Have you unexpectedly met someone famous?

I am starting this post in reference to the Baron Munchausen thread in which Tikibars met Terry Gilliam by surprise in a bookstore.

I would like to add a new story.

I was on a backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon in 1982. It was a 13 mile hike one way from the South Rim down to the Havasu falls (not lake Havasu) in the Havasupai Indian reservation.

The scout troop I was with was spread out along the trail and I was hiking alone. I saw 3 people hiking the other way. It was a black man and 2 American Indian women. The guy had the most bizarre hair I had ever seen. Sort of like a old style floor mop dyed black (I later learned that they were Dreadlocks). Hey said "hey" and I said hey and that was the entire exchange.

When I arrived at the indian village a few hours later my first stop was in their little cafe. I noticed that this guys picture was plastered all over the walls. I asked the lady behind the counter who that guy was and she said "Peter Tosh". He had just put on a small concert for the indians and was hiking out to get the true experience of the canyon.

It wasn't until I started listening to reggae music many years later that I even realized who he was and how bizzare it was to seem him there.

I used to work in an Army Navy/ Sporting goods store. One Saturday I was manning the Register(Damn, all my stories start this way!), and this familiar looking guy comes up to the counter with wife and kids, and asks to see our sleeping bags. After showing him our selection, he asked what our cheapest ones were. $34.95. He then asked if there was a thrift shop or Salvation Army in town where he might find some used ones. I answered no, and after much deliberation, he settled on the one for $35, and a cheap $5 indian blanket. When he gave me his credit card, I realized who he was. Remember the TV show Sledge Hammer? The main character David Rasche! I know it's been awhile since Sledge Hammer has been on the air, but shit, can he really not afford decent sleeping bags for his kids, and want to buy used!?!?

Back in about 84, I was standing at a urinal in a Minnesota airport when a guy walks up to the one next to me. Next thing I know something wet in falling on my shoe. I turned to yell at the guy only to find it was Telly Savalas from Kojack. The wet liquid was from his martini and not what I thought. "Sorry guy" was all he said and staggered out the door. Sungod

HEY, I went out with Michelle Pf........oh shut up about that JT!

I did have a few beers with Mike Greenwell and Ellis Burks (both formerly with the Boston Red Sox) when they were in Zooport Beach at Mutt Lynch's. They were in town for an Angels game and wanted to check out the beach bunnies. Very nice guys btw.
Also sidled up to Lonnie Anderson at a roulette table in Tahoe.

I met MrSmiley! Yes, the "Famous Mr. Smiley!"

Actually, being here in California and in the media world (and a Hoity Toity), I've had the opportunity to meet my fair share of celebrities, but the person I'd have to say that I found very interesting was Hugh Hefner while I was attending a Hispanic Playboy party and UNEXPECTEDLY (haha!) lots and lots of The Bunnies were present. The really cool thing was that if you asked any one of them where "The Grotto" was or where to get a drink or even where the bathroom was, they put there arm through yours and personally escorted you to where you wanted to be (umm...so to speak). Believe me, I asked where something was every opportunity I got! But I should stop now, since no one REALLY wants to hear the juicy part.

On to other celebs.....

Shit! I almost forgot the best one! Before I was born, my Mom used to do some babysitting at the Buddhist Commune outside of town. The Dalai Lama was visiting, and during his stay he stopped by the daycare, and to my mom's ammusement, he blessed her. She then told one of her coworkers who exclaimed it was a great honor, since he usually only blesses children. DUHN-DUHN-DUUHHN!!!!! It was the next week she found out she was pregnant with me. I know, sounds Hokey as Hell, but I swear it's true.

I've met quite a few political and entertainment types though my job, so those don't count. Two purely chance encounters were: meeting Mohammed Ali as I was walking out of the Fairmont hotel. It would have been better if I had met him in the Tonga room, but I was already on my out of the hotel.
I also partied and talked philosophy with Ian Gillan(lead vocalist for Deep Purple) at his place one night. Kind of a strange experience. It was sort of like that scene in Easy Rider where everyone is sitting around the campfire talking about space aliens.
Oh yeah, I also met Sven-tiki at Hukilau #1, and Otto VS at Hukilau #2. I felt so unworthy...

[ Edited by: Kailuageoff on 2003-08-07 19:42 ]

I had a religion professor who was in charge of organizing a speech event for the Dalai Lama when he was a grad student at Harvard, he had worked out every detail, and finally the day came for him to arrive, and as they were about to shake hands my professor suddenly realized he had no idea what to call him so he said "hello dalai" which he knew was a mistake when he heard himself saying "hello dolly." dalai lama gave him a quizical look.
as for another weird birth anecdote, my dad was infirtile according to his doctor, so he and my mother went to a "christian" soothsayer, a lady who claimed she could see the future and was known for this kind of thing, she said not only were they going to have a kid, but that she knew it would be a boy, and it would be within the year, and that he would be a great christian soldier... 75% accuracy, that can't be chance!

http://pyracy.com/forums

As far back as I can remember, my parents have been antique collectors. When my brother and I were young, my parents would sell at the All American Show in Glendale and bring us along. My brother at the time was a vintage Beatles collector and sold a few items at the show. Before the show opens to the public quite a few stars pay for an early entrance fee. You never know who will show up and one funny looking guy with makeup on, a flannel shirt and a high pitched voice wanted to buy an item from my brother. It turned out to be Michael Jackson along with 2 of his body guards! Michael bought a Beatles item from my brother for $20 and didn't know how to write the check. He had to have his body guards help him.
This sale was before Michael's Thriller ablum came out and my brother asked my Dad if he should keep the check or cash it? My Dad said to keep it but my brother wanted the money and cashed it. Big mistake! He could've made some nice cash after the Thriller album came out.
Robert Blake (Baretta) would frequent the show often too. The man that had a table behind us at the show was a Beverly Hills dentist and Blake was one of his patients. Blake would come to the show to play with all his toys and just talk to everyone.

Well, being a Hoiti-Toiti and all, we constantly run into celebrities.... you can't swing a dead cat without hitting one around here! But here's the most memorable:

SantaCon 2002: A group of Tiki Centralites, all dressed as Santa, enjoying coffee and donuts at LA Farmer's Market, are greeted by Huell Howser! He was doing some holiday shopping, and just happened to run into us. We all warmingly greeted him, and then proceeded to chew him out for not covering California Tiki events for his TV show! And then posed for a picture:

We got a call at the furniture store I worked at briefly when we first moved to the mountains here for a delivery on a sleeper sofa to Lake Burton, a fairly exclusive mountain lakes community up here. Went out on the call...turns out it was to Fran Tarkenton! He has a lake house here...A very cordial guy. Drank one of his Diet Cokes! Michael Jordan has a sprawling house on an airstrip up here, too, though I've never met him. Bert and Lonnie (long ago), the Warren Buffett family and the drummer from AC/DC also had/have houses right up the road from us in Highlands.

I met Dinah Shore and Olivia Newton John at a special reception at the San Francisco Int'l Airport around 1976 when Qantas flew six? Koalas that had been donated to the San Francisco Zoo.
My dad met (and got the autographs of ) The Monkees around 1969. He also met Muhammad Ali (the four foot tall version--long story).

But my bathroom story is...I met Uri Geller in a bathroom in San Rafeal, and NO I did NOT look around the urinal to see if his...uh.. "spoon" was bending.

Does it count if you work retail and they come into your store? I worked as a record salesman for years, and had the great pleasure of meeting and dealing with John Rhys-Davies ("Indy!") and Ned Beatty, both tremendous gentlemen.

emspace.

Does it count if you work retail and they come into your store? I worked as a record salesman for years, and had the great pleasure of meeting and dealing with John Rhys-Davies ("Indy!") and Ned Beatty, both tremendous gentlemen.

emspace.

Does it count if you've worked in places that were natural attractions for "famous" and "infamous" people? Generally speaking, most any front-line hotel employee could write a novel about the bitches, buttheads, classy, classless, tramps, socialites, REALLY nice, as well as desperately insecure and NASTY parade of "celebrities," CEOs, politicians, and international diplomats we've all assisted, conversed with, and flirted with over the years. We've gotten a few at the CTR, but Charlie and I both spent some 35+ years in SF in hotels (Mark Hopkins, Stanford Court, Fairmont, Four Seasons, Nikko, Hyatt, Claremont, Prescott and on-and-on) and it was understood that you never spoke about any of it (publicly).

The really good stories are usually about the insecure ones who are trying very hard to be "somebody." Overall, I would say Anna Nicole Smith ranks right up there with Mr. Field (owner of a world famous Circus) for being obnoxious and nasty without provocation (or was it Feld?). I'd still like to throttle the little F...ker and that was over 20 years ago.

From boyfriends (of straight stars) to pianos to drunken celebrity chefs to toilets reinforced with two-by-fours, it can be a blast. (One of the few perks in exchange for slave labor.)

Most beautiful in person: Candice Bergen. Most overwhelmed by: Lucille Ball at 7:00am coyly chatting me up telling me to put the ashtray on her account, 'cause it would look good in her New York apartment.

Throw me a few names and I'll see if I can make one of them stick...

Mrs. Larry Lava has met David Hasselhoff twice! The funny part is that both times I was not in the U.S. The first time I met him he was in a park in Vancover, Canada with his family. He asked us to leave him alone because of his kids so we politely walked away. The second time was at the height of that old SNL skit that always said "Germans love David Hasselhoff." Believe it or not on my flight home from Germany to LA was David H. For some reason that year security was very tight in Germany. As I went through numerous security check points I noticed that all the guards were holding 8x10 photos of him. I guess he handed them out to get through quickly. I didn't know he was on my flight until arriving in baggage claim in LA. Apparently, his luggage was specially marked to come off first and instead it came off last. He was yelling at a guard and was not happy. She was talking loudly into her walkie talkie saying, "Get Mr. Hasselhoff's luggage off now!" It was so loud that all of us noticed him and some started taking pictures. The same lady then got on the overhead speakers and said it was a federal offense to take pictures in customs and the next person who took one she would have arrested. All the flashes went away after that and soon Mr. Hasselhoff got his luggage. I never even dared to dream that it was possible I could be twice blessed with David sightings.

I used to manage a bar in the Westin Bonaventure in downtown LA, so I met a lot of celebrities there. Here's the highlights.
Joe Montana-Drunk as hell with a super hotie, not his wife, gave me a $50.00 tip.
Jean Claude Van Damm-hit on several women in my bar, they all turned him down.
Jesse Jackson-with his wife and mistress in another room -impressive!
Angela Lansbury-So drunk could barely stand
Rodney Dangerfield-Very friendly
John from CHIPS no sense of humor kind of an ass
The main guy from Harold and Maude- I said "hello, I really love the movie Harold and Maude" He looked at me like I had a hatchet in my hand and took off fast.
Nicolas Cage-Acted like someone was stalking him. not an attractive man.

Man, I love this stuff! Thanks, Tiki-Riviera!

While temping at a new internet company, They have Monty Hall from "Lets make a deal." come in and do a little staff "Let's Make A deal", sans costumes, so I played and got a giant rocking chair for a prize.

The next day I went to lunch and got locked out of the office, but I knew I could get in from the next office next door. I started walking down the hall and this guy runs right into me, He apologizes and keeps walking, then I realize Pete Rose just just body checked me. So I caught up to him and asked him if he had any good tips for that nights games.

Thank U
Drive Thru

"Does it count if you work retail and they come into your store? I worked as a record salesman for years, and had the great pleasure of meeting and dealing with John Rhys-Davies ("Indy!") and Ned Beatty, both tremendous gentlemen"---I have a grotesque NED Beatty impersonation inspired by the movie Deliverence.

Around 1982/1983 (at the height of the 49'ers popularity, I served Joe Montana at the Safeway Deli in Belmont, Ca where I was working at the time (two pounds oh headcheese, please). No, I don't know what he ordered because I didn't recognize him. He was on friendly terms with the manager and after I was done he talked to Larry the store manager not to complain that I didn't give him special treatment, but to say what a great employee I was and the the realized I had no friggin' clue who he was. (I'm not a sports fan-I'm a women fan). I think he was happily surprised to be treated like a nobody for a change.

Keanu Reeves - humg out at my house for a couple weeks playing bass with my roommate while filming Johnny Mnemonic in Toronto. Nice, but dull. Wanted to talk about Shakespeare a lot.

Kiefer Sutherland - drunk as a skunk at an after hours bar. Came in with some bodyguards and a 6 pack of Bud in cans. Knocked over some tables. Good times.

David Duchovny and Mimi Rogers at a hotel bar in Vancouver. They were sitting beside us, and I thought some hanky panky was going on but it turns out she was filming an X-Files episode with him, and they're just pals.

Emeril - I had no idea who this guy was who was eating at the table beside me at a fancy sushi joint in Santa Monica - but everyone was staring at him. I kept looking at him, thinking who the hell is that guy?' and weirdly, he kept looking at me with the 'who the hell is that chick'? look on his face too. I figured it out later while flipping pas the food channel.

Hmm, I'm sure I have more celeb sightigs but I am late for work... aaah!

Ran into Joey Bishop on a skateboard
Lived next to and garage banded with Randy Rhodes (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osboune fame)
Spent part of a summer playing with Ethan Wayne met Dad several times, went to Rams games with Patrick Wayne's knees in my back
Watched part of a movie with John and Bo Derek
Dinner in the same room with Steve Martin
Shook hands with Richard Nixon
Racquel Welch walked by our lunch table at Farmers Market
I built homes for Steve Timmons and Jeannie Buss
Mossimo and wife Lori Laughlin(sp) (full house)I'm going to see them today
I know King Kuk
Linday Davinport was on the plane back from London
Went to Kelly Grey's (St. John Knits President and only model) wedding and remodeled her condo
Can't think of any more right now

But more importantly, tikifish, did Emeril ever figure out who you were?

Friend's stories I like:

Dave's girlfriend has a place on a lake in Idaho across from Arnold Schwarzenegger's place. Apparently when he's on his dock you can hear the next Golden State Govenor fairly clearly. After a fishing trip a daughter was showing the Arnold a fish and Arnold was heard to say "Yess, yess, thee feesh is luhvlee, Now poot thee feesh down." A family man! Vote for him, Califusans.

Gael cashiers at a popular coffee shop in Port Townsend, a town on the Washington Peninsula which gets plenty of stars visiting and moving in. On a busy Saturday a couple weeks back Gael was taking a coffee order from a couple she'd barely looked up at. Gael asked for a name to put on the order and the guy, in a "no-duh!" tone of voice, says "Stephen." Gael, having had her fill of surly tourists that day, said "Like I should KNOW that?" The couple laughed hartily at Gael's retort. Gael didn't think her reply was that funny. A little later it was revealed to her that the couple was Stephen Spielberg and wife Kate Capshaw.

My small tale:

I glanced over a balcony at a book store and saw Crispin Glover sitting alone at a table of books, smiling happily. I remembered he was supposed to be there doing a book signing...But no one was there to see him. "There's Crispin Glover," I said to a friend. "You should go talk to him," said a clerk as she walked past. "Why?" I asked. "Because he likes to talk to people." I didn't go talk to him (having nothing to say other than "I loved 'Twister'!"), but later that evening I passed him walking up the street, alone and still smiling. So I said "Hi." And, sounding just like Crispin Glover, he said "Hiiii-."

I remembered he was supposed to be there doing a book signing...But no one was there to see him.

I HATE it when that happens! :)

...

Okay, people, interersting what my off the cuff Gilliam story inspired.
I could go on and on about the music biz, because I have met literally hundreds of famous musicians over the course of my career, but for some reason it was still a thrill meeting Terry. But when I am at work, for some reason, meeting famous people is just part of another day on the job. Those of you in the film biz in LA can probably relate.

A few people I have worked with, off the top of my head -

Bill Clinton - nice guy, but the CIA had to do a background check on me before I could work the gig. He was giving a speech, and they needed a sound guy.

Prince (three times) - so arrogant it was funny

David Byrne - super nice

Robert Fripp - complete prick

Nick Cave - Aloof, but I got drunk with his drummer at the California Clipper (Dean, you'll want to hit this bar during Exotica 2003!).

Laurie Anderson - On September 11, 2001. She was on her cell phone all day making sure all of her people were OK (She lives in Manhattan), but she still did the show.

Timothy Leary - backstage at a Ministry concert when I was on tour with them. Incoherent.

Joe Strummer - Same back stage, same Ministry gig - maybe the only one of the bunch I was too nervous to approach (since I was't directly working with him, he reverted from 'another day on the job' status and back to 'larger than life' status). As I was wheeling a case full of equipment past where he was hanging out (alone), he pointed a finger, like a gun, at me, winked, and made a clicking sound as he pulled the 'trigger'.

James Brown - I mixed a show for him in front of 14,000 people with 30 minutes to prepare his 29-piece band. Nightmare. I pulled it off, I THINK! Backstage, he was happy with my work, I THINK - I couldn't understand a word he said!

Met lots of Jazz legends while on tour with Royal Crown Revue - Sam Butera, et al.

...I could go on and on. But it's funny, when you're working with these people, they're just your co-workers for the day, and you completey forget that they're 'famous', which is how it should be, I guess. You just do the job.

In the Palm Desert mall with my nephew when who walks by but Dorothy Hamill with kids in tow. I told my nephew who she was and he didn't believe me. So I said let's ask her. So I walk up to her and ask "Aren't you Dorothy Hamill?" She says yes. I told her I had to prove it to my nephew.

In my previous career, I served as an Architectural Drafting Consultant to many custom home builders in West LA. I met many celebs during my 13 year stint in this industry some of which included:

Kenny G - Drew the plans for his house on Lake Washington. I even got a mention in the liner notes of his "Miracles" Cd.

Sugar Ray Leonard - Same thing about the house but no CD.

Other celebs homes I've worked on include Diana Ross, Rod Stewart and Michael Bolton (yeah I know, not really A-list celebs but hey, it paid the bills).

Outside of Architecture, I've met Alan Ruck aka Cameron Frye in Ferris Buellers Day Off. Sat next to him at the bar at a posh now defunct nightclub/restaurant on 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica and took shots with him all night -- nice guy and a total party animal!

Oh and when my wife and I first started dating she worked at an upscale billiards club called Q's in Whittier. Oscar de la Hoya used to come in all the time and try and pick up on her. She would act like she didn't know who the hell he was. Can you believe I had to compete with that dude???

I Left out the best one!!

Once Penthouse did a photo shoot in one of the glass elevators at the Bonaventure. It was a girl on girl scene and the girls were super hot, of course. I stood quietly in the background like I was suppose to be there. I think I visited the bathroom soon after! This was basically the highlight of my life, besides being a tiki central member.

Oh, I totally forgot, Chevy Chase was at that same restaurant (Nobu? I forget the name) as Emeril. He was pissed that no one was paying him any attention so when he left he turned to the whole room and made some lame joke, just to let us all know he was there and he was famous. No one cared.

Speaking of book signings, my uncle wrote a book on the history of the Aykroyd family, and Dan (he's a 2nd cousin) came to the signing. So there was my uncle, sitting at a table, waiting to sign the book HE wrote (along with Dan's dad), but everyone lined up and got Dan Aykroyd to sign it instead.

Does not count as a meeting but Ralph Lauren clearly sneered at my baggy and probably wrinkled non-Polo aloha shirt at the Pebble Beach concours a few years ago--it made me proud.

I meet Ralph Lipshitz too in an elevator, Met the 'Cos' in one too. Almost tripped Bernadette Peters walking down the stairs (I stepped on her trenchcoat belt.) Scared the shit out of Sissy Spacek 'cause I mistakenly grabbed her shoulder (thought she was my ex-wife). I used to work in theater business in NY so met lots. Many are big babies. Kevin Klein is a dick. Phoebe Cates is very nice. Oh yeah, Charles Durning is very funny and sweats like a waterfall.

I met Bob Denver's son the other day while visiting a friend at a miniature effects studio-looks just like Gilligan.

Saw Julia Roberts walking down 5th Avenue-she has big teeth. My ex started a fight with Tom Cruise in a deli-he was shopping and putting his selections on the counter-not letting us on line pay for our purchases (we had to wait for him,) He is short. Saw lots of folks half naked in my capacity as costume designer-it wears thin after a while.

Was watching a rehearsal of "The Seagull" with Ethan Hawke at National Actors Theatre. He was dismal. Our little group (which worked on it) could not restrain our disdain. When it ended the man ahead of us stood up-it was the National Actors Theatre founder Tony Randall and he didn't look pleased! I alway thought it was due to Ethan's "performance" (in which, of course, plates flew!) He had a "I'm sorry you had to sit through that" look on his face.

Who else-ran into Robert Goulet coming out of a performance of "Camelot" with Susan Anton. Lived for six months up in Lebec, California. John "Bo Duke" Schneider owned the house next door. When he came to town everyone knew-he drove the "General Lee"-no shittin' y'all.

Oh yeah, got a picture with Peter Faulk and some Hot Vegas hooker at the Velvet Hammer show at the el Rey. He looked pissed.

Can't think of anymore offhand except I stayed in Bigbro's house one month.

How can I forget? Barbara Streisand screamed at me as a small child on "Hello Dolly". I've heard other stories from encounters with friends of mine. She ain't a nice person.

And I can't leave out seeing Julian Lennon at Trader Vic's in New York. Rob Lowe bought us drinks ina "Restaurant Row" place 'cause we moved our table for him. Natalie Portman (pre "Star Wars") came in with a bunch of folks and joined him-she was very pretty.

I saw Vintage Girl Last Night.

I can't spell...

"Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah..."

[ Edited by: Atomic Cocktail on 2003-08-08 11:12 ]

[ Edited by: Atomic Cocktail on 2003-08-08 11:15 ]

About 1981 I saw then Mayor of NYC Ed Koch across the street. Someone in the building behind me shouted "Koch Sucks!". His group turned and looked at me as if I had said it. The years later I saw the Reverend Al Sharpton across the street in the industrial hell-hole of Long Island City with a GIGANTIC entourage. He had the best hairdo of any 'celeb' I had ever see so I shouted "WOW, I Fell Good, Dananananana...!" then ducked into the subway.

Rex Reed tried to pick me up when I worked as a sales person at Macy's. He gave me his card and I posted it in the stockroom with "For A Good Time" written on it.

Met? I don't think I have ever met anyone famous, I have road in an elevator with Gene Hackman, sat at a red light next to Sara Gilbert, passed Tim Burton and girlfriend Lisa Marie on the street while shopping in LA. Saw Wierd Al at Dublin's while eating upstairs in the dining room, he went into a private room to eat. Sat next to Anna Nicole Smith with some guy at Dar Magrheb's that was a memory! My first tip to Hawaii, I saw Sheryl Ladd, she was on the same plane as I was. The big one was John Houston and Angelica at the Tiny Naylors in Costa Mesa, I was just a kid but I knew he was the voice of God.

One day In 1984 while on routine patrol, I was perched at the top of southbound Indian Canyon Dr on ramp at eastbound I-10, I saw a New white Corvette go by at an estimated 100mph, I pulled out and followed it for aways and stopped it for exceeding the speed limit. I walked up on the vet and as I asked for the driver's license...who did I see in the drivers seat...Hey now!!!Here's Johnny! Johnny Carson. yes, I obtained his autograph.
Others: met Jeannie Buss in a crash in San clemente, Kiana driving her Porsche on Newport Coast Dr, Sitting next to Adrianne Barbeu on an airplane, the wrestler one man gang on a stop, Ike Turner, Oriville Redenbacker, Reggie Jackson, Pat Boone on a car stop, met Larry wilcox at Disneyland, met Bob Hope in L.V. there's more (who cares) blah blah blah.

well, everything pales in comparison to meeting tikibars at his book signing in Vegas...

but as a little girl, I went on a ski trip to Big Bear with my parents and neighbors. Me and the neighbor's girl were watching their puppy, and some nice man talked to us for a bit about the puppy. Turns out it was John Travolta, fresh from "Grease" fame.

I also went to see a play in Berkeley in the early 90's. William Ragsdale, who played Herman in the tv show "Herman's Head" (and later, the pizza delivery boyfriend on "Ellen" - oh yes, and "Fright Night,") was in it, and I asked him out after. We had lunch at the Thai House, and that's all I'm sayin...

ps my bartender sweetie lived in LA a while ago and offered to smoke out Charlie Sheen, who in turn offered him a drink in his limo; he also took a photography class with Alicia Silverstone, who is nice but apparently a TOTAL airhead...

This has got me thinking- most of my encounters are fairly pathetic.

Just last week, however I met Steven Colbert from the Daily Show and that rocked my world. He is so brilliant.

About four years ago I was driving to work in Marin and I got stuck behind a jackass in a big BMW. There was no traffic, but he was in the fast lane going slow as hell, looking in the mirror, picking his nose, etc. I don't normally do this kind of stuff, but I decided to let him have it. I gunned up along side of him and rolled down my window to yell, "Move over jackass!" at him. When I got the window down and stuck my head out, he looked at me at it was George Lucas. So I went "eek!" and just let it go. It was before I would have had the opportunity to scream, "Phantom Menace sucked!".

Met Patrick Stewart once, who was very nice. No- not at a convention.

Met the Greg himself, Barry Williams, at a book signing in Torrance years ago. Nice guy.

I really almost lost my shit last year meeting Johnny Marr backstage. He's so very short. But I was totally awestruck.

Plus Gorilla X humped my leg last week.

In college I worked for National Car Rental at the Arcata/Eureka airport in Humboldt. I rented a car to Meredith Baxter-Burney. She was doing a film with Malcolm McDowell who I also spotted in the airport. Dinah Shore rented a car from Avis next door a few times as she had a house on the Humboldt coast. She really looked like a movie star with her scarf on her head and dark glasses. I also went to use a pay phone (what people used before cell phones kiddies) and Andy Garcia was in the phone booth.

I walked by Dennis Hopper on the Venice Beach boardwalk a couple years ago.

No celeb meetings unless musicians count. I thought it was real cool when Leonard Graves Phillips of the punk band the Dickies partied with us at my apartment after a show. He was the nicest guy.

I guess the best musician story I have is when I was at the Spirit nightclub in San Diego to see a band called the Checkered Past . I went outside to take a leak on a wall and Steve Jones came up and took a piss as well. We exchanged a few words like "hey howzit goin'?" or something like that.

My most starstruck celeb encounter was meeting Keely Smith at Coco's coffee shop in Palm Springs this past January. I wasn't sure it was really her, so finally, as she was getting ready to leave, I asked if she was Keely. When she smiled and said "Yes, I am," tears actually sprang to my eyes (god, I'm a dork!). She gave me a huge hug, and we chatted for a while. When she found out my husband and I were entertainers, she squealed girlishly and slapped my husband on the back...HARD! A couple of months later, we received a little package from her, containing her 3 recent CDs. What a peach!!

Here's a pic from that fabulous encounter: http://www.johnnyatomic.com/photos/CelebsMore/photos/photo_13.html

I also had the privilege of singing under the direction of Dave Brubeck when I was 18, but that wasn't an accidental encounter. He was quite aloof, but I was too awed to care.

[ Edited by: GinAtomic on 2003-09-02 10:41 ]

No A-listers here, which is odd for having grown up in SoCal. Guess I needed to get out more. I was, however, on both "Wonderama" and "The Banana Splits" shows as a tyke.

Having worked at Lucasarts in the mid 90's, I've had a few George Lucas sightings, which were a bigger deal to me before those awful new movies came out. All Lucas company employees are under orders to not talk to or otherwise bother George - kinda like the Pope! But he's a pretty common sight around Marin.

Incident #1: We had a moving party when Lucasarts moved to a new facility and George popped by to say a few words. I was dealing with a horrible computer crash and missed most of the party, so I raced outside to grab something from the food table. This being a games company, the food was nearly all gone, but there was one hot dog left. I searched quickly for a plate, and just as I reached for the dog, George literally grabbed it from under my hand and didn't even look up or say anything.

#2: At the Lucasfilm 4th of July picnic, watched Robin Williams play a pick-up soccer game with a bunch of dudes. Man, he's hairy! Later in the beer line, saw George beaming while talking to Robin as a bunch of kids eyed the two. One kid sheepishly wanders over and George perks up, then deflates when the kid says, "Can I have your autograph, Mrs. Doubtfire?" George walked away in disgust as Robin cheerfully signed autographs for all the kids. Many friends report that Robin is a very nice guy.

#3: My favorite. While having a drink with a friend in a Marin restaurant, which was about to close, in walks George with two hottie asian 20-somethings. They are led away to the curtained "Lucasfilm" booth in the back. Soon we see the bartender mixing a few elaborate, labor-intensive coffee drinks (after she had cleaned and shut down the bar area). We asked what the drinks were, she looked up, eyes rolled, and said with disgust, "They're for his-HIGHness".

Strangely (or not), once also saw SF mayor Willie Brown at a table next to us with 2 hottie asian 20-somethings.

During a "60 Minutes" segment on the new non-smoking laws (at Tosca, a bar in SF), my friend walks up and interupts interviewer Steve Croft by asking Willie Brown for a light. Willie laughs and smiles big and grabs his shoulders, "Somebody arrest this man!"

While at Lucasarts, I did a number of tv interviews. The weirdest ever was for some nationally syndicated science magazine show that had Charles Fleischer as a "correspondent". He's an actor/comedian who voiced Roger Rabbit. A very smart guy, but also a horrible, whiny, destructive person. He messed with one of my artist's shelves in his office til the unit collapsed and broke everything on it. He just shrugged and walked away. His producer and cameraman openly bashed him (not in a friendly, kidding way) when he wasn't around, which was alot of the time. When they were ready for him to do the interview, they had to send out a search team to find him sleeping on a couch in a darked room on another floor that wasn't our space. A true weirdo.

On the other hand, I was interviewed a couple years prior to that for a tech segment on Good Morning America by Spencer Christian. He was an absolute gentleman and sat with me and asked a LOT about what I did so he could ask intelligent questions on camera. I've never seen a more professional crew or air talent than those GMA folks.

Other randomness:
Met Denver Pyle and Catherine "Daisy Duke" Bach on the "Dukes of Hazard" set during a private tour. (Cat needed a LOT of make-up to hide the cellulite and coke & booze wear & tear). Also ran into "Bionic Woman" Lindsay Wagner (very nice & pregnant).

Had dinner with "hottie stripper" Jordan from Big Brother 1.

Met and chatted with Daphne Zuniga ("Melrose Place") after the Vagina Monologues in SF. She was dating a childhood friend. Polite, but probably because my friend asked her to meet me. Seemed like she's probably kind of a bitch.

Saw a totally trashed Goldie Hawn being carried by two men out of a private Soho club and down the street, her feet dragging on the ground.

Music props:
Sat with DJ Bonebrake of "X" at club while watching a friend's band he produced.

John Doe of "X" ordered a beer behind us at Edinburgh Castle just before a Knitters show.

Roadied a SF show with Clarence Clemmons - truly bigger than life character, and very nice.

I met quite a few celebs & not quite celebs while a Movie/Video Caterer in L.A. back in the mid-80s:

One of my partners delt ALOT of coke to Bob Englund during 3 of the Nightmare on Elm St. shoots.

Catered Wheel of Fortune for several years: Pat Sajak's an ass, but Vanna's a sweetheart. She liked Chocolate Silk Pie & would sometimes have 2 pieces (we'd joke that that was 'cause it tasted good 2ce). Jack Clark (the announcer at that time) was a class act, always wore a monogrammed sports jacket.

I discovered that I used to beat up the lead guitarist from White Lion on the bus back in High School. He went to Farrell H.S. & I went to Richmondtown Prep. (You have to be from Staten Island to get that reference). I discovered this while serving him lunch during a video shoot while the rest of the band was being interviewed by some hard rock rag; Screaming "Farrell Faggott!" & laughing maniacally probably didn't endear me to the band.

I worked with Jan Michael Vincent on a movie shoot: he was either just starting on a buzz or coming off a hangover throughout the whole shoot.

I ran into Timothy Leary at Abbie Hoffmans wake: I was covering it for No S.H.I.T. Magazine, and he was incoherent & slightly stumbling and wanted to sit in the Journalist's area & not the "star's" area. I also met Wavy Gravy there, he was M.C.ing & being a total control freak.

While interning at KROQ I screamed "Get the F**CK away from that bike!" at Johnny Rotten, 'cause he was signing autographs too close to my bicycle.

The nicest celebrity I ever met was Ian Astbury, who said "please" & "thank you" constantly, and answered fans telephone calls for 2 hours at KROQ.

But the BEST celebrity encounter I ever had was catering U2's "Where the Streets have no Name" video! On the roof top! With LAPD, LAFD, & SWAT all trying to get up on the roof to stop'em! Great guys, great music, great food, & their crew ate alot (but the crew always does).

I've got dozens more, but since I was usually working, I often just remember them as being at just another day at work. I didn't even remember 1/2 of these 'til reading these posts. Until then I could only think of running into the guy who played Igor on M.A.S.H. at Disneyland!

John Doe of "X" ordered a beer behind us at Edinburgh Castle just before a Knitters show.

After that Knitters show we went to Annie's Cocktail Lounge and Dave Alvin came in and sat down next to me at the bar. Annie is friends with the members of a lot of the old bands like X and the Blasters.

Rumor is it that Lux and Poison Ivy always go to the Tonnga Room before they do a Cramps show in San Francisco.

I ran into Diane Amos (The Pine-Sol Lady!) in the bathroom at a comedy club. She does stand-up when she's not doing commercials, and she was the opening act that night.

I was walking on Grattan Street (in SF) one evening when a large black luxury car turned into the driveway in front of me. Terrence Hallinan (SF's D.A.) got out of the car and walked into his house.

I've had plenty of other celebrity encounters (book-signings, for example) that weren't really unexpected. Also, there have been many sightings where I didn't actually talk to the person, like when I saw Chelsea Clinton at Studio 54.

--cindy

Here's my couple brushes with greatness...

1. Cal Ripken at a local mall
2. John Waters at a bookstore in Baltimore (a common event if you live around Baltimore)
3. Charles Barkley walking through the casino at the Bellagio in Vegas
4. Tom Hanks at the World War II Memorial dedication
5. A bunch of reggae artists I met before and after shows (None as big as "The Bush Doctor")- Mutabaruka, Eek A Mouse, Yellowman on many occasions, Joseph Hill from Culture, the late great Dennis Brown, etc.

That's about it...

Oh! And Corey Feldman stood in front of me in a line at Disneyland about 10 years ago, he was with a very young, very thin girl, they kissed alot, he had his little brother with him too. Corey looked very unkept, like no soap and water had touched him or his clothes in awhile, I also remember how incredibly sweet he was to his little bro. You could tell he loved him very much. It was really sweet.

[ Edited by: DawnTiki on 2003-08-08 17:20 ]

I met God in a cowboy bar in Chico and then again a few years later in a parking lot in Long Beach at a Grateful Dead concert. He looked different but his breath was the same. He is very nice but he is to hard to understand and not that good of a dresser.
Chongolio

I am LOVING this thread, this is AWESOME! Mine are:

-- 1990, Century City Mall in LA: gave my table at the food court to Jerry Seinfeld. It was his first season (I think) so I didn't know who he was until my friend pointed it out afterward. "Are you done with your table?" "yeah dude, go for it"

-- Maury Povich. Ahem.

-- Got a picture of Gorilla X with Marilyn Manson. Also with No Doubt. Pics are on gorilla-x.com.

-- Trader Vic's Beverly Hills, circa 1998: saw both Pauly Shore and the blonde daughter from "Too Close For Comfort" there at the same time (but not together). I haven't been back since. Oh, and after a bunch of drinks, Pauly careened off in a giant BMW, like a 700 series or something.

-- Saw John Waters speak last December. I was with Frenchy Polynesia. She loves him; I'm ambivalent. The next morning, he and I backed into each other, Scooby Doo style, in Amoeba Records on Haight. I called her to tell her... she was jealous.

-- My favorite one lately: I got to meet Captain Sensible (from The Damned) a couple weeks ago. He was a TOTAL dick to me. But he's a washed-up, old fogey now. Gone are the days of peeing on fans (Bamboo Ben has a story about that, I think... he was present, I mean, not that BB got peed on)-- anyway, gone are those days. Instead, he now goes off on explanations about how lots of Subway restuarants are starting to toast their sandwiches now, due to the success of Quiznos.

My fave stories in this thread so far: TikiBot, you should have kicked Robin Williams's ass. I can't stand that jackass! I secretly pray for a gig where I'm gorillacizing at some function he's at, and I will just go and kick his ass good... and everyone will think it's being staged so they won't jump in to save him. God I hate that guy!! AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH must...control... self....

And Larry Lava: MaryLava RULES!!! I NEED to tell you guys my Hasselhoff story sometime.

[ Edited by: mig on 2003-08-08 19:10 ]

I once met the uber cool tiki artist Shag. I asked him to sign a copy of his supersonic swingers book for me and he looked down his nose at me like I just pissed on his pants. This didn't sit well with me and I was going to kick his ass but the dude is built like Hulk Hogan and had two bodyguards. Well I flip hime off and his bodyguards grab me and Shag starts giving me a wedgie, so I mace them all and as i'm leaving I punt Shag's poodle at least 10 yards. He starts crying and screaming that he's going to hunt me to the end of the earth. wimp.

I know that these are not unexpected encounters... but none the less they were some of the most interesting people that I have met.

When I was in college I served on a speakerseries committee. We were responsible for bringing political figures and celebs on campus to address certain issues. Some of most memorable encounters were:

Maya Angelo, She was very nice and called me honey a couple of times.

Spike Lee, What an A-hole.He was very arrogant and rude. I also saw him and John Singleton having a bucket of wings at Legends in LB.

Lelani Trask (Hawaiian Activist),I got to pick her up from the airport. She is an amazing woman and a wealth of knowledge about Polynesian history.

Angela Davis, Very brief and noninterested in talking to us as students. I kept wanting to call her foxy brown.

Marcia Clark, She was waiting for a pool table at the Blue cafe. I offered her mine. This nieve chick came up to her and asked about the Menendez Brothers case.

Swap meet encounters:

Leonardo DeCaprio, I met him at Mark Ryden's art opening in Pasedena and also at the Glendale toy show. cool guy

Crispon Glover (SP?), I sold him a red rottery phone.

Tori Spelling, I sold her a uke.

Shirley Jones, she bought a copy of the Partridge family game (no lie).

Pamela and Tommy Lee shopping at rosebowl. After the 3rd break-up.

Cheers

[ Edited by: mtkahuna on 2003-08-08 23:53 ]

In 1985 my last wife's girlfreind from Reseda came down to visit with her new boyfreind. The boyfreind was Rick James. They stayed with us for two days & we had a blast. Rick was fresh back from Jamaica & had waist length dreads. We went to Seaworld and the only people there that recognized him were Japanese tourist girls(which was alright with him). I was playing with a local band at the time and shopping around for a new amp. I asked Rick if he had any recommendations & his reply was "you can't go wrong with Marshall"...dammed if he wasn't right.