<p>I’m in public relations and have met many celebs over the years through work. It was fun at first, then quickly became not such a big deal. I’m more impressed these days with some of the scientists I meet (also through work). A couple of fun chance encounters though -</p>
<p>Ran into Mohammed Ali in the Pittsburgh airport several years ago. No one recognized him till I approached him!</p>
<p>Said hello to Charles Barkley at the Four Seasons in Atlanta in November. He said, “Hello, Ladies.” LOL. My colleague had to confirm with me who it was so she could text her son!</p>
<p>A cab driver in Sarasota told my girlfriends and me (after a crazy party night) that he had been in Bad Company. I whipped out my cell phone, took a picture and we started singing (what else would you do?). Texted the guy’s name to my husband (who is the real music expert here) but I still don’t know if he was pulling our leg or not!</p>
<p>Also - I met Joel Grey at an event a year or two ago. All I could think to talk about was his daughter, who was in my favorite movie, Dirty Dancing. But who doesn’t like to talk about their kids? It was fine…</p>
<p>Growing up in LA was a similar experience in terms of meeting a lot of people. I remember seeing Emmy Awards on mantles of friends houses, etc. and seeing famous people at the local Thrifty store.</p>
<p>I worked at a Major League baseball stadium in the late '70’s and early '80’s, and used to pass players in the halls all the time. Never talked to any of them though - didn’t want to get in trouble.</p>
<p>In college I played in the orchestra with a guy who recently donated a $200 million dollar building to the school.</p>
<p>Wow,you guys with all the real personal experiences being around/dealing with celebs sure like to tease the rest of us( that have just had fun having brushes with them) with guessing who they might be.
blackeyedsusan,no problem guessing the college with Holly Hunter. Husband went to Carnegie Mellon back in the day. Sure hope you guys didn’t have to live in Donner Hall. It was even terrible in the 70’s. I went to school with Tamara Tunie’s older brother. I think she went to Carnegie Mellon too?</p>
<p>Ive told this story before- but when she was small ( & only had eyes for Randy Johnson), my youngest grabbed her baseball mitt out of [Jamie</a> Moyer’s](<a href=“http://www.moyerfoundation.org/]Jamie”>http://www.moyerfoundation.org/)hands when he reached out for it to sign.
:o</p>
<p>I also know a lot of well known people from all walks of life but two of my favorite stories: </p>
<p>I used to work out with Bruce Springsteen, who exudes sensuality, btw. Once when he was spotting me as I did bench presses I began to laugh because suddenly I thought how many girls would pay a fortune to be in the exact position I was in with him at that moment!</p>
<p>When I was pregnant with my oldest we were looking for a new apartment and were shown Meryl Streeps’ apartment which was very exciting to me. What impressed me the most was that her awards were on the shelf right next to her kids t-ball type awards sharing equal glory!</p>
<p>This thread is a hoot! I’m loving these stories :D</p>
<p>Famous person I almost met - Elvis.
A family friend used to work with Dee Stanley, who married Elvis’ father (second marriage). She was invited to the wedding and since she knew I was crazy about Elvis, she asked if she could bring my sister and me with her to the ceremony in Tennessee. Dee told her that would be okay so we got all excited because we were going to actually meet Elvis and his whole family. Unfortunately, Dee and Vernon Presley decided to have a more private ceremony than originally planned so we didn’t get to go. :(</p>
<p>Most famous person I did meet - Janice Dickinson.
I went to elementary school with her older sister and used to go over to her house to play. Janice must have been about 6 or 7 when I knew her. She was pretty even then.</p>
<p>When I was 16, we were staying at the Roney Plaza in Miami Beach and discovered that Herman’s Hermits were also there. They were in town to do the Jackie Gleason show (not to date myself or anything). I saw them several times, including out by the pool. They were kind enough to take pictures with me and sign autographs, even Peter Noone. I have a picture of me with Derek Lekenby - I’m in my pink polka dot two piece (not bikini). It was the thrill of my teenage life.</p>
<p>I also got Robert Goulet’s autograph in New York when he was walking out of 21 Restaurant after lunch.</p>
<p>But mainly I’m with those who wouldn’t recognize a celebrity if he walked up and bit me. Except Michael Jordan, who was dining in the same restaurant a few years ago. (No, he didn’t bite me.) Him, I recognized.</p>
<p>Blackeyedsusan - your stories are connected with Ted Danson being one of Carnegie Mellon’s famous alumni!</p>
<p>I almost met Gene Hackman.
His motorhome was parked at the top of my street ( they were making [Twice in a Lifetime](<a href=“Twice in a Lifetime (1985) - IMDb”>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090223/</a>) on the next block)
I was walking past with D ( who was a toddler) & a baby I was caring for , & he timed it so he wouldn’t be coming out until I was past ( I had figured he was already on the set)
We watched for a few minutes- but OMG boring.
;)</p>
<p>Marilyn,Confused about your post to blackeyedsusan that her “stories are connected to Ted Danson .” when she said Holly Hunter was in her dorm.Ted Danson,Holly Hunter, Tamara Tunie,Shari Belafonte(sp?),etc. I believe are all grads of Carnegie Mellon.</p>
<p>Marilyn,Thanks for the link. Lots of great actors from CMU but blackeyedsusan seemed to be saying she was in the same dorm as Holly Hunter. I have no reason to doubt that was correct so sorry if I misunderstood .I guess I’m still confused by your most recent post. Ted Danson/Holly Hunter,etc. are CMU grads but still a little confused about what you’re saying. Getting this thread back to the probable current intent of talking about fun, unexpected/near encounters with celebrities/famous people sounds good to me.</p>
<p>My first career was in retail management. In the Spring of 1978 I was then a Menswear buyer and was walking out of Macy’s Herald Square store on my way to Bloomingdales and literally ran into Ali McGraw. Now, I had had a serious crush on her since Goodbye Columbus and was almost speechless when I saw who I had collided with…her fault incidentally…after a few awkward moments we discovered that we were both heading to Bloomies and since it was one of those really rare beautiful Spring days in Manhattan…not too hot or humid-and not raining…we decided to walk…boy was I surprised when she said she’d walk along with me!!! What I would not have done to have had a digital camera or iPhone with camera at that time…luckily some friends/coworkers saw me/us as we were walking into Bloomies and it was the talk of the dinner table at our favorite restaurant in Little Italy that evening.</p>
<p>My boss’s brother-in-law had roomed with Robin Williams at Juilliard. We were in San Diego for the MAGIC show (big menswear show) and drove up to LA to see him perform live…this was at the heart of the Mork and Mindy days…then had dinner with him later…we laughed so hard my chest hurt and we had to be careful when eating/drinking lest we lose the meal or drinks through our noses…he was obviously doing some cocaine or something because he was non stop energy throughout the meal and we were getting tired watching him…it was a very memorable night though…</p>
<p>Was having dinner in a private dining room at the Renaissance Center in Detroit about 10 years later and the Maitre’d came in and asked our group if we minded if he sat someone else who required some privacy in the room…a few tables away from where we were seated. We said no problem…were we ever surprised when Red Skelton came in and sat alone at a table across from us…he was most cordial and signed autographs for everyone in out group.</p>
<p>In 1984 I had three “brushes” with fame"…the first was at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix…our flight was oversold and they were offering $400 vouchers and seats on the next flight so several friends and I took the deal and went to the little snack area/cafe to grab some lunch…within minutes Jack Lemmon came and sat at the table next to us… again, he was so nice and friendly…talked to us the whole time and signed autographs as well when he was leaving.</p>
<p>In December of that year I was in LA on business and went to the Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach with a friend…as I went up to the box office to buy the tickets I was in line behind a tall, long haired woman…when she turned around it was Sigourney Weaver…and it turned out that she and her female friend were seated right next to us…it was a very enjoyable evening…she was stunning in those days…had a hard time watching the stage. ;)</p>
<p>On that same trip, in line again, this time at LAX I’m behind Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers who was seated across the aisle one row back for my flight back to DFW.</p>
<p>After living in Dallas for 30 plus years there are many other stories like being seated at the same table as Horst Schultze, then CEO of Ritz Carlton and author Tom Peters at a dinner function.</p>
<p>Lately it’s running into both Paul Simon (his wife Edie Brickell is from here and they visit her mom) and Don Henley of the Eagles fairly regularly at a local gelato store.</p>
<p>Daughters and I were in a boutique. We aren’t known for warm fuzzies for tourists. A father, mother and their three girls were shopping. They were southerners which makes the warm fuzzies even less. (Sorry…that’s the way it is). So in the interest of pubic relations, I struck up a conversation with them. The woman, who was truly beautiful, looked at me like a deer in headlights. Ths husband was more friendly as he was pushing the baby carriage around the store. </p>
<p>We both shopped. I heard the husband (as the girls were acting up) trying to hurry Faith along. </p>
<p>We finished first. As we were walking a lightening bolt struck: Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. This was prior to Tim McGraw’s acting, country music isn’t big here at all.</p>
<p>Sweet story: I used to take my kids in the stroller for walks with my parents. We would go in the morning. There was this tall gentlemen who would walk the same route that we took. We would nod after seeing him several times and he would nod and smile.</p>
<p>My youngest, a friendly baby who charmed with a grin and a wave, began waving to the gentleman. And in turn, would wave back. </p>
<p>After a while she would see the man in the scarf and cap and call Hello and he would smile and say hello. And my youngest would blow kisses which the gentleman pretended to catch and sent back to her. We would all say a friendly good morning, lovely day…</p>
<p>ellebud,I’m sure Jimmy Stewart was not perfect but he seemed very patriotic ,loyal, and humble,and never forgot where he came from, his roots- his hometown of Indiana,Pennsylvania. He went to Princeton and Hollywood and ended up giving most of his things to his hometown in the end . I was very honored to meet him in 1975 and he and his wife Gloria could not have been more gracious.</p>
<p>For grades 7-9, S was in the same school as Paul Simon & Edie Brickell’s kids. Their oldest was in the school orchestra with S. Of course he (their S) also sang, and often had a solo in the school concerts. At one Parents’ Night, where you go to each of your kid’s classes, my H saw Paul running from class to class. (I was at Parents’ Night at D’s (different) school.) Oh, Harry Connick Jr.'s kids were also at S’s school. And Brian William’s S was in my S’s class at this same school. He (Brian) always had stories about various political figures.</p>