OT: Your stories of a brush with famous people.
- Thread starter Rutgers NJ
- Start date
One more...
One night I went late to rent a video and get Chinese takeout - both in same shopping area.
I rented "The Lion King" and got to the Chinese place 15 minutes before closing.
I got home and realized I forgot the movie in the takeout place but it was too late to go back
I went to the Chinese place early the next day and they had the vid so I was lucky.
As I was leaving I saw a long line outside a home center next place over (pre Depot days).
I asked people what line was for, and they said James Earl Jones was inside signing copies of his new autobiography
So there I was with my rescued "Lion King" movie and the effin Lion King himself was right there.
Of course I stayed on line to meet Jones, and I met a friend getting her book signed for a charity raffle.
I explained to her how I happened to know Jone's neighbor up in Pawling NY.
When we got to the table my friend mentioned to Jones that I knew a stockbroker neighbor of his. Jones mentioned his name to me and we spoke about that and some other things we had it common. So there I was talking to Darth Vader all because I left a video in the Chinese place. Jones was great and very much the common man type.
Worth a mention that Jones was ROTC at Michigan and became an Army Ranger (he like being in Pershing Rifles Drill Team and Scabbard and Blade Honor Society). A lot of the old great actors had military experience
One night I went late to rent a video and get Chinese takeout - both in same shopping area.
I rented "The Lion King" and got to the Chinese place 15 minutes before closing.
I got home and realized I forgot the movie in the takeout place but it was too late to go back
I went to the Chinese place early the next day and they had the vid so I was lucky.
As I was leaving I saw a long line outside a home center next place over (pre Depot days).
I asked people what line was for, and they said James Earl Jones was inside signing copies of his new autobiography
So there I was with my rescued "Lion King" movie and the effin Lion King himself was right there.
Of course I stayed on line to meet Jones, and I met a friend getting her book signed for a charity raffle.
I explained to her how I happened to know Jone's neighbor up in Pawling NY.
When we got to the table my friend mentioned to Jones that I knew a stockbroker neighbor of his. Jones mentioned his name to me and we spoke about that and some other things we had it common. So there I was talking to Darth Vader all because I left a video in the Chinese place. Jones was great and very much the common man type.
Worth a mention that Jones was ROTC at Michigan and became an Army Ranger (he like being in Pershing Rifles Drill Team and Scabbard and Blade Honor Society). A lot of the old great actors had military experience
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Talked to Geno Aruiemma for 5-10 minutes after a Rutgers - UConn game back in the mid 2000s
Funny as hell and a fellow Italian - much different than his persona on tv
Also my buddys sister played on the Nova team that upset uconn at the Rac in the big east finals
Funny as hell and a fellow Italian - much different than his persona on tv
Also my buddys sister played on the Nova team that upset uconn at the Rac in the big east finals
Me and two work colleagues spotted Bobby Knight in the Auckland airport back in the mid 90’s ( I think 96). I was terrified of the guy so I wasn’t about to bother him but my work buddy yelled out “Hey Bobby - are you down here scouting” - much to my surprise he walked on over, shook all our hands and told us he was down there for a fishing vacation with his sons.
So ... I live in NYC, so have a fair number of fun interactions. Still, here are a number:
1) Brooke Shields: In the early to mid-1980's when I was in college or just out, I was on Amtrak coming North from the South, and a tall, slender, strikingly pretty young woman with very heavy eyebrows got on the train with a heavy duffel bag, and sat in the open seat next to me (I was on the aisle - for leg room, and she wanted the window seat). I help her put her duffel in the rack above us, and on and off for the next hour talked to her, until the train arrived in NYC. I never asked her name, and she never offered it, but it was clearly Brooke Shields ... I am pretty sure she was more comfortable talking to a stranger her own age (well I was a couple years older - she was at Princeton and may have been only 19 or 20 at the time) when that person did NOT impose on her pr press her for her name. I do remember her talking a lot about her half/step siblings, especially about her brother.
2) Heidi Klum and Seal: Heidi lived in the same building in which my apartment is, and after she met Seal he lived there also. I had numerous conversations with her and Seal, have had drinks in her apartment, once when struggling with both my young kids and several bags of groceries enjoyed Seal (the nicest guy, by the way) coming into the building at the same time, and scoop up both my kids (he is a big guy) and help me into our apartment. We were not friends, but I would say we were more than casual acquaintances.: True neighbors.
3) Antonio Fargas (Huggy Bear on Starsky and Hutch): Okay, not a major star, but even so ... Was on a cross-town bus in NYC across from him, and I greeted him, telling him I enjoyed him in Starsky and Hutch. He was delighted, saying, "How nice - no one ever recognizes me , so thank you for saying hello."
4) James Gondolfini: Met him while he was playing with his toddle kid in the local playground. My young kids were in the playground as well - I merely said hello when his kid and mine were all in the sandbox together. He was friends with a friend of our in the neighborhood and was visiting the neighborhood. Around the same time, Ricki Lake also spent a fair bit of time with her kid at the same playground.
5) Julianne Moore: I often saw her walking in my neighborhood - but that is a sighting, not an encounter. So ... her son played basketball (was a preferred walk-on at Davidson, FYI). He also played high school basketball in NYC - playing against my son's high school team each season (out of conference). At one game, I was in the stands having an enjoyable conversation with a parent from the opposing team, we were next to each other in the bleachers ... and of course, asking which player was her kid, and she asking which was mine, and both of us complementing each other's son ... Her son was WAY better than mine, BTW - he was the star on his team while my son. though he played a lot, was just the 6th man on his team. We talked for more than an hour. After the game, my son came up to me all excited and asked what Julianne Moore was like . I asked why he asked, since I did not know her. He looked me like I was an idiot (which I was, of course - being a parent of a teen) and told me I had been talking to her all game, LOL! I was completely oblivious, just focused on the game, and sharing the game with another parent. Yes, what an an idiot I am! When I did see her in the neighborhood a couple of times I did greet her - and she did remember who I was.
6) Hugh Jackman - and his now soon to be ex-wife, Deborah: This is a good one. A friend invited us to a benefit on hunger (it turned out it was the organization that had pulled in Deborah and Hugh - it was really Deborah's thing more than Hugh's). Anyway, they were both there, of course. At the cocktail hour, my then wife kept staring at Hugh - who she reminded me lived in our neighborhood. I encouraged her to go say hello, and we both walked over (me giving my wife moral support). When she introduced herself as neighbors, Hugh lit up abd called HIS wife over and we talked for the next 10 minutes or so. THEN ... the very next morning, my wife was walking our dog, and ran into Hugh walking HIS dogs (they had 2). He immediately recognized her and came over to give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek - made her day. We ran into Hugh many times over several years, and sometimes walked our dogs together ... Those in NYC understand dog-walking culture: Its us against the world, and people get to know their acquaintances' dogs better than the people.
In business, I also had the opportunity to mee many well-know investment world people (once talked to Ivan Boesky on the phone - before his arrest, but later realized it was while he was taping people as a snitch for the Feds - my boss was friendly with Boesky and asked me to pass along to Boesky our technical indicator charts - nothing insider about that, FYI).
1) Brooke Shields: In the early to mid-1980's when I was in college or just out, I was on Amtrak coming North from the South, and a tall, slender, strikingly pretty young woman with very heavy eyebrows got on the train with a heavy duffel bag, and sat in the open seat next to me (I was on the aisle - for leg room, and she wanted the window seat). I help her put her duffel in the rack above us, and on and off for the next hour talked to her, until the train arrived in NYC. I never asked her name, and she never offered it, but it was clearly Brooke Shields ... I am pretty sure she was more comfortable talking to a stranger her own age (well I was a couple years older - she was at Princeton and may have been only 19 or 20 at the time) when that person did NOT impose on her pr press her for her name. I do remember her talking a lot about her half/step siblings, especially about her brother.
2) Heidi Klum and Seal: Heidi lived in the same building in which my apartment is, and after she met Seal he lived there also. I had numerous conversations with her and Seal, have had drinks in her apartment, once when struggling with both my young kids and several bags of groceries enjoyed Seal (the nicest guy, by the way) coming into the building at the same time, and scoop up both my kids (he is a big guy) and help me into our apartment. We were not friends, but I would say we were more than casual acquaintances.: True neighbors.
3) Antonio Fargas (Huggy Bear on Starsky and Hutch): Okay, not a major star, but even so ... Was on a cross-town bus in NYC across from him, and I greeted him, telling him I enjoyed him in Starsky and Hutch. He was delighted, saying, "How nice - no one ever recognizes me , so thank you for saying hello."
4) James Gondolfini: Met him while he was playing with his toddle kid in the local playground. My young kids were in the playground as well - I merely said hello when his kid and mine were all in the sandbox together. He was friends with a friend of our in the neighborhood and was visiting the neighborhood. Around the same time, Ricki Lake also spent a fair bit of time with her kid at the same playground.
5) Julianne Moore: I often saw her walking in my neighborhood - but that is a sighting, not an encounter. So ... her son played basketball (was a preferred walk-on at Davidson, FYI). He also played high school basketball in NYC - playing against my son's high school team each season (out of conference). At one game, I was in the stands having an enjoyable conversation with a parent from the opposing team, we were next to each other in the bleachers ... and of course, asking which player was her kid, and she asking which was mine, and both of us complementing each other's son ... Her son was WAY better than mine, BTW - he was the star on his team while my son. though he played a lot, was just the 6th man on his team. We talked for more than an hour. After the game, my son came up to me all excited and asked what Julianne Moore was like . I asked why he asked, since I did not know her. He looked me like I was an idiot (which I was, of course - being a parent of a teen) and told me I had been talking to her all game, LOL! I was completely oblivious, just focused on the game, and sharing the game with another parent. Yes, what an an idiot I am! When I did see her in the neighborhood a couple of times I did greet her - and she did remember who I was.
6) Hugh Jackman - and his now soon to be ex-wife, Deborah: This is a good one. A friend invited us to a benefit on hunger (it turned out it was the organization that had pulled in Deborah and Hugh - it was really Deborah's thing more than Hugh's). Anyway, they were both there, of course. At the cocktail hour, my then wife kept staring at Hugh - who she reminded me lived in our neighborhood. I encouraged her to go say hello, and we both walked over (me giving my wife moral support). When she introduced herself as neighbors, Hugh lit up abd called HIS wife over and we talked for the next 10 minutes or so. THEN ... the very next morning, my wife was walking our dog, and ran into Hugh walking HIS dogs (they had 2). He immediately recognized her and came over to give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek - made her day. We ran into Hugh many times over several years, and sometimes walked our dogs together ... Those in NYC understand dog-walking culture: Its us against the world, and people get to know their acquaintances' dogs better than the people.
In business, I also had the opportunity to mee many well-know investment world people (once talked to Ivan Boesky on the phone - before his arrest, but later realized it was while he was taping people as a snitch for the Feds - my boss was friendly with Boesky and asked me to pass along to Boesky our technical indicator charts - nothing insider about that, FYI).
Years ago, Stefanie was our W.B. Mason (I think it was that) sales rep who used to visit our office from time to time. I don't think they were married yet, but could've been.
I've been in higher ed communications for most of the last 25 years, so that has given me proximity to a number of interesting folks, one way or another.
About 20 years ago, I was the liaison waiting for RFK Jr. at an event where he was the keynote speaker. I was supposed to lead him backstage. He got out of his car/limo, a sweaty mess with his top button undone and the knot of his tie about four inches down from his collar. I greeted him and in a nonthreatening way, almost like he was hanging on to me, grabbed the front of my shirt and said, "Get me a Coke." (I'm pretty sure he said a Coke.)
Once I stepped outside for some air toward the end of a post-commencement luncheon. I was alone when Richie Sambora, who had received an honorary degree, stepped outside for a smoke. Offered me one, which I declined. We shot the shit for five minutes before heading back inside. Good guy, down to earth.
A while back, I was at an alumni event for one class's 50-year reunion. I was scanning the room for one guy in particular, standing on my toes to get a good look. When I went back down on my heels and returned my gaze to eye level, a guy whose head I had been looking over was actually standing right in front of me, offering his hand. "Hi, I'm Hugh Cregg," he said. Most of the world knows him as Huey Lewis.
I sat at lunch tables with Spike Lee (a dick, which was disappointing, because I enjoy his work), Anderson Cooper (who was really engaged and glad to be there), and Harlan Coben, who really just wants an audience. I've never read any of his books, but as a conversationalist, he's all right.
One time it was a normal work day and I was sitting in my office when Jim Breuer poked his head in and asked if I knew where he could find so-and-so.
One summer day, I was mowing my front lawn when a car pulled over to my curb and rolled the window down. I approached and it was Steve Adubato Jr., who was late to a wedding and wanted my help with directions to The Tides in North Haledon (this was pre-GPS). He's more New Jersey famous than universally famous, but I certainly knew who he was.
And I had a pre-arranged 15-minute phone conversation with Stephen A. Smith a few years ago, an interview for a story. He was actually thoughtful and reflective, and not the bombastic character he plays on TV.
I'm leaving a few out and forgetting some others, but these are the ones I think of first. Oh, and I ate dinner two tables away from Richard Nixon when I was a teenager at the old Scordato's in Hawthorne, but that's not really an interaction.
About 20 years ago, I was the liaison waiting for RFK Jr. at an event where he was the keynote speaker. I was supposed to lead him backstage. He got out of his car/limo, a sweaty mess with his top button undone and the knot of his tie about four inches down from his collar. I greeted him and in a nonthreatening way, almost like he was hanging on to me, grabbed the front of my shirt and said, "Get me a Coke." (I'm pretty sure he said a Coke.)
Once I stepped outside for some air toward the end of a post-commencement luncheon. I was alone when Richie Sambora, who had received an honorary degree, stepped outside for a smoke. Offered me one, which I declined. We shot the shit for five minutes before heading back inside. Good guy, down to earth.
A while back, I was at an alumni event for one class's 50-year reunion. I was scanning the room for one guy in particular, standing on my toes to get a good look. When I went back down on my heels and returned my gaze to eye level, a guy whose head I had been looking over was actually standing right in front of me, offering his hand. "Hi, I'm Hugh Cregg," he said. Most of the world knows him as Huey Lewis.
I sat at lunch tables with Spike Lee (a dick, which was disappointing, because I enjoy his work), Anderson Cooper (who was really engaged and glad to be there), and Harlan Coben, who really just wants an audience. I've never read any of his books, but as a conversationalist, he's all right.
One time it was a normal work day and I was sitting in my office when Jim Breuer poked his head in and asked if I knew where he could find so-and-so.
One summer day, I was mowing my front lawn when a car pulled over to my curb and rolled the window down. I approached and it was Steve Adubato Jr., who was late to a wedding and wanted my help with directions to The Tides in North Haledon (this was pre-GPS). He's more New Jersey famous than universally famous, but I certainly knew who he was.
And I had a pre-arranged 15-minute phone conversation with Stephen A. Smith a few years ago, an interview for a story. He was actually thoughtful and reflective, and not the bombastic character he plays on TV.
I'm leaving a few out and forgetting some others, but these are the ones I think of first. Oh, and I ate dinner two tables away from Richard Nixon when I was a teenager at the old Scordato's in Hawthorne, but that's not really an interaction.
I used to see Federico Castellucio (Furio on the show) around New Brunswick when I was there (1999-2003). I believe he owned one of the bars or restaurants off Albany St
A funny story with Phil Simms - My office was out for one of our "Friday" lunches at the River Palm in Paramus. Owner, sales guys and my assistant. We are at our table and Phil walks in with some guy who had dark hair and was maybe 5ft 10 or so. Better looking then Phil though. We all mention that Phil came in and my Assistant asked who Phil Simms is and we told her. She asked if we thought he would give her an autograph. Of course we told her that he is super friendly and he would be happy to. That she should even ask for a selfie.
She is all excited and ask us- "which guy is it" - And we told her it was obviously the good looking guy with dark hair.
And I swear, she walks over to the bar(and she was a looker) went straight to the short guy with dark hair and tells him how much she loved watching him play and asked him for a selfie...
The guy and Phil both look at our table with half smirks and half "you guys are assholes but this is funny" looks and they play along and let her take a selfie with the dark hair guy. They did buy her a drink and talked to her for about 10 minutes but never gave away the joke.
I often wonder if she ever figured it out. lol
She is all excited and ask us- "which guy is it" - And we told her it was obviously the good looking guy with dark hair.
And I swear, she walks over to the bar(and she was a looker) went straight to the short guy with dark hair and tells him how much she loved watching him play and asked him for a selfie...
The guy and Phil both look at our table with half smirks and half "you guys are assholes but this is funny" looks and they play along and let her take a selfie with the dark hair guy. They did buy her a drink and talked to her for about 10 minutes but never gave away the joke.
I often wonder if she ever figured it out. lol
My Dad’s company had season tix for the Yanks in the 60’s and 70’s and was friends with the Yankees ticket manager. He set us up to meet Ted Williams during his last season with the Red Sox between games of a double header. Ted signed a baseball for me, made some pleasant talk with us and shook our hands. My Dad used to say that I didn’t wash that hand for a week!
Belonged to a small hole in the wall gym in Atlantic Highlands in 2000 and saw the Boss ten feet away working with his personal trainer. Everyone gave him space except a few chippies who couldn’t resist.
Belonged to a small hole in the wall gym in Atlantic Highlands in 2000 and saw the Boss ten feet away working with his personal trainer. Everyone gave him space except a few chippies who couldn’t resist.
No A list stars but I meet a lot of B list celebs at the Jersey shore. I dont ask for autographs and dont go out of my way to talk to them. My whole list is people I just bumped into at bars or around town.
-Ron Jaworski. Nicest guy around. Always friendly.
-Joe Flacco. Friendly. See him 3-4 times a summer.
-Trent Cole. Very cool. He came into an arcade where I was working. I grabbed the house cared and played him a few games. I have a video of me playing him in Pop a Shot.
- Danny Bonaduce. Saw him drunk at the wawa getting food at 2am.
-Tina Yothers from family ties. Cool. Saw her at the bars two weeks in a row years ago. Must have had work done because she looked decent. She used to look like a Cabbage Patch kid but looked much better. Hair dyed jet black and bright blue eyes.
-Darryl Johnson. Saw him this summer. Nice guy.
_John Runyan. Didnt talk but I saw him. Looks like he lost 100 lbs.
-Tim Ker. I was at a college keg party and I was feeling old at 28. 40 something Tim Kerr comes walking in. That was funny.
-John Bolaris. Nice guy. I have his mountain bike. I guess ithe bike and two 18 year old blonds didnt all fit in the Porsche the last weekend of the summer. The bike was left for the trash and I trash picked it. It did need a new tire.
-Vince Papale. The one dick in the bunch. He was wearing a NFLPA jacket in the middle of summer.
-Ron Jaworski. Nicest guy around. Always friendly.
-Joe Flacco. Friendly. See him 3-4 times a summer.
-Trent Cole. Very cool. He came into an arcade where I was working. I grabbed the house cared and played him a few games. I have a video of me playing him in Pop a Shot.
- Danny Bonaduce. Saw him drunk at the wawa getting food at 2am.
-Tina Yothers from family ties. Cool. Saw her at the bars two weeks in a row years ago. Must have had work done because she looked decent. She used to look like a Cabbage Patch kid but looked much better. Hair dyed jet black and bright blue eyes.
-Darryl Johnson. Saw him this summer. Nice guy.
_John Runyan. Didnt talk but I saw him. Looks like he lost 100 lbs.
-Tim Ker. I was at a college keg party and I was feeling old at 28. 40 something Tim Kerr comes walking in. That was funny.
-John Bolaris. Nice guy. I have his mountain bike. I guess ithe bike and two 18 year old blonds didnt all fit in the Porsche the last weekend of the summer. The bike was left for the trash and I trash picked it. It did need a new tire.
-Vince Papale. The one dick in the bunch. He was wearing a NFLPA jacket in the middle of summer.
My brother and I belonged to the old HEAR Insitute in Red Bank during the 80's. It apparently was the place to be, and we had no idea.... Master of the Universe types from Wall Street. Parking lot of Roll's, Ferrari's, Maserati's, etc.
My brother and Bruce, who was also a member, seemed to have the same workout schedule as lots of times it was just the two of them and maybe a few others in the whole place. He and the Boss would spot each other.
His wife at the time, Julianne Phillips, would be there too. She looked really different in person.
Carlson’s parents are neighbors with my in laws in South Seaside Park, we see him all the time during the summers
Sat at a table in a NY restaurant next to a table with John Lennon and his friends. Just a few days before he was shot.
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