Let’s see. My kids swim at the Olympic Training Center. My wife and kids have met Michael Phelps and other swimming illuminaries.
Me, I’ve met men and women on the national triathlon teams. I’ve borrowed Hunter Kempfer’s wet suit. (It was too small.) I’ve met a gold medal winning swimmer (she was part of a relay).
And, I met Eugene Wigner, a few years before he died.
I was a product reviewer for Zillions Magazine, a Consumer Reports for kids!
I got:
a hot pink Zillions t-shirt
a Vanilla Ice rap game
a McDonalds cheeseburger
a McDonalds McLean Deluxe
a bunch of other crap I don’t remember
and…
(this is the best part)
a bunch of freaking press. Which mortified the shit out of me. I was 13 years old! I was just beginning to understand how awkward and ugly I was! I was on the cover of the Chicago Tribune! AAAAAAH!
ZJ
Wait, this is a thread about close calls career-wise, not with famous people, right? Did I just embarrass myself again?
In eighth grade, I won a national eighth grade math competition…I got a piece of paper with my name on it…
When I was… oh, probably 5 or 6 (probably 6) my grandmother brought me to a Jesse Jackson Ralley.
In Great Falls, Montana. Not exactly his choice demographic.
During his question and answer period, I raised my hand… I didn’t quite get what was going on. He finally got around to me, and asked me what my question was.
Tristan: Are you gonna run for president?
Jesse J: (smiles) Well, do you think I should?
Tristan: Yes sir!
thundrous applause, standing ovation
That would be it, for me.
My ex-wife swam against Summer Sanders in High School. She lost. Everyone lost… Summer Sanders went on to Olympic swimming, scoring a silver or gold.
Took a class in 20th c Irish Lit from Eavan Boland at uni, and she complimented me on my class presentation about ASL poetry.
Started attending Central Institute for the Deaf as a very young kid ~2 years before Heather Whitestone’s graduation.
/nuthin
My senior year in college, I played against the Michigan baseball team that had Barry Larkin, Jim Abbott, and Chris Sabo as freshmen. I was put in in the late innings of a blowout loss, and the Michigan coach decided to give his one armed freshman some work. So I got to face Jim Abbott. I lined out.
At University, for one particular assignment I got the highest grade in the entire computing department (containing well over 200 students)
My husband was in a semi-well known underground metal band late 90’s-last year. He opened for Slash, Yngwie Malmsteem, and Jason Bonham (son of legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham).
Mr. Creature’s Jackson King V Pro Mustaine was on layaway at Guitar Center for ages, and Dave Mustaine needed one for a video shoot. Hubby’s V was the only one around, so Dave borrowed it and signed it on the back. The video, * A Tout Le Monde,* was banned from MTV for ‘violence’ (showed people falling into a grave - what, and Eminem can rap about his dead wife in the trunk of his car? :rolleyes: )
My great great (great?) grandfather was the lock and gunsmith for Kaiser Wilhelm (I don’t remember which).
Yeah I got nuthin, too.
I’ve had dinner with Sir Ian McKellan and Steven Fry. (Or to be more accurate, I’ve eaten in the same room as them.)
Quite off-my-face, I’ve danced next to Graham Norton (in a club, not on BBC2.) This was a literal brush with fame as I stumbled into him at least once.
My BF and best friend have both shagged British Big Brother contestants (two different ones). Oh wait, the OP dictates brush with greatness…
I used to shag an Australian Olympian.
My neighbour (as a waiter) had his arse pinched by George Michael, before he was outed.
My BF’s father has met the Queen and most of the immediate Royal Family.
Hey, me too! 
HA! Far out! It still makes me think I can spell anything. 
Oh, and the sixth grader? He cried.
I’ve met Prince Phillip, and he didn’t insult me! I was gutted.
I’m a judge in the world’s largest scavenger hunt. Prior to that, I was a team captain and my team made the front page of the Chicago Sun-Times. I appeared dressed as a mermaid sitting in a homemade fish tank. I was also part of a feature-length documentary of the annual Hunt. (It’s called, appropriately, The Hunt.)
Not a whole lot of greatness, but I’m betting some of you know of the Scav Hunt.
Worked in various hotels in the late 70’s and early 80’s, mostly the nicer ones in the area. As such, met many of the celebs and entertainers that came through town. Some were very nice and gracious, others weren’t. Two that stand out: Henny Youngman and Joan Jett.
Mr. Youngman was just such a nice guy. At least to me, while we chatted on the elevator.
And Ms. Jett…wow. Super nice. Not so much directly to me, but to her band etc. It was at one of those all suite hotels with the mini-kitchens. She sent me out, after the show, to get more pots and pans and such. She was going to cook a meal for the band and the crew. As I said, it was -after- the show. Up close, you could see that she looked tired. Beat.
And Douglas Fairbanks Jr. I didn’t know or think he was famous for anything other than being Jr. (I still have no idea if he actually acted or not, but I guess he looked familiar enough from somewhere.) Anyway, he seemed to be just another old guy, until the ‘ladies of a certain age’ came to meet and greet. As they were fawning over him, you could almost see him change into somebody else, into the suave and debonair person they expected.
I was once under the secret service’s scrutiny.
What?..You really want to know?
It was back during Bush 41’s run against Clinton. He was on a train trip through the south.
He came right through Lexington. About 100 ft from where I worked. I was standing all alone leaning on a rail with a broom in my hand waiting for his train.
Two helicopters eyeballed me pretty well.
I’ve never brushed with Greatness; Colgate, Crest, Pepsodent, and (when I was poor) Ivory soap, but never Greatness. What’s it taste like?
Seriously, I met the founder of VariVue once, and almost married his daughter.