Dead: Issac Asimov
Alive: Bob Costas
Sexual: Heather
Yer pal,
Satan
sigh
Please forgive the lengthy off-topic post. I zigged when I should have zagged.
Dead: Robert Heinlein
Alive: P.J. O’Rourke. We’d sit around and drink Dewars and be funny.
Alive (and predictably): George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Together might be cool.
Dead, fellow alumni of the above: Jim Henson. And Frank Oz, but he’s still kickin’.
I actually had this very conversation a couple weeks ago over coffee with a friend. I started off with Frank Sinatra, then changed my mind and went with Cleopatra, then with Hitler, then with Shakespeare, then with Catherine the Great, then with Sun-Tzu.
My friend had to think on it for a few minutes, and decided on Jesus, but said that Hitler would be fascinating to talk to.
I then thought about serial killers and other big time criminals. I love Buddy Holly, so he occured to me too.
For living people, I’d probably go with David Letterman or Stephen King.
I sure hope I’m never given the chance to spend 24 hours with anyone. I’ll never be able to decide.
Zu
This reminds me of a question me and a few friends once tried to answer: if you could have an evening with three people, living or dead, who would they be ?
Now, it’s easy to shout out stuff like Pamela Anderson or Paul McCartney, but most of us would ocme to different conclusions when we REALLY thought of it. Let’s leave those first two for questions like “Who would you like to have sex with” and “Who would you like to jam with”. Or a combination of the two, whatever 
Anyway, after some thought my three dinner guests were:
- Adolf Hitler (sure would be interesting to see how someone who was obviously brilliant in some respects was so perverted in other humanitarian ideas);
- Jesus Christ (I’m not a christian in the orthodox sense, but I sure would like to confront him 2000 years down the line and ask him what he thinks about the hype
) - Djengis (sp. ?) Khan (as the leader of the largest empire in history, he sure would be a hell of a dude to talk to - he had also been known to down a beer or two in his day… )
I can’t even begin to contemplate what would happen when you put these three guys at one dinner table, but that’s why it’s a fictionous question… Hitler and Christ discussing Jewish racial policies, and Khan butting in demanding who the fuck the Jews are in the first place
You could probably think of 100 more funny situations like this… well that’s another thread isn’t it.
Coldfire
“You know how complex women are”
- Neil Peart, Rush (1993)
HEY Don’t be knocking Rowan Atkinson. I’m not a huge Mr. Bean fan, but I AM a huge Black Adder fan, and I’ve seen R.A. perform some solo & sketch comedy that was really damn hilarious.
Anyway… first off I’d have to say my husband. Married 8 years and still we can sit all day and talk without running out of stuff to say.
Celebrity types… hmm… Sinéad O’Connor or Laurie Anderson
Sex thing… Brendan Fraser. Mmmmm… breeeeennnnndaaan
>^,^<
“Cluemobile? You’ve got a pickup…”
OpalCat’s site: http://opalcat.com
The Teeming Millions Homepage: fathom.org/teemingmillions
Leo Kottke. Musician, singer, off the wall story teller. Somebody should go and write down his stories. His universe is somehow orthogonal to ours.Sometimes reminds me of Gary Larson.
Leo has been known to fly to a city and then have to ask where he is, having forgotten his route and destination.
Kurt Vonnegut
That reminds me… anyone remember that short-lived budget airlines… Western something, maybe?
They had a special where you paid like $90 round trip plus accomidations for a weekend vacation, but you didn’t know til you got on the plane where the vacation would be?
They also sold advertizing space on the plane itself. The Simpsons plane was my favorite.
They also made the safety lecture really funny… like pretending to make mistakes… like saying that pulling on the mask would start the flow of nitrous–I mean oxygen flowing… etc. I loved that airline… too bad they bit the big one 
>^,^<
“Cluemobile? You’ve got a pickup…”
OpalCat’s site: http://opalcat.com
The Teeming Millions Homepage: fathom.org/teemingmillions
From the living, I’d have to vote for Ursula Le Guin (my favorite writer) or perhaps Tony Kushner.
From the dead, P.G. Wodehouse. I think I’d laugh so much I’d break all my furniture.
“You must not mind me madam; I say strange things, but I mean no harm.” Samuel Johnson
Dead: Benjamin Franklin-smart, important & witty
Alive: Newt Gingrich. Yeah, I’d want to get HIM alone- if I can bring my Louisville Slugger, some brass knucks & wear a mask , so the <font color=“purple”> !^&#^(&*^#</font> can’t identify me…
Fictional: Sherlock Holmes! Greatest character in fiction & a major influence on my worldview.
My sincere sympathies about your sister, Athena. I would have E-mailed you privately, but that option wasn’t available.
We have met the enemy, and He is Us.–Walt Kelly
24 hours? That’s tough. Well, my dog, but actuallly a whole day w/ someone else, nonstop, no escape? Sorry, recluse here.
Okay.Theory, we’re talking theory…
Thomas Jefferson: for erudition, idealism and heartache; no matter how flawed.
Eleanor Roosevelt: same as above, with a different take for a different era.
Mark Twain, funny or dark period, because his vision and intelligence never wavered.
Malcolm X: a turbulent, honest vital soul who still knew joy.
Barbara Tuchman: who knew people made history.
Shirley Jackson: who knew evil and wrote it with genius.
Live folks? Whoopie Goldberg for making it, using it and not letting it own her.
.Lois McMaster Bujold: who can sneak myth and high resolve past SF.
Colin Powell: for grit, fortitude, and strength wisely applied.
I.M Pei: he sees beauty and creates it where none existed before.
I really exceeded the limit, didn’t I?
Ryan Stiles from Drew Carey show. ( The tall guy) I just love him, his comedic timing is excellent.
Janeane Garafalos - strikes me as a normal,person that is down to earth and straight forward.
Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldburg & Robin Williams. - no explanation needed.
Twain slipppedmy mind. Good choice.