When I was in 7th grade, I went to the School of the Arts in Rochester NY. I knew a few minor celebrities before they blew up, but my favorite story is Tay Diggs.
At the time his name was Scott. (David?) or something like that. Our drama class was 7th -12th, so some of the older kids could be a bit hard on us 7th graders.
I was an overweight, bucktoothed, nappy headed girl who didn’t quite fit in with the many drama majors in the class. One day, while singing, I mistakenly sang along with the soloists part. The other kids came down on me hard for that, telling me I needed to learn my place, and calling me hurtful names. Scott, alone stood up for me. They teased him and said, “he must like her! He’s her boyfriend!”, but he didn’t care.
I have always looked at that moment as a defining, coming of age moment in my life. I genuinely felt that I should try to be a better person, because of the standard he set.
It was a memory I cherished even before he became Taye Diggs and starred in Hollywood movies. I still love that moment.
It wasn’t me, but my Dad and Uncle went to College Station a few years back to watch the Texas A&M spring practice game, and ended up hanging out with Robert Gates (Secretary of Defense) for a big piece of the game. This was very shortly after he’d become President of A&M, and he was hanging out with alumni and asking their opinions on stuff. Apparently he liked Dad and Uncle Jack, because they talked for quite a while, to hear them tell it.
I used to hang out with Joan at the Memorial Union at the University of Wisconsin. We were part of a large amorphous group that spent Friday afternoons drinking beer and playing darts. I just knew her as one of the Drama dorks. I had no idea she was acting professionally until Saturday Night Live. Seeing her on that show was a serious double-take, eye bugging out moment for me.
I met Michael Peterson when he was traveling around with an evangelist (mob hitman turned Christian, Ron “Iceman” Rearick) performing feats of strength and martial arts techniques. He went on to be a country singer, and had a few minor hits before disappearing again.
I knew Paul D’Amour when we were both still in high school, before he became Tool’s original bassist. I still go to church with his parents (nice people).
I also know these guys, who I think will be famous before too much longer.
I didn’t go to school with Madonna, but my brother sort of did.
I “graduated” from grade school in 1964 when my brother was a first grader. The next year, Madonna entered the same school and was one grade behind my brother each year until we moved when he was in fourth grade.
I never went to high school with Garrison Keillor, although I keep bumping into another contract programmer in different shops who says she went to high school with him in Anoka “back when he was Gary Keillor.”
Ellen Degeneres, when she was in her early 20s, on a “college comedians tour” or something like that. Chatted with her for a few minutes, and had a feeling she was going to make it big.
I went to high school with John the 41 Year Old Virgin on Confessions of a Matchmaker, a short-lived reality dating show on A&E.
Woody Harrelson’s last two years at Hanover College corresponded with my first two. Autumn 1980 we were both in MADWOMAN OF CHAILLOT. I didn’t pursue theatre after that but I still hung around the crowd for that first year. Woody spoke a couple times at the Christian fellowship, called Vespers at the time.
I wasn’t surprised he made it big. I am surprised that his friend & fellow actor
Clint Allen Clint Allen - IMDb hasn’t broke out yet. They were great as Darrow (Woody) & Bryan (Clint) in INHERIT THE WIND (yes, I know the characters had different names). Also surprised that Leo Geter Leo Geter - IMDb hasn’t either.
Not necessary Celebrities, but I went to grade school with Matthew Barnaby and went to summer camp every year for 5 or 6 years with Eric Lindros. I still have contact with Eric occasionally. He’s a very nice guy and not at all what you see on TV.
Funny story about Matt. My sister and I were out playing one day and Matt came along. He was being a jerk (nothing has changed) and my sister punched him the nose. Made him bleed.
My sister the lesbian had a fling with Rosie O’Donnell and I met her a few times Could not stand her then and cannot stand her now. I also met Diane Whipple through her.
I worked with astronaut Wally Schirra when he was a mere Lt. SG and the first pilot on the Sidewinder missile program.
I was in aviation cadets with actorJack Webb. I like to mention that Webb ashed out in primary flight training, so I will. However, he was an exceptionally tallented guy. In primary flight training at Tulare, CA, he wrote, produced and directed a home grown variety show along with other cadets with theatrical experience. It doesn’t take much to amuse a bunch of kids but the show was really professional in pace, content and organization.
I graduated from a sort of hothouse high school in New York for (allegedly) gifted Catholic young men. Plenty of famous alums, mostly writers, politicians, judges, that kind of thing. One that comes to mind immediately is Patrick Fitzgerald. He was a year behind me. The school was small enough so that everyone knew everyone.
One of my brothers dated Lucy Liu (spelling?) in high school. Met her a few times. She (and he) were way younger than me. I thought she was a cute kid.
I’ve met, through my father, Arlen Spector, Bill Bradley, Ted Kennedy, and a couple of other senators.
Oh, yeah, forgot a couple. A girlfriend who dated Joey Ramone before she met me.
And, years back, I lived in the East Village. Madonna lived in my (crummy little) apartment before I did. Other tenants in the building would meet me, discover which apartment I lived in, and say “you live in the Madonna apartment? Can I come in and see it?” Never understood why anyone would want to see it, 'cause it was your typical crappy little East Village apartment, back when the East Village was a crappy neighborhood.
Those don’t count as knowing anyone famous, I guess, more like near encounters once removed with the famous.
I was good friends with Eddie Izzard in my university days, and we used to write comedy stuff and perform together. I went on to nothing and he went to become the huge star that he is today.
I was also good friends with psychological illusionist Derren Brown before he became ultra-famous here in the UK, and I’m pleased that some of his TV work has just been shown on TV in the US. I hope that he becomes just as big in the US as he has become in the UK.
, 'cause damn.