Tell me about your encounter with the giants

Cafe Society
1

panache45’s thread about singing with Bernadette Peters made me think about my one experience with the artistic elite.

It was 1983-ish, and the University of Charleston (WV, not SC, which makes this even more unlikely) had somehow gotten grant money to bring in Edward Albee as an artist-in residence. He would have been 55-ish then.

Open auditions were held for a production that would include two one-act plays, “The Sandbox” and “Counting the Ways.” I was fresh out of my master’s degree program in theater. I auditioned and was cast as one of the two actors in “Counting the Ways.”

For three weeks or so, I rehearsed every night under the direction of Edward Albee. After the opening performance, he gave each of us an inscribed copy of an anthology that contained the two plays. In mine he wrote, “To freckafree, from whom I expect to hear more.”

I was beside myself. My interpretation of that inscription was, “You have talent and could go on to great things.” I spent the rest of the evening at the cast party trying to subtly pry out of the others what he’d written in their copies. :slight_smile:

So, I’ve been directed by a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright! An icon in American theater, even!

What about you?

If you don’t know who Edward Albee is, get off my lawn!

2

I took a performance art class from Karen Finley.

3

I was publicly insulted and capped by Harlan. Does that count?

4

I, uh, discussed opera with Glenn Close, once, after I scored an invite to a high-class Met Opera production from my job. I always consider that my longest-lasting brush with someone famous (drinks lasted about two hours and we were at the same table). Really nice woman.

5

My Girl Scout troop was one of many that was invited to sing on stage with Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme in 1980-something. We sang “God Bless America.” We did not get to meet them (or even rehearse with them) but we all got goofy t-shirts that said “I SANG WITH STEVE AND EYDIE.”

Now every time I hear either of their names I like to point out that I sang with Steve and Eydie.

I also giggle when I see thread titles like panache45’s - not because his experience is silly, just makes me think “Bernadette Peters? Well I sang with Steve and Eydie!”

6

Harlan Ellison? Oh hell YES! If you have to be publically insulted by anybody, then he’s the man!

7

I know one of the moonwalkers, and once flew his plane across Texas.

I have met Vanessa Redgrave, Timothy Dalton and Anthony Hopkins. With the first two I was tongue-tied, but I asked Sir Anthony if I should seek my fortune as an actor in the US, to which he replied “probably not”.

Sylvester McCoy bought me a pint of Guinness once, too.

I also went drinking in Dublin one St. Patrick’s Day with Robbie Robertson, but I had no idea who he was, and in fact I thought he was a dickhead - because he was such a namedropper, and claimed people kept asking for his autograph. Yeah, right. :dubious:

8

After-award party at E3 many years ago and I’m hanging out with a drink and look down (he’s short) and there’s Sid Meier, of Civilization (and other) fame. I said hello and we spent some time discussing game development. His big issue was what platform I first played Pirates! on. When I said C-64 he almost swooned. Cool guy. Plays piano like you wouldn’t believe.

Another computer game one: Richard Garriott, the man behind Ultima. He likes to dress up like it’s a ren faire all the time including a big silver ankh on his hairy chest. Engaging character. Like to talk fantasy, as you can imagine.

Stan Lee. Getting my comics at Geppi’s in Silver Spring, MD back in the 80s. The clerk pointed THAT way and there he was, chatting up someone. He was there for a signing but it hadn’t started yet.

Any number of politicos and such. But that was professional and doesn’t impress me much.

9

Back in the mid-60s, I knew Ayn Rand for about a year (before she denounced me as being “hopelessly irrational”).

10

As an extra, I was in 3 scenes with John Travolta and James Gandolfini (John was quite talkative and friendly between takes, James…not so much). I shook Richard Nixon’s hand. My brother sat next to Ringo Star and in front of Stephen Hawking on the SST (separate flights). Burt Reynolds picked my mother up, brushed her off and kissed her after she fell in a bookstore.

11

Geez, mine are lame. I once passed Harry Bellafonte in the hall of the Chase-Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis. He was short and looked to be pissed about something. Here in Cincy, I was at an outdoor restaurant when Nick Lachey passed by. He smiled and posed for pictures with a couple of older ladies. Seems to be an agreeable sort. I once stood in line at an airport sandwich shop behind hockey great Al MacInnis and teammate Geoff Courtnall. They are much, much larger than they appear to be on the ice. I didn’t say anything to them. I was afraid MacInnis might slash me.

Sigh. That’s all I got.

12

OK now, herein hangs a tale! Please share!

Btw, that’s up there with being publically insulted by Harlan Ellison!

13

Okay - here’s my story:

It’s the mid-80’s - Springsteen fully crossed over into mainstream god-hood and there was an American guy who’d had a big hit in the UK off his album, The Hardline According to Terence Trent D’Arby. He was coming back to the U.S. to try to make it and was starting with a set of club dates in a few cities, including San Francisco. My roommate/running buddy Greg and I decided to go.

A word about us: we thought we were too cool; I am now sure a more accurate description would have been young, cocky and stupid - but so goes most folks’ twenties. One rule we had was “you don’t pay” - i.e., we had to talk our way into clubs. It kept our edge sharp and was part of the silliness.

So we found out where TTD’s show was going to be, get there - and there is a huge line. I drop Greg off to scope the situation out while I park. I catch up to him and ask “what’ve we got?” and he replies “Clemmons.”

Clarence Clemmons? Cool. One scam we’d run is to figure out via research or observation who was on the Guest List and then try to piggyback our way in. If Clarence was there, we’d use him.

It was my turn, so I approach the guy at the door and say “guest list” all nonchalant. The guy - not a bruiser, more just a dude - says “who?” I reply “Clarence.” The flips the list on his clipboard and says “yeah, I got Clarence, but no one’s with him.” After a bit of haggling - I couldn’t give up without a fight - I got shut down. Rats - it seems silly to believe this these days, but that was the first time we hadn’t worked it after dozens of successes.

We still wanted to go, so we found a ticket to buy and then found another - but the 2nd guy didn’t have change so I had to go buy a candy bar to break a bill. I come out of the store and Greg’s running up to me saying “you AREN’T going to believe this.” The guy at the door found Greg and apologized - his manager was close to the door so he had to be a dick; he was worried we’d complain to Clarence, an idol of his - could we ever forgive him? Oh, and go on in!

So we didn’t buy the 2nd ticket - and sold the first at a profit! - and went in. I am working my way to a good spot and see some guys in a glassed-in mixing booth towards the back. There’s Clarence Clemmons - head to toe in black leather; cooler than cool. But who’s that next to him? Oh - I know him! He’s a session guitar player a friend of mine was in a band with - I forgot that he, like Clarence and Carlos Santana, was a follower of Sri Chinmoy, a religious leader. So I waved to the guy through the glass, he waved back and then I went back to trying to get a good view.

It was a great concert - Terence Trent D’Arby can really put on a show. Afterwards, my roomie and I were hanging out and my guitarist friend approached me. Next to him was Clarence Clemmons and a couple of other guys. We ended up in a small ring just chatting; I was standing next to Clarence. He’s not super tall - maybe 6’ - but he is a Big man. Anyway, he turns to me and asks me “what songs did you like?” and I replied “the acapella version of First Cut is the Deepest - it was beautiful.” He got a big smile, said “that was mine, too!” and he clapped his hand on my shoulder, gave it a squeeze and left it there…right when the guy who let my roomie and I in was walking by. He looked at me and I gave him one of those “hey dude” chin-lifts that we seem to do when we want to acknowledge another guy and think we’re cool.

At the time, via random luck, I kinda was. :cool:

14

Well, I once (politely) asked Isaac Asimov if he would mind moving himself and his harem to someplace they weren’t blocking traffic. I was working security at NorEasCon in 1980, and happened to be passing by when I noticed a traffic jam near the hallway that led to the dealers room. Isaac was surrounded by a bevy of female fans which had apparently gathered around him when he had stopped to chat with someone. He laughed and apologized as he led them down to a nearby open area.

Later at the con I showed up at one of his autograph sessions wearing a button that said “Unsuccessful Clone of Isaac Asimov”, which he found amusing.

15

I’ve met a few famous people through my work. I’m not bragging or anything:

I once had a wonderful talk with Rudolph Isley about his early work with the Beatles. He was amazed that anyone knew about it.

My Boss was working with a young woman who had just toured Japan. When the Boss was late for an appointment, I asked the nice customer about music in Japan, and we got into a discussion about it. The woman was a very young Alicia Keyes.

We worked with the Rev. Al Sharpton. His wife Kathy Jordan Sharpton was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.

I am a friend of ex-Jet Bruce Harper, have been to his house, know him and his family well, yada yada yada.

16

I have briefly met Bruce, but I don’t think it counts. He was playing a surprised benefit at the Stone Pony for Clearwater and they had all of us Clearwater volunteers form a line around the stage to protect him.

I end up in the front, so my encounter was nothing more than a quick hello, a handshake and the best seats (stand) I ever had for a performance.

My Dad was a VP for the small trucking company that delivered for YooHoo. He got me up there twice when Yogi Berra was suppose to be there. The first time it was only Rick Cerone and no Yogi. Please picture a crestfallen 14 year old. The next time I got to meet Yogi and as the only kid around I got to talk to him a while about the Yanks. Heaven for me it was.

Again through Clearwater, I was part of a Pumpkin Festival and Pete Seeger had a Sloop Club meeting on the Wavertree at South Street Seaport in NYC. This was before the Wavertree* was open to the public. So, I spent about 90 minutes in a meeting with maybe 10 others that Pete led.

He wanted to see the groups reach out more to inner cities and cooperate more with each other. This we all thought was great.
We discussed how to get some stronger New York City groups going.
The most memorable part of the meeting was when Pete reminded us “to not be afraid of going to prison for a good cause”.

I the law abiding Green Republican[sup]2[/sup] blanched at this, but at least half the members at this meeting took it seriously. It brought back to me sharply to just what Pete & Woody’s history was like and how different they were from me. I deeply respect and admire the man, but our methods are not the same and could not be.

Does anyone even know who Pete Seeger is, sometimes I wonder.

What do you mean by capped?

*an 1885, fully-rigged cargo ship (metal hulled sailing/motor boat.
[sup]2[/sup] I officially left the Republican party on February 6[sup]th[/sup]. I am now an independent Green.

17

OK, but only because you asked.

My band was playing the bar at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, CA–probably 1974 or so. This was a weeknight and there were, like, 3 businessmen sitting at the bar sipping cocktails. The rest of the room was empty.

In walk 2 black couples, dressed to the teeth–satin, fur, jewels. They sit down in a booth close to the stage and are watching us closely, especially our keyboard player who is a monster. When we take a break, I walk over and say “you all are players?”

It’s Larry Graham. I say “pleased to meet you” and shake his hand. His young (and exceptionally beautiful) lady is rather upset that I’m not groveling, but Larry seemed rather pleased that I would talk with him just like any other musician. We talked about his current project and the basses he played and such.

We went back up for the next set and they all left. Nice guy.
And I shook John Elway’s hand once when my band played the dinner/dance after his golf benefit. He loved the band (we were doing a Blues Bros. tribute) and got up to “sing” with us. Couldn’t find the key and didn’t know when to come in, as they say.

18

I knew U.S. Olympic gold medalist and NY Islander Ken Morrow. I once got to take one street hockey shot at NY Islander Billy Smith with NY Islanders Bryan Trottier and Bobby Nystrom as my wingmen (yeah, Trottier was a center, but for this he was on my wing).

My best friend lived next to NY Met Bud Harrelson, and we’d see him a lot in the off-season.

Used to go fishing back in Jr. HS with future NY Met Pete Harnisch. Also played Little League against him. Back then, he had a tough time getting me out. How some things change.

When I was a bank teller, NY Mets Howard Johnson and Randy Myers were customers.

My other best friend lived in the same apartment building with Jerry Orbach, pre L&O. Met him a few times. I worked in the same building with Joan Rivers corporate office about a dozen years ago. She was annoying, and she always had one of those permed rats with her.

Lastly, I was honked at by David Lettermen crossing 7th Avenue once.

Lots of other close encounters where there was no interaction, too.

19

I met Carl Perkins.

I went to a show with a number of acts, and had some (legitimate) business “backstage” – it was an outdoor amphitheatre and you had to cross a little bridge and go back to the building where the dressing rooms were. He was standing on the bridge with his back to me, but turned around when I started across. For some reason he thought I was there to see him, and I didn’t want to embarrass him.

It was as if he had waited his entire life to meet me. He was about the nicest, friendliest man I have ever met. He was just so delightful. When I told him that I had enjoyed his performance, he was overcome with glee. And this was when he had already been diagnosed with the throat cancer that would kill him. (Didn’t affect his performance any, though. He was awesome.)

I have met a lot of oldies-type stars and only a few of them are assholes (names available upon request). Most are just regular guys. Carl Perkins – what a man.

20

As a Reading Is Fundamental winning-essay schoolkid, I once met OSU football great Archie Griffin.

I’ve shaken hands and briefly spoken with quite a few politicos: Mike Dukakis several times in 1987-88 (he personally interviewed me and four others just after we’d joined his campaign; nice guy); Bill Clinton while he was campaigning in early 1992 (I asked him who’d be picking for his running mate, and when he smiled and said, “Who would you suggest?”, I was so pleasantly taken aback I blanked); Al Gore in 1988 (literally bumped into him at the NH Democratic convention), Dick Gephardt and Paul Simon (who admired my bowtie, worn in his honor); John Kerry (at a 2004 fundraiser). And Ohio Gov. Dick Celeste and then-Attorney General Lee Fisher, five Members of Congress, and by now dozens of judges.

Spoke briefly with David Gerrold and Leonard Nimoy at a 1987 ST convention.

I’d love to meet former astronaut and Sen. John Glenn, long a hero of mine, but have never had the opportunity.