<p>We’ve got a vacation home in a spot that attracts a fair number of celebrities. It’s got a small downtown area and at various times I’ve seen–Kathy Gifford (from Regis and Kathy–now the Today Show), Uma Thurmond, Ben Stiller, Jack Welch (retired GE CEO), David Gregory (Meet the Press), and Robert DeNiro. I didn’t recognize any of them–usually the people with me recognized them and would say something like: "Don’t turn around and stare, but X is eating at table next to the window. . . " Of course, I’d say–“where?” and turn around and stare.</p>
<p>Ahh, I didn’t see this as a competition, simply making a contribution to the discussion. I’ve enjoyed reading all of your stories. </p>
<p>rodney, tell your D that he truly is a peach. Such a sweet, honorable and smart young man as well as being very talented. And he’s very good to his mom! </p>
<p>sevmom, my H would love to have met Sam Snead. He had a similar experience a few years ago in Florida while on a golf trip, only with Arnold Palmer. I would have enjoyed seeing Justin Deas and Margaret Colin. I remember watching both of them years ago on As the World Turns.</p>
<p>starbright, come on, we’re more than a ‘brush’! We live in the same country and happily keep CC members informed about Canadian issues. ;)</p>
<p>uskoolfish, love your Ozzy story. What fun that afternoon must have been!</p>
<p>Ed Lewis (Caltech prof and Nobel Prize winner) came to a Halloween party our house hosted dressed as a Magritte painting. This one: <a href=“http://tojiemorimoto.files.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2009/01/thetherapistmagritte.jpg?w=315&h=457[/url]”>http://tojiemorimoto.files.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2009/01/thetherapistmagritte.jpg?w=315&h=457</a></p>
![http://tojiemorimoto.files.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2009/01/thetherapistmagritte.jpg?w=315&h=457[/url]](http://tojiemorimoto.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/thetherapistmagritte.jpg?w=315&h=457%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
<p>alwaysamom,Justin Deas and Margaret Colin hung out pretty much like all the other passengers on the Disney Wonder and nobody really bothered them . The couple hung out by the pool alot and were VERY affectionate with each other. I also saw Kathy Lee and Frank Gifford and their kids on a Carnival cruise a few years ago when she was still doing some advertising for Carnival. I would love to meet Arnold Palmer . I’m originally from Pittsburgh and have been through Latrobe many times. My husband’s first job was as a caddy.</p>
<p>H has been in the movie biz for years, so we have met and know a lot of people in those circles. However, I had a funny experience a few weeks back. Do you ever see people out of context and you are embarrassed that you just can’t quite place the face?
I was walking near UCLA two weeks ago and started to pass an attractive man who smiled at me. (Someone I knew from years ago? Someone I studied with at UCLA?). I gave him a warm “Hi!, it’s been a while! How ARE you!” He replied: “Fine…yes! How ARE you! Good to see you!”
It was a little awkward, and I smiled and moved on.
It took me a good 4 minutes when I realized that it was Colin Firth. I have NEVER met him before, but had JUST seen “The Kings Speech”.
DOAH!</p>
<p>^^^^^^haha…you win…</p>
<p>musicamusica,That’s funny. Also sounds like a very gracious response by Colin Firth. Hope he wins next month. So,are you and alwaysamom going to give us some inside scoops on some of these people you know?Just kidding!</p>
<p>When we first moved to NY we met a group of young woman with different interesting jobs. One of them was David Letterman´s guest coordinator. She used to tell us some great stories of calling up very famous people to get them on the show. She was dating Paul Shaffer of and on, but we never met him. After one of their long breakups and getting back together, they decided to get marry. To our surprise, she invited H and I to the wedding. At the wedding we did meet him. He invited a lot of top music industry people to the wedding, even though it was a small wedding. They all played at the wedding. It was the most amazing evening.</p>
<p>Paul Schaeffer is married??..</p>
<p>These are really great stories. </p>
<p>Musicamusica,
I love your story about Colin Firth.</p>
<p>Two summers ago I won four awesome tickets to see the Cubs. I go a few times a year, but never at the cost of the tickets I won. Unbeknownst to me, the donor of the tickets arranged for me to meet my long-time hero that day, Ron Santo. A truly wonderful guy.
I also got to meet the guys who sang the 7th inning stretch that day, the Fray.</p>
<p>On my way to the Caribbean for my honeymoon, short layover in Miami airport, my new husband was in the bathroom. As I was sitting on the floor guarding our bags, I looked up and Jim Palmer (Hall of Fame pitcher, multiple Cy Young award winner, seriously good-looking) was staring at me. There was definitely some mischievious unspoken flirting going on for a couple of minutes, whereupon H returned from the restroom. </p>
<p>When I got home, my sister asked about the trip. Well, as I told her various details, I remembered the Jim Palmer encounter, and said “ooh, the best thing happened, Jim Palmer was checking me out in the Miami airport.” Her response: “If that’s the best thing that happened on your honeymoon, you’re in trouble!”</p>
<p>Also chatted briefly with Dustin Hoffman while cooling down from a run in Central Park in the mid-80’s.</p>
<p>Also had a few drinks with Whitey Bulger in a Cape Cod bar one afternoon in my reckless youth. No! I don’t know where he is now!</p>
<p>My funniest “almost met” story:</p>
<p>When I was in elementary school I took flute lessons from Dana Morgan at his music store in Palo Alto. He had a little office area behind his store; he taught in the upstairs studio and rented out the downstairs studio to a guy who gave guitar lessons and had a band. There was a tiny waiting area under the stairs where my mother sat while I had my weekly half-hour lesson. She watched horrified as week after week a series of grubby, hairy musicians would go in and out of the downstairs studio. I remember that she and I walked past a record store one day and she stopped, pointed to an album in the window, and said, “Never listen to that band’s music. The drummer is so filthy that everyone calls him Pigpen!” The band was the Grateful Dead, and the guitar teacher was Jerry Garcia.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I believe he still is. I have lost touch with that group of friends.</p>
<p>Whitney Houston´s daughter was at the same pre-school as D2. I actually stood quite close to her at one of our holiday concerts. Close up, she had a lot of makeup on (not as attractive as in person). I actually got into a disagreement with her nanny because of car pool line. The nanny jumped the line because Whitney needed her daughter to leave right away.</p>
<p>I came within about 5 seconds of meeting Barack Obama when he was Senator (it was the day that he received Secret Service protection during the campaign). I was a constituent who was going to his office for an apt. As my elevator doors opened, those directly across from me closed on him! I was able to look over the railing and see him walk across the lobby surrounded by 4 agents.</p>
<p>We attended a jazz concert in France where the great saxophonist Sonny Rollins performed. They shut the door to backstage literally in front of our noses, but we did get to speak to his nephew who plays trombone in his band.</p>
<p>I was on a plane once with jockey Eddie Arcaro and a train with journalist Al Hunt. I sat across a restaurant in DC once from Congressman Barney Frank.</p>
<p>While waiting outside the Player Entrance in Fenway Park a high school friend asked Lee Stange when were the Red Sox players coming out. Stange was one of their pitchers we learned later.</p>
<p>My wife got off a plane and hurried over to tell me Larry Bird was on her flight. Later we walked past Bird who was sitting on a chair with his Boston Celtics agent. He glared at me when I walked over to him, so I didn’t ask him for his autograph.</p>
<p>Once when I was hitchhiking the drummer of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band gave me a ride to Cape Cod.</p>
<p>My wife and I were in a park outside the Opryland Hotel in Nashville. Walking towards us with two secret service men was Governor Mike Dukakis of Massachusetts who was there for a governor’s conference. My wife said, “Hi, Governor Dukakis!” and he said hello, and seemed surprised we knew who he was. We lived in Boston back then. He later ran for President and lost.</p>
<p>Wow! I am so jealous of music…my latest movie crush is Colin Firth. </p>
<p>I’ve seen quite a few celebs and have sat next to some on airplanes. One time I was seated next to Terry Bradshaw. I was the only woman in first class and I could see that the men dearly wished they had my seat. Since I know nothing about football, Terry and I ended up talking about the history book he was reading a Barbara Tuchman. Terry Bradshaw is no dumb jock and he was very amiable, showing me photos of his family.</p>
<p>I also once sat next to Neil Simon. Yes, I tried to look at what he was writing and he kept covering his paper in a sort of childish way, like I was some sort of playwright spy. He didn’t say a word to me. Very cold for a man who writes comedy.</p>
<p>While waiting outside the Player Entrance in Fenway Park a high school friend asked Lee Stange when were the Red Sox players coming out. Stange was one of their pitchers we learned later.</p>
<p>My wife got off a plane and hurried over to tell me Larry Bird was on her flight. Later we walked past Bird who was sitting on a chair with his Boston Celtics agent. He glared at me when I walked over to him, so I didn’t ask him for his autograph.</p>
<p>Once when I was hitchhiking the drummer of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band gave me a ride to Cape Cod.</p>
<p>My wife and I were in a park outside the Opryland Hotel in Nashville. Walking towards us with two secret service men was Governor Mike Dukakis of Massachusetts who was there for a governor’s conference. My wife said, “Hi, Governor Dukakis!” and he said hello, and seemed surprised we knew who he was. We lived in Boston back then. He later ran for President and lost.</p>
<p>My college roommate got a Golden Globe does that count LOL (for producing a move a few years ago). Mostly I don’t recognize people on the street…When I’m in LA people I’m with will point out famous people and I just simply don’t put 2 and 2 together. I’m great with names and absolutely horrible with faces…I wish all the time it was the other way around.</p>
<p>About 15 years ago neighbors of ours down the street tried to sell their house, but while it was sitting on the market they rented it out to Mary Steenburgen who was filming a movie in town. At that time she was dating Ted Danson, so when he visited both of them would walk by our house walking their dog. That was pretty cool and very unexpected – it was a pretty ordinary house.</p>
<p>And in college, Holly Hunter was in my dorm. Guess which college we went to?</p>
<p>Carnegie Mellon</p>