Who's the most famous person you've ever met?

I've never met any REAL big celebrities, but I have a cousin who had his own show on PBS as a political comedian for many years.

Some of you may remember seeing him. If not, please "google" him so you can see for yourself. His name is Mark Russell.
 

I have talked to Whoopie Goldberg a couple of times. She has a vacation property near me and attends the firemans festival in town.
I worked at the Watkins Glen track during the '70's grand pri, can am, and formula one days. Met quite a few of the drivers, Mario Andretti stands out in my mind as a genuinely nice guy.
I was shooting pool in a bar and next quarter up belonged to Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull. Shot a few games and got tremendously hammered with him. For privacy they tried to stay in a town nearby instead of where they were actually playing.
 

I met Margaret Atwood (famous and beloved Canadian writer) at a Chapters book signing. She spoke to the audience signed my book - a lovely person. I also met Jane Goodall at that time.
 
Jimmy Stewart visited our jungle outpost in Vietnam. He was a BGen in the AF Reserve. Nice long conversation with him. Rocky Blier, former RB with the Steelers. Nice conversation about the waste of blood and treasure in Vietnam, where he was wounded and told he would never play football again. I think his Super Bowl rings put the lie to that diagnosis.
 
Falcon said:
I've never met any REAL big celebrities, but I have a cousin who had his own show on PBS as a political comedian for many years.

Some of you may remember seeing him. If not, please "google" him so you can see for yourself. His name is Mark Russell.
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Yes, I remember him. Political satirist, played piano.
 
applecruncher said:
Linda, I know! :D I was looking for one of my posts earlier and I noticed that. Oh well, Halloween will pass soon. Till then, we can just deal with it.
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I change mine so often, I'll probably change it before Halloween anyway. I had that photo as I put the pumpkin and some costumes on a local FB buy/sell group and when I saw how well the pic came out I was thinking it'd make a great avatar. :)
 
Thought of a few more.....Jerry Lucas, John Havilchek, and Bobby Knight. They went to college with a relative in early 60s when Fred Taylor was coach at OSU. Basketball fans in US will know those names. Bobby Knight is close friend of relative and has attended a few family functions, but it's been awhile. (No, he didn't throw any chairs... :laugh: )
 
Since sports figures count, too, I met someone who probably only seniors from Cleveland would remember...Frank Ryan, quarterback for the Browns. He was giving a colloquium presentation in the math department at Kent State around 1969. I was a student. I had no clue what he was talking about, just remember how cute he was and how big his hands were (writing on the blackboard). :love_heart:
 
Sly Stalone's mom in Washington DC. She was sitting on a bench at Union Station waiting for a cab. She was very chatty and nice. And my next door neighbor Blaine Mitchell. He's on the voice tonight. Real good kiddo.
 
As an Army photojournalist, I met a bunch of well-known people, but my favorite was Mrs. Esther "Kitty" Buhler Bradley, the widow of General Omar Bradley. I was stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, and about three weeks from giving birth to our daughter.

I was driving to the PX, and she was behind me. A dog ran across the street and I slammed on the brakes. She was driving the car behind me, and hit her brakes a little too late. She bumped into me, and of course, we both pulled over and got out. All of me came waddling out, and she was horrified that she had run into a pregnant woman. Heck, I was fine!

We looked the back bumper of my 1979 Toyota Corolla SR-5, and there were a couple of dents in the bumper. Heck, I didn't care! I got to meet Omar Bradley's wife! She was really upset, but I said there's nothing to worry about. She had insurance, but I told her to forget it. She's a writer too...look at her biography...and when she found out I was a photojournalist, she was really thrilled.

She was so upset about the tiny fender-bender but I took her hand, looked at her, and said, "Ma'am, I don't care about dents. Life is full of dents. Right now, I'm very happy to meet you. I am well-versed about World War Two, and I have always admired your husband. He was brilliant, and I know behind every man like General Bradley is a strong, supportive and loving wife. If I may?"

I stepped back, drew to full attention, and saluted her. You won't believe this, but she actually returned my salute! Holy cow!!

She thanked me, I thanked her, and drove that car for over 250,000 miles with the proudest dents in the bumper.
 
Stephen King .......... he was a couple years behind my brother at University of Maine, they hung out in many of the same places. Still bump into him occasionally, lives about 20 miles away.
 
I've met a few popular people in my life. In high school I met John F. Kennedy during his campaign, before he became President. Living in Philadelphia I got to meet Frankie Avalon,Fabian and Bobby Rydell, Bobby even married a girl from my High School. I met Johnny Mathis,and the comedian Pat Cooper. I also was at a lot of Political events with our Mayor Frank Rizzo. Most of those that I met were just brief encounters.
:)
 
Probably the most famous person I've met was Sam Walton...the founder of Walmart. Several years ago, I was part of a team installing new computers at the Bentonville, AK. headquarters, and one day he joined us for lunch...to see how things were going, and if we needed anything from his people. He seemed like quite a good guy, who genuinely cared about his employees. That has certainly changed since his death.
 
Michael Keaton at a local cafe maybe 15 years ago white tshirt, jeans, sneakers and cute

Harrison Ford also at a restaurant that same summer

Ted Turner who has a huge bison ranch nearby

Sassycakes, I'm jealous you saw JFK. A girlfriend and I walked a mile in pouring rain to the local baseball field where he was planning to speak (also before his election). After waiting at the stadium for an hour and a half, they announced JFK would not be coming but Hubert H Humphrey (our MN senator) would be there. We walked home. Guess our senator didn't impress us. :apathy:
 
Chris Isaacs and his mother at a Mexican restaurant. This was no upscale restaurant but it had great food. It was in the afternoon and there were only about four tables occupied. I tried so hard not to stare. He had on a suit and his hair combed perfectly. Was a great lunch..lol. This was about four years ago.
 
Richard Branson, he was on the same flight as us to minorca a few years ago.
And met Bobby Davro at a fete, he allowed me to have a photo taken with him .
Have to laugh though he said come on then mum .
 
I have met and corresponded with quite a number of people who are considered famous, over the years, no big deal. I certainly didn't communicate with them because they were famous, I am not into celebrity culture, but because they happened to be on my radar at the time.

The most amusing contact I had with a famous person was when I was ten in 1960. The Queen and Prince Philip were visiting my home island during the school summer holidays. I was sitting in the car with my mother and three sisters at the harbour, watching the boats go in and out. Further up the pier there seemed to be a lot of activity, but before we could ascertain what was going on, one of my younger sisters, needed the 'potty', which Mum kept in the back of the car. Whilst my sister was sitting on it, a head was pushed through the window, it was Prince Philip, who had gone walkabout from the main Royal party! My Mum nearly died with embarrassment!:D Many years later when my Dad was a senior politician, and he and my Mum had been invited to a attend a private dinner on the Royal Yacht, he threatened to remind Prince Philip of this incident. Mum said she would murder him it he did!:D
 

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