Ever Meet a Celebrity by Surprise?
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Met Leonard Nimoy in a hotel lobby. There was a scifi convention in town he was scheduled for and I was in town to do some work unrelated to said convention. I was unaware of said convention in fact... Anyway sat in the lobby and noticed an older gentleman sitting next to me waiting like myself for our rooms to be ready and I struck up a conversation realizing as he lowered the newspaper it was Mr. Spock himself. I didn't fanboy/nergasm out on him, but treated him like a human being and spoke to him at length about all sorts of things non-Star Trek related. Awesome experience and he was a really cool guy.
Another time, again surrounding a SciFi convention which I was actually attending, I ran into a bunch of guys in the coffee shop of the hotel lobby. They looked like skater punks (this was in late '98) and I immediately hit it off with them having a coffee and talking about random crap. At some point the conversation drifted to the GWAR show that was at the convention later that night and the guys at the table asked me if I was going. I said maybe if I could get tickets and they slid two backstage passes to me... I took them, thinking it was bogus but thanked them anyway and went out to the Con floor. Later that night I went to the GWAR show and surprisingly the passes were real. I went to the front of the mosh pit and GWAR came out, and I was looking around for the guys who gave me the passes when I noticed the bassist looked oddly familiar... Upon closer examination I realized the bassist and the band were the guys I was chilling with drinking coffee. I got pulled up on stage and put through the meat grinder, covered in fake blood and other fake body fluids... And got to hang out backstage after the show with GWAR, sharing a laugh at how they completely snuck up on me.
Pure awesome, and thanks to the GWAR guys for making my convention experience that much more awesome.
Also at the same convention I ran into Doyle from the Misfits... literally and I swear that dude is made out of stone cuz I felt like I ran into a wall. He picked me up with one hand and said "Watch where you're going kid" in his Brooklyn accent and walked off.
EDIT: I also have spoken with RA Salvatore many times online both in chat and through e-mail. The man is pretty cool and has some great views on the world, but we don't always agree. Still its nice we can talk civilly and be friendly (in an online sense) while holding diametrically opposed viewpoints on some things.
Another time, again surrounding a SciFi convention which I was actually attending, I ran into a bunch of guys in the coffee shop of the hotel lobby. They looked like skater punks (this was in late '98) and I immediately hit it off with them having a coffee and talking about random crap. At some point the conversation drifted to the GWAR show that was at the convention later that night and the guys at the table asked me if I was going. I said maybe if I could get tickets and they slid two backstage passes to me... I took them, thinking it was bogus but thanked them anyway and went out to the Con floor. Later that night I went to the GWAR show and surprisingly the passes were real. I went to the front of the mosh pit and GWAR came out, and I was looking around for the guys who gave me the passes when I noticed the bassist looked oddly familiar... Upon closer examination I realized the bassist and the band were the guys I was chilling with drinking coffee. I got pulled up on stage and put through the meat grinder, covered in fake blood and other fake body fluids... And got to hang out backstage after the show with GWAR, sharing a laugh at how they completely snuck up on me.
Pure awesome, and thanks to the GWAR guys for making my convention experience that much more awesome.
Also at the same convention I ran into Doyle from the Misfits... literally and I swear that dude is made out of stone cuz I felt like I ran into a wall. He picked me up with one hand and said "Watch where you're going kid" in his Brooklyn accent and walked off.
EDIT: I also have spoken with RA Salvatore many times online both in chat and through e-mail. The man is pretty cool and has some great views on the world, but we don't always agree. Still its nice we can talk civilly and be friendly (in an online sense) while holding diametrically opposed viewpoints on some things.
I was in NYC with my family, and we walked past Tony Danza. I turned to my brother and said "I'm almost positive that was Tony Danza"...immediately afterward my brother went to open his mouth to ask him, as Mr. Danza was shaking his hands in a "no, don't call me out!" kinda fashion. Too late, my brother blurted it out and he was bombarded by people with cameras and paper, wanting autographs and shit. He didn't look too happy.
I was rhythm guitarist in a local band down in Florida (Six Bullet Solution was the name) many years ago. I opened for and got to hang out with...Otep, Crossbreed, post-Max Cavalera Sepultura, and Strapping Young Lad. Devin Townsend is like the coolest fucking person, I wish he was my neighbor just so I could be around him all the time.
I was rhythm guitarist in a local band down in Florida (Six Bullet Solution was the name) many years ago. I opened for and got to hang out with...Otep, Crossbreed, post-Max Cavalera Sepultura, and Strapping Young Lad. Devin Townsend is like the coolest fucking person, I wish he was my neighbor just so I could be around him all the time.
Back before Blockbuster started circling the drain of oblivion, Judge Reinhold came in late one night. Turns out the woman he was seeing at the time (the MAY still be together, I have no idea) is from my area. Got to spend a decent amount of time talking to him. Really nice, very down-to-earth, and actually pretty shy. Turns out he's partially deaf and I was the only one in the store that knew sign language.
Another time, the band I was in was playing a pre-party for a local Rolling Stones show and Izzy Stradlin came up on stage and asked if he could play a song with us. What were we going to do? Say no? Unfortunately, he wasn't nearly as nice as Mr. Reinhold.
EDIT: Oh yeah. Met Bill Clinton several times, but not sure that really counts since he was my Governor at the time and he was pretty much everywhere.
Another time, the band I was in was playing a pre-party for a local Rolling Stones show and Izzy Stradlin came up on stage and asked if he could play a song with us. What were we going to do? Say no? Unfortunately, he wasn't nearly as nice as Mr. Reinhold.
EDIT: Oh yeah. Met Bill Clinton several times, but not sure that really counts since he was my Governor at the time and he was pretty much everywhere.
I had dinner and shared a table with Billy Connolly when he was visiting New Zealand on tour... it was a most memorable occasion. I think my sides still hurt from laughing.
I also nearly walked into (and then probably got jumped by 3 secret servicemen) Bill Clinton when he was visiting New Zealand a few years ago. I stumbled before collision, stammered an apology and quickly made way for the man. He gave me a smile and said "It's alright" and carried on.
And then I flipped the switch for the claymore I placed around the corner as he took i-
I kid... about the claymore. Not about nearly colliding into an ex-president.
I also nearly walked into (and then probably got jumped by 3 secret servicemen) Bill Clinton when he was visiting New Zealand a few years ago. I stumbled before collision, stammered an apology and quickly made way for the man. He gave me a smile and said "It's alright" and carried on.
And then I flipped the switch for the claymore I placed around the corner as he took i-
I kid... about the claymore. Not about nearly colliding into an ex-president.
once my friends and I met Jari Mäenpää (the lead singer and guitarist of Wintersun) right before his show I didn't even know it was him even though he wore his band's name on his jacket(you never think band members actually enter where there's people) only way I found out wqas becasue my friend said "I think that's jari" he then turns around and says "Yep that's me" we then got fistbumps from him he was a pretty cool guy
When I was in a theatre group in my teens, I arrived early for a class and had to wait for the previous one to end. So I went exploring around the theatre, and eventually went through a door that locked behind me. Panicking - I was now trespassing - I ran to find an exit, turned a corner into a hallway and slammed into a teenage girl, knocking her to the ground. I apologized and offered my hand, but she picked herself up, and...
It was Hayley Westenra.
She muttered "It's fine, don't worry.", but I could tell she was furious. She stepped past me, and I proceeded until I was out of eyesight and fuckin' bolted.
It was Hayley Westenra.
She muttered "It's fine, don't worry.", but I could tell she was furious. She stepped past me, and I proceeded until I was out of eyesight and fuckin' bolted.
My friend had breakfast with Dave Chappelle at the height of his career and had no knowledge of who he was. His dad owned the hotel they were at and invited Dave to lunch.
In Hawaii, I've seen members of the cast of Lost frequently at my local Costco and Safeway, as well as Dog the bounty hunter regularly at my old gym. I also used to see a few celebrities shopping in Waikiki while putzing around with my friends a few times, but I can't recall any names. While spending a year at Oregon for school I've also bumped into Bruce Campbell in the dairy section of a natural foods store a few blocks from my dorm.
I know this doesn't count, but I have a friend who used to live in L.A. who swears that he used to go to Arnold Schwarzenegger's church, as well as having once had an extended conversation with Willem Dafoe while stuck in a traffic on a busy highway.
I know this doesn't count, but I have a friend who used to live in L.A. who swears that he used to go to Arnold Schwarzenegger's church, as well as having once had an extended conversation with Willem Dafoe while stuck in a traffic on a busy highway.
I've seen a few from a distance, uncluding most memorably Jackie Chan, and at another point John Travolta, but never in close proximity, it was like across the street one time, and in a mall across the food court, that kinda thing.
Not exactly a celebrity or massively well known, but he's done some decent stuff in the realm of UK film-making, I once had dinner with British director/producer/writer Paul Andrew Williams. Those of you have heard the name will probably know him from the Jennifer Ellison horror/comedy The Cottage, or else his other films (the first of which was BAFTA nominated) London to Brighton or Cherrytree Lane. He's also the writer and director of Song for Marion which was just released at cinemas in the UK on wide release a few weeks ago.
Basically, I was on the committee of the film-making society at my university, and my flatmate/society secretary Lizzie happened to do some work with him in the summer on a pilot for Channel 4, so she invited him to do a screening of Cherrytree Lane and then a Q&A session with the society. Afterwards the three of us and the society president went out for a curry and made an evening of it. Quite a nice guy as it happens, it was pretty interesting talking to him about his work and such. That's about as close as I've come though to meeting a proper 'celebrity', I guess...
Basically, I was on the committee of the film-making society at my university, and my flatmate/society secretary Lizzie happened to do some work with him in the summer on a pilot for Channel 4, so she invited him to do a screening of Cherrytree Lane and then a Q&A session with the society. Afterwards the three of us and the society president went out for a curry and made an evening of it. Quite a nice guy as it happens, it was pretty interesting talking to him about his work and such. That's about as close as I've come though to meeting a proper 'celebrity', I guess...
I was almost hit by a car driven by Mel Gibson. He used to own a house in the next town over. There was little interaction besides me yelling obscenities as he drove away.
I don't know if that counts, or if this counts, but if there are any Seattle Seahawks fans out there who know who Curt Warner (not Kurt Warner the quarter back) is, the first day of football my junior year it turned out he was our new running back coach, so that was a suprise. The rest of the time it wasn't.
I don't know if that counts, or if this counts, but if there are any Seattle Seahawks fans out there who know who Curt Warner (not Kurt Warner the quarter back) is, the first day of football my junior year it turned out he was our new running back coach, so that was a suprise. The rest of the time it wasn't.
I saw some minor Dutch celebrities at some concerts and a few years ago me and a friend were having drinks in a random Melbourne pub when two of the guys from Iron Maiden walked in, which impressed everyone who wasn't me a lot more since they knew who they were...
I almost stepped on the toes of the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. This was back when she was Governor of my state. I work for a news outlet and was covering a speech she was making in my city (not a place she visited very regularly.) There was a fairly big crowd in the room and I was later than I should have been. She was still being introduced by our mayor, and I was going around the sides of the room to get my recorder to the media table. I was watching the podium when a pair of double doors (I hadn't noticed) slid open behind me and the Governor walked in. Or tried to, I was standing right in front of her looking the wrong way wondering why the whole crowd had turned to look at me.
Another time a talk show on my station was scheduled to do a phone interview with Clint Howard (actor, brother of Ron Howard.) It was Oscar night and he had graciously agreed to do a pre-Oscar interview with us. So that part wasn't a surprise. However, after the interview began we found out we were talking to him on his cellphone while he was in his brother's limo on the way to the Oscars. We asked to, and he let us, talk to his brother for a few minutes. Ron went on that night to win Best Director. It was a neat little surprise to get to talk to him.
Working where I do I've met dozens of "local" celebrities. And even a few "national" scale celebrities. But most were planned or just part of the job. Those two were examples of being "surprised" by it.
Another time a talk show on my station was scheduled to do a phone interview with Clint Howard (actor, brother of Ron Howard.) It was Oscar night and he had graciously agreed to do a pre-Oscar interview with us. So that part wasn't a surprise. However, after the interview began we found out we were talking to him on his cellphone while he was in his brother's limo on the way to the Oscars. We asked to, and he let us, talk to his brother for a few minutes. Ron went on that night to win Best Director. It was a neat little surprise to get to talk to him.
Working where I do I've met dozens of "local" celebrities. And even a few "national" scale celebrities. But most were planned or just part of the job. Those two were examples of being "surprised" by it.
Yeah like four years ago when i wisited Riga(capital of Latvia(my country(would like to emigrate elsewere but got no funds to do so))) and went to M*Donalds for some Big Tasty an EX President of Latvia(the Ulmanis(not karlis but guntis)) stood behind me in the line... That was awesome ...
I was in the pub doing some uni homework with my friend, when I noticed the guy sat across looked really familiar. Turns out it was Mark Chadwick from the Levellers, who I then had a pint and watched kids TV with. The man was fascinated with Jakers: The adventures of some irish pig dude.
Yeah, a few. Most notable is when I was four years old and headbutted the King of Sweden. Wasn't paying attention to what was in front of me while running around. Don't have any memory of it though, have only heard it from my mother.
It was in Drottningholm, the area where the Royal family lives, it happened. It's a big open area to the public. The Queen and one of the kids where with him. Apparently they had been to some horse riding shit with one of the daughters and was hurrying back home(they had no security guards with them).
It was in Drottningholm, the area where the Royal family lives, it happened. It's a big open area to the public. The Queen and one of the kids where with him. Apparently they had been to some horse riding shit with one of the daughters and was hurrying back home(they had no security guards with them).
I have run into a few celebs. I live in a Suburb of L.A. so its bound to happen. Lets see I have met and talked with Jay Leno 4 or 5 times. A couple times in traffic where he was in one of his awesome rides next to me. Once my son and I were crossing the street and he said Dad look at that awesome car and I turn and it's Jay. He actually recognized me from talking to him before. I go on group motorcycle rides in the hills near Malibu and he rode up to one of the road side bars on a 100 year old motorcycle. He hung out and talked and was just a really great and friendly guy. Sat across from Bruce Willis at a bar, he knew I knew who he was but I treated him just like a regular guy and he appreciated it by following me out the door when I left and giving me an autograph and taking a pic with me without me asking. My wife is a hair stylist and she has met and cut Charlize Therons hair and her kids hair. She wasn't happy about being mobbed by the paparazzi for pics.
A Hockey Celeb, we sat down at a restaurant near the Staples Center where the L.A. Kings play and we met Luc Robitaille. He was having dinner with his family so I had to reign in all of our group of Kings fans from bothering him. He came over after dinner and gave my son a signed puck and when he found out he plays hockey he gave him some tickets for a game. We have met most of the Kings players over the last 2 years from my son playing hockey. He plays in the Kings youth hockey system so we are at their training facility a lot for his practices and the Kings are always walking around.
I met Bill Clinton while he was President several times. I was assigned to the Headquarters of the Air Force in Europe and he came through a lot going to different places. I got to go on Air Force One and Marine one and check it out a couple times. He was a genuinely nice guy and always wanted us to call him Bill instead of following the military protocol. I still have some Air Force One coins and a pic of me standing guard at the bottom of the staircase as he is going up to the plane.
I also met several Pro Wrestlers that were doing USO tours. Met the Undertaker and Kane out of costume at a Best Buy I worked at, they came in asking for new metal and hard rock music and everyone knew I was the local metalhead lol. Nice guys, they asked if I was going to the show that night and I said I could't afford tix so they gave me a pair of tickets near the front, it was a house show so no tv camera's.
A Hockey Celeb, we sat down at a restaurant near the Staples Center where the L.A. Kings play and we met Luc Robitaille. He was having dinner with his family so I had to reign in all of our group of Kings fans from bothering him. He came over after dinner and gave my son a signed puck and when he found out he plays hockey he gave him some tickets for a game. We have met most of the Kings players over the last 2 years from my son playing hockey. He plays in the Kings youth hockey system so we are at their training facility a lot for his practices and the Kings are always walking around.
I met Bill Clinton while he was President several times. I was assigned to the Headquarters of the Air Force in Europe and he came through a lot going to different places. I got to go on Air Force One and Marine one and check it out a couple times. He was a genuinely nice guy and always wanted us to call him Bill instead of following the military protocol. I still have some Air Force One coins and a pic of me standing guard at the bottom of the staircase as he is going up to the plane.
I also met several Pro Wrestlers that were doing USO tours. Met the Undertaker and Kane out of costume at a Best Buy I worked at, they came in asking for new metal and hard rock music and everyone knew I was the local metalhead lol. Nice guys, they asked if I was going to the show that night and I said I could't afford tix so they gave me a pair of tickets near the front, it was a house show so no tv camera's.
Not really a celebrity, but well known in certain circles, my friend and I ran into "Mr. Aarde" last new year's eve in a bar.
Mr. Aarde owns most of the coffeeshops in the Dutch province of Zeeland, and we met him while he was wasted off his ass.
He invited us to coffeeshop Plan B for a party, but we were too stoned and paranoid to go. A decision I regret this very day, but thankfully he told us we could come next year, so... aww yeah
Mr. Aarde owns most of the coffeeshops in the Dutch province of Zeeland, and we met him while he was wasted off his ass.
He invited us to coffeeshop Plan B for a party, but we were too stoned and paranoid to go. A decision I regret this very day, but thankfully he told us we could come next year, so... aww yeah