Your Brushes with the Rich & Famous

[Highlander 0]

We were at a party recently and a bunch of us were sharing stories about encounters or brushes with the rich and famous. I thought this would be a cool topic, so here goes mine:

 

In 2002, while working in Washington, DC, my co-worker and I were having dinner at the Old Ebbitt Grill when we noticed quite a bit of activity and some secret service agent-types (you know the guys that talk into their lapels) scurrying around near us. There was about 4 of them and they split and took 2 tables; one right next to us and the other a few tables away. My friend and I exchanged worrisome glances with each other. Shortly thereafter, a tall man in his sixties with his wife and two other younger adults came in and took the table between the two groups of agents. Within a minute or two the man was surrounded by uniformed military personnel, each holding a dollar bill. In turn, the service men presented the dollar bills to the tall man, who autographed the dollars and returned them to the men.

 

The man finally turned enough for me to see who he was --- It was General Tommy Franks, the then Commander of our forces in the Middle East. I thought --- cool I've got a dollar --- maybe he'll autograph it for me. I never had a chance. Just as I stood up, in walked Wayne Newton who walked past me and sat with the General and family. By then the secret service agents who were sitting nearby had moved and were standing in a circle around the General's table and asking everyone to simply return to their dinners and not bother the General or Wayne Newton. Drats --- foiled again.

 

When we were leaving the restaurant and had made our way to the front door, I reached to open it only to have the door open quickly just before my hand hit the door handle. The door was being opened by Sam Donaldson, the then ABC News reporter. He said "Oops, sorry", stepped back and let us pass out the door. I was surprised to find out that Sam Donaldson is a very short man -- He's only about 5'6" maybe 5'7".

 

Well --- quite a night --- three famous folks in less than an hour.

 

My wife and kids once rode in an elevator with Samuel L. Jackson. They were in Montreal (Hi, gogo) at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel. He was apparently staying there, too as they rode together from the lobby up a few floors. My wife was so excited, but couldn't remember his name, so it took me almost an hour to figure out who she had just been in the elevator with.

 

So, how about you -- any cool encounters with the rich and famous?

[Guest gogoblender]

heh, yer a star magnet, Cel!

lol, if I were only so lucky. Then again...I don't think I really know anyone from tv anymore since I never really watch it and maybe the only stars I really know now are the ones from teh movies. Luck with stars...me? Heh, never. Can you believe that? The only person I think I ever met that I think was famous was Wayne Gretzky who was in line in front of us when we were checking in for a plane ride from Calgary to Montreal. Now THAT was cool. I wasn't actually the one who saw/spotted him...was my bro. And even though we're both consumate fans, twas his sharp eyes who spotted out the hockey meister. Heh, my brother was actually so nervous that he tried and tried to sputter Gretzky's name out and for a few seeming minutes he just couldn't talk. Finally after much spittle, wild gesticulations and hoarse attempts at articulating whom he'd seen...I promptly walked up to him and said:

"Excuse me sir, are you Wayne Gretzky?"

Cousrse he said yes.

And course...I promptly had him autograph my plane ticket.

And course...me and my brother fought over that plane ticket just about evey inch of the way back home to Montreal.

Ya know, actually, now that I realy come to think about this...that could have been the ONLY autograph I"ve ever asked for in my life!

 

gogo

[Schot 407]

Nice story Cel. You're always so good at tellin them. Had me wondering all the while reading who it might be that you saw. /lol

 

And gogo?! Wayne Gretzky?! That's very cool. Can I,ummm, just have a quick look at that plane ticket? /devil

 

Well the only person I can think of is Corey Heart, bleh. I used to work at Holt Renfrew and seeing as he lives here in Montreal and has mucho moula I saw him one day shopping around in the store. I suppose I could have stopped and spoken to him but I guess I'm not much of a fan of his, haha. Work work work.

[Eruntalon 0]

Nice encounters, but I'm not into american politics nor hockey (sorry Cel and gogo).

But here are mine (ironically mine are of mexican politics and soccer /lol )

I was once drivin around with my dad (I was 6 years old) and we saw one big black SUV speed by at an intersection (we had the red light) and then a second with a bald guy with moustache riding in the back. My dad told me right away that it was the president in term, Carlos Salinas. We just barely were able to wave and he waved back. Sadly, that guy plunged Mexico into economical catastrophy a couple of years later...

 

At a family reunion last december, I met Luis Alberto Albes (I think that's how it's spelled) a former mexican natl team player. He's a far cousin's boyfriend. Strangely, my cousin is a news anchor in Mexico city (and she's hot!) /lol

 

I almost got Sebastien Loeb's autograph once at the Corona Rally Mexico (which takes place in my hometown, yay!) but some gave him a baby to atugraph (Holy Hannah!?) so I think mr. Loeb got scared and stopped giving autographs right after that. But then, next year I got a picture with Marcus Groenholm (as soon as I get home I'll post it /thumbsup )

[Lexian 0]

Ive had a few brushes with 'celbrity'.... but you probably wont know any of them... cos they are aussie actors/singers etc.

 

I saw chrystal off big brother the other day in the shopping mall. she looks like she has applied makeup with a paint roller. not a good look. but besides that she is very pretty.

 

I ran into bryan brown in st kilda when I lived there... he has a very cute son.

 

Natalie Bassingthwaite... or however you spell it... lived near me in melbourne... she used the same soap as I did. we were in the toiletries isle together at our local supermarket.

 

Heath Ledger came and saw a show I was in when I was 12 I met him. I didnt know who he was.

 

probably about 30% of the ppl on All Saints I have met, know or have slept on the floor in one of my sharehouses... All Saints is a TV show. Same with all the young cast of Shark Net.

 

I have a lot of friends who will one day be famous... or the like. So I know them now... does that count?

[Aurora 2]

I was working in a cigar shop once.....and Billy Connolly came in - that was pretty cool and he spent a lot of dosh on cigars!

 

If you dont know who he is......here is a linky.....Billy Connolly...

 

[KurA 0]

I didn't atually meet a celerity before, but I do have a story.

I was on holiday once with my paretns and brotehrs (I have 2, 1 older, 1 younger)

 

anywho... we were staying in this hotel, and part of the holiday was to go and watch England play an international game where we were. Well.... about 2-3 hours after we arrive to this hotel, the manager comes up to us and asks us if we wouldn't mind swapping hotels on them. Well me mam has none of it and says no. So about 30minutes later he comes back and asks us if we would move to another hotel that is 5-star (ours was 4 I fink) all expenses paid. Still the answer was no.

 

So.... about 1 hour later he comes back again (me mom was agitated now) and asks if we will move hotels all expenses paid if we get paid enough moeny to totally pay off our mortgage (dnt no how u spell it). My mom jumps at teh chance.. now thats not the cool aprt.. because we recieve a cheque of how ever much it was to totally pay off the mortgage! but guess what we discover when we look at the cheque it was written out by none other then DAVID BECKHAM!

 

it turns out that every1 in the hotel with us was bought out by the england squad so tehy could stay there until there game!

 

hope u enjoyed that because my fingers have started to bleed from all that typing lool

 

'KurA'

[Eruntalon 0]

Well, like I promissed here's the photo with Mr. Groenholm

 

Photo

 

This means I'm home and ready to start posting again. /thumbsup