What Famous People Have You MET? ;)
 

OK, I got "inspired" by the What Famous People/Looks" thread.

So, what famous people have you MET?
The criteria is - had a conversation with and/or have spotted in public(on the street,a restaurant,club,bar, etc...)

Indulge me/us! :)

celestenadia

I've spotted a couple of people, but they were weird people and i did not meet them...

Amber, you're starting to sound darn cryptic like "Our Stevie"! ROTHFL! ;):)
OK, who/HOW WEIRD WERE THEY?!!! :):):)

They were so random that it was like the room was filled with blue-grey jello, blue-grey jello that i'd been dreaming of, but they were far away, as if in a crystal bubble, a crystal bubble that i could never reach out to...
Amber

It would take me hours to answer this thread. I am always piping in with silly celebrity stories. Frankly, I have met so many that I keep forgetting who the hell I have and have not met. :shrug:

puff puff!!!! :p

:wavey: :wavey: :wavey:

I have met a bunch as well. The coolest were

Patti Lupone - she randomly piled up to a bar in NYC next to me and I bought her a drink. I met her again years later at a party. She is a SCREAM - we were howling with laughter. She is a true talent and quite a woman. www.pattilupone.net

Gladys Knight - what a truly God given voice and what a kind, gentle, and warm woman. I can say nothing but praise for her. We met by chance at the opening ceremonies of the 1996 Olympics here in Atlanta. She is one of the greats. http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/knight...s/artist.jhtml

Betty Buckley - she sat in front of me at "Master Class" with Zoe Caldwell. She asked me if I had been one of her students because she recognized me - I was like "no - but I can be" and then assured her she never saw me in "Oklahoma" because unless she was in like Picayune, MS or some other town we played, there was no way :laugh: She is very, very nice and we talked a little about "Sunset Blvd." in which she was currently starring on Broadway and which I had seen the night before. Interestingly, there was a blizzard in NYC that weekend that shut the whole city down - no cars on the streets, etc. Ms. Buckley, and her people (all of which were in the Sunset Cast - including Alan Campbell) and me walked for blocks together in the silent, white, snow covered streets of NYC. It was surreal. I met her again a few years later and she said she remembered it - sighs. http://www.bettybuckley.com/

Jamie Fox - very briefly met him and then wound up partying with him and his posse about a month ago. He is so nice. http://www.raymovie.com/index.php

Puff Daddy - a very long, long story - but he is a nice guy and you should see his house in Miami - SHEEBUS!!!!!!! http://www.p-diddy.com/

There were others, but these stand out right now.

oh i must divulge....

ok, i met Tom Cruise in 1986.

They were filming segments of "The Color of Money" in the early part of the year at a bar called Fitzgeralds in Berwyn, IL for a few weeks. I lived half a block up from it in Oak Park. So, a bunch of people used to gather every day, all day...outside. Me and my friend Jen were checking it out from time to time. We did manage to catch glimpses of Paul Newman and Tom Cruise way in the back going from the bar into their trailers.

At this time in my life, i was just about 16 and making salads at an Italian restaurant called Giovanni's which was just 2 blocks down from Fitzgeralds. It was my family's favorite restaurant-just a little hole in the wall place but really great food and we got to know the staff there pretty well. My sister had gotten me the job there since she was waiting tables there.

ANYWAY, i digress....one Friday or Saturday night, i was working and someone in the film crew ordered food from us. The busboy, Tony, said he was going over there to deliver it. Looking back, i can't understand why noone else was as ecstatic as i was. Anyway, I ended up going with Tony.
It was about 10 or 11pm. There were either no spectators outside or very few. The cast and crew were inside filming. The floor director was outside in front of the bar, monitoring the grounds. He let Tony in cause he had the food. So, i was a little disappointed but i understood. Tony's inside for a few minutes and then the floor director let me go inside. HOLY ****....no way! So, i go in thinking i'm all that...meanwhile, inside i was incredibly nervous. How do i act? Do i try to approach anyone? I'm a shy kid, i can't say anything!

So, I go inside and see all the film equipment and crew. Tony's sitting at the bar. I join him. Everyone is quiet cause they're filming in the front room. Tom Cruise and Paul Newman are in there. After about 15 minutes of nothing happening, Tony says he's leaving. That freaked me out cause i felt like now i have to go too. But, i didn't. I figured, if they want me to leave they'll tell me.

So.....maybe i sit there an additional 10 minutes and then i hear "ok, it's a wrap" and everyone starts getting up and moving about. Now, how awkward am i? Am i supposed to act like i'm part of the crew...."oh yeah, ok Jim, just hand me them there cables and let's get this gear packed up for the night..." i mean, you know? Was i supposed to try to blend in with my "french dressing and sauce-laden Giovanni's Italian Restaraunt t-shirt"??? i don't think so.

Instead, i just kinda stood there and all of a sudden the door to the front room (where the actors were) opens...Out comes a short Paul Newman...i was frozen...what do i do? I don't want to look like an idiot and just go up to him out of the blue...what if he's not in the mood? It's late, they're tired. And he heads out right away. Then a moment later, Tom Cruise comes out. Well, i was damned to let an opportunity slip by and regret it the rest of my life (or part of...i'd get over it) . So, he doesn't look like he's rushing to get out of there and i make my way over to him.

He was taller than me and his hair was sort of Elvis-ish. He was very good-looking. I could see his appeal. So, i went up to him and just bluntly asked "how are you? would you sign something for me?" and he was like "sure" and i tell you there may have been minimal conversation but i sure as hell don't remember it. He didn't ask who i was or why was i there. i'm sure these people are used to strangers and passersby coming up to them all the time. it's part of the business.

So, i'm looking for a piece of paper to sign but had nothing in my pockets except for a dollar bill. So, i kinda laughed and had him sign that to me and my friend Jennifer since she had been scoping the place out with me that whole week or two. And that was it. i said "thanks" and calmly walked out.
When i was out of sight of the bar, i RAN home which only took about a minute. Ran upstairs and told my parents what happened.

I kept that bill with other "collectable" bills on top of my dresser. Had it for about a year or two until we moved and then lost it. Have never found it.

Somewhere out there is a dollar bill being spent with Tom Cruises writing on it and noone's even aware of it! UGH! The real ironic thing is that he signed a dollar bill and the movie was "the color of money".

so, that's my story. sorry for rambling....

Heaps! I Have Been Lucky
 

I work as a radio jock here in Australia on the "big sticks" I been in this crazy business for nearly 25 years now. I have been lucky to have met a lot of people and in particular interviewed them. I have interviewed in past ,, Phil Collins, Don Henley, Rob Thomas, Carlos Santana to name a few. John Denver became a close friend after I first interviewed him but as yet I have not had the chance to interview Lindsey Buckingham, but still time ;)

Hope this is of help.

Regards,


Fast Jay Dixon

I met Mel Brooks this past summer - watched Susan Stamberg do an interview with him at NPR - then I went with the producer and mel (plus two publicists) to the elevator.

While on the elevator I asked Mel if I could take my picture with him - he said yes - so I've got a lovely (but dark) elevator shot of Mel Brooks and I.

I also met Los Lobos as well.

Lets see - Jason Biggs -as he was signing autographs after a performance of The Graduate.

Ted Koppel...haha..I met him in Vegas last April at a dinner - so I got a picture with him too - he was super nice and the picture is hilarious...

And these folks are celebrities to me (from NPR): Susan Stamberg, Linda Wertheimer, Michele Norris, Nina Totenberg, Cokie Roberts, Steve Inskeep and Rene Montaigne and Juan Williams....

Which reminds me..Juan took me to the White House with him once where he interviewed Condoleeza Rice...she introduced herself to me as "Condi" lol....so I've met Condi too...

Sarah McLachlan was at NPR like two days after I left...I was SO pissed that I missed that....

I think those are the only celebrities I've met...

Ditto-Back in the 80's, when I worked in a restaurant in LA (The Hamburger Hamlet on Sunset and Doheny), celebrity sightings were daily occurences. I actually started keeping a list - I still have it somewhere...some great moments from way back then - seeing a very drunk Peter Lawford pass out in a bowl of lobster bisque....Liza Minnelli ordering boiler makers...Candice Bergen's odd eating habits (she ate an omelette layer by layer)...talking to Joan Collins on the phone, and having to explain to her that we don't accept reservations...

And here in Austin, they are everywhere lately. Austin's become a movie-making haven. :p

Cokie Roberts is a DOLL. I have not seen her for decades, but I have met and somewhat know her mother - Ambassadress Lindy Boggs - from growing up around New Orleans.

I am glad you like her as well!!!!! :cool:

I met Alan Rickman after a play in London.

If book signings count, I met Bill, the Apprentice winner. :shrug:

Met a few musicians. Peter Green twice (he's a nice guy).. Met Nick Mason of Pink Floyd a couple of weeks ago. Met Paul Reed Smith last winter.

Met quite a few famous people that have made absolutely no impression on me to the point I've forgotten them!!!

:blob2: :blob1:

Sort of "met" Lindsey last year when the Mac played Manchester and London.

:nod:

My celebrity obsession started when I was seven and got to meet Bob Hope at a fundraiser I attended with my grandmother. I still have his autograph…wonder how much that is worth these days?
In my teens I befriended some rather colorful ladies who got backstage passes to every concert that came to town. While my peers were going to pep rallies and football games, I was hanging out at the Hyatt or the Four Seasons bar with everyone from Cheap Trick to the Clash to Judas Priest to Rod Stewart to the Ramones every time they came to town. I am still friendly with most of those guys – the ones that are still alive – today.
In college I got to meet the members of Blondie, The Police, X, Heart and Charlie Sexton to name a few. I still run into Charlie and his brother Will from time to time – such sweet guys!!
After college I went into radio as a DJ and I got to interview Chris Isaak (I wound up driving Chris to and from his gig) and Concrete Blonde (Johnette Napolitano is, perhaps, the most brilliant woman I have ever met). Both of those interviews are hysterically funny and are full of laughter. While working in radio I also got to meet Donny Osmond (‘cause I’m a little bit rock and roll), Gene Loves Jezebel, The Alarm, The Cult, Aerosmith, Talking Heads, The Beastie Boys, Duran Duran and Motley Crue.
I won a contest a few years ago and got to talk to Cher on the phone. I dream of meeting her one day. She’s the coolest.
What has been really enjoyable has been the fact that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting the members of Fleetwood Mac – my all time favorite band -- a couple of times. I met Stevie on the Tango and Timespace tours and she was a doll both times. Lindsey I’ve met on the Cradle tour and then again after the Dallas Dance show. He was as friendly as friendly can be and one of my treasures is a wonderful picture of the two of us on my 33rd birthday. Christine I met twice and she was such a lady…the picture of she and I at my birthday party is, like the pic of LB and I, something I cherish. Mick is always fun to run into – I have a few pics of he and I through the years. And John McVie is such a quiet guy. I brought him a beer one time and we chatted briefly. He’s cute.
There are tons of people I still would love to meet…so many people…such little time.

Cool thread…thanks for letting me babble…

rbs

Well um Lindsey and Jimmy Page are just people too....some people feel the way you do about them about celebrities in general - or about a large number of celebrities...:shrug:

I used to be HUGE into celebrities...but never met any until very recently...I guess I gave up on it...

Now I"m not so into the whole thing...except for a few...

I wasn't going to talk to her either - she showed up at NPR one day and I thought she looked totally harsh and like she'd be scary...so I stayed far far away - but then I was standing near the Morning Edition update station thing and Cokie was there along with my supervisor who said (loudly), "DEANNA! You're all star struck - come meet Cokie!!" hahaha...

So I met Cokie - and she was super nice...I'm glad I did....

Whew...here goes...I know I'll forget a few:

Politicians:
Harry S. Truman (he's from my mom's hometown and a couple of my uncles used to work for him...I was only three years old, but I have photographic proof I met him! :nod: )
George Deukmejian (former Gov of California)
Barbara Boxer (current US Senator from CA)
Dianne Feinstein ( " )
Leon Pannetta
(and being that my mom is an environmental/animal rights activist, I've had the opportunity to meet a few elected officials...mostly on a civic level, but some state senators/assembly members, etc, too. My mom has met MANY celebs in doing her rallies & such...Graham Nash, Bonnie Raitt, Peirce Brosnan, Ed Asner, Linda Blair, Clint Eastwood, to name just a few)

Athletes:
Sandy Koufax
Don Drysdale
Maury Wills
(and most of the 1960-62 Los Angeles Dodgers...Three of the Dodgers those years were neighbors of mine...I was classmates with their sons)
Jim Lefebvre (LA Dodgers rookie of the year, 1965)
Ernie Banks
Warren Spahn
Bobby Grich (who is a fellow alum from my high school)
Laura Baugh (LPGA golfer; also a fellow HS alum)
(since the LA Rams used to train at the field across the street from my high school, I've met MANY former LA Rams players from 1970-73)
Bill Walton
Manute Bol


Entertainers/Actors/TV personalities:
Tom Snyder
Tom Cruise
Vic Damone
Dennis Hopper (was a high school buddy of my dad's younger brother)
Paul Reiser
Werner Klemperer (Col. Klink on Hogan's Heroes)

Musicians: (Since I'm a musician, too, I've been in MANY situations that have given me the opportunities to cross paths with some really famous people)
Mick Fleetwood
Christine McVie
John McVie
Lindsey Buckingham
Stevie Nicks
Bob Welch
Peter Green (and the rest of the Splinter Group, too)
Bekka Bramlett
EDIT: Jeeeeeeez, I left off RICK VITO!!!!
Walter Egan
Annie McLoone
Rusty Anderson (current lead guitarist for Paul McCartney's touring band)
Burton Cummings (lead singer of The Guess Who)
Gary Peterson (drummer for The Guess Who)
Nick Rhodes (of Duran Duran)
Rick Nielsen (of Cheap Trick)
Dave Davies (of the Kinks)
Buddy Miles
Richie Havens
Ginger Baker
Spencer Davis
Edgar Winter
Leon Russell
Tim Bogert (bass player of Vanilla Fudge & Beck, Bogert Appice)
James Gurley & Sam Andrew (of Big Brother & the Holding Company)
Robbie Krieger (of The Doors)
Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts, Butch Trucks, Jaimoe, Warren Haynes, Allen Woody (Collectively known as "the Allman Bros Band"...circa 1989)
Albert King
John Stewart (the ex-Kingston Trio guy, not the Daily Show guy)
James Cotton
Buddy Guy
Junior Wells
Junior Watson (ex-Canned Heat guitarist)
Albert Collins
Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers (the whole darn blues band)
Walter Trout (and the rest of the Walter Trout Band, too)
Kim Fowley (pioneering punk/new wave producer)
Brian Ingoldsby (former president of ABC/MCA records...top recording engineer)
Joe Lynn Turner (ex-lead singer for Rainbow & Deep Purple)
Patrick Moraz (ex-keyboard player for Yes & The Moody Blues)
Wayne Hammerly (ex-keyboardist for Three Dog Night...a former fellow bandmate)
Rick Elliott (ex-Walter Trout drummer...also was first drummer for Loggins & Messina...and a former fellow bandmate)

AND...at a two-day rock festival in 1989, I met one of the most famous hippie/beatniks, Hugh Romney...aka, "Wavy Gravy" (of "Woodstock" fame)

I have an autographed towel from Joe Lynn Turner. :D

My aforementioned buddy Wayne Hammerly was doing a recording session with Joe Lynn and dragged him down to a dive Huntington Beach bar's blues jam...Wayne, Joe & I were on stage jamming when Wayne leaned over to me and whispered "after this song is over, go right into Smoke On The Water...and watch Joe's face!". I did, Joe's jaw dropped, then he frowned, turned to me and called me an SOB, flipped me off, ( :eek: ) grabbed the mic and sang his heart out.

Off the top of my head...
 

Not surprised Jason P. was a jerk - don't know why - something about pretty guys being jerks :shrug: lol...

And yeah - David Faustino..as in Bud? From Married with Children? That was his name right? Buck was the dog..I forget...

AND - You met LOwell? That is so cool...how'd you meet him...and I see that he got just an "eh" which, I guess, is better than big fat a--hole...:D

Deanna...
 

Is this the same...
 

Paul Reed Smith who creates some of the best guitars imaginable??? Man, I would like to meet that guy too...


Brian j.

For me - Lowell is not on my list of folks to meet...simply because of the way he is on TV - I'd be so disapointed upon meeting him and the reality that he is, in fact, not Lowel hitting me...

This is why I actually have no desire to meet any of my favorite tv folks...I have a hard time even watching them in interviews..like Courtney Cox...I like Monica - so when she's just her...I'm like..."uh...where's Monica?"

Just a weird thing - and oddly I don't have that with movie actors...just tv folks...

Though - I always had the biggest crush on Tim Daly...haven't seen him in anything lately...but yeah - wouldn't have minded meeting him....I always thought he was way better looking than Brian...

:laugh: :lol: :laugh:
THat's awesome, and I *love* Tom Cruise...

Tim Daly!
 

THe thing is, they're usually more attractive and/or witty then "regular" people, and i'm sure have better stories, since they are famous and can do waaaaay cooler stuff, and meet more other famous people... :laugh:
I just don't get how these people (well, some i get, but) meet so many famous people...then talk to them and "party" with them. Apparently famous people are not as busy and selective as i thought they were... :laugh: :cool:

Cool...
 

to be able to meet the best 2 pitchers of the 60's in Sandy Koufax & Don Drysdale & their speedy teammate Maury Wills (Who made base stealing an artform in the 60's along with Lou Brock of the Cards). I still root for the Dodgers to win, Except when playing my Cubs!!!

Jim Lefebvre was a better manager than player...

Ernie "MR.CUB....All Cub fans hail Ernie...And let's play 2" Banks would be one of the first Cubs players, From yester-year, I would die to meet. I would love to tell Mr.Banks I was pre-determined to be a diehard Cubs fan since I was born on the exact day he hit his 500th HR!!!

Warren Spahn was one of the best pitchers the Milwaukee Braves EVER had...He moved to Hartshorne, OK after he retired and farmed until his untimely death this past year.

Bobby Grich, I remember when he played with the (Then known) California Angels, That was back in the late 70's-early 80's, If I recall he was an infielder (Cant remember his exact position though)

Brian j.

Looking through my book...
 

Well, actually, I met quite a few Cubs players, since at that time, they did their spring training at Blair Field in Long Beach (the aforementioned field across the street from my high school)...I also met Billy Williams, Ron Santo, Glenn Beckert & Don Kessinger, too.

It'll probably pain you, (for which I'm sorry), but I was at the Cubs/Dodgers game when Al Ferrara hit a three-run, walk-off homerun in the bottom of the 9th to break-up Dick Ellsworth's no-hitter. Dodgers only got the one hit in the game, but the Cubs lost. :eek:

AHHH, my mistake...not Warren Spahn...Lew Burdette. His Milwaukee Braves co-hort...but I met him when he was a member of the California Angels...his final season as a player.

He played second base. He started out on the Baltimore Orioles...he was originally slated to be Mark Belanger's replacement at shortstop, but they put him at second after Davey Johnson was traded to the Atlanta Braves. He originally was recruited by USC & UCLA to be QB (since he was starting QB in HS...and starting PG on the basketball team, too...the guy was a definite phenom athlete in HS)

I also forgot a couple...!

I met Matt Groening - the creator of the Simpsons back in the late 80's when The Simpsons were still part of the Tracy Ullman show. He was in my town giving a lecture about his Life in Hell series....and I remember him talking about an up and coming show of the Simpsons on Fox - then he made fun of Fox and said he wasn't sure how successful it would be lol...little did he know at the time.

I was 7 or 8 possibly 9 - I can't remember - but I got his autograph (I LOVED the Tracy Ullman show and therefore already knew the Simpsons). He drew a picture of Bongo for me on the program and autographed it...very cool...

AND - Tiffany :laugh:

She came to my college like two years ago and gave a free concert - all of us old school Tiffany/Debbi Gibson fans skipped class and went to it - she signed autographs afterward...it was awesome :laugh:

Cool story about Matt, Deanna!
 

I'm still reeling from Chili's list. :shocked:

I met Sandy Duncan as a kid and got her autograph. She was in 'Peter Pan' on broadway.

Saw actor Michael York in museum in NY once.

As an adult I've only met FM related 'celebrities'....John, Stevie (just a quick handshake) Peter Green, Brett Tuggle... Briefly met John Courage. Had lovely long visit w/ George Hawkins. Met Todd Sharp that same night.

Have spoken on the phone w/ Bob Welch, Billy Burnette, Rick Vito...does that count ? :rolleyes:

--Lis

If phone calls count...I did speak briefly on the phone with Waylon Jennings

When I worked for the now defunct Record Bar chain back in the late '70's, our district manager (whose name was Al) had received a press kit from RCA records...in it was a business card-sized blank card except for the note "call me", a phone number, signed "Jessie". He was skeptical, but he had ME make the phone call from our store...a deep male voice answered and I asked "May I speak to Mrs. Jennings, please?" The guy responded, "Nah, she's at the grocery store, this is Waylon, can I help you?" I said, "Well, just a moment" and I handed the phone to our district manager...Al never would say what happened after that.

Music is my first true love. So, if the opportunity arises where I can meet someone who wrote something that touched me and tell them thank you, I am going to jump on that! :]


rbs

Okay - but by the same token - there are actually people who care deeply about a great number of celebrities and are not simply "star ****ers" though there are a lot of those out there as well....

When I went and saw Weird Al...there was a large number or absolute whorish girls who were standing about who I'm sure couldn't even name one weird al song - and I felt so bad for all these cute little nerd boys who just love and adore Al -not to mention my sister and I who've love AL since the beginning of his career...I mean I LOVE al...

Uh..anyway - don't know if that applies...

There are lots of different people in the world...it just sucks that the people who are star struck by absolutely anyone famous usually do interfere with those who truly care about meeting a specific person....

Just rambling now...so I'm stopping.

Holy cow! You all have met a lot of famous people!
My list is MUCH less impressive....
In 1990 or so we went to an All My Children location shoot in Orlando. They were shooting a car accident, and a friend of mine was doing audio for it.
So the list is:
Kelly Ripa - this was right when she started on AMC. She was super nice. There were tons of mosquitoes, so we "shared" a cigarette to keep them at bay. Neither of us smoked, so we got someone to light it for us, and we just held it.

Julia Barr (Brooke) --She was really nice, too, and has a great laugh, and laughs a lot.

Walt Willey -- (Jack) didn't really talk to him, but he spent a LOT of time flirting with my friend's wife. :shrug:

David Canary -- (Adam/Stuart) Very nice, quiet.

The guy who played Trevor. Can't remember his name. But he was a bit of a ladies man. i know he was married at the time, because I read a lot of Soap Opera Digest then, and we saw him hugging and kissing a woman who was not his wife while going into his room...

Aside from meeting Soupy Sales YEARS ago when I was a kid, that's my list. I did sit behind Dr. J, Julius Erving, at a movie in '88 or '89. Does that count?

My husband has met a lot of sports people through work. This week alone he did two interviews with Donovan McNabb....

Carol

Star Collector
 

Star Collector by The Monkees
written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King

Hello...
Think I'll let her keep on going
Where ever it is, she's goin' to
Give her an autograph and tell her
It's been nice knowin' you

She's a star collector (collector of stars)
She only aims to please young celebrities
Yes, she's a star collector (collector of stars)
How can I love her, when I just don't respect her?

When everything is goin' my way
She wants to be close at hand
She moves to some other doorway
When things don't go the way she planned

Yes, she's a star collector (collector of stars)
She only aims to please young celebrities
Yes, she's a star collector (collector of stars)
Whoa, it won't take much time before I get her off my mind

[break]

For she's a star collector (collector of stars)
Whoa, she only aims to please young celebrities
Yes she's a star collector (collector of stars)
Whoa, it won't take much time before I get her off my mind

[outro]
Bye bye, bye bye...

Thought it was appropriate to Deanna's post. LOL Seriously tho, my mom and I use to go to various functions and stuff because she knew people, but these days, there is no celeb hunting for us. I really don't care about meeting movie stars like I love meeting musicians, because as rbs said, music is my passion, and I love to tell the singers/musicians I love how much their work means to me. :)

I met Stevie Tyler in Marshfield, MA two summers ago in a restaurant. Everyone was watching him eat but the people were respectful. We had a quick pointless discussion and he left. The next day he and his daughter (the other one, not Liv) were on the beach. My brothers and I climbed the rocks with her...she was pretty nice. I never learned her name. :shrug:

Shamus

wow, those are good ones. I don't watch it now, but we are an All My Children family. I really like Brooke (Julia Barr) she's always seemed smarter and more real (better actress?) than many of the others...
AMber