Obscure Claims to Fame

In My Humble Opinion (IMHO)
#1

I just heard a commercial for a Gordon Lightfoot concert (!?) and was reminded that my Grandfather was on an intercontinental flight with Mr. Lightfoot and took him for $350 in a game of Gin.

Also, when I was in highschool I dated a concert promoter who convinced me to make Goulash for Fugazi…which I did.

And finally, this past October, I was ejected from a Bears/Vikings game for indecent exposure, much to the consternation of the crowd around me.

These are my odd and obscure claims to fame! Let’s hear yours

jarbaby

#2

Along with another person we won the TV debating championship for Saskatchewan in 1981. We got some nice prizes, a $500.00 scholarship and a complete deluxe leatherbound set of the Encylopedia Britannica. I think the only people who watched the show were relatives of the debators and anyone who had only one channel to watch and nothing else they wanted to do on a Sunday afternoon because it was cancelled after the next year.

Keith

#3

Hey! My husband and I used to judge debate and oral interp in Ohio…congratulations on that.

jarbaby

#4

Back in the early 80’s I was in a bar band playing the local (Chicago) club circuit. At about that same time Joe Perry left Aerosmith to form The Joe Perry Project.

Well, we were playing at the Station House Pub in Kankakee, Illinois. Joe and co. were playing in town as well. The rumor was that Joe might stop by after his show. Nobody really believed it, but Joe and his singer (can’t recall the guy’s name) did actually show up!

The kicker was that he got up on stage with us and we jammed “Red House Blues”. And Joe played MY guitar. I was in awe. I still have that guitar, and probably always will.

I’m sure Joe doesn’t remember though. He was pretty messed up at the time. :slight_smile:

#5

Madonna has probably heard of me.

You see, about 8 months after my husband and I were married, Madonna and Guy Ritchie were married by the same minister, in Dornoch, Scotland. We like to think that the minister may have casually mentioned that she had married another British-American couple earlier that year (i.e. us!). And although Madonna got married in a nearby castle, she did have her son christened in Dornoch Cathedral, where Mr. Nim and I were wed. We think that’s pretty cool. :slight_smile:

#6

I had a letter published in the actual Straight Dope, which later appeared in the book “The Straight Dope Tells All” (that’s the one with the blue cover).

It was an honor to be ridiculed by Cecil himself.

Here’s the archive entry, without the accompanying Slug Signorino picture unfortunately. I’m last on the page:

#7

Hot Damn! Now we’re talkin’ everyone! That’s so cool Grok. I’ve longed to have a letter answered by Cecil, ever since the very first straight dope introduced me to the finer details of SM, but every question I’ve ever wanted answered has been answered either in the books or on these boards. My brain…is full.

These are all fun stories everyone! A good way to get me NOT to work.

jarbaby

#8

Hmm … I’ve been photographed on the same roll of film as Queen Elizabeth, does that count?

I’ve also been in the same plaza as King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain, although there were several thousand people between us and I didn’t actually see them.

#9

I met Don Johnson (1985, Miami vice phase) on a flight from Miami to LA. I had just flown in overnight from Rio (really!) and I was SO VERY tan from the tropical sun. I sat down next to him and babbled something charming, and he did that thing where he pulled down his sunglasses and looked over the tops of them, checking out the material
S-L-O-W-L-Y. Tacky, I suppose, but I was stupid then so I liked it (does not indicate lack of stupidity now).

I was at a bus stop and a man came up to me and said, “You have the most beautiful legs in the world” and walked away.
So it must be true then, right?

I met my boyfriend on the internet. Nothing special? Ha, anyone who has tried similar will know what I mean. Almost 5 years of togetherness (including 2 state-to-state moves and enough frequent flyer miles to fund a trip to Europe), go figure…

#10

Well, according to my Mom, she went on a date with Tommy Smothers when she was in college. She said he was very nice.

When I worked at the late great Leopolds record store in Berkeley, Mick Jones, formerly of The Clash, and currently of Big Audio Dynamite, came in the day after a BAD concert and I assisted him as he went around the store buying up a bunch of cassettes. Nice guy, very quiet.

#11

Clears throat and trys to speak in a normal tone of voice:

I was the first person in the history of the Lakeland, Florida DMV to run out of gas during my drivers license road test.

shuffles away, hanging head…

#12

When I was seven years old Fleetwood Mac was at the Playboy Club in Lake Geneva WI ( My cousin was a waitress there) I got to meet the entire band and play with Stevie Nick’s tamborine-the one with all the ribbons dangling off it. I was in grrly heaven.

For those who didn’t see my wrestling post in the BBQ pit I am a huge WWF fan and have met some of the wrestlers most notably Mick Foley-great,funny,intelligent guy-the 2nd time I ran into him he remembered my name fron the first meeting.

Now if I can just meet Jeff Hardy…but I’ve already lined up backstage passes for the next WWF taping in Chicago…wish me luck :slight_smile:

#13

I was the youngest person to ever graduate from my high school. <shrug> Now all it means is that employers think there is a mistake on my resume.

#14

I’ve performed in Carnegie Hall.

Our high school orchestra went on a trip to Europe and performed there one afternoon on our way over. Pretty cool, actually.

#15

I shook hands with Ronald Reagan.
[sup](I STILL WASH THAT HAND EACH NIGHT)[/SUP]

My mother met Elvis Presley on the beach in Hawaii.

My Father met Enrico Fermi.

I met French Flautist Jean Piere Rampal backstage.

I saw Monty Python’s Flying Circus live at the Hollywood bowl.

I clasped John Cleese on the arm during the Albatross sketch.

My chip design flies on the space shuttle.

Reagan sent the Challanger crew to their deaths on my birthday.

I have one of the longest running threads on the SDMB.

My Grand Uncle synthesized vitamin B[sub]12[/sub] for the first time.

Eric Hoffer lectured my junior high school history class.

I tasted some of the first tangelos to come to California.

I bought a copy of “Strange Victory” by the poetess Sara Teasdale (with hand written and initialed erratta) for ten cents in a thrift shop.

#16

I’m related to Wild Bill Hickock on my dad’s side.
I’m related to the McCanles (sp?) family on my mom’s side.

Wild Bill and the McCanles were involved in a somewhat famous shootout.

Sorta explains why my parents never did get along …

#17

My mother was a secretary in Dr. Jonas Salk’s office.

I smoked a cigarette next to Uma Thurman.

I shook Mr Rogers’ hand.

I sold a book to Johnny Cochran.

When I was 16, Toad the Wet Sprocket came to town and played a free show in our town. (This was in 1989, several years before they had any recognition whatsoever.) I ate dinner with them and hung out with them for several hours. Nice boys, they were.

I told Emmanuel Lewis where to buy magazines in the airport.

I talked to Dean Ween (Mickey Melchiondo) for about an hour after one of their concerts in 1994.

I sold a book to John Denver a few months before his death.

I talked to Mike Watt for a bit before a show of his. I offered to buy him dinner at a mexican joint, but he said there wasn’t enough time. Maybe he didn’t like me. :slight_smile:

Purple Panda from Mr Rogers Neighborhood was the organist at a church my folks went to for a while. ( I guess I’m reaching now…time to quit.)

#18

I should probably clarify that it was the man who wore the Purple Panda suit on MRN, not an actual giant purple panda that played the organ in that church.

#19

In order of occurance…

Met Ernie Banks (“Mr. Cub”) when I was 5, got an autographed baseball.

In the old opening to the Bozo Show… (‘We’re in Chicago, havin’ a good time, we’re all watchin’ channel 9’)… When the shot freezes, you can see my face under Bozo’s raised arm.

I was on the ‘PM Magazine: History of Rock & Roll’ special in eighth grade making fun of Prince.

Met Tracy Chapman in a music store (she was tryin’ out a banjo).

I made a 1/2-court shot in a contest during halftime at a Depaul Blue Demons game.

Three friends and I had a couple of shots of tequila with Paul Rodriguez in a bar in Ensenada, Mexico.

I let the folks at Jerry Springer dress me up as a girl on a dare.

I almost caught Dennis Rodman’s jersey after a Bull’s game (on T.V.).

Met Michael Jordan (at a nightclub), Liz Phair (at an ATM), & Cheap Trick (at a bar in a restaurant).

#20

I co-wrote a TV series that got made and screened on New Zealand television’s most popular Children’s TV Show. One of the episodes starred one of my childhood TV heroes!

I also was involved (in the earliest creative input stage) with NZ’s most popular film of 2000.

I haven’t really met anyone famous, though, except in an extremely local way. I used to be mentioned on the local radio station a lot as I managed to make friends with the Breakfast DJs.