Any Personal Encounters with Famous People?

Anonnn

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Do you have any first or secondhand accounts of real encounters with famous people? Maybe you went to school with someone who later became famous. Maybe you grew up in the same town as someone famous and had encounters with the star or know other people who did. Maybe you were in the right place at the right time. Maybe you are friends with a star. What stories do you have?
 

teestow

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Ran into James Hetfield from Metallica in a hotel hallway in Edmonton. He was a super nice guy, even signed a Metallica t-shirt I happened to have in my suitcase back in the room. I was surprised at how tall he was.
 

mvyrmnd

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I've met a few local Aussie celebrities, but most of you will never have heard of them :)
 

Toohotruk

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I once met Gary Coleman...I was working at a Home Depot, and he came in looking for shower curtain rods. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be standing there talking about shower curtain rods with Gary Coleman! :duh2:

Speaking of James Hetfield, I was lucky enough to meet Metallica a few years ago...they were all really cool guys, even Lars! Here's my autographed copy of Death Magnetic:

 

Anonnn

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I once met Gary Coleman...I was working at a Home Depot, and he came in looking for shower curtain rods. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be standing there talking about shower curtain rods with Gary Coleman! :duh2:

Wow, Toohotruk! Was there any acknowledgment of who he was in your conversation, or did you guys stick strictly to the topic of shower curtain rods?
 

Toohotruk

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When I first saw him, I told him that I had no idea he lived in this part of the country, then when he was leaving, I told him that it was cool meeting him, and he said, "Thanks!"

I felt sorry for him though...I talked to him for maybe fifteen minutes, and in that time a crowd started to gather around, and I could hear people saying things about him, and not really being all that nice about it. It occurred to me that no matter where he goes, he runs into that sort of thing, and worse. He had to be one of the most famous people on this planet, and was the butt of jokes his whole life. His arm was wrapped with gauze, which I figured was from dialysis, and I know how tough having kidney problems can be...my mom had a kidney transplant a few years ago, and she has gone through hell. Gary was a lot smaller than I pictured him to be as well, and I'm sure he was picked on his whole life for that as well. No wonder he was cranky at times!

He treated me very well though.

RIP Gary.
 

chmsam

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Just becaues I'm an old fart but not dead yet...

For the old crowd -- Met Fess Parker when I was a kid (and he was wearing buckskins and a coon skin hat), Harold Edgerton, and Ted Sorensen.

For the semi-old crowd -- Met F1 and/or Le Mans racers Jackie Stewart, Hans Stuck, and David Hobbs.

For the less old crowd -- Met Richard Thompson (Fairport Convention), Hugh Cornwell (Stranglers), Dave Alvin (The Blasters), Peter Case (The Plimsouls and The Nerve), and John Doe (X). Plus a whole bunch of musicians from all sorts of music.

For the younger crowd -- Met Travis Pastrana, Ken Block, and Cowboy Kenny Bartram.
 

Anonnn

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When I first saw him, I told him that I had no idea he lived in this part of the country, then when he was leaving, I told him that it was cool meeting him, and he said, "Thanks!"

I felt sorry for him though...I talked to him for maybe fifteen minutes, and in that time a crowd started to gather around, and I could hear people saying things about him, and not really being all that nice about it. It occurred to me that no matter where he goes, he runs into that sort of thing, and worse. He had to be one of the most famous people on this planet, and was the butt of jokes his whole life. His arm was wrapped with gauze, which I figured was from dialysis, and I know how tough having kidney problems can be...my mom had a kidney transplant a few years ago, and she has gone through hell. Gary was a lot smaller than I pictured him to be as well, and I'm sure he was picked on his whole life for that as well. No wonder he was cranky at times!

He treated me very well though.

RIP Gary.

Thanks for the elaboration, Toohotruk. That's a touching account.
 

jtr1962

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I had two encounters with famous people.

The first was having Brooke Sheilds in a psychology class in college. No, I never approached her for her autograph even though many people I knew said I should have. I didn't because I figured she just wanted to blend in and feel like any other student there, rather than a celebrity.

The second encounter was with Nicholas Cage when he was filming 8MM in my neighborhood. I had been out riding that night on the LIE service road, saw bright lights on the other side, and turned around at the next overpass to investigate. It looked like either a movie set or some sort of police action. I rode home, and came back with my mother. We saw the cameras, realized it was a movie set. We watched for a while, asked which movie they were filming. Eventually, we saw Nicholas Cage leaving the set, going into his limo.

I'm sure I've crossed paths with other celebrities just by virtue of living in NYC, but they were so well disguised that I just didn't recognize them.
 

DUQ

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Just becaues I'm an old fart but not dead yet...

For the old crowd -- Met Fess Parker when I was a kid (and he was wearing buckskins and a coon skin cap).

Wow Fess Parker, that must have fealt like you were meeting the all mighty himself! :bow:

I read the Mr. Parker was a real gentle giant.
 

Johnbeck180

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I took drama class all four years of high school. And my dad liked to rebuild old trucks. He had a 1951 Chevy 1ton, it was an old fire truck that he converted into a dumptrucks think was immaculate. Any way, there was a movie called Going all the Way with Ben Affleck and they were filming it in Indianapolis. The movie was set in the 50's and somehow the director, I think his name was John Brown. Was looking for people with early 50's cars/trucks. Anyway long story short, he called dad, dad said he would do it a told them about me being in drama. Needless to say I got the whole treatment. Wardrobe, makeup, old 50's close. If you watch/have seen the movie when there at the trainstation. There's a big red truck outside and a guy runs around it. That's my dad, I'm the passenger in the truck. Said hi to Ben talked for about a minute or two between shots he was pretty cool. I think they filmed the scenes of him leaving to go to war and him coming back. Very cool expierence!! Also saw but didn't talk to Jeremy Davies.
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I watched them do this scene. Dads truck was parked in front of the car. This is at union station in Indianapolis Indiana.

BTW: I have not seen to movie. I just remember what I saw when I was there. The whole thing might have been edited out.
 
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LEDAdd1ct

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Oh, I forgot:

After a show, my family waited outside to meet Patick Stewart (sir Stewart if you hail from the other side of the pond).

He chatted with some other people for awhile, and them my dad said:

"Mr. Stewart, thank you for coming into our living room every Saturday night. We watched you."

He smiled and shook his head, and said:

"Those were some good years."

Then I extended my hand to shake his, and he responded with an apology:

"I'm sorry, this is the one time of year I can't."

It was around Thanksgiving, and I suppose he didn't want to get sick.

He autographed our playbills for us.

I'd really like to meet Data and Worf and Sisko and even Garak sometime...:party:
 

blasterman

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Lots of celebs....when you did favors for local promoters then limos show up occasionally to your night club.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. - he looks like a hyper teenager from 20feet away, although in the back of your head you realize he's pound for pound one of the toughest boxers...ever. His body guard is the size of Optimus Prime. Not much to talk about, unless the conversation is about Floyd. You gawk at his Rolls Royce, until you see the Maybeck....

Billy Bob Thornton - Billy comes off as a bit out there when you first meet him, but he's a nice guy, seems to always respect people for being outside the Hollywood circle, and does like to have a good time.

Joe Elliot - Def Leppard. Easily, easily one of the smartest people I've met, and all around good guy. A wicked sense of humour faster than a bullet, and he figures people out within seconds. Gracious enough to point at us in a sold out concert and thank us for being so nice to them the night before. If Joe were to enter politics, he'd be a tough force to stop.
 

Child of Rawls

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Paul ONeil baseball player. He was a real butthole.

Two with Dave Chappelle. He is one of the nicest people you could meet and outrageously funny. He lives near my parents and they know his step mom.

Met Chris Cooper in law school. He was very nice too. He agreed that Seabiscuit stunk and that he was just getting a paycheck.
 

nbp

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Saw Jerry Rice and Paul Sr. from OC Choppers in airports. Didn't talk to either of them.
 

firelord777

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I saw David Bisbal about an year ago, he came into my classroom only, shook hands and all, and even sang for us. I, not a Spanish music guy, was thinking "who the heck is this guy?" everyone I guess was the same, just asking him about his hair or something about shampoo, then about weights and God knows what. He was in my class for like an hour, when he left, I thought he was probably just a regular spanish guy that sings good. Until I told my mom, boy, did she flip, screamed outside in front of everyone. Now I know who David really was:)
 

Toohotruk

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I just remembered that about ten years ago, I met Mick Foley the wrestler, better known as "Mankind," Cactus Jack," or "Dude Love." He's one big crazy looking (OK, just crazy) dude!

And I met Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, of Rat Fink fame...he was one of the coolest guys I've ever met. RIP Big Daddy.

I've always wondered how many celebs I've crossed paths with, that I didn't realize were celebs...like somebody from a show that I don't watch, or somebody I just don't recognize. It's HAD to have happened at some point.

And when I was in fourth grade I met Merlin Olsen, the football player/actor/floral salesman...my teacher was his brother, and he came to class and talked to us about life and football. I'm giving my age away when I tell you that he was still playing at the time. He showed us some football clips, mostly blooper type plays, and a motivational football oriented movie. Man, after meeting him, we all wanted to play football! RIP Merlin.
 
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Johnbeck180

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Also met Ezra Charles one night. I was playing down town Indianapolis at The Slippery Noodle. He sat in on my keyboard for a set. Pretty cool guy.
 
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