Tell us what happened? I met a Celebrity…..

[C-Ya]

Since we have a Current Situation picture thread, why can’t we have a place to post up a “how I inadvertently met a celebrity”

Below is an example. It happened yesterday, but is not worthy of a thread.

Yesterday I spoke with Billy Joel.

I boated by his home twice yesterday. On my way to lunch, I pointed out his home to my neighbors. On our way home, my neighbors wanted to slowly check out his home, which has water on 3 sides. So I slow down in front of his home, and I am going approx 3 knots, when I turn to go right next to his patio side of his home, he is right there. We are 10’ from each other. I say “That is a very nice home you have” He says “thank you, we are still getting used to it” I say “you have a wonderful location” He says “Agreed” as I continue past his home. My neighbors in my boat were too shocked to speak. lol They are huge Billy Joel fans.

I have a similar story when Jimmy Buffet and I watched a Marlin get weighed at a scale together. 5 years ago.

Tell us about your accidental celebrity encounter?

 

[BHC Vic]

I met Kobe Bryant while he was picking up a to go order from co co’s in new port beach. Was a lot more friendly to my dog than he was to me… left a bad taste. I met Dennis Rodman at the cigar lounge in brea. He bought me a 50 dollar stick and said those are MJ’s favorite.

 

[Mandelon]

We saw Sting and Billy Joel a couple months here in San Diego, at Petco Park.

It rained. So rare.

 

[BabyRay]

Similar stories.

Years ago, while driving from Tacoma to Lake Chelan, to go boat-camping, we stopped in Wenatchee for dinner. Charles Dutton, from the TV show “Roc”, was sitting at the table next to us. Then we went in the bar, and Ice-T was sitting in there. They were filming a movie in the area. We said Hi, but didn't want to bother them as they were talking with their group.

I saw the Dali Lama at SeaTac airport once, standing about 15-20 feet away (back when people could go to the gate area without a ticket). He was headed home, and his followers were crying as they said goodbye. Me? I felt a calm feeling come over me in his presence. Weird, I know, spooky at the time, but true.

One more; I was in line right behind Randy Johnson at Sea World in San Diego. He was super grumpy with his family. Didn’t see any smiling going on.

 

[j21black]

Since we have a Current Situation picture thread, why can’t we have a place to post “what happened to me” without having to start a thread.

Below is an example. It happened yesterday, but is not worthy of a thread.

Yesterday I spoke with Billy Joel.

I boated by his home twice yesterday. On my way to lunch, I pointed out his home to my neighbors. On our way home, my neighbors wanted to slowly check out his home, which has water on 3 sides. So I slow down in front of his home, and I am going approx 3 knots, when I turn to go right next to his patio side of his home, he is right there. We are 10’ from each other. I say “That is a very nice home you have” He says “thank you, we are still getting used to it” I say “you have a wonderful location” He says “Agreed” as I continue past his home. My neighbors in my boat were too shocked to speak. lol They are huge Billy Joel fans.

I have a similar story when Jimmy Buffet and I watched a Marlin get weighed at a scale together. 5 years ago.

Tell us your random recent story………. ? Story of the Day

Did shots with DMX at a bar a few times - On different occasions.

When I was in that town traveling for work (couple times/year) the nice watering hole was across the street from my hotel. I was always sitting at the bar and he would walk up and order a drink next to me and go back to his pool table. He walked up one night and said SUP Man. I looked at him and said shots? Hell yeah man. We did shots the other couple times I ran into him. Then he would go back to playing pool and takes pics with anyone that asked.

Pretty down to earth guy.

When I moved to Lake Norman area in 2008, I was there alone, wife and kids still hadn't made the move, so I decided to go catch a movie by myself. Was standing in line at the concession stand with a tall guy in front of me in a leather jacket. He turns around and looks at me. Was Joe Gibbs.

 

[rivermobster]

I'm working at Bentley, and one of the other techs says...

Is that really him???

Yep. It's Smalls from The Sandlot waiting to pick up his car!

I wanted to go talk to him, but I had no idea what to say that wouldn't make me sound like a complete dork!

He looked exactly the same, just older.

 

[Ziggy]

1984. Met and received Cassius Clay's autograph while a LAX.

 

[TimeBandit]

So much for the theme of recent!

 

[Ziggy]

So much for the theme of recent!

That's what Current Situation is for, this is What Happened to Me, no reference to being recent by OP.

 

[CLdrinker]

My Pitbull humped Pinks dogs face.
She wasn’t impressed.

 

[stephenkatsea]

While waiting for a flight at the NOLA airport, The Fonz sat next to me. We talked for about 10 minutes. Recall it was mostly about boats and boating. Nice guy.

 

[C-Ya]

So much for the theme of recent!

It is now changed to celebrity spotting

 

[j21black]

I’ll change it

Nah - This is perfect the way it is....

 

[Member: 71]

Met Charo at LAX. Super cool and down to earth.

 

[C-Ya]

That's what Current Situation is for, this is What Happened to Me, no reference to being recent by OP.

I changed it in order to keep with the flow of the thread. These are stories without pics. CS is mainly a photo thread.

 

[beerrun]

At a holiday in in Detroit sitting at the bar having a couple beers while the bartender did my laundry (right hard to believe that one but true and she was happy to do it) in walks maro Andretti and Paul Newman we all sat at the bar together and joked about the bartender doing my laundry she was a good sport. Had beers with Rick Mears in Ohio he used his indy 500 ring to open our coronas

 

[Keymyster]

I met Kobe Bryant in San Antonio Tx at a Hooters. This was when the rumor were going on about his cheating. Also met David Haasselhoff a couple times going to Switzerland.

 

[havasuhusker]

I've met and talked to a few over the years. A friend's mom managed the band Sepultura so got to hang with those guys. Met Alice Cooper at an Office Max of all places. Super nice guy. Mike Tyson bought me a soda out of the vending machine at my old place of work years ago. He was waiting for some chick he was banging. Talked to Randy Johnson at a Sepultura concert. Talked to Chris Stapelton as we were both standing at the bar getting beers. All good encounters. Everyone was super chill.

 

[OkHallett270]

I’m from Henryetta, Oklahoma. A town that claims its fame in the fact that it’s the home town of world champion cowboys Jim Shoudlers and Troy Aikman. I never met Jim before he passed, but I know people that knew him well. There’s a big display on his career at the cowboy museum in Oklahoma City.
Anyway, my good friend was Troy Aikman’s nephew by marriage for a while when we were kids. He used to, occasionally still does, come to town for the Spring Fling Golf Tournament they do every year. Me and my buddy were drinking beer in my shop after he finished playing for the day. He tells me Troy is going to a local dive bar we frequented at the time, it’s free beer while he’s there! We load up and go out there and there he is. My buddy walks up and says hey Troy! Troy just stares back blankly. This guy has been to his house for Christmas! lol After he reintroduced himself Troy knew who he was and they exchanged convo for a min and I shook his hand and introduced myself. Said thanks for the beer sir! I had a helluva hangover the next day after that night! Good times!

Also, I met Mike Finnegan at Tulsa Raceway Park once, who is a mild celebrity in the gearhead world as you all know and a fellow inmate here at RDP. Really cool dude in my book!

 

[stephenkatsea]

When they used to have the PGA tournament at La Costa, a single buddy of mine went there to pick up chicks. He had learned those tournament were often dripping with hot babes. But, not on this occasion. So, he went to the bar and sat next to an older guy. And they immediately started talking. When the old guy got up and went to the men’s room, the bartender asked my buddy how long had he known Arnold Palmer. My buddy responded to the bartender, What? Are you talking to me?? You can guess the rest.

 

[Lunatic Fringe]

Not to humble-brag but generally conversations like this contain memories of when people met me.

I'm waiting...

 

[Badchoices03]

Boating related....I met Jamie Foxx in Havasu at the sandbar, back in like 1998, so just has he was becoming really famous, the boat he was on tied up to my boat and lets just say, he sure should be glad there wasnt any cellphone cameras back then, because we all saw parts of him that no other man should...lol..

 

[BHC Vic]

I met Kobe Bryant in San Antonio Tx at a Hooters. This was when the rumor were going on about his cheating. Also met David Haasselhoff a couple times going to Switzerland.

Was he nice to you? I was a kid he refused to sign an autograph. Which I see both sides of

 

[TrollerDave]

Not to humble-brag but generally conversations like this contain memories of when people met me.

I'm waiting...

Chuck Norris tells the story of when he met you, right?

 

[Done-it-again]

Are we talking meeting them or just being around them? I've been around a few, but never talked to them...

 

[nameisbond]

Similar stories.

Years ago, while driving from Tacoma to Lake Chelan, to go boat-camping, we stopped in Wenatchee for dinner. Charles Dutton, from the TV show “Roc”, was sitting at the table next to us. Then we went in the bar, and Ice-T was sitting in there. They were filming a movie in the area. We said Hi, but didn't want to bother them as they were talking with their group.

I saw the Dali Lama at SeaTac airport once, standing about 15-20 feet away (back when people could go to the gate area without a ticket). He was headed home, and his followers were crying as they said goodbye. Me? I felt a calm feeling come over me in his presence. Weird, I know, spooky at the time, but true.

One more; I was in line right behind Randy Johnson at Sea World in San Diego. He was super grumpy with his family. Didn’t see any smiling going on.

The movie was filmed on our property.

 

[stephenkatsea]

Met and talked with Gina Lollobrigida for a while when she was in her early 40s. Unbelievable lady. Seriously, a woman with that level is beauty is almost surreal.

 

[OkHallett270]

I just realized I have another story. One year around 2014 or so I went to Lake Havsu for Desert Storm with some friends. We drove out from Oklahoma towing my buddy’s Malibu the whole way. Well the weather didn’t cooperate and after the first day things got cold and windy. That first day was a beautiful day on the lake though. Because of the sudden change in temperature and conditions we decided to make a Vegas run and stay two nights there. We stayed at Caesar’s Palace and parked my buddy’s Tahoe with his boat hooked to it in a back lot. I still can’t believe it didn’t get messed with. We were hanging at the pool one day and realized there are no hot tubs/jacuzzis at all out in the pool area. So we asked around and found out that they have a whole basement spa area you have to pay 65 bucks to get into. Well yolo I guess we all went down there me and two of my buddies and my buddy’s wife. They separate guys from girls and I guess there’s a spa in the middle for couples. Well our couple goes that way and me and the other guys take off into this huge ass hot tub amusement park kinda deal. They had cold tubs and hot tubs and cold saunas and hot sauna a big ass cave shower thing with all kinds of water spraying everywhere a special sauna for shaving. It was pretty cool, not something I woulda done by myself. As we’re in one of the saunas Jason Alexander walks in and sits down. My buddy Paul is a huge Seinfeld fan and he’s with us but keeping his cool. He stays a minute then leaves. No one said anything to him. Well we get up and are just checking the place out walking around, Paul goes to the pisser. Low and behold Jason Alexander is in there taking a leak and Paul uses the opportunity to use the urinal right next to him! Just like in the Seinfeld episode! I don’t think Jason was impressed though, he didn’t act too happy about this huge hairy long bearded okie pissing right next to him in an otherwise empty row of urinals. Mind you we are all in bath robes they give you at the door of this place. Not awkward at all! lol So I guess none of us actually talked to him so maybe in hindsight we didn’t “meet him,” but my buddy definitely got on his nerves that day. Good times!

 

[rrrr]

I was able to meet many people in motorsports. One memorable encounter was with James Garner at Indy. I posted this a couple of years ago. It's 2004, race morning at Indy, and the pit lane is packed with race cars, pit equipment, celebrities, Camaro convertibles, sponsor tours, and gawkers. It's impossible to move. I'm in our pit, and it's pretty far from the Gasoline Alley opening in the stands. The engine start command is 45 minutes away.

Our crew chief yells at me, "Take the pit cart, go back to the garage, and get the bin with the spare suspension springs. I forgot to bring it." I jump on the pit cart, hit the garage, grab the springs, and I'm on my way back.

The congestion on pit lane is worse. I'm laying on the pit cart's horn, and it's a pathetic buzz. When I get to the Pagoda, I still have a ways to go, but I'm stopped.

Jim Garner is five feet away from me. He makes eye contact with me, and realizes what's going on. He turns around, moves forward, and he's yelling "Get out of the way! Move it! This man needs to get through!"

He runs interference for me for a bit, the crowd parts, and finally I start moving. As I pass him, I grin, "Thanks, Mr. Garner." He says "You're welcome, good luck today", turns, and jumps in the Camaro convertible he's about to ride in around the track.

Then there was the time I ran a couple of Harleys up north to Whitesboro for a weekend rental and met this guy. He was visiting friends during F1's North America swing.

There's a bunch of others, but "meeting" famous people is just random chance most of the time, like the time I ran into John Force at DFW airport and bothered him for a few minutes. I just had more opportunities, and was fortunate to have them.

 

[rrrr]

Was he nice to you? I was a kid he refused to sign an autograph. Which I see both sides of

Why did you want David Hasselhof's autograph?

 

[JL95]

Hasselhof's daughter used to irish dance. He would be at the competitions every so often.

 

[rightytighty]

My wife is HUGE Seahawks fan. At the beer concession line during Eagles Hell Freezes over tour, I point out Trent Dilfer is in front of us in line. (Seahawks QB at the time)

My wife is supicious (and drunk). She taps him on shoulder and asks if he’s Trent D. He says, “Yes”. She says, “Prove it!”

So he pulls out his drivers license to show her. She inspects and then laughs out loud and announces his middle name..

I apologized and offered to buy his beer. He laughed and bought ours.

Cool story

 

[rightytighty]

Chuck Norris tells the story of when he met you, right?

And you head kicked him into an off shore race boat?

 

[Boat Potato]

I ran across Fluffy one night at work a few months ago. Very cool and down to earth. Talked about the food at the restaurant we were at and how he liked my parking job. Lol.

 

[wzuber]

My Pitbull humped Pinks dogs face.
She wasn’t impressed.

Was this up in Los olives area?

 

[old rigger]

My uncle, now retired, was a pretty well know diver and wrote several books on diving the entire coast line of Mexico. He got a call from from someone's agent asking if he'd like to meet with a few hollywood guys to discuss doing a documentary on the Gulf of California. A dinner was set up in the Hollywood hills and he called me and asked if I'd like to tag along even though he wasn't sure who was going to be there. Sure I said. This was in the mid 1980s. As we're driving he keeps saying that one of these guys is a director and the other he thought might be an actor. Turned out to be John Huston and Burgess Meredith were the ones wanting to make the doc.
I fucking could not believe I was having dinner with John Huston. His son Danny would enter the room now and then getting his dad's approval or dis-approval for the title cards for Prizzi's Honor. What a night, for me at least, and I left there with an autographed copy of Huston's autobiography. On the way home I had to explain who Huston was to my uncle. hahaha

My wife surprised me with tickets to the Universal Amphitheater to see Dave Edmunds, this was in the 90s. Great seats 3rd row center and a great concert. While I was waiting in line to get some drinks the guy in front of me turns around and it was Brian Setzer from the Stray Cats. We talked for a little bit about the Stray Cats latest album, Choo Choo Hot Fish and I mentioned how much I liked it. Edmunds, for those that have never heard of him or his career, produced most of the Stray Cat's albums up to that time.

 

[Bobby V]

The company I used to work for did new offices for Arnold, Magic Johnson, Oliver Stone and Johnny Carson. They would come bye the job site every few days. I see John Force around town. I was at the local donut shop today and the owner said he has been coming in again now that he’s back home. But not driving yet.

 

[trophybug19]

In 2004 pulled into the Terrible gas station on the 40 on our way back to the landing after dropping off our boat for some repairs. Saw a tall dude on a BMW motorcycle. Pulls off his helmet it was Phil Jackson. Sat there thinking no way is that him. Step dad a huge fan of every sport confirmed it was him. We walked over to him and I asked for his autograph and said sorry for his loss. That was right after they lost to the pistons in the finals. He gave a little smirk and just said thanks. And that was it.

 

[was thatguy]

I once met TBI in a Home Depot parking lot…

 

[was thatguy]

Oh, and once saw a friend of mine knock Mel Gibson out cold with one punch at a house party in Anchorage.
Gotta hand it to Mel…he didn’t spill a speck of his baggie full of coke.

 

[rivergames]

I used to date a stripper. She was a HUGE Celebrity at work!

 

[jetboatperformance]

Years ago Rhonda and I were leaving a Nice restaurant in SLO a little tipsy , this entourage was coming in and This man strutted up to me and Hello I'm Leon Panetta , I smiled and said well thats nice I'm Tom Manier and kept walking

 

[callbob]

I met Ron Capps in Havasu. He was doing a thing for sponsors at the club with the pool. Can’t remember the name off it or if it’s still there. Next weekend was the Vegas race and he was in the lobby of the hotel when my wife and I came down. Visited with him there and again in Phoenix at the race. I had gone with a couple of buddies to the race and had mentioned I knew him. Ya right was the consensus. So we go up to his pit and he is standing there, spots me and says “hey Bob how you been?” Jaws dropped. MetForce in La Haina when we got married 30 some years ago. The girls were real little. He wasn’t very talkative, seemed like he was in a bad mood. Met The Snake at a Bakersfield meet and got to talking to him about his brother that used to truck in the same circle of friends. Unfortunately he dropped dead of a heart attack walking back to his truck one day.

 

[jetboatperformance]

I met Ron Capps in Havasu. He was doing a thing for sponsors at the club with the pool. Can’t remember the name off it or if it’s still there. Next weekend was the Vegas race and he was in the lobby of the hotel when my wife and I came down. Visited with him there and again in Phoenix at the race. I had gone with a couple of buddies to the race and had mentioned I knew him. Ya right was the consensus. So we go up to his pit and he is standing there, spots me and says “hey Bob how you been?” Jaws dropped. MetForce in La Haina when we got married 30 some years ago. The girls were real little. He wasn’t very talkative, seemed like he was in a bad mood. Met The Snake at a Bakersfield meet and got to talking to him about his brother that used to truck in the same circle of friends. Unfortunately he dropped dead of a heart attack walking back to his truck one day.

* Ron and My Brother were good friends in HS and Johnny (Rons Dad ) has been my buddy for 50 years , John wasa Mechanic at Mel Sith Chevrolet when I was about 16 I used to bug him for tech help

 

[Roosky01]

2016, was in Dallas for a trade show with a couple of co-workers , one of which is a retired NHL player named Blake. We decide to head to Nick & Sam's for a nice dinner on the expense account and Blake says he has a friend that's going to maybe swing by and join us. We show up, have a few drinks, get seated, and Blake gets a call saying his friends going to be a bit late and we should start without him.

We are almost done with dinner and here comes this dude walking in with his shirt all wrinkled and holes in his pants wearing some old shit kicker boots and Blake yells out "Ed!!". It was The Eagle himself....Ed Belfour. The next 2-3 hours was awesome!

PS- Blake and Ed won the Stanley Cup with Dallas in '99

 

[shintoooo]

I have celebrity clients, but can't disclose lol

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

In a former life I ran into a lot of celebs, it was the town I was working in so really not surprising.

Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn, Jack Nicholson, Paris Hilton, etc and a bunch of other high rollers that weren’t necessarily celebs but definitely Fortune 100 types.

It was cool, but as I was a poor shlub it was kind of tough trying to make conversation. Not a lot of common points of reference between my income and theirs.

I never took pictures or asked for their autographs, because I felt they got enough of that from everyone else, and in this town I figure at least some of them wanted to feel like home rather than a spotlight.

 

[rrrr]

I met Ron Capps in Havasu. He was doing a thing for sponsors at the club with the pool. Can’t remember the name off it or if it’s still there. Next weekend was the Vegas race and he was in the lobby of the hotel when my wife and I came down. Visited with him there and again in Phoenix at the race. I had gone with a couple of buddies to the race and had mentioned I knew him. Ya right was the consensus. So we go up to his pit and he is standing there, spots me and says “hey Bob how you been?” Jaws dropped. MetForce in La Haina when we got married 30 some years ago. The girls were real little. He wasn’t very talkative, seemed like he was in a bad mood. Met The Snake at a Bakersfield meet and got to talking to him about his brother that used to truck in the same circle of friends. Unfortunately he dropped dead of a heart attack walking back to his truck one day.

I had forgotten when Capps raced at the Chili Bowl for a couple of years I had some good conversations with him. I learned a little about nitro racing. That was cool, because up until then, all I knew was that it made my eyes water and if I didn't cover my ears they would ring for a day or two.

 

[bonesfab]

I have met and worked on a few famous peoples cars. The most famous of coarse is Eddie Van Halen. First time I met him was at his house. I wouldn't have known who he was if I wasn't told where I was going. Became friends with him and got some cool concert tickets from him. He got me box seats at the last show at Hollywood bowl with Vip passes. Took a long time female friend to the show. We went back to the vip area and were just hanging out when Eddie and his entourage come out of the back for a meet and greet and pics. He sees me standing there and waves and says " let me finish this up and I will be over" Ok. He comes over and my female friend is just awestruck. " Come on lets go to back stage and you can say hi to Alex." We go back to the dressing rooms and in one room is Wolf and Valerie sitting there. The ne went down and chatted with Alex for a bit. Still talk and text Alex on occasion.

Also met and worked on Mischa Barton's Cadillac. Also Met and worked on a couple of cars for Jerry Cantrell. Cool dude... A few others over the years.

 

[Rajobigguy]

I met and had beers with River Dave a few times.
Seriously though I would have quite a few stories of well known celebrities but I don’t kiss and tell.