I don't mean autograph or "meet-and-greet" sessions. Have any of you randomly encountered/chatted with a celebrity? I work at CiCi's, as a cashier, here in Owasso (Tulsa area). One night we did a fundraiser for the high school soccer team. Through the course of conversations with my co-workers, I found out that one of the girls on the team is the daughter of Garth Brooks. Sure enough, about an hour later, in walks good ol' Garth. Now... I'm usually pretty good at talking to people at work. In fact, I consider myself one of the best at our establishment; it comes very natural to me. That all changes when I'm ringing up Garth Brooks for a buffet. I was kind of dumbfounded, and basically stuck to the CiCi's "cashier script" because I could think of nothing better to say. He left, but then returned later that night with his family. I fared better that time around, thanked him for coming, and wished him a good night as he left. That's my biggest encounter... In fact, I think it's my only one. My mom and her friends (country music fans) were pretty jealous. I wouldn't say I'm a country music fan, really, but "The Thunder Rolls" is among my all-time favorite songs.
Had a funny experience selling Don Rickles a bag of peanuts once. I rang him up, took his money, gave him his change, and said, "Here are your peanuts, sir" while holding them at arm's length and preemptively flinching. I was waiting for, "About time, you stupid fuck" or something worthy from the legendary insult comic. Instead, he politely thanked me and left the store. There are a few others, but that's one that comes to mind.
My sis and I ran into Muhammed Ali at the Ritz once when we were children. He smiled and patted me on the head. I glared at him.
In early 1990, I was visiting a friend at the Paramount lot. We were standing outside the gift shop area, next to a fountain. I turned around and bumped into this smallish guy with a beautiful red head on his arm. I apologized, he apologized, and we went on our merry way. My buddy turned to me and asked if I knew who that was - I didn't. Turns out it was Tom Cruise. He had just started dating the redhead - Nicole Kidman.
Jerry Lawler (the king) was running for mayor in Memphis last year, and I ran into him twice, Once at a football game and once when I was walking around downtown. His politics weren't of much interest to me, but I loved wrestling when I was a kid so It was real cool to chat with him. He was very nice, talking with me about wrestling stuff even after he knew that our politics varied and that I wasn't eligible to vote in the election. We talked superheroes too, as I found out he is a comics nerd.
Not really random as they were using our offices as a green room for the Edinburgh Fringe, but Nicholas Parsons did watch me playing pool (and losing badly) with a half-pint glass in his hand. He said nothing, really. He saw barely just a minute. This doesn't really count either, but last year I saw Andy Serkis calling after his children as he walked slowly in front of me, while I was waiting for the next train at one of the platforms of Kings Cross St. Pancras underground station in London.
I saw Matt Smith, the current Doctor Who, shopping for yoghurt in Marks and Spencers at Cardiff station last year.
I walked past him and said "sorry mate" as I had to duck around him to get to my train. I wonder if he got the yogurt he wanted?
^ He's got a TARDIS; I'm sure he can track a yoghurt down. I like this one. Garak is weeping silently somewhere in envy.
August of 1989, I was standing next to George Lucas with his then young daughter and a Disney person assigned to them for about a half hour at night at Walt Disney World Florida. At the time, I was wanting to ask him will he ever make another Star Wars movie, in retrospect, I should have told him please never, ever make another SW movie.
Given the choice between grabbing Matt Smith and creating an awkward situation and not missing my train, I opted for the latter... If you were clairvoyant, you could have stopped the cinematic abortion that was the Prequel Trilogy. But sadly as you do not possess supernatural powers, it was not meant to be.
I work for Starbucks as a Manager in a store in the North East part of New Jersey, in one of the riches area Closter. I have met Chris Rock and his wife, his wife use to spend a lot of time in our store. At this time the TV show Ed was filming in the bowling alley a few miles from us. Tom Cavanagh and the whole show use to come in all the time. In fact the production use to order hundred of drinks from us at a time. They would give us an hour and we would have them all made. Law and Order star Angie Harmon and her husband Giants Jason Sehorn would stop by all the time. Also this happen at another Starbucks but during the Republican Nation Convention in NYC in 2004, Arnold Schwarzenegger wife Maria Shriver stopped into the Starbucks on RT. 17 in Carlstadt. She had either secret service with her or private security.
My brother worked at Disneyland for a while when much younger. When working the Submarines, he met Stevie Wonder, lifted Wonder’s hand and placed it on the rail for the steps down, and told him how many steps there were. Then wondered why a blind man would go on a ride where all you do is sit a stare out a porthole. Hubby and I saw William H. Macy and his wife Felicity Huffman at The Grove in LA (at Farmer’s Market). Carrying their then-baby and just enjoying the day. We didn’t approach, figuring it was private family time.
My brother worked at Disneyland for a while when much younger. When working the Submarines, he met Stevie Wonder, lifted Wonder’s hand and placed it on the rail for the steps down, and told him how many steps there were. Then wondered why a blind man would go on a ride where all you do is sit a stare out a porthole. Hubby and I saw William H. Macy and his wife Felicity Huffman at The Grove in LA (at Farmer’s Market). Carrying their then-baby and just enjoying the day. We didn’t approach, figuring it was private family time.
Here's a funny one: 1999-ish, I worked event security around the LA area. One day I was assigned to a music festival. At one point, I was directing cars trying to get into the VIP area. So a convertible pulls up. The guy in the driver's seat asks me how to get back there. I know that I know him from somewhere, probably school--in fact I'm sure of it. So I tell him where to go, but I give him kind of a dirty look, like "Oh, you're too cool to let your friends know that you know a lowly security guard." I then take a closer look at the blonde in the passenger seat. It's Gwen Stefani. The people in the car are No Doubt. The guy driving was the bass player. Naturally, he'd never met me before, and I just knew him from the band's videos. Probably figured I just wasn't a fan or something. Gwen was very sweet--actually waited while a kid went and got a shirt for her to autograph.