Fun Friday Thread-Who's the most famous person you've ever met?

[Vintage VFer]

tmi

[ARTYGIRL]

My girlfriend and I were having dinner in a Washington, D.C. restaurant before heading over the a Chris Issak concert, and Issak came in with his manager to eat! I went over and introduced myself and chatted them up for a while until their food arrived--he seemed really pleasant and down-to-earth. About six months later I was in Los Angeles for a conference and who should get into the elevator with me but Chris Issak! He actually looked at me really hard and said, "I know you, right?" Pretty funny.

I met Jimmy and Rosalin Carter kind of in the middle of their becoming famous, at a presidential campaign stop in their hometown of Plains, GA.

My other Brush with Greatness was having a conversation about writing with a guy who was pouring over the literary magazines in City Lights Bookshop--who turned out to be John Fogarty (of Creedance Clearwater Revival, which will mean something to us "old folks" but maybe not to anybody younger than 40). But I'm not sure you could call that actually "meeting" him. I didn't recognize him until after he'd left!

Marie

ps. Oh, one more ... possibly more "infamous" than "famous"? I grew up with Katherine Harris, the former Florida secretary of state who came to national attention during "Chad-gate."

[lauraspark]

Let's see, I met Sam Ragan, poet laureate of North Carolina one time long ago (guess he's not really a celebrity, however.)

I met Brian Stokes Mitchell after a performance of Kiss Me Kate--he was very nice, very handsome, and man, can he sing!

I saw George Stephanopolis walking across the mall in Washington DC a few years back. I didn't speak to him, but waved.

John Travolta was in Wilmington a couple of years ago filming a movie and was sighted a few times, but nobody I know actually met him.

Fun thread!

[athompson10]

I've met a lot of celebs - as in "hello, nice to meet you" - because my sister works in the theater. Can't say I've had long intimate conversations with any of them, but I can say I've met Mandy Patinkin (for you Broadway buffs), Calista Flockhart, Eartha Kitt , Mickey Rooney, Toni Collette and the late Rudolph Nureyev.

Living in NYC, you do spot a lot of celebs just walking on the street - I've seen Yoko Ono, Iman and Ric Ocasek recently...

[MsChana]

Non-fitness celebrities, I take it:

Bill Clinton
Al Gore
the Liebermans
Rob Reiner
Patrick Kennedy (what a babe, and a Kennedy, too!)
Jessica Hagedorn (novelist)
Thora Birch (actress)
Terry Zwigoff (director)

Those are the celebrities who've at least spoken a couple sentences to me. I also smashed Melissa Rivers (daughter of Joan) into a wall accidentally. She gave me a nasty look but didn't say anything. Lots more celebrities I've seen in person but have never spoken to. And many politicians who are celebrities to me, but whom non-political geeks probably wouldn't recognize.

I've had the opportunity to meet Leslie Feinberg (anyone know hir?) twice but turned it down because I was too chicken and thought I'd probably faint.

[Jennifer V]

I personally haven't been introduced to anyone famous - yet. When I worked as a chambermaid to pay my way through school I was in the lobby and saw Celine Dion, just before she hit it big in the states.

My husband has seen some famous people at the theatre. Within the past couple of months he spotted Colm Meaney (Miles O'Brian of Star Trek)being in the same audience; He's seen Adrienne Clarkson (Governor General of Canada), and Burt Reynolds (he really looks like he's made out of plastic). He has also been extras in films.

A co-worker of mine got into a private party here in Montreal with a friend to meet George Clooney. Meet him she did - and danced with him (he was pissed drunk).

[slaalaa227]

When I was about 10 I watched Soaps with my mom- I was so in love with Jack Wagner (Frisco on GH) that I made my mom take me to the mall and wait for 3 hours to meet him. I have a picture of me with him, but I was so nerdy and gawky that I can hardly stand to look at it!
I also met Mohamed Ali in Galveston, TX. in the mid 80s. We have a picture of my dad, me and him. He was really nice.
My husband used to work at a restaurant in LA and has lots of stories. Gene Hackman is apparently very nice, but Joni Mitchell is not (that was sad for me to hear!) And the worst person to wait on was Christopher Cross. Oh, and Mr. T. is one of the nicest people he's met!
Sarah EB
edited for stupid grammar mistakes!

[abbyalex]

Any Iron Chef fans might get a kick out of this. I met Iron Chef Morimoto! He has a restaurant here in Philadelphia, and my boyfriend took me there for my birthday last year. We both ordered the chef's special 7 course tasting menu (omikase) so Morimoto came up to our table to see how we liked it! We shook his hand and complimented him on the amazing food, then my boyfriend blurted out "it's her birthday!" And Morimoto sang Happy Birthday to me!!! In his broken English and everything! I am a huge Iron Chef fan so I got a really big kick out of this. I know I acted really cool while I was talking to him, but as soon as he walked away, I freaked out! "OMG, I just met an Iron Chef!!" It was alot of fun!

[suebella]

Originally posted by sehkzoo
Magic Johnson went to MSU at the same time I was there. He was Earvin Johnson then . Anyway, my roommate wanted to meet him, so we went over and knocked on his door. His roommate was Jay Vincent and they absolutely FILLED the room. I'm only 5'3" so I felt so tiny!!. They were laying their carpet in their dorm room at the time and they asked us to help them! He kept talking about teamwork! I've liked him as a person ever since! Great smile.

Have a great weekend!

Here's another Susan who went to MSU at the same time as Magic and Jay! I would bump into both of them in the cafeteria of our dorm...I can't believe you put in carpet with them. LOL!!!

I've seen a couple of famous folks from afar - Susan Sarandon (very tiny in person) and Keith Richards with his then girlfriend and now wife once shared an elevator with me and many, many others.

Other than that, the only famous person I ever met was a fitness celebrity, Richard Simmons. I used to work at the Lord and Taylor in Ann Arbor Michigan and Richard came through one night near closing (wearing his trademark shorts in the middle of a cold, Michigan winter) and I waited on him. He had two body guards with him.

Edited to add: I can't believe I forgot -- I met Mohammed Ali, at work of all places. He was great friends with the owner of the company I worked with. A kind, very gentle man.

[Loretta S.]

Originally posted by Pepnchar
Supposedly Ryan Stiles (the really tall guy from the Drew Carey show and Who's Line is it anyway) lives in my hometown. I know a lot of people who say they've seen him or met him, but I haven't seen him yet. Have you, Loretta S.?

My husband has seen him in the Meridian Haggens.