Story Time: Famous People You Found Yourself With

About 35 or so years ago, wife ran into Donald Trump, literally.

She was exiting a building in NYC and didn't know he was right behind her. She forgot something and turned around abruptly, colliding with him and falling down. She said he was very gracious, helped her up, and made sure she was ok.

Met many celebrities when I lived in LA. Nicest ones: Jay Leno, Lee Iacocca, Morgan Freeman, Quentin Tarantino, Tom Bosley
 
More popped to mind. I volunteered to help backstage in college in lieu of paying for tickets during the Visiting Artists series and campus concert events, running water around, replenishing the Green Room, taking messages (no texting then). I saw some Big Names closer than I ever would have from the nosebleed seats.
- Fleetwood Mac, year of the “Rumours” album, just as they went big. Amazing concert. My impression was they were all “altered.”
- Charlie Daniels
- Dan Fogelberg
- Eugene Fodor, the violinist
So many more, I don’t recall them until I see a reference to them and a memory pops to mind.
 
Capt MJ said:
This is fun. What a wide array!
anyone within six degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon?
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I'll bite on that one. Classmate who I didn't get to know at USNA moved to the next town when I was living in New Hampshire and we actually lived a couple of blocks from each other. As is usually the case, once we met, we discovered that we knew a LOT of people in common and became friends. Long after we both moved from those homes, we kept in touch through cancer, kids events, etc and a couple of year ago he died. In the tributes and stories after he dies was a copy of a pic that I'd seen of him with one of his friends as a teenager and the guy with him looked awfully familiar. Come to find out that Tom Hanks was his close by neighbor and BFF when he was a kid so there is the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon, actually 3 degrees since Tom Hanks and Kevin Bacon were in Apollo 13 together and I knew a guy who knew Hanks who knows Bacon.
 
OldRetSWO said:
I'll bite on that one. Classmate who I didn't get to know at USNA moved to the next town when I was living in New Hampshire and we actually lived a couple of blocks from each other. As is usually the case, once we met, we discovered that we knew a LOT of people in common and became friends. Long after we both moved from those homes, we kept in touch through cancer, kids events, etc and a couple of year ago he died. In the tributes and stories after he dies was a copy of a pic that I'd seen of him with one of his friends as a teenager and the guy with him looked awfully familiar. Come to find out that Tom Hanks was his close by neighbor and BFF when he was a kid so there is the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon, actually 3 degrees since Tom Hanks and Kevin Bacon were in Apollo 13 together and I knew a guy who knew Hanks who knows Bacon.
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Bingo!!!!
 
I flew from London to Chicago across the aisle from Keanu Reeves. Nobody bothered him the whole flight, but when we got to O’Hare a few kids came up to him and he ignored them. I wasn’t impressed.

In college I came back to the frat house one evening to find a crowd in the great room. John Cougar (before Mellencamp) was at the frat house visiting a couple of my fraternity brothers from Seymour, IN.

Stealth_81
 
cb7893 said:
Growing up Nashville, Country Stars of the day and their kids were a constant in our lives. It was a much smaller city at that time. I drove Mrs. cb7893 crazy watching Ken Burns' Country Music. Every 5 minutes of the 1950's, 60's and 70's I would say things like, "I went to school with her sons" "We both graduated from the same high school and college", or "My father took out his appendix".
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Capt MJ said:
- Fleetwood Mac, year of the “Rumours” album, just as they went big. Amazing concert. My impression was they were all “altered.”
- Charlie Daniels
- Dan Fogelberg
- Eugene Fodor, the violinist
So many more, I don’t recall them until I see a reference to them and a memory pops to mind.
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As I said, Nashville used to be kind of a small town. My sister in law married a long time member of Charlie's band, who co-wrote most of their songs. He passed away about 10 years ago. When I was in high school, he and his brother had a band that would play about any gig they could, including in backyards of homes in Nashville's nicest neighborhood, from which they came. They wrote their music, but sounded remarkably like The Allman Brothers Band.

Her nephew, my BIL's son, is Eric Church's lead guitarist.
 
brewmeist said:
I got to perform with Dizzy Gillespie and Wynton Marsalis when I was in my college big band, and sat next to Itzhak Perlman on a flight. I also chatted with Donald Trump at my goddaughter's wedding held at his Beminster, NJ golf club.

I also met Ted Nugent at an outdoor show. The funny thing is, I was talking to him for 10 mins before I even realized who he was.
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LMAO

I could talk to Ted Nugent for an hour and not know who he was.

A friend of mine went on a bear hunt with him. A practice I find to be horrible.
 
Funny how the memory circuits re-engage.

I met operatic and musical stage baritone Robert Merrill at the Crystal Cathedral in SoCal (now another name), when he was doing a concert and services with the massed CC choir. DH was a tenor in the choir, and I got to attend the private rehearsal. What a voice. In a conversation with DH, and asking about his singing background and learning of USNA Glee Club and his HS singing tutor (same tutor as Mario Lanza), he was very complimentary of the mids, having seen them many times over the years at various concerts and musical events. I think he said he came to do the annual “Messiah” at the USNA Chapel one year.
 
My older brother has met more famous people thaI can remember. His business hired them to speak for big bucks and he got to have lunch with them, cocktails, private time.

President Bush II, President Ford, President Carter, General Schwarzkopf Jr, General Powell, Fran Tarkenton, Joe Theisman, Mike Ditka, Bill Walsh, Sally Ride (sat on some board with her), Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin ... from memory.

Every single one he asked the same question ... “do you believe in UFOs.”

Also, he claims to have the last known autograph of Neil and Buzz at the same time ... apparently they got in to a disagreement about something.

The only one that he said he was star struck being around was Julie Andrews, who commanded a real presence.
 
First job out of the Air Force was in mid-town Manhattan in the late 80's. Because of where is was and where I worked:

Frank Sinatra
Ed Harris
Carly Simon
John Travolta
Tony Bennett
Tom Cruise
Rob Lowe
Joe Paterno (later infamous)
Alec Baldwin
Franco Harris
Also, many NY Islander and Ranger Hockey players of that era: Denis Potvin, Ron Duguay, etc.
Pete Rozelle (NFL Commish)
Probably some others, but in NYC in those days you just kind of had the opportunity to meet "celebs" quite a bit.

Other than Ed Harris (very likeable guy) and Tony Bennett (impressive), only Franco Harris was memorable.
 
Geez. I almost forgot one. In the word's of Eddie Murphy, "A mind is a terrible thing."
The niece of Steve Rubell, one of the owners of Studio 54 went to my high school and was in band with me. Well, Steve Rubell's birthday was coming up, and apparently he loved marching bands. So our high school marching band went in to Studio 54 and marched in during his birthday party to surprise him.
It was a "who's who" of late 70's early 80's pop culture. Andy Warhol, Brooke Shields, Michael Jackson, David Bowie, you name it. Anyone who was someone was there. It was... quite a night for a young high school kid. As you can imagine they all mobbed us after our two numbers. Brigitte Nielsen took the plume off my hat. At least I think she did... it makes a better story.
 
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I've met Russell Crowe and got to shake his hand and got his autograph. My husband had his picture taken with him. Russell Crowe was filming some scenes from a movie in our neighborhood, and he (through someone in the crew) said if we (the neighbors) didn't interfere with the shooting, he would come out after wrapping for the day and meet with us. We didn't and he did, and I found him very pleasant.
 
I flew Loretta Lynn, the Coal Miner’s Daughter, around during her USO tour in the Philippines. Her husband was a WWII Army Vet and she had a son that was a Marine.

I met Astronaut Wally Schirra, one of the seven original Mercury astronauts. He flew in Sigma 7 and joked that I was braver than he was for flying helicopters. Supposedly Wally Schirra was the biggest jokester of the original seven.

At my kid’s catholic school fund raising event a Navy Chaplain said that an old US Army Air Corp bomber pilot wanted swap some tales with some Navy pilots. We said sure and Father R. introduced us to George McGovern, Democrat Presidential Nominee in 1972. He was Ambassador to the World Food Organization in Rome under President Clinton. Ambassador McGovern said that one reason he enlisted in the army was because being from South Dakota the ocean seemed too big and that he thought the food would be better in the army. We had a great conversation.

I liked playing pick up b-ball when I had the time. In Halsey Field House there was civilian at the other end of the gym that would shoot by himself. And could he shoot. We knew who he was and never bothered him or asked him to play. Another player came in and, before we could stop him, asked the lone shooter to play so we could go five on five. He politely declined. The NBA player was Mike Riordan who played for the Washington Bullets. At the time he owned Riordan’s Bar in downtown Annapolis.
 
I drove tennis players from the hotel to the tennis facility, and I didn't get paid.
I also got to drive Rod Laver, Ilie Nastase, John Newcombe, Vitas Gerulaitis, and Jimmy Connors. Rod Laver was the only one who sat in the passenger seat next to me and talked to me the whole time. He was cool as cool can be, but Jimmy Connors gave me a racquet.

So I got that goin' fer me, which is nice!

Oh, I had a couple of beers with Christopher Lloyd once, and a cup of tea with Nancy Reagan. Not in the same day, though.
 
@WT Door just reminded me of a couple people. My son has tattoos on every legal spot of skin but still finds room for more. His current artist used to be an artist to the stars but moved north and set up shop at the beach where DS surfs. I can’t remember his name but he has an apprentice who is Vanna White’s daughter.

I was at DeRussy Waikiki beach with a shipmate and we say Wilt Chamberlain. He was surrounded by women and just hanging out. My friend started freaking out and wanted me to take his picture with Wilt. I told him to leave him alone but he insisted. We walked over and asked and he was cool about it and posed for the pic.
 
I have a bunch but the ones most memorable...

1. A blizzard hit my base in NoDak...and I was going to fly out to Michigan to see my wife (she was based in the UP). I get to the airport, and there's a 4+ hour delay. "But no worries sir, you're the last to show up, there's only four of you and the crew." So I walked toward the gate and see this tiny crowd and they're laughing, very loud. I get closer and the captain says "And this must be Steve...everyone say hi!" And they all did. And then the gent sitting down with his cane in front of him (and clearly the focus of everyone's attention) and a ready smile said "Hi Steve, how're you? Ready to travel?" It was Red Skelton. We had our own private "thing" with him for about four hours...incredibly memorable; my sides hurt for days! The consummate gentleman.

2. I was working for an international computer manufacturer; I was Director of Government sales. I was at Microsoft being "wined and dined" with several others...any my CEO kept paging me...I stopped responding. He did this half a dozen times in an hour and then one message basically threatened my job. So I asked where a phone was and went running, literally, down the hall, whipped around a corner, and just FLATTENED this guy I ran into! Sent him sprawling. I got up to help him, saw a guy that was kinda like a 6'6" version of Arnold approaching me, and realized I was about to die...as I helped Bill Gates to his feet. He was very gracious, asked what was up; I explained, and he showed me where I could make my call.

3. I was flying as an air ambulance pilot (I had taken a leave from AF to get some civilian flying time in hopes of joining an airline) and had dropped off a patient in Albuquerque at 1:00 am. Two other air ambulances were there; so there are three of us pilots in the ops area. EVERYTHING is closed for the night, and the food machines (vending machines that served heated food) were all out!! So we're there for several hours with nothing but a water fountain. NOT GOOD! Oh...there was this really nice Gulfstream parked outside with our meager little twins. And all of a sudden one of the passengers walks in: it's Goldie Hawn. The three of us damn near died then and there. She was SUPER sweet, asked who we were, what we did, etc. We all had the best time speaking with her. When she heard that none of us had dinner and the machines were out, she excused herself. Perhaps 10-15 minutes later she walks in with Kurt Russell and they're carrying a BIG tray of food! Luncheon meats, bread, cheeses, carved beef, chicken, etc. And drinks too.. They had brought their catering down to us. And we all sat there and swapped stories for several hours. I forget where they were headed but they spent time with the three of us. They both were just the most down-to-earth "celebrities" I've met.

Those are my favorite three...the others are good but these three...

Steve
 
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