Have you met someone famous?

[LakeArenal]

On another DU thread is President Joe photobombing two kids! What a memory!!

I have a couple:

I kissed Rod Stewart and Ron Wood and was asked to party with them. Which I couldn’t.
I was 19 and had to get my dad’s car back by 1 am. 🙄

Another: I saw Barack Obama from the sixteenth row. Close enough to feel like I had eye contact. Also I sat in the first row in the VIP section for VP Biden. Definitely had eye contact. 🇺🇸🇺🇸

[applegrove]

1. I tend to cower when faced would someone famous. I would not like to be acknowledged

and I project that onto them.

[elleng]

2. I met Wes Clark a few times.

[Atticus]

3. Shook Senator Paul Simon's hand in Chicago; saw candidate Obama in St. Louis and in

Springfield when he introduced Joe Biden as his pick for VP.

I met Governor Pritzker at a coffee after his first election win.

[rurallib]

4. We live in Iowa, so have had the caucuses to draw famous politicians in to the state

Have met Obama, both Clintons, Biden a couple of times. Met many others that never made it such as John Edwards, Bernie, and some Republicans like Mittens.

Some close friends of mine had a bed and breakfast where all the presidential hopefuls would stay when they were in the area.

Edit to add that my favorite of all was Elizabeth Warren - she is a real human!

[Nittersing]

10. Oh, I'm thinking running the B&B could have been pretty interesting

Did they ever share stories? (See... I'm imagining sitting around the breakfast table chatting....)

[rurallib]

21. Oh yeah for sure.

Their son was a state legislator. Mrs. X became close personal friends with both Hillary and Joe Biden. If either were ever in the area they would drop in to say Hi.

That was one of the perks of being an activist while we could - the stories we all shared and the dreams we all had.

The son has moved on to the east and his dad is out there also. His mom died about 5 years back. Those of us that are left are getting much older.

Often the stories were shared in the early summer evenings in their back yard around a fire with some root beer.

[chicoescuela]

5. Shook hands with President Clinton and VP Gore - Lake Tahoe 1996

[Elessar Zappa]

6. Yes, if you consider John King from CNN famous.

I was sitting next to him waiting for a flight in the airport.

[Corgigal]

7. I remember when Fred Gwynne,

aka Herman Munster and the judge from My Cousin Vinny, was appearing on broadway . He was playing big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, I was 16 and he called me over and asked if I had a cigarette, which I did. Then he shared a smoke together and I told him how good he was. We chatted for over 5 mins.

Of course, that was the year, I believe he won the Tony. Which makes me want to crawl under a rug.

Yeah, it was a different time.

I also have a story about Peter Frampton, his security guards, his mailbox and his huge mansion.
However, I cant write that one up. Also a different time.

Bruce Springsteen babysat my little red headed daughter. She got sick at his concert, and they put her in the nurses station, which was behind the stage. Bruce kept checking on her, and gave her all these concert items. I’m still not over it.

[LakeArenal]

52. Too bad your sister won't remember much.

[ret5hd]

70. Plot twist: she was 23.

[LakeArenal]

84. Then she'll always remember it.

Note: Bruce married a redhead. Coincidence?

[skylucy]

9. WOW! LakeArenal, I am super impressed!

I love Rock n Roll!

[LakeArenal]

51. I am lucky with concerts. Saw so many from first rows.

Because back then cute girls could easily slip up to the stage row. Before security.

Seen over 80 groups and a lot in the front of the stage.

[Prairie_Seagull]

112. So I hear you are cute, well..so... haha

[LakeArenal]

114. Was..... The olden days.... Times they have a change-Ed

[Croney]

11. I asked Paul Newman for his autograph on the New Orleans lakefront

in the 1960's. He said there are better things to do than collect autographs. He was short, and his eyes were very blue.

I found out later that the pen I tried to hand him was out of ink.

[FalloutShelter]

12. Years ago ( more than 30)

I was making a delivery in NYC and after the drop off, I was waving down a cab. Cab pulls up and a man leaps out and thrusts an armful of shorts onto my arms. He frantically pays the cabbie and apologizes to me for the inconvenience.

It is then I see the ice blue eyes.
It is Paul Newman. I was standing in front of his dry cleaner.

He gave the cabbie more money and said “ Take the kid wherever she wants to go”

The end.

[a kennedy]

20. How freaking awesome was that?? 👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻

[FalloutShelter]

29. It was freaking awesome!

I was so shocked. I don’t really even remember what I said. It was most likely some lame fan blather, but it was cool nonetheless.

[LakeArenal]

36. My mom would die happy.

[Mad_Dem_X]

101. Very cool!

[Tetrachloride]

13. Some correspondence with a pair of world class writers

and also my parents.

[Ocelot II]

14. Only a few.

Al Gore, Wes Clark, Warren Burger, Olivier Messaien, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, Beverly Sills, Al Franken, Paul Wellstone, Amy Klobuchar.

[LakeArenal]

37. That's quite a few.

[PJMcK]

15. Yeah, lots of them

Singers, actors, musicians, artists and more.

Generally, they’re polite and friendly. The ones I’ve met don’t cop stupid attitudes. I’ve only seen a few diva-like behaviors.

They’re really just people, you know?

[texasfiddler]

17. I had breakfast and a great morning conversation with Sandra Oh at her house FWIW. NT

[LakeArenal]

39. Cool

[oregonjen]

62. What is she like? She seems so interesting and very thoughtful.

[texasfiddler]

67. She is so down to earth and such a nice person.

We know her through her boyfriend. My wife has known her boyfriend since high school. We visited Los Angeles last January. We were able to hang out with them. She got breakfast tacos and we hung out in her back yard. I got to meet her parents. She is a very nice and cool person. My 19 year old son asked her what her favorite movie or series was and she said "The Chair". She is a genuine person and wanted to know about the crazy stories about her boyfriend that my wife knew about from high school. He is an interesting and cool guy as well. It was the highlight of our trip. She was so interested in my two kids and they were so star struck and polite with her. It was a wonderful thing and I will never forget it.

[oregonjen]

68. What a cool story!

Thanks for sharing!
In interviews, she pauses and is quite thoughtful in her answers. I really like that about her.
I would love to ask her what she really thought about the Killing Eve finale.

[Earth-shine]

18. My claim to fame - I live next door to Benjamin Ferencz.

He's one of the lead prosecutors in the post-WWII Nuremberg trials. He's 103 and doing well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Ferencz

I'll bet he's home now.



Now, for Star Trek fans only ...

I went to college at Stony Brook University in NY. Every year, there was a sci-fi convention.

In 1983, friends and I had a beer with George Takai. (Mr. Sulu, Star Trek) He was a guest of honor. A truly warm and wonderful human being.

The next year, Walter Koenig (Mr. Chekov) came to campus. I asked him for an autograph. He said to me, "Aren't you a little big for this?" Not a nice guy. He didn't want to be there.

The following year was Mark Lenard (Sarak, Spock's father). He's a classical kind of actor. He seemed to not understand why there would even be a convention, but signed aboard to come. One could easily tell that he hated being there and that it was not worth the $5000 he was paid.

After that, Robin Curtis (Saavik, ST:III). She was truly flattered and humbled that people wanted to pay attention to her. She was just lovely!

[Glorfindel]

19. Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. While they were campaigning for governor

of Georgia a long time ago. Several governors and former governors of Georgia. Dame Anna Wintour...we were on the same flight from Atlanta to LaGuardia. When she got off, she had an armful of papers, dropped some, and I picked them up for her. She said, "thank you." I guess that counts!

[Diamond_Dog]

22. Lake ...

You win the prize !!!!!

[LakeArenal]

40. Haha. Just think of the memory had I gone to that party.

Right now I live next to a Brit that co-wrote a famous song in a movie. Has pictures with Lennon and Harrison and many others. Plays live with other expats occasionally.

[a kennedy]

23. Sports related.....I met and had my picture with Max McGee of the Champion Green Bay Packers.....

and got a autograph of Barry Alveraze coach of the Wisconsin Badgers football. Political??? Was a block away from Geraldine Ferraro when she came to Madison, WI for a political rally. Oh, and I was about a half a block away from Barack when he came to La Crosse, Wi. Our airport is one of the larger ones in Wisconsin so the big planes (like Air Force One) can come to La Crosse.

[LakeArenal]

42. Mr Lake is a Green Bay native. He's been to Lambeau but never for a Packer game.

But loves the Pack.

[a kennedy]

47. 👍🏻 ♥️ 💚 💛 too

[rurallib]

24. One I will never forget is meeting Ernie Banks, Mr. Cub when I was 10

He was doing the rubber chicken circuit after winning his 2nd MVP award. Back then ball players made a regular salary so many worked jobs in the off season or if they were lucky would travel the country making appearances.

Banks was and still is my favorite baseball player of all time. My dad's lodge somehow worked some magic to get on Banks' itinerary.

He took some time to actually talk to me and signed a napkin to me. Sadly many moves later I lost it forever. but the memory is still pretty clear.

[msongs]

25. many times working for a hollywood messenger service dealing with entertainment biz only nt

[GreenWave]

26. Jesse Jackson, Hugo Chavez (early days)

Alberto Juantorena Cuba Olympic Gold Winner 2X

Showed me how to run like a pigeon (toes inward) not like a duck (toes outward) to increase speed!

[LakeArenal]

43. You radical!!!

[Nittersing]

27. I used to wait on Federico Pena when he was running for mayor of Denver

He and his campaign manager used to come into White Spot for lunch... always had a chefs salad.

[LakeArenal]

44. Yum!

[Quakerfriend]

28. Wow, that's amazing!

I met both Robert Redford and Paul Newman together at the Hunt Club in Westport, Conn. @ 1970.

[Alpeduez21]

30. Got blackout drunk with K D Lang before she was a big star

I blacked out not her.

Tim Reid use to come eat my chili at a restaurant I worked at. Had some very casual conversations with him.

Got the chance to shake the hand of and thank Muhammad Ali for inspiring me to be a better person and persevere through my own personal struggles. He was super nice.

[a kennedy]

34. Love K D Lang......what's happened to her?? Don't hear of her anymore. Just loved her.

[hlthe2b]

31. Many in Aspen in the 90s. Celebs interacted a lot more than now and

tourists, like the locals, politely interacted with them too--security wasn't needed. Don Johnson was a regular--the cast of "30-something," quite a few popular band members and reasonably well-known comedians of the day. Since everyone was really there to ski and enjoy themselves I don't think people harassed them. Not sure if that is still the case.

But one on one, my female cousins and I ran into Willy Nelson in a Taos, NM bar and were invited to share a table for a little while. He was very down-to-earth and a delightful experience.

A couple of my early years were spent living down the street from Terry Bradshaw's parents in Louisiana. I went to school with his youngest brother a short while and met Terry several times. He was always funny-- with a goofy streak--just as now-- and of course, quite the athlete.

[DURHAM D]

65. Hi. I hung out in Aspen in the 70s.

Ran into John Denver several times. Never talked to him.

Also, Spider Sabich.

I just checked and Claudine Longet is still alive. Wonder if she still lives in Aspen.

[hlthe2b]

72. Great time to be there no doubt. Not bad in the late 80s and 90s either.

I had a friend who swore they shared a ski lift with Katherine Hepburn about the time you were around there. Hepburn would have been in her mid-late sixties then so I don't know if that was pre-Parkinsons-- but pretty cool, I think.

Aspen outgrew its authentic mountain town roots under the influence of all that money, but still had great memories and I can really appreciate why John Denver so fell in love with the place.

[DURHAM D]

75. Wow - K. Hepburn.

That is a blast from the past.

I also recall that various Kennedys were around much of the time. I bet that is still the case.

[Scrivener7]

32. For some reason, just going about my very ordinary life, I have run into a lot of them.

There was one period when I lived in NYC that I must have seen Jack Nicholson three or four times in one month. And I SWEAR I wasn't stalking him. He just kept turning up. I think he was probably stalking me, don't you?

Another time, again walking on the street in NYC with my head down on Madison Ave, I literally ran into JFK, Jr. Head-butted his chest. Pretty hard. He was very gracious about it.

I could keep going. There were a lot of other incidents. It's kind of weird because, as I say, my life is very ordinary.

[LakeArenal]

45. Cool

[badhair77]

33. As a child I attended a speech where LBJ and Lady Bird spoke.

When I was in hs I met Doc Severinsen and got his autograph at a concert. He was a guest of the local symphony orchestra. When I was in college I met Melissa Manchester and she autographed my album at a Sam Goody the day after her performance in Phila. I met Ben Vereen at the stage door of Wicked. Then Lisa Minnelli walked by us and followed him in the door. Both were very cordial.

[LakeArenal]

46. I liked Lady Bird. Litter and bluebonnets.

[walkingman]

35. A few years ago -

Lionel Richie and the Commodores before they got famous - 1972 (my apartment after New Years Gig)
George Foreman - between loss to Ali and comeback bout with Ron Lyle 1975
Dennis Ritchie - created C Language (Bell Labs) around 1977 (DEC PDP11 project)
Ken Thompson - created Unix OS (Bell Labs) around 1977 (DEC PDP11 project)
Dizzy Gillespie - Chicago airport (getting fast food) 1981
Jesse Jackson - walked picket line with him at Austin Cablevision around 1988

[LakeArenal]

48. Loved Ritchie. Couple songs the background music to some great memories.

[Trueblue1968]

38. i shook BILL CLINTON and SEN RON WYDENS hand in my state

[LakeArenal]

50. My friend got into an elevator with Bill. Said he was kinda rude.

When he was Gov of Arkansas. She loved him anyway.

[relayerbob]

41. Quite a few

Mostly musicians like Jon Anderson (well, all of Yes), Tony Levin, Steve Morse. But did get to meet Bernie Sanders, Jon Ossoff and Stacey Abrams. Many others.

[roamer65]

49. Jerry Brown.

I got to shake his hand in 1992.

[2naSalit]

53. Several...

In my travels on the road I encountered a number of stars on tour, worked set up for a few shows - lighting and sound and run into them even in my little county in Montana because some actually live up here. I see them at the grocery store and the PO and the hardware store. I also drove a limousine in SoCal for a spell, can't recall just how many clients were actually famous, they were all well off, though.

Had drinks with a few too.

Ran into a famous musician at the grocery last week and a different one the week before, a couple call me to chat from time to time about politics, a couple have mentioned me in their books and then some actually have my portrait in their possession.

And like others said, they're just people, a few are full of themselves, the rest are often really cool folks.

[LakeArenal]

54. So interesting.

[2naSalit]

66. What I like...

When I meet up with the ones who expect favoritism is acting like I have no clue who they are and once they tell me, act like I really don't give a shit. The best was one I didn't know I was doing it since I didn't know who he was until he paid someone to ask me if I knew who he was, out loud, while they lurked around the corner. It was Steven Segall, he's really the asshole he appears to be.

I guess I got used to it. I smile when I encounter someone of note and it puts a spring in my step for a time.

Your stories sound fun, everybody has a different experience in that way. It does make a difference when those encounters are with someone you admire. Those are the ones that I enjoy remembering.

[DURHAM D]

55. A few.

Met Bill Clinton three times. Gave Chelsea and her campaign aide a ride from one event to another. Met and talked to Hillary (first on the phone and later in person) several times starting during the Carter administration and as late as 2016.

Gloria Steinem and Alan Alda have both been to my house after giving a speech at the local university. I had invited friends (faculty and grad students) over and they joined us. Same with John Dean.

Madeline Albright was on a book tour and I asked her for her autograph and then asked her if she wanted to go to dinner. She said Yes - I quickly called several people (mostly women in academia) to meet us. Also Michael Eric Dyson while he was on a book tour.

If you live in a college town famous people are around all of the time. After they do an event they are taken back to their hotel. They are bored - ask them to come over and meet grad students and faculty or just ask if they have dinner plans.

I have had a drink with J.C. Watts (twice) and Dan Abrams in the Atlanta airport during layovers.

Spent an evening with Melissa Ethridge before she was really famous. Bar hopped with Lia Delaria in New York and later in P Town with her and Kate Clinton.

Met and hung out with Greta Vas Susteren at a demonstration in DC. Also Michelle Goldberg at a demo in DC.

There are several more

Moral of the story - when people are on a book tour or a speaking tour they do their events and are taken back to their hotel. They are bored. Just be friendly.

ETA: Toni Morrison
Lady Byrd Johson
Tipper Gore
Lily Tomlin and her partner Jane
Bette Midler (twice)

[LakeArenal]

59. Wow!

[jojog]

56. Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, David Crosby, Lester Flatt, Steve Miller, Norton Buffalo, the Ramones

[LakeArenal]

61. Cool

[walkingman]

83. CSN will always be one of my favs...

[gibraltar72]

57. Gretchen Whitmer and Walter Reuther.

[MLAA]

58. I met Gloria Steinem once at a vegan cafe in NYC. Just said a brief hello and thanked her

for all she has done.

[Different Drummer]

60. I've met a couple of famous people.

Sometime in the early 1970's, the Atlanta Braves had an autograph party at a location I don't remember now to which my mom took me. Anyway, among the former Braves players there was current Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker. I got to meet him, chat with him a little, and get his autograph. Very nice guy!

Years later when I was a student at the University of Georgia, I attended a presentation by Gary Hart. This was the former U.S. Senator/Presidential candidate, not the former pro wrestling manager of the same name (although I would have been okay with that). Had just enough time to exchange greetings with Senator Hart.

[happybird]

63. Several, due to where I grew up and live again now

The coolest (and unrelated to where I live) was Robert Plant and Jimmy Page. I had always heard of “being dumbstruck” but thought it was bs, or it wouldn’t apply to me since I had met plenty of politicians and famous folk before with zero issues. But in the face of the magnificence that is Robert Plant, I was literally unable to utter a word. We were introduced to each other so it counts as “meeting,” lol. I just nodded stupidly (and I hope politely).

[Turbineguy]

64. I shook hands with

violinist Maxim Vengerov.

I met and spoke with Astronaut Story Musgrave.

[rsdsharp]

69. A few; most from sports.

The Twins used to do a winter tour in the sixties. Met and got autographs from Rod Carew, 1965 AL MVP Zoilo Versailles, and my favorite ball player, Earl Battey, as well as a few lesser known Twins.

Years later at Bob Feller’s museum in Van Meter, I met Feller, Ted Williams, Ozzie Smith and Whitey Ford. I also met Andre Dawson and Mark Grace. I also literally ran into Tony Kubek outside the NBC trailer in Kansas City.

I met then Iowa Governor Bob Ray when I was at Boy’s State. I almost ran over Steve Forbes and his wife in downtown Des Moines, during caucuses in 1996.

I went to an after party with Frankie Valli, and the Four Seasons. Frankie drinks Courvoisier, by the way. Comedian Steve Landesberg who opened the show was there. He apparently thought he was at Notre Dame or someplace, because he made lots of Catholic jokes. At the bar my friend told him she had seen his show. He thanked her, and she replied, “I didn’t say I liked it.”

I got to watch Wolfman Jack and Bob Sirott do a two man show at WLS from the control room looking over the board op’s shoulder. Later, I got to spend time talking to Tommy Edwards (Little Snot Nosed Tommy of Animal Stories — before he had even met Larry Lujack).

[HUAJIAO]

71. Met the violinist Sayaka Shoji over tea and sweets after a concert. One of the great ones.

Had dinner several times around the world after concerts with violinist and dear friend Clara-Jumi Kang, another of the truly great ones.(Marvao, Portugal, Los Angeles, Chicago, Seoul, Tokyo....)

Met and had dinner with the incomparable pianist, Yeol Eum Son, not to belabor the point. :&gt )

H.H. the Dalai Lama - received a blessing.

Ate sushi a couple times after hours at a restaurant in Ithaca, NY with Carl Sagan. He did all the talking!

Met Jesse Jackson at a small airport (Lunken Field?) in Cincinnati on a fuel stop.

Helped Pablo Casals walk from backstage to the podium for him to conduct an orchestra in which I was playing.

Hung out quite a bit with John Cage and played on several new music festivals with/for him..

Met Hillary Clinton at a fund raiser.

Met and chatted with Dr. Howard Dean.

Met and worked with composers Iannis Xenakis, Morton Feldman, Luciano Berio, Salvatore Martirano, and others.

Distant friend of the internationally acclaimed flutist Carol Wincenc.

Played in orchestras under Aaron Copland, Pierre Boulez, Jesus Lopez-Cobos, and others....


OK enough of that...

[Chipper Chat]

73. Talked to Karen Carpenter after a concert.

Talked to Frank Sinatra about cameras.
Talked to Barack Obama on the phone.
Shook hands with Roy Rogers and uh.uh..Hershel Walker.
Met Andy Devine in a gas station rest room .
Talked to Scott Hamilton and Kristi Yamaguchi.
Talked to Johnny Tillotson.
Met senators Birch Bayh
David Letterman sat behind me in a college class.

[leighbythesea2]

74. I like your close

Encounters!
Tony Bennett, had lunch with him in his studio overlooking Central Park.
It was a photoshoot.

A couple of others,
but gosh was Tony a sweetheart. Takes the cake.

[ThoughtCriminal]

76. Gerard K. O'Neill in 1973

Not exactly a celebrity, but by my criteria...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerard_K._O%27Neill

Also, Rusty Schweickart, Louis Friedman, Frank Frazetta,...

edit:

Oh, and Charles Barkley.

[NNadir]

77. I spent three hours chatting with Freeman Dyson in his office.

I brought my two sons and one son's best friend along, but mostly I and Dyson did all the talking.

It was the most amazing three hours of my life, speaking only of my intellectual life, not my other lives (love, parenting, etc. etc.).

Others:

I once sat next to Glenn Seaborg at a lecture, but was too star struck to say anything.

I waited on a customs line with Bruce Merrifield.

On multiple occasions I rode the Dinky (a train in Princeton) with John Nash but that wasn't unusual. He rode that train a lot.

I waited on line for a falafel with Toni Morrison.

I attended a lecture by D.H. Barton and another by Richard Roberts.

Except for Morrison, these are all famous scientists.

I think that covers it.

[Runningdawg]

78. Andy Warhol 1983

I was sitting in the lobby of a NYC hotel waiting for my friend to get off work. I was doing homework and he walked up and sat down right next to me and asked if he could borrow my pen.
We ended up showing each other pictures of our dogs and before he left he signed my copy of the most recent edition of Interview.
The thing I remember the most is his hands were cold but very soft, he smelled like lemons and he made me feel like we had been friends all our lives.

[LakeArenal]

85. That would be awesome.

One of the few things I brought to Costa Rica was a framed print of his dachshund. Little did I know I’d adopt a brown and black Doxie mix Street rescue.

[Stuart G]

80. I met George McGovern once, only for a few seconds. Shook his hand after a meeting I attended with

couple hundred other people. As he walked out I shook his hand and had a few words. He continued walking away.

[First Speaker]

81. I knew Katherine Hepburn a little when I was growing up...

...her family and my grandmother were friends, so I spent some time as a kid back in the 60s hanging out at her house in Saybrook, CT. Once I spent about twenty minutes talking about the Warren Commission with Cary Grant. He was very charming...and that's my name-dropping for the year...

[LudwigPastorius]

82. Famous, and infamous...

Janie Fricke

Marilu Henner

Jerry Lewis

Patti LuPone

Martin Mull

Mandy Patinkin

Joan Rivers

Marla Maples

Mick Fleetwood

Jon Anderson (Yes)

John Williams

Van Cliburn

Rudy Giuliani

Sen. John McCain

H. Ross Perot

Mark Cuban

...to name a few.

[LakeArenal]

86. Quite a variety.

[Eko]

87. Dre from outcast.

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.
Jimmy Herring.
Tommy Chong.
Journey.
Warren Haynes, Farmer and the whole Warren Haynes band.
Missy Elliot.
The Allman Bros circa 2003.
Steve Morse.
Prince's band.
Steve Via.
Scott Henderson
The Wailers (Bob Marley's band)
Medeski Martin and Wood.
Oliver Wood (worked at a music store he taught at)
Pharrell Williams
Soundgarden circa 1989-1990
Im sure I have forgotten some.
Eko.

[DFW]

104. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones!

I have met some people too (see below), but THAT makes me green with jealousy! I LOVE those guys!

[GReedDiamond]

88. Here are some famous-type people I have encountered, most in a work-related situation...

Last edited Mon Nov 28, 2022, 01:59 AM - Edit history (1)

I have an old friend named George DiCaprio.

Back around 1978, I was working with George on a comic book called Timothy Leary Neuro Comics.

I went over to his house on the east side of Hollywood, and met his son, 4 year old Leonardo, for the first time.

Sometime after that, we (not including Leo) visited Dr. Leary at his home in the Wilshire area of Los Angeles to go over our progress on the comic book.

Dr. Tim was watching a football game on a defective color TV (the football field was blue) and he offered us a beer, so we talked about the comic book project and drank some brews with the Acid King.

The comic came out in 1979, published by Last Gasp Comics.

A few years later, my then-girlfriend took Leonardo's first publicity photos in my art studio in Pasadena. Those photos were used to get him his first acting gig, the Matchbox Cars commercial.

BTW, George made his acting debut at the age of 78 in the 2021 movie Licorice Pizza.

Here are some others:

The Bangles - did four big stage backdrops that looked like their debut album cover, which was released in four different colors.

Delivered and hung up the backdrops in a bowling alley they were playing at that evening. Met all four Bangles. They were very nice, but I had a hard time getting paid by their management company.

Met Stephen Jay Gould (paleontoligist and science historian) and his artist/sculptor wife, Rhonda Roland Shearer, who together founded The Art Science Research Laboratory. They asked me to make a web site to promote a Marcel Duchamp Harvard Symposium that they flew my girlfriend and me out to Cambridge to attend in 1999.

At the symposium, I met Duchamp's biographer Arturo Schwarz. Had dinner with him and several other Duchamp scholars, and afterwards, we rode together in a cab back to the hotel.

Around three years later Stephen Jay Gould passed away at the relatively young age of 60.

Madonna - worked for Madonna's costumer/designer Marlene Stewart on costume and stage graphics in 1984 and 2001, before 9/11.

Lorenzo Lamas - Lorenzo did a break dancing movie in 1984 called Body Rock, which was Marlene's first movie as costume designer.

Val Kilmer - met Val when I was again hired by costume designer Marlene Stewart to work on costume graphics for The Doors movie.

Marlene by now is famous herself in the movie biz, after working constantly for almost the last 40 years. She recently costume designed the Top Gun Maverick movie.

Don Preston - Original Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention member. Don played grand piano on a song released in 1982 by my band, Benedict Arnold & The Traitors, called "I Hate Sports." The song is on YouTube if anyone wants to hear it.

Don Ed Hardy - Remember the "Ed Hardy" tee shirt and hat craze from 15 or so years ago? I met Don and received several original watercolor paintings by him which I scanned and produced several different limited edition, signed/numbered prints on paper.

Cheech Marin - Cheech collects my friend Germs' paintings, as do I. Met him a few times at Germs art openings. Germs is also in the permanent collection of The Cheech, the Chicano art museum opened earlier this year.

Aron Kay - The infamous YIPPIE! "Pie Man." Known him for a long time. Last saw him when he came out to L.A. for the 2000 Democratic Convention.

Exene Cervenka - Vocalist for legendary L.A. punk band X. Met her at a mutual friend's birthday party.

George Barris - car customizer known for designing the Batmobile for the 60s TV show, as well as the cars featured in The Munsters. I found an original Barris concept sketch for a dune buggy, and brought it to a car show he was attending, where he authenticated and signed it. Shortly thereafter I sold it for $400 dollars. Paid $20 at the thrift shop for it.

Pretty sure I've forgotten a few more...

ON EDIT: I forgot the most obvious person - Buffalo Springfield drummer, the late great Dewey Martin. In 1978, the first band I was ever in (Scott Thomas Lowe & Atascadero) featured Dewey as their drummer. I was a "special fx vocalist," and when Dewey left the band, he sold me his early 60s Camco Oaklawn Badge drum kit, which he used when he recorded "For What It's Worth" and the rest of their songs. I still have that drum kit, although it has been refurbished with all new DW hardware. It's a fantastic drum kit.

And while I'm at it, another band member of STL & Atascadero was Jim Fielder, who was a member of Blood, Sweat & Tears and bassist for Buffalo Springfield in 1966 and 67, and also played bass on one of the FZ & The Mother's albums. Around 1979, I recorded drums on a couple of Atascadero songs with Jim on bass.

[Kali]

89. met and ate lunch with cast of Young Guns II

some scenes were filmed here on the ranch. took my copy of Repo Man for Emilio Estevez to sign. he was amused.

there have been others but that one just came to mind when I read some of the other replies.

[HoosierDebbie]

90. Over a very long period of time...

Hal Holbrook In the middle 1970's, during a Mark Twain tour

Carl Lewis (Olympic runner) didn't actually meet, but sat near him at a big track event in Indianapolis both as
spectators

Johnny Parsons - Indy 500 driver

Bill Daily (chatted with him many times when he shopped at a store I helped manage in Albuquerque, where he
lived.

Greg Palast author and investigative reporter wrote "Best Money Democracy Can Buy" among others. Latest
work has involved voter suppression in Georgia

Hillary Clinton at a book signing

All four members of the young tenors in the Italian Quartet "Il Volo"

[GoodRaisin]

91. Mel Brooks

at a steak house in Seattle, while we were both at the bar waiting on our tables.

Also shot some hoops with Jerry West once while I was attending one of his basketball camps back in my high school basketball playing days.

Also got to shake Lyndon Johnson’s hand during a campaign stopover at our local airport.

Don’t know if it counts but bought my first car cashing in bonds that had been Christmas gifts as a baby, from my Grandfather’s business partner in a blue jean business, Carroll Rosenbloom - who was also owner of the Baltimore Colts and later the LA Rams.

[Pas-de-Calais]

92. Muhammed Ali

On a Chicago street corner, while he was signing autographs.

When I was 10

Yes I got his autograph

[I_UndergroundPanther]

93. John waters

At first it didnt dawn on me that it was him. Hung out played dominoes. He liked watching me draw. We met up at the rotunda mall every so often,go over and raid the used cd store. Sometimes just sit in the back atrium with tables and chairs I'd plug my ipod into a portable speaker we'd listen to tunes and have philosophical discussions. And yes Divine actually ate a dog turd. Threw up immediately afterwards.

[Kablooie]

95. Walt Disney

My brother was 6, I was 12. We had finished dinner at the Disneyland hotel and were walking in the empty closed shopping arcade. My brother ran down the hall as fast as he could, turned the corner and bumped right into Walt Disney, almost knocking him down. My parents apologized but he just laughed and said hello to me.

[AngryOldDem]

96. John Kerry and John McCain (pre-Palin)

Honored to shake the hands of both.

During campaign stops. Daniel Inouye also passed me in the Capitol rotunda when I was there sightseeing back in the ‘80s.

[tazkcmo]

97. I have never been a star-struck individual

But I have held a couple jobs where I was in close proximity to stars.

Lewis Black
Paulie Shore
Tommy Chong
Gilbert Godfrey
Larry the Cable Guy

I snagged Tommy Chong a cheeseburger so his wife wouldn't chew him out. Improved polyshores mood when he got 12 towels instead of the 11 he asked for, turns out he's a spoiled a little prick. Gilbert Godfrey just wanted to eat in peace So I cleared the crowd out from around him and he was very grateful and gracious. Larry the Cable Guy isn't entitled self-absorbed a****** that want to change for 20 without giving me a 20 so he didn't get the change and was extremely butthurt about it because he's Larry the Cable Guy!!! Lewis Black was the funnest of all and we partied for a couple of hours then hooked him up with one of our hostesses who could shove her whole fist in her mouth. I've also met many Chiefs players most of whom were nice, polite and appreciative of being treated like regular people. Andre Rison, Joe Montana are two that stand out as normal people. Montana is often mistaken as being snobbish when in actuality he's actually kind of shy.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

98. I've met a few

It's a long story as to how, but in the early 1970s, in Appleton, Wisconsin, I smoked some dope with Allen Ginsburg, the beat poet. He made a pass at me, but when I said, "Sorry, Allen, but I'm straight", he took it well. At dawn the next morning, a group of us held a Tibetan exorcism rite at the grave of Senator Joseph McCarthy. I asked Ginsberg if he wanted to piss on the grave, he said, "No, I won't stoop to that level." He then spat on it.

When I was at Harvard Divinity School in the mid-1970s, I met a visiting professor from Germany, Joseph Ratzinger. He is better known as Pope Benedict XVI. His English was excellent, but his accent was identical to that of Henry Kissinger (who I also met at Harvard, when he was visiting one of my professors -- I did not mention to him that I had been in Vietnam). In a seminar, Ratzinger gave a remarkably even-handed appreciation of Martin Luther, and he agreed with me that it seemed that both sides at the Diet of Worms were trying to score debating points rather than reach some sort of agreement.

I met Barack Obama when he was running for the US Senate. I voted for him, of course.

[MichaelSoE]

99. I ate birthday cake with Dizzy Gillespie and spent an hour with Jean Shepard

[Mad_Dem_X]

100. I met Johnny Depp once, and comedian Hal Sparks 3 times

I met Johnny at a car show in Philly many moons ago. He was absolutely gorgeous, and very nice. Hal I met after seeing his comedy show(s). He was also extremely nice.

[LakeArenal]

103. Sigh. Love me some Johnny.

Tho he’s taken lots of hits lately. I love him.

[Mad_Dem_X]

109. I was terribly tongue-tied when I met him.

He said hello to me, and I could only smile back! My sister and her friend actually had a conversation with him.

[LakeArenal]

111. Sigh. For me, as cool as kissing Rod Stewart.

You go girl!!!!

[AllaN01Bear]

102. met lorine green and jack lord when i was a boy.

[zanana1]

105. Gloria Steinem and Barack Obama.

[Mad_Dem_X]

110. Nice! I would love to meet either or both of them!

[zanana1]

120. I was a campaign volunteer for Obama.

We had a roundtable discussion. I was concerned about the price of prescription medication. We stayed after the group was gone and had a cup of coffee. He really put me at ease. After awhile, I forgot that he was a celebrity.
I met Gloria Steinem backstage at our little college auditorium. She was very down to earth.

[Mad_Dem_X]

123. Nice to hear!

Lucky you to have met both of them!

[A HERETIC I AM]

106. Most are Racing Drivers or involved with the business. That includes Paul Newman.

Newman was well known for NOT giving autographs, but when I asked him if he would sign a model Simpson Racing helmet to be auctioned off for charity, he graciously agreed.

Had the chance to walk about a half mile in Surfers Paradise, Australia from our hotel to Pit Lane with AJ Foyt.

Met and talked with;
Rick Mears (numerous times. He was on our trailer in the paddock regularly)
Danny Sullivan
Emerson Fittipaldi
Al Unser Jr.
Al Unser Sr.
Mario Andretti
Michael Andretti
Jeff Andretti
Bobby Allison
Ned Jarrett
Scott Pruett
Scott Goodyear
Paul Tracy
Teo Fabi
Johnny Rutherford
Jim Nabors
Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top)
Raul Boesel
Roger Penske (The company I worked for was partly owned by “The Captain”)

Dozens more.

4 time Indy 500 winner Rick Mears inside the trailer I operated;


Danny Sullivan in the passenger door of the tractor that hauled the trailer;


Mario Andretti signing a photo with Mears and my boss at the time, Tony Wiltshire. Taken at a test session at Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI. I have the photo he is signing as well as the one in Tony’s hand (signed by Danny Sullivan), framed and on my wall at home.

[DFW]

107. I guess it depends how famous is famous (or infamous), and I have been around for a long time, so..

Starting when I was a kid........
Groucho Marx
Hubert Humphrey
Lyndon, Lady Bird and Lynda Bird Johnson
Bobby Kennedy (Sr. & Jr.) and Joe II
Jake Javits
Everett Dirksen
Frank Church
Fritz Mondale
Charlie Goddell
Jim Buckley
Sargent Shriver
Carl Rowan, Sr.
The original lineup of Canned Heat (my group opened for them in 1967)
Junior Wells and the Chicago Blues Band (my group opened for them in 1967)
The Youngbloods (my group opened for them, too, in 1967)
Johnny Winter
Sidney Poitier
Salvador Dalí
Kurt Georg Kiessinger
Mike Kennedy (or whatever his real name was), lead singer for Los Bravos ("Black is Black" )
Cantinflas
George H.W. Bush
Mike Dukakis
Burt Freed
Strother Martin
Aly Bain
Gerry Ford
Nelson Rockefeller
Bill Clinton
Hillary Clinton
Al Gore
Raymond Chrétien
Newt Gingrich
Otto Graf Lambsdorff
Milo Yellow Hair (I translated for him when he visited my German town--English and German, not Lakota!)
Dr. Ruth Westheimer
Howard Dean
Jerry Nadler
Phil Lader
Alan Dershowitz
Peter Norton
Bill Nelson (D-FL, that Bill Nelson)
Barack Obama
Michelle Obama
Veronica Biggins (Frank, too, but he usually keeps to the background)
Betty Friedan
Art Buchwald
Jurney Smollett
Bob Novak
Paul Begala
Helen Thomas
Deborah Tannen
Amy Klobuchar
Nancy Pelosi
Claire McCaskill
Mazie Hirono
Dina Titus
Marjorie Margolies
Jane Condon
Jim Webb (D-VA, that Jim Webb)
Ellen Malcolm
Stan Lee
Al Franken
Norm Ornstein
Richard Viguerie
Theodore Bikel
Joe Biden
Mark Sanford
Rob Sand
Gabby Giffords
Mark Kelly
Jon Ossoff
John Hickenlooper

Some famous, some infamous, some not so famous. Of those still alive, some I only met once. Some have become good friends, and some I don't care if our paths never cross again. The list is not complete

I once passed Jean-Paul Belmondo on the street in Paris, but couldn't think of a reason to stop him and say something.

[Nittersing]

116. Cantinflas??

I saw Around the World in 80 Days for the first time (!) last year at the age of 67. I enjoyed his performance SO much... I googled him and was just a little sad to read that his humor (lots of wordplay) just doesn't translate well.

How did you happen to meet him?

[DFW]

119. I was in Mexico City in 1972

Suddenly a bunch of people were crowding aroing around some guy making a fuus over him which he didn't seem to mind at all, so I approached the group, and it was Cantinflas giving out autographs. I went up to him and asked "¿Para un gringo también?" and he smiled and said Claro.

[watrwefitinfor]

108. In 1967 (maybe '68) I danced with an astronaunt.

One of the early ones, but his name is one of those details of my life that is lost to me now. He had been into space more than once. He had dark hair, was handsome, and a smooth dancer.

About five of the first group of astronauts were at a night club in Winston-Salem NC. They were in town for a meeting or conference or something. They were seated next to the band's table. I was out with hubby (the house band drummer) that night, and when the band was on break the space guys bought drinks all around for us and we all chatted and toasted each other and just had a nice time.

Sometime in the course of all that one of them asked me to dance to something by the band (or the jukebox maybe I can't remember). It was a slow tune, but I can't remember what song, either. He was friendly, very polite, and everyone had a nice time.

The lot of them stayed for a couple of sets and there was more drinking and talking with the band members, then whoosh they were gone.

In recent years it has bothered me that I have forgotten this guy's name. I've scoured online photos and tried to find events that might have taken them all to Winston-Salem in 1967 - some speaking engagement maybe - but no luck. My best guess is Wally Shirra, but maybe one of the others. Certainly not Glenn and not Grissom, though. This was near the time of the accidental fire when Grissom and two others were killed, in January 1967 - I believe it would have been some tme after the accident, maybe even in '68.

Memory is a dreadful thing to lose. I can remember telling people the name of the astronaut I danced with that night, but it is gone now, and so is anyone else I knew who was there.

Wat

[Donkees]

113. Here's a 1968 photo of 'Dancing Wally' Schirra on the Deck of USS Essex

Maybe he's your dancer

[watrwefitinfor]

126. Donkees, many thanks for the clue to my mystery astronaut.

Your photo of Schirra dancing across the flight deck after splash down of Apollo 7 improved my spelling and encouraged me to search a little more. (I hate a mystery, even one of my own creation.)

Found on Wikipedia - the 1964 photo of him in a suit and tie which is what my astronaut was wearing that night - they all were. I am now almost certain that I danced with Wally Schirra. Thank you, Donkees! (The photo won't show up on DU for me, so here's the WikiPedia page - it's at the top.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wally_Schirra

I had other encounters that I remember more clearly. Met and became acquainted with Mark Dinning ("Teen Angel&quot about 1963 in the club in Biloxi where the band played as house band for awhile. What a beautiful voice he had - he should have been a bigger star.

Mark also visited us in Winston-Salem a few years later for a brief gig at the same club where I met the astronauts. One night I witnessed a man in the audience promise him $500 if he would sing "Teen Angel" five times. Mark sang it five times and collected that money. He sang it beautifully every time.

And in Milwaukee about 1972 I met Pete Seeger at Rhubarb Bookstore, across the street from Marquette University. He was there for a concert, and stopped at the "radical" bookstore to browse. I didn't get an autograph, but he did slow down as he was leaving the store and allowed me to snap a photo of him. The concert was great. Only time I ever saw him perform live.

My photo of Pete is a very good one. I'll post it here if I ever figure out how to sign-up for an image-posting program without giving them my phone number.

Wat

[Donkees]

127. I'm happy that the dancing Schirra photo helped you in your search ...

I read that he enjoyed dancing. I was trying to find a connection to Winston Salem, and read that:

Most United States astronauts in the 1960s trained at Morehead Planetarium on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. There they learned celestial navigation, or how to navigate in space by looking at stars.

https://www.ncpedia.org/aviation/space-flight

Also read about James Edwin Webb:

On February 14, 1961, Granville County native James Edwin Webb became the second administrator of NASA. Three months later, President John F. Kennedy announced, “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth.” The so-called space race to the moon became a national priority, and James Webb’s job became very important.

Webb was a native of Tally Ho, North Carolina. His father was superintendent of the Granville County public schools. James Webb graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1928. At various times, he was a marine, a lawyer, a business executive, and a government official in Washington, D.C. Webb knew how to run an organization, create support for the space program, and obtain money from Congress. Under his leadership, NASA first sent Americans into space in the Mercury and Gemini programs in the 1960s.

https://www.ncpedia.org/aviation/space-flight

[Tommy Carcetti]

115. Briefly exchanged greetings with Joe Biden, shook hands with Bill Clinton.

My interaction with Biden was before he was President. My interaction with Clinton was after he was President.

Also shook hands with Hillary (different event than Bill).

In terms of substantive encounters, I had a couple of conversations with former Attorney General Janet Reno.

Met author Carl Hiaasen a couple of times and once provided him with some input for a column of his.

Met several Senators/Governors/Representatives/State Officials during my work on campaigns.

[CottonBear]

117. Jon Ossoff, all of the members of rem, George Takei, & Fred Schneider of B52s.

George Takei was super nice.

I met race car driver Danny Ongais at the Sebring racetrack in Florida.

Paul Newman walked right past me at Road Atlanta.

I got Don McClean’s autograph after an outdoor concert.

I spoke with former Georgia governor Sonny Perdue when he was first running for office.

I recently met and spoke with Georgia House representative and Secretary of State candidate, Bee Nguyen. She definitely has a future in Georgia or national politics.

[Wicked Blue]

118. Jerry Garcia and Phil Lesh

President Joe Biden back in the mid-70s

my mind's a blank, but there are probably a couple more

[Aristus]

121. I met and had dinner with world-renowned fantasist Harlan Ellison.

One of the Top 5 experiences of my life. Portrayed in the popular media as a gruff, temperamental, unpleasant curmudgeon, Ellison was a spell-binding dinner companion and conversationalist. He treated everyone at the table, and the service staff, with grace, charm, humor, and a palpable charisma.

I'll never forget the experience as long as I live.

[nolabear]

124. Kevin Bacon, Richard Simmons, Rosemary Harris, Jimmy Carter

Elizabeth Dole, and if you’re into poets and writers, quite a few.

JC was signing books but I’ll take it. I knew Richard pretty well—as well as anyone did. Rosemary Harris (Among other wonderful roles the original Aunt May in Spider-Man) was a good friend of my mother in law. Elizabeth Dole received an award also received by my father in law. And Kevin Bacon and I had a conversation waiting in line at the Rxperience Music Project and, astoundingly sometimes, I never really looked at him until a guide came to pull him and his kids from the line and said “Aren’t you with Mr. Bacon?”

[highplainsdem]

125. LakeArenal, I want to link to a couple of threads about President Biden and those kids,

so people who missed those will be able to find out more about what you mentioned in the OP:

https://democraticunderground.com/100217412583

https://democraticunderground.com/100217412773

[milestogo]

128. I met Michelle Obama when she was collecting signatures for Barack

to run for Congress in 2000. He lost. Neither of them was famous then.

I met Bill Clinton at a Democratic Rally in Milwaukee in 2004. Fantastic speaker/campaigner, and I was a few feet behind him the whole time.

[LakeArenal]

129. We're you the one behind him smiling? I'm sure that was you!!!!

[milestogo]

131. I was in a row of middle aged women who were screaming over him like he was a movie star.

I remember thinking it must have been difficult for him to resist all that female attention!

[LuckyCharms]

130. Jerry Garcia, Robert F. Kennedy (shook his hand when I was a kid), Art Linkletter. n/t

[TeamProg]

132. Too many to list.. n/t

[whistler162]

133. Nope... never

my dad had seats backstage at the Grand Ole Opry due to his third wife's son being a bassist for John Conlee.

My mom grew up in Brooklyn during the 40's and 50's when the Dodgers players were your neighbors. IIRC..... she got rid of any autographs she had when she moved out to get married.

Saw Carol Channing changing costumes behind a screen during a performance. What little I saw was impressive for a woman of her age.

[debm55]

134. My husband received an award from Ted Kennedy. Later, we had dinner at his table. I could not figure

out why they kept giving us sherbet after each part of dinner. But I love sherbet, so I ate it without question. The amount was small. Afterwards, my husband told me why it was served.

[yellowdogintexas]

135. Sat on Earl Scruggs' couch while he played the banjo he had just sold

to my husband.

Met Al Gore twice once when he was still at Harvard and again when he was in COngress.

Met the late Speaker of the House Jim Wright at our church and had the good fortune to become friends with him.

Met Beto 3 times

Friends with Wendy Davis and Mike Collier (these things happen when you start volunteering for candidates)

[WestMichRad]

136. I met and enjoyed lunch with Melvin Calvin

He won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1961 for discovering what’s known as the Calvin cycle, a series of chemical reactions in photosynthetic organisms that convert carbon dioxide into glucose.
We also share an alma mater, Michigan Tech University. Go Huskies!