Have you ever had an unexpected celebrity sighting?

For example, I worked at a newspaper about 12 years ago and Sonny Bono suddenly walked through the office one day, when he was campaigning for a Cal. state assembly seat. Waved at everyone and smiled big but never stopped walking.

hate to speak ill of the dead -- you were better off that he didn't linger in your work area. He was, frankly, an a**hole, and widely known in the Coachella Valley hospitality industry as being one. Nasty little man. Kind of a shock, because he always came across as being a genial little putz on TV.

Bob Weaver used to be a weatherman at WTVJ, Channel 4, Miami, Florida. A few nights ago, I wondered whether he was still here, or not, since this was in the 1950s.

Glory be, here is Bob Weaver, your namesake, now affiliated with the Florida Youth Orchestra. He still looks very nice to me -- really handsome as a young guy and now, too.

Here he is in the 50s (scroll down about six paragraphs) near left column:

http://www.nbc6.net/community/1221683/detail.html

Bob Weaver's current affiliation (Wow! Looks like he has all his hair!):

http://www.floridayouthorchestra.org/

Bob Weaver of DU, we've spoken about this before.

Here's to the commonality of names. If you google my real maiden name, one of the women I share that name with -- was married to one of the original Mormon men who crossed into the valley of the great Salt Lake. The woman who bears my name shared him with 19 other wives, or so I've been told.

WTVJ Channel 4, of course!

See if this image comes up:

From 1957:

I was gonna mention Skipper Chuck. And there you are -- his assistant!

I don't remember your name, but I used to watch Popeye's Playhouse whenever we could get a good signal.

West Palm Beach is where I grew up. I was about 15 at the time of that photo.

A kong time ago.

:o

:evilgrin:

and he was a dick.

... sat down a couple tables over at the local Dixie House restaurant. Circa 1988 or so :)

I've also waited on Troy Aikman, Chuck Norris, local news anchors, and some others I can't think of right now...

now and Ross sits down periodically with them to see what is going on...go figure:crazy:

they are at.

I ran into OJ in an elevator in a hotel. He was very polite. Had several nice conversations with Paul McCartney . I corresponded with John Preston until his death. Didn't actually meet him, damn it, or I would have dragged him into bed. But he gave me signed first editions of all his books. Met Clive Barker, Melanie Rawn, May Sarton, James Hunt, Fay Weldon, a whole bunch of 'em.


Khash.

(CJ Cregg, West Wing), out walking her dog.

it was announced that Edgar Bergen was in my hometown.
He (Sr. Bergen) was a railfan and a neighbor still harvested his crop with steam engines.

His sig. is a part of our family's heritage.

I was in elementary school, nine or ten years old, and we were in line at a Howard Johnson's in East Texas. It was my hometown, and they were giving away free tickets to breakfast. Apparently Johnny Cash was travelling through and checking in at the same time as they were giving away the free tickets.

My mom whispered, "N-nose, that's Johnny Cash behind us!" Of course, she didn't call me N-nose back then.

I asked, "Who's Johnny Cash, momma?"

She turned red and angrily whispered "SHHHHHH! He'll hear you! That's June next to him, and they'll BOTH hear you!"

I, being a precocious smart-ass, said, "I don't care if he hears us, I wanna know who he is. So who is he, Momma, who's Johnny Cash?" She didn't answer, and I didn't let up. "Who's Johnny Cash, momma, who?"

Eventually, this strange man behind me caught my eye, stuck out his hand, and said, "Hey there, son. My name's Johnny Cash."

I said "oh" and shook his hand, and didn't figure out who the hell he was until years later. I thought my poor mother was going to fall flat on the spot. For me, it was just some weird old man; for her, it was like the second coming.

Swear to God.

It didn't mean so much to me, then, but the look on my poor mother's face was priceless.

:-)

Even if Johnny Cash were not, himself, as cool as he was, that'd be a great story.

I love me some Johnny Cash.

during a lunch break saw Don Meredith going into the court, his son on trial for something....

got on a plane with Warren Moon...Saw Jimmy Connors checking in at a hotel in Dallas...

Went into a Red Lobster in Gadsden, AL and there was a wedding rehearsal dinner going on in another room---saw Linda Hamilton (friend of the groom) and one of the "Darryls"--who was the groom--from the Bob Newhart show

ON edit: Thought I was replying to OP---looks like I replied to #11.

just as wonderful as your encounter. What a great human being Johnny was.

I ran into Michael McDonald (Doobie Brothers) while going to the men's room at a club in Los Angeles.

Is he a celebrity?

I know...not really a celeb. It was in Washington and he was reporting on the White House lawn, but at least I saw him from a distance.

n/t

at like 5 in the morning (we had an early flight), we were waiting in line for the skycap, a limo pulls up and out pops Geraldo Rivera and his trophy girlfriend.

He was a butthead

him!

Last summer (2004) Jake something and some other young guy and Kate B something (hey, I'm old and I never go out; I can't remember names but I knew they were "famous"; Jake was in "Day After Tomorrow") Anyway, they were filming "Brokeback Mountain" here in Calgary. I'm walking to the bus stop after work (in the cool part of town, on 17th Ave.) and there they were, going into one of the bars. I actually, physically ran into the Jake guy, because I wasn't paying attention (as usual). He is very pretty in person. Too bad I'm old enough to be his grandmother. Sigh. The young friend I was with kept on about him and his friends (Keith Ledger? Kate Beckensfield?, I really don't know or care.) She (my young friend) wanted us to go into the bar and sit near them. I just wanted to go home.

Helen Shaver was the oddest. I had a crushon her, for some reason. I worked nights at a hotel. One night I turned around and she was standing at the counter asking for change. I managed to stammer and sweat my way through it with style.

Same hotel, I bumped into Nolan Ryan as he was getting on the elevator I was getting off. At various times saw Pete Rose, Emmit Smith, Michael Irvin (and a gorgeous stripper who was waiting for him), Skip Bayless, and had a five minute conversation with Nate Newton.

Bill Clinton stayed at the hotel once, but that wasn't a surprise.

Ran into Ann Richards while she was governor. She was at the food court of the Central Market. Several people told me she came there all the time.

Worked retail in Dallas, and ran into George W Bush (baseball owner at the time), Mark Aguirre, Ed Jones (he really is too tall), Edie Brickel (very shy), Roger Staubach.

I saw Brett Favre when we were kids, but he lived near my best friend, and he wasn't famous yet.

5 years ago because this town gives a parade for any excuse. Coincidentally, the holiday happened during the Alabama Music Hall of Fame Awards and Jim Nabors was being honored. So we were waiting for the parade & who should walk by but Gomer Pyle himself. While I was sputtering about that to my husband, a lady had walked up to my 5 yr. old daughter & was talking to her and exclaiming how cute she was in her green overalls & cap. It was Ruth Buzzi.

I was getting bagels for our weekly meeting in downtown St. Paul, and I noticed a very tall man standing in front of me in line. When he asked for his bagels to be toasted again, I instantly recognized the voice.
Out of respect, I didn't bother him.
But it was surprising to see him in Minnesota.

In Robert's store in Woodside California. It was like suddenly being in Congress. He got into his 1960 VW bug and drove off.

A congressman to watch. I met Rush with the oldest one, at a local science fair. Rush came and read to my youngest preschool kid.

I've got to Google that one. Thanks.

edit- He was a republican???!!!! Damn!! That's how far we've come. By most standards, he's a liberal.

Founded Earth Day. Opposed the Vietnam war.

Repubs from the RW. Hold on a couple of minutes and I'll get some info for you.

First, this is a statement From McCloskey in Oct. 2004.

This is from http://leiterreports.typepad.com/blog/2004/11/the_republicans.html

snip
-- Former U.S. Representative Pete McCloskey, R-California, from an article in the Palo Alto Weekly, September 8, 2004. McCloskey, who is active with Republicans for Kerry, says of members of the Bush administration, "These people believe God has told them what to do. They've high jacked the Republican Party we once knew."

snip

But here's an article about his candidacy.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/email/news/12917495.htm

BTW, I know of this campaign since I heard a Dem challenger, to Pombo, Jerry McNearney speak at a DFA meetup. I asked him about the DLC and he said the DLC was dead! :rofl: WELL ..... Ellen Tauscher - DLC - wound up endorsing another Dem for the primaries by the name of Filson which may have stopped McNearney in his tracks. And now they have to go up against McCloskey!! Oh shit!

I mean, this is the real light at the end of the neocon tunnel.

Funny, my post would lead to this discussion.

It's quite sad to see how old he is now. I remember him as a dapper man.

But this is evidence of sanity in America. Evidence that even the Republicans can't take it anymore. AND, I predict that when this is all over and done (ten years?), the two parties might actually be, ahem, united.

My dad's 82, and a lot of fun to commisserate with. These old guys are very alive. In fact, more so than the young kids. We were too busy getting stoned to pay attention to politics, or we wouldn't be in the mess we're in today.

I was tearing tickets at a movie theater and they came in to watch a movie. It was a sequel to the the Mighty Ducks (WTF?). I didn't recognize them when I tore their tickets. The best girl in the entire world (Tracy T.) informed me of my brush with celebrity. Then we had anal..

:D

John Travolta,Frank Langela,Woody Allen,Tom Wolfe,Joe Jackson,Gerald Ford when he was pres.when I lived in DC for a year,Jimmy Carter when he was pres.Not to mention some b-list movie stars in NY as well.

In a Columbia, SC Metro airport. Went up to him and asked him for an autograph because, "you are my favorite Republican senator." He looked at me like I was crazy, but I think that he got my message.

on a crowded 5th Avenue...she's prettier in person, Folks!:applause:

eating lunch at the Summit Lake Lodge on the Seward Highway just before the Sterling cut-off up here in Alaska several years ago. He was impossible to ignore.

It wasn't totally unexpected. I was working "security" at a Grateful Dead concert, which was a completely stupid idea, but I was young and didn't know what I was getting into.

A drunk guy threatened me with a broken liquor bottle when I refused to acknowledge that the concert was "free." I was a still a kid (I was 18) and I was pretty freaked out. I had never been threatened with mortal violence before.

Between shows (yes, there were two shows at a Grateful Dead concert -this was 1970) I was behind the stage guarding the groupies room and Garcia came over to chat. He was a pretty nice guy, no affectation whatsoever. He told me that things had gotten scary a few weeks before at a Concert they'd played at Queen's College, but that I'd be alright. I felt safe after that. I don't know that I was safe, but I felt so.

3 months after he died.

Also, one day I was walking down the street and there were three people walking towards me and I thought "wow, that guy in the middle is SHORT" and it wasn't until they had passed me that I realized it was Dana Carvey.

Did you notify the World Weekly News?

:shrug:

Lunching with an identified woman (older than he) in a FL restaurant about 3 years prior to his tragic death. Holy Mary Mother of God he was gorgeous....

Damn, he was THE most good-looking man ever. And I am still moved to tears at his untimely death.

In Oakland outside the Paramount Theater. He posed for a picture with my son. We had first row seats to see him. Sweet.

They didn't have his address, though he was a regular customer, as he still feared being tracked down by crazy Manson family members.

Herve Villachaize (sp) once came into my regular pub.

We recently saw David Spade in the next booth at Musso.

Once saw Ralph Macchio at the next table at a club, and later the same evening, after hours, Julian Lennon came into the place we were eating.

Saw Walter Matthau buying tickets at a Dodger game.

Saw Rob Reiner talking to someone about how fake the Republicans were at their (2000) convention, which had just taken place.

We were looking for the fashion houses off the Champs Elysees, a small cluster of people were huddled together across the street from a somewhat inconspicuous looking hotel. They were excited and had cameras and were talking away in French. We didn't have a clue what they were saying, but we hung around to see what they were waiting for.

After a minute or two, a small limo pulled up, and out popped....
wait for it.....






Bruce Willis!
The french pronounced it Brrruce Weelis! Brruce Weelis!
(Apparently we had come across the Parisian Chapter of the Bruce Willis fan club)
He looked smaller and totally balder then I expected. He turned, bowed, waved, and then he was gone.
If I'd known what a 'puke he was, I'd have flipped him off!

Talk about your unexpected encounters.

He was in Milton Ontario making a trucking movie. (High-Ballin' 1978) We were standing around watching, I got to talking to this 'man' about the movie. It was being filmed at a truckstop. He suggested we grab a bite and I agreed. It was just a polite thing to do and then I had to be on my way (this is when I was driving for a living). We chatted, he paid for lunch, wished me well and off I went. Another driver stopped me in the parking lot and asked how I 'rated' to have lunch with an actor. I shrugged and must have looked stymied because it was then that the other driver told me I'd had lunch w/ Peter Fonda. Nice guy that Peter Fonda!

aA.

have been a little nervous. He was SO down to earth at the time and it didn't occur to me that he was even anyone other than just 'with the group'. I'm so NAIVE at times LOL

:hi:

celebrity, for a change!!

He was filming some obscure movie with Paul Michael Glaser (Starski and Hutch fame).

They were in between takes and Huston was standing at the bottom of the escalator I was on.

I just just smiled, nodded and said ,"Mr Huston" and he smiled and nodded back.

day (his current wife). Saw Wayne Rogers at the Viticulture
Dept. of UCD (he grew grapes as a sideline, I believe).

Saw Peter Coyote in Sausalito and Donna Mills in a white
convertible in L.A.

And Grace Slick at a Lucky Supermarket in Mill Valley!!

of Robin's house. He watched the affair with the nanny-turned-wife unfold.

The weird thing about seeing him and Marcia (I think that's
ber name) is that they never said ONE WORD to each other.
Literally. Instead, they gazed into each other's eyes the
whole time! This was in SF in a restaurant that had a back
patio. Then we heard a few days later that he had married
her that next day.

I always knew they were coming because the names were on the assignments. Kinda takes the fun out of it.

My ex did was sort of a magnet for the unexpected "sighting," though. When she was a young'un, she bumped — literally — into Peter Frampton coming out of an elevator at a concert venue in Albuquerque.

Fast-forward about 15 years and she's in Lucky's late one night. This was when Clint Eastwood's then-fiancee, Dina Ruiz, was an anchor at the NBC affiliate in Salinas. Apparently, Eastwood had picked her up after the 11 p.m. news and they stopped to pick up some groceries on the way home to Carmel.

So, Chery's pushing a cart down an aisle, looking at the shelves, and at the end of the aisle she smacks right into Dirty Harry.

First thing I said when she told me was, "Did he say, 'Go ahead... make my lunch'?"

In Maryland. I was mountainbiking with some friends at a nearby park, and when we got there and parked our cars, a man came over and told us they were going to be shooting a scene for a movie, and asked us nicely to move our cars to the other side of the parking lot, which we did. We asked him what movie and he said "In the Line of Fire". There was an old house adjecent to the parking lot where they were going to shoot. We went riding and after awhile got back, and by that time they'd set up the shot, and Clint Eastwood was standing right there waiting for the scene to start. I've yet to see that movie to this day, though I'd like to watch for that scene, if it made it.

Joan Jett came into the shoe store I worked at a long time ago and bought a pair of boots, but I wasn't the one that waited on her.

'Few years ago I was working on the the ramps for the 101 around Universal City/Talluca Lake area, pulled into a parking lot between a "chic" lunch place and a 7-11 (guess where I was going!) and he was standing along the only parking spot open next to a nice convertible talking on a cell phone. He turned around right after I pulled up and had stopped - right into the mirror. (Oof.) That's when I recognized him.
Put a visible dirt mark on his nicely pressed light blue shirt about pec level.
No autograph. I guess a freeway smudged and rather curvy girl in a hardhat and reflective orange vest was a bit too scary for him, especially after he had just had a bit of breath knocked out of him. Or maybe he had a pressing appointment.

That job I also got a wave and a quick "hey, can you get them to speed this light up?" from Nick Cage as he was waiting to get onto the freeway and I was almost on the freeway while closing up one of the ramp control boxes.

I met Robert Mitchum, Ben Murphy and Jan Micheal Vincent when they were filming "The Winds of War" in Port Hueneme and were using my ship and about a quarter of the crew as part of the attack on Pearl Harbor (as well as various other naval ports) I got to be an extra, a rider in a motorcycle sidecar "at Hickam Field" and got "blown up" about 25 times.

Then-President Ronald Reagan came to our base once and the base C.O. made everyone fall in for a full dress whites inspection along with the usual dog-n-pony. Bleah. Longest 5 hours of my life.



Haele

in the early 80's --went on their bus after concert. Pretty cool group

also Valerie Bertinelli and van halen while in college at a bar.

house. (Alabama guitarist). My Dad was in politics and his friendship with Alabamas home counties Probate Judge gained us entree...prety cool.

a young'un in San Juan Capistrano and he'd retired to San Clemente; my aunt was visiting and we were driving around a country club/golf course site-seeing and he and his caddy were waiting to cross one of the little in-club roads. My aunt got out, dragged my cousin out of the car for a photo but I cowered in the back seat and refused to budge. Painfully shy, I was.

While living in L.A., saw Michael Keaton when he was still big (just post-Batman time), met Peter Tork (one of The Monkees) working at a benefit in LA, bumped into Adam Arkin in a Brentwood coffee shop; while living in NYC passed Julia Roberts on 5th Avenue up by the park, and in London, while visiting a friend who was working at the Victoria & Albert Museum, damn near opened a door into Prince William's face. He was there with his class from Eton. Apologized to His Highness, he was very sweet and still slightly babyfaced, even though he'd reached his (almost) full height.

He used me! And I was only too happy at the time. Of course, what did I know then? nada

I walked into the wrong meeting room. D'oh! Less than five minutes later I ran into Jim Allchin coming around a corner and we both almost fell down, dropping crap everywhere. It was a strange day.

The airlines have these club rooms for certain fliers, and if you have the appropriate credentials, you can go sit in the quietitude and convenience of a much better place than the lobby areas. It's roomy. You can work. You can make calls, get online, whatever.

Celebs often hang out in them when they travel. Not your JLo types, but celebs who don't travel with an entourage. I've run into and had nice conversations with several. Sherman Hemsley, Clarence Brown III, Tyne Daly, Matthew Modine, to name four that come immediately to mind. They don't feel threatened in that environment, because it's real laid back and not crowded. Just you and them sitting there talking, killing time until your flight is ready to go.

I was standing back-to-back with Cameron Diaz and didn't know it until we both turned around. Then I hit the pavement hard.

Saw Joe Lynn Turner of Rainbow at Chuy's in Austin about 1987 or 88.

Saw Lukas Haas at a SXSW show about 93 or so. I think it was Lucinda Williams.

And stood in front of Timbuk3 at a Todd Rundgren show in 89.

Those are the unexpected biggies that stand out (not the whole "meeting them" thing we did working at a record store). I'm not much of a celebrity magnet.

fsc

Both time i was younger and working for a hotel in the city.
the first time i was on my way home late one evening and as i walked out the electric doors someone was on there way in but for some reason they had tried to come in the out door I Finlay got tired of waiting for him to realize that he was trying to come in the wrong door (about two minutes or so) I just got fed up and stepped on the mat to open it.
It knocked him to the ground right on his keester.
it wasn't until the next day that i learned i had knocked freddy mercury on his ass... they had been in concert here and hell i didn't know who he was at the time.
and the other time i did something stupid was accidentally give a cleb's room away to someone while he was sleeping in it.
LMAO i didn't look at the rom list when i handed this guy keys to a room the poor guy walked into the room of Roy Clark who had done a county fair that night it was late and i wasn't thinking when i did that LMAO.
the guy came back and told me that someone was already in that room I apologized to him and gave him another room then checked the list to see who was in the room.
boy was i embarrassed after that. Mr clark came down after a wile he turned out to be a great guy and wasn't mad at all or at least that is what he told me .
I can Imagine how he must have felt when a stranger walked into his room and woke him from a sound sleep.

buying his own produce at the Kroger in Oxford, MS. He looks exactly like his jacket photos.

I did a triple take and he grinned. I guess he was going the wrong way, cause he ended up in the same terminal area I was. I told him I had his barbie doll, he asked me how old I was(I was 16), and thought it was cool I even knew who he was. This was before the talk show. He was a genuinely nice guy.
Duckie

coming around a corner to the elevator bank in my office in Manhattan - she had her offices in the same building. VERY tiny - barely 5 feet tall and incredibly thin. She apologized for bowling me over ;)

Well...he sat three seats to my left anyway. He was very personable and gracious as people came up to speak with him. I shook his hand and told him how much I appreciated what he does. I was such an uber-geek that day....

OK, the day I met Katherine Hepburn--well, almost: It was about 20 million years ago, and I was working in Manhattan as a gofer ("editorial assistant") for a children's book publisher. The company was in the Crown Building on Fifth Avenue at 57th Street--a very chi-chi address for a book publisher, especially this one. One day, I had to take some papers to an office on another floor. I got into the elevator, noticing that two older women were in it also, but I didn't really look at them. Then I heard an oddly familiar voice. I looked up and realized that one of the women was Katherine Hepburn. She looked like she was in her late 70s, and she was talking with the other woman, who looked even older. Eventually "Kate" (ahh, why not call her that, at this point?) sensed that I was staring at her. She slowly turned her head and gave me a very imperious look and a little smile--"just like in the movies," as they say. I was too shy to say anything, and embarrassed about staring, so I quickly looked down at my papers. The elevator stopped at my floor and I got off. As the doors closed, I heard the two women chuckling softly, and the "other one" (Hepburn's companion?) said, "Well, that was easy." I guess they had expected that I would ask for an autograph or something dumb like that. I later learned that Hepburn's dentist was in the same building, so presumably that's what she was doing there.

Back when he was Speaker. I was at National Airport with my wife, picking up her sister, when we saw Newt making a phone call, at a pay phone, with nobody else around. It was during the big remodeling job they did back in the mid 90's and Gingrich was all alone, oh, the temptation to go up and do something that would have resulted in my still being in Jail......

He was in town appearing in some play. I was eating at this restaurant on Jackson Avenue, by the window....and lo and behold, Roddy McDowell walked right by. Alone. It was so...strange. I almost went out to ask for his autograph or something...but I didn't. I wasn't really sure it was him, until I had seen about the play in town he was in.

Had a bunch of sales reps at the shop one day when the boss-man calls me out to meet them. I shook the hand of a tall, well-built guy and say, "You look just like Franco Harris. God, he's pissed me off over the years." (Browns' fan)


He looks at me and laughs, says, "I get a LOT of that around these parts."


Realize it IS Franco Harris. Laugh like hell. Nice guy. HUGE hands.

filming "Moonlighting," Dick Van Dyke in an LA parking lot ("Hey! That guy looks exactly like Dick Van Dyke! ... Oh, wait ...).

Once when I was in Monte Carlo (I was 19) I had just won a minor jackpot on one of the slots. An older man was smiling benevolently at me. He was with Eric (or is it Erik?) Estrada (his manager?) and insisted on bringing me over to meet E.E. I didn't want to -- I had heard about E.E. being a wife beater and I thought he was kind of scummy. (I didn't say that to the man, though.)The guy insisted and E.E. had a look on his face like, "Oh, Jesus, great, another fan interruption." He gave me his autograph. (I should look at it again to see if it's Eric or Erik.) I wanted to tell him, "Hey, this wasn't MY idea!"

Then, about a week later, we were with some Italian guys in the Coliseum in Rome and who should be there but E.E. The guys recognized him and started yelling "Cheeeeeps! Cheeeeeps!" (C.H.I.P.s! C.H.I.P.s!). This was 1985, so he was still relatively well-known internationally for that show.

My first was Dale Ellis, he use to play basketball for the sonics, bucks...i think the spurs also...maybe a few more. I was working at the time as a bag boy, and i was bagging groceries, and after awhile, you dont' even look at the customer, you just ask, paper/plastic, and when i asked, i heard plastic, i loaded his food and what nots, i look up to hand it to the person...and i'm staring at someone's chest...i am 6'4 and me staring into someone's chest, doens't happen much(unless you got huge knockers!)...I look up and there he was, Dale Ellis...I got his autograph on a paper bag to prove it! Also, I ran into Scott Pollard in spring of 96 when he was still playing his college ball at KU, and I mean ran into him.

I was coming out of the theater, and people were pushing shoving me through the door entrance, and I ran into someone's chest...again, i'm 6'4 and I hardly ever bounce into peopel that tall, I looked up, Scott Pollard...:)

Kirk Heinrich, spring of 2003, at Back Yard Burger in Lawrence Kasas...I didn't bump into him, saw him and his dad eating...:)

Also Rob Smith, of the denver broncos. I saw him at the airport in minneapolis/st paul, it was when he was flying to denver...he just got traded. ESPN and a bunch of news folks were there.

Thats about it, i think!

Sherman Alexie. Author of Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fights in Heaven and Indian Killer...a few other novels also. He was a guest speaker in my Social Problems class back in spring of 96

held me on a plane when I had puked on my poor mother.


My children, unfortunately, had to endure lunch next to Ahnold and his bratty kids in Santa Monica (it was pre governor and his restaurant, so what do we expect)...one rode around the dining area on his roller blades the entire time.


And Crispin Glover, gassing up his rare, whatever the hell kind of car it was, and looking rather pissed off. :hi:

Damn, i better start running for the hills now!...:)

heheheheheheheheheehheheheheheh....:rofl:

Bob Eberly (vocalist with Jimmy Dorsey) came to our house a couple of times for dinner in New London (my dad was a musician).

Duane Eddy on an elevator in Orlando

Jerry Garcia coming out of the restroom at the New Monk in Berkeley, 1970 (we resembled each other at the time, so we both stopped, looked and smiled, and continued on our way)

Mario Savio in Berkeley (we were introduced by a mutual friend) 1970

Frank Zappa w/entourage at an IHOP in Houston in 1976. We pulled into the parking lot at the same time. As I approached the front door, one of his people opened the limo door for him and we all walked in to IHOP together (but never acknowledged each other).

Nancy Griffith, while she was still in Austin. I ran a beer and wine place down the street from where she was a regular performer and asked if she wanted to play at my club. She was delighted, but we had to close before that event took place.

Back in the early 90's, he fancied himself a bit of a rap star...

Made an album...

I was working as an accountant at a radio station in Ft. Wayne...

In struts himself....

I introduced myself, told him my wife was a teacher and that her students would love to have his autograph...

He snarls I ain't no role model...

I replied, heaven's no... They just like you...

He was stymied...

But signed the autograph and addressed it to her students...

STAY IN SCHOOL...

was former Vikings kicker/punter Mitch Berger (he's now on New Orleans). He was walking out of a Menards in St. Cloud, Minnesota one day while I was in the car waiting for my parents.

Yeah. Not that all exciting.

One was last summer after landing in Cleveland Hopkins Airport. I was walking out and passed a man carrying a guitar on his back. We looked each other in the eyes and a second later I realized it was John Sebastian. I looked back over my shoulder and he did too. It was just kind of cool to me because I am a Lovin' Spoonful/John Sebastian fan.

I was on vacation in Orlando, Florida with my mother, a friend and her mother (we were teenagers at the time). We went to MGM amusement part (I think it was MGM) for kicks and gigggles. I figured that we'd ride a few roller coasters and have a fun day.

Low and behold, it just happened to be the day that the park was dedicating a new roallercoaster to Aerosmith. It was going to be the rock and roll rollercoaster or something. At first, our attention was pulled by this group of actors the park had hired to go roaming through the street screaming "Aerosmith is coming!" and things of the like. They were dressed as hippies and were making quite a rukus.

Then, Aerosmith came driving through the street I was standing on. They were in this classic convertible. Steven Tyler was sitting up on the back waving to everyone.

Now this is my claim to fame.....Steven Tyler gave me the once over. Looked me up and down, waved, and continued driving. I was momentarily thrilled! I'm not much of an Aerosmtith follower but it still gave me butterflies.

That's my one and only celebrity encounter. They just don't come to Idaho or Alaska much.

both about 22 years old. It was neat because I got to tell him how sad my mom was that his father had just lost his Senate seat.

I met Chet Atkins in an elevator once.

OH yeah the funniest one was seeing Earl Scruggs buying plumbing supplies in the local hardware store. He had all the parts from the inside of a toilet tank asking the salesman what he needed to fix the flush.

and I'm serious, although I didn't really know who he was until someone told me, but I think it counts.

with his kids buying ice cream.

script. I asked her if she ever worked in front of the camera and she said yes, that is/was on one of the Star Trek shows. I found out later on she was a Baywatch Lifeguard.

One time in Chinatown (about 30 years ago) Mitch Miller (choral leader and musical producer for Columbia Records, from back in the day) sat down a few tables from myself and my husband at our favorite restaurant (turns out he was a regular from way back.)

Walking in Manhattan, I passed by Roger Grimsby of ABCNews, and years later, crossed paths with stage and screen star Tony Roberts.

Dining at The Old Homestead restaurant (in the meat-packing district) one night about 20 years ago I found myself a few tables away from Mets star Keith Hernandez.

The biggest, I guess, was the time I was flying somewhere out West, and found that the late John Denver was riding up in the cockpit. I saw his blond head from where I sat. :)

Most recently (even this was almost 10 years ago) and I'd just as soon forget it, I encountered ABC reporter John Stossel at a Cajun dance somewhere in Westchester.

He was a relatively high profle Canadian politician at the time.

each other in these kid-sized school desks in the hallway. John and Yoko were trying to get custody of her kid and he didn't want to go into the courtroom.
We sat and talked a while. We were both extremely whacked on multiple substances.

I saw Ben Stein in a hotel lobby while I was waiting for a group of people. It was at Dartmouth College..about 3 years ago.

but once I saw (wait for it) the guy who played Kevin's older brother in The Wonder Years. He was eating at Sonny's, a local chain barbeque place.

Ain't that somethin'?

She was in town for the Commonwealth Games, so it wasn't entirely unexpected. But I was taking a bunch of stuff over to the lab at work, and she suddenly appeared in front of me, walking from the Phys-ed building (where they were having the Gymnastics finals) and the Bookstore parking lot.

was standing in my classroom. That was pretty cool. Of course, if you aren't from MO, you wouldn't know him.

....I went to see the World Figure Skating Championships in Washington, DC (where I was born, and my uncle still lives). It was the one in which Michelle Kwan won her World title #5, and I witnessed it right from front-row center!

It was also the year in which the Chinese pair team Zhen & Zhao (sp?) won the pair championships, and I ran into them at my departure gate at DCA airport on my way home. They signed my event program (in Chinese, I think)!

:hippie:

she was on the outdoor mall escalator, going down--I was going up. She seemed small and vulnerable, she looked a little scared, too. I think that's why she's so nasty to people--overcompensation for her own insecurities.

I served breakfast to John Malkovich, his son and their nanny.

I served breakfast to Michele N'dege Ocelo (musician) and her son--she's a very nice lady. Gave me passes to her show in Chicago.

I served prunes and a waffle to one of the Chicago Bulls, who later became a Laker--his name escapes me right now--he was nice.

Refilled coffee for David Schwimmer. Also refilled coffee for Ken Olin and his wife (she was also on Thirty Something, I think--the lady from City Slickers--sorry name escapes me).

Schwimmer was there a lot during one week--he turned in a lost wallet one day, too. He was very soft spoken, seemed almost afraid to talk.

Saw one of the ladies from a Different World at a laundry mat I like to go to, she played the character of Kim, the girl studying to be a doctor. She looks exactly the same and was very nice, friendly too.

Many years ago, walking home from the bus stop, I walked past Marla Gibbs. She looked me right in the eye and said "hi--how are you?" It took me a minute to realize who she was. I lived in the community where she had a theater at the time. So it's not weird that she was there.

Saw Vanity at Prince's Lovesexy concert. People kept calling her Appollonia. She was tiny, and SO beautiful! This was long before she became a 'born again Christian.'

Saw Kevin Costner at the Hard Rock Cafe' while he was working on Water World. Also saw there--Bret Butler (she left her server a $100 tip), and Dr. Cox from Scrubs, (sorry his real name escapes me at the moment). (This was back in 1994 or so, I think)...

"Also refilled coffee for Ken Olin and his wife (she was also on Thirty Something, I think--the lady from City Slickers--sorry name escapes me). "

Sorry I couldn't recall her name, and I didn't feel like going to imdb at that moment to look it up.

They seemed nice. I felt bad for them. They had just commented that the weekday seemed the best time to come (less people, less autograph hounds, etc.). They were having a nice time with family, and some stupid jerks just HAD to go over and ask for their autograph.

I don't get the value some people put in a signature on a piece of paper. Not to put anyone down--I just don't get it, honestly.

at the Fine Line Cafe in Minneapolis, but see him I did. It really wasn't that big a stretch that he was there, though.

I also saw Jesse Ventura at a Perkins.

A sleazy looking dork in a fur hat & long fur coat spoke to me when I was walking past a book store that was just opening. I ignored him and kept walking. I didn't realize it was Rodman until later that day when someone mentioned that he had a book signing at that bookstore. :shrug:

He is a great great hero of mine. Ran into him here in Northampton, MA in front of a Chinese restaurant that serves sushi too (don't ask, That's the way it is here...)
Anyway, I knew he had been living in town so it wasn't as if it was totally unexpected. But I was so tongue tied. I really wanted to tell him what a profound influence his thinking and writing has been on me. How much I appreciated him, etc. I wound up asking him if he'd ever tried the "Dragon Roll" sushi in the restaurant. he said no, he was here waiting outside the shoe store while his daughter shopped for shoes...
So random, so meaningless. How could that be when he's been such an important existence in my life!? Shoes? Sushi? I felt so bad I'd missed an oportunity, but even in retrospect, I would want to say so much to him that a 30 second encounter could never have been sufficient.

Also I made a milkshake for Chuck Long when I was working at the food court at the U. of Iowa, met Lou Ferrigno at the Superstars practice field. I've talked with Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull, humg out with Buddy Guy and Junior Wells backstage also... Whew

in the face w/ a door and aplogized. I was holding a pumpkin w/ "K" on it. All of us together were "Kerry 2004".

I also met J. Kerry at a fundraiser in Aug. 2003 2 houses from my Dad's. (also in NM). He seemed pretty cool, but aloof.

Jodie Foster and her mother in a hotel restaurant. More recently, I was getting a hair cut and Dick Smothers came in for his appointment. I also saw non-celebrity Linda Tripp in her Christmas ornament shop in Middleburg, Virginia.

It was in the mid 1970s. Everyone was whispering and pointing, wondering what Lily Tomlin would be doing at Yale. It turned out that she was visiting her nephew, who was a student at the Forestry School.

Dick Cavett (talk show host from the 60s and 70s, for you young 'uns). He was a Yale graduate and often came up from New York to see the student plays. A friend of mine was in View from the Bridge, and Dick Cavett went backstage afterwards to compliment him. I recognized the voice coming from the short, slight blond man but couldn't place it for a while because I wasn't expecting to see Dick Cavett talking to someone I knew.

Jodie Foster, several times during her freshman year at Yale. She seemed to wear pink overalls a lot.

Muriel Humphrey (Hubert's wife) standing in line at the drugstore in the mid 1960s.

Dear Abby at the Minneapolis airport in the early 1970s. She lived here for many years.

John Megna (former child actor who played Dill in "To Kill a Mockingbird" as well as creepy little kids on Star Trek, the Twilight Zone, and other 1960s series) A friend introduced me to him when I was taking a language course at Cornell. He was a college student at the time, tall and thin, but still with that distinctive face and curly hair.

Mystery writer Anne Perry. I met lots of mystery writers during the two years I lived near a mystery book store, but Anne Perry was the only one I ran into by accident, the day after her reading at my neighborhood store, shopping in another bookstore in Portland.

recently and John Kerry was first off an arriving plane. He received a spontaneous round of applause from the people in the terminal. He stopped to sign autographs and pose for pictures. Very gracious.

Living in Los Angeles, celebrities are part of the landscape. I've seen Martin Sheen in church, Charlie Sheen in the drugstore (no, really), Goldie Hawn in a restaurant, and Kelsey Grammer and Nick Nolte in the grocery store. Also saw Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson at Disneyland. My mom spotted Pamela Anderson being stalked by two photographers in the grocery store one day. They were literally hiding in the produce department, ducking down behind some vegetables trying to get a shot of her without any make-up.

It was at our county fair about 10 years ago. I walked in, went up to a urinal and started my business. AS I finished I realized the guy next to me was Weird Al. I said hi to him at the sink, told him i was a fan. He seemed to be in a hurry, didn't say much, but that is as close to non-political fame as I have gotten.

without the little green MUTE floating below her.

In the late 70s I was in Houston visting a friend of mine who was going to Rice. There was a pub on campus and we were drinking a pitcher of beer. Kissinger was speaking at Rice that night and popped into the room to grab some more adulation. The whole place erupted into applause except for our table. I was grateful that he didn't walk around because I knew that if he came near me I would be compelled to spit on him and no doubt be torn apart by the adoring crowd.

Hulk Hogan at a concert. Pat Benatar shopping next to me in a clothing store.

a few others.

Oh, Erik Estrada, Joey Ramone, Drew Barrymore, Tom Green, Casper Weinberger.

These were all unexpected meetings. I've met other celebrities where one would expect to meet them, but these were just by chance.

About 25 years ago I met Ali in Winter Park Colorado. Saw a white Rolls Royce with "Ali" plates on it, of course went over, there was a group of about 5 of us that waited outside of the condo the Rolls went to for quite a while. Finally one of his posse came out and let us in. We all shook his hand and got his autograph and took a few pictures, we were probably only in there for about 5 minutes. He is a BIG GUY. Was fun and I'll always admire him for his activism.

Peace

He was with his kids at a magic show at the Hilton in Reno. After the show, he was walking by my table and stopped. He took my hand, kissed it and told me I was beautiful...I was laughing and speechless.

Was walking right next to his tour bus and as soon as I got close to the door of the bus, he walked out..."Corey!"

Face to face. I had a crush on him, so it was great! His body guards seperated us promptly though.

called Playboy Buddy Rose at my doctor's office the other day. I didn't think he lived in this town anymore.

at a golf course in Miami.

He was much smaller than I imagined from the TV coverage.

This is when I used to work near the UN. Bush waved at us from his motorcade.

for a local magazine. Saw Liza Minelli, Anthony Quinn, Sky King and a few others that I forget.

I was at the local supermarket with my yougner sister who jabbed me and said "T.J. - that's Anglelina Jolie" to which I naturally said "who?"

This being England (and in particular this part of England), she was actually being left in peace to do a bit of shopping and get some 'normality' with her sprog.

I've seen several big-shot politicians (though as they were British I doubt that many here would have heard of them), but always when I've been in or around the Palace of Westminster so not exactly unsurprising.

So to speak.

Campbell Scott, Mike Tyson, Jon Stewart, Illeana Douglass, Thurston Moore, Terry Gilliam, etc, just to name a few.

He was taller than I thought

about 4 years ago

Told us that he had seen Claire Danes at a fast food chain here in Australia. This fast food chain is not exactly the easiest place to get to, nor the most appealing place for a tourist to visit and so we all told him no, he must have been mistaken, what would Claire Danes be doing in an obscure fast food place in Australia and so on. And he conceded that yes, he’d got it wrong and it was unlikely that Claire Danes was wasting her time in a fast food joint in Australia

A few years later I learnt that Claire Danes had an Australian boyfriend at the time my friend had allegedly seen her and had visited Australia during that time. I now think it’s very possible that he did see her –maybe her boyfriend had relatives around that area and they were just stopping for lunch

She was with her little granddaughter (I assume) and renting a rowboat on the lake. All dressed in black with a head scarf and, of course, big sunglasses. She did not look glamorous. She seemed unaware of all the gawkers watching her from the restaurant by the lake.

We were on a road trip over the summer with a bunch of family, and we stopped in Hannibal, MO (I think) at a Burger King for lunch. Suddenly we heard the "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow" theme blasting. I shook Al Gore's hand, and my cousin was interviewed on German TV after getting to talk with Clinton. :)

I was getting on an elevator at CNN in Atlanta, and he was getting off. I had about one second to sort out three possible greetings: 1) "Your team sucks!" 2) Slim-Fast Sucks!" 3) You're gonna lose the series, and damn! but you're shorter than I expected." I decided to be nice and just smile at him. He always made me laugh. Such a character.

He was on the Board of Directors of Revlon and I worked in the same building.

Of course, I know zero about Peter Frampton. I had no idea who he was, and I have still never heard one of his songs so as to be able to say "That's Peter Frampton."

Another passenger told me who he was as I left the plane.

I don't know if that counts as a "famous encounter" since the guy in question was in no way famous to me. He could have been an LA bus driver for all I knew.

and didnt even know it.