"She Smelled Like Blueberries And Bourbon": Real-Life Celebrity Encounters

[CrazyInAlabama]

I don't know if it actually happened or not, but several years ago James Patterson was going to have a reading tour for one of his children's books, and was planning to go to military family libraries.       So many came to the huge public library, and there was never room for kids from the military base, so that was a nice change.  

[funky-rat]

I forgot about Roslyn Sumners - met her after Stars On Ice in 1990, I think.  Didn't get an autograph or photo.  She was very nice.  Complimented me on my gold ice skate necklace.  All of the skaters mingled with the audience after the show.  I handed a bouquet to Tracy Wilson and Robert McCall - wish I had a photo of that.  😔

[cpcathy]

I handed a bouquet to Jayne Torvill!

[doodlebug]

28 minutes ago, cpcathy said:

I handed a bouquet to Jayne Torvill!

I got to know a skating coach years ago.  She had a national rep and invited me backstage after multiple Stars on Ice performances in the 90's.  I met virtually everyone including Oksana Baiul, Philppe Candeloro, Brian Boitano, Meno and Sand, Kurt Browning, Scott Hamilton, Kristy Yamaguchi, Ekaterina Gordeeva. There were a bunch of others, I need to find my autographed programs to remember them all.  Because my escort was known by everyone (Carol Heiss Jenkins, US and Olympic Gold Medalist 1960), everyone was lovely, but it might've been because she was and is skating royalty.  She also coached Jill Trenary briefly and I met her, too.

Carol herself is quite the gal.  She's a cool blonde in the Grace Kelly mode, very petite.  But she is from NYC and has this gravelly voice and a thick New Yawk accent.  Big contrast.  Funny and irreverent as hell, too.  She is also the answer to a figure skating trivia question as her husband, Hayes Alan Jenkins is also an Olympic Gold Medalist (1956) and so is his brother David Jenkins (1960).  Hayes is also a very nice guy, hates Dick Button with a passion. Apparently Dick was not a very nice guy back when they were both competing.

Edited October 10, 2019 by doodlebug

[thosme]

About 30 years ago,we were staying at the Las Vegas Hilton with our children.  Children were actually welcomed then and the Hilton had a day camp for them.  Full House was filming their LV episode at the same time.  Of course my 10 or 11 year old daughter was thrilled.   Along with about 30 other people, many young girls, we stood watching a scene of the cast going into the theater.  The only one of the main cast, the three male actors and the oldest two girls who acknowledged the fans was John Stamos.  He would wave to the girls and talk.  The others completely ignored everyone. My daughter was enthralled with it all especially when an extra in the scene asked her to hold her camera.  I think we stood there for over two hours watching.  I didn't like "Uncle Jesse" lighting up a cigarette but after he was so much nicer to the kids than anyone else, I  always thought of him fondly.

[Shannon L.]

If you're including Olympians, then I've met a few of the swimmers from the 2000 Olympics.  Mostly just long enough to ask them for autographs.  They were all really nice.  But, I was friends with someone who was friends with Brendan Hansen's family and after one meet, we all went to a celebratory dinner because he broke another record.  It was in a restaurant so we were in a room with many tables, and he wasn't at ours, but before I left I introduced myself and congratulated him.  What impressed me was that when I approached and got his attention, he stood up and talked with me.  Good old fashioned manners with that man.  Later, when in an online discussion with his mother, I complimented her on how well she raised her son.  I don't see manners like those (ones that go beyond the basics) very often. 

[tribeca]

I really want to know @Bastet Vince Vaughn story.  

My grandfather use to love to tell this story. In grams and grams younger days they traveled a lot.  At the airport in Las Vegas a very tall man sat next to gram she looked at him and “wow your tall are you a basketball player “

he replied “no ma’am I am a jockey “

the man was Wilt Chamberlan

Edited October 14, 2019 by tribeca

[xaxat]

Back in the early seventies, when I was about six or seven, my dad was the faculty advisor for the Black Students' Union at a small college. Somehow, he managed to book Muhammad Ali as a guest speaker. 

Since my dad was the host, I got the full behind the scenes treatment. The speech was held in school's gym, so prior to it, I got to hang out with Ali in locker room. He was totally charming. He made it feel like I was the most important person in the room.

He had me step on a scale for a pre-fight "weigh in" and then had the newspaper's photographer take a couple of shots of me pretending to throw a knockout "punch" to his chin. 

At the time, I knew he was a famous person, but it was only through time that I realized how important he was. I knew he was a boxer, but had never seen one of his fights. I didn't know that he was possibly the most recognized person in the world. And I didn't know that the reason he was on the speaking circuit was because he had been stripped of his title for his refusal to be drafted. 

It's a memory that got better the more I learned about him. 

Edited October 14, 2019 by xaxat

[methodwriter85]

This is what I got...

-Austin Peck (Days of Our Lives) at an event for As the World Turns, circa 2007. Came off as a total douche. I asked him what it was like to work with Ali Sweeney, and he replied, "Oh, I'm not on Days anymore. But you should watch my new show!" Douche.

-Keri Strug at a Capitol Steps performance in 2005. (They're a sketch comedy group that lampoons politics in Washington, D.C.) During the show someone outed her as being in the audience, asked her to stand up, and she was right behind me! I was 10 years old during the 1996 Olympics and it was so cool! (By this point she had grown her hair out to her shoulders and she looked really good!) I got to shake her head and tell her that she was favorite part of the 1996 Olympics. She thanked me and said that meant a lot. Apparently after the show let out she got mobbed by the Capitol Steps cast. LOL,

-This is more of an "overheard", but I was at Firefly Music Festival 2014 and I was sitting on a bale of hay around this tent that had been set up for smaller acts to play. Next to me, this very tall jock/overriped frat looking drunken guy in his 40's was trying to hit on these two girls that were like half his age, not very successfully. Later on, I realized he was Philadelphia newscaster John Clark, who does sports for NBC. I have never been able to take him seriously on the news after that. LOL.

-I went to a meet and greet and got an autograph from Lance Bass, not for me but my sister, (I am more of a BSB fan.) He was pretty nice.

-Also got the autograph of Matthew Quick, an author best known for Silver Linings Playbook during a q and a session at a local high school. He seemed like a pretty cool guy and he gave me some life advice.

-I also managed to get an autograph from Anderson Cooper, although I didn't get to speak much to him, He was kind of crowdrushed and I managed to get my book to him to quickly sign,

-Amy Schumer did college stand-up and I got to be treated to not just one but two different sets from her, circa 2009, She heckled me a little bit because I was dressed up as a cop for a play I was watching downstairs, and joked that I was going to use it to rape someone. LOL. 

-Melissa Rauch (now known for the Big Bang Theory) also did a set at the comedy club at my college circa 2009. I got to tell her how much I enjoyed her and Doug Benson on Best Week Ever, and I joked that he should do his Harry Potter impression but be naked on a house as an Equus joke. She was like, "Totally!" She signed a pack of cards that I had but I lost them, I believe.

-Didn't speak to Jill Biden, but I did see her at Delaware Tech once right during the 2008 election season.

Edited October 14, 2019 by methodwriter85

[Haleth]

Many years ago I sat next to college basketball coach Bob Knight on a flight from FL to Indy.  The only time I spoke to him was to ask if it was ok if I put the window shade up.  (He said yes.)  He did have a lengthy conversation with another passenger about fishing and didn't throw any chairs.

[Bastet]

15 hours ago, tribeca said:

I really want to know @Bastet Vince Vaughn story.  

There isn't much to it because he was so tanked.  He was hitting on me at a bar in Manhattan Beach (or maybe Hermosa; I used to spend a lot of time in both with a friend who lived there and those nights kind of run together) with absolutely no finesse because he was leaning more than standing and had to concentrate on making his words come out; he was at that stage where you know you're too drunk but think if you really put your mind to it you can pull it off.  Someone that drunk is just gross, even when you might otherwise find them reasonably attractive, and I had no intention of giving up my prime spot because of some guy who can't hold his liquor, so I essentially told him to fuck off and his friend walked him out.

[Dr.OO7]

On 10/10/2019 at 4:54 PM, doodlebug said:

I met virtually everyone including Oksana Baiul, Philppe Candeloro, Brian Boitano, Meno and Sand, Kurt Browning, Scott Hamilton, Kristy Yamaguchi, Ekaterina Gordee

That's fantastic. I absolutely idolized Kristi during the early 90's. I still remember checking the Olympic schedule and marking the figure skating days on my calendar so that I knew when to watch.

I "met" Susan Lucci for about two seconds years ago at Dancesport Studios in midtown Manhattan. I was arriving for my class, she was apparently leaving hers (I think she was to be a Dancing With The Stars contestant). We smiled and exchanged "Hellos". I was so floored I couldn't think of anything else to say.

She seemed lovely, but I was really struck by how tiny she was.

[xaxat]

You know how sometimes you are walking down a crowded sidewalk and someone is headed right at you and it becomes a game of chicken?

I did that with Newt Gingrich back in the nineties.

We both blinked.

[merylinkid]

I can't believe I forgot this one, it just happened a few months ago.   I got to meet Dominque Tipper from the Expanse.   She was at Escape Velocity the Museum of Science and Science Fiction's annual con.   We get Expanse cast members pretty regularly.   

I first saw Ms. Tipper when she was walking to the Exhibit Hall.   I almost didn't recognize because she is TINY.   I mean little.    She's about 5ft.2, and weighs 100 pounds dripping weight.   She looks healthy just TINY.    Most lovely gracious lady you would ever hope to meet.   She absolutely loves her fans.   I went to her panel.   Her cockney accent is awesome.  She admitted she didn't know anything about the Expanse or Naomi Nagata before auditioning.   It was just a job you know.   But now, seeing the character develop and knowing the back story she just loves it.   When she talked about bringing the story of a DV woman who is taking back her power in saving others to life, it brought tears to my eyes.   I was still crying when I thanked her for her words.

If you like the Expanse and you are on twitter, she is there under her real name.   She's great.  

[funky-rat]

On 10/10/2019 at 4:54 PM, doodlebug said:

I got to know a skating coach years ago.  She had a national rep and invited me backstage after multiple Stars on Ice performances in the 90's.  I met virtually everyone including Oksana Baiul, Philppe Candeloro, Brian Boitano, Meno and Sand, Kurt Browning, Scott Hamilton, Kristy Yamaguchi, Ekaterina Gordeeva. There were a bunch of others, I need to find my autographed programs to remember them all.  Because my escort was known by everyone (Carol Heiss Jenkins, US and Olympic Gold Medalist 1960), everyone was lovely, but it might've been because she was and is skating royalty.  She also coached Jill Trenary briefly and I met her, too.

Carol herself is quite the gal.  She's a cool blonde in the Grace Kelly mode, very petite.  But she is from NYC and has this gravelly voice and a thick New Yawk accent.  Big contrast.  Funny and irreverent as hell, too.  She is also the answer to a figure skating trivia question as her husband, Hayes Alan Jenkins is also an Olympic Gold Medalist (1956) and so is his brother David Jenkins (1960).  Hayes is also a very nice guy, hates Dick Button with a passion. Apparently Dick was not a very nice guy back when they were both competing.

I am jealous.  Carol Heiss Jenkins is a legend.  I would love to meet Brian Boitano in person, but I still have my thank-you card he sent me when I was a teen.  I follow him on FB, and made a comment on a video he posted about how I was not good at "shoot the duck" or "sit spins" - lots of sitting and not a lot of spinnig, and someone famous "liked" my post - I'll have to check and see who it was, but it was along the Carol Heiss route, and I was tickled.

I would agree with Hayes on Dick Button.  He could be really cutting with his commentary.  Don't throw anything at me, but I loved (and still love) Tonya Harding, and he was just always nasty with her about her weight, her large thighs, her dresses, etc.  Scott Hamilton can be like that too. Although I can't stand the commentary of Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski (I liked them both as skaters, but they're too snarky as commentators), so I sometimes wouldn't mind having Dick back.

Edited October 22, 2019 by funky-rat

[doodlebug]

4 hours ago, funky-rat said:

I would agree with Hayes on Dick Button.  He could be really cutting with his commentary.  Don't throw anything at me, but I loved (and still love) Tonya Harding, and he was just always nasty with her about her weight, her large thighs, her dresses, etc.  Scott Hamilton can be like that too. Although I can't stand the commentary of Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski (I liked them both as skaters, but they're too snarky as commentators), so I sometimes wouldn't mind having Dick back.

I did meet Tonya at a charity skating event I attended just before Lillehammer.  She was never my favorite, too stiff and klutzy between jumps; but she did have a great triple axel.  Despite her thick thighs, as you probably know, she was tiny back when she competed, probably a size 4 or 6.  There was a skater from Special Olympics at the event and I got his autograph because he was getting such a kick out of signing.  Tonya asked if I wanted hers and I told her, 'no thanks' because I am rude like that.

All of the female skaters are physically very small.  I remember thinking Nancy Kerrigan was so much taller than the rest and she is maybe 5 foot 2.  Oksana Baiul was so small at the time she won the gold medal, I swear her thighs were thinner than my wrists.  When I met her, it was in the locker room and she was wearing just a bra and panties (Carol H J insisted it was just fine to barrel on in there and meet some folks, it was not my idea).  Oksana looked like a stiff wind would break her in half.

[funky-rat]

18 hours ago, doodlebug said:

I did meet Tonya at a charity skating event I attended just before Lillehammer.  She was never my favorite, too stiff and klutzy between jumps; but she did have a great triple axel.  Despite her thick thighs, as you probably know, she was tiny back when she competed, probably a size 4 or 6.  There was a skater from Special Olympics at the event and I got his autograph because he was getting such a kick out of signing.  Tonya asked if I wanted hers and I told her, 'no thanks' because I am rude like that.

All of the female skaters are physically very small.  I remember thinking Nancy Kerrigan was so much taller than the rest and she is maybe 5 foot 2.  Oksana Baiul was so small at the time she won the gold medal, I swear her thighs were thinner than my wrists.  When I met her, it was in the locker room and she was wearing just a bra and panties (Carol H J insisted it was just fine to barrel on in there and meet some folks, it was not my idea).  Oksana looked like a stiff wind would break her in half.

Yeah, Oksana Baiul always looked tiny and frail.  I recall Roslyn Sumners not being much taller than me, and I was probably 5 foot even at the time.  I think Nancy looked so tall because she had very long legs, arms, and a long neck, producing long lines.  I personally never cared for her.  Doesn't mean I wanted the attack to happen - not at all - but I never cared for her.  I think it was mainly her attitude that I didn't care for, and the way the media really tried to force her as some ice princess that was above all.  I always root for the underdog.  Tonya could be sloppy at times, but the way that the establishment just crapped all over her made me root for her even harder.  I'm in the minority on that, but it is what it is.  As the spouse of an adult survivor of child abuse,  I have compassion for her as well.  Again, that's just me.

I got to a point where if Dick Button was commentating, I'd mute the TV.  Especially for the women - he just was always down on them for so much stuff, unless you were a favorite of his.  Just very cutting.  During the Calgary Olympics, SNL did a sketch called "Mark Masano - Olympic Figure Skater" with Tom Hanks as a horrible skater.  He basically did nothing but go in circles and wave his arms.  But Dick Button (played by Phil Hartman) just raved about the routine, how fun it was, and sexy to boot!  The co-comentator, played by Dana Carvery (can't recall which real life person he was supposed to be) was just continually dumbfounded by the accolades for this horrible skater.  At the end, Jan Hooks as Peggy Fleming goes over to talk to him about his scores, which were mostly 0.1, and he was out of breath and couldn't speak, but would make hand gestures.  It was hilarious, and very "on the nose" for Dick Button commentary.  I'm there now with Johnny Weir.  I don't watch anymore.  The fact that the current scoring system is just crap and can be easily manipulated doesn't help either.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I think Dick Buttons wife was an agent or something for some of the women skaters, and they seemed to get favored treatment from him. 

[methodwriter85]

This reminded me that a guy I knew in college (who is straight) who told me that Johnny Weir asked him to prom. He said no, but he kind of wished he had gone with him because it would have been quite the story. LOL.

[doodlebug]

36 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I think Dick Buttons wife was an agent or something for some of the women skaters, and they seemed to get favored treatment from him. 

Dick Button was married to Slavka Kohout, a skating coach, from '73-'84.  They have 2 kids.  

36 minutes ago, methodwriter85 said:

This reminded me that a guy I knew in college (who is straight) who told me that Johnny Weir asked him to prom. He said no, but he kind of wished he had gone with him because it would have been quite the story. LOL.

I have a feeling Johnny would've been one helluva fun date.

[Blergh]

1 hour ago, methodwriter85 said:

This reminded me that a guy I knew in college (who is straight) who told me that Johnny Weir asked him to prom. He said no, but he kind of wished he had gone with him because it would have been quite the story. LOL.

I have the feeling it might have gone the way it did for at least one of Clark Gable's (female) dates who said that "the best thing you can say about having sex with Clark Gable is that you can say you've had sex with Clark Gable" !

[Lugal]

It's funny, Johnny Weir is a celebrity I could have met and not known it.  We grew up in the same area of Pennsylvania and his family knew my aunt, so if we did run into each other at all we would have known each other as "that Weir kid" or "so-and-so's nephew."

[funky-rat]

I liked him as a skater, but once he got in front of the microphone, he just got nasty and snarky.  Save that for a podcast or something.

[cpcathy]

I can't stand Tara Lipinski, so by association Johnny Weir gets my hate. I think they are two "mean girls."

By the way, I always appreciated Dick Button's honesty. He knew his stuff and he was usually saying something right as I was saying it out loud to the TV.

[meep.meep]

Dick was super awful during the Battle of the Brians at the Calgary Olympics when he was 100% in Camp Orser and nearly died on camera when Boitano won.

On the other hand, when Midori Ito made her ill-advised comeback, and Peggy Fleming, instead of talking about her skating, mentioned that she always had the entire audience under her spell, Dick made a point of letting Peggy know how wonderful she was.

[andromeda331]

9 hours ago, cpcathy said:

I can't stand Tara Lipinski, so by association Johnny Weir gets my hate. I think they are two "mean girls."

By the way, I always appreciated Dick Button's honesty. He knew his stuff and he was usually saying something right as I was saying it out loud to the TV.

I liked them both until they started commentators at figure skating competitions. Their both definitely "mean girls" but I hate Johnny more because of his obsession with Russian ladies figure skaters especially Evgenia Medvedeva. He can't stop talking about them nor can he stop saying Medvedeva. Its creepy and weird.

[methodwriter85]

9 hours ago, cpcathy said:

I can't stand Tara Lipinski, so by association Johnny Weir gets my hate.

I never met her, but everyone I knew who met Tara Lipinski described her as a massive bitch.

[Was-MArsenault]

I emailed Gretchen Carlson about a certain video that she uploaded to a channel, and she responded back to me.

The video in question:

[catlover79]

I still remember Gretchen Carlson's Cleveland days at Channel 19 in the mid to late 1990s. What did she say to you, if it's OK to ask?

In 2001, I spent my spring break with friends who lived in the LA area. We went to the Universal Citywalk and I spotted a familiar-looking man walking in the opposite direction. I couldn't resist - I called out to him and asked for an autograph. Since I was and still am a classic TV geek, I was tickled when he obliged. He had just finished a run on a classic TV stars edition of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and "Hollywood Survivor" with other classic TV stars on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. That was Danny Bonaduce, and he and his young daughter couldn't have been kinder. I still have the autograph and a picture my friend took. 😎

Edited November 12, 2019 by catlover79

[Was-MArsenault]

5 minutes ago, catlover79 said:

I still remember Gretchen Carlson's Cleveland days at Channel 19 in the mid to late 1990s. What did she say to you, if it's OK to ask?

In 2001, I spent my spring break with friends who lived in the LA area. We went to the Universal Citywalk and I spotted a familiar-looking man walking in the opposite direction. I couldn't resist - I called out to him and asked for an autograph. Since I was and still am a classic TV geek, I was tickled when he obliged. He had just finished a run on a classic TV stars edition of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and "Hollywood Survivor" with other classic TV stars on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. That was Danny Bonaduce, and he and his young daughter couldn't have been kinder. I still have the autograph and a picture my friend took. 😎

She just said that the video was from 1996 and that was it.

[catlover79]

5 hours ago, MikaelaArsenault said:

She just said that the video was from 1996 and that was it.

👍😎

[Was-MArsenault]

2 hours ago, catlover79 said:

👍😎

And what’s odd is that the title of the video says Texas Rangers game.

[KWalkerInc]

My father and I used to eat at a casual restaurant about once a month.  One night, I saw NFL coach turned commentator Tony Dungy walking back to a table from the bathrooms.  This made sense, as his son was playing for our local college at the time; but because I never see anyone famous, it was kind of hard for my brain to process it until I saw several other members of his party wearing jerseys with "Dungy" and his son's number on the back.  We would have seen them on the way in, but they were at an outdoor table out front and my father and I had come in the back door from the parking lot.  From looking at Tony Dungy's Wikipedia page, it must have been 2013 or 2014, as that's when his son was here.  We didn't bother him, but my father mentioned it to the owner, who said the family often came in before games and were very nice.

Edited November 12, 2019 by KWalkerInc
Adding a sentence.

[MaryMitch]

I met Pat Summitt (legendary basketball coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols) once, and I was a babbling idiot, but she was very nice to me, shook my hand, and thanked me. I still cry on the anniversary of her death.

[Bastet]

45 minutes ago, MaryMitch said:

I met Pat Summitt (legendary basketball coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols) once, and I was a babbling idiot, but she was very nice to me, shook my hand, and thanked me. I still cry on the anniversary of her death.

I really admired her, so I'm a little jealous of this one.  I'm glad you had that experience - how wonderful.  She struck me as one of those women it would feel inspiring just to be in the presence of.

[Blergh]

14 hours ago, MaryMitch said:

I met Pat Summitt (legendary basketball coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols) once, and I was a babbling idiot, but she was very nice to me, shook my hand, and thanked me. I still cry on the anniversary of her death.

Whoa! That's great that happened to you! The thing I admired most about her wasn't her winning streak or even her hard work to singlehandedly turn what had been a neglected team into something everyone could be proud of but the fact that she insisted that EVERY one of her players complete their college education to get their degrees! 

[Haleth]

Someone mentioned Christopher Reeve on another thread and I have a 6 degrees kind of story.  A million years ago when I was a wee lass my mom worked for Christopher's grandmother.  She was an author by the name of Beatrice Lamb who wrote several books about India.  My mom typed the manuscripts (and even has one dedicated to her).  I have memories of running around Mrs Lamb's ginormous estate in New Canaan, CT, sometimes with Chris's cousin Peter.  Never did meet Chris though.

[Was-MArsenault]

My local radio station got to interview Chevy Chase a few days ago!

https://wzid.com/nh-in-the-am/chevy-chase-interview/
 

[Blergh]

11 hours ago, MikaelaArsenault said:

My local radio station got to interview Chevy Chase a few days ago!

https://wzid.com/nh-in-the-am/chevy-chase-interview/
 

Did you personally get to meet him?

If not, listening to him on a radio station is not the same as an actual encounter, IMO. In this age of Podcasts, listening to someone speak in a radio interview can sound the same whether the broadcast originated in Antarctica or around the corner from one's house! 

[Was-MArsenault]

11 hours ago, Blergh said:

Did you personally get to meet him?

If not, listening to him on a radio station is not the same as an actual encounter, IMO. In this age of Podcasts, listening to someone speak in a radio interview can sound the same whether the broadcast originated in Antarctica or around the corner from one's house! 

No.

[Scout Finch]

Not sure but I think it must have been in 1993 because both President Clinton and VP Al Gore were here for a conference. Outside the hotel they would be staying at, there were massive crowds on both sides of the street. I eventually managed to work my way up to the front of one of them and was next to the barrier. I am still struck by how palpable the power and grandeur was as the Secret Service vehicles and then the presidential limos started arriving. Before going in the hotel, Clinton and Gore shook hands with several people in the crowd, myself included. I recall actually feeling week in the knees when it happened. The atmosphere was so electrified and exciting! My babbling self immediately went to visit my mother. Normally, she was not phased or impressed by celebrities, but she was a political activist and this time she just had to touch THE hand. The only other time she was thrilled by an interaction with someone of some renown was when I had Morris Dees of the Southern Poverty Law Center (RIP the hero worship I used to have) call her on my cellphone after an event.

I met several alternative bands in the late '80s/early '90s when I interviewed them as the arts editor of my college newspaper and then for a local music paper. Best moment, though, was back when I was 19 (1983) and went to my first U2 concert. I got pulled up to dance with Bono and also had gotten a backstage pass earlier in the day (through a non-sleazy circumstance!) so I got all four autographs as they were coming down the stairs from the dressing room on their way out. The event took up 11 pages in my diary!

My favorite band these days is (the unfortunately-monikered) The Brian Jonestown Massacre. I've DMed with a couple of band members on Facebook, and Rob, the keyboardist, made a point of walking over to specifically give me a set-list (girl next to me who had been dragged there by her date and yawned several times tried to grab it but Rob was not having it) after the Seattle show because I was one of the few up front who was obviously having a fabulous time among the majority who were acting too-cool to have a good time. The crowd at the Portland show the night before had been the complete opposite. However, I'm not sure if these count as official encounters.

Edited February 9, 2020 by Scout Finch

[Annber03]

4 hours ago, Scout Finch said:

I met several alternative bands in the late '80s/early '90s when I interviewed them as the arts editor of my college newspaper and then for a local music paper. Best moment, though, was back when I was 19 (1983) and went to my first U2 concert. I got pulled up to dance with Bono and also had gotten a backstage pass earlier in the day (through a non-sleazy circumstance!) so I got all four autographs as they were coming down the stairs from the dressing room on their way out. The event took up 11 pages in my diary!

Okay, wow, so I'm totally jealous of you now :D. That's so cool!

[Scout Finch]

27 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

Okay, wow, so I'm totally jealous of you now :D. That's so cool!

Outing my name but...I was one of the all-volunteer staff on the fan-run @U2 site for nearly 20 years and at one point our cartoonist did one about my experience. Heh, the having to go to work at Wendy's the next day was totally true and so sad! 

https://www.atu2.com/achtoon/308.html

[Annber03]

Ha, no kidding. I would've called for, like, the next week off to regroup after an experience like that :p!

That's such a cool story, and I love the comic. I'm glad you had such a fun experience, and that everyone treated you so nicely. 

[harrie]

Great story, @Scout Finch!

[Danielg342]

I've met quite a few at cons and meet/greets, but I'd take too long to discuss them all. I'll just talk about the ones that stood out.

• The Miz I met twice:
  • First at Fan Expo in Toronto in 2018, when my brother and I both went up to him and got autographed pictures. I told him that my brother has the same first name as he does, to which he responded, "that's a good name to have" before turning to my brother who just simple froze and didn't know what to say.
  • Then at Summerslam Axess just this past summer. It was just me this time, and I asked him if he remembered me. He said he didn't (I honestly didn't expect him to), but we wound up having a conversation based on that and he promised me at the end that he'll remember me next time. I'm going to hold him to that. 😛
• Alexa Bliss: Summerslam Axess '19. She was the first one my brother and I scheduled to meet at Axess. We're both fans of hers, but I'm a bit bigger of a fan- I literally think of her as the prettiest woman on the planet. So the entire car ride down I was nervous and worried I would faint or throw up or do something stupid, and my brother, cool as ever, kept telling me, "everything is going to be OK."
  
  Then we get to the line to actually meet her. My brother was first up, and, wouldn't you know it, he completely loses his marbles and he's a nervous wreck around her. Alexa, to her credit, was very gracious and calming, but I couldn't help but laugh, because I thought it was so funny that the guy who didn't seem fazed at all at meeting Alexa came completely unglued when he actually did. I don't remember if I actually explained that to her or not, but Alexa did playfully call me out for it- and I didn't lose my marbles, for the record. She turned out to be very nice and gracious, and I newfound appreciation for her.
• Dana Brooke appeared twice at Axess. The first time we had a pleasant but otherwise not noteworthy conversation where she said she liked Toronto and I told her she didn't need to flatter me- after which I realized she was being serious. The second time around she seemed very happy to see me because she actually remembered me from the first time- which caught me off guard. I mean, I know she's not as famous as some of the other WWE stars but she didn't have short lineups either, so the fact she remembered me- and that it was a happy memory- sticks out.
• Buddy Murphy (sorry, he's now just "Murphy") doesn't look particularly big on TV but when I saw him at Axess in person he was a giant. That caught me off guard and totally tripped me out of anything I wanted to say to him. He was a pretty good guy though.
• I spent- literally- two hours in line at Axess waiting to meet Aleister Black so I thanked him for waiting for me and he told me meeting the fans was the best part of his job. I believe him- he literally stayed behind an extra half hour to make sure everyone in line got a chance to meet him and get an autograph from him. Baron Corbin and Carmella did the same thing, which makes me wish I had the time to meet both because staying past your time frame in order to meet everyone shows true appreciation for the fans- which, as a fan, is something you take notice of.
• Mya Yim was completely adorable and so very cuddly. I think we spent the time at Axess just hugging each other and it was a great hug too. I wish I could just pull her out of my pocket and get a hug whenever I'm having a bad day...oh well.
• Other Axess highlights- noted video gamer AJ Styles revealed at his Q&A that he played Keith Courage in the Alpha Zone, which was a game my brother and I loved but we didn't think anyone else would know about it. AJ too seemed pretty surprised that we knew of the game as well. My brother had also asked him if he'd wrestle Kazuchika Okada one more time (as a couple of weeks before we saw a replay of an Okada-AJ tilt from 2015 and it was one of the best matches I'd ever seen), and, wouldn't you know it, I saw on the rumour mill a few days ago that Okada may just be on his way to WWE. We just may get our wish. 😛

Other con moments:

• At Fan Expo '18, Karen Gilllan offered a hug to everyone who met her for a photo. I thought that was nice of her, and, of course, I accepted.
• At Fan Expo '18, my brother told Robin Lord Taylor that we'd been following him since seeing him in Accepted and he was blown away. He probably thought he was the only one who remembered he was in that movie, but we did.
• At the Hamilton Comic Con in 2014, my brother and I posed for pictures with and got a signed poster from Robert Picardo. Picardo complimented me on my acting skills (one of the pictures we did was to pretend to be angry at the camera) and made out the autograph to myself, my brother and my mother (who is a big Trekkie). Needless to say my mother loved it and it was great she got to see it- sadly, she died a year later.

Other times:

• Cabral Richards, AKA "Cabbie on the Street"- I might be scratching the surface of who qualifies as a "celebrity", but, as a Canadian sports fan, he counts. Plus he had a memorable friendship with the late Kobe Bryant (for some sad irony, Cabbie even rode in the same helicopter that would later cause Kobe's death). Anyway, my brother and I were out on the streets in downtown Toronto one night and I just happen to spot Cabbie debating with two other people (who I later realized were hosts of The Basketball Jones). I believe they were arguing about dogs- this was the time of Michael Vick's dogfighting scandal- and Cabbie tried to argue that the pitbull wasn't the same species as other types of dogs. I remember walking into the conversation without hesitation and I told Cabbie that biology disagrees with him, and he tried to rebut me but one of his pals just gave me this look as if to say, "really?" Anyway, they said their goodbyes and went on their way, so I asked Cabbie for a picture. He looked confused until my brother told him we were fans- after which he agreed. I then apologized for budding into his conversation but he wasn't upset about it.
• Before he became "big time hockey analyst" for the CBC and Sportsnet, Elliotte Friedman was at my alma mater, York University, covering the homecoming football game for The Score and he had to wait in line in order to order a hot dog. I didn't talk to him- I was too stunned- but a few others who knew who he was joked with him that he shouldn't have to wait in line because he's "VIP". I'd say he probably doesn't wait in line anymore, but then I remember he's still a Canadian journalist so...he probably does.
• Jeff Marek did a live radio broadcast from the Canadian Auto Show back in 2008 or 2009. I didn't realize it was live until I got up close to him at his table and heard the discussion in real time, which freaked me out. I did manage to come back when he was finished the broadcast, and he didn't seem upset that I almost interrupted him. He then relayed a story about seeing the Atlanta Flames play the Toronto Maple Leafs as a kid, since my brother was wearing a Calgary Flames jersey (he's a Flames fan).
• There was a Native Canadian music night in Toronto and Lorne Cardinal was in the audience. I remember seeing him but I was too nervous to walk up to him (I'm a big fan of Corner Gas), until one of the event's organizers encouraged me to do so. I then made the faux pas of telling him I'm a big fan of his character on Corner Gas and then- because I blanked- asking what the name of his character was...but he was a nice guy (and a big guy). There was a small bit of irony in that Cardinal came to see the same performer I was there to see (her name was Amanda Rheaume, in case anyone knows) but, unfortunately for him, Rheaume had finished her set and I guess he missed it.
• I don't know how many people know the Canadian band The Watchmen- they had a hit in the 1990s with "In Stereo", one of my favourite songs- but one time, at a "Winnipeg music night" in Toronto my brother and I had a pretty good conversation with their lead singer, Daniel Greaves. He said he owns a bar in Toronto and I'd been meaning to go there but I never get around to it. One day.
• Speaking of Canadian music, Skye Sweetnam- who had minor U.S. hits with "Billy S" and "Tangled Up In Me", the latter one being on my MP3 player for a time- was taking in a show in Toronto one night. I walked up to her but didn't realize it was her until we actually got to talking (I just approached Skye because she was pretty, I gotta say). We actually became good friends for a while and I saw her a few times when she performed with her current band, Sumo Psycho (which, admittedly, is suited far better to her musical style than that time she was packaged as an Avril Lavigne clone, though she's not embarrassed about that time).
• I had the same kind of experience with Ryan Malcolm, the first Canadian Idol (though I wasn't trying to hit on him). I remember I'm at this bar and the lighting was pretty bad. I start talking to this guy (who I later found out was Malcolm's manager) and then Malcolm introduces himself to me as "Ryan". Because of the lighting, I didn't realize who it was until later in the conversation- because by then the lighting got better- but I felt weird asking Malcolm straight up to confirm his identity. Fortunately his manager did it for me, and I apologized to Malcolm for not recognizing him but he wasn't troubled. I know he hasn't amounted to much lately, which I think he was a shame since I think he actually had some skills. Them's the breaks, I guess.
• Lastly, there's Sum 41's Cone McCaslin (you may know Sum 41 because "Fat Lip" was a hit just about everywhere, including the U.S.). Anyway, I see him at a bar, just hanging out...I thought I had recognized him but I didn't know where, and I stupidly asked him about it (to which he gave me a deservedly snarky answer). There was a friend of mine at the same bar who worked as a promoter...I asked her to confirm who he was and she told me, so I walked back up to him, and Cone was more accommodating to me once I knew he was in Sum 41. I then told him I was a fan of the band- and not just because of "Fat Lip"- and (since the band is on hiatus now) I told him the band needed to come back and he seemed genuinely floored. As far as I know, Sum 41 still hasn't come back yet but it seems at least one member of the band wants to get things going again.

[TaraS1]

I was nearly killed by Emma Caulfield (Buffy, 90210, etc) at a friend's barbecue, so that's a memorable celebrity encounter that stands out to me.  She was in charge of grilling the chicken, but when my friend and I got our pieces, they were almost raw.  We didn't eat it, of course, but we always joke that the chick from Buffy tried to poison us.  And on top of that, she was....well, I would describe her as charm-free.  But maybe she was just having a bad day.

My mom and I drove from KY to MA to see Maura Tierney in a play there about ten years ago (I've met her a few times and she's lovely) and while we were exploring the town, Casey Affleck and Summer Phoenix approached us and asked for directions.  They were very nice, but I wanted to say, "You're from MA and we're from KY, we're even more lost than you are!" lol

I spotted Rosie O'Donnell with one of her sons at LaGuardia once and essentially pointed in her face like a crazy person because I was so surprised and excited to walk right past her.  She said hello and kept moving, but I felt like I'd been rude, so I sat down at my gate and tweeted her an apology.  She almost immediately tweeted back that it was no problem, and started following me on Twitter.  I just thought that was nice of her.

When Kelli Giddish (Rollins on SVU) got her start on All My Children, I became a big fan and started a little fan message board dedicated to her.  Her dad found it and sent me a message, and he and I became friendly.  So just before she left AMC, I was going to be in NYC for a few days and I asked her dad if she might be willing to meet up with me - and she was!  Believe it or not, she actually came to the hotel my friend and I were staying at and picked us up, and then bought us breakfast and spent the morning with us in Bryant Park.  She went so far beyond what 99% of celebs would do (even if they aren't hugely famous), it will always blow my mind that she was that kind and open.  Ironically, she was in the middle of filming a tiny guest spot on L&O:CI at the time, so I guess that's when the L&O folks first became aware of her.

I've also had the privilege of meeting Boy George (the love of my life since I was five years old lol) at a few meet & greets and he has been an absolute dream come true each time.  The last time, it had been almost two years since I'd seen him, but he was like, "I know you!" and gave me a big hug.  Plus he recognized my mom, gave her a big hug and told the photographer that he was going to take extra photos with us, even though we'd been told by the staff that it was forbidden.  I could have been hit by a bus two seconds later and would have died the happiest person on earth.

But the nicest famous person I've ever met, hands down and without question, is Lucy Liu.  I wish everyone could meet her someday, not even because she's famous, but just because she's such an extraordinary human being who is the epitome of kindness and generosity.

[Blergh]

TaraS1,

 

 Interesting accounts.

I have to say I'm somewhat surprised that the encounters you had with Miss O'Donnell and Mr. George wound up being positive. Regardless of whether they're actually nice but misunderstood folks or you personally wound up having extraordinary,atypical  reactions from them, good for you! 

[Bastet]

4 hours ago, Blergh said:

I have to say I'm somewhat surprised that the encounters you had with Miss O'Donnell and Mr. George wound up being positive.

Those I know who've met Rosie O'Donnell in a social situation all enjoyed it.  Those I know who worked on her talk show, not so much.

[SVNBob]

On 2/21/2020 at 10:14 AM, TaraS1 said:

But the nicest famous person I've ever met, hands down and without question, is Lucy Liu.

Thus explaining your profile photo. 😀