What Famous People Have You Met?

This should be a fun post.

The other day while I was reviewing The Celebrity 100 (Forbes' annual list of the most powerful celebrities), I started thinking about the celebrities I've met in my lifetime. I thought it would be fun to share them with you. Then you could tell everyone (in the comments below or on your blog if you have one) what famous people you've met. Kind of a fun way to break up the money-talk, huh?

Before I developed my list, I had to set some criteria. I decided to limit my list to famous people that I'd actually met -- spoken to, shaken hands with etc. I did NOT include special events I attended (for example, I was at the welcoming ceremony for the Chinese leader when he visited President Reagan -- I was part of a group of 200 people or so who got to see him pull up, get out, greet Reagan, etc. at the White House -- I had special security clearance -- but since I didn't meet anyone personally there, I'm not including it). So here's a list of who I HAVE met personally and a few details behind the meeting:

• Dale Earnhardt Sr. -- I met "Big E" in his trailer prior to a race sometime in the early 90's. I had no idea how "big" he was. I was a snot-nosed, new MBA grad representing a Fortune 50 company and he had done us a favor by appearing on a poster for free (yep, those days are long gone). I got two minutes to say thanks as he ate a take-out lunch minutes before getting into his car. I remember him being very friendly and down-to-earth. His key question of me: how was my company doing -- he might want to buy some stock in it. ;-)

• John Havlicek -- He did a promo shoot I wrote for a promotion my company did. I picked him up in my Toyota Celica and he scrunched as much as he could to fit into the small front compartment. He was very friendly, personable, and professional. My main memory was of being nervous during shooting. Because of the ad shot (we had a basketball hoop and backboard suspended in mid air), he couldn't shoot the ball, rebound it, and then say his lines (the angle just didn't work). So someone off camera had to shoot it so he could rebound, turn, and talk. Yep, you guessed it, I "got" to do it. It wasn't that hard of a shot, but when you're shooting in front of one of the greatest basketball shooters of all time, you tend to be a bit self-conscious about your own shooting. Thankfully, I was "on" that day and didn't ruin too many takes by missing the opening shot.

• Whitey Ford -- Another promo shoot. I also remember him as friendly. And very fun-loving. I could see where he had earned his reputation as a hard-partying player. My main memory was the 20 different takes we had to do. He couldn't remember how to pronounce one of the words in our script (that referred to a specific company product). I guess all those late nights drinking took a toll after all. ;-)

• Tony O'Reilly -- I met him when I worked at Heinz and he was CEO/Chairman. I was a manager and we were launching a new and controversial product (that I was responsible for) that needed his input/approval. I went with my VP, General Manager, and a group of other people and was told beforehand to "not say anything." We met in a small conference room just off Tony's office and I can remember when he walked in -- everyone seemed to freeze -- he had that powerful of a presence. He was very jovial (I think he told a joke or two), but also business-like once the meeting started. I defied my orders and did say something. It was something like, "I'll get it" when someone asked for a volunteer to turn off a video machine we had just finished watching. ;-)

• Various NASCAR drivers -- I've met lots of Nascar drivers, owners, and executives since a company I once worked for was involved in racing promotion. I've met Joe Gibbs, Bobby Labonte, Bill France Jr., Ward Burton and probably several others I've forgotten about. The highlight: Joe Gibbs passed around one of his Redskins' Super Bowl rings and I got to hold it. ;-)

• Several Music Stars -- "Big" names include Toby McKeehan, Michael W. Smith, and Steven Curtis Chapman. Between them, they've sold several million records (my guess is 15 million or so). They were all great people, very pleasant to meet and certainly great representations of what their fans love about them.

I'm probably forgetting one or two, but that's a good list to start huh?

Now, how about you? What famous people have you met? Tell us your story in the comments below.

Comments

[Blaine Moore (Run to Win)]

I met Bill Rogers a few weeks ago. A very down to earth guy; quite likable. He was at the New England Mile and I hung around and chatted with him for an hour or so after the race as he signed autographs.
( http://news.runtowin.com/2006/06/18/new-england-mile.html )

I have also met Joan Benoit Samuelson quite a few times and see her running around fairly often. I can also say that unlike most people I have been punched by an Olympic Gold Medalist.
( http://news.runtowin.com/2005/07/17/20050717_yarmouth.html )

I've met some other famous folk, and probably people that would be more likely to be recognized on the street by others, but these two are more important in the long run. (Pun intended, ha ha ha)

[Kira]

I met Mr. Rogers of children's TV fame when I was about 12 - he was presenting an award to this group my mother and I were in. My mom said we were going to meet Fred Rogers and I said, who? (That's his actual name, but I had never heard his first name.) My mother thought this was hilarious and of course repeated it to him.

A couple years later we were driving and saw him walking near the TV station, and my mom leaned out and hollered, "Good morning Mr. Rogers!" He yelled back "Hello!" I'm sure he thought we were loonies but at least we are friendly loonies.

[Melissa]

When I was 12, my stepdad was a DJ for a radio station in Tulsa. He took my brother and I backstage one time to meet the rock group Kiss. I wasn't really impressed because I didn't like them very much, but my brother did. I have a picture with them, it's a funny conversation piece.

[Marie Braden]

Gov Wallace of Alabama. Bill Clinton. Anne Perry (writer/Juliet Hulme of the infamous Parker/Hulme case). Shirley Hemphill ("what's happening"). Fred "ReRun" Berry ("What's Happening"). Sinbad. Joely Fisher. Michael Caine. Johnny Knoxville. Chad Ogea (baseball player)

Bands/musicians(If I didn't meet the whole band, the members I did are in parentheses): Cyndi Lauper. Poison. Motley Crue (John Corabi, Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil). Anthrax (Scott Ian, Frankie Bello, Rob Caggiano. John Bush). Megadeth (Dave Ellefson, Nick Menza). Mark Russell (Great White). Tesla. Beautiful Creatures. Bang Tango. Vince Neil Band. Bret Michaels Band. Josh Gracin. Gilby Clarke (Guns n Roses). Adler's Appetite. Jizzy Pearl (Love/Hate, Ratt). Les Warner (the Cult). Texas Terri. Faster PUssycat..... ok, I"m tired of listing and not even halfway done. haha

[Travis]

I met Derek Jeter about 10 years ago after the New York Yankees won the World Series. I went to NYC to see the Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the Yankees were staying in the same hotel as me because they were in the parade. They were down in the lobby before heading out to their float destination. I was like 12 years old, but we shook hands, talked, I got an autograph and a picture. I did the same with Paul O'Neill and Charlie Hayes. These were the days when a bunch of the players appeared on the float. Now, in the past few years, hardly any do. Real nice guy, and a true class act. I also met Hulk Hogan on vacation in Florida when I was younger, as well as other various sports stars at camps, etc. Never really had a negative run-in with anyone I have met that was famous.

[Mark]

Charlton Heston, Rob Reiner, Fred Stolle, and Roy Emerson at pro/celebrity tennis event (I was a ball boy, back in the day!)

Arnold Palmer, a family friend (a classmate of my Mom and Dad at Wake Forest)

Muggsy Bogues (at Wake Forest with me);

Lanny Wadkins (also a Wake Forest alum)

Michael Jordan twice -- once at a big party in Chapel Hill, once when he and some other UNC and Duke players came to Wake Forest for pick up games against Wake players.

Chris Paul, NBA Rookie of the Year, at an alumni function associated with a Hawks game.

Matt Harpring, who runs a basketball camp my oldest son attended.

Ralph Sampson -- he was walking out of my accountant's building when I was coming in. Judging from his financial difficulties, I doubt he was talking to my accountant!

[rdub]

I've basically only met a few famous people in my life. The first being Richard Anderson (Oscar from The Six Million Dollar Man). My mom and dad were working a Cerebral Palsy Telethon and he was one of the guests. I was only about 5 or 6 when I met him. But it was really exciting.

Another was Mable King of What's Happening fame. Again, it was a telethon and I was very young.

I've met a couple of singers - Edwin McCain (sing I'll Be), and Marc Brousard (Funk and Soul singer).

It seems I don't have much of a celebrity social life.

[ob1]

Reverand RUN from RUN DMC

[mbhunter]

I've met Wynton Marsalis, trumpet virtuoso, and Sir Roger Penrose, mathematician.

[The Dividend Guy]

I used to work for a up-scale hotel in Alberta and we would always get the celebs when they came through. I have helped carry bags for and assisted the likes of:

Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Margaret Thatcher, Pavarotti, KISS (Gene Simmons is a jerk!!), George Bush Sr., Jon Bon Jovi, James Hetfield (awesome guy), the singer from Counting Crows, Celine Dion (I try to block this from my memory), Alanis Morisette, The Tragically Hip - all of them, Bono (this guy comes in a room and he simply demands attention - nothing he does specifially, he is just one of those types of people), Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier,...

I know there are some that I have forgotten. Cool thing about working at a hotel is all the people you can meet.

[Leslie Carbone]

Ronald Reagan: I met him only once. I was a young intern at Reagan-Bush ’84, his re-election campaign. The President came in for a late-October pep rally. I stood in an office doorway crowded with colleagues. He did not shake my hand. Rather, he looked into my face for a nanosecond—and winked at me. Twenty years later, the memory of the warm smile on his face still brings a smile to mine.

I was struck by how big he was—tall and broad-shouldered. His face was crinkled and wrinkled, as one would expect for a 73-year-old man with the hardest job in the world. But his sagging skin was pink, his smile sincere, and he exuded a vitality and a joie de vivre that made him seem younger than some people half his age.

He filled the room. It’s hard to pin down exactly how he filled it, but he did. He was big, but a lot of men are big, and few have Reagan’s presence. He had the aura of the presidency, and that’s a factor, but not the main one.

Reagan’s presence didn’t come from the mantle of the presidency or the broad shoulders on which it hung.

It came from within the man. It came from his character, and the hope that character produces.

Because of his character and his hope, he filled more than the room. He filled the decade. He created an era. His hope and optimism changed the way America saw itself. Hope was in the air in the 1980s—a sense of renewal, a sense that the present was bright and the future brighter.

[Larry Faren]

My wife and I had the pleasure of meeting figure skater Randy Gardner in early April 1991 while in Las Vegas. She spotted him waiting for takeout in a restaurant across the street from the Desert Inn -- where we were staying and had seen the skating show there the previous night. I didn't think it was him, but she was sure, so flagged him down outside the restaurant door and asked. A personable fellow. We chatted about five minutes. Tai Babilonia wasn't in the show. He said she was preparing to marry.

[mysticaltyger]

Who cares?

[isobel calladine]

i've met neil fox the pop idel judge, i really enjoyed meeting him, and had a photo with him when i sat on his lap and he put his arms around me.

[isobel calladine]

i would also like to meet aled jones, but would b very nervous as i don't know how he would approach me

[Carlos A. Cook]

I have met Tamyra Gray, Kimberley Locke, Kool & The Gang, New Kids On The Bock, Insane Clown Posse, Kevon Edmonds (of After 7), Natasha Bedingfield, Twiztid, Esham, Ron Irizarry, Guster, 10,000 Maniacs, Debbie Gibson, The Kottonmouth Kings, Prozak, Mike E. Clark, Rappers Kutt Calhoun, Krizz Calico, & Tech N9ne, Ingrid Michaelson, Boyd Tinsley, Joe Firstman, Tony Lucca, Carbon Leaf, rapper Haystak, Comedians John Witherspoon, Nick Griffin, Vince Morris and Harland Williams, Joe Oesstreich of Watershed, rappers Blaze Ya Dead Homie and ABK. Gospel singer Da' Truth. Singers Michael Fredo and Youth Asylum.