# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/121 "2014-11-03T15:31:41Z")
Alan Parsons, on several occasions - I was in the Alan Parsons Project fan club, and club members got backstage passes to shows Richard Hatch (from the old Battlestar Galactica) - I was 16. He was in a car at the local ice cream place. I asked him for an autograph. Lee Majors - he was filming in my home town Alice Cooper, if all goes according to plan in three weeks (meet and greet tickets) Jim Butcher (Dresden Files author) - met him at SDCC and Gen Con Mike Stackpole (fantasy/sci-fi author) - known him off and on since the early 80s (though I’m not sure he remembers me anymore) ---
**Author:** ![Tremblay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e56c9b/32.png) [@Tremblay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tremblay)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/122 "2014-11-03T15:37:00Z")
Sasha Pavlovic (former Cavs player). I saw him at my mall years back. Some old dude that played for the Chicago Bears back in the day. I had a conversation with him and his wife on the train in September. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/123 "2014-11-03T16:28:45Z")
Played with Matthew McConaughey as a kid; was friends with his older brother. Ate bar-b-que with Bill Clinton at the same picnic table, when he was Governor of Arkansas. Had lunch with George H.W. Bush at a table for 10, when he was running for president in 1980. Met all the Commodores back stage and introduced them to a crowd of 75,000 as the headline act. Met George W. Bush in the oval office. Sat next to Kirstie Alley on a 2.5 hour flight and she wouldn’t shut up…wanted to talk the entire flight. Met with numerous members of congress from time to time. Had dinner with Warren Buffett. Had a very interesting conversation with Tory Burch about her business. Saw Stevie Ray Vaughn play numerous time in Austin, before he became really big, got to meet him after one of his shows. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/124 "2014-11-03T16:39:26Z")
I walked past Elton John on a Paris sidewalk. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/125 "2014-11-03T19:36:27Z")
Rebecca Romijn and I went to the same high school, I knew her incidentally (she’s good friends with a buddy of mine). Another friend had his wedding rehearsal dinner at Bruce Jenner & Kris Kardashian’s house (his bride was a friend of theirs); Kris was very nice, Bruce was fun to hang out with - we chatted in his kitchen, sat next to each other at dinner out on their lawn, etc. Two of their younger daughters were there and they had lots of fun playing with various friends’ kids. ---
**Author:** ![Moonchild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@Moonchild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonchild)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/126 "2014-11-03T21:25:05Z")
I bartended/catered quite a few celebrity events (plus, I live in L.A., so they’re everywhere), so the list is long, but the interactions mostly shallow. I guess the tops would be: **Bill Clinton** - he took a moment to hobnob/grab a photo op with the catering staff at a fundraiser. **Stephen Spielberg** - praised his work for a moment when he was picking up his daughter at a party. \*\*Brad Pitt \*\* - gave him a Perrier just before he took the altar **Denzel Washington** - gave him a vodka tonic. Dude has serious _gravitas_. **Michael Jordan** - stood next to him at an elevator when he went off on an autograph seeker. I was mortified, but in retro, the “fan” was probably somebody working for a dealer and Jordan knew it. ---
**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, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/127 "2014-11-03T22:29:23Z")
> [@Tread](#): > > Not counting standing at stage while performer artist was performing… > Stevie Ray Vaughn > Gallagher > Jerry Clower > Brooks Robinson Oh yeah… also met David Duke once… but he is more infamous than famous. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/128 "2014-11-03T22:35:35Z")
I should add one more to my list I had lunch with Al Worden, Apollo 15 astronaut. He is the most isolated human in history having a bit higher orbit than other Apollo missions. He was also the first person to do a space walk during the return portion of an Apollo mission. He was retrieving film from an externally mounted camera. Doing a spacewalk some 196,000 miles from Earth is rather unique. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/129 "2014-11-03T22:47:52Z")
So, all these lists are impressive - especially the number of scientists, mathematicians and intellectuals. What’s even _more_ impressive is that you all seemed to know who you were meeting. Me, well… Years ago, I went down an aisle in my store to assist a tall, burly man and the slight, short woman with him, who were looking for soundproof underlayment for the flooring in the studio they were building. I showed them what we carried, and answered their questions. During the course of the encounter, one of my co-workers came up in a lather and fan-boyed all over the young woman. I knew him to be trying to break in to the local radio market, so I assumed that woman was a DJ or a music director; I made a mental note to ask my co-worker about her later, and finished the conversation. Some days later I thought to ask my co-worker who the young woman - who was somewhat reserved, but perfectly courteous and pleasant during our conversation - was. Which is how I came to be known as the man who was so square he didn’t recognize Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez, of TLC. It gets better - the same thing happened a few years later, with Rozonda “Chili” Thomas, who _was_ dismissive and rude. I’m hoping I will one day wait on T-Boz without knowing it, and get the trifecta. I’ve also been on an escalator with - I think - Andre 3000 of Outkast. Or maybe it was Ludakris. Or, well, I honestly don’t know - I didn’t recognize the guy, but I spotted the people look-that’s-him!ing. I can be clueless about non-musicians, as well - I once did a phone interview with pro golfer Stewart Cink, about East Lake Golf Club, where he is the pro. “So, what tournament are you playing in now?” Dead silence. “The U.S. Open”. “Oh.” As far as those celebrities I _have_ recognized, John Mahoney (Martin Crane on _Frasier_) and Andrew Young. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/130 "2014-11-03T23:31:17Z")
Ran into Vikas Uppal, who may have been the world’s tallest man, at a mall outside of Delhi. His palms were the size of dinner plates and his head scraped the ceiling. He was hounded mercilessly by the crowd. Ran into Zambian musician John Chiti at the Lusaka bus station. I’m completely face blind, so I’m sure there are others. ---
**Author:** ![justmeetee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@justmeetee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justmeetee)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/131 "2014-11-04T02:03:15Z")
Met Redd Foxx at a furniture store in Las Vegas when I was delivering some desks and credenzas. He was buying a sofa and it was the day after MLK day. He made a couple very non PC jokes that I will not repeat here. ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/132 "2014-11-04T15:57:04Z")
I moved my chair out of the way for Robert Plant when he wanted to take a look at the jukebox behind me in a bar last week. We exchanged pleasantries and I mentioned there was a lot of jazz on it. Probably the hippest 30 second conversation I will ever have in my life. I was walking down the street in Reykjavik, Iceland and Charlie Sheen was sitting with another person outside of a coffee shop. As I walked by I heard him mutter, “The master race… the FUCKING master race…” I assume he was waxing philosophical on nature the blue-eyed, blonde-haired population of the country. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/133 "2014-11-04T16:54:40Z")
> [@Sarabellum1976](#): > > I stood in line for an event 15 years ago with someone famous, and to this day I have no idea who it was! He had one bodyguard, and an entourage of 3 or 4 guys with him. Several people tried to go ask for his autograph but got turned away by the bodyguard, who solemnly shook his head “no” at anyone who attempted to walk up. > > I’ve posted this before in hopes that someone would know who I was talking about and fill me in on my brush with greatness, so again, the full description: > > My mystery celeb was a very short guy, probably between 5’2" and 5’4", wearing spike-heeled snakeskin boots, ripped jeans, and a full-length fur coat. I think it was a white fox coat, very fluffy and soft-looking, and it had a bright pink satin lining. He was mid-40s to early 50s, at a guess, with a kind of long face, and a neatly-trimmed mustache and goatee. Very flamboyant looking, lots of jewelry and a very snazzy leather brimmed hat with feathers, and tinted glasses. The hat hid most of his hair, but judging by the mustache and goatee, I’d say he had brown or grey hair. White or Hispanic. If I were a betting woman, I’d say he was likely gay. > > It was NOT Sting, Prince, or Bono. > > Any ideas? Your mystery celeb has been haunting me. Are you absolutely positive it wasn’t Prince? The only other celebrity I can think of who might have fit that description 15 years ago is Boy George. He’s taller than 5’4" though. Where did this happen? ---
**Author:** ![Not\_Carlson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc79bd/32.png) [@Not\_Carlson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_Carlson)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/134 "2014-11-04T16:58:06Z")
Pretty sure I saw Hugo Weaving in the Melbourne Museum of Art when I was a teenager, long before he became world famous for playing an evil computer program or an Elven king. Also served Hors D’Oeuvres to Bruce Spence (AKA, [the Trainman](https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=mouth+of+sauron&biw=1366&bih=565&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=1ABZVKPRFYG9mgXe64HICA&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#tbm=isch&q=Trainman)and [The Mouth of Sauron](https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=mouth+of+sauron&biw=1366&bih=565&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=1ABZVKPRFYG9mgXe64HICA&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ), but thankfully not when he was preparing for either of those roles). Bonus trivia: I remember seeing both actors in a much older movie called [Wendy Cracked a Wallnut](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_Cracked_a_Walnut), about which Wikipedia will tell you practically nothing (doesn’t even mention Weaving). ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/135 "2014-11-04T17:27:28Z")
Back when I was semi-well known for my prowess as a flyfisherman, quite a few. President (he was out of office then) Carter and Miss Rosalynn were far and away my favorites. In my career as walking scenery for movies, I was an extra with Heston and Keith. Heston was terrific and just like one of the gang. Keith was a complete dickhead and would barely grunt at any of us. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/136 "2014-11-05T00:12:01Z")
Just remembered a few others. As a young child, I met David McCallum (Ilya Kuryakin on _The Man from UNCLE_), and Captain Kangaroo (not at the same time). We have a great photo of my sister and me with the Captain and a bunch of other kids when I was 4. Dava Sobel, author of _Galileo’s Daughter_. Mathematician Roger Penrose. Musician Pete Seeger, backstage while he was rehearsing for a show. About ten years ago I had dinner with Jeffrey DeMunn, who played Dale Horvath on _The Walking Dead_ (I’ve never seen it, but it’s his biggest recent credit.) He was playing Abraham Lincoln in a short film being shot at Ford’s theater (the only time the assassination has ever been filmed there!) and I was visiting the set as a reporter. He had played the serial killer in _Citizen X_, a terrific film with Stephen Rea, Donald Sutherland, and Max von Sydow, but I didn’t make that connection at the time, and was very frustrated when I finally did, because I would have loved to have told him how impressive I found that performance (and the whole film). People I came close to, but didn’t speak to: Tony Bennett, at a film premiere in NYC. Bonnie Raitt, backstage at a music festival in the 1970s. I have a picture somewhere. There are a few others I’ve remembered over the past few days, but can’t remember now. ---
**Author:** ![Julius\_Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@Julius\_Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Julius_Henry)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/137 "2014-11-05T01:05:45Z")
I passed Art Fleming sitting at a booth with what were probably his grandchildren at a McDonald’s. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_York](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_York](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_York)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/138 "2014-11-05T01:47:00Z")
Walking into Heathrow airport one evening in 1971, I was following a couple and the guy held the door open for me, he was Mick Jagger. Another Heathrow story about the same vintage. I was standing outside the terminal waiting to pick up a client, and keep an eye on my car, when I noticed a stretch Limo loading suitcases at the kerb. Standing next to me was Ringo Starr so I started chatting to him. After a few minutes his Limo was ready and he offered me a lift into London. I had to knock it back, but thought how decent of him to do that for a complete stranger. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/139 "2014-11-05T03:18:07Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > Bill Murray. In high school, we were in one class together, and we were both in glee club and the senior play. Loyola, class of '68? ---
**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 5, 2014, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-biggest-celebrity-youve-been-within-20-feet-of/703186/140 "2014-11-05T04:26:32Z")
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