I went to college in Southern California in the early nineties, and never had any good random famous people sightings or stories.
After a decade or so in the SF Bay Area, I finally moved back down about a year ago.
Until now, my best story was Alaina Reed Hall telling us to stay for the end of X-Men 3 at the Grove.
But this past weekend, not only did we see Giovanni Ribisi and Jason Lee leaving Mani’s Bakery on Saturday, but we ran into them AGAIN on Sunday at a restaurant at the Grove! :eek:
It is stupid and pointless, but, I adore both of them, and got to look Jason Lee in the eye and smile at him.
Heh, me too. Once I got into a conversation with a couple from Tennessee who were taking an anniversary vacation here, and they asked me if I ever see the stars. I said “No, not really. I think it’s a combination of the smog and all the bright city lights at night but I haven’t seen the stars in years.”
They said, “Oh, we meant like movie stars.” :smack:
I guess I give it so little thought it didn’t even occur to me that they were probably talking about movie stars.
Highest profile star sighting: My wife and I sat next to Robert Redford at dinner a few years ago. It was in a tiny little Italian place in Brentwood so we were literally elbow to elbow with him.
Most recent (near miss) star sighting: I just missed seeing Brittany Spears last month. I work in the Sony Music building and I was walking through the parking garage as she was arriving for a meeting. I was a few seconds too late to actually see her though. All I could see was the crowd of paparazzi jostling for position as she got on the elevator.
I lived in L.A. until I was 18 and the only ‘star’ I saw outside of my high school (which I feel doesn’t count) was Jason Alexander. He came into the aquarium I volunteered at with his son and I got to tell him all about sea cucumbers.
My mom claims I walked into Drew Barrymore in the parking lot of our doctor’s office but I didn’t even notice. Oops.
My friend sat next to Paris Hilton in a resturaunt at the Grove while ago, so I guess that’s the place to see the famous people if you’re looking.
A woman I worked with years ago was in LA for two days. She was sitting in a restaurant and spotted Kevin Costner walking toward her. She took a really good casual photo of him just strolling through the tables. The next day she was out jogging and sat down on a bench next to an elderly guy. When she looked at him she realised it was Ed Asner. She got chatting to him and they apparently sat around for ages because he was interested in Australia.
Unknowingly chatted with Ann Magnuson in the true crime section of the old AMOK bookstore. She was leafing through John Gilmore’s SEVERED (The Black Dahlia) and I was leafing through his book on Manson, and she said “I know better than to look at this stuff but I still do it” and I agreed. Then as she left, she asked the manager if she could leave some fliers about her show later. He said “Of course, Ann”, and she left. Then I asked the manager who that was. Damn, I wish I had recognized her! She is quirkily hot!
I’ve actually seen more celebrities in Las Vegas wandering around than I have in LA. And even then, most of the celebs I’ve seen in LA have been while I was stuck in traffic on the freeway.
I was at a stoplight on K St. the other day and saw George Stephanopolous walking down the street. He was wearing jeans and a sportcoat, carrying a yellow legal pad.
I don’t get out much, but over the last year or so I’ve seen…Doris Roberts (restaurant at the end of my street), Michael Chiklis (restaurant about a block from home) and Laurence Fishburne (bar in west hollywood). There have probably been others that I just didn’t notice.
My roommate used to work at the Radio Shack at Laurel Canyon and Ventura in Studio City and got celebs in all the time. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Bea Arthur, Ron Howard, Chuck Woolery and Tommy Lee Jones are a few I can think of that he mentioned.
Jonathan Winters crawled under my table at breakfast a couple times. He needed a keeper. It was at a tiny cafe in Toluca Lake. I met Robin Williams at a party. He too, needs a keeper.
One of my best friends just got married to a wonderful lady in LA. She’s in the entertainment business so he gets to go to awards shows and movie premieres for fun.
Anyhow, their rehearsal dinner was hosted by Bruce & Kris Jenner. Very friendly people, great hosts. He still has the same haircut. And I won my “gentleman’s bet” that he’d have at least one Wheaties box, framed, somewhere in the house.
I’ve lived in L.A. for 11 years and I have seen: Macaluy Caulkin, Tim Robbins, Stephen Root and character actor William Fichtner. I sat next to the english guy from the Real World London while watching the FA Cup at a english style pub in Pasadena. Don’t know if that counts.
