That reminds me of something (slightly off topic). John Mayer is an amazing blues guitarist. Catch him at a blues show (not a one of his concerts) or just jamming during a regular song and you’ll find he’s quite talented, but that pop crap he turns out…blegh, sucks, can’t stand it. You’re Body Is A Wonderland, if I never hear it again…
Oh, and he did this…C’mon, that was funny.
I think John Waters as a person is insanely interesting and seems very nice and fun. I have zero interest in any of his films.
Having a preschooler, I watch a lot of Sesame Street and have noticed I’ve started judging them by how genuinely interested they seem in performing with Muppets for a little kid audience. If they seem like they’re phoning it in, because their agent pushed them, they lose points in my book. But even performers who I don’t like – if they seem like they are really into it, I end up liking them more. Hootie and the Blowfish is a joke of a band in my opinion, but I have to admit they are really, sincerely, bringing it when they sing with the Muppets, so now I grudgingly like them more as people.
Adam Sandler is supposed to be a great guy, and his movies are basically excuses for him to get together with his buddies and hang out. Sounds like a blast, except for the whole “watching them” part.
I’ve met him in person, when he and some of his peeps were hanging out at my friend’s coffeeshop. He drew a cartoon on her daughter’s hat. Nice guy.
Politics wise, since that road has already been travelled: Bill Clinton. Horrible president who benefited from happening to be in office during an artificially buoyed economy but a fairly nice guy who I would like to have a drink with.
Entertainment wise, Dolph Lundgren.
I have a feeling that the last 3 presidents (Obama, Bush, Clinton) would be people I’d probably like hanging around with, in particular Bush and Obama, despite not being a particular fan of either’s policies and political viewpoints.
Obama strikes me as being really intelligent and thoughtful, and having much more integrity than Clinton, and as someone who would be fascinating to have a smart conversation with.
Bush seems like maybe he’d be more relaxed, but still interesting. And, FWIW, he’s got something of a reputation in Dallas for being pretty approachable and gracious.
I’ve seen most of Waters’ cult films (I don’t have much interest in his more mainstream work, although I did see “Hairspray”) and I’ve also read this hilarious book, which is his chronicle a hitchhiking trip he took across the United States in 2012. It’s in 3 parts: best case scenario, worst case scenario, and what really happened.
As for H&TB, when they were at the top of their game, I saw a one-hour block on my cable guide titled “Hootie & The Blowfish”. It was not on MTV or VH-1, which both showed actual music videos back then. It was on -
- are you ready for this -
The Golf Channel.
It was an hour of them out on the links with some classic old golfers, and when I saw that, I said to myself, “Whatever you may think of their music, it’s highly unlikely that we’ll ever pick up a newspaper and read that one of them was found dead with a needle in his arm.”
He’s my choice too. I have little use for his movies, but I enjoy just hearing him talk. He seems like a really funny and likable guy.
Actually, I was going to say roughly the same of Bill CLinton. I never thought much of him as a President, but he seems like he’d be a blast to hang out with.
Beyond that… I have never found Conan O’Brien funny or entertaining on TV. I’ve hated every episode I’ve seen of his TV shows. But I suspect he’d break me up if we were sitting together at a coffee shop.
While his movies are generally shitfests best consumed while mentally-altered, Seth Rogen seems like a pretty chill guy.
Deangelo Williams (Carolina Panthers running back). I’m not a Panthers fan, but ended up finding him on facebook. He seems like a genuinely nice guy, even though I’m apathetic about Carolina and the NFC south in general.
stop it!
Another vote for John Waters. Not interested in his more outrageous films, but love to watch, read, and listen to him talk.
I have zero interest in his music but when my wife had The Voice on, I’ll stop and watch it just for Blake Shelton’s remarks and interactions. He seems like a fun guy to hang around with.
Not a Springsteen fan but I think Steven Van Zandt would be a pretty funny guy to hang with (especially after watching Lilyhammer on Netflix).
Being an atheist I’d find hope to find Jesus a regular down to earth guy, despite being unimpressed at some of the things carried out by others over the past 2000 years supposedly with his implicit endorsement.
And being ecumenical we’d do a big shout-out for other religious leaders and see if they have the same problem with the new management.
James Blunt. I don’t like his music but he seems like a funny guy and doesn’t seem to take himself very seriously.
I saw James Blunt interviewed on TV years ago. The two things I remember:
Asked why when he was a tank commander in Kosovo he used to strap his guitar on the outside of his tank, he said that he wanted to strap one of the crew on the outside of the tank and keep the guitar inside but the upper brass wouldn’t let him.
Prince Harry was in the news because of photos of him snorting vodka. When asked if his guys did stuff like this he said, without smiling, “Of course not. We had the lower ranks blow vodka up our asses through a straw.”
And a few days ago someone sent me this: 32 Times James Blunt’s Comebacks Won Twitter In 2014.
Yet another vote for John Waters here. I like his books, have no interest in his movies (but I’ve never seen any of them).
Also, Jerry Springer comes across as an alright guy in interviews. But you couldn’t pay me to watch his show.
That’s a lie, if anyone wants to give me money to watch a show I’ll accept.
My vote would be for Al Franken. I have no appreciation for his Stewart Smalley character, but from what I’ve seen of him as my senator, he seems like a really swell guy.
I’ve never liked Supertramp, but a friend of mine spent some time (a lot of time, actually) hanging out w/ Roger Hodgson, and he sounds like an amazing guy. In fact, hearing those stories has made me enjoy his music, because it reminds me of those stories.