Famous people you met / know

[Lost In Xanadu]

I think the most famous people I ever met were Mario Andretti and Paul Newman. My dad and I were in Indy for the 500, stopped at an Italian restaurant with some friends and saw them at the bar. My dad and I went up and talked them, asked for their autograph and got Mario's. Paul Newman apologized and said he doesn't give out autographs, but bought my dad a drink instead.

 

Famous people I knew were both Brewers players: Gorman Thomas and Charlie Moore.

 

Gorman was the brother in law of one of my dad's best friends. He would play cards at our house all the time and even passed out in our living room

 

Charlie Moore was the coach of my brother's youth baseball team one year and we got to hang out at his house and swim in his pool all the time.

[Mara]

I once watched a movie with Marcus Giles (major league baseball player) in his home theater.

 

We (company I worked for) built his house in Atlanta when he was playing for the Braves. There was some small warranty issue - I forget what - and I'd agreed to go wait for the contractor and the company's Quality Team rep, since I was in the neighborhood already.

 

I got to the house and it was just Marcus. He said he was watching a movie and that I was welcome to join him while we waited. I must've hesitated a bit, because he said, "Don't worry, I don't bite."

 

My husband was quite envious when he asked me that evening how my day at work had gone! I mean, how many people can say they spent time on the clock watching "Frailty" (good movie, BTW) with an MLB player in his luxury home theater?

[fledgehog]

Harry Connick, Jr. was considering sending his daughter to my high school. I gave him a tour of the school. He requested me specifically after seeing me play piano at the school's open house earlier that year.

[USB Connector]

I don't know any famous people, but I've met Michael Dorn (he's very reluctant about his fame, doesn't like the fans), Stan Lee (nice guy, you can kinda tell he's forcing the smile because he's getting tired of meeting people by the hundreds, but he does seem sincere at heart), I met Saku Coivu from the Montreal Canadians, but I don't remember anything other than the picture.

[danielmclark]

Do signings count? In 1988 I went to a record store signing and met the guys from Skid Row

[ILSnwdog]

QUOTE (danielmclark @ Sep 29 2011, 11:23 AM)

Do signings count? In 1988 I went to a record store signing and met the guys from Skid Row

I met Bob Probert that way at the Taste Of Chicago. When it was my turn to get his autograph, I mentioned a particular game against the Blues where Tony Twist cut his arm with his skate, and in the next period, Tony made a play on the puck and Bob decided that instead of going for the puck, he was going to go for Twist's nose. Bob gave him an elbow to the schnooz...and broke Tony's nose and knocked him out of the game.

 

After mentioning that, Bob looked up at me with a blank stare. Then slowly the blank stare turned into a big toothy grin. He then said "I remember that game" as he pointed to a scar on his arm. Then he started to chuckle as he said "I got in trouble for that one!".

 

My wife was amused because Probie wasn't talking to anyone while he was signing autographs until he got to me. My wife said "looks like you made a buddy".

[micgtr71]

Phish and Blues Traveler used to play in Ithaca alot during the early 90s. Got to meet them and hang out a few times. Hung out with Doug Pinnick for a while during a stop on the ear candy tour. Though we are not friends per se, I know Joe Bonamassa and still run into his Dad from time to time. I used to hang out with him at his father's store and talk music and listen to him play. He is a really great guy.

[Khan]

I met David Lee Roth during the Fair Warning tour. I worked at a little steakhouse inside a mall that was a little ways from where they were playing. I walked into work during the day and there he was sitting in a booth with a body guard eating a T bone.

 

I ran outside to a pay phone (remember those?) and called a few buddies to come up to the mall. We were all standing around like a bunch of asshats when he came outside. We talked to him for several minutes and he signed some stuff. He was a pretty funny guy.

 

I remember we were all standing there outside the mall by the doors and this old lady tried to leave the mall and ran into the door like it only swung one way and he immediately turned and yelled "you didn't spend enough you can't leave yet". It was kind of funny since it was so spur of the moment and off the top of his head.

[ghostworks]

BANDS

> mostly met the whole band, one by one or as a group - typically informal and 'polite' (a few wonderful exceptions, though)

 

Marillion (never Mark Kelly, though)

King's X

The Smithereens

The Church

Railway Children

Blonde Redhead

24-7 Spyz

Shonen Knife

Skunk Anansie

Brother Eye

Lotion

Moving Targets

Tribe

 

SOLO

> more intimate, one-on-one conversations

 

Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson)

Colin Hay (Men At Work)

Mark Kozelek (red House Painters, Sun Kil Moon)

DJ Spooky

Ben Neill

Doug Scharin

Jason Falkner

 

JAZZ GUYS

Teddy Edwards (saxophonist)

Billy Higgins (drummer)

 

[ghostworks]

QUOTE (Khan @ Sep 29 2011, 03:15 PM)

"you didn't spend enough you can't leave yet"

[invisible airwave]

I went to the 50th anniversary taping of American Bandstand and my friend had me reluctantly ask Kiss for their autograph. I was standing right in front of their makeup clad faces.

 

Also, my future brother in law is Rick Anton, 8th round draft pick for the Dodgers this year.

[umoveme]

 

Dream Theater-back stage

Cheap Trick-back stage

Paul McCartney's older brother- at a SF photgraphy exhibit.

Andie McDowel

Melissa Gilbert

Jerry Brown

 

[CMWriter]

USB, I can't believe you got to meet MICHAEL DORN!! So jealous!

 

The most famous people I've gotten to meet and had signings from are mainly football-related...

- Eric Crouch (current Omaha Nighthawks QB, 2001 Heisman winner, former NU QB)

- Ndamukong Suh (currently with the Lions, won the Outland and a gripload of other awards, Heisman contestant, pretty much the greatest DT EVAAAAR to come out of NU. I love him)

- Bo Pelini (current NU football coach, former LSU coach)

 

I met some other people with pretty cool football histories but I can't remember their names. :C

 

Also I got to meet Bruce McCorkindale, a very accomplished comic book artist who's been published by everyone from Malibu to Marvel and all in between. He also did some work on DS9 Malibu comics ( ) and he even drew a picture for me at a Free Comic Book Day event. It was amazing and to this day we are Facebook friends. He's a really nice guy! Those artists really don't get enough credit!

[USB Connector]

Trust me Christine, meeting him was more of a slap in the face than anything else. It's best to keep whatever illusion you have of him being honorable. He only went to comic con because he needed money.

[Tommy Sawyer]

A couple of pro/collage football players went to my high school.

[CMWriter]

QUOTE (USB Connector @ Sep 29 2011, 06:39 PM)

Trust me Christine, meeting him was more of a slap in the face than anything else. It's best to keep whatever illusion you have of him being honorable. He only went to comic con because he needed money.

Eh, disappointments all the time. /shrug

However I have heard that there are many celebrities who love doing the cons and stuff. (: So hopefully meeting one of them is somewhere in my future.

 

Oh, I also got to meet Lou Ferrigno at the same event I met McCorkindale at. However, the former was simply for an autograph, and the guy is deaf! It was kind of neat to get an autograph from a relatively big star, but it wasn't anything all that memorable.

 

But I still have Bruce's picture. I brought it to college with me and it's hanging on my wall. It's just a little lineart sketch of my dear Odo but I loooove iiiiit~

[1 of the 7]

If you can consider them famous, I'm a big enough fan of the Fixx and have been to enough shows that we know each other fairly well. My boyfriend and I even gave the keyboardist rides to and from the train station a couple times. We got lost once in Washington, DC (not horribly)

 

I've been to my fair share of Star Trek and sci-fi cons and have met a bunch of those folks, and I just confirmed today that one of my customers at work is a former ST supporting actress. I wish I could tell you all who she is, but y'know, work confidentiality! I will say I've only waited on her a few times, but she's a nice lady. She doesn't know I know of her former career, but my co-worker was pestering me to talk to her about it. We'll see!

 

I also used to go to a lot of astronaut appearances, and even an astronaut signing convention in New Jersey, so I've met a bunch of those guys and gals. The best story I have from those is sitting reading a book waiting for a taxi after the convention was over, when someone comes up to me and peers in the book. It was Wally Schirra, and when I showed him it was a bio of another astro, he said, "Well, that's okay then"! A truly funny guy, and he passed away not long after that. I was so sad, but so glad to have met him.

Edited September 30, 2011 by 1 of the 7

[JohnnyBlaze]

I'm sure I've written about this on TRF in a similar thread but it's fun to reminisce...

 

When I was around 18, Johnny Depp played an undercover cop on the small screen, not an undead pirate in the bigs. In those days, I went to see various bands in small clubs. Any band really. So, my buddy suggested seeing River Stand By Me Phoenix's band. "Good actor. And the cover's cheap. Why not? Let's go." While waiting for the gig to kick off, we managed our way to the front. A few minutes later I hear a condescending, bratty voice directly behind me saying, "Excuuuuuuuse you!" I turn around and find a very annoyed River Phoenix staring at me. Apparently, I had been blocking his (self)righteous path to the stage. I tell him, "f**k off." So, he f*cks off. The end.

 

 

Epilogue:

I don't remember Phoenix's band or musical ability or anything from that night other than that chance meeting. But that minute piece that I DO remember still makes me smile today. My only regret is that I didn't quote a memorable line and tell him, "Suck my fat one." Know what I'm sayin'?

 

[HowItIs]

QUOTE

I've been to my fair share of Star Trek and sci-fi cons and have met a bunch of those folks,

 

 

Me too. Most recently almost 10 years ago, though.

 

When I was 18, still living in Vegas, I tried to put together the first Sci-Fi convention for the town (yes, it was THAT long ago). I sent out several invites and one day, I got a call...

 

"Hello? Is this Tery?"

 

"yes..."

 

"Hi. This is Stan Lee..."

 

We proceeded to have a nice chat. But it never worked out (backers got cold feet - idiots). Too bad, because I had lined up David Prowse, Alan Dean Foster, Stan and a few others... oh well.

 

Living in Vegas, it wasn't too hard to meet people if you put your mind to it. I was pals with the Osmond family during the height of their career. Nice folks. Also met several local celebs (if you know who Jan Murray is, you're as old as me).

 

Since my Hubby works in the TV biz, we've both met many celebs. But my favorite was Graham Kerr (The Galloping Gourmet). Now there is one tall man! Oh, and Joel McHale. We worked with him on a Red Dwarf event - oh, Craig and Robert - when he was still with Almost Live! We told him he would hit it big. But does he ever call? No!

Edited September 30, 2011 by HowItIs

[apetersvt]

Don't know anyone famous but have met:

 

Alex/Geddy (was lucky enough to win a meet&greet radio contest)

Warren Haynes (my second guitar hero besides Lerxst) and his drummer Matt Abts

Dan Marino (sat near him on a flight)

shook hands with George Bush (the first) when he was VP and running for President

 

 

 

 

 

[happenstance]

When I was a senior in high school I used to take ballet class 3 times a week with Janet Jones - who is that you may ask ...? She is now Mrs. Wayne Gretzky and at that time was Miss Dance of America and went on to be in the film version of "A Chorus Line" and "The Flamingo Kid" as well as one of Denny Terrio's little dancers on Dance Fever (I think that was the name). She was not a very kind/nice person, although I have seen her on interviews within the past few years and she seems to have mellowed.

[go2wrk@95974]

When I was in 6th and 7 th grade back in the early 70's,

There was a kid in one of my classes that I was friends with.

The kid started goin to acting classes, and got some work

in Hollywood..he ended up being somewhat of a big-time actor.

The kids name was Willie Upton.Thats what we knew him as.

His stage name was Willie Aames.

 

Another famous person I've done work for, over the last 10 yrs. or so,

is the Tennis great, Rod Lavar.

 

One of my late-dad's best friend's is a famous Building designer

in Hawaii.

He was responsible for designing most of the high-rises in Honolulu,

back from late 50's to the present.My dad used to do alot of freelance

building designer work for him.

 

The well-known actor Dustin Hoffman used to come to my Little-league

baseball games, back in 1971-72 time period..I never met him,but he

must have known somebody playing in the league,cause he was always

there at the games. This was in my hometown of Huntington Beach,Ca.

[Your_Lion]

Patrick Stewart aww yeaaah!!!

 

Not only is Patrick Stewart an actor, but he's also the Chancellor of Huddersfield University...which is where I went. So when I got my degree, it was Patrick Stewart who handed it to me...awwww yeeeaaahhh!!!

 

He called out my name, I approached (in the sort of nervous/excited way a Star Trek fan would ) he looked me in the eyes, smiled, handed me my rolled up piece of paper, shook my hand and said "Congratulations (my name)!"

Edited October 1, 2011 by Your_Lion

[ridertoo98]

Met John Force and Bob Glidon at Atco drag strip in the 80's. It was before Force was winning all the time, he had went out and was not a happy camper. Bob was nice,he was winning. Force did have a big box of Jolly Ranchers for you to take, I did grab a few.

[danielmclark]

QUOTE (Your_Lion @ Oct 1 2011, 03:41 AM)

Patrick Stewart aww yeaaah!!! Not only is Patrick Stewart an actor, but he's also the Chancellor of Huddersfield University...which is where I went. So when I got my degree, it was Patrick Stewart who handed it to me...awwww yeeeaaahhh!!! He called out my name, I approached (in the sort of nervous/excited way a Star Trek fan would ) he looked me in the eyes, smiled, handed me my rolled up piece of paper, shook my hand and said "Congratulations (my name)!"

I'm picturing him handing you that paper and saying in his Patrick Stewart voice, "Congratulations, ehh, Your Lion? What an odd name. Right, off you go."