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Brushes with Greatness

Edgy DC Dec 21 2006 09:21 AM

and mediocrity. I think I just rode the elevator up with John McCain. He was shorter than I'd expect, but the skin was right. IIt's no Billy Squier, I know.

Benjamin Grimm Dec 21 2006 09:22 AM

Here's what I would have said: "Hey, are you Senator John McCain? You look shorter than I expected, but your skin is right!"

iramets Dec 21 2006 09:39 AM

I once exchanged nods with Senator Ted Kennedy on Constitution Avenue. He was, like, a planet. I wanted to tell him, "Whoa, dude, did you just digest half an electoral district, man? You are HUGE." But this was before I became huge myself. So unless your skin is silky-smoove yourownself, maybe it's best to have kept your assessment to yourself.

seawolf17 Dec 21 2006 09:57 AM

I saw Reggie Jackson at Pace's Steakhouse in Hauppauge about ten years ago. I don't know why, but it's the only time in my life I've ever been stunned speechless by a celebrity. Our complete exchange: Me: Hey, you're Reggie Jackson! Reggie: Yes, I am. Reggie: (walks away)

Edgy DC Dec 21 2006 09:59 AM

Way to go, Willis.

Centerfield Dec 21 2006 10:07 AM

My son met Hideki Matsui in the elevator.

HahnSolo Dec 21 2006 10:12 AM

My freshman year of college, I spent one semester and a summer working in the mailroom of the corporate offices of CBS, the Black Rock building in midtown. I ran into many CBS news and sports personalities, but one day I got on an elevator with three people: two empty suits flanking this one guy, who I probably wouldn't have paid any attention to until I noticed his shoes: royal blue loafers with the image of a roaring tiger on them. So I stole a glance at this guy, and there stood, even though he was much shorter than I imagined, Mr. Ozzy Osbourne himself.

TheOldMole Dec 21 2006 10:14 AM

How about someone who wasn't shorter than imagined? My daughter, who's about 5-1, told me about passing Manute Bol on the street once.

Willets Point Dec 21 2006 10:25 AM

I've met John Kerry at church. People ask "what did you say to him?" And I answer, "Peace be with you."

Farmer Ted Dec 21 2006 10:30 AM

Brushed into Heidi Klum at Broadway and Broome a few summers back. She was still hanging with the her ugly hair stylist husband at the time and he was velcroed to her side. It was one of the hottest days on record and she was in jeans and wearing a jean jacket. Very weird. She looked exactly as you'd expect her but I couldn't get a look at any of the goods courtesy of Levi Strauss.

ScarletKnight41 Dec 21 2006 10:36 AM

I once partied with Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates. Granted, it was a birthday party for my neighbor's 2-year-old daughter. But still!

Willets Point Dec 21 2006 10:56 AM

Good thing Judge Reinhold wasn't at that party.

TheOldMole Dec 21 2006 11:03 AM

I've held Sarah Jessica Parker naked in my arms.

TheOldMole Dec 21 2006 11:03 AM

Well, she was 6 months old, and I was changing her diaper.

Frayed Knot Dec 21 2006 11:22 AM

][McCain] was shorter than I'd expect, but the skin was right. About 5-ft 9 or 10-ish with a melanoma scar on his (left, I believe) cheek IIRC. I wound up next to him at a funeral service a couple of years back.

soupcan Dec 21 2006 11:28 AM

="TheOldMole"]How about someone who wasn't shorter than imagined?. Jim Nance lives in my town and I see him occasionally. He's really tall. I'd guess at least 6'4".

Frayed Knot Dec 21 2006 11:39 AM

S.I. writer Steve Rushin (6' 5" - and now married to 6'+ former basketballer Rebecca Lobo) talks about how people constantly tell him that he's taller than they thought -- as if maybe they were under the impression that the thumb-nail picture of him that accompanies his column, like pictures of prizes on the cereal boxes, represented actual size.

Benjamin Grimm Dec 21 2006 11:51 AM

Willets Point wrote: I've met John Kerry at church. People ask "what did you say to him?" And I answer, "Peace be with you." I bet I can guess his response to that! "And also with you?"

Benjamin Grimm Dec 21 2006 11:52 AM

TheOldMole wrote: Well, she was 6 months old, and I was changing her diaper. You were Sarah Jessica Parker's nanny? I think we need some elaboration here.

TheOldMole Dec 21 2006 11:54 AM

Her parents were my best friends in grad school, and we all had little babies.

iramets Dec 21 2006 11:55 AM

TheOldMole wrote: Her parents were my best friends in grad school, and we all had little babies. Was she a homely baby? Because, baby, look at her now.

Benjamin Grimm Dec 21 2006 12:02 PM

Do they call her "Sarah" or "Sarah Jessica"? Inquiring minds want to know! Now we just need to hear the story of why Willets was changing John Kerry's diaper.

TheOldMole Dec 21 2006 12:06 PM

She was "Sarah Jessica" even back then.

seawolf17 Dec 21 2006 12:11 PM

TheOldMole wrote: I've held Sarah Jessica Parker naked in my arms. Yeah, but who hasn't?

sharpie Dec 21 2006 01:11 PM

I played in an all night poker game with Dana Carvey at his house (pre SNL). I went to a party that Connie Mack, the Senator, was at as well as his father, who was the son of the HOF Connie Mack. He (the son/father) told some great stories about his baseball days when his dad made him a coach of the Philadelphia A's, at the time the youngest coach in baseball history, and how the players had no use for the owner/manager's son telling them anything. I rode an elevator with David McCallum and spoke with him about Mario Cuomo's speech at the '84 convention (it had happened the night before). I went to a New Year's Eve party that Lily Tomlin was at. Conversation: "Hi, I'm sharpie." "Hi, I'm Lily. Happy New Year." "Happy New Year."

soupcan Dec 21 2006 01:41 PM

I went to junior high school with Jon Cryer and Erica Gimpel (Coco from 'Fame' the tv show). Jon Cryer was absolutely THE most annoying kid you ever met in your life. He had this incredibly irritating nasal thing he did after he would speak. It was like he would say 'hello how are you - eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.' Just weird. Went to high school with Beth and Kelly Ringwald who were Molly Ringwald's older sister and brother. Beth was my age, blonde and really cute. Got no Anthony Michael Hall or Ally Sheedy ties though.

Edgy DC Dec 21 2006 01:54 PM

Well, the third side of the Cryer/Ringwald triangle should be Andrew McCarthy.

soupcan Dec 21 2006 01:56 PM

Nah, never met him either.

Benjamin Grimm Dec 21 2006 02:13 PM

I spoke briefly to Joe Franklin on the phone once. And John Buscema. I shook hands with Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Spector and current Governor Ed Rendell when he was mayor of Philadelphia. I exchanged pleasantries with Reggie Jackson at a baseball card show. At the same show I had slightly longer conversations with Harmon Killebrew and Duke Snider, both of whom were extraordinarily friendly. I saw Howard Cosell in the lobby of the ABC Building in New York in 1981. He gave me his autograph and I asked him about the baseball strike. He looked me in the eye and said, "I hope they never play again." I was at a party once with Richard Harris, but I didn't talk to him. Before the party, I did throw a flower at him and it hit him on the knee. I once had a booty call with Beyonce. During the 1986 season I went to a book signing at the Barnes and Noble in Manhattan. I told Keith Hernandez that I'd see him in the World Series. He exhaled and said, "I hope so." I went to a mall in Nassau County where Bob Murphy and Bud Harrelson were signing autographs. I asked Bob Murphy to please say, "Oooh what a play by Willie Montanez!" He shook his head, chuckled dismissively, and said, "Willie Montanez? I don''t think so." It would have meant so much to me, but he couldn't be bothered! Oh well. And I helped set up an audition for Calvert Deforrest (Larry "Bud" Melman of Late Night with David Letterman) for an NYU student film. And continuing in the Letterman vein, I and my family had lunch last month at the Hello Deli and had our picture taken with Rupert Jee. Unless I'm overlooking something, that's my sum total of celebrity encounters. All of the above, save perhaps for one, are true.

Edgy DC Dec 21 2006 02:27 PM

I'm pretty sure the Letterman folks spotted Calvert DeForest from an NYU student film.

Benjamin Grimm Dec 21 2006 02:53 PM

Yes, they did. That's what inspired me to invite him to be in the film my roommmate was casting.

ScarletKnight41 Dec 21 2006 02:56 PM

I went to high school with The Karate Kid.

TheOldMole Dec 21 2006 05:06 PM

When I was 17, I worked briefly as an office boy to a Broadway press agent. I talked to Julie Newmar on the phone.

Johnny Dickshot Dec 21 2006 05:17 PM

ScarletKnight41 wrote: I went to high school with The Karate Kid. I believe the annual All-Valley Karate Championship takes place each year in December. You're the best around!

MFS62 Dec 21 2006 06:04 PM

I've posted the famous folks I've met in a prior thread. The most unusual chance meeting was seeing Angela Landsbury checking out (by squeezing) the fruit in a Gristedes supermarket on the upper East Side of Manhattan. (IIRC it was a few blocks from the Gugenheim Museum.) Later

cooby Dec 21 2006 06:12 PM

soupcan wrote: Jon Cryer was absolutely THE most annoying kid you ever met in your life. He had this incredibly irritating nasal thing he did after he would speak. It was like he would say 'hello how are you - eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.' Just weird. . The one bank teller at a bank I used to go to did that.

Edgy DC Dec 21 2006 08:19 PM

I was just looking for a place to post current encounters.

cooby Dec 21 2006 08:41 PM

Well, then I guess I should admit I haven't seen her in years

RealityChuck Dec 21 2006 08:41 PM

I stood near Robert Redford and Barbra Streisand when they were making The Way We Were. Redford was my height (5'9") and Streisand came up to my shoulder. At one party, Edgar Winter was attending; he was taller than I would have thought, but just as pale. I went to college with Phil Alden Robinson (director of Field of Dreams) and worked with him at the radio station. I was on a panel discussion with Michael O'Hare of Babylon 5. Now, if you count science fiction/fantasy writers: 1. Those I have met and talked with many times and who know me on sight: Esther Friesner, Joel Rosenberg, Joan Vinge, Hal Clement, Jim Macdonald, Nancy Kress, Jane Yolen, Peter Heck, Sharon Lee, Melissa Scott, Allen Steele, Somtow Sutchurikul/S.P. Somtow, many others. 2. Those I have appeared on panels with: Gene Wolfe, Ron Goulart, Vincent DiFate 3. Those I've talked to on the phone: Harlan Ellison (he called me, BTW). 4. Those who I've met, but primarily know from online: Raymond F. Feist, Michael Kube-McDowell, Mike Resnick 5, Those I've met once or twice, but not online: Terry Brooks, Larry Niven, Peter David (a Mets fan, BTW), Octavia Butler, Kristine Katherine Rusch, Terry Carr, Robert J. Sawyer, 6. Those I've had extensive e-mail contacts with: Norman Spinrad, Orson Scott Card 7. Those I know well from online communities: too many to list. Hey, when I drop names, I drop a truckload. :)

sharpie Dec 21 2006 08:53 PM

I went to college with Annette Bening. I have a good picture of her trashed at a party at my house. Also went to college with BD Wong. Met and spoken with many pretty well known writers. Sam Shepard complimented a scene I directed at a playwrights workshop. Sat in front of Bob Weir at a movie. Sat in back of Lou Reed at a play.

seawolf17 Dec 21 2006 09:00 PM

Total number of non-Robert Redford or Barbra Streisand people I've ever heard of on Chuck's list: 2 (Edgar Winter and Orson Scott Card.) Current encounters are all fine and well, but you gotta get the past encounters out of the way first. I met a bunch of celebs during my time as a college student activities guy: Alanis Morissette (I have a drumstick from now-Foo Fighter Taylor Hawkins, who was her first drummer), Barenaked Ladies (multiple times), the sound guy from Police Academy, Greg Brady, George Clinton, lots of other folks who came through town. I introduced Chris Rock on stage, and Chan Kinchla from Blues Traveler helped us catch a bat backstage when they played Geneseo. We hung out in a hotel bar with Jani Lane and Warrant after they played an activities conference in Philly. I watched Joe Carter's World Series-winning home run with the Four Seasons (as in "Frankie Valli and") -- they played Geneseo's Parents Weekend that night. I "jammed" with the Meat Puppets when they opened for Blind Melon at Geneseo when I was a student. Curt Kirkwood started playing the intro to "Shine" in their dressing room before the show, and I just started singing along.

RealityChuck Dec 22 2006 08:52 AM

seawolf17 wrote: Total number of non-Robert Redford or Barbra Streisand people I've ever heard of on Chuck's list: 2 (Edgar Winter and Orson Scott Card.) You should frequent bookstores more. :)

Benjamin Grimm Dec 22 2006 09:07 AM

I recognized very few of those names myself. I guess I rarely, if ever, wander into the sci-fi sections of the bookstores. I generally haunt the non-fiction aisles, and am sometimes held hostage in the kids section.

iramets Dec 22 2006 06:05 PM

Last spring, I met Roger Angell and Pete Hamill and had a long conversation with both of them (together, the three of us, that is). I wanted to talk books, they kept dragging the conversation around to baseball, damn their eyes.

Edgy DC Apr 17 2007 12:58 PM Edited 2 time(s), most recently on Apr 17 2007 01:03 PM

When I was a young man, I was a Strat-o-Matic Fanatic. In addition to the baseball game, I played football and even hockey. Basketball too. But I found the greatest playing rivalries in football. I put together and all-NFC team (I was from a Giant family) and went up against the all-AFC team my friend Martin threw together --- running against passing, grinding it out against razzle/dazzle. The conferences were different back then. As I laid out my offense, I was all proud of the All-Madden types I was going to steamroll Martin with and then I looked at his defense and said, "Oh, no, Mecklenburg!" "Mecklenburg?" "Yeah, damn." "You're not intimidated by Howie Long or Andre Tippett?" "No." "Just Meckenburg?" "Yeah." So, I don't know why I had a phobia about him, and I haven't thought about this goofy conversation in almost 20 years. But I was just reading an ariticle submitted to my magazine, and the author begins making references to his life that suggest it can only be one man behind this essay. I turn to the cover page, and, yup, it's Karl Mecklenburg. He even included a business card with a photo of his grim athletic face poking out of his monstrous shoulder pads. And I have to decide whether to reject or accept his article. Oh, no.

Benjamin Grimm Apr 17 2007 01:02 PM

Don't let him intimidate you!

Batty31 Apr 17 2007 09:09 PM

I attend a lot of sci-fi/horror conventions, so I've met a lot of actors/musicians..too many to list. (Was just at one this past weekend and met David Arquette). I also used to run into Danny Aiello every week in the grocery store (he used to live one town over) The celeb I am most proud to have met is my radio idol, Wolfman Jack. At the time I was still working in radio so we had a long conversation about how radio as an "art form" was dead. I can imagine what his reaction to the firing of Imus would have been if he were around today.

Edgy DC Apr 17 2007 09:15 PM

Actually, heading down to Mexico and slamming all over the southern states with a super-powerful signal might be a good career move for Imus.

Frayed Knot Apr 17 2007 09:26 PM

Why not? ... That's the radio he grew up listening to and he's got a place in New Mexico these days.

metirish Apr 17 2007 09:30 PM

Shared a few beers long ago with Kirk Hammet and Lars Ulrich,is Chuck Zito famous,if so then met him more than a few times.

Benjamin Grimm Apr 18 2007 07:05 AM

Well, I'm as unfamiliar with Chuck Zito as I am with Kirk Hammet and Lars Ulrich. My guess: soccer players?

metirish Apr 18 2007 07:08 AM

Ah no,Hammet and Ulrich are from the rock band Metallica,Chuck Zito is a Hells Angel who has done some acting,was in the HBO show OZ.

Edgy DC Apr 18 2007 07:17 AM

Ulrich has long struck me as one of rock's bigger jerks. Anything to that?

Benjamin Grimm Apr 18 2007 07:17 AM

My bad. I had forgotten that I'm almost as unaware of musicians as I am of soccer players.

metirish Apr 18 2007 07:25 AM

Edgy DC wrote: Ulrich has long struck me as one of rock's bigger jerks. Anything to that? I know what you mean by that,he was very nice the night I was with him,talked about Ireland quite a bit and various soccer teams,the Euro Soccer championships were on at the time(96),Hammet was quite,almost shy,both are not a bit tall.

Batty31 Apr 18 2007 10:30 AM

Edgy DC wrote: Ulrich has long struck me as one of rock's bigger jerks. Anything to that? Ahhh...yes...let's not forget his anti-Napster crusade.

Edgy DC Apr 18 2007 10:38 AM

I got nothing against that. I'm largely hung up on a long-ago comment along the lines of, "When we got to LA, people were listening to bullshit like X." I not only loved (and still love) X, but I was crazy about DJ Bonebreak's drumming. And it never should be forgotten that, while Metallica eventually became mostly excellent players, they were pretty bad when their first album came out. That's not the only jerkface thing that's come out of Ulrich's mouth, but the one that sticks with me.

metirish Apr 18 2007 10:39 AM

Batty31 wrote: ="Edgy DC"]Ulrich has long struck me as one of rock's bigger jerks. Anything to that? Ahhh...yes...let's not forget his anti-Napster crusade. You'd have no problem with me going round your place and stealing your property then?

Centerfield May 07 2007 08:44 AM

Elevator doors open. Ryan walks in to find the elevator is occupied by Derek Jeter and his boyfriend. Derek Jeter: Hey little guy. How are you? Ryan stares at him suspiciously. CF: Ryan, say hello. Can you say hi? Ryan steadfastly refuses. CF: Ryan, don't do that. Give him high-five. Ryan protests and demands to be picked up. CF: Sorry. He's a Mets fan.

Edgy DC May 07 2007 08:49 AM

Is this like the proudest day of your life?

Centerfield May 07 2007 09:12 AM

It's really strange. My son is nice to everyone. He smiles, he give high-fives...he was even nice to Hideki Matsui. I don't know why he hated Jeter. But yeah, I'm pretty happy.

metirish May 07 2007 09:17 AM

That's just brilliant,what age is Ryan?....Jeter must have been somewhat embarrassed,or maybe not....kudos to Ryan....

Benjamin Grimm May 07 2007 09:25 AM

It sounds like you're raising him right, CF. You may need to ask yourself why you keep running into Yankees in elevators, though. It sounds more like something Steve Rogers would do.

Centerfield May 07 2007 09:30 AM

Ryan is 20 months old. And Jeter didn't seem embarrassed at all...just took out his blackberry and pretended to be busy. His boyfriend continued to make faces at Ryan though. Both Jeter and Matsui live in the same building as my in-laws. We've seen Matsui a bunch of times but this is the first we've seen of Jeter. My son has also met Steve Harvey. Bill Gates is said to have a unit in the building too but we have yet to see him.

Benjamin Grimm May 07 2007 09:33 AM

So who was the boyfriend? A local TV weatherman, perhaps?

Centerfield May 07 2007 09:39 AM

The worst part about this, of course, is that immediately afterwards I think of about a thousand things that I should have said: "Ryan, that's not nice, say hi to Derek Jeter and his boyfriend." "Ryan, remember the game we watched on Friday? That's they guy who went 0 for 6 and made the last out." "It's ok Ryan, you can give him a high five...be careful though, he leads the league in errors." "Ryan, he can't give you a high give from there....you know he has no range. This is not Jose Reyes." "Ryan, do you know who that is? That's the best player in baseball! That's Alex Rodriguez!"

Willets Point May 07 2007 10:06 AM

Yancy Street Gang wrote: It sounds like you're raising him right, CF. You may need to ask yourself why you keep running into Yankees in elevators, though. It sounds more like something Steve Rogers would do. The difference is that for CF it's accidental but Rogers would just ride the elevator up and down all day to meet Yankees.

Gwreck May 07 2007 03:22 PM

="Centerfield"]Elevator doors open. Ryan walks in to find the elevator is occupied by Derek Jeter and his boyfriend. Derek Jeter: Hey little guy. How are you? Ryan stares at him suspiciously. CF: Ryan, say hello. Can you say hi? Ryan steadfastly refuses. CF: Ryan, don't do that. Give him high-five. Ryan protests and demands to be picked up. CF: Sorry. He's a Mets fan. Uh, CF, wrong thread. This is the "Brushes with Greatness" thread.

SteveJRogers May 07 2007 03:29 PM

="Gwreck"] ="Centerfield"]Elevator doors open. Ryan walks in to find the elevator is occupied by Derek Jeter and his boyfriend. Derek Jeter: Hey little guy. How are you? Ryan stares at him suspiciously. CF: Ryan, say hello. Can you say hi? Ryan steadfastly refuses. CF: Ryan, don't do that. Give him high-five. Ryan protests and demands to be picked up. CF: Sorry. He's a Mets fan. Uh, CF, wrong thread. This is the "Brushes with Greatness" thread. Heh, then again there are still Yankee fans who insist that Jeter is the greatest shortstop of all time. Despite the fact that the fellow who IS the greatest SS of all time is currently at 3B.

Nymr83 May 07 2007 03:47 PM

Honus Wagner is a Yankee? Honus Wagner is ALIVE?

cooby May 08 2007 09:07 AM

="Centerfield"]The worst part about this, of course, is that immediately afterwards I think of about a thousand things that I should have said: "Ryan, that's not nice, say hi to Derek Jeter and his boyfriend." I chuckled almost the whole way to work over this one

metirish May 08 2007 09:28 AM

Can you play at 3rd and still be the greatest SS ever?

SteveJRogers May 08 2007 04:13 PM

metirish wrote: Can you play at 3rd and still be the greatest SS ever? You're joking right? Check the stats as a SS, the guy is the greatest offensive SS of all time, two Gold Gloves, and an MVP. He was set to just about crush every offensive SS record before making the switch.

metirish May 08 2007 04:40 PM

Steve relax,he'll probably break most offensive records no matter where he plays.

SteveJRogers May 08 2007 05:20 PM

metirish wrote: Steve relax,he'll probably break most offensive records no matter where he plays. Sorry, its been one of those days and you had your Met blinders on. Okay, getting back to the topic of name dropping, its a shame I can't post the article I did on Ed Coleman during the 2001 season for my local, local paper. Met him at his home and had a nice sit down with him, real good guy. Thing I found real funny though, this was pretty much a nifty profile piece of a local celeb, I called WFAN to get a thumbnail bio on Coleman and was told that whatever they had was up on WFAN.com. Well, on WFAN.com was just Coleman's entry in WFAN's 10th Anniversary publication, basically Eddie C listing some of his favorite callers and moments of the first 10 years of WFAN's history. So just for the heck of it I thumbed through the 2001 Mets Media Guide and WHAM! Everything I needed was there in Eddie's bio. Where he worked prior to WFAN, his work on Olympics, ect. I guess its funny that his "main" employer, WFAN Radio gives you nothing in terms of background on their employers while doing something thats essentially a seasonal job and that employee will give you their life history. Or maybe it shows the dedication of Jay Horowitz's staff!

Giant Squidlike Creature Jun 07 2007 10:46 AM

Bump (even though Rogers already made a sequel).