Meeting Famous People

[viscousmemories]

When I was stationed in Germany in 1987, I spent Christmas with some friends of the family in Belgium. This family was a member of a religious group in Belgium that was born of the community my family was a part of in Ann Arbor. They were really nice and extremely gracious people, and I had a great time with them.

There was a produce shop, bakery and butcher shop all on the same street they lived on. So one morning the husband and I strolled down the street to buy all the food for the day, then brought it back to his wife so she could start working on lunch. Then we went back to the butcher shop, where he locked up and invited us in to his home (attached at the rear) to have some cognac and a smoke. The guy offered me a black market American Marlboro, but I had some I got from the PX.

On Christmas Eve we went to a late evening Catholic mass, populated primarily with members of the community the family was a part of. After we found our seats and while we waited for the service to begin, the father looked at me and said "Our King will be here tonight!" I smiled politely, assuming he was referring to Jesus. He laughed and said "No, our King! The King of Belgium."

Just then the doors to the right of the altar opened and several bodyguards walked in, scoping the place out. They were followed by the Queen's sisters, then more bodyguards, then the Queen, and eventually the King. (At least I think that was the order... not sure now.) Anyway it was pretty cool. I don't know much about how Beligian Government works, but as I understand it their Congress was on strike or something, so the King and Queen were the acting rulers of the country at that time.

After the mass there was a tea and cookies type reception, and the King and Queen were just strolling through the crowd shaking people's hands and smiling. When I told the father of the family I was staying with that I wasn't sure if the King could speak English given his silent greeting, he laughed and said "No, our King speaks at least seven languages, including English." So I guess he's just the strong, silent type.

The next day I met a couple other guys from the community and they were extremely jealous when they heard that I had met the King and Queen on a week long visit when they, who had lived in Belgium their entire lives, had never had the pleasure. So I felt pretty special.

Anyone else ever met someone famous?

[Ensign Steve]

Oh, yeah. Plenty.

[Ronin]

My Mom worked with Mark Hamill's Mom at some office somewhere in San Diego right when Star Wars was making it big. I think I still have her autograph somewhere.

Oh...and these dudes.

[Crumb]

Mark Hamill's Mom

Wait Mark Hamill's Mom, .... that's Padme Amidala isn't it?

(I know it was a lame joke, so sue me )

[Ronin]

Originally Posted by Crumb

Wait Mark Hamill's Mom, .... that's Padme Amidala isn't it?

(I know it was a lame joke, so sue me )

Trust me, Crumb...if it was Padme Amidala I'd have tried for a little more than her signature.

Yeah, that's right, even at 13.

[Ensign Steve]

'Sokay, Portman was giving it up to dirty old men as early as 11. Or, her characters were anyway.

[Ronin]

Originally Posted by Ensign Steve

'Sokay, Portman was giving it up to dirty old men as early as 11. Or, her characters were anyway.

Yeah, she co-starred in "The Professional" with Jean Reno...and in "Heat" with Robert Deniro.

Hey...and then Robert Deniro and Jean Reno were the stars of "Ronin".

[Ensign Steve]

She was also trying to bang a guy more than twice her age in Beautiful Girls, nes pas?

[pescifish]

If politicians count, then the 2004 Libertarian Party presidential candidate was one of my coworkers sometime in the mid- to late-80s. Complete nutjob if I ever knew one.

My sister and her husband had 2 roommates in the huge home they leased in Hollywood in the late 80's, early 90's. One of those roommates was one of the nicest, most genuine, gorgeous, intelligent persons I've ever met. She moved to New York to become the news anchor on NBC's Today show. If RevDahlia and livius remember the butter and garlic sandwich story I posted, it was this woman and her father who shared that snack passion.

My direct boss on my previous work assignment was a astronaut. Does that count?

I've met several other celebs in a casual short or no conversation way but no long term interaction/relationship.

[seebs]

A guy I know spent a few weeks in the hospital next to some guy whose daughter came to visit him a lot, but he wasn't very talkative, so she'd talk to the guy I know. Anyway, he'd been talking to her for at least a week or two before he realized that this friendly, chatty, girl who said everyone called her by her "nursery name" of Dido was Dido Armstrong, the singer. Apparently she's quite friendly, and not at all celebrityish.

I know a few famous computer people. I've met and talked to Dennis Ritchie. (Curiously, I once actually argued with him about the accuracy of an example in his C book; more terrifyingly, I think I convinced him.) Eric Raymond has referred to my Hacker FAQ in other writing.

I'm marginally famous in some computer circles. In 1997 or so, when I got my first x86 box, and asked some newbie questions on a mailing list, someone thought I was joking, because "the" Peter Seebach wouldn't be asking newbie questions about x86 hardware. Heh!

[Dragar]

At age 16, I was the Vice President of the Student Union at my college. I met the Shadow Secretary of Defence one day, who arrived via helicopter. I should stress this had all been arranged beforehand.

I then had the opportunity to use the best excuse ever for being late to my Biology class.

"Sorry I'm late Janet," I told the teacher, "But the Shadow Secretary of Defence's helicopter was delayed...."

[Lauri D]

Famous people suck, 'cuz they're so much like the rest of us that there is an inevitable sense of deep disappointment on their lack of fabulousness or freakadelick-ness.

[viscousmemories]

Thanks for all the stories, folks. And for the derail about Natalie. Can't have too many of those, even if I was forced to imagine other people groping her.

I'm not sure if entertainers should count, since their fame is often completely fabricated. I suppose royalty is the same way, but like I did a little research last night and found out that the King (King is capitalized, no?) I met was King Baudouin, who reigned for over 40 years until his death in 1993. So basically a whole generation of Belgians grew up with him as their King, which makes him way cooler than a pop star.

I also read that he was deeply religious, and abdicated for 48 hours rather than give his (purely formal) assent to the more liberal abortion laws enacted in 1990. I admire him for standing on his principles despite my strong disagreement with them. It's kinda creepy how everything is connected, though. I know he wouldn't have shown up to that particular Christmas mass if he wasn't chummy with some members of the religious group I was there visiting, which was spawned from the group my family was part of in Ann Arbor... It's strange to think of global politics being impacted (however slightly) by a handful of self-described Jesus freaks in Michigan.

[livius drusus]

I had a chat with the doctor from the Love Boat once. He was totally patronizing. And this was the late 80s too, so he should have been grateful that I was stuck in the time warp of Italian TV instead of being all snobby.

I went to school with the daughter of Ornella Muti, an actress very famous in Italy but who y'all might only know as Princess Aura from Flash Gordon. She's fabulously beautiful and just happened to be hugely nice, funny, down to earth as well. She did something very rare in adult-youth interactions: she made a point of talking to you, not over your head, not to a group, but to you.

Naike -- the daughter -- was a nice girl, a little needy, perhaps, in that high school society way, but I liked her and I enjoyed hanging out with her even though she was a few years younger than me. She is also an actress now and doing quite well from what I hear. She got naked in Maxim at any rate, so that probably counts for something in the fame game.

I have a bunch of little sightings and hi/bye stuff (the current Pope has put his hands on me not once but twice; I thought it was cool cause I was protestant and all. ), but the only other actual conversation I've had was with the one, the only, the inimitable Gore Vidal, who came to speak at my mom's women's association when I was a teenager. I barely knew who he was, but his sardonic wit won me over even though I hadn't read a word he's written.

[Ex-zombie]

While stationed at Reykjavik, Iceland the President, Ronald Reagan came and gave a speech. After the speech he came out among the troops and shook hands. I shook his hand and he thanked me for my service. Not very exciting I know but he was the only famous person I have had contact with.

[Beth]

I've met various rock bands and their chicas on call. But I honestly could not remember individual names since I utterly suck at names.

I have met polititians but I don't think they count. They have to meet the public.

Imet Richard Simmons at a fashion show at some department store like Burdines, maybe Mass Brothers or the store that replaced it, he was very, very nice. I simply adored him. Met Susan Lucci at an airport, or really just bumped into her and said "Pardon me." She really is an itty bitty thing and absolutely stunning. Definitely one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen.

I met wasshisface, oh Burt Renolds (sp?) and his then buxom wife wassherface (forgot her name) they owned a home in my aunt's neighborhood. I met various local celebs who also lived out there.

I met Fergie at a mall she is spokeswoman for. I met Barney the purple dinosaur. -still have I love you in my mind.

My mom dated Pete Rose....he grew up in her neighborhood. I have met some pro baseball players who would play on my husband's team off season-or maybe while they were in the minors or something, we see them on TV sometimes and my husband tries to jar my memory but it draws a blank. No suprise, I suppose.

[Beth]

Gosh, I forgot! I met Donnie and Marie at Disney when I was 4 or 5. I have idea how I forgot. I was so madly crushed on Donnie.

[freemonkey]

I've met a few famous people, mostly to just say "hi", shake hands, and sometimes, to do something stupid and embarrassing in front of them.

For instance, I took a picture of some friends with Neal Schon, from the band, Journey. And then I dropped the camera. I met Adam West (Batman) at a car show, but so have thousands of people. A fabulous Chicago blues singer, Koko Taylor, once talked with me for several minutes. She was lovely. I once had Easter dinner at a friend's home with James Young, of the band Styx. While working for a newspaper as an ad rep, I spoke, by phone, a couple times, to atheist activist Robert Sherman.

[Dingfod]

My family stopped at Terry's Restaurant near Marshall, Texas. Dining there was Eddie Albert of TV's Green Acres fame and his son Edward Albert Jr. who later played on TV's Falcon Crest. My sister insisted on bothering them for autographs. I always thought people, even celebrities should be allowed their privacy. They were very gracious and friendly about what was a very awkward moment for all involved.

I stood about 200 feet from Richard Nixon when he stopped at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma in late 1973. I held my Kodak 110 over my head and snapped a picture of him exiting the helicopter. Our neighbor's smiling face (she actually liked Nixon) is in the old yellowing photograph. We were there because, well, because he was the President.

[LadyShea]

I've met quite a few. This is Vegas and I danced at the top club that lots of celebrities frequented. The person I liked best was George Clooney and I sat and talked with him for an hour or so. The person I liked least was Rodman and his posse of hookers and losers. Never the ruler of a country though!

[wildernesse]

I met Ralph Nader after he spoke at UGA in 2001.

Oh, and I met Kirk and Candace Cameron when I was little, and they were still tv stars. They used to spend some time in the summer at Callaway Gardens.

I think that's about it, really.

[Farren]

I've never really met anyone world famous, but I did have dinner and a very interesting chat with a guy who heads the computer science department at the University of Athens and is a good friend of Noam Chomsky and recounted to me several personal anecdotes about the guy, which was fascinating.

I've met a number of SA celebs but I doubt most here have heard of them: musicians Hugh Masakela and Dorothy Masauka, the musical duo from Blck Sonshine, Masauko and Neo, actor Eric Miyene, Riaan Malan, author of "My Traitors Heart" and a bunch of others.

[Ronin]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

I went to school with the daughter of Ornella Muti, an actress very famous in Italy but who y'all might only know as Princess Aura from Flash Gordon.

"No! Not the bore worms!"

One of many classic drinking chants of my college years.

[Petra]

I've also met quite a few famous people. Most of them in music, back in the 80's. The people I liked most (as people, not necessarily for their music) were Def Leppard and Crowded House. The person I liked least was Billy Idol; he made my skin crawl - what an arsehole. The best private party I've been to that was for famous people was a rave in a castle held by the KLF. And Elvis Costello is a honey, too.

[Roland98]

I went to college with a lot of famous people, or children of famous or "important" people (politicians, diplomats and such). The one I ran into the most was Maia Brewton from "Adventures in Babysitting" and "Parker Lewis Can't Lose," who was in my dorm freshman and soph years, and then lived in the other half of my duplex junior year. A few other child actors went there as well, including several members of "The Wonder Years" cast (imagine Paul Pfeiffer at a frat party. Luckily he wasn't quite as geeky as his character). I got to have lunch with Ted Turner and dinner with Tim Rice (not on the same day ).

I've met quite a few people who are well-known in science as well, but the normal person has never heard of them.