"famous people I have met" thread

[timebandit]

and I mean met and talked to not just saw at some event.
I worked on tommy smothers house in palm springs.
Met him shook his hand.

[Dr. MD MD]

and I mean met and talked to not just saw at some event.
I worked on tommy smothers house in palm springs.
Met him shook his hand.

Love those guys!

Oh, boil tha cabbage down, boy! Boil that cabbage down?

[Juan]

Ray Charles

[Dr. MD MD]

Ray Charles

Him too!

[albrecht]

Ray Charles

Elaborate. Did you play any tricks on him or make faces just to confirm blindness? Despite his fame and coolness you must have been tempted. Norry has lots of questions for blind people, by the way. He would've given Ray a book.

[Juan]

I was a news reporter/photographer.  It was Ray's 52nd birthday and he was performing in the town I worked in. I showed up at rehearsal to do a story before the performance, and he agreed to go on camera and answer one question.  I was carrying a TV camera on my right shoulder, so I shook hands with my left.  He noticed while shaking, so that confirmed his blindness.  I asked him how he had gone on performing for so long, and he answered that when God gave you something to do, you did it.  Off camera, we chatted a bit about the music business and performing.  I've heard that he was an asshole, but he was in a good mood that day.

[Big Chicken]

and I mean met and talked to not just saw at some event.
I worked on tommy smothers house in palm springs.
Met him shook his hand.

Did Tommy drop any F-Bombs or throw his Yo-Yo around?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd0Buzr0VR4

[teknoslag]

My friend and I were in downtown Los Angeles back in March of 2009. We were in an area that was notorious for pandhandlers and the like. As we were waiting at an intersection for the walk signal, what I assumed to be a homeless guy approached us and asked me if I had any spare change. All I had on me at the time was a $20 bill, so I gave it to him and told him to keep it. His eyes lit up and he hugged me, then proceeded to talk to us for the next fifteen minutes. He said that his name was "Floyd," that he was 72 years old, talked about his family, etc. He mentioned that he had spent ten years in prison, but when I asked what he did time for he sort of shut down and said he didn't want to talk about it. At that point, he started to say some bizarre things about women. My friend and I were getting uncomfortable with him, so we politely parted ways.

Two weeks later, I turned on the news and saw his picture on TV. His name was John Floyd Thomas, he was 72 years old, and LAPD had arrested him after a DNA dragnet of convicted sex offenders (he had spent ten years in prison for rape) had matched him to both the unsolved Westside Rapist and Southland Strangler cases. He eventually pleaded guilty to 7 murders and is suspected in as many as 30.

I don't think I want to know who he lured what he did with that $20 bill I gave him.

[cweb]

I met Douglas Dietrich once.

No, wait. Nevermind.

That was a different psychotic lesbian.

[paladin1991]

I met Douglas Dietrich once.

No, wait. Nevermind.

That was a different psychotic lesbian.

[Hog]

1) John Candy, was introduced to him, we shook hands and then enjoyed the game.(he had big sausage fingers)

2) Wayne Gretzky/Walter Gretzky- My brother, who has Retinitis Pigmentosa coupled with Laurence-Moon-Biedl-Bardet Syndrome(or whatever its called these days) basically he went blind in grade 4 and then attended  the W. Ross McDonald School for the Blind for grade 5 and upon graduation Grade 13, was awarded an academic award.  We were treated to a family outing to Gretzky's restaurant in Toronto, where my brother was presented with a brand new 6 lever mechanical brailler by non other than "the Great One" and his Father.  Wayne asked if I liked Mozzarella sticks, and I said "Yes" and he went and brought back a basket of them and we split it together.


3) Back during med school, I was volunteering at a function at the Skydome in Toronto. Apparently I had impressed someone as I was approached by two men and asked if I was available to meet someone and take a few pics with them. I agreed and walked along with these 2 men. I had no idea where I was going, or who I was meeting.  After a few minutes of walking, we come to a door, one of them knocks and it opens.  I am told to step inside, I do and the door closes behind me.  The other door is opened by a guy on the other side, I follow this guy and he asks for my name and we go through another door.  There are 2 black guys and a white guy sitting in chairs, they all stand up and I'm greeted by this gentleman.(actual pic from that day-October 20, 2002)


http://www.gettyimages.ca/event/muhammad-ali-in-person-for-the-greatest-good-75340734#muhammad-ali-during-muhammad-ali-in-person-for-the-greatest-good-at-picture-id113598230

The guy that asked my name introduced me, to non other than, the GOAT "Muhammad-Ali",
he said, "Champ, this is one of the volunteers his name in Paul **#%#*#(#&^#$*&."
In a soft slower voice "Hello Paul, thank you for your service." 
I was completely starstruck. I said "Hello Mr Ali, it's a pleasure to meet you. Welcome to Canada."
He replied, "You're the first person to say that today, thankyou," as he continued to wring my hand with his right.
His manager asked if it would be alright if we took a couple pictures, he explained they might be used in a brochure or magazine promoting a charity Mr Ali is involved in and asked if I would sign a release, to which I agreed, they also took some contact info then some people with cameras entered the room and a few pics were taken, then they left again.
After the pics, he then shook my hand again and said "Thanks again Paul, thanks for your time."
The introducer guy then led me to the door and thanked me as well. Just before the door closed I asked him why I was chosen for this? 
He replied "He wanted to take some pics with one of the volunteers and wanted one that was close to his height." 
I said "OK thanks."
The inner door closed, then the outer door opened and the 2 same guys escorted me back where they found me.  It was an odd experience, but I'm glad I volunteered for the event and also glad that I'm 6'4".

peace
Hog

[Jackstar]

I met the guy who played the fish in Shape of Water. He fell instantly in love when we hugged, but I threw him back.

[BobGrau]

I watched the light die in Doug Stanhope's eyes when I said the Aberdeen gig was better than the Glasgow one. I meant the venue, dammit!
(In books and podcasts he often says he's a bag of nerves after a gig and can't handle feedback. I cringe a little lower every time I hear it)

Met Art Bell once, in a liddl' forum you've probably never heard of.

[Rix Gins]

John F. Kennedy.  He wasn't president though, just a senator.  He was running for president and appeared in a local parade.  After the parade his people were setting up a speaker's platform in the local park.  Kennedy was standing under a tree, stretching his back.  My mom approached him and said, "Senator Kennedy, would you sign my son's cast?"  John whipped out a pen and said, "Sure."  So he signed my brother's broken arm cast as I looked on.  I was too young to realize how important he was politically.  In fact, when I heard that 'Senator Kennedy' would be appearing in the parade, I said, "Who's that?"  Mom took a cool pic that is floating around somewhere in the family archives.  Nice closeup of Kennedy signing the cast.

[Juan]

Dr. Joyce Brothers - she became famous in the 50s on the tv show “The $64,000 Question” answering questions about boxing. In 1960 she began writing an advice column which continued for about 40 years. By the time I met her in 1986, she was no longer so famous. She came to town to speak to a women’s group and I was sent to interview her - alone by my cheap tv station. I corralled her in a hallway to ask a few questions. The camera I had to use could not focus on anything closer than 5.5 feet - lenses are cheaper that way. I had to hand her the microphone to hold while I backed away about six feet. I shouted my questions over the general room noise, and she answered into the microphone. Because she was a tv pro, she spoke into the mic at an appropriate level, meaning I couldn’t hear a word she said. Station too cheap to buy headphones.

I headed back to the station and found she said something usable on the tape.

I was stunned that she was so small. I’d be surprised if she were five feet.

[comaphobe]

John F. Kennedy.  He wasn't president though, just a senator.  He was running for president and appeared in a local parade.  After the parade his people were setting up a speaker's platform in the local park.  Kennedy was standing under a tree, stretching his back.  My mom approached him and said, "Senator Kennedy, would you sign my son's cast?"  John whipped out a pen and said, "Sure."  So he signed my brother's broken arm cast as I looked on.  I was too young to realize how important he was politically.  In fact, when I heard that 'Senator Kennedy' would be appearing in the parade, I said, "Who's that?"  Mom took a cool pic that is floating around somewhere in the family archives.  Nice closeup of Kennedy signing the cast.

Awesome!

[bellNwhistle]

and I mean met and talked to not just saw at some event.
I worked on tommy smothers house in palm springs.
Met him shook his hand.

Their mom lived down the street from my dad.

[bellNwhistle]

I have a close relative who has been in music publishing for 40+ yrs now. She is great friends with a lot of "personalities", so I've met many (a hand full, at least) on a couple of occasions. Some are old family friends.

Apart from those, I went to a taping of a show that a relative's boyfriend was on, back in the mid-to-late 80's. I got Shadoe Steven's autograph - as well as the rest of the cast's (which included Jane Leeves)- on a script for that episode. He was THE coolest.  The Tokens were on that episode, so I got to see them perform "In the Jungle" live. (Shadoe has his own podcast, apparently. Or did. Not sure if it's still active).

I also got the autograph of Ernest Lee Thomas, who played Raj, from What's Happening!  I was in my early teens.  I saw him in a local deli, and couldn't stop looking at him. I watched his show all of the time, so I immediately recognized him. He let me come over to get an autograph (I still have it) , and then invited us to a taping of his show later. Unfortunately, we couldn't go. But it was cool to be asked.

[GravitySucks]

I have a close relative who has been in music publishing for 40+ yrs now. She is great friends with a lot of "personalities", so I've met many (a hand full, at least) on a couple of occasions. Some are old family friends.

Apart from those, I went to a taping of a show that a relative's boyfriend was on, back in the mid-to-late 80's. I got Shadoe Steven's autograph - as well as the rest of the cast's (which included Jane Leeves)- on a script for that episode. He was THE coolest.  The Tokens were on that episode, so I got to see them perform "In the Jungle" live. (Shadoe has his own podcast, apparently. Or did. Not sure if it's still active).

I also got the autograph of Ernest Lee Thomas, who played Raj, from What's Happening!  I was in my early teens.  I saw him in a local deli, and couldn't stop looking at him. I watched his show all of the time, so I immediately recognized him. He let me come over to get an autograph (I still have it) , and then invited us to a taping of his show later. Unfortunately, we couldn't go. But it was cool to be asked.

You might as well have been speaking some ancient foreign language.  I did not recognize anything you just typed. LOL

[bellNwhistle]

The majority of the famous people I've met are Black, and musicians, at that. ]
I guess you didn't watch much TV at the end of the 80's?

You've never heard of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"?

Does everyone live under a rock in Texas?

[Renegade Smurf]

Never met any. The closest I got was seeing the Statler Brothers perform at a concert my parents took me too when I was little. I remember that one song about "playing solitaire till dawn with a deck of 51" because I liked Captain Kangaroo. That and I knew somebody who performed in Gwar for a short time..

[GravitySucks]

The majority of the famous people I've met are Black, and musicians, at that. ]
I guess you didn't watch much TV at the end of the 80's?

You've never heard of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"?

Does everyone live under a rock in Texas?

The Tokens were 1967

[bellNwhistle]

The Tokens were 1967

Yes. They did a guest part on a show in the 80’s called Throb.

[Robert]

Nobel Prize winners.  Charles Cantor was one of my profs & my undergrad advisor.  Later I met Paul Berg in a small group.  Probably several others I forgot about.

Book authors.  (Not counting just a meeting at a book signing, like Kaz Prapuolenis, who wouldn't cartoon my likeness; "You get the junkie, like everyone else.")  Robert Shea & Robert Anton Wilson, both of shom I stayed friendly w up to their deaths.  (I met Timothy Leary thru Wilson, but that was in a crowd & I didn't say anything to Leary, so probably shouldn't count.)  J. Neil Schulman, but he spelled it Neal then.  Actually plenty other writers too -- journalists, etc.

Jean P. Shepherd.

Damon Lindelof, starting when he was a young teen.

Radio emcees whose programs I've been on: Barry Farber, Jay Diamond, Brian Lehrer.

Politicians it's so easy to meet, they shouldn't even count -- that's their job.  Also people like Linda Twigg, famous for being famous.

I didn't push it, so I didn't get close to Howard A. Stern, though I could've been.

[21st Century Man]

Tommy Lasorda, Sam Jaffe, Pat Boone, Laura Ingraham, Stan Lee, Forrest J. Ackerman, Ray Bradbury

[teknoslag]

The majority of the famous people I've met are Black, and musicians, at that. ]
I guess you didn't watch much TV at the end of the 80's?

You've never heard of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"?

Does everyone live under a rock in Texas?

I met Michael Jackson in '91 or '92, when I was around 10 or 11. It was right before the first scandal and trial broke out. We were at a Toys 'R Us in the Los Angeles area, I believe it was in the San Fernando Valley. He was with an entire entourage, including that first kid he went to trial over. I still have his autograph on the back of one of my grandmother's blank checks (it was all she had on her for him to sign) somewhere.

[whoozit]

I met Michael Jackson in '91 or '92, when I was around 10 or 11. It was right before the first scandal and trial broke out. We were at a Toys 'R Us in the Los Angeles area, I believe it was in the San Fernando Valley. He was with an entire entourage, including that first kid he went to trial over. I still have his autograph on the back of one of my grandmother's blank checks (it was all she had on her for him to sign) somewhere.

BellGab, always one post away from pedophilia.

[Dr. MD MD]

BellGab, always one post away from pedophilia.

If people can't even talk about the problem how will it ever get solved?!

[whoozit]

If people can't even talk about the problem how will it ever get solved?!

You make it sound like I made a judgement when I made an observation.

[ItsOver]

I shook Bill Clinton's hand.