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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
My fanboy crush, Felicia Day. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
