How many degrees separate you from a celebrity/historical figure

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
61

My paternal grandfather was a stuntman for Warner Bros. in the 1930s/40s, but he had passed before I was born. There are family stories of things like joking with Olivia de Havilland who had to sit on his lap and the laps of other cast/crew as they were moved between sets and locations during filming. Unfortunately many of those stories were lost with my dad when he died before he could document them, but assuming there were similar familiarities with other big name stars in other films he was involved in, that would put me within a degree of the likes of her, Ronald Reagon, Errol Flynn, Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains, George Reeves, Humphrey Bogart, and some others. I know that my grandfather was friends with Slim Pickens.

I’ve met Peter Coyote a few times at various small gatherings and potlucks in my hometown, which is where other former members of The Diggers settled down with their families.

Robert Foxworth used to be married to my old drama teacher, and I attended school with two of his kids for awhile. My older brother and his son graduated from a small high school together and he attended the graduation.

Emmanuel Lewis used to come in for poker night at the bar and grill located on the ground floor of the headquarters of the company I used to work for in Atlanta. The restaurant was owned by a former VP of the company.

Professionally, I’ve come entirely too close to a few high profile political figures, but I can’t comment further.

I used to work and occasionally hang out with one of the co-creators of Homestar Runner, Matt Chapman. He’s a really cool guy.

I went to High School with Guy Fieri’s younger sister, and when I was younger I stayed over at their house a few times. My mom and dad were giving dance classes and his mom and dad were students, and he’d get stuck babysitting me and his sister. We lived way out in the boonies so part of the logistics for my parents being able to teach the classes was all of us needing a place to stay for the night. I remember him offering to make me anything in the world I wanted for dinner, because he enjoyed the challenge. I seem to recall asking for something like a BLT or grilled cheese and soup. Kinda sucks to have had my shot at being cooked for by a celebrity chef at the age of 9.

The mother of my former college roommate & straight girl crush apparently used to date Jim Morrison.

62

My father’s last boss was J. Edgar Hoover.

A friend of mine is Linda Ronstadt’s Aunt (or cousin).

63

A couple of my friends work in movies, so during those times they’re two steps to George Lucas or Tom Hanks or Dakota Fanning or James Cameron or Nicolas Cage. But to me that doesn’t really count.

I am otherwise not in any way connected to anybody important.

64

I’ve met several Boston sports figures: K.C. Jones (Celtics coach) and several 80’s era Patriots-Don Blackmon, Andre Tippett and Trevor Matich. I had a HS friend who met IIRc Chris Slade and Willie Mcginnest (Patriot players in the '90’s.

65

One of my dad’s cousins is into geneology, and told us recently that we’re related to one of the signers of the declaration of indepedence, Samuel Huntington. Since he died 181 years before I was born, it has to be dozens of degrees of seperation.

66

My maternal grandfather’s paternal uncle (in other words, my mom’s great uncle) was a poet well-known enough to have a listing in Encyclopedia Britannica. Probably the only people still know about him are either my family members, or people who study early 20th century Yiddish poetry. Supposedly we’re also distantly related to the Romanov family but according to my grandfather, that’s not too hard to accomplish. Other than that, I got nuttin.

67

My cousin is a former rugby league player, former captain of his club side, former British Lion and England international, former England rugby league manager and now a pundit on Sky Sports. If you follow rugby league in the UK you’ll have heard of him, and possibly if you follow it in Australia (he transferred there for a season).

My “academic great great grandfather” (i.e. my supervisor’s supervisor etc.) is Alan Turing. His supervisor was Alonzo Church.

68

Many years ago, when I was in college in Barcelona, the Spanish SciFi and Fantasy Association organized its yearly shinding there over a four-day weekend. I assisted. The opening speech was by a British author whose books I’d seen around my favorite store but hadn’t read (being a poor student and all, and yes I realize that’s redundant). There was simultaneous interpreting, but I figured I’d use it only if I didn’t understand it in English. It started, and after five minutes in which I was the only member of the audience showing any kind of reaction, they realized there was a problem with the equipment in the interpreter’s cabin.

That’s how I got to have lunch (twice) and dinner (once) with Terry Pratchett before I’d ever read one of his books, I got dropped there on grounds of “you two can actually talk to each other!”. Helluva nice guy.

I’ve also met a bunch of well-known comic-book authors and even The Man himself, in Barcelona’s Setmana del Comic. I used to gopher for that bookstore during the Setmana in exchange for professional passes. And quite a few Spanish artists are clients of that store, so I’ve met several of them there over our shopping lists.

My cousin was a professional mountain climber, he’s well-known in those circles.

69

Forgot: Dad got to meet Queen Sofia when she opened the hospital where he worked (Procurement Manager), and Mom once ran into a young tall blonde Spanish Air Force cadet as she was leaving a dance; he seemed amused but the other four cadets with him weren’t. He’s now known as King Juan Carlos I. I’ve seen Queen Sofia around town a couple times when she was visiting and the Princesses when I lived close to the hospital where the bf of one of them worked.

70

A good friend of mine appeared in a book with Batman. Beat that!

71

Mayflower descendant. GWB comes from this same ancestor. I’m very sorry.

Subsequent ancestor listed in Guinness Book of Records as the world’s greatest miser.

Met the Emperor and Empress of Japan.

Interpreted at film distribution negotiations with Harvey Weinstein.

Passed Bill Clinton in the Essex House lobby.

Met Barbara Feldon, that nice lady who was the sidekick in Get Smart.

Coached Hiroyuki Sanada before his US ‘Last Samurai’ press conferences.

72

I’ve had lunch with a future U.S. Attorney General, met Willie Nelson on his tour bus, and trained with a couple of UFC fighters, including a light heavyweight champion.

73

2 for Steve Carell, Jon Krasinski (The Office cast) because I went to high school with one of the headwriters.
2 for the cast of Six Feet Under because a high school classmate married Lauren Ambrose.
3 for Barak Obama, Whoopi Goldberg, Quincy Jones, Oprah Winfrey,Chris Tucker, Morgan Freeman, Tina Turner, Tom Joyner, Chris Rock, Don Cheadle, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and Maya Angelou because my mom worked for someone famous for over a decade.
4 for Franz Liszt if I believe my grandmother’s story that he’s a relative.

74

My mother was close to César Chávez and once sent a gift to a then-future CIA director on Chávez’ behalf.

I flew non-stop LA to London with Gypsy Rose Lee and Alexander Mundy. (I was in coach; they were up front.)

I’ve co-authored papers with someone who’s pretty sure he became the smartest man in the world, once Richard Feynman died.

My 3-g grandfather was one of the martyrs of the Haun’s Mill massacre.

My 1st cousin 1x removed (whom I’ve not seen for decades) is CEO of a Fortune-500 company.

My drinking buddy was drinking buddy of Denmark’s Crown Prince.

I’ve had women Omar Sharif had also had. (Though that may include most of the women in Western Europe the way some tell it.) Another ex-girlfriend used to be friends with Khun Sa.

I demonstrated a computer system to the 2nd richest man in Nepal just before he had his penectomy.

75

I am from the same Howard family that gave the wold all the Howard Taft’s.

Of course, I’ve met gaggles of stage actors at the stafe door. I once walked five blocks with Christopher Reeve to the store that was selling the window cards to 5th of July when he was doing the show.

I’ve babysat the daughers of Rev. Al Sharpton and Wilson Pickett. I also babysat Douglas Fanell, who later brought down Martha Stewart.

I’m personal friends with ex-Jet Bruce Harper and Tyson Beckford’s mother Hillary.

76

It’s funny, because I was taught early to respect celeb’s privacy and never fawn or ask for autographs - that’s just crass. (Mom)

I grew up in Nashville, TN. Mom owned a travel agency, and anyone in country music and TV used her agency. She would often come home from work and hand me an envelope or 2, and say “Take this to Mr. Cash.” or whoever. I met and befriended dozens of singers, TV-types, and general music industry folks. Everyone from Hee-Haw and The Grand Ole Opry; Junior Samples is smarter than he looks!
Porter Wagner lived in my neighborhood.
Jerry Clower was a family friend, and the nicest man you could ever meet.
My sister lived next door to Charlie Daniels. Met him many times. Nice guy.
I dated Ray Stevens’ daughter in HS. He’s a hoot.
Our next-door neighbor was the local TV weatherman. Boring.
Got to play percussion with Weather Report as a teen.

Later, I had a friend who worked for a concert promoter here in Atlanta, so she got me backstage passes to anyone I wanted. I’ve been lucky enough to meet and even dine with many 80’s rock bands from Pat Benatar to Pink Floyd and The Who. Got to meet my all-time idol Chuck Mangione on many occasions.
Mrs. Ducati worked for William Johnson, the founder of Ritz-Carlton hotels. We honeymooned for weeks in RC hotels around the world for free!

We both currently work for an NFL Hall of Fame player-turned businessman here in Atlanta.
As such, we’ve met many NFL greats, both Pres. Bushes, and many more.
I guess we’re 1 or 2 degrees from EVERYONE!

That’s a lot of celebs for a kid who’s supposed to be ignoring them! Sorry, Mom.

77

My wife’s maiden name was Booth.

Yes, great-x4(or so) niece of John Wilkes Booth.

78

I’m good friends with a couple of big-time Hollywood stars.

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79

One degree from Pope John Paul II (and Benedict XVI), via several people I knew through my old job. (One of them once took a nap in the pope’s chair). So probably no more than 3 from pretty much anyone.

80

A distant cousin was a star quarterback for the West Virginia Mountaneers, and had a noted NFL career.

Much closer to home, another NFL quarterback, Rick Mirer, graduated from my high school about 10 years behind me. His dad was my shop teacher.

I also know a short handful of astronauts, having worked for NASA…