So, was it Barbra Streisand or James Earl Jones?
No.
James Earl Streisand?
Gilbert Gottfried, obviously.
JFK touched me. It was consensual, so it’s all right. I wasn’t quite 4 and in the 1960 campaign, he did an airport stop either in our city or Grand Rapids, don’t know which. Anyway, he did a speech on the tarmac and my family was up against the fence. My dad picked me up so I could see, I remember how tanned he seemed and how his hair had a bit of red in it. Before he left, JFK did the fence line shaking hands and my dad held me up again and Kennedy touched my head the way politicians do.
I know personally about a dozen Nobel Laureates in Economics.
I was taught by a couple in physics, though didn’t know them at all except for that.
I’ve met many Representatives or Senators over the years – probably the best known of which is William Proxmire of Golden Fleece fame.
When I was in 5th or 6th grade, I played touch football with Jim Backus (voice of Mr. Magoo among others). He was an alumni of my school and was back visiting.
I shared a pretty small commercial plane flight with Three Dog Night.
Kato Kaelin (think O J trial) was a few years behind my wife in high school. She knew him a bit.
I attended a lecture by Bill Nye the Science guy at a Science and Engineering Festival. Marvelous.
I passed Al Roker on 15th St downtown DC. It was just after his weight loss surgery and i said something like, “Hey Al, you look well” He said “thanks”
Ted Kennedy was signing copies of his book at a store. I could have talked to him if i had bought the book, but didn’t have time.
This jogged my memory. My wife’s stepbrother was in the Marine Corps in the 1990s, and spent a big chunk of his enlistment time assigned to the Corps’ security unit at Camp David. As a result, he met the Clintons many times.
Had dinner with ex-president Ford. Just the once. Also, he was 2 tables over.
My cousin was a model in the ‘70s. She hung out with the original SNL cast, and dated one of them.
I’ve spoken with Peter Beagle and L. Sprague De Camp, and got to see Gene Roddenberry during one of his college speaking tours. At one con, I stood in line long enough to have Robert Jordan sign the first four of his Wheel of Time books.
My mom had a brief stint as a secretary/receptionist at the old Atomic Energy Commission, which means she got to speak with a number of atomic scientists, including Murray Gel Mann. She also knew Leonard Bernstein’s sister-in-law.
I saw Barbara Eden from about 4-5 feet away in a hotel lobby in New York City in 1979. She was gorgeous.
I saw Andie McDowell about 5-6 years ago during a movie shoot at the nursing school I used to teach at. They were using our lab as a stand-in hospital/operating room for some horror film. they left a huge mess of fake blood all over that we had to clean up, and to the best of my knowledge the movie has never been released. Andie looked very pale, very skinny, and way stuck up.
Once escorted Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn to a meeting in a largish building. Met him at the main entrance and escorted him to the meeting, making small talk about Saskatchewan.
I used to sell coffee to Peter Frampton. Got him to sign a CD and a Frampton Comes Alive LP. I’ve sold outdoor gear to Les Stroud. I’ve also seen Lita Ford and Harry Hamlin in my store.
(1) A friend and I decided to hit a tavern after going to the Hollywood Bowl. We sat at the bar and a few minutes later Robert Reed came in and sat next to my friend. After the obligatory hello and acknowledgement of his celebrity status, we left him alone.
(2) For you computer scientists and programmers out there, back in 1984 Donald Knuth once visited my place of employment. While I am neither a CS or programmer I knew who he was and made it a point to get an introduction.
Robert Reed was okay, but meeting Donald Knuth was bitchen.
Jerry Clower
Gallagher
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Earl Campbell
Brooks Robinson
and uhh,
Well
David Duke
I saw him at the airport in Sioux City.
I shook hands with James Garner and Tom Brokaw—different occasions for each.
But have you met Cecil?
My ggggg-grandfather once put George Washington up for the night in his cabin back when Washington was a land surveyor. My gg-grandfather on that line once saw Lincoln campaigning by train and ran over to shake his hand.
Wow, Colibri, that is quite a list. I so envy your job and where you live. I’ve always had a crush on Ruben Blades (who was also an attorney and ran for president of Panama, of course).
I had lunch with Cesar Chavez once.
In the wild, I’ve only met Wolf Blitzer. I worked for about two years at a Barnes and Noble in Bethesda, Maryland. He came in to do some shopping. I told one of my coworkers who he was, and wondered aloud if I should get his autograph. I said that I didn’t want to bother him… A woman overheard me, said “Oh, it’s no bother”, and proceeded to bring him over to me. I got my autograph.
At various book events, I met Alan Alda, Dave Barry, Al Gore, Madeline Albright, and others. Since I was usually helping to run the events, I got to speak briefly with them. My father attended a session of Congress during the Clinton impeachment proceedings, and saw Clinton there. He also attended mass given by JP II in Rome, and he met/was introduced to one of the princesses of Sweden when he attended a party in Stockholm at a museum opening.