# Who is the biggest celebrity you've been within 20 feet of? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 1, 2014, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186 "2014-11-01T00:51:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/101 "2014-11-02T22:12:09Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > I still have you beat. [Akebono](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akebono_Tar%C5%8D), a Hawaiian sumo wrestler, at 6’ 8" and over 500 lbs. My mom met him and said he was a perfect gentleman. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/102 "2014-11-02T22:24:45Z")
I traded sets on the lat row machine with Hulk Hogan. Nice guy. I shook hands with Rod Grams, who used to be Senator from my state. I bought coffee and a brownie for Norman Spinrad, who signed my copy of _The Iron Dream._ And I was uke for Mr. Byung Lee, who at the time was one of the ten living ninth-degree black belts. And I have had my ass handed to me by several national judo champions. Compared with some of y’all I have led a sheltered and retiring life. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/103 "2014-11-02T22:50:58Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Clint Eastwood was standing in a movie line about six people behind me. And I never knew he was there. This was in Monterey. California, in 1975. I was with two other people, and after the show one asked me “Did you see Clint Eastwood? He was standing just a few people behind us!” About 20 years ago a friend of mine went to see David Lindley play at McCabe’s in Santa Monica. Wonderful small auditorium underneath a guitar shop. Greg was with another pal. IIRC, it was just before the concert began… Pal nudged Greg, whispered “Do you know who sat down next to you?” Greg casually glanced to his other side- he was rubbing elbows with Linda Ronstadt. (McCabe’s was that kind of a place. Still is, I hope.) To his credit he acknowledged her with minimal fuss and then left her alone. . ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/104 "2014-11-02T23:52:36Z")
I shook hands and had conversations with: James Garner Tom Brokaw Different occasions, naturally. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/105 "2014-11-03T00:06:04Z")
I met Maureen Tucker (Velvet Underground drummer) and shook her hand. I’m sure I closely crossed paths with Jennifer Nettles more than once, but I really don’t remember her. Trisha Yearwood’s niece was a student in one of my classes, and she has been on Trisha’s cooking show since then. Does that count? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/106 "2014-11-03T00:14:02Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > What if they were alive when you met them but dead when you left them? (Hey, who knows? Maybe Mark David Chapman has an account here.) > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’ve met Chapman on several occasions. Hmm. Has anyone seen the two of you in a room at the same time, I wonder. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/107 "2014-11-03T00:51:20Z")
Top 5 in order of famousness: 1. Beyonce 2. Barack Obama 3. Al Gore 4. Magic Johnson 5. Al Franken In order of proximity: 1. 4-way tie: Beyonce, Gore, Franken, Johnson 2. Obama ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/108 "2014-11-03T03:34:47Z")
John Paul the Second, drove (or rather was driven) past my front door a couple decades ago, I was a kid standing on the sidewalk. I’ve been on set with a few actors, I’ve got a very goofy picture with Nick Stahl for example; I missed meeting Wallace Shawn on the same shooting which was a real bummer. Since I work on TV commercials mostly for Asia I get to be on set with Asian celebrities every now and then, but it’s mostly like: “who’s that face?” 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/109 "2014-11-03T04:32:36Z")
A few more that I just remembered: “Airwolf” fans would remember Jean Bruce Scott. I spent a day with her when I was in the UK back in the mid-1980s (when “Airwolf” was popular). It was a day tour, and we were each by ourselves, so we ended up sitting next to each other on the coach. She was initially reluctant to tell me what she did for a living, but she eventually did; and once she realized that I wasn’t going to be “star-struck,” conversation bloomed. We had a nice lunch together in a pub, and I can still recall her trying to get me to smile so she could use my camera to get a photo of me with Stonehenge in the background. I attended a taping of “Solid Gold” when Dionne Warwick hosted. She stood next to me between takes. Howie Mandel was the comedian who warmed up the crowd at the show; he and I got to talking after the taping (we come from the same home town). ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/110 "2014-11-03T04:37:31Z")
Al Stewart and Dave Nachmanoff. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/111 "2014-11-03T05:57:56Z")
Several celebs that I have posted about before: -played blackjack most of the night in Tahoe during the filming of showgirls with several of the cast members including Linda Evangelstica. She was nice, unnoticed and totally cracked up when I made a joke about “given the chocolates to your mom” when she won a box of chocolates on a casino special for 3 7’s or not busting on 5 cards (I can’t remember which). -Linda Evangilistica and then love muffin Charlie Sheen were in the same elevator in Tahoe as my wife and I. Linda then said “no no, after you” like a chipmunk when I offered her to go ahead of us in the check out line at the hotel. - played pinball with Robin Williams in 1984 or 1985 at some comedy club in SF. We had been upstairs at a Bo Diddley concert. He sucked at pin ball. Was totally gracious when asked to do an ID for radio station KDVS on the spot. It was a college radio station for a university known for its agricultural program. He said something along the lines of “and for all your four leggeded friends. baaabaa” - hung out with Bo Diddley for 45-60 minutes between sets in SF. He was cool. Happy to just shoot the shit and pass time. - Leonard Nimoy was right behind me going through Vancouver immigration and security check flying into the US. I was on total business traveler mode, Leonard was on “I don’t want to be recognized with a Panama hat pulled down.” Shit, I wouldn’t recognize my own mother if I knocked her down going through immigration and security. My colleague asked me on the plane “did you see Leonard Nimoy? I was behind him, and the immigration lady said it “it looked just like him expect for the ears”.” I was kinda like “no shit” - others I don’t think I’ve written about was just about every punk band in the early 1980s, spent an hour with Red Hot Chilli Peppers at the college radio station, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Tom Waits, etc, tons of Rock n Roll bands where I got within 20 feet of the stage (kinks, led zep, queen etc) - more than a few billionaires but will save that for when I’m no longer working where I’m working except to say I saw Steve Ballmer in a Tully’s Coffee Shop. My kids said in Chinese “Dad, he dresses worse than you do.” Ballmer was in crappy sweatpant shorts and a ratty polo shirt talking on his cell phone. My back was to the counter but I was curious if he paid cash or used a credit card. -jerry brown walked by a buddy and I at the California State Capital rubbing his nose first time as governor around in 1979 ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/112 "2014-11-03T06:19:47Z")
Ted Kennedy. I just happened to walk past a political rally that had just completed. He was talking with people on the sidewalk. Peter Pears. I got his autograph after a recital. Does it count if we met before they became famous? Darryl Hannah and Paige Hannah. In the 1970s we had the same voice teacher for a while. Bill Murray. In high school, we were in one class together, and we were both in glee club and the senior play. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Mama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@Atomic\_Mama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Mama)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/113 "2014-11-03T06:23:21Z")
Bill Clinton, when he was campaigning for gov at a county fair in Marvell, Arkansas. Unfortunately (or not), I was registered to vote in Mississippi at the time 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Mama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@Atomic\_Mama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Mama)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/114 "2014-11-03T06:28:40Z")
And I must mention: Muddy Waters Howlin’ Wolf Jimmy Reed John Lee Hooker Willie Dixon Carey Bell Snooky Pryor Eddie Taylor Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater Homesick James Otis Rush Johnny Littlejohn Louis & Dave Myers Fred Below Little Brother Montgomery Sunnyland Slim Good Rockin’ Charles Jimmy Rogers Junior Wells Robert Jr. Lockwood Houston Stackhouse Little Milton Tyrone Davis Otis Clay You get the idea. More memories than I can stand. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/115 "2014-11-03T06:52:51Z")
> [@Atomic\_Mama](#): > > And I must mention: > Muddy Waters > Howlin’ Wolf > Jimmy Reed > John Lee Hooker > Willie Dixon > Carey Bell > Snooky Pryor > Eddie Taylor > Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater > Homesick James > Otis Rush > Johnny Littlejohn > Louis & Dave Myers > Fred Below > Little Brother Montgomery > Sunnyland Slim > Good Rockin’ Charles > Jimmy Rogers > Junior Wells > Robert Jr. Lockwood > Houston Stackhouse > Little Milton > Tyrone Davis > Otis Clay > > You get the idea. More memories than I can stand. We are not worthy… daaaahym, I can only count 3 on your list. And Muddy at best was 20 paces. I did hangout with the Hook for an hour or so, and shook little miltons hand when he was in a bad mood. I’ll add Clarence gatemouth brown and jimmy cotton. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/116 "2014-11-03T10:57:19Z")
David Bowie at [Neo](http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2014/09/29/the-time-david-bowie-called-chicago-home) in Chicago, 1987. The bar was deserted. I bought him a drink. Nice chap. ---
**Author:** ![Lorene89095](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@Lorene89095](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorene89095)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/117 "2014-11-03T12:50:29Z")
Jack Black,nearly ran over him with my power chair… They were on break-filming “Bernie”… Nice guy,nice to waitresses,I’m told ---
**Author:** ![Tread](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Tread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tread)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/118 "2014-11-03T12:59:52Z")
Not counting standing at stage while performer artist was performing… Stevie Ray Vaughn Gallagher Jerry Clower Brooks Robinson ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/119 "2014-11-03T14:33:39Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > Are we only counting live celebrities? Let’s say “no”. I used to work for a “pick-up service” that drove bodies to the funeral homes in Los Angeles. Some of my encounters: Steve Allen Juliet Prowse The Real Don Steele Phil Hartman (and the wife) James Stewart Doug McClure Dương Văn Minh Former CA governor Pat Brown Among the living: Dick Van Patten (just about the whole Van Patten clan) Ed Asner Gene Simmons Paul Stanley Jayne Meadows Current CA governor Jerry Brown Steve Garvey Goose Gossage Various members of the San Diego Chargers in the 80’s who lived in my neighborhood. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/120 "2014-11-03T15:23:35Z")
[Morten Andersen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morten_Andersen) was the keynote speaker at a Kiwanis meeting I attended as a member of their [junior auxillary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_Club). Chubby Checker at the USPTO’s Trademark Expo a couple years ago, he was keynote speaker for the opening ceremonies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186.md?page=7)