# Which famous people have you met? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 5, 2016, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166 "2016-07-05T22:26:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/21 "2016-07-06T01:12:52Z")
Let’s see - three U.S. Senators, two of whom had been nominated to be Vice President; a couple of Congresspeople; Leon Panetta, who had a bunch of very important positions in government; Red Quinlan (who was fairly famous in Chicago); stood right next to Ozzie Smith, but was too intimidated to actually speak to him; and the two who really count, Chubby Checker and Todd Rundgren. I also inadvertently got double-booked into George W. Bush’s hotel suite, but the Secret Service threw me out and told me to get another room before Bush ever arrived. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/22 "2016-07-06T02:25:47Z")
When I was in middle school (1960’s) I worked on the school newspaper. A fellow writer and I was able to get an interview with Buddy Hackett. He was performing in Las Vegas where we lived. He was very nice. The interview took place in the hotel restaurant. Bought us chocolate sundaes! I remember two incidents. A lady came up to the table and handed Mr. Hackett a menu and asked for his autograph. He told her that the menu was hotel property. If she wanted she could pick up a photo of him at the lobby, and he would happily sign it. I was totally unprepared with a list of questions to ask. He mentioned that he had a son. And I asked if he named him after himself. He said he was Jewish and we don’t do that. Oooops. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/23 "2016-07-06T02:36:35Z")
Al Gore (twice) Christopher Reeve (lived in same dorm in college) Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins Aaron Copland Mariel Hemingway Jane Fonda and Ted Turner Paul Ehrlich Frank Gehry Jane Goodall Ruben Blades Four Panamanian presidents ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/24 "2016-07-06T03:03:59Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > I also inadvertently got double-booked into George W. Bush’s hotel suite, but the Secret Service threw me out and told me to get another room before Bush ever arrived. I don’t suppose your confirmation e-mail from Trivago was going to carry much weight, was it? ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/25 "2016-07-06T03:45:18Z")
Eric Clapton (at the mall!) Buddy Miles ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/26 "2016-07-06T04:00:39Z")
Isaac Asimov Leonard Bernstein Ernest Borgnine Michael Feinstein Jose Feliciano Allen Ginsburg Alan Greenspan Joel Grey Keith Hering Janis Ian Larry Kramer Kate Mulgrew “Cubby” O’Brien (original Mouseketeer/drummer) Luciano Pavarotti Bernadette Peters Ayn Rand Vito Russo Stephen Sondheim Frank Spangenburg (legendary _Jeopardy!_ champion) Micky Spillane Barbra Streisand Garry Trudeau ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/27 "2016-07-06T04:07:14Z")
Nobody. Well, I briefly met the governor of my state once. And I have, or had, a mutual friend with a sort of but not very famous singer-songwriter, whom I have met twice. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/28 "2016-07-06T04:11:51Z")
Joan Baez Isaac Asimov Bill Bradley Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey and Mary Travers ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/29 "2016-07-06T05:08:22Z")
I have met more famous people than I could possibly recall but I work in entertainment and have for over 35 years. Before I started doing this tho, my crowning achievements in high school were calling both Isaac Asimov and Harlan Ellison. Mr. Asimov spoke with me for ten minutes or so and encouraged me to write to him; we exchanged letters for a couple of years. Mr. Ellison was polite but curt; he did chuckle that a fan had taken the time and trouble to find his home phone number and had the balls the call him out of the blue. Years later when I met him face-to-face, I didn’t bring up that phone call. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/30 "2016-07-06T05:51:02Z")
My fanboy crush, [Felicia Day](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urNyg1ftMIU). Twice. She’s part of an improv group that does performances in L.A. (I think they’re still going, called Hammer Improv) and I went to one of those shows and talked to her afterwards. Then I went to a little signing/meet and greet thing they were doing for The Guild at a comic book store on another occasion and met the whole cast of it. ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/31 "2016-07-06T06:28:23Z")
I was an official hostess at Expo 67, so I met quite a few. Still, as a SF fan, I’m quite impressed by some of the lists here. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/32 "2016-07-06T06:36:51Z")
Nick Cave is probably the best known person I’ve spoken with. Met a bunch of other Australian musicians who are pretty well-known in Aus but less so elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![RobotDevilDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19adc/32.png) [@RobotDevilDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobotDevilDog)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/33 "2016-07-06T07:09:45Z")
Baseball related (not counting autograph signings, which are too numerous to mention): Met Pete Rose a few times, and had dinner with him (and a large group of people) once. Very nice guy. Met Steve Carlton a few times, and had breakfast with him once. Extremely nice guy, and very funny. Met Eddie Murray at an event once. Shared a car ride with Darrel Evans once. ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/34 "2016-07-06T09:37:30Z")
Sat at Gene Roddenberry’s table at a Star Trek convention banquet. Majel switched places with him half way through the meal. Also met George Takei at the same Con. Super nice guy. Spelled a word for Harlan Ellison at a World Con. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/35 "2016-07-06T11:55:22Z")
**Roberto Clemente** : I was 13, playing at a friend’s house. His dad was Clemente’s attorney and they were doing paperwork for the upcoming trip to Nicaragua. His mom introduced us to Clemente. A few days later his death was in the news. **Willie Stargell** : I went to grade school with his niece, met him several times. I remember being amazed at his size, and the fact that he almost whispered when we talked. He sounded like far-off thunder. He made me feel like he was honored to be meeting me. **Sid Ceaser** : Around that same time, a friend’s dad played cello in the Pittsburgh Symphony. We got to sit, quietly, in the orchestra pit for a show at Pittsburgh’s Civic Arena. After the show we hung out in Cesear’s dressing room while he changed clothes (white boxers with red hearts) and chatted with my friend’s dad. They were old friends. As an adult I’ve hung out with a plethora of blues artists. Pinetop Perkins, Keb Mo, Sam Myers, Anston Funderburg, Anna Popovich, Johnny Winter, Walter Trout, Johnny Clyde Copeland, Shemekia Copeland, Terrance Simiene, and many others at my friend’s bar. So many are gone now. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/36 "2016-07-06T11:56:25Z")
I am an Omaha guy… Warren Buffet He shops at the local Dillard’s mens dept. and frequents some of the same restaurants I do Ben Nelson (Senator who made the Cloture vote for Obamacare) We sat next to him and his wife at a movie. My daughter also cuts his hair occasionally. Lester Abrams ( he is obscure, I know, but he wrote and produced for the Doobie Brothers and co-wrote their hit Minute by Minute Buddy Miles Nick Hexum went to high school with my daughter and has been in my house on numerous occasions, admittedly before fame. Maurice “Mad Dog” Vachon 60s Pro Wrestling Heel. One of the nicest and gentlest men you could meet. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/37 "2016-07-06T12:04:04Z")
Gary Kasparov (three times) Derren Brown ---
**Author:** ![Labor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Labor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labor)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/38 "2016-07-06T12:16:53Z")
John Cage, he was friendly. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/39 "2016-07-06T13:00:20Z")
One other person I could have mentioned was David Eckstein, who would later be a World Series MVP. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166/40 "2016-07-06T13:09:56Z")
Lots of Australian musicians from the 80s including Michael Hutchence, Chrissy Amphlett, Barnsey, Peter Garrett, some comedians, TV personalities and sports folk. Looking through the thread I was expecting names to leap out at me, “I’d like to meet him/her,” kind of thing. However the only one I would really be keen to meet is Derren Brown. I imagine he’d make a good dinner companion. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-people-have-you-met/759166.md?page=3)