Dave Brubeck (shook his hand and chatted with him)
Jane Monheit (jazz singer, spoke to her briefly)
George Shultz (Reagan SecState)
Bill Clinton (rope line hand shake)
Hillary Clinton (rope line, spoke briefly about her running for prez in 2000)
Kevin McHale (former Boston Celtic)
Shirley Temple-Black (when she was ambassador to Czechoslovakia)
Only one I can think of off the top of my head is Isaac Asimov at a talk he gave in Connecticut many, many years ago. Aside from that – well, I don’t get out to the bright lights and big city much.
gaffa re: Temple Grandin
Temple can do small talk, it’s a requirement as much as she is recognized in public since the movie, but you can see it bores her pretty quickly. I worked with her at conferences and would often have lunch or dinner with her and drive her between engagements. She has a wicked sense of humor and you never knew where the conversation would end up.
running coach re: Britney Spears
I wasn’t going to waste a perfectly good bread roll. She can go buy her own.
This is the list I created for a similar thread six years ago, although I did better than get within 20 feet: I actually met and talked with all of these people.
=======================
I worked at the world’s most popular museum for 12 years and was fortunate enough to meet quite a few famous people in that time, including:
Astronauts/aviators:
Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, on the 20th anniversary of the moon landing. (Got their autographs on a book they wrote.)
Alan Shepard (first American in space)
Jim Lovell (Apollo 13 astronaut)
Chuck Yeager (he spoke at NASM every year. He’s a jerk.)
Scott Crossfield (first man to reach Mach 2: very nice guy)
Patty Wagstaff (World Aerobatic Champion)
Hans von Ohain (inventor of the first German jet engine)
Actors/entertainers:
Jack Nicholson
John Denver
Ron Silver
Others:
Walter Cronkite. I gave him an impromtu tour of the Enola Gay exhibit.
Al Gore, before he was nominated for the VP. I gave him a close up tour of the Spirit of St. Louis, which at the time had been taken down for repair work.
Larry King. Gave him a tour of the museum.
Philip Morrison (Manhattan project physicist and author)
Carl Sagan
Kurt Vonnegut
Since leaving the museum about 11 years ago, I’ve had the opportunity to meet a number of other interesting people:
James Cameron
Harrison Ford: I attended a recording session for an IMAX film he narrated. Very nice, unassuming, and shy.
Director Brett Leonard (The Lawnmower Man, Virtuosity)
Producer Frank Marshall (Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, and dozens of other extremely popular films): I interviewed him about an IMAX film he produced.
Writer/Director Steve Oedekerk (Ace Ventura)
Penn and Teller
James Randi (I applied for a job as director of JREF. Didn’t get it.)
I’ve also met the directors and producers of virtually every IMAX film ever made, and I’m good friends with many of them.
Met briefly at book signings over the years:
Mario Andretti
Isaac Asimov
Daniel Dennett (philosopher)
Murray Gell-Mann (physicist)
Milton Glaser (graphic artist)
Thor Heyerdahl
Garrison Keillor
Mark Okrand (inventor of Klingon language)
Phil Plait (Bad Astronomer)
Richard Rhodes (author)
In 2006, I spent an evening in Las Vegas having drinks with skeptic Michael Shermer and Mythbusters’ Adam Savage and Kari Byron. The next day I spoke briefly with Jamie Heineman.
=======================
Accidentally left off that list:
Author Christopher Hitchens
Actress/singer Kristen Chenoweth
Indy car driver Bobby Rahal
Interviewed on the phone, but not met: Letterman band leader Paul Shaffer
More recenty, conservative billionaire Sheldon Adelson.
In keeping with the spirit of the OP, I’ve been within 20 feet of, but not talked to, Tom Cruise, at a film premiere.
Whoa. I am impressed.
Was Sedaris at a book signing? I’ve heard his stories about things he has written during signings. (A young man had him sign a book he was giving to his mother, who was a big fan. He wrote, “To Mary. Your son Jim left tooth marks on my dick”.)
I’ve hung out with dozens/hundreds of blues artists over the years. A friend has a bar/music venue and I have set up the stage for many big names. Many of them are no longer alive; Son Seals, Johnny Winter, Link Wray, Sam Meyers, Koko Taylor, Pinetop Perkins, etc.
Many country stars as well, back when a friend of mine worked for RCA/BMG; Clint Black, Martina McBride, Kenny Chesney, etc.
Pittsburgh Steeler legend and Hall of Famer Jack Lambert is a friend, I don’t know if he counts. If not, you can tell him.
About twenty years ago I delivered a pizza to a customer on the top floor of the Fairmont, where the rooms are a million dollars a night. This all happened in the space of about five seconds:
As I got off the elevator, there was a man and a woman standing there waiting. As I walked by, I briefly made eye contact with the man, who then broke it and stared hard at the floor as he got on the elevator. A thought flashed through my head: “I know this person,” or “I know who this person is.” The wheels furiously turned in my mind, and realization dawned. I turned around to say “Hey, you’re Dick Clark!” just as the elevator doors were closing.
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?
I still have you beat. Akebono, a Hawaiian sumo wrestler, at 6’ 8" and over 500 lbs.
He was eating at a Mexican restaurant in Tokyo with his personal assistant and some sort of medical guy. I went over and asked him for an autograph, which he gave without comment.
The guy was huge and was eating like there was no tomorrow.
I hadn’t seen then news that day but he had suffered an injury which forced him out of the tournament. I sleep better at night thinking that is the reason he wouldn’t even smile for a fan.
Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter and Al Gore at political events.
Got an autograph and had my picture taken with Elvis Costello after a concert.
Got Penn and Teller’s autographs after a show.
David Sedaris at a book signing.
Most of the others are from working in television production and shooting interviews or events.
Many current and former University of Alabama football players and coaches including Nick Saban, Bart Starr, Kenny Stabler, Gene Stallings.
Former U of A and NBA player Robert Horry.
Musical artists interviewed and/or shot performances:
Carlos Santana
Buddy Guy
Ani Difranco
Jill Sobule
Marty Stuart
Webb Wilder
Billy Joe Shaver
Charlie Louvin
David Hood and Jimmy Johnson of The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
Sun Studios owner and record producer Sam Phillips
Met Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter backstage at The Ryman Theater while there to shoot an event.
Shot interviews with lots of authors including George Plimpton, John Barth, Gay Talese, Mark Childress, Daniel Wallace, Rick Bragg.
Interviews with Andrew Young and Juan Williams.
Depending on how you measure celebrity it’s either going to be Paul Newman or Bill Clinton. (Both of their wives are on my list as well).
Lunched with Tom Cruise.
Made a business proposal to Donald Trump.
Julia Roberts bought things in my art gallery, along with other minor celebs.
Shared a ski lift with Brian Denahey.
As an ex-stagehand, the twenty-foot list is rather long - and a little dated as it’s been over twenty years. It included the likes of
Steve Martin
Robin Williams
Brooke Shields
Bea Arthur
Geoffrey Holder - who saw me in a crowd backstage and complimented my eyes
And the delightful and totally cool and down to earth Marie Osmond who preferred hanging out backstage with the crew to staying in her dressing room doing publicity stiuff.
And Chevy Chase once struck up a conversation with me in the elevator at the Regency hotel
Back in the '80’s I worked on the original Torch Song Trilogy for a couple of years and formed close working friendships with Harvey Fierstein, Matthew Broderick and Estelle Getty.
In my current profession I occasionally will do some work with a celebrity client that includes phone calls and multiple face-to face meetings. I have done such work for Glenn Close, Matt Lauer and David Bowie.
Any number of Major League Baseball personalities, including Tommy Lasorda.
Most random would probably be MC Hammer, whom I met at the airport in Oakland once. Very nice guy (probably too nice, ultimately).
Oh, and a few months ago, my wife and I were in line behind Ed Begley, Jr. at PetCo in the Valley. It was one of those, “I’m pretty sure that’s Ed Begley, Jr.” moments until we saw the car he got into, which was absolute confirmation.
I was a volunteer usher when Liberace did a show at The Fox Theatre in Atlanta. He was charming, and very gracious. He smelled really good.
Back in the late 80’s, my friend and I won a trip to Buenos Aires for an Amnesty International concert. Big names: Springsteen, Peter Gabriel, Sting, Tracy Chapman. Sting was hosting the mothers of the disappeared; at the time, he had a song about them called “They Dance Alone”. We made our way back to this room with all these women milling about. Very moving. They were each wearing a headscarf with their missing child’s name embroidered on it. Anyway, there were these fruity drinks that didn’t taste alcoholic at all. 
Sting came in the room and embraced everyone. I have no idea who he thought we were, but he was very nice and not pretentious at all.
On the plane back from Buenos Aires, Michael Hutchence was in first class. He was a devastatingly beautiful man. Lordy.
20 feet?
Face to face, arm’s length:
- Regis Philbin, early 60’s, when he was still a local San Diego celebrity.
- Howard Kaylan, mid 70’s at a UCLA performance of Frank Zappa’s orchestral arrangements. Frank made an appearance and conducted a couple of pieces. Howard was in the audience, seated a couple of rows ahead of me. After the show I accosted him in the lobby, slobbering “I’m your biggest fan” praise at him. Took me about ten seconds to make a complete ass of myself. But damn it, I was his biggest fan, probably still am.
- Ken Osmond (Eddie Haskell)
- Jerry Mathers (Theodore Cleaver)
- Igor Kipnis, I was the Harpsichord Technician for three of his concerts.
- Anthony Newman, " " for one concert.
- Nathan East, jazz/rock/pop bassist extraordinaire, “jammed” with him for about five minutes, at his home. He was 14 or 15, several years before fame; I was visiting his older brother who was one of my closest friends.
Quite a few writers of international stature. The first President Clinton. Warren Zevon (he glared at me). The second civilian astronaut. I have a couple of very well connected friends in the industry, so my Bacon number with a huge number of current actors is 2.
When I was a kid, my mother took me with her to see Louis Leakey speak. I had only a vague notion who he was, but I treasure the event, and on his way out, for no reason I know, he patted me on the shoulder.
I stood near and exchanged a few waiting-in-line comments with Penn Jillette a few years back.
Well, I picked Dick Clark as the most famous, but I’ve also been in handshake-distance of
Diana Gabaldon
Jane Goodall
Jimmy Doohan
Nichelle Nichols
Walter Koenig
John de Lancie
Danny Aiello
Bill Bradley
Darryl Strawberry - as kid I hung out at the rookie league ballpark where he played. My mother was in a group that ran the concession stands. I would slide down the hill to the rear of the home team dugout and take orders from the players. I once had the broken bat that Strawberry got his first base hit with as a professional. My brother burned the bat several years later.
Penn & Teller - I was in one of their specials and talked with them both. The special involved scuba diving and I was diving with Teller.
Douglas Adams - author of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series. At a book signing.
James Watson - of DNA fame, during a university visit
Kristi Yamaguchi and Scott Hamilton - figure skaters, during one of their Stars on Ice (or whatever it was) events. I worked for the concessions company preparing everything during the day before the event at night. They were rollerblading around the mostly deserted top floor of the building. Scott nearly ran into me.
Assorted other celebs from working at the same concessions company. I had to stock the artists’ dressing rooms with whatever special orders they made. Usually I was in and out before ever meeting the artist but occasionally would be called in for something and meet the band, so to speak.
Mary Cheney - daughter of then VP Dick Cheney. I led her and her now-wife Heather Poe on a scuba dive. Nice folks. Wasn’t until the second dive that I realized who they were and why all the other guests were bringing aboard padlocked waterproof Pelican cases that they never opened. She had a Secret Service detail with her, even underwater. What risk were they expecting?
Stephen King - gave a talk at a college way back in the day, signed autographs; I joked with him about the beer he was drinking and how it related to one of his stories, and he got the joke!
Penn & Teller - autograph signing after one of their shows–TELLER SPOKE! :eek: