Ever see someone famous, looking like quite the star, trashy, being nice or behaving badly.

Actress: Tara Reid - American Pie I & II (She was going to London to Promote the movie)

I was flying to London in Upper Class (Virgin Atlantic) and went to the lounge. Whenever the girls in the lounge see me, they always tell me about famous, semi famous people. They pointed out Tara Reid to me, drunk as a skunk; I went over to sit across from her and she seemed to have had more than a vodka cranberry. She had a reputation for being a little hell cat.

Socialite (Ivana Trump)

I flew in Upper Class w/Ivana Trunp several times and she's always very nice. They tell me she always wear the same clothes when she flies. Superstitious...?

Actress - Sex & The City

I also flew w/ Kim Cattral "Samantha Jones"; also on Upper Class and she was really pretty. Her husband is not bad either.

I took a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's Talisan West with Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones. They were doing publicity for that movie they were in together (some kind of heist film if I remember), and were doing something relaxing on a Sunday.

It was kind of interesting. They hung back a bit, but Sean was sure to ask several questions. How could you ever miss that voice of his?

I also forgot to mention that I saw Joan Rivers in Bloomingdales. Huge fan of hers but left her alone.

Normally do that when I saw famous people. Another time, I was w/coming back from London w/my Mon & Aunt. We were in Upper Class and Virgin Atlantic had some kind of "Back to the floor promotion". Richard Branson (owner of Virgin) was a cabin crew in Upper Class and chatted up my mother & aunt (while serving them food)for the entire flight.

My mother thought he was so nice me, I got a nice buzz and went to sleep.

Okay, these aren't that exciting, but I worked one summer during college on campus in Williamstown, MA (Williams College - go Ephs!) and they have the premier summer theater up there every summer. Got to meet Jasmime Guy (actually my co-worker spent the whole time flirting with her), Marilu Henner from taxi (make-up is a miracle worker), and sold a set of t-shirts to Christopher Reeve, who is not nearly as big as he seems on stage/screen - probably 'cause most actors are really short. In fact, the same summer I saw Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward on campus, and both are tiny! If Paul Newman is more than 5'6" I am the Pope, and Joanne Woodward is like 5'1".

That same summer, although I didn't meet him, George Wendt (Norm on Cheers) had an intersting car accident, where he drove down a set of stairs from a hilltop parking lot - left his rented Hyundai (a Hyundai? in 1988, when Cheers was at its peak?) on its side on the ground until the next morning. Apparently the Norm character wasn't too far from reality.

Since moving to DC, I have seen Bill and Hillary (in the limo on their way to the umpteenth ball for the first inaug.), and about 5 minutes later walked by Newt Gingrich and the second wife (you know, the one he cheated on with his third wife). Saw George Will in a mall a couple of years ago - another shrimp (maybe 5'7"). Finally, saw Linda Carter at the Museum of Women in the Arts - now she is NOT a shrimp.

Post them dude! I think the one about George Wendt from cheers is pretty funny.

You are right, most of them are not as tall as they seem on TV.

Not sure what criteria we're using for celebrity, but my most recent one was the other day when I was standing on the street corner in San Francisco and heard a woman talking behind me and sadly enough recognized her voice as Zina Garrison (it didn't hurt that what I heard her say was something about Martina Navratilova -- she's STILL talking about her?), and I whirled around and being really cool, said, "Zina!" She sort of waived rather horrified and went along with her friend. I'd better not make trips to LA as I wouldn't do well. Although, I'd probably be more excited to see someone like Zina than a movie star.

I saw Katherine Helmond getting in a cab in London in 1986. I know, big whoop.

Being from Oklahoma, and being a gymnast from ages 7 to 18, I got to know Bart Conner sort of. The first time I saw him was right after the '76 Olympics when I was 12, and I was all excited and got his autograph. Over the next several years I talked to him at meets maybe 3 or 4 times a year. He was pretty chummy at times, always very friendly, cute, and built. Oh, those arms. He and his - *ahem* - wife, Nadia, still live in Norman, OK and operate a gymnastics club there.

Oh, ok. I have one Bart Connor story. I was a reporter in Houston and covering some gymnastics things many years ago and went in to the locker room to invterview him while he was in his underwear. He was cute, but a bit too tiny for my likes. Nadia on the other hand is a big brute.

I met Mary Tyler Moore at an antiques store in Rhinebeck a few years ago. Very nice.

I waited on Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker when I worked at Pottery Barn. It was during the holidays. Couldn't tell you what they bought. They were both quite friendly.

Singer/songwriter Joe Jackson (Steppin Out) tried to pick me up at a gay bar in Santa Monica, CA many years ago. I politely declined. Could have been my one celebrity F.

Met Greg Louganis at a party thrown by a mutual friend. Very quiet, but nice.

matt korey

are we talking tiny in stature or tiny package?

The first home my partner, Kyle, and I rented was owned by Jessica Walter. She was our landlord for three years--very nice, never raised the rent & got workmen quickly to the place whenever something needed repairs. In fact, when the roof needed patching, she gave us a free month, claiming that we were obviously put out by the leaky roof. We weren't, really, the hole being in a guest room we never used, but we took the free month, nonetheless.

~Adam

It looks like this is isolated to mostly non-sports related famous/semi famous folks. I have met quite a few famous sports stars, but only a few others.
I once was the medical staff for Michael Bolton and his band during a softball game. He's a really nice guy and so are the folks in his band. They invited me to join them backstage at the concert that night and then gave me tickets to the next nights show in another town. I was joking with Michael after the last show about the sock he had taped to his leg. ( at least I was guessing that's what it was) Alita Adams was also there, and she is very sweet.
Another less innocuous meeting occured while I was visiting Los Angelos years back. My mother knew a somewhat famous actor and public spokesperson, so I called him before my trip out there. I went to Beverly Hills to visit him and he came to the door wearing only a skimpy pair of running shorts. I was impresssed!!!
I'll not go into all the gory details but you'll notice I did not give his name.

Hey Guys...Fun topic...I grew up in Los Angeles and rarely saw a celebrity until I took a job working for a private company that provided house arrest supervision to the courts. Out of respect for my former clients, I won't mention who these people are but there were several famous/semi-famous people who did not want to do actual jail time. If you e-mail me privately, you might convince me to talk.

*Went to two of Greg Louganis' book signings.

*Saw Cicely Tyson on a DC Metro car.

*Gave my business card to violinist Pinchas Zukerman.

*Talked music with pianist Andre Watts.

*Met Secretary Albright while shopping in a CVS (drug store chain) in Georgetown.

*Gave business card to Jesse Jackson.

*Shook Effi Barry's hand at a honor ceremony and saw former Mayor Barry at a friend's birthday party.

*Saw Mrs. Rachel Robinson (wife of Jackie Robinson) at a gathering to honor an baseball exhibit dedicated to Jackie Robinson's life.

*Heard Mayor Sharon Pratt Dixon (former DC mayor) speak at an awards dinner.

*Gave credential kits and resume to Kathleen Battle.

*Gave credential kits and resume to Wynton Marsalis.

*Met Tasmanian-born composer Peter Sculthorpe.

*Met (female) conductor Marin Alsop.

*Met former Dan Quayle while he was at the White House (through a friend on writing staff) and took a picture with him.

*Saw Sugar Ray Leonard's first wife at a photo shoot.

*Saw Mayors of Atlanta and Los Angeles at a business function.

*Met Mayor of Detroit at my current job while he was on departmental tour.




[ December 20, 2002: Message edited by: bluebird48234 ]

the topic says famous/semi-famous, but can i throw in a sighting of the notorious?

my partner and i were at our weekend house in provincetown, toward the end of summer. we were out to dinner at our favorite restaurant. we frequent it often enough that the owner recognizes us and often stops by our table to chat. and so he did this evening.

as he left our table, he added, with a twinkle in his eye, "stop by the bar on the way out, i want to buy you a drink, and introduce you to someone." my thought was, "woo-hoo, free booze!", my partner, definitely a type a, simply had to know who we were to be introduced to. we finished, and went to the bar, where we were met, the free booze was produced (woo-hoo!!) and the introductions began. as if we needed to be introduced, for there she was in all her glory, intern of the year for service above and beyond the call of duty -- miss monica lewinsky!

gawd, does she look the part! she was surrounded by hangers on and wannabes, just soaking up the attention. apparently, she's not bothered by the source of her fame. we shared a quick drink (conversation isn't her strong suit), and bid adieu.

when she left at summer's end, she did donate one of her custom-made bags (is she really doing this for a living?) to the aids support group auction. honey, kate spade ain't trembling in her shoes. this thing looked like a 4-h project! but it was donated to a good cause and we were thankful for it.

I saw Trent Lott at the Flatbush Avenue subway train station in Brooklyn this morning. He was pretending to be Stevie Wonder & singing "Signed, Sealed, Delivered"

[ December 20, 2002: Message edited by: kiperoni ]

[ December 20, 2002: Message edited by: kiperoni ]

Well, what the hey, I'll throw in a few things here:

Thanksgiving week I was next to George Stefanapholus (Okay, so I can't spell it) in line at Moby Dick's (It's a Kabob place, get your mind out of the gutter). At the once-posted terrible date where I was later asked to pay for my half, I sat right next to Jesse Helms. One of my best friends lived next door to Strom Thurmond.

I have had others, though they escape me at the moment.

Trevor

I almost forgot my close encounters with famous musicians (I'm not even a musician), especially Doc Severinsen. It was after a concert of his in my hometown of Bartlesville, Okla. The concert was wonderful; just pure fun entertainment and great music. Following the concert, my friends and I went to the cocktail lounge of the hotel where Doc and his band were staying. The hotel has a very small lounge, with room for maybe 30 people at the most. So there we were when Doc and his entourage came in and ordered drinks (Doc didn't have an alcoholic drink), and after they settled down and seemed to have a lull in their conversation, my friend and I walked up to Doc and I said, "Mr. Severinsen, we were at the concert tonight, and we wanted to tell you how much enjoyed it. We had a wonderful evening; it was just great." He glared at me briefly (he was all sweaty), said, "Yeah," and turned away.

Well, believe it or not, Bartlesville, with a population of 35,000, is a great place to meet famous musical people when they have the OK Mozart Festival in the second & third week of June each year. I've seen Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, Peter Schikele, Betty Buckley, Jean-Pierre Rampal, and others. The artists usually stay at the one nice hotel in town, and the cocktail lounge practically becomes a gay bar during the festival. Here's a bit about the OK Mozart Festival.

[ December 20, 2002: Message edited by: maxallen ]

George_v: joe jackson is gay? I didn't know

bluebird: is Kathleen Battle the b*tch diva they say she is?

Have seen a number of celebs while volunteering at the Toronto film fest, including of course, Roger Ebert.

Thought I was standing in line behind Jason Cass ("One House, Two Looks" decorating show) at the airport recently, but not positive. Have seen Nik Manojlovic ("Savoire Faire," decorating show) a number of times in shops around Toronto.

Saw Adrienne Clarkson, former CBC journalis and now Govenor-General of Canada, walking along the street many years ago.

Mary Jo Fenandez shopping for ties in Hermes, 57th street several years ago.

Christopher Reeves before his accident on Fifth Avenue, very good looking and smiling

Conan O'Brien going to H&H Bagels in NYC, he's really tall

Comedian David Brenner shopping in daffys, he's really old looking

Lily Tomlin, Dr. Ruth et al having dinner in Philadelphia

Janet Lee in Telluride, and Merly Streep, Roseanne Arquette, and Clint Eastwood, pretty tall and old-looking, carrying a young child down Main Street and not stopping for my cameras. I was there for the film festival. Never saw Tom or Oprah.

Shere Hite having tea at the Chesterfield in London

Had lunch and drinks with Edmund White in London, later, he didn't answer his door in Paris

Armistad Maupin and his partner invited me to San Francisco

Shirley Maclaine signed a book for me from her limo, and then took my pen

Dr. J(really tall) and his wife Tourquoise(lots of jewelry) at the gym, others at the gym: Mo Cheeks(really short, and always playing in the pick-up games), Eric Lindros coming out of the shower and going to the executive suites, any gaggle of other Philadelphia sports stars

Larry holmes on the streets of Philadelphia

And one Paul Wylie, skating queen, doing something he probably wished I had not caught him doing.

Oh God, I almost forgot, flew to London once, while waiting in line at check in, I was very inconvienced by these huge, muscle-y guys in front of me. When I got to the counter I asked to be seated as far away from those people as possible, they had been so rude in the airport. That was the first time I ever flew upstairs on a British Airlines plane. We get to Heathrow and at the holding area, there is a frenzy because they turned out to be wrestling stars, I did not recognize them. One I remember was an Indian-themed wrestler. He was buying swatches in duty free.

The British Ambassador
The Russian Ambassador
and all sorts of business tycoons and billionaires.

Okay, that's enough, fun to think about though

[ December 20, 2002: Message edited by: shore ]

[ December 20, 2002: Message edited by: shore ]

[ December 20, 2002: Message edited by: shore ]

[quote] Shook Effi Barry's hand at a honor ceremony and saw former Mayor Barry at a friend's birthday party.

---

I can't believe I forgot to include my Marion Barry story! In 1989 or 1990 - the Christmas right after he was arrested and lost the mayor-ship, but was in his lame duck stage, two friends of mine and I went to see Home Alone at Union Station. I had a cold and while waiting in the long line ran out of tissues for my runny nose (okay, so this is a little gross). I actually had my back to the ticket window, talking to my friends, who would tell me when to back up as the line moved. I was trying to contain the runniness without using my sleeve, so I was holding one nostril while sniffing with the other(okay, more than a little gross). After a short time my friends and the people behind them began giggling and chuckling whenever I would make do this with my nose. I got a little miffed and finally asked my friends why they were laughing at me in my distress (by now we were very close to the ticket window). My friend turned me around and I was face-to-face with Marion Barry, holding one nostril and sniffing loudly. If looks could have killed, I would have been dead at that moment - although the rest of the line got a HUGE kick out the whole thing.

Also, in the sports stars realm, around 1988 my Dad and I were dropping my mother off at a flight at Bradley Airport outside Hartford, CT. The flight was to Texas, and my father suddently realized Lee Trevino was across the waiting area (this was in the days you could go to the gate with a passenger). Dad waited until Lee had put his kids on the flight (they apparently were headed to their mother's - this was around Thanksgiving or Christmas) and then approached Lee and began chatting with him - well, my Dad is a huge golfer, so there was no getting him away from Lee until the plane actually had left the gate. Lee was extremely nice through the whole thing, as Dad and he discussed various golf tournaments Lee would be playing in the next season.

Patrick Duffy - Very nice, funny and better looking in person than on tv.

Linda Gray - Still has a great bod, nice lady, good sense of humor.

Chuck Norris - Way to much time in sun/tanning bed. Lotta attitude for someone who is about 4 feet tall.

Tom Cruise - Looks even better up close.

Hillary Clinton - Very powerful presence, gracious, she might even be a better president than her husband!

Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep having dinner together at a restaurant many years ago.

Whoopi Goldberg trying in vain to hail a taxi in Manhattan.

Sigourney Weaver towering above all the other men in First Class on a NYC - LA flight.

Nathan Lane walking right to the front of the taxi line at JFK after the same flight.

Jerry Ohrbach, who was my neighbor when I lived on the UWS of Manhattan, and would go out for the paper in the morning in his bathrobe and slippers.

Axl Rose and Stephanie Seymour and some unidentified powdery substance in the men's room at House of Blues in LA.

Dancing with Carly Simon at a club on Melrose many years ago (she was my first celeb!)

George Stephanopoulos. He had just moved to NYC after he left the White House, and we had an extremely unpleasant encounter in the locker room of NYSC at Lincoln Center.

Hillary Clinton, who for some reason singled me out of hundreds of people at an ESPA event recently and shook my hand. It was disconcerting to even be so physically close to someone I despise so much.

Bette Midler. Years ago, at a fundraiser for AIDS Project Los Angeles she made everybody in the room cry as she talked and sang about all the people she had lost to AIDS. Six months ago she did the same in NY, but it was all about compost and recycling!! BTW, great cheekbones, Bette...

I moved about six months ago, and among the neighbors are Ethan Hawke and Ume Thurman, and Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins; both couples own fabulous-looking townhouses on my street. Susan is stunning to look at, and a really nice person to boot. Oh, Chelsea Clinton is a newcomer to the 'hood, as well; she works out at my gym.

David Copperfield, who actually accused me of trying to pick up his then-girlfriend Claudia Schiffer at an industry event we were attending. As IF.....

Martha Stewart, always intelligent and polite during her IPO roadshow.

My late partner was an actor, so I also got to meet quite a few celebs through him. The highlights:

Patti LuPone. He made his Broadway debut with her in "Evita" many moons ago (way before we even met), and she was and still is a wonderful friend who always remembered us. She stood up and sang a verse from his favorite song at his memorial service; she'll never know how that moment moved me.

Marie Osmond. He toured in "The Sound of Music" with her. No comment.

Kevin Costner. His last movie role was in "For Love of the Game." They filmed at night at Yankee Stadium for two months during the winter. My partner raved about how nice and down-to-earth Costner was, and at the premiere he came over and chatted and was totally charming.

[ December 20, 2002: Message edited by: Munson Man ]

I've had two celebrity sightings, this thread brought back to mind my favorite: My partner and I were out to dinner in Palo Alto, CA, with some good friends, as we were being lead to our table, Vicki (our friend)grabbed my arm and told me to look to my right. Seated at a table against the far wall were Joe Montana, Steve Bono, Ronnie Lott and another gentleman whose identity I did not know. You must understand that Ronnie Lott just does it for me BIG TIME, and Steve Bono shares a very special place in my heart and other regions of my body as well. Joe Montana is not shabby either! What a night!

My friend worked for the Baucus Campaign here in Montana, and I got to help out at a fund raiser in Bozeman.

Part of my job was to go to the airport and meet Peter Fonda and lead him and Max from the airport to the fundraiser. I got to shake his hand and talk to him for a few minutes, and then I got to hear his speach and such. He was only able to attend for a few hours, he had to get back to Utah to finish shooting a movie. I guess he's playing a priest in his next movie. LOL

[ December 20, 2002: Message edited by: MSUBobcat ]

Mohamed Ali.... Saw him twice. 1st time, was before he became ill. I was 15 walking in the corridors at LAX, he was coming toward me, as he got close, he sparred the air around me, patted me on my head, and called me Champ.

Years later, I was working in a restaurant in Louisville, ky he came in with his wife and another couple. He's very hard to hear,but his brain is still there. They ate a free meal, and stiffed me on the tip.

I saw Richard Simmons walking down State st in Santa Barbara with his mother, and got his autograph(why?) I was 18.

Coming home from Basic training on a US air flight, I saw Sandra Bernhard. Nobody recognized her. I finaly got up, walked over and said I love your work. She looked up from her script and gave me an autograph. Everyone stared after that trying to figure out who she was.

I saw Alan Alda at the bel air sands hotel being interviewd during breakfast in the dining room, when I was 15. He is very tall and super nice.

My uncle used to own a janitorial service in the valley, and we cleaned lots of offices. In one building over the course of a week, I saw Barry Manilow, Micheal Jackson(he was still black) I was 14 then and I swear he came on to me, Lorne Green, and Neil Diamond(my mom recognized neil)

I also used to work as ground crew at Santa Barbara, and used to see David Hasselhoff every Friday night.

Peace
BB

[quote]Originally posted by mattkorey:
Oh, ok. I have one Bart Connor story. I was a reporter in Houston and covering some gymnastics things many years ago and went in to the locker room to invterview him while he was in his underwear. He was cute, but a bit too tiny for my likes.

---

Any pics???

[quote]Originally posted by Munson Man:
George Stephanopoulos. He had just moved to NYC after he left the White House, and we had an extremely unpleasant encounter in the locker room of NYSC at Lincoln Center.

---

Unpleasant in what way, or shouldn't we ask? (Not that unpleasantness involving a politician is surprising.)

i saw lorenzo lamas last week at a bar in maui

I'll play-I've had my share of interractions with obscure celebrities.The first I can remember was about 4th grade when I co-starred with Forrest Tucker in a summer production of "Music Man." OK,I was in the chorus and had no lines,but it was fun. For years I had a polaroid that I took in his dressing room that showed Forrest in boxers with a drink in his hand,standing in front of a rack of shelves filled with booze bottles-now that was a star.
A few years later my cousin starred in a summer stock production of "Butterflies Are Free",opposite Maureen O'Sullivan- and I got to meet and interract with her.Her main claim to fame was playing Jane to Weissmuller's Tarzan in a number of the films.She was also Mia Farrow's mother in real life and in "Hannah and Her Sisters" as well.My cousin has won a daytime emmy for his work as a writer on various soaps,and has had the oppurtunity to work with people like Vivian Vance,Aaron Spelling, and Kate Hepburn among others- unfortunately,I never got the oppurtunity to meet any of them.
I did get the oppurtunity to meet that superstar diva of the small screen... Joyce DeWitt You remember Joyce- she was the original Janet on Threes Company.Actually Joyce is from Speedway (IN) and her sister taught Home Ec at my high school.Joyce took tap lessons from my Aunt,and then was a student teacher during my senior year of high school. Since she was also carrying on a scandalous fling with our Drama director,who was twice her age, she was always backstage. I spent at least one period a day goofing off backstage myself,so I actually got to know her pretty well.
As far as encounters with sports celebrities,I have a few of those as well.I lived in Vegas for 3 years,and mainly hung out in various casino sportsbooks.I met a young Mark Grace at the Stardust,and lefty Dennis Cooke's parents at the Imperial Palace.I saw former Georgetown headman John Thompson playing slots at the Flamingo,and used to see Tark in various books.On 2 or 3 seperate occasions I hung out with Jimmie (JJ) Walker at the Dust-he'd just show up and entertain the regulars with his antics.Once when the PGA was in town,a group of pros showed up at the Dust.I sat next to Craig Stadler all day watching and betting on various games.It was a hoot-he was a real friendly,down to earth guy,but VERY competitive.He wasn't betting serious money-more like $10 a game,but he hated to lose.
Speaking of losing,the Dust was the spot where I initially met a guy who wrote the book on losing-the infamous Art Schlichter.For anyone who doesn't remember Art,he was a big-time QB at Ohio State in the 80's.Sports Illustrated coverboy as a soph,Heisman runner-up,and first round pick of the Colts-he had it all.He only had one problem-he was addicted to gambling.I think he owed over $1,000,000 when he went to the league and FBI and named names.He ended up getting banned for life by Rozelle, although he was convinced that he could get reinstated.
I think I've posted about my dealings with Art before-he was the poster boy for people who are helpless to control their addictions.I met Art shortly before he was signed to play QB for the Detroit team in the arena league.At the time,I didn't know him very well-he actually owed me $100,and when I read in the paper about him signing I figured my money was long gone too.The day before he left he came into the Dust-I caught him by suprise,hit him up for the money,and to my amazement, he paid me.Then he shocked me by telling me he needed someone he could trust to play his action in Vegas-and we basically became partners.Over the course of the next 2 years,he called me and sent me money virtually every day.It was unbelievable-he would call from hotels,lockerrooms,team meetings- you name it.He'd always wire the money using fake names and on average it was 2 or 3 thousand per day.After he ate up his salary,he started hitting up family,friends,teammates you name it-the boy was sick.I still have gobs of tickets that I kept as souvenirs-they weren't good for anything else.At one point I made a stupid mistake and he ended up owing me $10,000.Needless to say I never collected.He ended up turning himself in and going to rehab-afterwards his lawyer contacted me and basically told me I was screwed.Eventually, we both ended up back in Indiana and Art was flying high until he added forgery and money laundering to his list of achievements.He's spent several years in various federal correctional facilities-a couple here in Indiana-and from what I read his prognosis is grim.I've been tempted at times to go look him up,just to see if he'd remember me and what he'd say-but I never have.

David Crosby (of Crosby, Stills and Nash) once cut me off on the 405 Freeway. I popped him the finger.

Tim, it's ironic that you mention Art Schlichter because he is a patient at the eye doctor's office that I've been working at for the past 3.5 years. What's especially ironic is that I have a story line that's very similar to yours. I'll have to PM you with the details.

Since I live in Indy, there aren't many movie stars around here, although I've met Mike Aulby (pro bowler, funny story there) and Ron Artest through my office (very funny because I had no idea who he was until after he left ... D'oh), and my roomate has met Greg Graham, Skeeter Barnes, Jameson Brewer (Pacer scrub), and quite a few IRL drivers in the same office. I love my job.

Nick

I've got a few more to add to my list that slipped my mind earlier.
I ran into Rod Stewart in the lobby of the Ritz in Atlanta. I was waiting for a friend and he was on his way to sing in a concert at Chastain park. I was shocked that he stopped to say hello to me. He seemed very nice and sincere. While still waiting I also saw Lynn Russel formerly of CNN headline news. She's the one with pouty lips and red hair. She also has a very strong set of legs. I like her because of her background story (very interesting).
Ertha Kitt is a distant cousin of mine. I'm caucasion; it's a long story...
My college graduation ceremony had George Bush Sr. and his mother Barbara, Andrew Loyd Weber, Michael Eisner, and the US poet lauriet(sp) whom I can't remember. Quite a managerie. I shook Bush's hand, but my mother and the guy she was married to were gathered up in the crowd and ate lunch at the table of the president and the first lady. She had her picture taken with them, but unfortunately there is a goofy looking man in the pic too, her now ex-hubby (another long but interesting story).

Back in 1996, my partner and myself bumped into Larry Hagman shopping in a voodoo store in New Orleans. "ntertainment Tonight" was doing a story on him. He was kind enough to pose with my partner for a picture! He was really nice, and actually, very chatty. I couldn't believe my eyes, when we first saw him there.
Then we saw John Goodman (Roseanne) lounging by the pool at our hotel in Cancun.

I was on Jeopardy a few years back. While waiting on the Sony lot to be taken over to the studio, I looked next to me and there was Sandra Bullock, clad only in a bathrobe. She was shooting Speed 2 at the time (I would have loved to have seen her co-star, Jason Patric, clad in a bathrobe (or less) -- but no such luck!). She was waiting for a golf cart to pick her up and take her to the Speed part of the lot. We got to chat a bit -- she's very nice, wished me luck on Jeopardy (it didn't help!) ... I thought other actors probably would have thrown a hissy fit having to wait like that ... but she was cool.

Living and working her in DC I meet and see too many politicians to mention. Our old favorite non-gay waterhole was frequented by the man-of-the-hour, Trent Lott. John Breaux hung out there too -- those Louisianans really know how to party!

I worked out at the gym once with one of the Blowfish from Hootie -- the tall one with the curls. Hope he's found gainful employment since the demise of the one-hit wonder

When I was in London a few years ago, I was being a tourist and visited Westminster Abbey. The Bells in the tower started ringing and a procession of police blocked off the entrance. I wanted to see what was up and sqeezed my way to the front of the baricades in time for an Encounter with Queen Elizabeth II. She was very elegant and gracious waving to the crowd and making her way into the Abbey passing only feet away from me.

Back during the election controversy of 2000, I was working in the Capitol building in Tallahassee where it seemed like the news media of the world converged. With my job (local and state tourism info), I came into brief contact with several news personalities. The most memorable to me was Bill Hemmer. He looked even better in person than on TV. I basically stammered and babbled when he asked me a question about the area. Anyway, I was so surprised by Wolf Blitzer. On tv, he seems average height or even a bit short. The guy has to be at least 6'3". Also, ran into Greta van Surgery, er Susteren. Oh, I never talked to, but I saw, Shepard Smith. I do remember that he was arrested while in town for almost running over someone in his car who was trying to save a parking spot for their camera crew or something. It was strange. His mug shot is posted on The Smoking Gun http://www.thesmokinggun.com/mugshots/dsmithmug1.html

Oh, also during that same year, I met Dave Thomas of Wendy's fame in the elevator. He gave me a photograph of him and Wendy that was autographed (yes, I still have it...lol). He was such a friendly guy.

Of course, working at the Capitol, I was able to meet Jeb Bush a few times and several various and assorted representatives from Florida. Good times...

[ December 21, 2002: Message edited by: Musicalidad ]

Regarding Bart Connor, I meant overall he was tiny, not any particular body part. He was just in some white jockey underwear and there wasn't anything I could tell from that and plus I like to give fellows the benefit of the doubt in that respect. There are showers and growers after all. I was going to have to guess fake marriage for him and Nadia though.

Nice going Denver fan, the ultimate celebrity herself: Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth II

Can't explain why, but someday I'd love to see Her Majesty. In the meantime,

* sat next to Richard Greico at a fireworks display at Ontario Place in Toronto.

* talked to Jamie Lee Curtis at a wine and cheese reception in Santa Monica

* at Mickey's in WeHo felt some guy behind me rubbing his leg against the back of mine. Turned to see who it was and found myself eye level with the chest of Dennis Rodman.

* sat in Gordy Howe's car (with my dad) talking before a Red Wings hockey practice.

* spent a couple of hours listening to Warren Beatty talk about his career, family, and politics to a small group of USC students.

* met and received autographs from Bjorn Borg, Bruce Jenner (before the awful nose job), Andrew Sullivan.

* and, finally, shaken hands with John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Gerald Ford, and Henry Kissinger.

K,

Went to high school with Mindy Cohen (gasp!)
Stepped on James Taylors foot while exiting a Warren Zevon concert in NYC.
Most recently, Played poker with George Sieferts at the Reno Hilton.
Also I was playing Holdem at the Peppermill and the dealer SAID that Chipper Jones was playing blackjack but I ran about and couldnt find him.

While I was ice-skating (badly) in Atlanta at the old Omni on a high school band trip, Jodie Foster (also 16) walked by with her mom. Gawd, so cute then, so hot now...

nice subject: very subjective it seems.

met Bono after a show in tempe arizona at the start of the joshua tree tour. I met all the guys but I mention him specifically because we had a chat. lovely man.

went to school with David Schwimmer the summer of my juinior year of hs. he was just a teenager then, so he was painfully skinny. about fifteen years later, I ran into him at J. Crew on Michigan Ave in Chicago; still the same shy guy, but really gracious once I reminded him of our prior association.

recently met Patricia Heaton at a book event in Phoenix. Really nice as well, and Really, Really tiny.

met Jarrod Washburn at J. Crew in Phoenix when he was still relatively unknown. I was working so I served him, getting him to buy a couple of sweaters. saw him with his shirt off. woof. Very nice guy.

Courtney Love: apres show in Phoenix during the Live Through This tour. She was lovely, and sad.
Met the members of Veruca Salt the same night, as they were opening for her.

Happy Holidays everyone.

Guess I have an advantage that others don't. Other LA folks can no doubt attest to the oddities we run into, such as...
1. 1997-ish, left a club, encountered a super-high queen screaming at a car. Seemed weird, so I meandered over a little closer to the car.
"Jim! Why are you naked?" screamed the queen. By now I was nearly upon the car, within which the driver's seat popped up from the reclining position.
"I don't knoooow!" screamed a naked and wacked out Jim J Bulloch in response.
Jim J has now gotten sober with AA, and has ended his many contributions to www.filthtogo.com.
2. Poor old Annette Funicella. Her desicated and withered old bones get rolled in a wheelchair through the West Hollywood Smart'n'Final every Saturday. So sad.
3. Ryan O'Neal, bloated and perhaps a little snockered, walking his dog outside his WeHo condo. Those stars have such glitzy lives; alcohol and poop scoopers!
4. Me getting blown in a bar bathroom by one of the cast from Titanic. Very LA.
5. Me criticizing a piece of overpriced Asian import furniture, unknowingly, while "Will" (of Will and Grace) looks over my shoulder with his girlfriend/wife in tow. It was a shocker, at the time. He plays gay so well that I just assumed he was one of us. Nonetheless, there I was whining about a $3500 armoire that cost $25 to assemble in Bangkok, and Mr. McCormick huffs through his nostrils in a tone that can best be described as "agreement." I turned crimson red.
6. There I was trying on jeans at the Gap just off Rodeo Drive, and in strolls Jack Palance. I listened as the employee tried to describe the different fits of Gap jeans (which now seem to fit every conceivable human dimension up to an optional third leg and space for flippers). China is solvent primarily due to the Gap's march toward fitting every human on Earth with some type of jean. Anyways, I digress.
So the Gap person says, "This is the Easy Fit, which is our most popular jean."
"I don't care much at ALL for what is MOST popular," hissed Palance. His response was crusty, crackly, and everything that one could imagine as quintessentially Jack Palace. It is my favorite LA-star memory, mainly because I can still hear him hissing his disdain for "popularity."

And I have at least another six or ten stories that I would love to tell...however. I don't think those tales would be best laid out here in the interest of protecting the dignity of four of my friends. Hee hee.

And I am not about to tell the best stories that incriminate myself!

AU Tiger, I bet you are a hit at parties. You are hilarious and can tell a great story. Love the China/Gap commentary. Classic.

I had a similar conversation with some co-workers about a year ago, and started thinking that the most famous person I ever saw was in 1986 in NY when I saw "Cats". There was a big hubbub during the intermission, and somebody said, "Dr. Ruth is over there", so I walked up and shook her hand and she went "tee-hee-hee" and that was it. Wow.

Then I remembered that I took a class at UK with Ashley Judd, which really wasn't a big deal at the time since she was just the daughter/sister of famous people, so I told my co-worker, "unless Ashley Judd is famous, is she famous?" (Honestly, I've never seen any film she was in). Her jaw just about hit the floor, and she made a big deal about it. Ashley borrowed two books from me right before the final, and when I saw her after X-mas break I asked if I could get them back sometime. She said, "Oh, dear, I sold them because I didn't have enough money for lunch -- here, let me write you a check". I declined, even though she told me her signature would be worth something someday, and I just rolled my eyes as she walked away. So I guess that's my contribution.

I saw Rupet Everett at a streetside outdoor table making googoo eyes at his male date. Also saw Alan Thicke,Jackie Mason and the guy from Seinfeld that played Newman on the streets of NYC. I shook hands with Jimmy Carter and he called me by name (he read my nametag - Smart guy ) Also saw JFK - Bush #1 - and Reagan in person - last 2 giving speeches.

I saw two of the cast members of the Real World San Francisco. The cartoonist and the Asian chick.

My ex saw Nell Carter nearly naked. His eyesight wasn't the same for a while.

[quote]Originally posted by DCBucky:
I worked out at the gym once with one of the Blowfish from Hootie -- the tall one with the curls. Hope he's found gainful employment since the demise of the one-hit wonder

---

At least they were good for my favorite line in "Jerry Maguire"!

Speaking of Hootie and the Blowfish, I forget about being friends with Sony (Jim Sonefeld) the drummer and Darius Rucker while we were in college together. Both are great guys and "real" people. Sometimes you can be around someone enough and forget that they are big stars. (not just a one hit wonder)
I also forgot about meeting Alyssa Milano. She is a real cutie. She was married to a buddy of mine in a rock band. When we met, he introduced us and she said my screen name from a bulletin board and said how nice it was to finally meet me. Now that was quite the surprise to have a star say that about me!