alka Seltzer
Davey (from Davey and Goliath)
Gumby
Lots of old radio shows.
He was a really nice guy.
Back in the ‘70’s I was a “Chauffeur” for an old lady whom I found out years later was movie actress Ann Rutherford’s mother. (Rutherford played Scarlet O’Hara’s youngest sister.) The mother had been in Broadway chorus lines and had been in a movie in 1915. I had been in Ann’s kitchen but I never met her. She was married to William Dozier, the producer of the Batman TV show.
Speaking of business trips, I went to Nashville on once to some meetings at a manufacturer. One of that company’s salesmen was Dave Purple who was the original bass player for the group The Cryan Shames out of Chicago. Later he won a Grammy for engineering Theme From Shaft by Isaac Hayes.
I met Inida Dick at a County Commission Meeting!
I ran into Eddie Albert many times at Dagget Airport in CA. he was walking the flight line checking out the birds. Having grown up in a tourist town and worked at a ski resort, I knew not to bother him
I was pumping gas at a gas station when Scatman Caruthers drove up and fueled his Rolls Royce. shorts and sandals, just a random dude if you did not know better.
Met Ron Burgundy once.
Didn’t know he was famous until he told me, “I’m kind of a big deal. People know me.”
I’ve tended bar in San Diego for damn near 40 years. I’ve waited on Dan Fouts, Charlie Joyner, Al Hrabosky and other sports figures. Ben Davidson was behind the bar with me. I had a friend who was a bigwig at Del Mar and she introduced me to trainer Doug O’Neill, jockey Lafitte Pincay and track announcer Trevor Denman. That was a great day. Got to go in the winners circle for a picture when O’Neill’s horse won. The kicker is I was going to bet on the horse when I set out to Del Mar. When I met O’Neill he said the horse hadn’t been training well so he didn’t expect much that day. I didn’t bet on the horse and of course it won for fun and paid like $14. Cost me over $200. I’m the only one not smiling in the winners circle picture.
Have an unfinished quest.
Got a couple mint condition dollar bills 85′ or 86′, forget which (believe 86′). And then went looking for Chicago Bears players from the 85′ team to get autographs. Gave one to each of the bills to my twins who were not even born before that season. While I’m not sure of what all the autographs on them are, the ones I do remember:
Mike Ditka
Jim McMahon
Walter Payton
Dan Hampton
Ron Rivera
Mike singletary
Was never able to get Richard Dent’s autograph and feel that that one would finish the deal. MVP of the Super Bowl XX and a defensive player. Only the fifth defensive player to ever get that I believe. Was an UNSTOPPABLE FORCE in that game.
And now I no longer even watch the pro sports of any kind.
OK. Met? Judgment call.
Many years ago I was the music manager for the record/tape departments of all the Navy Exchanges in the Mediterranean. My company wanted to expand into other product lines so as I was to leave for Naples, Italy I had to make a stop in NYC to meet a guy who was looking to market underwear to the Navy Exchange. We me for an hour. Years later I was to meet him at the Naples airport.
I couldn’t remember what he looked like. But there was this guy who looked familiar so I walked straight for him and got within about five feet and realized that he was an actor. Thank God I didn’t say to Jack Palance “aren’t you the underwear guy?” That might not have turned out well for me.
Shook hands with Lassie at the Rose Parade when I was a kid.
My two favorite celeb encounters:
Got a ride to Jail with Spike LEE
Spring of 1991 My car had been stolen so I had to take a train to work, then a cab to Rikers Island bridge where I would have to wait for a bus or thumb a ride over the bridge. Held out my badge And a Green range Rover pulls over and gave me a ride driven by non other than Spike lee, (he was given a speech to adolescents inmates on the Island).
Worked the 2012 Republic National convention in Tampa for Fox news where I was escorting guest to the make shift Studio so I meet most of the Fox news staff at the time and several big name politicians, including Carl Rove, John Bolton, Jan Brewer (Arizona Governor at the time) and Scott Walker (Gov of Wisconsin at that time) Scott walker came across to me as an Arrogant ahole Brewer however Seemed to be areal sweetheart, perhaps because she thought I was flirting with her.
We had a moment before she was getting in her Limo so I asked if she would take a picture with me as she did I said “this will make my wife jealous,” what I meant was my wife was a big fan of hers but she I think thought I was flattering her looks, shed gave me a big genuine smile and a pat on the back and waved to me as she got in the Limo.
meet numerous Celebs many as inmates on Rikers Island including Mitch Green who fought Tyson Little Wayne, and Robert Chambers the “preppy Killer” who I guess qualifies as a celeb.
Interesting Story about him on church militant “DID MCCARRICK MAKE A MURDERER?”
DID MCCARRICK MAKE A MURDERER?
.https://www.churchmilitant.com/video/episode/fwbd-did-mccarrick-make-a-murderer
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It was late summer ‘79, in the Park of Lake Michigan. We just completed basic training at Great Lakes, there were four of us out on the town with a fifth of vodka. One of us spots and recognizes, from at least thirty yards away, Charles Napier. His best role in my book was in the 1969 Star Trek episode “Way To Eden” where he played an outer space hippy, musician frontman, who later in this episode jammed with Spock who played on a strange looking instrument.
One of our group invited him over, nobody knew his name but the guy who called him over knowingly rattled off some TV parts he’d seen him in. He was a friendly guy, even drinking with us.
All we had the paper bag the liquor came in and a pencil, not even a pen. He was in town shooting his part as the leader of The Good Old Boys a musician leader of a band in the Blues Brothers.
On the brown bag he wrote down all our mailing addresses, tore the bag into pieces giving each one of us a personalized autograph, “Remember the drink In Chicago,,,The Blues Brothers 79.
Another interesting Celeb meeting I had IN NY
In 2007 (?) A new Lowes opened up about a half mile from my home, as part of the grand opening the New York Yankees had a raffle for “future broadcasters’ I took my younger daughter and signed her up. My older daughter 12(?) at the time refused to go. when we got there I entered separate tickets for both daughters. As we were walking home I said to my younger daughter we should tell your sister she won.
When we got home we told her she won, she was mad because she didn’t want to be entered but didn’t believe us anyway. As we were making up the story trying to convince her she won the phone rang.
That’s probably them calling to tell you you won my younger daughter said. Sure enough it was them telling her she won.
Long story short we got to tour the Very tiny Broadcasters booth in the old Yankee stadium with Suzyn Waldman, and John Sterling as well as a tour of monument park and box seats for the game.
@ joe6pak
I don’t believe I’ve met any celebrities. I’m thinking we don’t go to the same places.
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You should do a year on Rikers you will meet a few “RAP stars” a few might even had a “song” that made some money. like lil Wayne.
side note not only meet lil Wayne but knew the Captian that got caught blowing him in his cell. I was never so happy to see or hear of someone getting fired in all my life.