I shook hands with Nitro Girl Spice at a mobile home sales lot once when she was doing an appearance for WCW. I had actually gone to meet Chris Benoit, but one week before the appearance he showed up as one of the Radicalz on RAW.-- So they sent Spice instead. As much as I wanted to meet Benoit, I have to say that I wasn't disappointed to meet her.
I wasn't sure what happened. Then I saw the train stopping up ahead. I thought, ‘Holy crap dude, you just got hit by a train.'
As an old-timer, my list is extensive. I shook hands with Shaq (in an elevator), then Gov. Bill Clinton (at an unplanned campaign stop), Larry Hagman (waiting for an ice cream at a Friendly's), Alan Alda (at an aquarium), Andy Rooney (in an airport), Bob Backlund (at a high school wrestling state tournament), George "the Iceman" Gervin (at a charity basketball event), and Carly Simon (I allowed her cut in front of me) while in line at a gift shop on Cape Cod. The late Mrs. Jean Yawkey at Fenway park. Lenny Dykstra in Atlantic City. Tommy Lasorda was related to the same barber I used to go to, and I once saw him leaving the shop as I was going in, he said excuse me. UConn coach Jim Calhoun at a fundraiser.
Far and away, however, the top of the list was the champ himself, the greatest of all time, Mohammed Ali, who gave a motivational speech to a local school when I was working in a nearby deli. He was still the champ at the time, this was well before his Parkinson's. He stopped by our shop afterward on the way to the airport and I got to ring up his egg salad and tuna salad sandwiches. His assistant later mailed us a signed picture of the champ which we hung up in the shop. It said Thanks for the Greatest lunch - Mohammed Ali.
edited to add - I also shook hands with Bob Backlund at a local mall, when he was running for Congress. I didn't vote for him as he never issued a position statement on any issues - he simply said he was a Republican.
Originally posted by ekedolphinI met all of these people while I was still living in Indy. Virginia Beach seems to have a relative lack of people I'd consider famous.
If you think Virginia Beach has a lack of famous people, Harrisburg, PA is even more lacking in notable figures.
I guess the closest encounter I ever had was running into some voice actress on an elevator, and she asked if there was room for her, despite me being the only one there. I shrugged.
I went bowling with Bruce Willis and Demi Moore back in '88 or '89. We weren't exactly on the same lane, but they were in my hometown while Bruce was filming "In Country" and we saw them at the bowling alley a couple of times. IIRC, one of their daughters was born while he was here.
We decided to not bother them - sort of figured that they were tired of not being able to get a moment's peace.
University of Kentucky basketball isn't a matter of life and death, it's much more important than that.
I met NY Governor George Pataki in a diner on the morning after my senior prom. We were so hungover that none of us are completely certain that it actually happened, but I'm pretty sure it did.
HBK: You’re flat broke aren’t you? MJ: Please let me wrestle on RAW! HBK: Fine, but I ain’t wearin’ no fruity tassels. MJ: Are these your mirror pants? HBK: Give me those!
I had what you might call an encounter with Harlan Ellison at a SF con. I was in the audience for a lecture he was giving. At the time I was wearing that Chris Jericho WILL YOU PLEASE SHUT THE HELL UP? t-shirt, and he spotted it, pretended to take offense, and tried to whap me with his water bottle. I -think- he was just kidding. With Ellison's reputation, it can be hard to tell.
Crossed paths with Jesse Jackson in a California airport last year. Although I didn't realize it at the time, he must have been on his way to the Michael Jackson trial.
"I don't think anyone anticipated the breach of the levees." -- George W. Bush, Good Morning America, September 1, 2005
"President Washington, President Lincoln, President Wilson, President Roosevelt have all authorized electronic surveillance on a far broader scale." -- Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, February 6, 2006
Tom Hanks. My sisters and I had taken my arents to the Rainbow Room in NYC to celebrate thier anniversary. As we were leaving the lobby of the building, some guy walking past us smiles at us and keeps walking. We look at each other in stunned disbelief and turn around and all scream Hi Tom Hanks. He turns and waves and we flag him over to tell him it is our parents anniversary. He shakes both my parents hands and wishes them congratulations and leaves. No picture or autograph as I thought it was cool enough he did that and did not want to ruin the moment.
Nice guy.
Well, that's just drunk talk! Sweet, beautiful drunk talk....
Originally posted by KevintripodMy most recent celebrity run in was a couple years ago when I let Mario Lemieux and his family cut in front of me at the line for the bar during intermission for the Broadway show "Mama Mia" in Pittsburgh. He and his wife thanked me, and then he bought my drink for me.
Most general-public-famous is, I guess, Ryan Stiles, who owns an improv theater around the corner from my store. He's pretty tall.
People perhaps more famous in other circles:
I met Ray Harryhausen very briefly a couple of weeks ago at a screening of Earth vs. the Flying Saucers.
When I was self-publishing a zine, I talked to John Linnell of They Might Be Giants, Billy Bragg, Paul Heaton of The Beautiful South, Jonathan Richman (who was a dick), NoMeansNo, Steven Page from Barenaked Ladies (on the phone), and some other indie music luminaries. I also interviewed my friend's uncle who played Emilio Estevez's dad in Repo Man.
Apparently, my mom has Gandhi's autograph around somewhere.
--K
Last 5 movies seen: Mrs. Henderson Presents - Breakfast on Pluto - Vodka Lemon - Earth Vs. the Flying Saucers - Paradise Now
Originally posted by ekedolphinI met Isiah Thomas once at my Blockbuster in Indy, and saw Larry Bird in the flesh at Smee's Restaurant behind that Blockbuster. Actually spoke to Isiah, asked him if he was finding everything OK. He said yeah. Seemed kinda shy, actually.
Did he offer to trade you his copies of Citizen Kane and Casablanca for an empty Ishtar box?
Let's see - Wrestling wise, it's Hogan (at a trade show) and Hart at the same thing. Brock Lesnar (sat with him on an airplane flight from Minneapolis to Louisville - he was super nice). DDP (on a flight from LA to Atlanta (he was a dick).
Others: Tyra Banks, on a flight - she sat in the seat ahead of me. Same for The Big O, Oscar Robertson - we talked football all the way from Cincinnatti to Philly one night in First. And my favorite was Reggie White at a sports bar in Charlotte - he was trying to buy a piece of the then-hornets.
I shook hands with Eugene McCarthy in 72 and with W in 2000.
Man - I almost forgot, I met Tom Clancy drinking shots in an airport bar in Baltimore - must have been 8-10 years ago.
(edited by AWArulz on 19.4.06 2050)
We'll be back right after order has been restored here in the Omni Center.
Bob Hope is probably the most famous person I've ever met. For a while, my dad promoted live events and so I met Hope, Red Skelton, Art Linkletter, and the Smothers Brothers that way. Clearly, my dad likes old dudes.
In a vaguely related note, I saw Mr. T wearing a hula skirt on Waikiki Beach as they were filming some Bob Hope TV special in the 80s.
The only wrestler I've ever met was Kurt Angle at a book signing. He was nice enough.
I've also met a whole pile of musicians... mostly Canadian indie types, nobody who has gone on to international superstardom or anything.
When I worked in a different building, there were Canadian Immigration offices in the same building, next to the cafeteria. One day, I went to go to the cafeteria, and had to make my way past the band Trapt who were there to meet with the Immigration folks. Trapt was starting a tour across Canada with Nickelback that night, and had to check in or something, I don't know.
I can only think of four moderately famous people I've met: -Queer Eye's Jai Rodriguez. He's my stepcousin and I think we were met at a wedding before he got famous. -Jazz fusion guitarist Larry Coryell. My dad's a student of his. He slept on our couch! -Richard Karn at a mall meet-and-greet type thing. -And of course, UConn's very own future Pro Bowl tight end, Ed Nelson at random places around campus.
It seems like other people I know have met more famous people than I have. One friend of mine won tickets to the "War of the Worlds" premiere and met like Hulk Hogan and stuff. My uncle's almost run over Paul McCartney and gave Paul Simon landscaping advice. Yep. Riveting stuff.
You wanted the best, you got... Out of Context Quote of the Week.
"I know, I know you are saying "sure there was some bad calls, but Jake Gyllenhaal obviously dropped too many easy catches and Ang Lee had some horrible clock management at the end of each half!"" (krakken2000)
Oh, while we're going with minor celebs, I went to school with Real World: Key West's own Paula. High school AND college, although at college, I only saw her at Senior Week, really. Relieved to find out I wouldn't have known the abusive ex.
And on the professional front, Lindsay Davenport, Amelie Mauresmo, and James Blake while covering the Pilot Pen tournament last year.
Originally posted by FeelyI can only think of four moderately famous people I've met: -Queer Eye's Jai Rodriguez. He's my stepcousin and I think we were met at a wedding before he got famous
Jai graduated from the performing arts high school my mom was a secretary at (although he was just David Rodriguez then). He's come back there several times to host shows, but I never met him.
"I don't think anyone anticipated the breach of the levees." -- George W. Bush, Good Morning America, September 1, 2005
"President Washington, President Lincoln, President Wilson, President Roosevelt have all authorized electronic surveillance on a far broader scale." -- Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, February 6, 2006
I actually met RVD a couple of years ago at UVA. He was in a car with D-Von and as we got ready to cross in front of them (we were walking) he started talking to us like we were good friends. Very nice guy.
I've met all kinds of famous people and b-list celebrities but the ones that stand out for me are Dan Quayle and Sean Astin. Quayle was a smarmy prick. Astin was the most down to earth guy you could imagine.
Will I ever get off my ass and have the motivation to really try and get a good job and a house and all those other things I want, but am again too lazy to really work hard on? Heh, I said "hard on." Whoops, guess I know the answer to this one.