Famous People You Have Met

[Teiscoman]

I'm an attorney. I recently took a deposition of Mark Fuhrman--the most famous person I've ever met who might remember my name.

I've met Bill Gates. A mutual friend introduced us. I have a photograph of me, my wife, our daughter--and Bill Gates a few paces behind us.

Bill Gates's sister knows me well enough to say hello when we run into one another at the gas station or grocery store. (We live not far from her.) She is, by the way, a beautiful person--and a lovely woman.

I have met Steve Ballmer (Microsoft CEO) on a couple of occasions, and I have met his wife on a number of occasions. I don't have photographs. I met them through my wife, and it would be incredibly bad form to take photographs.

A bit about me: I was born on a cotton farm (and at home: no hospital). My parents were sharecroppers. My father had an eight-grade education; my mother had a fifth-grade education. I went to college on a Basic Educational Opportunity Grant.

In truth, I'm just a poor boy long ways from home. (And, if it matters to anyone: I was a poor white boy. I'm still just a white boy. I don't have a lot of money, but I'll admit that I'm no longer poor.)

I have met and had dinner with the great science-fiction writer Jack Vance. My name shows up in one of his novels ("Araminta Station") as the name of a very minor character.

But I'm proudest of this: I called the great Dorothy Love Coates back in late 1998. She was one of the greatest singers of all time. She was a great gospel singer. I found her phone number on line, and I called her. I told her that I loved her music. After a while, she realized that I wasn't a journalist or someone leading her on. I had called her just to tell her how much I loved her music. So we talked a while about that.

Ms. Coates didn't have anything unusual to say about her music. But she had already said enough. Here's one of her great songs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZbThGsOFa0&feature=fvst

But the most important thing, of course, is to tell one's loved ones that they are, in fact, deeply loved.

[fuzzbender]

Only seen a few, and hadn't the cheek to bother them.

Salvador Dali and his wife Gala, in massive fur coats, coming out of a hotel and into a limo, in Paris around 30 years ago. He looked frail and scared when I literally almost collided with him.
Also a good few years ago: Gwynneth Paltrow, looking bored, with that bloke from Coldplay, in Covent Garden.
Prince Edward walking in Covent Garden with 3 big men following a few yards behind.
Peter O'Toole quietly drinking alcohol free beer with a young lady friend, in the Coach & Horses, Soho.
John Hurt, same place, he was theatrically proclaiming 'Of course you know, in my youth I was regarded as something of a beauty'.
Paul Weller, looking literally browned off, with some friends, sitting outside a cafe at the Angel, Islington.
Most of Spandau Ballet in full costume, buying beauty products from the Body Shop, at the Angel.

Secondhand ones:
Some friends on holiday in Ireland were coming back from a night out to their hotel in the early hours and all the Rolling Stones, except Mick, were at a table in the bar. They asked if they could join them and they said sure. They said they were just passing time, waiting for something to happen in the studio, and were really nice and down to earth.

I was on the phone to Music Ground, a shop in Denmark St, a few months ago, and in chatting they said Jimmy Page had been in recently, looking not buying; he was in a battered old car with a friend. Seems he never learned to drive. Came across a good story of someone who met him involving a Listerine angle http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/0...sterine/print/

Anyway, for what it's worth.

[Heavyweek]

In no particular order

Bill Gates
Donald Trump
Im related by marriage to Anthony Hopkins and have met him
Michael Schumacher
Ralf Schumacher
Juan Pablo Montoya
David Coulthard
Gerhard Berger
Angela Rippon (shes a lovely lady that no one in the US will have heard of )
Chris Wolstenholme
Michael Sheen who I met at a birthday party for one of the people mentioned above and who insisted I meet his mother which was a bit odd but he was a nice bloke.
Dido before she was famous and was a friend of mines partner.
I bumped into Lemmy while shopping for a leather jacket in Kensington market.
The bass player from Status Quo whose name I forget offered me a lift home once about 25 years ago when I was in a guitar shop way off my patch buying a guitar.
The late Queen Mother (many many years ago when I was a child she visited my school)
Sir Ian McKellan ( Gandalf) when my wife worked on a production of Bent in the west end that he starred in.
Jonathan Ross
I was due to meet Jill Dando the evening of the day she was shot and killed.

[Buxton]

I feel like im cheating here as I worked for a few years at the BBC in a role that involved lots of meeting famous people. I'll break it down into some I've had conversations with!

BB King
Lowell Fulson (shared a stage)
Mark Knopfler
Tony Blair
Calista Flockhart (I trod on her toe)
Will Self (I inadvertently insulted him)
John Major
Bruce Forsyth
Richard Hammond (he played bass in a jam at my girlfriends party)
Sean Bean
The 1996 Bulgarian national football team

I was going to post a list of the famous people my sister in law has slept with as well, but it wouldn't be fair and there wouldn't be space ;-)

[Retropicker]

Geoffrey "the Uncola" guy. Very nice and the world's coolest voice. Big man too.

Andre the Giant, nice but tired, no hiding for him. He was absolutly HUGE. Sitting on a Logan Airport shuttle bus we were eye level with me standing up. His head was the size of a watermelon.
Later that year I was talking to a guy at my Boston job telling this story and he topped me. He was a cub scout troop leader who knew a contact and offered to buy Andre dinner if the kids could join. Later that day a deep voice calls and asks if this is the guy that wanted to buy him dinner, it was Andre.
So Andre met at a nice restaurant was great with the kids and ate (3) porterhouse steak dinners. His meal alone was well over $100 (in the mid 80's when $100 was $$) but it was a great time for all.

Jimmy Carter - presidentialy polite

Steven King. I asked him to sign a book for my wife and he signed. "To Pat, All my lust, Steven King"

JD Crowe - Real nice guy

Dave Van Ronk. Awesome guy but skunked at the bar.

A LONG chat with Cornel West who I ran into at a little open side street bar in San Juan with no one there. That was very cool and lots of laughs.

The whole band of Kiss was on our flight and waiting next to us for 1/2 hr. Gene was trying to get the Mrs to go to his hotel plus every woman withing earshot.

[jvanoort]

This whole subject reminds me of a joke I heard some time ago. I hope you guys forgive me:

A guy is in a restaurant, waiting for some people to arrive for a business meeting, when he sees Bill Gates walk in. He can't believe it and gets a great idea. After introducing himself and exchanging a few polite words, he asks Bill for a favor. "My colleagues would just be terribly impressed if they thought you and I were friends." he explains. "If you could just stop by our table and say goodbye on your way out, that would really be great." Bill reluctantly agrees before sitting at his table. The guy's colleagues arrive and the meeting commences. True to his word, Bill stops by the table on his way out, interrupts the meeting and says "Bye Tom. It was good seeing you again." To which Tom says "Dammit Bill, can't you see I'm in a ****ing meeting?!

[flag72]

well I met a few french country singer but my most famous personne was Tommy Cash,I translated to him for 1 hrs wath the french fans wanted on there CD's to sign.then I talk to him for a why'l also, wath a great gentel man

that's me on the left

[fuzzbender]

Originally Posted by jvanoort

This whole subject reminds me of a joke I heard some time ago. I hope you guys forgive me:

Equally

Bill Gates was at his desk, reading on the Net how he earns $26,000 an hour. His colleagues stop by to go to lunch, he says 'Actually, think i'll just grab a sandwich'

[Wrong-Note Rod]

I used to work for Tampa-StPete-Bay area newspapers taking photos of rock concerts, and so I got a lot backstage passes and met a lot of famous rockers. In no order, ZZ Top, one of my friends is Billys monitor mixer so I met the crew as well etc; Heart, I worked two shows with them and got to hang out a little with them, interesting people; Jeff beck, who is stand-offish to say the least; Blue Oyster Cult, they're all short. the Allman Brothers, Gregg is tall and Dickie's wife was even taller. REM, Pete buck and Mike Mills, Pete always looks half-asleep. Albert Lee, really nice guy. Mothers Finest, they're all crazy. Drivin N Cryin. I met Rocky Blier, the Pittsburg Steeler, once at a convention. Bob Welch at NAMM once, him and Michael Angelo, the crazy two hand tapper with that weird guitar with the two necks going in different directions. Derek St Holmes from Ted Nugent band. Tom Petty and Heartbreakers, nice guys all, Stevie Nicks, drugged out idiot. More I'm sure, cant remember them all

[ModalMood]

Paul McCartney
David Bowie
Peter Gabriel
Joni Mitchell
Joan Baez
Emmylou Harris
Trey Anastasio
Alanis Morissette
Lou Reed
Bruce Hornsby
Stanley Clark
Al Dimeola (ok maybe not famous.)
Jean Luc Ponty (maybe not famous, but cool)
OJ Simpson
The Stones
Branford Marsalis
Paul Westerberg
Alex Chilton

I was in radio for many years and got to meet a lot of people. There are more but I'm having trouble thinking of them right now.

OJ had nothing to do with Radio. Every year, my dad and I would go over to one of his friend's house and watch the Superbowl. Just him, me and my dad. Once OJ was there. This was WAY back in the 70s. Long before he committed killed his wife.

[Robsim88]

I live in the uk. My sister lived a few years ago in westchester ny. On one visit I was out mid morning on a really bright spring day at Playland boardwalk enjoying the sunshine the beach and the sea nobody else was around except two people walking towards me. None other than Sean Penn and woody allen.

Last year travelling back from china due to the volcano I got stuck in NYC. I was having breakfast in a diner near my hotel and al Pacino queued for a table. Have to say a really cool well dressed guy but small.

This February I was on holiday in Florida. Went to sea world for the willie nelson concert. Beautiful sunshine and "bands beer and BBQ" if you paid a little extra to get a sort of backstage style atmosphere. Jerry Seinfeld was there too enjoying the craft beer with friends

[otterhound]

I will meet Shirley Jones tomorrow and will get to ask her if she remembers my mom babysitting her as a young one .

[The G]

Ronnie Earle
Duke Robillard
Anson Funderburgh
Jeff Healy
Bill Kirchen
Ed Bickard
Albert Collins
Steve Forbert
Jimmie Vaughan
Chris Martin IV
Dave Gonsalves (The Palladins)
Dave Keon (The Leafs)
Dutch Mason

[Onzq]

I met Jeff Beck last year backstage at a music festival here in Finland.
A good friend of mine was working there and offered a chance to talk with him.
My legs were shaking after that one. An allround awesome guy

[zatoichi]

Michael Jackson - Met him while I was working @ Walden Books. He was in town for a show (lae '70s, pre-Thriller), and was out at the mall with his bodyguard, looking for things to read. We chatted off and on for almost an hour. Didn't talk about music at all, very quiet, almost shy - reserved. Very intelligent & well-read. He invited me to the show, but I had to close that evening & couldn't. He gave me the name he was staying under & the hotel he was staying in, and invited me up for the after-show party. Didn't go - felt weird about it. Have regretted not going since then. He seemed lonely, like he needed friends.

Manfred Mann - Came into the record store w/ the rest of the Earth Band for a promo appearance. Disappeared almost immediately, and I was sent to find him. Find him I did, hiding at the back of a jewelry store (yes, literally hiding). Don't remember how I coaxed him out - maybe it had to do w/ my being a fan since his first album, and being familiar with his recent projects - but a chocolate milk-shake from Baskin-Robbins played a big part. Kept him company thru the rest of the in-store. Nice guy. Don't think the whole "Manfred Mann's Earth Band" was his idea at all….

Cliff Richard - another in-store, he was very pleasant and friendly, but disinclined to talk. Don't think he was actually prepared to encounter folks who knew who he was.

Roy Harper - yes, THE Roy Harper, touring in support of "When The Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease", later renamed "HQ".Quite a talker - kept hold of the conversation the whole time, but didn't learn anything about him. Too bad. GREAT album.

Rich Fifield - met Rich after he'd left the Astronauts and was teaching experiential classes(?) @ the Boulder Free University. We both thought it was funny that he'd played w/ them so long, I'd seen them so often, yet we met after 'all that' was done. Great guy. Drifted, as folks did back then - no idea what became of him.

Randy California, John Locke and Ed Cassidy - 3/5 of Spirit - came into the store one day to promote a set of shows at Richard's (great, much-lamented local venue). Didn't get to talk to them much, or for long, but did get them to sign my copy of their first album on Ode. Enjoyed the show, but too bad Jay Ferguson wasn't with them.

Craig Chaquico - Starship was touring behind "Red Dragon", and Craig was their new guitarist. He wasn't interested in the appearance: he had his skateboard with him, and so I spent an hour or so keeping track of him while he skated thru the mall. More fun than working.

Sting / Andy Summers / Stewart Copeland - yet another in-store appearance. First album, first US tour, first concert. All three of these guys are TALL - 6 feet plus. Not a terribly pleasant experience: very full of themselves. Great show, though…and the rest is history, as they say.

Bob Geldof - touring behind "Tonic For The Troops" with the Boomtown Rats. Don't remember much about him/them. Liked the record.

Fee Waybill - front man for the Tubes, touring in support of their brand-new first album. Came into the store, and was just a huge amount of fun: animated, talkative, playful - you might say, a born entertainer. Got to go backstage @ the show, got a t-shirt. Next day, my boss found me moping around in the backroom & asked what was wrong. "I want to run away and join the Tubes!"

Dan MCCafferty - vocalist for Nazareth. Tiny, barrel-chested, totally full of himself. The A&M rep who brought him 'round completely ignored him (said he was quite the, um, unit…), and I enthusiastically followed suit. Might have behaved differently if I'd had any stomach for the band at all.

Tim Weisberg - seriously, one of the nicest guys ever. Interested in other people, even lowly record-store clerks. Never saw him again, but he left a mark.


Actors
Don Ameche - Spotted him while prowling the floor of the bookstore I was managing. Excused myself, introduced myself, asked if he was in fact, and then frankly gushed at him for 5 minutes about how much I had enjoyed his work (somehow forgot all about 'Trading Places' & 'Cocoon'), what a pleasure it was to meet him, etc. He couldn't have received me any better if I'd been the flippin' king. Made me feel like I'd just made HIS day.

Robert Vaughn - the exact opposite of Mr. Ameche. "Do you know who I am?" is STILL the worst thing a famous person can ask me. Do I know you? Oh, yes, Mr. Napoleon Solo. Oh, yes, I remember you in 'The Magnificent Seven' - and I remember you playing the exact same character in Roger Corman's laughably bad "remake" of that film, 'Battle Beyond The Stars'. I remember the late-night TV ads for ambulance-chasing lawyers. I remember what an insufferable jerk you were.

Tim Curry - in-store appearance in support of his 'Fearless' album ('I Do The Rock!'). Short, man, short. Funny, self-effacing, very pleasant.


Others
Ansel Adams - Met him at a book-signing in my store, and it was not a big-traffic event, so we had plenty of time to talk. Turned out we had an enormous amount in common, and had ballpark-similar opinions on many things. Truly a shame that day had to end. Exhilarating. One of the finest photographers EVER.

James Redfield - Oh, yes, Mr. Redfield, I know who you are.

Roger Dean - met at a science-fiction convention in Atlanta in '76, where he was a celebrity guest. He was polite enough…until he found out I not only had his book (big, square, art-book), but had read it & wanted to talk about some of his more 'out-there' ideas & projects. A completely fascinating 4 hours.

RA Lafferty, Joe Haldeman, Robert Sheckley, Philip Jose Farmer - met these guys in the bar at that same '76 convention. Most fun I ever had drinking. Most fun I ever had staying up all night. Great writers, great guys.

[justatwanging]

I spent the summer of 1974 in Nashville and on the road with my late Uncle: Mack Vickery. I got to meet numerous Country Music celebs[too many to name] and I thought it was cool at the time as an impressionable 18 year old. Today I look back and it was no big deal.

[dented]

Spencer Davis was playing in a buddy's band several years back for funsies. We all met at a club they were playing at. Spent a lot of time talking to him and he was a very nice guy with lots of nice things to say.

[hypnotoad]

Luther and Bernard Allison. Very nice guys, I had their private phone numbers and Luther would even call back to chat when I left a message on the machine.
Steve Lukather. That guy is a laugh a minute! (Met him a few times)
The rest of the TOTO gang, Mike Porcaro (real gentleman, humble and friendly), David Paich and Simon Phillips.
Bernie Marsden
Micky Moody gave me his own backstage pass so I could get my Strat outta the car for him to sign it and get back in!
Bob Sperzel (Yes, the guy with the Sperzel tuners). We had dinner together with Jerry Auerswald (German luthier who made the Symbol Guitar for Prince) and laughed so much we almost got kicked out! :-)
Jennifer Batten
Walter Trout Very nice guy.
Robben Ford
Poppa Chubby No comment!
Jim Marshall
Paul Reed Smith


And the best one: I bumped into Lita Ford both of us turning a corner at full pace which accidentally got us into a tight hug, as we were both trying not to fall over. I´ll never forget those few seconds we stood startled and the smile on her face when we realized what situation we were in. When she walked away, she even turned and gave me another smile! (Sigh!)

[TheWasp]

Met a few famous musicians but who cares when you have met GEORGE BEST!!!!!!

[BigD]

I was walking on the Mississippi river and met Hubert Sumlin. He is a super nice guy.

Martin...