Famous People

[okarol]

I shook hands with Anthony Hopkins. I met Jack Black twice. 

[MooseMom]

Ooooh, I used to have a major crush on Anthony Hopkins.

[Riki]

I was reading through these, and I saw that I mentioned the writer's strike in 2007, and I remembered someone else.

I met Barry Julien during the writer's strike as well.  I was on the lines with them outside the Disney Store on 5th ave, handing out leaflets and answering questions (and getting badmouthed as well).  My best friend, who was a SAG member at the time, and maybe still is, I'm not sure, introduced me to head person (I don't remember his official title) at the picket as an aspiring writer from Canada.  Barry's ears must have perked up or something at the sound of the word, "Canada" because he came over and introduced himself.  He's Canadian as well, from Waterloo, Ontario.  He asked me where I was from, and told me that he worked in Halifax for a while, as a writer on This Hour has 22 Minutes, which is almost a Canadian version of The Daily Show.  He was very nice to me and my mom.

In case anyone is wondering, Barry Julien is the head writer at The Colbert Report, although at hte time, he was one of the newer writers there, and Eric Drysdale, another Canadian (and the guy who played Bobby, the Stage Manager) was still the head writer.

[thegrammalady]

we used to volunteer for our local pbs station and i got the chance to "work" with sherry lewis. extremely nice lady.

[MooseMom]

Further to my story about the 9/11 memorial service held in St. Paul's cathedral in London, here are a couple of youtube clips that I had never seen before.  I keep forgetting that you tube exists, so viewing these two clips really brought back potent memories.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5vGho1fEw4

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmpo0csiIMs

If you doubt the special relationship, just watch these two clips.  Keep in mind that these two hymn have never been sung in St. Paul's.

[ChickenLittle56]

When my good friend Chef Fred Cohn passed away in Feb.08' they had a memorial for him. There was Rick Bayless from the Frontera Grill, Chef Charlie Trotter, Chef Chas and other famous notables in the culinary culture of Chicago. He was also on the cover of Success Magazine in 90's. I missed the good food and fantastic desserts that he made but more than that I missed his friendship that was created when we met during dialysis treatment.

[gregory]

I got to watch them film Towering Inferno years ago. Met Paul Newman and all the other stars in the movie. 

[chook]

met James Gardner better known as the preacher in the Movie Space Cowboys or Rockford Files.

So now I need to know - was James Gardiner a nice bloke? I love the characters he plays and he always seems to be such a gentleman.

I don't think I've ever met anyone famous, although we did have the Duchess of York speak to us over the School of the Air radio years ago. And Peter Brock, Australian racing car legend, RIP, has driven his rallly car around our property. I did get to watch him whiz past 

[Mizar]

 Me, No.  However, I used to Drive a School Bus and for Years, I picked up a Child, that Lived, next Door, to a House, owned, by Aretha Franklin.
 That Probably, does not count, right? My Daughter was a Friend with a Girl, who used to Babysit Dennis Rodmans, Children and once His Limo, came to Our
 House, to pick up the Friend. No good again.  Okay, I now Live in the Town, that Dolly Parton, was Born in. A good Friend of Mine, went, to School with Her and
 told Me all about Her. My Friend, could have gone to the High School Class Reunion, last Year, Dolly came, ( I begged Her to take Me ) but She Decided not to
 go. Shoot. Like Horseshoes, Close, but never Close enough.

[rocker]

So, ok, I have this sort of interesting past...

I spent my late teens - mid 20s as a rock (heavy metal) musician, playing local clubs.  (Hence, my nickname) There were a few clubs, and quite a few bands, and we all more or less were friends.  Clubs opened and closed, bands formed and broke up, but there were quite a few of us who remained friends throughout until we drifted off.  A few of them were signed to contracts and have appeared on tv (no one you've ever heard of, still, it was startling to turn on MTV and say "hey!  Bobby!").  Somewhat more interesting were the friends who ended up as actors, with careers ranging from the gigantic to the respectable to "Also appearing was..."

It's a very odd feeling to watch a movie starring someone you double-dated with.

I don't like to say who they are, because some of them have some very weird very obssessed fans.  And I really don't have anything to add to their stories.  But yeah, it's odd.

I also worked in Los Angeles for a few months, in an effort to further my music career.  Worked at a famous club (Rainbow Bar & Grill), and met quite a few big 80s heavy metal stars who you also have entirely forgotten.    (Ratt, Dio, W.A.S.P., Motorhead, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, more I've forgotten.)

  -rocker

[sarahmanda]

The crew for the band Papa Roach stayed at my hotel once as well as the band MikesChair (a Christian band, that I happen to love). I remade the bed for the lead singer of MikesChair and hung out with them for a while. They were surprised that I even knew who they were. Tyler Hilton (he was on One Tree Hill for a little while, played Elvis in the movie Walk The Line and was the bully in the movie Charlie Bartlett) stayed at my hotel right before my birthday. He seemed really nice and autographed a picture for me.  Charley Pride waved to me and said "hey there, girlie" while I was taking a picture of him on stage when we saw him in Branson when I was 8 )the others have all been in the last year).

[kellyt]

So, ok, I have this sort of interesting past...

I spent my late teens - mid 20s as a rock (heavy metal) musician, playing local clubs.  (Hence, my nickname) There were a few clubs, and quite a few bands, and we all more or less were friends.  Clubs opened and closed, bands formed and broke up, but there were quite a few of us who remained friends throughout until we drifted off.  A few of them were signed to contracts and have appeared on tv (no one you've ever heard of, still, it was startling to turn on MTV and say "hey!  Bobby!").  Somewhat more interesting were the friends who ended up as actors, with careers ranging from the gigantic to the respectable to "Also appearing was..."

It's a very odd feeling to watch a movie starring someone you double-dated with.

I don't like to say who they are, because some of them have some very weird very obssessed fans.  And I really don't have anything to add to their stories.  But yeah, it's odd.

I also worked in Los Angeles for a few months, in an effort to further my music career.  Worked at a famous club (Rainbow Bar & Grill), and met quite a few big 80s heavy metal stars who you also have entirely forgotten.    (Ratt, Dio, W.A.S.P., Motorhead, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, more I've forgotten.)

  -rocker

Gotta love the 80's bands!  I still do!!!   I wasn't a hard rocker, but I loved, loved, loved the hair bands!  All of them!  I did a dance to "Breaking The Law" by Judas Priest in my 8th grade talent show.  Now, they weren't a "hair" band, but anyway...   My friends said "I didn't know that was a song anyone could dance to".   

[jbeany]

Good grief, they are filming a movie in downtown Grand Rapids right now, about two blocks from the courthouse where I volunteer.  The paper is full of details about the star sightings.  It's Bruce Willis and, oh, heck, I don't know, someone young and studly, no doubt, since it's an action movie with blown out windows.  I'd ignore the articles, but it's good to keep track of which streets they are closing what days. 

[okarol]

I met Natalie Cole at a kidney dinner last night.

[jbeany]

Auugh - I got caught on camera leaving the courthouse after volunteering!  Interesting to see how it works though.  I was standing at the crosswalk waiting for the light to change.  The woman next to me looked up at the traffic at the same time I did, and we both did a "What on earth?" double-take.  There was a huge white moving van coming slowly down the street, towing a limo.  The limo had huge blue lights strapped to both sides, shining into the backseat area.  As the van passed us by, we could see the rear door of the moving van was up, and there was a crowd of people in the back with more lights and camera equipment.  Several of them were sitting on director chairs.  The van and limo passed just as the light changed, so we walked out behind it.  The woman and I both looked at each other and said "The movie!" at the same time.  She asked me if I thought we'd actually make it into the background shot on the film.

I told her I hoped not.  The only way I'd ever go see an action flick with Bruce Willis was if I was actually in it, and I'd rather not.   

[Riki]

I met Natalie Cole at a kidney dinner last night.

Cool

[Brightsky69]

I was an extra on the set of The Jackal  (1997) I didn't get to "meet" any of the stars but I got to see them up close.   
I saw Sidney Poitier and let me tell you...he was 70 when he did that movie and he was ripped!! You could see all his muscles right through his dress shirt.
I also saw Richard Gere and Tess Harper.

[rsudock]

i met magic johnson the day i received a kidney transplant!

[okarol]

I met Natalie Cole at a kidney dinner last night.

Natalie Cole told the story of how her donor came about. A young woman, 30 years old, was pregnant and had a stroke. The baby was delivered but the woman had no brain activity. Her aunt, a dialysis nurse, contacted the hospitals transplant coordinator and asked that the organs be offered to some specific people. There were 5 people on the list, and one was Natalie, who turned out to be a match. It's one of the few "directed deceased donor" transplants that take place each year.

This is Natalie and her donor's family.

[rsudock]

what caused the kidney failure? drug use on cole's part?

[okarol]

what caused the kidney failure? drug use on cole's part?

This is from a news article:
Cole is a former cocaine and heroine addict who contracted hepatitis C from her IV drug use. She discovered this in 2008, and underwent chemotherapy to rid her body of the virus. After four months of chemotherapy, Cole's kidneys failed. She immediately began dialysis three times per week to replace her kidney function.

[rsudock]

Makes me sad and irratated when people who are born with health squander it away...and people like me who are born with a disease and fight to live our whole lives, wishing that we will see old age.