Have you ever bumped into a famous person while travelling?

OK, this is thrilling, so be seated: I shared a flight with (are you ready?)Tony Danza! But I only thought he was someone who LOOKED like Tony Danza until I saw him getting the celeb treatment at LAX upon arrival (yes, this was, ahem, a few years ago). His skin was rougher-looking than on TV--duh!--and his face in general looked more like a boxer's out of makeup.
Also thrilling: saw Miss Suzanne Somers at Geronimo in Santa Fe, about a year ago, and she looked exactly like her TV self, very blonde and very tan. Was wearing a gorgeous squash blossom necklace.
Used to see lots of pro golfers at the Monterey airport, but I never knew who they were,my husband pointed them out to me.
I seem not to be the Celeb Magnet...

I have two.... (1) Although I didn't see him, the buzz on my Air Pacific/Qantas flight to Fiji in April 2002 was that Russell Crowe was in First Class.... this was a couple of days after he'd won the oscar for Best Actor.... and (2) Bill Medley in the lobby of the MGM Grand in Vegas back in 1994.

I've also seen Elton John several times in Atlanta.

Saw Terry Bradshaw getting ready to board a flight in Phoenix. He was huge and very friendly with the fans.

On my flight to Chicago a couple of weeks ago, Regis Philbin and Bobby Valentine (ex Mets manager) were sitting in 1st class. That same trip, saw Ann Curry (Today Show) at the airport and rode an elevator with Tim McCarver (ex-baseball player and broadcaster).

Eventful trip.....

I'm seeing Hillary tonight, for a chat about her book. She's in the news, so does that count?

I think mine beats them all..we were at the Loew's in Santa Monica a few years ago, sitting in the lobby at about 1 a.m., just people watching. See a guy come in with a woman, he's got a dog on a leash. Wearing a cap pulled down low on his brow, but even across the lobby, I knew it was Al Pacino. As soon as we made eye contact, & he realized I recognized him, he dropped the leash & took off for the elevator! I asked at the desk if he was staying there and they confirmed it. I've met a number of celebrities through my jobs, but never have seen one more unfriendly!

You are meeting with Hillary,one-on-one to talk about her book?

Been to LA / Hollywood several times and ALWAYS on the look-out, but have only seen Kevin Kline on the Paramount Studio tour (or maybe it was Warners Bros? We did them both)

Also saw only the back end of David Hasselhoff in London...we had just arrived at St. Paul's Cathedral BUTT he was just leaving! LOL

I saw Ralph Macchio at a New York Islanders hockey game (and got his autograph). This was about 16 years ago or so when Karate Kid was out.

I was on a plane from NY to DC about 5 years ago and Alan Greenspan was sitting in front of me (I work in the banking industry, it was kind of neat for me). There were secret agents all over the plane.

And, well, this isn't traveling, but I live in DC so I see politicians all the time (I work near the White House).

Woody Harrelson was in First Class on a LGA-LAX flight where I was flying in Steerage-- oops, Coach. Nice enough guy. I also once saw Gloria Estefan doing a walk-through at her Miami Beach hotel, the Cardozo (I was staying there).

Living here in southern CA, I've run into a few "celebs" in my travels, but not as many as you'd think. However, among the more surprising ones:

-- Diahann Carroll at Beverly Center
-- Dionne Warwick and John Lithgow at the video store I used to work at (ahh, college days!)
-- Rita Moreno at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market
-- Meredith Baxter on the Third Street Promenade
-- Dustin Hoffman with kids on a Santa Monica street corner
-- The entire cast of "Mad TV" in a West Hollywood bar to celebrate their first show of the new season
-- Paula Jones at the Long Beach El Torito
-- Sally Kirkland in the lobby of our office (turns out the head of our company is an old pal of hers)

I'm sure there are others, if I thought about it. I'm sure I've seen a few in NY, but damned if I can recall....

Cute, doc,

Hillary's not unfriendly, she's just cold!

Yes, face to face, about her book. This evening, briefly. We supported her run in NY, and think '08 may offer another opportunity, if she's the best candidate. Got any questions you'd like me to pose, smiling?

That's what the media say, Leona. Perhaps you ought to find out for yourself. You're in nyc, right? Talk to your Senator sometime. I thought doc was being sincere. Seems you had a different interpretation.

While sightseeing in New York a couple of years ago we watched Dennis Leary filming his TV series (that lasted about six episodes), and while sightseeing in Toronto, watched Jackie Chan filming his movie "Tuxedo". That's the extent of my celeb sightings!

I bumped into Martin Landau and Jim Buluchi on the same day at a Park City ski resort. In both cases they were sitting one table away from us at ski lodges. Later I saw Landau standing by himself looking for his ski party and I went to him and said Hi. He seemed to enjoy talking for a minute while he was waiting. Buluchi was was exactly what you see on TV. The life of the party, surrounded by people.

Nothing cute about my post. Just curious about the parameters of your meeting with a person that only a few people in the free world have access to. Any chance I could submit a question for her to answer?

OJ Simpson
Pam Anderson
Bruce Willis with Demi Moore (and kids)
Courtney Cox (twice)
David Arquette
Billy Idol
Tom Selleck
Janet Jackson
Paul Newman
Dustin Hoffman
Bill Clinton
Gerald Ford
George Bush Sr w/ Barbara
Nancy Reagan
Jesse Jackson
Walter Mondale
Dan Quayle
Evander Holyfield
Mike Tyson
Joe Montana
Reggie Jackson
Michael Johnson
Carl Lewis
Sheena Easton
Wayne Newton

I live in Los Angeles so celeb sightings aren't that uncommon, but last October when we were in Las Vegas we saw Kelly Osbourne, James Woods, and Reba McIntyre all in the same night!

Passed by Sandra Bullock on the Town Lake (Austin) jogging trail.

Johnnny Cash riding on the back of one of those carts in the airport. Stopped right in front of me. I wanted to reach out and shake his hand but was kinda awestruck.

1) Elvis, at a bus stop in Dallas
2) Jesus Christ on I-210 in San Antonio dressed in all white.
3) Marilyn Monroe at a drag contest in Omaha.
4) God, at a revival meeting in South Bend.
5) William Bennet in Bob's Big Boy Casino near Vegas.

Sure, but it's only a brief meeting, focused on her book.

You know I'm batting a 1,000 recently. Bush just sent me a letter that he actually signed. No autopen. My mother-in-law, who doesn't like him, didin't believe me, so I sent it to her. She claims she used it to light her charcoal grill, LOL.

I was in an LAX bar in the late 60s waiting for a flight overseas. I was in uniform (Navy) and the guy next to me bought me a beer. Turned out to be George Gobel. Really nice man who talked to me for a half hour about the war and politics. He was very gracious.

Worst impression of a famous person: Michael Cane in a hotel in Dublin. Said no to a photo with an 85 year old woman.

Danny Devito, Mike Tyson several times, Reba McIntire, Mimi Rodgers, Penn of Penn and Teller, Tori Spelling, Geena Davis all in Las Vegas & others I can't remember. Dr. Phil (not as tall or heavy as he seems on TV) at 4S Maui, Walter Cronkite (sp) at a London theatre,George Bush SR. waving from his limo in Pittsburgh , Aerosmith at a movie theatre when I was a child, Nick Nolte at Ihilani Resort Hnl.

Yesitis....She claims in her book the whitewater profit was intended for Chelsea's education. Ask her if it was or if the money went to a political contribution fund!

Forgot Tom Cruise who filmed a movie in my small hometown many years ago, saw him several places but he attended Catholic mass at my church. An old childhood friend chased him after church as he was running and laughing with his bodyguard.

I also saw Steevie Wonder being chased by a fan in the Las Vegas airport. That was pretty funny being as he can't see, he was also laughing while someone was holding his hand

My celebrity encounter is "Church with Charo".

We were on Oahu over Easter a few years ago and good Catholic guilt struck, so we decided to go to Easter Sunday Mass at the cute little church on Kalakaua (sp?) avenue in Waikiki. Sure enough, there was the "Hoochie-Coochie" lady herself. After the service she was surrounded by adoring fans.

The two I can remember are Farah Fawcett a few years ago, we ran practically into her as she was coming out from playing some sort of tennis game (can't remember the name) on Venice Beach in Santa Monica. She looked very old with tons of wrinkles (more than I expected for her age).

Rebecca DeMornay was sitting right across from us at the Hard Rock Cafe in Universal city a few years ago. She had no makeup, messed up hair, I hardly recognized her (but I did!). But she was still very pretty...

I live in Arkansas, and growing up, Bill Clinton was ALWAYS our governor. When I was in high school, we attended a school club convention in Little Rock, and some us were walking to a downtown McDonalds for breakfast. A man was jogging along the sidewalk and we kind of stopped and moved out of his way--Yep, it was Clinton himself in some of those little jogging shorts. He said hello to our group and kept on jogging.

Years later, I moved to Little Rock and attended church at the one he used to go to. So, there 2 or 3 times that I remember his being there (during his first term). We had to go through security to get into church and he came in with his entourage, after everyone was seated. Then we had to wait to leave until he was out of the building. But, he always stayed outside a while to shake hands, hug, take pictures, etc. If you were parked in that area, you still had to wait to leave. Even though I don't care for the man, he does have a certain charisma about him that you can't help but notice.

This past March, I saw the lady who plays "Hope" on Days of Our Lives at DFW airport. She looked just as gorgeous and tiny in person as she does on the show.

Doc, lol, I think you need to come along if you want an answer to an oldie like that. Thinking back, wasn't Whitewater a Bush Sr. issue? Bring along your copy of "Stand By My Man" and we'll get her to autograph it

Sorry - "Your" Man.

Many moons ago on a Sitmar Cruise, Lindsay Wagner ( the Bionic Woman!) was on with her husband and his family. We saw her alot.. in the pool, the elevator ... She had agreed to do a adograph(sp??) signing one afternoon and the rest of the time people were very well behaved and didn't bother her.

I was not on vacation but home in Providence and went to a museum where I noticed a lady in a trench, coat, kerchief and big sunglasses, and see the guide taking her onto a special elevator. Yup, Jackie O... John John was at Brown at the time so she was probably visiting him. I casually followed her outside but then I was afraid the secret service would think I was a stalker so I had to stop.
Oh, also met Angie Dickerson on a cruise,...

Back in mid-80s, my beautiful wife and I, vacationing on Mustique Island in the Caribbean, walked over to the local bar(Basil's Bar, I think?), and there they were, the two biggest rock icons, Mick Jagger and David Bowie. Mick was my idol since the mid-late 60's, as I became a HUGE Stones fan back then, and when my musical taste expended, Bowie also fell ito the same worship category. Needles to say, against my wishes, my wife made me go up and say "something, duh". Anyway this was in the early afternoon, the place was deserted, so I took a chance. Both guys were extremely pleasant, and they even bougth us a round of 'Pain Killers #8'.
The few other celebs that I've seen later in my life never were able to raise such an excitment for me as these two guys.
Still listen to every thing they put out these days.

I had a nice conversation with Scott Hamilton at the gate waiting for a flight from Boston to LA. He was in town for Nancy Kerrigan's wedding.

MM

Mohammed Ali in Alberta Canada about 15 years ago, Tim Henman at Dulles airport 3 years ago, Tamara Gray (American Idol)who used to be my neighbor and who I grew up with, Jenna Jameson in Providence Rhode Island (I have pictures), Tobey Maguire in Greenwich Village last year, Anna Kournikova in West Palm beach last year, Brian Dunkelman (American Idol host) in Utah last year.

A few years ago, waiting in a state of total exhaustion for our flight from LAX to Sydney, Australia - we saw a woman walk by in the departure lounge and out of my sleepy fog, I thought "Gee, she looks sort of like Sandra Bernhardt." The Roseanne show was still on the air then. The woman who "looked like" Sandra Bernhardt was indeed the genuine article, except that she looked worse than we felt at the time, and the next day we saw her at the Air Canada office complaining bitterly about something or other. Not impressed.

Flying from Pittsburgh to Tampa for the Super Bowl in 1984 I was delighted to see on my flight the following:

Dan Rooney, Owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Chuck Knoll, ex-head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Rocky Blier, ex-running back for the Pittsburgh Steerers.

Myron Cope, beloved broadcaster for a local radio station in Pittsburgh..he still does all the Steeler games to this day!!!

I was in such heaven and all of them were very, very kind to a little girl who wouldnt leave them alone!

yesitis...Too funny! Have fun anyway. Maybe I could be so forunate to interview my Senior Sentaor, Ted Kennedy,and you could offer a question for me to ask. I know what mine would be.

I agree with Lee4, despite your politics, there is definitely a charisma thing going on with Clinton. He came to our town after some serious flooding. I saw him from the side of a creek and he came over to talk to a few of us who had gathered. I was really surprised at the charisma thing.

Also ran into Steve Garvey (or ran into one of his forearms ) while touring the Hilton Waikoloa on the BI.

About 7 years ago I was doing work at CNN building in Atlanta. Was staying at Omni Hotel? As my work could only be done late at night it was somewhere around 2:00am. Atrium was deserted and heard laughter coming my way. I looked up and immediately recognized Ted Turner and Jane Fonda. To my surprise they both headed my way and noticing the work I was doing remarked how good it looked. They had arrived on late night flight from out west. Ted seemed quite happy! Jane was very nice and the first thing I noticed was her beauty. What a remarkable person. We all three stood in that lobby for at least 15 minutes, the echoes from laughter and conversation was neat being we were virually the only ones there. I will say one thing, ole Ted is one down to earth, kooky kind of guy! My kind of person! His presence was astounding.

Don Rickles - Burbank airport

Nick Nolte - LAX (looking like he just got out of bed - wearing a robe and slippers)

Goldie Hawn - Santa Monida (looking wonderful)

Jamie Lee Curtis - AA flight to LAX from Chicago in first class. Talked a lot when she got on the plane, then sat down and was quiet for the flight. Shorter than what I thought, but great figure.

Robert Schuller - flight from Honolulu (very nice and didn't harass the flight attendants)

Laura Dern - restaurant in Beverly Hills

Jesse Jackson - Chicago airport between flights. He sat next to me and his secretary met him in the airport. He gave her instructions, dictated some letters, etc. before boarding a flight. He was very nice.

Daryl Hannah - Roy's Restaurant in Hawaii Kai

One little footnote to my story: Cat Ballou was my favorite movie of Ms. Fondas but for some reason every time I would look at her all I could think of was the beginning of her film Barbarella!

The funny thing is, I never really think I'll be anywhere where a celebrity might go...but for some reason, I seem to see quite a number.

Dorval Airport, Montreal. Ed Norton
Unity Club, Montreal. Nathan Lane
Downtown Montreal. Sporty Spice
Penn Station, Baltimore (!). Lauren Velez (NY Undercover and Oz)
Broad Street, Philadelphia. Peter Jennings.
Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia. the star kid of Malcolm in the Middle
Williamsburg, Va right outside my dorm. Prince Charles; I knew he was in town, but I certainly didn't expect to see him as well as I did.
I also think I might have seen Martin Short the other day in Montreal, but I felt I could easily have been mistaken.

I've seen quite a number of people who are famous here in Quebec as well: JoJo, Gilles Duceppe, Julie Snyder, Real Menard...etc...

I always tell myself not to stare and respect a celebrity's privacy, but for some reason I always seem to do a double-take. I need to learn to be more nonchalant.

With EMK, perhaps keep off bridges and out of Olds. But that was long ago as well, and at times I think that might have been Richard M. Or was that CREEP.

I've run into quite a few famous people through the course of my work and by virtue of living in LA:

Reggie Jackson - Corona Del Mar
Kareem Abdul Jabbar - Movie theater in the San Fernando Valley
Lou Ferrigno - Twice in Santa Monica
Catherine Bach, Jason Alexander - Beverly Hills
Magic Johnson, Snoopp Dogg, Ice Cube, Leonardo DiCaprio, President Clinton, Christina Aguilera, Michael Eisner, Pat O'Brien, Rita Wilson - Staples Center elevator
Hugh Hefner - Rode on the Staples Center elevator with him. He was with several "girlfriends" and a few body guards, but grinding on a girl.
Tiffany Amber Thiesen - Rode the elevator with her in the building housing Aaron Spelling productions. She was gorgeous
John Ritter, Tony Danza - Dodger Stadium, same night
Former Dodger, Ron Cey - Dogdger Stadium
Rita Moreno, Steve Garvey, Jim Belushi, Ted McGuinley - Brentwood
Andre Agassi, Steffi Graff - Westwood
Tiger Woods - Valencia, I smiled at him as he was walking on the fairway, he smiled back.
Coach John Robinson - Century City
Ricky Shroeder & Alfonso Ribero - An arcade in Sherman Oaks (When Silver Spoons was still on the air)
Marlon Jackson - same arcade
Keenan Ivory Wayans, Bill Maher, Andy Dick - Six Flags Magic Mountain


Through my travels, I've seen:

Sugar Ray Leonard - MGM Grand,Las Vegas playing blackjack ($500-$1500 a hand)
Julius Erving (Dr. J) - Bally's, LV. I played BJ on the same table for about an hour.
"Cousin Larry" from Perfect Strangers - Barbary Coast, LV
Elliott Gould - MGM Grand, LV
Peter Jennings, Heidi Klum - Manhattan
Judge Lance Ito & Governor Gray Davis - Rode on the same plane from Sacramento (different trips)
Baseball Commisioner Bud Selig & Former LA Laker Elden Campbell - Milwaukee (same trip)

Bumped into O.J. Simpson at O'Hare in June of 1994. He was just hangin' around a trash barrel,looked like he was putting a bag with heavy objects in it. He gave me his autograph and I noticed this cut on his hand,would'nt tell me how it happened.

While on our honeymoon in Antigua we saw Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown dancing at Shirley Heights. Not travellling, I once gave a tour of the Air and Space Museum to Caroline Kennedy, her husband and kids, and Ted Kennedy's wife and her kids. There are more but that I have seen and met, but living in Washington, DC it is not uncommon.

Paul Newman at Tanglewood, it was if he was in color and everyone else was in black and white. Sophia Loren at Chicago O'Hare looking very made up, almost orange, and being whisked away by guys in sun glasses. She had the whole sucked in cheeks nose up in the air thing going. Very glamorous, like back when movie stars were movie stars. My wife said it couldn't have been her, but then we found out she was getting some kind of award at the international film festival.

Big drop

I stood on line for an Amtrak bathroom with Michael Gross of family ties. I asked him why he was on the train and he
siad he hated flying.
I saw Potsy from happy days walking around LA once too. Looking slightly lost.

Gigantic drop

I saw Gary Coleman at a bar in Chicago talking VERY loud the whole time. Any cuteness he had is gone.

Went to Disney World back in 1997 and stayed at the Grand Floridian. Disney was giving a black tie hall of fame dinner for some celebs. Several were staying at our hotel including Oprah Winfrey , Regis Philbin,Walter Cronkit and Andy Rooney.

Also, in 2001 we were in San Franisco and staying at the Fairmont. President Clinton was staying at our hotel with his entourage of secret service. We got to shake his hand as he walked out the hotel and he calmly proceeded to go for a walk down to Union Square, surrounded by his body guards of course.

Burt Bacharach - sat next to him on a flight from Denver to L.A. - super nice guy
Matt LeBlanc - Loew's Hotel in Annapolis attending his cousin's wedding
Gerald Ford - Mirabelle's restaurant, Beaver Creek,CO
Yogi Berra and Johnny Bench - Beaver Creek Golf Clubhouse
Bob Hope - Beaver Creek Clubhouse
Jack Nicklaus - Gashouse restaurant near Avon, Co
Dali Lama - Grosvenor House Hotel, London
Steven Stills - Kaanapali Alii Condos, Maui

my ex at Sundance! And, once riding up in an elevator in Union Square..Angela Davis..does that count?

Perhaps one of the most thrilling moments for me while traveling happened when my wonderful husband treated me to six fab days at Las Ventenas in Cabo San Lucas. At dinner one night who should be see but the Swartznagger's - Arnold and Maria. I was beside myself. It was a true thrill I'll never forget. Las Ventenas is probably the most fabulous places in the world. It is very expensive and this trip was a big splurge but it was worth every penny!!!!

I saw Burt Reynolds last year at the Orleans, he looked very frail.

OK, PamSF, you have to tell me who your husband is!!!
You tell me and I will tell you who mine is~ LOL

Not as impressive as some of your star sightings, but in a restaurant in Marina Del Ray in 1985 Jim Backus sat at the table next to us (for those of you who don't who he is he played Mr. Howell on Gilligan's Island). He really talked like that, too!!!

James Caan filmed a movie here some years ago and many of the scenes took place in my neighborhood and at my old grammar school. I saw him several times.

OJ Simpson in the 1970's when he played for the Bills...we stood near him at a Buffalo Braves basketball game.

On the way home from California, I was checking in behind Ed Begley, Jr, in LAX. I forgot his name, but knew he was famous. I politely asked him who he was because I simply forgot. His reply was, "Sometimes I forget, too." And he continued to the plane without telling me. I had to ask the airline personnel. They said he's weird and I thought he was, too. I think he had a ferret in the little cage he was carrying onto our red-eye flight to Orlando. Oh well... c'est la vie!

At work I had the chance to meet Mickie Rourke, but I don't care for him, so I just took the pic of my girlfriend with him. He was weighing in for a boxing match -- it was a publicity stunt.

In a Vegas casino I saw Shari Belafonte talking to Bonnie Hunt (Bonnie has her own sitcom now and was in many films including Jerry McGuire.) I spoke with Bonnie later (the body guard around Shari made it difficult to get close.) Bonnie is a riot! She even asked us later if we'd seen her hubby anywhere. She looked just like she does on the screen.

Also in the same weekend I met Alan Autry ("Bubba" on In the Heat of the Night series, and Grace Under Fire's good looking boyfriend) he looked shorter, but just as good looking in person (the man looks really, really looks good in a tux!) He's now the Mayor where he lives.

Also remembered:

Oprah's Steadman Graham in the Amer Airlines lounge - really tall!
Whitney Houston & Bobby Brown at a Gladys Knight cocert in LV
Dennis Miller also in LV, ran into him a few times
Wesley Snipes - shorter than on TV
Tiffany Amber Theissen at a Go Go's concert in the HOB Mandalay Bay- prettier and thinner in person

Oops, I forgot that years ago I met Cloris Leachman after a play she was in. And Earl Morrall (Miami Dolphins QB during one of their "Perfect Seasons") was our Mayor a few years back (I work for the City and spoke with him often). Earl is a sweetie. I asked him how the players in the '70's got those huge afros under their football helmets and he said he didn't notice, but it was funny watching them take them off and seeing all that hair pop out... FWOMP!!

typo- Steadman AA lounge in Chicago

Once upon a time I was sitting on the wharf in Monaco watching the yeachts when a big boat arrived. It lowered speedboats from the side (this was a huge boat, with a helicopter on deck)which acted like tugboats to get it into position, and the Frank Sinatra got off and walked right by me, about five feet away.

And I shared a double seat with Buffy Ste. Marie once, from Minot, North Dakota, to Regina, Saskatchewan, and then went to her concert the next night.

And I once shared an elevator in Edmonton with Wilt Chamberlain. I'm six two and felt like a midget.

BAK

I was at Franklin Roosevelt's house for a tour in Hyde Park, NY about an hour before Price Andrew was set to arrive (Oct 2002). My hubby did not want to wait, so it was only a close call.

I have seen many news people anchors etc,and they are always tiny! Much thinner and shorter than they appear on TV.

I was in L.A. at La Cage Aux Faux (sp?) & Liberace was sitting near me & Johnny Carson walked past my table, he stopped, looked down at me, bluest eyes I have ever seen. His wife, Alexa, was with him & she looked just like his ex. I cant remember who she was though.

I've run into a lot of people from the Real World show on MTV for some reason! Even shopping for shoes at the mall!
In regards to Hillary, when my husband and I were in college my husband used to do valet parking in San Francisco. She showed up at a Democratic fundraiser my husband was working at and she took the time to say hello to him and all his coworkers. My husband said she couldn't of been nicer.

Peter, Paul, and Mary at baggage claim, Mohamed Ali in Newark airport (got an autograph), Adlai Stevenson in front of the US mission (got a photo), Bill Bixby at a restaurant. Obviously nothing very recent.

not really travelling, tho they were. I worked for many years at a shop in the same block as the Ritz, and I sold clothes to many celebs and also had the accounts to supply some of the film companies needs for a shoot.
I won't knock any one but I will tell you who were the greatest=polite, charming! Angela Lansbury, Ricardo Montablan, John Williams, Rob Lowe,
John Updike, Julia Harris.
Rod Stewart, Paul Newman, were ok.
They only obnoxious ones will not be told.

My uncle rode in an elevator with Bing Crosby (London, 1940s).

I saw Jackson Browne, who I was in love with during my teens, at LAX baggage claim. I wanted to talk to him but he looked really cranky. He was shorter than expected but looked pretty young still!

One of my biggest surprises was having lunch with a client, and being seated adjacent to Dustin Hoffman & his wife. Their table was literally inches away. Needless to say, it was tough to carry on a conversation about business while checking them out!

Another big surprise was Border's Bookstore on a Sunday morning browsing through books. I look up and see, directly over my shelf, a very mellow Dennis Rodman skimming thru a book. He gave a nice smile...

Just got off the phone with Mother and she said to me "What about the time your father and I ran into Julia Childs at Bread and Circus in Cambridge? And when your sister saw Princess Diana when she was at that cathedral in England? And how about Kelly (middle sister) seeing Bill Clinton giving the once-over to Anna Quindlin at Darmouth two years ago?"

Sheesh, all these celebrity sitings in my family and not a one for me!!!

My family saw Jim Davis, the old Jock Ewing, during a shoot of "Dallas"

In DC, I took to a lobbyist's hangout, Caucus Room steakhouse. I think I saw Joe Lockhart (President Clinton's press secretary at the time) and later that night, right at the host podium, Kenneth Starr! He was introducing a younger woman to the hostess...okay, I think it was a daughter.

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill and Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. They are both gorgeous! Jerry Lewis a few years ago in first class on AA from Las Vegas to Dallas. The best one though was Ben Afleck(sp?) and Matt Damon at the Hard Rock. Of course this was pre Jennifer Lopez!

I live in San Diego and have seen a few celebrities here and in LA:

--Scott Hamilton (the skater) shopping at Horton Plaza in SD. He was shorter than I expected, only about 5'2" or 5'3".
--Jimmy Smits at Bed, Bath and Beyond in LA. He's tall, at least 6'3", and just as gorgeous as he looks on TV.
--Richard Roundtree (the original Shaft) and Alfre Woodard in the lounge at LAX.
--Mekhi Pfifer (from the show "ER") at a gift shop at LAX.
--Gladys Knight on a flight from San Francisco
--Craig Kilborn, the talk show host, at the Farmer's Market in LA. He looks a lot paler and thinner in person.
--Hillary Clinton and Maya Angelou at the Beverly Hilton.
--The Hughes brothers (twin movie directors) at Sylvia's restaurant in Harlem.
--former President Jimmy Carter at Waldenbooks in San Francisco
--Rev. Robert Schuller at his church in Garden Grove, CA and Rev. Al Green at his church in Memphis
--Lou Diamond Phillips walking in La Jolla. His hair was really long and he looked even better in person than in the movies.
--Rita Moreno at a theatre in London

Richard Simmons actually jogged past me in LAX. And yes....he did have shorts on!

I ran into Monica in the morning.

Saw Selma Hyak (<spelling) in Seattle.

But I am from Savannah, Ga. I have seen/met a fair amount of celebs who film movies and buy houses here. Sandra Bullock actually came and ate at the place where I bartend on Tybee Island, GA.

Just cause of the work I do for Lucas-Robert Redford, Sally Field, Robin Williams, {jogging and at Lucas)Harrison Ford ...and because of where I live: Sean Penn & Robin Wright Penn, Tom Schneider, Tommy Somothers, Nicolas Cage aand Uncle- I see them all in their Marin/Sonoma casul jeans and such- Very nice people IME
R5

Mickey Rooney at LAX airport and big heavy blond and bearded comedian sometimes on Hollywood Square. Bruce Vilanch is his name I think. I saw Bruce near the Chinese Theatre.

George Burns smiled and waved at me in the USAir Club at LAX about 12 years ago.

Julie Krone and a couple other jockeys on the plane returning from the 1994 Breeder's Cup at CD.

My husband was in the lift with Bruce Springsteen and wife, and Clarence Clements last week, in The Grand Hotel, Oslo. Bruce was staying on his floor and smiled at him.

Last year, while in a London theater about 5 minutes before curtain, the stage door opened (about 10 feet away from where we were sitting) & Sean Connery & his wife were escorted in to their seats. They were several rows behind us, had to climb over about a dozen people. And at intermission, my husband went to the men's room, and there was Sean at a urinal!

Valmar, you are so right about Hillary and how human she is. I talked with her last night, and she was charming and very nice to me. She agreed to come and speak at an organziation I'm associated with, and she and her staff took care of all the arrangements right on ths spot. What a pro she is. Cannot wait until she runs in 2008!!!

I wonder he she will be a runner up to,maybe Condy Rice?

I was kissed on the head by Dwight D. Eisenhower. He was bald. I was five.

Later, I sat next to Justice William O. Douglas on a flight to Yakima. I told him I was a fan of some of his decisions on the Supreme Court. He said, "Oh, which ones in particular?"

My answer was something along the lines of, "Bluh bluh, well,...bluh." Utterly tounge-tied.

I believe this was his way of regaining his privacy; it certainly worked with me.

I saw Rick Steves at the Borders Book store in Sacramento.

Someone jogged my memory-- in an LA Sports clothing store in West Hollywood, I ran into Mickey Rourke. Must have been two years ago. Bad facelift. Wearing camouflage jeans, torn in "strategic" places, and carrying a tiny, overbred dog. Not looking his most macho, I must say.

I met Anna Nicole Smith at a fundraiser last year; very blond, very fleshy, great skin. A bit too much eyeshadow. Much more coherent than on her TV show-- she had skipped her nightly fistful of Vicodin, I imagine. I had had a few, as chronicled in the picture I have of myself with her. But she couldn't have been sweeter, all things considered. And she didn't have Sugarpie with her....

Wow, did we! James Taylor hisself, last Tuesday. He played this gig at Tanglewood near NY, my parents rent for the summer and part of it included tickets to shows and concerst too, so a bunch of us went. For an old guy he is one cooooool duuuuuude, but getting bald, I'd say. I thought my girlfriends were going to jump his bones when he started singing sweet dreams and frying machines in peace on the ground.I can really see how older people would dig his act. My parents generation wasn't so square after all. Anyway, thats the only perosn I have met anyone might know about.

I rode on a fight from costa rica with Flea from the red hot chilli peppers. He was playing the guitar in the airport, and wearing a big straw hat. I talked to him for a while, he was a really nice guy. Surprisingly down to earth for his persona.

Suzanne you are a scream!

"Sweet dreams and FLYING machines (airplanes) in pieces on the ground."

If it was "frying machines" would he be singing about his job at Mickey Ds?

.... when you're down and troubled, and you need a helping hand, and nothing, woah, nothing is going right, close you eyes and think of me and soon I will be there to brighten up your darkest night .... doo-wah, doo-wah .....

This is not a celebrity sighting but a fun story for a conversation. Justin Timberlake's grandfather was the preacher that married my husband and I back in 1978, Justin's father sang "The Lord's Prayer" and Justin's aunt was one of our maids in the wedding. Justin wasn't even born at the time.
I met James Brolin once and had my picture made with him at a cerebral palsy telethon many years ago. Also spotted David Letterman coming out of a restaurant in New York.
I went to LA for my birthday this years and did not see one celebrity.

Dick Van Patten and Matt Craven while playing blackjack in Vegas...Patricia O'Neal and Kathy Lee Gifford at Sardi's in NYC (Kathy Lee is SOOO short in person!)...Spencer Christian (that weather guy that used to be on GMA) sat right in front of us on a flight from Lost Wages....Don Johnson in Vegas as well, walking in to see the show "O" (also short)...my husband was in Philadelphia on business about 9-10 yrs ago and ate dinner with Joe Frazier (any boxing fans out there?) among others....he gobbled down 2 entire lobster dinners....that's about it for now....

In 1969 we wandered into a little antique store in South Dakota. The only other person in the shop besides the owner was a grizzled old grey-haired gent, wearing a jean shirt and nice turquise jewelry. My husband whispered to me that was Vincent Price. I went up to him and asked for his autograph. He very sweetly agreed.

Danny Divito & Rhea Pearlman in the Italian resturant at Epcot

Chris Everet in the same italian restuarnt, different day

Steve (from 90201)in the fitness center at The Yacht Club hotel in Disney

Magic Johnson (extremly tall!!)

The following all at the Hyatt Regency Maui, separate occassions:
Raquel Welch
The older man from Magnum PI (I can't think of his name but he was wearing speedo
Troy Aikman and several other Dallas players

Michael Jordan, when he played Baseball

I didnt realize I had seen so many until I started to make this list :0

Carib_Ruby

Joseph Jackson, father of Michael and Janet, helped me get my bag out of the overhead when flying to Paris in business class ten years ago. He has very distinctive eyebrows.

Sat next to Charley Pride on flight to NYC (on the original Braniff so it was a good while ago)!

Jane Fonda at Admirals Club in Orly.

Bee Gees at Heathrow late 90s.

"Godfather" type, surrounded by guys in suits, just like the movies, in the bar at an Atlantic City casino; he picked up entire tab for our table. No idea who he was.

I was 9 and half of the Boston Celtics got onboard during our stop over in Detroit, they we playing the Pistons in the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals. Got a few autographs and met Larry Bird! Still one of the thrills of my life!

Sae Mike Tyson surrounded by so many people you could barely see him walking through the Venition in LV about 2am...we were both drunk!

Dennis Rodman literally bumped into me at Gap in Ceasers Forum shops. HE said I am sorry and I looked up and wanted to rip out his piercings! Very polite, but strange!

Few years ago while walking through first class on the way to coach on a plane to Florida, I saw a man who looked familiar but could not place him but I nodded and smiled, thinking might have met him in the business world. He smiled back. The buzz in Coach was that Joe Dimaggio was on board. That's who it was.

Also met well known retired baseball player Clem Labine in a hotel lobby, was embarrassed because had to ask him who he was.

Have met several well knowns including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Shirley Maclaine and Leo Durocher (traveling together while filming in our small town), and saw Pope JOhn XXIII from a distance, in Vatican City.

Oh yes almost forgot...shared airplane limo with a rock group that our 2 daughters nearly had a screaming conniption fit over but can't remember who they were. All dressed in black, scruffy, vacant-eyed but friendly. Maybe Aerosmith? U-2? It was in 1986 in New York. Really can't recall but they were famous.

Boy does this question bring back memories. Some of the celebrities that I've seen are:
Athletes
--LA Lakers in Kareem's last year at O'Hare Airport in Chicago.
--The Dodgers when Steve Garvey played with them.
--The Atlanta Braves in the 1980's before they were good.
--Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks at Cooperstown Restaurant in Phoenix.
--Katarina Witt and Paul Wylie (Skaters) who were waiting to check in at American Airlines in Chicago.
--Larry Johnson from the NBA. Stepped on his foot at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago.

Politicians
--Former Senator Percy in Hillside,Illinois.
--Former Illinois Governor Thompson in Illinois
--Senator Kennedy coming out of the White House
--Colin Powell in Philly
--Former Presidents Reagan and Carter coming out of Tribune Tower in Chicago. Not at the same time.

Royalty
--Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in San Francisco.
--Prince Charles in Chicago
--Queen Noor of Jordan in Philly

Entertainers
--Rodney Dangerfield, Milton Berle, Norm Cosby, Sid Ceaser at Reno Casino.
--Ed McMahon and his 2nd wife Victoria in Vegas.
--Rita Moreno in Vegas
--Rich Little, Gabe Kaplan (not a happy camper) Red Buttons, Burl Ives, and the group Chicago in Chicago
--Jim Nabors in Chicago and Branson
--Jimmy Osmond
--Shoji Tabuchi a Branson entertainer at a restaurant in Springfield, Missouri.
--Janet Jackson at Fidel's Restaurant in San Diego area.
--Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Chicago.
--Mark Curry (I think that is his name. He played Mr. Cooper in "Hanging With Mr. Cooper."
--Gary Coleman filming at Union Station in Chicago.
--Steve McQueen filming in Chicago.
--Arnold S. at Planet Hollywood opening in San Diego.
--The Doobie Brothers in college at Illinois. We invited them to a party that night and were we surprised when they showed up.

Others
--The current Pope
--Margaret Mead
--Vincent Bugliosi (wrote "Helter Skelter" about the Manson Murders.)
--Harry Reasoner and Jessica Savich at the Fontainbleau in Miami Beach. No, they weren't together.
--Captain Kangaroo and Fabio in Naperville, Illinois.

Such a fun post.

I bumped into Julia Roberts at the Kahala Mandarin Hotel in Oahu. She looked extermely skinny and she was very friendly and nice. Jack Wagner and his wife ,who is on General Hospital, was staying at the Kea Lani Resort in Maui. They were very nice too. They were totally in to making a kissing sceen at the breakfast buffet. Mary Kate and Ashely Olson were filming a movie at the Atlantis Hotel in the Bahamas when we were there. My 14 year old daughter loved that! She followed them around, and the managers told her to leave, but they said hi and were nice to her.

does bumping into a mirror count?

Only if you tell us your name.

Topping for thejamlady, who started a new thread on this topic.

I always seem to spot lots of famous people when I'm in New York, I can't remember all of them but a few were:
Katie Couric was standing next to me during intemission at a Broadway show.
Bill Moyers and Liz Smith at another Broadway show(not together. Liz was with Cynthia McFadden from NBC news.
Jody Foster was behind me in line for tickets at MOMA. When the museum people spotted her they took her out of the line and directly into the exhibit.
Nick Nolte at the next table at Odeon restaurant.
Benjamin Bratte and Julia Roberts in the audience at Death of a Salesman and Arthur Miller who wrote the play was also there.
Benjamin Bratt post-Julia at Raoul's restaurant.
Helen Hunt and her ex (forgot his name) at Trattoria Dell Arte.
Christopher Reeve and his wife going into a restaurant.
At LAX;
Brooke Shields and husband.
Toni Braxton was on my flight from LAX to Atlanta
In Atlanta:
Elton John shopping at Nieman Marcus
Jane Fonda and Ted Turner at Ted's grandchild's baptism.

Came up empty on sightings during travel but at home when I was living in St. Louis still -

Made dinner at a restaurant I was working at yrs ago for Bob Wier and Jerry Garcia. Deadheads, you know who you are.

While sitting in a small local bank, working with the loan officer on my little bit of business, someone pulled up a chair next to me at the desk. Was Chuck Berry who used to live and take walks in town there and stopped on his way past to say hello to the bank employee. Had a real nice talk.

Various sports people, Ozzie Smith the most memorable, being a Cards fan.

a friend of mine was caught in a very narrow street in Palma de Mallorca , Spain in summer 1.999 with both King Juan Carlos I and Bill Clinton, shaking hadas to both. Ups !

Not me - but my son just returned from the British Isles - and got to meet Prince Charles in Edinburgh. We have the photos to prove it!
And many moons ago, I was shopping in a tiny grocery store in Montauk, LI, and saw John Lennon and Yoko One.

Keifer Sutherland, Liona Boyd and Daniel Richler in Toronto 1989 at Rolling Stones concert. Bill Murray at the Fort Gary Hotel in Winnipeg in 1995 (very nice and very funny). Last December Anne Rice in the Faulkner bookstore in New Orleans.

Lee Greenwood when i went to New Orleans at the Hilton, i had no clue who he was and no one was bothering him and someone pointed him out to me so we took pics, such a friendly guy...that was when he was at his peak.

George Strait....my brothers a golf pro and was coming to play at the course and i got to meet him and take pics...i loved that.

Eric Liu, author of The Accidental Asian, in Seattle.

Huggy Bear of Starsky and Hutch in 1978 at the Pantheon in Rome. I work two blocks from the White House. When I see celebs, does that count? Bill "The Moral Gambler" Bennett gets his liquor from the liquor store at 18th and I. Last saw Bennett, dressed in sweat pants and a Dress Jacket, yaking on his cell phone at the curb on K Street. He's a heart attack waiting to happen. Occasionally, I'll see ex-Bush I security advisory Skocroft. Seen Sam Donaldson and Chris Matthews a couple of times. Senator Snowe of Maine once. Bob Novak once. Al Hunt once. As my firm once did work for one of his myriad organizations, I used to see Ralph Nader occasionally. Journalist Arnauld d'Borchgrave a few times. I believe d'Borchgrave and Skocroft are members of the exclusive Alibi Club at 1804 I Street. I've seen Bill Kristol and John McLaughlin outside the 18th Street Chesapeake Bagel Bakery. Rode an elevator once with Jeane Kirkpatrick-- she was going to the Cohen Family dentistry in my building, dentists to the DC stars. Pretty much it.

Just recently got back from a Calfornia road trip vacation (live in Vancouver, BC).

During the 4 days spent in Beverly Hills:

- standing with Larry King on street corner in Rodeo Dr. area

- eating at Spago and having Wolfgang Puck come through the restaurant and shake all diner's hands

- Jason Alexander (aka George Costanza of Seinfeld) at The Grove (outdoor shopping mall in L.A.)

- James Edward Olmos at same location eating in outdoor cafe

- Luke Wilson having coffee at outside patio

- my favourite - having picture taken with Jay Leno at Rodeo Dr. car show (very approachable, nice and friendly)

while traveling (though not on vacation), Mel Gibson at a NC furniture mart..he was coming in to shop after hours.

Andie McDowell & her new hubby at the Carolina-Clemson football game last year - just as gorgeous in person & tall!

My hubby is good friends with Sterling Sharp (ex-Packers player)

My husband and I ran into Robert Redford about 2 years ago at the ranch resort he owns in Utah (Sundance). He was in and out of the restaurants, bars and grounds. He was much older looking than I expected--lots of wrinkles. It was fun seeing him in person though.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono in Montreal in the 70's.

Washington DC:Mohammad Ali at Sheraton hotel DC going to some kind of celebration in his name holding hands w/ his wife. Yasmeen Bleeth same day speaking in the hotel lobby about breast cancer awareness.

Hubby has seen Robin Willians walking by at UCSF hospital in SFO
Keifer Sutherland in a Knasas City Hospital
Jerry Lewis who greeted hubby at Sunrise Hospital Las Vegas

LV entertainer Clint Holmes sang my dad happy 65th Birthday at
Cappazoli's Italian restaurant also Tom Jones who sang at the restaurant until 8Am once when he was in town.

most of the WWE in the Fort Lauderdale Airport.

On my first ski trip to Snowmass around 1970 I literally ran into Barbra Streisand on the slopes. She was with her son Jason, and made some rude comment after I plowed into her & knocked her into my cousin. She's my idol, so it was very exciting for me.
I saw Jerry Lewis eating at a restaurant in Vegas off the strip.
I sat behind the host of "Change of Heart" on a plane.
Also, several years ago I was on a Southwest Airlines flight from San Antonio to Dallas across the aisle from David Robinson & his wife.
And recently, I saw Charro, in the San Antonio Airport going through secruity.

I forgot the best, though it was my daughter who lives in NYC, not me.
She was at Nobu for dinner a couple months ago, and in came Gwyneth Paltrow, mother Blythe Danner, boyfriend Chris Martin & her brother and they were seated at the next table.

Richard Gere. He was walking at the Point on the south side of Chicago, a city park, with a white towel wrapped around his waist wearing a white tee shirt. He looked sunbeaten and had thick salt and pepper hair, waving back, away from his face.

We locked eyes. I was trying to figure out who the heck he was and what the heck he was doing here - lots of cognitive dissonance on my part. Then he did that head turn thing, looking down to the side, with a smile totally lighting up his face. Everything clicked and I knew who it was, practically melted, and then he was gone.

Definitely the sexiest man in the world. I was out of my mind for days!

Several years ago, my wife and I attended a convention and were seated at the same table with the late Doug McClure for dinner. He was to give a speech before the group. He had several drinks with dinner and after and by the time it was time for him to talk he was feeling no pain. He asked the two other ladies at the table at least three times during dinner if he had signed the picture of him that everyone was given when we came into the meeting room. He then got up and gave a little speech,can't remember about just what..but finished and came back to the table in a tizzy fit. Was upset that some people were not paying attention to his speech.

This is so sad. Spokane, Washington... What do you expect? Frank Sinatra, maybe? Barbara Streisand?

No, Howard Furman, who lives in nearby Sandpoint, Idaho. Handsome and tall. Not at all like Spokane cops.

Mary, do you mean Mark Furman of OJ fame? Your reference to cops makes me think this.

I saw, and spoke to Buddy Hackett in Malibu last Saturday (6/28) What a sweet, humble man.
I can't believe he died yesterday.

On the same trip I saw Evan Marriott, Lee Majors, Farrah Fawcett (not together) Scott Thompson and some bearded dude who co-starred in The Italian Job... who my kids knew.

Walking down the street on a Sunday morning heading to a bagel shop in Teaneck, NJ and out comes Alan Alda and his family. He lived in the next town back then.

Had a photo taken with the ?Refrigerator? Perry of football fame while in Texas.

Was staying at a St. Louis hotel and sitting in the lounge with a few colleagues, when all of a sudden the piano player starts jamming and singing with a few others. A small group crowded around the piano while everyone else just sat back and enjoyed the tunes for at least an hour and a half. It was the Alman brothers ? they were in town for a sold-out concert the next night. We got one for free!

This story is so funny and true - but it sounds like a whopper

A friend of mine woke up for work one morning and found an african american man laying on her sofa. She yells "Holy s**t" and says "if you don't get out of my house right now I'm calling the police"! The guy jumps up and says "I'M SNOOP DOG! I'M SNOOP DOG! I'M A RAP SINGER! She says "If you don't get the f**k you are get out of here" He kept repeating who he was until her son came running out of the bedroom and said "It's okay mom, I met him last night and we were hanging out together!" Well this did not go over well as my friends son has a problem with overindulgence and she had absolutely no idea who Snoop Dog is. She told her son he has to leave right now. Snoop said okay, I'm calling someone to pick me up. Sure enough, about 15 mins later a limo pulls up.

I could not believe it when my friend told me the story. It turns out her son ran into the entertainer at a Circle K and they went out to live it up. In order to protect the innocent I can't say what city this is but it's definitely in a city known for it's party scene.

Does stalking count?? I'm kidding!
I've enjoyed reading everyone's stories, and I'm finally giving in and telling my favorite one...although "bumped into" isn't quite the case here...Do you get my stalking question now? I'm kidding again!
One summer (several years ago), I was in Johannesburg, South Africa visiting my parents who used to work there. A friend of mine who is a local journalist calls me and tells me Denzel Washington is in town. Yes ladies, THE Denzel.
He was on vacation with his family (visiting several African countries). The folks in South Africa convinced him to do a news conference (they love him-he portrayed their very own Stephen Biko in one of his movies).
My friend Alyce said "do you want to go to the news conference?".
I said "duh??!!!"
On our way there, we talked about how the camera probably makes him look better, that he probably has holes in his face that makeup hides.
We got there and THERE HE WAS. Ladies, he's even more of a hottie in person!
Anyway, both Alyce and I acted like we were there to work and we both asked him questions. Till this day I have NO idea what his reply to my one question was. The minute he looked at me to answer my question, my mind went BLANK! The only thing I could think of was "Denzel is looking at ME right now, Denzel is looking at ME right now!".

to name a few...
OJ & Nicole > almost ran into my car on Wilshire Blvd
Hugh Hefner > at Sammy Davis Jr. funeral
Tony Danza > a total jerk
Billy Crystal > worse acting than T.Danza
Raquel Welch > Hamburger Hamlet on Sunset
Peter Falk > also on Wilshire also in his car, completely staring at us, thought he was a weirdo until we recognized him
John Stamos > walking into Acapulco Restaurant in Cerritos
Jesse Jackson > that man loves the limelight even at S.D.funeral

Okay..more but too many to list..

Saw Richard Gere (pre Pretty Woman) once in a guitar store in New York City. He was in the "restricted section" strumming on a guitar. Told my husband that there's Richard Gere. He asked him for an autograph telling him I am a big fan. He did sign it. Very nice !


My sister is in the photography business so she gets to meet a lot of celebrities. Has met Julia Roberts, Catherine Zeta Jones, Anthony Hopkins (she called him Anthony at the shooting and we laughed and said that she should addressed him as Sir Anthony) etc.

Larry King, his wife and 2 little kids at the Grand Wailea two years ago. He was graciously letting people have pictures taken with him. One night he and his family sat at the table next to us for dinner. It was reported that Maria Shriver was a guest, and Eddie Murphy's kids were at the Wailea pools the same week.

ttt, for Don Fanucci!

When I worked in an airport in the early 80s I would see celebrities almost every day. It was kind of cool - so long as they were nice. Unfortunately some were not - Jerry Lewis and Cloris Leachman top the list. Don McLean (Bye Bye Miss American Pie) was a complete jerk.

But overall the celebs acted like average joes. My memory is failing me but I do recall the following who stand out because I was surprised by how nice they were and so became a fan or because I was a fan before I met them.

Mel Gibson - wow!
Muhammed Ali
Rachel Welch
Melissa Manchester
Lorne Green - he was very nice.
Robert Ulrich and his wife - so handsome and pleasant.
Terry O'Reilly - former Boston Bruin
Wayne Rogers - the guy who played Trapper John on MASH - also very nice.
Heather Locklear

More recent sightings are all from traveling on the shuttle from Boston to NYC or DC.

Mike Dukakis
Ted Kennedy - he was incredibly nice.
Doris Kearns Goodwin
John Kerry

I happened to think of two funny stories of friends. One friend of mine lives in Santa Monica and works at a hospital in LA. Once she was having a bad day and got on the elevator. A man ran up and said hold the elevator and she screamed "you'll just have to wait". Then she realized it was Pierce Broslin after the door closed.
Another friend of ours is a state trooper in TN. A few years ago he stopped Ashley Judd between Jackson and Nashville. This was before she made several movies. He had no idea who she was so she began telling him about her mom and sister, etc. He told her to put her autograph on the ticket he was giving her. He didn't realize until later how famous she was.

While in California this past week we were visiting La Jolla. I was standing in front of Azul (restaurant) trying to get a good shot of the entrance. There was a man coming through, so I waited for him to pass before getting my photo. He looked at me oddly, probably thinking I was taking a picture of him. As he passed me, I thought he looked familiar. He had a definite "aura" about him. Well dressed, well groomed, a "star" quality. Suddenly the name came to me. It was James Gandolfini of "The Sopranos". I kicked myself later not to have gotten the photo with him in it. I'm not a fan of the show, don't watch it, but my son never misses an episode. Can't wait to tell him we saw his favorite actor.

I ran into Giorgio Armani in Rome once. My sister and I asked to have our picture taken with him (first and only time I've ever done this) and he was so gracious. Not sure how many people would actually recognize him. I tend to get more excited about seeing people who are famous within certain professions (designers, artists, athletes, authors, etc.) rather than actors or musicians, probably comes from living in LA.

Well, I stayed at the same spa as Barbra Streisand & walked right beside her. I was on the same plane as Madonna. I met Donald Sutherland. I've seen the late Pierre Trudeau a couple of times. When I was a kid I met Ava Gabor & sat beside cliff Robertson on a plane. Actually met & spoke to Jack Nicklaus.

My son was invited to a Kennedy family brunch & sat beside caroline & Robert Jr.
He has also met Robert Jr on a number of occasions.

James Taylor sang at my church this morning.

A fun thread. Reading the posts made me remember:
Donald Sutherland in Paris
Mikhail Baryshinov also in Paris
Mick Jagger & Jerry Hall at Cafe des Artistes in NYC
Giorgio Armani in Florence
Phil Rizzuto in Cooperstown
Mel Brooks & Anne Bancroft at Saratoga
James Carville on the mall in Washington
Laura Bush (during the campaign) at the Mercer Hotel in NYC
Lauren Bacall in Philadelphia
Matt Dillon & Peter Weller in Rome
It sounds silly, but I'm always amazed at how much they look like themselves.

I know I posted on here earlier, but to had to add on to this as I've had a number of sightings in the past month or 2:
1. Puff Daddy (P. Diddy, oh whatever!) in South Beach.
2. Naomi Campbell in South Beach
3. In NYC where I live in a 3 week period:
Cameron Diaz
Harrison Ford
Sarah Jessica Parker
Kristin Davis (Sex and the City)
Mario Cantone (also of Sex and the City but not during filming)
Salma Hayek in a Duane Reade pharmacy
Issac Mizrahi (the designer)

Calamari - I like JT's music. Does he sing in other churches or does he just happen to go to attend yours anyway? My church sometimes has celebrity guests to sing or speak. I saw JT in an interview sometime in the past few months. It seems when entertainers, celebrities, etc. are interviewed, that their genuine character shows through either a little or a lot. He seemed like such a nice person. Then, I think I saw Carly Simon on GMA or Today Show with their son who was also performing and was quiet good. They all seemed like a nice grounded family to have been around so long.

A former Miss Texas and fourth runner-up for Miss America sings every week in our church. (Being a contemporary and very progressive church, we have a praise team instead of a traditional choir). They are all professional quality, but she is a joy to watch. In addition to being a great singer, she looks like she is having the time of her life smiling from ear to ear the entire time she preforms.

Mine are more obscure "celebrities"...
Matt Daugherty former coach of ND and UNC at Disney's Animal Kingdom, Ben Stiller and his now wife walking across the street in front of us in Brentwood, CA, Putty (Patrick WArburton) on that same CA trip, Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn in NYC, Richard Gere in Chicago filming, and the cast of ER here in Chicago filming.

Matt Dillon-in San Miquel de Allende, Mexico during "Day of the Dead. He just walked through the doorway of a teeny artsy festival. He was wearing a gray Mickey Mouse t-shirt.
Geoffrey Rush-My mom saw him on a plane out of Milan. When I asked her what he was doing, she replied "yawning".

Just yesterday, saw Tony Bennett on W. 58th St. and last week, saw Lynn Redgrave & Tina Turner, at different times, on W. 57th!

I have met and spoken to both Steven Tyler and Joe Perry (different times, both very nice!)
Met Meatloaf while visiting Elvis' grave several years ago
Kiefer Sutherland (in NS Canada)
Paula Abdul, Pauly Shore (sat next to them at a comedy club in LA)
Ted Kennedy, (do not like him or his politics, but he was very nice, we were in an elevator and walked out of a building together).
Drew Bledsoe (at Orlando airport)
Jeremy Roanik(sp) (NFL)
Dana Barrows (NBA)
Joey McIntyre and Donny Wahlberg (New Kids on the Block) several times
Yoko Ono (in Montreal)

A varied mix of people!

I was on a plane from Detroit to L.A. in May with Kid Rock. He sat in first class but looked like a total bum, wearing ratty looking gray jogging pants that were falling down in the back, exposing his boxer shorts! Thank goodness they didn't serve a meal on the flight - I wouldn't have been able to keep it down!

Donald Trump at the opening of Wolman Rink in NYC when I was little.
Al Sharpton in NYC
Sarah Jessica Parker in NYC
Bill Clinton in Martha's Vineyard
Felicia Rashad (Cosby Show) in NYC
Patricia Arquette in Maui
Peter Jennings at Nobu in NYC (that same night Mick Jaggar and family and Ice Cube were there but I didn't see them)
Maura Tierney (ER) in Chicago
Michael Straeham (the Giants) walking his dogs in my NJ neighborhood.
Most of the 2001 NJ Devils at a party in NJ
Billy Joel and Christy Brinkley on a boat in the Hamptons (years ago)
Christina Ricci (she's from my NJ town)
Lots of others but too tired to list. what a fun thread. New York is the best for celeb viewing because they think they blend in.

Ed Asner a few weeks ago on the flight from hell, Milwaukee to Boston via Baltimore. Logan was fogged in so we had to go back to Baltimore and sleep at the airport. "Lou Grant" was a nice guy but is getting old. Many people didn't recognize him. Of course the younger people didn't have a clue.We ended up in First Class and he sat next to us.

RLA
I do not think JT is a member of my church. He has been there three times that I know of in the past three months. He is so cool about performing. He kind of hangs in the background not to steal the thunder of the younger members of the band. I imagine that he either has a house down here in the Rancho Santa Fe area or is just vacationing. Now, if Bono ever shows up as he has been known to do, I will let you know.

What a fun post! I have not seen many traveling but have run into quite a few at home (Charleston SC) mostly while they're in town filming.

Bruce Willis @ an NRBQ concert. Did not recognize at all- walked right up to bar, stood next to him and he smiled and chatted a bit. Next day found out who it was from another friend who was there. Very short and had on baseball cap- seemed like very nice, regular guy. Disappointed I didn't recognize him since I used to have a huge crush on him when I was a teenager and he was on Moonlighting.

David Byrne- at a restaurant before a show. Very nice and gracious to all. Looks just like you see in their videos.

Mel Gibson @ City Bar. Seemed to enjoy the party scene and allowed everyone to have pix taken with him. Much shorter and rougher looking in person, but still very handsome.

Sandra Bullock in Kaminsky's coffee cafe. No makeup and wearing jeans/tshirt but still gorgeous. Trying to blend in, but it wasn't working.

James Marsden (the guy who plays Cyclops in X-Men) @ Starbucks. Flirted w/all the college aged coffee clerks, seemed pretty low-key.

Nicole Kidman- at the farmer's market. Much skinnier in person and very pale.

Renee Zellweger- several years ago before she made it big. (while filming Deceiver) Looks like a really perky cheerleader type, regular girl next door. Very friendly.

Tom Hanks while filming Forrest Gump, (when he had the goofy crew cut) at Carolina's restaurant downtown. Laughing and joking w/waiters and people at nearby tables, a real class act.

Craig Kilborn @ Charlotte airport. Back when he was still the host of The Daily Show. Very tall & pale, looked skinnier in person than on TV, gave off air of not wanting to be bothered.

My husband was out on Sullivan's Island (just outside Chas.) a couple weeks ago and saw Steven Colbert (from Daily Show and Strangers w/Candy) looking at a house across the street from where my husband was working. They smiled and said hello to each other. He is originally from Charleston. My husband said he looks exactly like he does on TV.

Have an uncle who was an extra on The Color of Money and used to hang out in the bars drinking after shoots w/Paul Newman & Tom Cruise. Said they usually picked up the tab for everyone there and were both down to earth sweet guys.

Going to LA & vegas next month- looking forward to some sightings away from home. Catch some of them in their "natural environment".

amazing how often JT is being mentioned! I met his son Ben last week after a show; he was very sweet. He also seems to be extremely talented and puts on a great show! i do find it surprising though, that JT was singing at a church in Rancho Santa Fe when the night before he was at a musical tribute to his drummer in Boston. Boy, the guy sure gets around!!

DLN - I really have not "bumped into" many celebs while traveling, but I have met quite a few - mostly parents of friends, people I grew up with and some people I have worked with in the movie industry. If you are younger than 40 you might not recognize half of these names and sadly a few are no longer with us! This is what I can remember off the top of my head.

Joan Collins,Anthony Newley (bless and rest his soul), Henri Mancini, Leslie Briccus (composer - 007),Michael Cain, Shakira Cain, Mick Jagger, Jerry Hall, Angie Dickenson, Sean Connory, Sylvester Stallone (boring), Jacqueline Bisset (beautiful), Tony Bennet( a real thrill), Elizabeth Taylor (YAWN), Princess Diana, Linda Evans and entire cast of Dynasty, Rod Stewart and Alana, Roger Moore and X wife Luisa, Sophia Lorren and Carlo Ponti and kids, Elton John (just what you would imagine him to be like, but it was the 80's and he was married to that German woman), George Michael, Boy George, Robert Wagner, Dick Clark, DONNY & Marie OSMOND, Ali McGraw, George Hamilton,Larry Hagman, Tom Selleck, Starsky & Hutch guys, Whoopie Goldberg, Katherine Ross and Sam Elliot, Martin Sheen (so down to earth), Michael Jackson (when we were kids), Moon Unit Zappa, Nick Nolte, Jean Claude Van Dam (yuck!), Linda Blair (really sweet), Martin Landeau, Sergio Leone, Micky Dolens, Davey Jones (tiny), John Peters, Jack LaLane, Jill Ireland, Richard Bronson,James Taylor, Duane Eddy, Wylan Jennings,Jessie Colter, Glenn Campbell, Bill Gates (semi-celeb), Richard Branson, WOlfgang Puck,other celeb chefs,

and when they were not yet super stars Sharon Stone, Chrisian Slater, Emilio Estevez, Charlie Sheen, Sean Penn, Mariska Hargety and the cutest guy in the neighborhood who just left West Wing.

I forgot that DH and I bumped into Demi Moore and Bruce Willis while they and we, were shopping for engagement rings at Tiffs in Bev Hills. Good thing we outlasted them.

Forgot to add Paul Newman and his lovely wife to above list. Should have been at the top. Stunning people!

Frankie
It was not last week. It was yesterday.

Hi Calamari,
James Taylor was at a tribute to Steve Gadd, a great drummer, Saturday night 9/13 in Boston. Not saying he couldn't a been in church Sunday 9/14 in Rancho Santa Fe the next morning...just that the guy sure gets around!!

While in my local grocery store, someone tapped me on the shoulder for something, and it turned out to be Ray Liotta. Being polite, I smiled, and passed him the bar for the check out line, and went on my merry way. The next day while walking down the street, I heard someone calling " Hey you from the supermarket...". Here he is coming across the street towards me with his group of asscoiates. He asked me if I knew who he was, and I said yes, but that I hadn't wanted to bother him in the grocery store. We talked for 20 minutes, and parted ways. My husband is still jealous ( he was there both times )...and I keep telling him he was just a really down to earth, friendly guy.( Right ?? )

wagonwheel - I must apologize for this but I can not resist. Did he show you the trick where he eats his own brains? Ever since that movie scene, I can not watch him in anything else. I would have collapsed if he had tapped me on the shoulder! BTW why did he track you down in the street?

Calamari:
I met him before that lovely scene was done...Not sure why he tracked me down on the street, but my husband has his own opinions !!! Actually, he wanted to know where we lived, and if he could come up for a BBQ. Needless to say we passed this off with a laugh. All I could think about was the mess our condo was in. Very friendly and easy to talk to tough. Much shorter than I anticipated, but then again, I'm tall by most standards..

After reading all these posts I remembered some of the celebs I've seen through the years. The earliest one I remember was getting to shake Governor Ronald Reagan's hand at a Christian school function when I was in junior high school in California. He was the guest speaker and was very nice to all of us teeny-boppers.

A few years later I was with my family at LAX and David Cassidy was sitting at the curb - in the white zone, no less - in a limo and was very rude to fans who wanted an autograph (not us).

When I was 21 (many years ago!) I had the good fortune of being a bartender up in Westwood, CA at a quaint little place on Wilshire Blvd. When I was in bartending school (downtown LA) I heard someone let out a wolf whistle when I walked across the street. When I turned around to see who did it, David Soul (from Starsky & Hutch) was smiling at me. I saw several stars while I worked at the Westwood retaruant/bar, but not as many as the girl who worked the lunch shift did. I do remember Kate Jackson was one who used to come in, and Priscilla & Lisa Marie Presley, but the one who made the biggest impression was OJ Simpson. He was staying down the street for a while before having knee surgery and used to come in every night. The first night he came in I knew he looked familiar (I had watched him play football since his USC days) but couldn't figure out who he was until the other guys in the bar started acting foolish and I overheard some of their conversation. He was very handsome and quite a flirt. I really thought he was a nice guy - this was right around or right before he met Nicole.

Later I worked for a national rent a car company in LAX and saw lots of celebs. Here are a few: Dionne Warwick (before she got so spacey & New Age-y), Flip WIlson (he was hysterical & very friendly), Micahel Landon (with his wife and their little girl - he was just in jeans, but boy, could he fill them out! Gorgeous man!), Pat Boone (wearing the famous white shoes). The highlight was when I rented a car to Jack Klugman ("Quincy" in those days). He was great and very friendly. I was about 8 months pregnant so he made several pg jokes and told me I should have danced all night.

My sister and I saw Howie Mandel walking on the beach in Marina del Rey one Labor Day - he was a guest on the Jerry Lewis telethon which was filming at a hotel across the street from the beach.

I didn't know it, but Chuck Norris used to attend the church I grew up in when he was a kid. When the pastor was retiring he came by one Sunday to attend services. My son was about 7 years old and he and his friends were thrilled to see Chuck Norris in the flesh.

My ex used to manage a restaurant up in Westwood and many celebs used to come in frequently - I remember seeing Patty Duke and John Astin with their kids in there one night.

Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers shares my appreciation of a great group from Hawaii - the Society of Seven - and I've seen him at many of their performances.

Wayne Newton was the special guest at a fundraiser I was working at for Nevada Senator John Ensign's campaign, I got to check him and his wife in when they arrived. We also saw him at the airport in Las Vegas waiting to board the same flight my daughter was flying out on.

One of my favorite celebs that I got to meet and talk to was Brett Butler, the former Dodger. The night we drove to LA from Las Vegas to catch a Dodger game he wasn't playing. I was so disappointed, but thrilled later when I got to talk to him and got his autograph. He had parked up on the upper level, not in the area where the players park, so we got to see him. He was very nice and glad to give me his autograph - on my Dodger shirt bearing his name & number.

Ran into Jeff Beck twice in Portland, OR. Awesome guitarist, yet tiny in physical stature! Ran into Albert Lee once, (British guitarist with Eric Clapton, Emmy Lou Harris) and got to sit in on harmonica with he and some of Linda Rondstadt's band (Ed Black). Cool. Also got to hang with Dizzy Gillespie as he blew out his cheeks, scaring a little kid to death!! My all time fav was Lefty Grove, old lefty from the twenties baseball generation. All-Star hall of famer. Signed with his RIGHT HAND, though!! Ha Ha. Ran into Kevin Duckworth's (former Portland Trailblazer)family. His mom was at least as big as him! Surprized the heck out of me. A 7 foot mom!! BEST OF ALL: Meeting Jesus Christ in my heart--doesn't get any better than that!!

Inthe early eighties, I sat next to Vitas Gerulitas(sp), on a flight from Fresno to San. Fran. He had just played a tennis tournament there. The funny part was that I was smuggling a chihuaha(sp) under my ski jacket, leaving 95 degree heat. He must have thought it was odd that I was sweating, nervous and keeping the stupid jacket on. I managed to get the coat off with the dog still inside ,stashing it between us. (Security back then was different, to say the least).Suddenly, the dog lets out a yip, and I nearly lost it, not knowing whether to laugh or do a funny half/dog, half human cough!
Flash forward to 1982. I was working at a men's clothing store in Maui(Reyn's), and in walked Carol Burnett at the Kapalua location. She was asking for a man's purse, and I tried to stay calm enough to tell her we didn't carry those. Also, Michael Landon with his wife shortly before they were married(the second one Cindy, very petite). He would wear the same tank top and short shorts every day for a week, and his wife didn't like anyone looking at him, she would glare at other women! Robert Urich came into the store one day also. Sadly, the former two celebrities passed away, but I feel fortunate to have seen them at that time.

Kevin Costner at the bar at Pebble Beach. My friend introduced herself and he was very nice.

George Clooney when I worked at Sharper Image one summer during my college years. He's from this area (cincinnati) and was old friends w/my boss. Okay, I guess I wasn't traveling but it's worth mentioning.

Also met all the top tennis players from the 1990's as I was a ball/water girl for many years.

Don't believe Leona's Al Pacino story - no hotel worth their beans would EVER confirm a celebrity is staying there!!

Years ago, while one of my best friends was living in FL (her DH was a golf pro at a resort), she was hit on by Don Johnson. She is very beautiful, but was not impressed by his carousing as he was married - at least at that time. More recently, her step-niece goes to school at St. Andrew. She claims that Prince William asked her out. My friend said she is a beautiful girl so maybe he did, but we will never really know.

During a 1994 trip to NYC, we exited the Met. Museum and found a frenzy of media commotion across the street in front of an apartment building. We ventured over to see what happened. We learned that it was Jackie O's apt. and that she had died that day. We saw many people who were close to her (I recognized one Kennedy) going in and out and being hounded by the press. It was a bit scary when I was being nudged by taxi (all I could see was a little glob of yellow but I could feel it was on wheels) but I couldn't move due to the mob of people I was surrounded by. I now know to be leary of getting into such an aggressive crowd again.

Snowrooster,

My story was the absolute truth - why would I lie about it? The hotel was Loew's Santa Monica and when I asked the clerk whether Al Pacino was staying there, he said yes.

Has anyone seen Goldie Hawn? She is the cutest thing ever, and is amazing IMO how she looks the same over 50 as she did in her early years. All the cosmetic surgery in the world is no guarantee i.e. Drew Barrymore's mother, Bo Derek. Perhaps moderation would have been key.

Some famous people really should go out while on top. It would be much more endearing to remember them at their best. Did anyone see Bo Derek on Joe Scarbrough? Yikes! And, when she talked...bless her heart. By her body language, she seemed just as uncomfortable with herself. She was very pretty in her early days.

E - I know Tony Danza is outdated, but he is one of my very few Hollywood crushes. I would have been speechless and my eyes locked frozen on him. Too bad he looked less than he does on t.v., but that's o.k.!

I'm relieved to know that all those flawless females on t.v. not only have lots of help from cosmetic surgeries, hair extensions, mass make-up, not to mention filtered lenses, etc.

I have a good friend who was a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader. She was in the calendar, which was a much enhanced version of herself with lots of airbrushing. She said she hardly recognized herself!

When I was in middle school or early high school, Reagan came to my hometown. I think then he was Gov. of CA. (Hope I have my history right.) They bussed us to our local Globe Theater replica to hear him speak. I remember boys launching paper airplanes from the balcony during his speech. I know, that's terrible. None of us would have ever guessed what a future and legacy he had ahead of him.

Calamari-
I'll never forget Ali McGraw's movie Love Story. She was a beauty like Catherine Zeta-Jones is now. You sounded like a Bono fan in an earlier post. I think my preacher knows him well as he talks about him sometimes, and is close to a lot of celebrities/entertainers many of which he tells stories about to illustrate a point in his message, but never names names.

BTW, you mentioned the Rancho Santa Fe area of San Diego. Is it a suburb, neighborhood or what? We have friends who live there and want to show us around if we go to S.D. on business in Feb. We've only been to S.D once before.

RLA
Yes, I love Bono. While I am not a "star struck" type of person, meeting him would stop me dead in my tracks. He is very highly thought of in the Christian community.

Do your friends live in Rancho Santa Fe? If so, then you definately want to take them up on any offers to stay with them during your visit. Rancho Santa Fe is a berb of S.D. It is a very exclusive and beautiful place. You can find out more about RSF on the web if you are so inclined.

Anyone remember the Lays Potato Chip commercials in the 60s - "Can anyone eat, but one?" Well, Bert Lahr, the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz was the spokesman for this series of commercials. One was filmed at Shea Stadium during a Mets game, and my parents and I had box seats in front of him in the same box. The director decided that they needed a kid in the commercial and I was about 4 or 5, and I got to sit on his lap in that commercial. Okay, I was cute and adorable then.

I met Allen Funt when I was 6, and, yes, I was on Candid Camera.

Over the years, I have met Michael Gross from Family Ties, he was standing behind me at the Vancouver Expo in the '80s.

I sat next to Alex Haley, the author or Roots on a flight from San Francisco to Boston, just after his book came out in paperback.

Johnny Most (deceased), the radio voice of the Boston Celtics, bought me a drink once and tried to hit on me. And, I went to high school with a couple of his kids, and my mother was a friend of his second ex-wife. I used to bump into him regularly at a breakfast joint. But the night that he bought me a drink, I also got to meet John Havlicek, Dave Cowens, and ML Carr.

I've met Bobby Orr a few times, and used to work in the same building that Derek Sanderson (who I had a crush on when I was a teenager) worked in. He really got old looking, but I've aged too.

I spoke to Mike Dukakis on the phone a couple of times when I worked on a fundraiser. I used to work for the same firm that Frank Bellotti (former attorney general of Massachusetts) is a partner at.

And, last year, I met Al Pacino in a NYC restaurant in Little Italy. I was having lunch with some firefighters that were in NYC for the firefighter memorial service, and Al Pacino came over to the table and bought us a bottle of wine. He was extremely gracious to the firefighters and thanked them for their efforts during 9/11. He then invited us all to be his guest at that evening's performance of Arturo Ui, which he was starring in. The firefighters declined as they were going to a party, and I had tickets to see Carol Burnett's new play on Broadway. Saw Carol Burnett in the audience that night.

In London, years ago, I met Richard Dreyfuss and Marsha Mason. They were starring in a Prisoner on Second Avenue, and the friend that I was with at the time was the spitting image of Richard Dreyfuss. We talked about everyone having an identical twin somewhere.

I've met Roger Clemens a couple of times - my former boss and he are friends. And, because of my former job, I've met lots of Boston politicians and other sports and media personalities. But, the biggest kick I ever got was to talk to Mike Wallace of 60 Minutes and Matt Lauer of the Today Show on the phone. And, they were calling my office. I could barely talk after speaking to Matt Lauer, but that was before he shaved his head.

Oh, and my Dad went to junior and senior high school with Irwin Corey aka Tiny Tim, and they remained friends and kept in contact up until Tiny Tim's death.

A few years ago while touring California, we dressed up and went shopping on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. While strolling between shops, my wife squeezed my hand as if to alert me to something. I looked up and saw actress Christine Baranski walking up the street towards us. She was alone, shopping.

We stopped shortly after she passed to deflate. Our first celebrity in L.A.!

The next day on the way out of L.A. we decided to stop for lunch at a Rodeo Drive restaurant which caught our eye the day before. The hostess sat us at a lovely outdoor table and shortly thereafter sat a single woman at the table next to us.....It was Christine Baranski!

While we tried to be cool and refrain from staring, our repeated stolen glimpses revealed that she seemed to be studying a script while she lunched, alone.

With two sightings on two consecutive days, we felt as though we and Ms. Baranski had some sort of destiny to share, but we were too discrete to bring it to her attention. (Please feel to contact us at this address, Ms. Baranski, if you feel there is something you needed to get off your chest).

Desi Arnaz, Jr. and Dean Martin's wife with four of their children this evening in a Las Vegas showroom.

artchik, you must be tall, because I saw Bruce Willis in London several years ago and he looked really tall to me (I'm short).Very handsome. He had on a long black coat and I think cowboy boots. He and I had been at the same performance of "Phantom of the Opera". I was waiting at the stage door to get autographs when he and Demi walked by. Later, the actors in the play came out. The "new" phantom, David Willits (he'd just replaced Michael Crawford) gave me a hug when he heard how long I'd waited in line for tickets (10 hours, but worth it!) The actor who played Raol also gave me his autograph, but HE was VERY EXCITED that Bruce Willis had been in the audience--he kept asking me--"did you see him? Did you know Bruce Willis was in the audience?"
I also lived in Dallas during the years the TV show was filmed there. They would come for about 6 weeks every summer to film outdoor scenes. I saw "Miss Ellie" at a drug store, "Cliff Barnes" was a patient in the dental office where I worked, and I stood in line at a restaurant next to Steve Kanaly. I didn't say anything because I couldn't remember either his name or his character's name. I kept glancing over at him and he kept smiling, probably waiting for me to say something instead of staring at him like a fool! He seemed very nice.
One more; one of my former bosses was a member of "Friendship Force" and our home town sponsored one of the meetings. People from Poland were in and one of the men that stayed with my boss was a well-known television news anchor in Poland (along the line of Tom Brokaw). I cleaned his teeth!

sat next to Mike Wallace on the DC-NY shuttle.
was sitting near a familiar looking man in the waiting area in the airport in Burlington, VT. Finally he just smiled and said "yes, I am". The voice was unmistakable from my youth: David McCallum (Man From UNCLE).
Last year, in a church in Kuaui, the minister asked visitors to introduce themselves. Pierce Brosnan introduced himself, his wife and children.

It's pleasing to see how many of these celebrity sightings were in church.

They sure have a lot to be greatful for. We are talking about them, but for sure they are not talking about us!

A friend and I got seated a few seats away from Markie Post at the Kona Village Resort luau. We played it cool, but after it was over we asked if we could take her picture. She looked pleased that we asked and smiled and said, "Sure!" Very sweet and prettier in person.

Twenty years ago, Ringo Starr & Barbara Bach stayed in the cabana next to us on Heron Island in the Great Barrier Reef.

Since they were on their honeymoon, we didn't see much of them except at meal time.

Does anyone know if they are still married?

I ran into Elvis today at Sam's Club in Omaha

That's impossible 4khansen.
Unless you're referring to Elvis Grbac the quarterback or Elvis Stojko the skater.
Everyone knows that Elvis Presley lives in Argentina and wouldn't be recognizable to you or me due to the plastic surgery. Don't you read the Enquirer?

Message: artchik, you must be tall, because I saw Bruce Willis in London several years ago and he looked really tall to me (I'm short).Very handsome>>>

I was thinking the same thing...I believe Bruce is 6'. To add....I am so jealous of those who have seen him in "real life"...I just adore him.

scurry,
yes they are still married! (Ringo and Barbara Bach, that is!) Just saw a pic. of them the other day. Both looked great, Barbara is still beautiful... (I hate myself that I know this...!)

I ain't reading through all 176 posts here, but what is this obsession so many people have with spotting celebrities? They say the real way you can tell a tourist from a true New Yorker is that the tourist will oogle the celebrities. I see famous people all the time in the City, so what? I'm sorry if this seems rude, I just don't get it.

I saw Clint Eastwood on my honeymoon, he was walking on the wharf in Monterey late one night. I've seen Loreta Swit (hotlips from MASH)in Disneyland, Robert Culp at Hot August Nights in Reno/Sparks. I had a Subway Sandwich business lunch with the once famous Pepsi "Uh Huh Girls".

Hubby and I saw Dennis Quaid at the airport in Montreal back in January... He was in front of us in line at Burger King and signed an autograph for the girl working the register. I pretended like I didn't recognize him so he could just go eat his dinner, but I wish I had gotten an autograph now!
The best part was talking with the cashier and hearing them page him for last call for his flight over the PA system - twice!

Gene Upshaw (for football fans) in the Denver Red Carpet Club - extremely nice to kids; Mike Ditka at O'Hare - not very nice and that is supposed to be his home town; Geraldo Rivera on a commuter flight from Denver to Telluride.

I saw the guy who played Steve Earkel on the t.v show Family Matters at Graceland!!!

In early July, Delta flight from Atl to Montreal, in first class with most of the WWF "rasslers" and their unbelieveably gorgeous blond "assistant". 2 days later, sat with the rest of the "rasslers", including Goldberg. I have never felt so petite in my life (and I'm not)! All very nice to passengers & flight staff.

Other than big public places where you expect to see them,ie, LA, Vegas, Sports Arenas, Airports or Shows:

Gary Busey -- Perdido Beach Resort --taller, better looking believe it or not!

Sam Shepherd -- Provincial Hotel New Orleans -- bad teeth

Seinfeld -- Capital Grille Boston --looks same

Roy Jones Jr. -- On his boat, on Escambia Bay, Pensacola --shorter

ps for dls

I think if I got on a plane with a rock group, I'd be sorely tempted to get off immediately--thinking of Buddy Holly et al....

I think I have the BEST one yet. When I was much younger, I had a long conversation with Joe DiMaggio. At that time, I worked at Treple Florist in Radio City, New York, delivering flowers in Manhattan. This day I was delivering to the Hotel Pierre. As I was walking down the hall in the hotel, I came face to face with Joe D. Immediately, I said "Hi Joe". He shot back with "hi Kid!". That was the long conversation I had with Joe DiMaggio.

One night, Heather Locklear and her rocker hubby Ritchie Sambora entered a French restaurant in Laguna next to us. She looked exquisite as usual in a black halter mini-dress. They went upstairs to a VIP dining room.

Just as we were leaving, guess who was coming downstairs? We pretended not to notice, going next door to an art gallery, when they walked up and joined us! Heather was raving about the art and Ritchie said he'd come back the next day to buy it for her. They live in the area, so it's not that uncommon to see them around.

Agreeing with Early 30 - if you're from NY - or I guess LA - you see so many celebreties you don't keep count. And if you're a true New Yorker you pride yourself on never letting the celebreties know they've been seen.

That said, I've flown to London in the row behind Cher - who looked just like herself and seemed perfectly pleasant. I also nearly ran down Alec Baldwin (he junped out of a cab into traffic right in front of may car on CPW). Most memorably I sat across from Mel Brooks and Anne Bancrot in the subway. He was so upset that everyone refused to recognize him that he did a very loud schtick on Rockville Center vs Rockefeller Center to get attention (while everyone continued to not notice him). A free impromptu performance by a comedy genius can be one of the extra benefits of taking the subway.

On a flight back to Louisville, KY we saw Marie Osmond and her son. She was very pretty and her child was very quiet on the flight. Saw Rena Sofer and Harry Hamlin at the House of Blues in LA. Watched a fund raising celebrity baseball game with Michael Bolton (Gorgeous) being part of the team. He had a concert in Louisville the night before. Saw Jackson Browne in Santa Monica at Wolfgang Puck restaurant. Sat close to Jimmy Carter and his wife Roselyn (?) at the Kentucky Derby.

Mike Ditka at his restaurant in Chicago, he's always there though so that's no big deal BUT it was my dad's 60th and we told our waiter who told Iron Mike who came over and wished him a happy birthday and comped his dinner.

Wow this thread is still here and I had my celebrity sighting of the week today!

Does anyone remember Charlie Callas?

We hung out at the refreshment counter and talked while we waited for popcorn at the movies..saw Master and Commander

I am the author of this post, and until today I had never seen anyone famous! This afternoon I was at the Indianapolis Airport and who should my husband and I see but John Mellencamp! (His home is in Carmel, a town north of Indianapolis.) He looks exactly as he does on TV and in the magazines. At long last I've bumped into someone famous!

Visiting NYC it's hard not to run into one. Let's see: last fall in one trip: Yoko Ono, Lyle Lovett, Harold Ramis, Cynthia Nixon and two others who I can't remember just now.

I talked with Rosemary Clooney a few years ago at Bergdorf's Guerlain counter. We compared fragrances and chatted about the time she performed New Years Eve in my little town before her renaissance.

Bill Murray sat next to me and my kids at the Hard Rock Cafe (duh, he was an owner) and was really fun. Bought us drinks and joked after he heard me tell the kids to give him his privacy.

John Kennedy Jr. and his wife Carolyn dropped in the Lazy Flamingo in CapSan village on Sanibel one night for beers and oysters. Everyone left them alone or perhaps many didn't realize who they were.

LMF

I am a little late on the posting, but what the heck.
Saw Wayne Newton in a restuarant in ALabama
Paul Shaffer (Letterman) in NYC at the Polar Bear exhibit in Central Park
Bill Murray golfing at The Grand Cypress in Orlando
Ted Kennedy and his two sons in Key West at The Mel Fisher Museuem
Patrick Duffy in Ft.Lauderdale

Elvis in Las Vegas.

The best and most treasured- Princess Diana in London.

Me and Betty ran into Rock Handsome in Vegas one time.

Today I saw CNN correspondant (Larry Knig's fill in) Nancy Grace, also the Court TV reporter. At Madame Tussaud's wax museum in Las Vegas with her father. She is just as pretty in person. I really admire her alot, sure is bright. Would have liked to have told her but didn't want to invade her privacy

Three times bumped into Franco Harris, first time in a bar in downtown Pgh, second time on a flight from Chicago, and then about 1 1/2 yrs. ago he spoke at a meeting I attended, so now I have his autographed picture on my bulletin board to prove it. On our cruise to Europe, G. Gordon Liddy was on the entire cruise.

Day after Christmas, my family and I were at Santa Anita Racetrack in California and sat at the table next to Pete Rose in the Turf Runners Club.

Hubby just saw George Hamilton at Turnberry Place in Las Vegas. Said his face looked orange!

I used to be a flight attendant for ten years for a major international airline that is not in business anymore. We used to have celebrities on our planes all the time. Never have made a list though. I'll just start rambling them off; Gregory Peck, Shirley McClaine, Olivia Newton John, Rod Stewart ( in fact his band crashed on of our crew parties in NZ), Raymond Burr, Earth Wind and Fire, Dustin Hoffman (that was at a hotel, not flying), Helen Reddy, Tom Hulce, Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner, Rodney Dangerfield, Diana Ross, Gerry Brown and Linda Ronstadt, Jane Seymour (she was especially nice) and so many more.

I am happy to report that almost all of these celebrities were very nice on the plane and very repectful of the crew and the other first class passengers. It was such a thrill for someone in there 20's to be mingling with these people and to learn that they are polite and have a lot of class. I would have been dissappointed to find out otherwise.

Ahhh, those were the good ole days. We had a lot of fun. And it was nice to be impressed by the stars...

I've had quite a few celeb contacts in the past..Scotty Hamilton the ice skater and I checked into the same Westin hotel right next to each other. Sat across from The Man from Uncle Robert Vauhn in a Providence RI restraunt. Flew with Chelsea Clinton in First Class on US airways..the Secret Service agents were more interesting. I flew that route every week for 2 years and they changed my regular seat to sit directly behind her..apparently they did a background check & knew I was not a risk. Also flew with James Baker Former Secretary of State, Tiny Tim & his Ukelele. Also with Political Consultant James Carvelle..heard his big mouth twang before he plopped next to me. Also rode the ski lift Gondola with Robert Redford...he didn't say a word and neither did I.. Had breakfast across from one of the Boston Red Socks when they were in Seattle once...they gave us comp tickets to that evenings game when I recognized them...Probably the most famous celeb encounter was in Hawaii with Tom Selleck. He was a member of the Outrigger Canoe Club and played volleyball regularly. I was a guest and watched him play until he came up to the bench I was sitting on and streched his thigh muscles out...

Forgot to mention I also saw David Brinkly or Chet Huntley at the Rockefeller Resort on St. John in the Carribean many years ago. Which ever on he was he scolded me for not ahving a cover over my bathing suit..I was walking up fromt eh beach to buy suntan lotion at the beachside store..he bought a New York Times paper....not my type anyway..no fun.

Not being American I don't recognise a lot of these names as famous people, or at all, actually, so who knows how many celebrities I've rubbed shoulders with in some men's room somewhere. (Shoulders, I said!) HOWEVER, I can claim the dubious honour of being shoved aside in a check-in line at Melbourne Airport (that's the Australian, not the Florida, Melbourne) by the then-consort of the beauteous Princess Anne, one Captain Mark Phillips, known to his in-laws as "Fog" (i.e., thick, and wet).

What was he like? In contrast to his goofy and bumbling public image, he was tall, loud and as arrogant as only a scion of the English upper class can be. But then, I would think that about some insensitive bastard who allowed his minder to shove his way to the head of the queue in defiance of all Australian egalitarian principles. I decided at that point that I can live happily without close proximity to "celebrities" (and what a pathetic lot so many of them are, anyway).

When I first met my husband in 1985, he was running late getting us to the airport in Boston, and we missed the early a.m. flight. As we were sitting there waiting for the next flight (and anxious as both of us were supposed to work that day) I see this guy coming towards us and it was Roger Daltry and the rest of the Who. Whenever my husband is running late now, we always laugh about how you never know what being late might do for you.
Also have had Barbara Walters, Charlie Rose, and Sandra Bullock sit close to me on flights.

Taking your post completely literally:

I was in the gift/newspaper shop at Wash. National (many years ago) and crouching down to check out magazines on a shelf by the floor. I started to stand up and turn around at the same time to head for the cash register, and I did so rather quickly because I was running late.

I'm short and I found myself slamming into the beltbuckle of someone large and tall. As I bounced off and stepped back, I heard the women at the counter giggling and saying "I wish I could bump into him" -- I looked up and there was a very kindly Sugar Ray Leonard smiling in amusement at me. His little boy was laughing behind him.

Hmmm...let's see...

Richard Gere - walking in Central Park - looked as great as he does on screen
Woody Allen and Sun Li on Madison Ave. - Woody was talking as they walked, heard his voice before I saw them.
Paul Newman on a moped at Laguna Seca before a race.I was taking a picture of a the Newman-Haas transporter and this old guy rode by in the middle of my shot, after I lowered the camera I realized who it was.
Kate Nelligan at Les Halles in Montreal. Husband and I were seated at a nearby table.
Willie Nelson at Formula One race in Indy - he was wearing shorts and a baseball cap - his braids gave him away.
O.J Simpson years ago at an Ike and Tina Turner concert in Honolulu(this was my husband's)
Michael Shumacher in a hotel lobby in Adelaide 1993. This was before he became a champion in Formula One
Jackie Stewart in Montreal at a dinner.Nice, short, loved his accent.
Craig T. Nelson - standing outside Kung Long store on Kauai smoking/waiting for his wife - fairly scruffy looking, but what the heck he was on vacation.

My best was Jacquelin Onassis Kennedy many years ago when we both had young children. I was in Best & Co. getting my kids fitted with clothes for a wedding and so was she with her kids. My kids got bumped out of the fitting room while her kids were fitted. That was fine with us. But when we left she was still there sitting on my coat that I had left on the sofa. I had to ask her to get up so I could retrieve my coat. We had a few minutes of conversation about the nuisance of our kids being in weddings.

Saw Peabo Bryson (singer) getting off of my flight from PAris to Deterot. ALso saw kack Wagner and his then wife Kristina ina small grocery store in Vancouver.

John Kennedy, Jr., roller blading in Central Park; Debra Winger walking in Central Park; Adam Sandler standing next to me at the corner by Radio City Music Hall; Christy Brinkley with Billy Joel when he was in concert in Lafayette, Louisiana; Clint Eastwood in Carmel, CA

On a Celebrity cruise to the Western Caribbean a few years ago Jimmy Dean was seated at the table next to ours with a large group in the formal dining room. I didn't bother him or ask for an autograph, etc. as I respected his privacy. He did appear to be having a lovely time and seemed to be a very likeable gentleman. I shudder to think how many people actually did approach him.

At the airport (LAX) I saw the guy who played Tatoo on Fantasy Island ( I know he's deceased now) looked exactly like he did on t.v., Pam Dawber and Mark Harmon (Mark looked the same, Pam looked a little haggered) and at the Atlanta aiport I saw some wrestler, can't remember his name now, has thinning blonde hair and a handle bar type mustasche (looked the same as on t.v.). In Santa Monica I saw Ricki Lake at Bright Child, I saw Heather Locklear and Richie Sambora with their daughter at a Disney place for kids (looked the same) and at the Long Beach Aquarium I saw Liam Neeson (looked the same)and his kids. The one thing that I've noticed is that everyone of these stars looks smaller than they do on t.v. and they look better in person with the exception of Pam Dawber. Heather Locklear was very tiny and very beautiful. She had her husband were very friendly as they were trying to keep a low profile. Ricki Lake had her nanny with her. Oh, and I've seen Kate Jackson also at Bright Child in Santa Monica.

Beat this one...
Standing fully clothed in a private villa swimming pool drinking champagne with Michael Hutchins and Helen Christiansen.

The only celebrity I've met while traveling was Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca). Of course, he didn't look much like he did in Star Wars, but he was VERY TALL.

Mick Jaggar at a dance bar in Barbados.... It was so crowded I was bumping into him while dancing. shouldn't have taken that picture to prove it later... his bodyguard ripped the film out of my camera.

Did shake hands and say hello.

People I've seen when I didn't expect to:
Bill Gates and his wife at a San Francisco museum,
Elton John - a surprise special guest at an Eagles concert
Amy Irving and Richard Dreyfuss at a sneak preview of a movie they were in (They came at the last minute and only a few people knew they were there.)
Jane Alexander - walking her dog in New York
Tony Bennett - in a parade in San Francisco
Janet & LaToya Jackson - seated in the audience at a Diana Ross concert before Janet was well known
Karl Malden & Richard Hatch - filming "Streets of San Francisco"

It was fun to try and think of these times!

'Arnie' in the Hollywood hills filming Terminator 3. I had begged the film place in L.A. to take pity on a poor Brit. and tell me what outdoor shoots were taking place. The hills were our last chance having lucked out everywhere else.
All the security guys waved us through, even into the inner circle of their vans, and there he was.
Much smaller than I expected him to be. As we were about to take a photo, he got back into his trailer. Oh, boy were his publicity people worried that we'd got an 'exclusive', and could not believe that we hadn't broken through any barriers to get where we were!

We saw David Hasselhoff a few years ago at MGM in Las Vegas. Less than a week later he was in rehab. Hmmm.....

I've never posted to this thread because I couldn't remember seeing any celebs...then I remembered a whole bunch (major brain fart). Was on a flight to Phx with G. Gordon Liddy, ran into Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz walking in SOHO (while they were still together), brushed by John Elway in Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas (and if he wanted to be incognito he certainly wasn't dressed for it - he was sporting a bright pink polo shirt!).
The last one doesn't quite fit but on a LAX-JFK flight once I was seated next to Barbara Hershey's mother and for 51/2 hours I had to endure story after story about her famous daughter. Felt like I knew her by the end of the flight...

I posted about who I've seen on planes, but just remembered (how could I forget) that while traveling for work, I sat next to Pierce Broznan and his current wife at lunch at Shutters in Santa Monica. They were w/a producer. I kept my sunglasses on so he wouldn't see me staring- such a nice looking man.

My husband did, literally: he brushed shoulders with Britain's Prince Philip at Kensington Round Pond in London.

And I met Chet Huntley. I was so excited that I babbled "You look different in color!" He laughed--and shook my hand. This came about because I was in a group of students hired to do exit polls for a presidential election.

The only negative experience I've had was many years ago. I was waiting for a cab in Palm Desert, California, when Sammy Davis, Jr., came out of the hotel. He was nasty to everyone who approached. On the other hand: In the 1970s my husband and I (and my parents) were sitting next to Vincent Price and his companion in a restaurant in Washington, DC. My father urged us to speak to him, but we didn't want to make a fuss. Finally (in a break between courses), we said hello and praised his cookbook, which (believe it or not) my husband had given me as a wedding present. He was so pleased that we were taken with his love of food rather than his horror movies that he bought us an after-dinner drink. My husband also mentioned to Price that they both were members of the same fraternity, and they gave each other the secret handshake! Several years later we visited Los Angeles and took a studio tour. Everyone on the tour was disappointed that no celebrities were sighted. After the tour broke up, I had an appointment to see Sydney Pollack for a magazine assignment I was working on, and on the way up the stairs, I (literally) bumped into Robert Redford. As my husband waited in the car, Linda Ronstadt leaned against the hood to talk to a friend. He almost had a heart attack! Then five years ago, I was on a flight from Asia back to the U.S. and realized that I was sitting next to T. Berry Brazelton, who wrote a wonderful series of books about raising kids. I thanked him for his insights--which kept me sane as I raised my own child--and a delightful conversation ensued; he couldn't have been nicer. A few years later, we were on an elevator with Tiger Woods. We nodded and smiled, and he smiled back and said hello. He seemed like a real gentleman.

Several years ago while eating a late dinner in West Hollywood, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell were seated at a table next to us. (Also ran into Goldie Hawn years before shopping in Georgetown, Washington,DC.)


During the same trip to CA, I met Ronnie Cox at our hotel breakfast buffet in Santa Cruz. He was very friendly and he asked where I was from. When I told him Washington, DC he said that was where he got his start, where his first child was born, and then he took me back to his table to meet his wife!!

Also saw Carl Reiner getting his mail in front of his home in Beverly Hills.

Roger Bannister, when we worked in the same dept at Boston City Hospital,
When I worked at Brooks Bros, Robert Lowe, Angela Lansbury(an elegant friendly lady), william Baldwin, and so many more pole,theater folks because of the Ritz almost across the street, and when I help a friend who does PR for theaters here, I have met at the opening parties, Mary tylor Moore,Redgraves, Carrol O'Connor, and too many more to remember, but like all of us some were more friendly tan others, some no bullshit, really down to earth in conversation( as we Americans say but really means honest feelings)

Just had sushi with Jesus. Translation: Ran into Jim Kazeezal (sp?)as in Jesus in The Passion of The Christ at a sushi restaurant during a trip to Malibu.

In London, I saw Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) at Covent Garden walking around.

On a separate trip, I and my friends in a drunken state ran into that white-haired guy from the original Mission Impossible... name escapes me. We started singing the theme song. He waved to us and smiled.

Saw comedian and former tv show actor Paul Rodriguez outside of Benihana restaurant at the Las Vegas Hilton last Friday night.

My daughter was on a travel team with the daughter of one of the Landers sisters (Remember Dallas?) Her husband is some famous former baseball player--couldn't tell you who but it made my son stutter when he saw them. She is very sweet, but stuck in a 70's time-warp.

-Actor Tom Bosley (Happy Days) in the LAX Admirals Club.

-Former President Jimmy Carter on a Delta flight from NYC to Atlanta.

-John Laroquette(sp?) of "Night Court" and his family:
a. At Avis Car Rental, Lihue Airport, Kuai.

b. Next to us, the next morning at our Hotel.

c. Next day, next to us at the pool.

The wife actually started staring at him, so in a mock-Ricky Ricardo affectation, I yelled. "Loosee- Ha many time hab I toll you to not bother the celebrities?!?!"

(He completely broke up and almost fell off his lounger.)

Almost brushed elbows with former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka in the Chicago airport, during the time he was unemployed (about 1998?). I was using the pay phone against the wall while waiting for a late-night flight to depart, and he walked by, all alone, carrying his briefcase.

Also, saw former governor of Texas Ann Richards in first class on a commercial flight a few years ago.

We ran into (not literally, but almost) Bruce Springsteen and Tom Hanks in Rome in the Pantheon. They were travelling together with their families and entourage. I took a picture from a distance so as not to disturb them. Americans recognized them, but everyone left them alone; it was very cool. They all looked great, too!

Just saw Suze Orman (finantial planner) of Oprah fame and has a CNBC show at the Venetian Las Vegas this afternoon. People always look so big and tall on television, she is about 5-7 and thin, attractive.

financial

A couple years ago we were in Florence, Italy shopping at Ferragamo when a beautiful lady walked in. I figured she must be famous, but I had no idea who she was. My dh then pointed out to me that she was with Roger Moore. Media was in there as well, taking pictures of them shopping. The lady tried to talk to our daughter who was 8, but our daughter was too shy.

Lisa Kudrow at Disney California Adventure. They actually assigned a "mousketeer" to carry her kids' backpacks around the park.
Ray Charles on a flight from New Orleans.
Elliott Gould on Rodeo Drive.
OJ Simpson & Robert Wagner on a flight from Aspen.
Kirstie Allie at Charles Degaulle Airport Paris.
Rod Stewart - this past Saturday playing soccer here at a field in my hometown.

I spent a week in an art class with Gene Hackman. It was a few years ago at the Fechin Art Workshops (www.fechin.com) when I was taking a drawing class with Sherrie McGraw.

When I found out he was in the class I promised myself I would not treat him any different than I would anyone else. After the first day of class, I realized I was treating him different, because I was avoiding him and giving him his space. I had introduced myself to everyone else in the class and provided them warm welcomes because that's my nature and I had studied at the Donner Ranch for years. That night, I thought about it a bit and the next morning I introduced myself to Gene and offered him an apology. I had treated him differently and I felt terrible for doing so.

Well, there were the folks in this class who always had to set their easel next to him... it was so obvious. I treated him as though he was one of the gang. One woman in particular practically smothered him and I remember one day when I was feeling somewhat introspective and sat a smaller table at the end of the dining room by myself. Gene and his wife (who had driven in from Taos) came over to my table and asked if they could join me.

During the course of the week I had several conversations with him. He is an amazing actor (as everyone knows) and a kind, caring person who is somewhat shy and highly perceptive. How he plays those twisted, mean characters is amazing.

By the way, he is also a fabulous artist and very interested in everyone he meets. Now, when I see a Gene Hackman movie, I have very fond memories of spending a week with him doing one of my most favorite things.... drawing.

Another time I ran into Bettina Steinke in Santa Fe. (Bettina passed away a few years ago, but I will never forget seeing this striking elderly woman.) What an icon!

Then, there was the time my family saw a presidential motorcade in DC and saw the elder George Bush and wife Barbara... Spotted Barbara's white hair immediately.

Tom Sellack when they were filming Magnum PI in Hawaii! ***kim***

I hadn't ever "run into a famous person" until I actually RAN into the members of ZZ Top in New Orleans in front of the House of Blues. They were getting out of a car and we were walking down the sidewalk and I really ran into them. ha ha. I also saw Michael Jackson at Ceasars Palace-walking through the Forum shops, and I saw Tony Danza at the Orleans (he was eating dinner at the table next to us). That is it so far!!

Elliot Gould in Scottsdale--he was so kind and accommodating to a group of young theatre students.

Stephanie Powers at a party in Dallas--had a conversation with her that led me to believe she is two sandwiches short of a picnic.

George Strait at Rudy's BBQ near Boerne, Tx.

In Charleston on the Ft.Sumter ferry I saw actor, Ernest Borgnine. He was with his wife and sister-in-law and it was obvious he wanted to be just a sightseer like the rest of us. But once we got to Ft.Sumter while walking around I apologized for the intrustion and asked if he would mind if I had a picture taken with him. He was extremely pleasant and I treasure the picture of both of us together, looking like old friends!!

My husband saw Dudley Moore in an airport not long before Mr.Moore became ill and died.

While grocery shopping at the Malibu Ralph's, I've bumped into:

1) Tony Dow (Wally from Leave it to Beaver). Nice, nice guy.

2) Tom Hanks- He was buying a newspaper at that newstand a few stores down from Ralphs. He was riding one of those beach cruiser bikes (the kind w/o gearshifts). Another nice guy. I said, "Tom Hanks!" He pretened to look surprised and said "Where??" He then came up to my then 1-year old daughter and baby-talked to her.

3) Pamela Anderson-She was just rolling down the aisle with a shopping car full of regular stuff: Cereal, paper towels, eggs, fruit, dish soap. I said "Hi Pamela." She smiled and said hello back. Nice lady. No makeup, dirty tussled hair under a ballcap..but those warm-up pants she was wearing sure did look pretty good on her!!!

This past March on my way to Ft. Lauderdale I saw Marvin Hamlisch in the Buffalo airport. Saw Jackie Mason walking down the street at an art show in Ft. Lauderdale.

I work at a college, and when I told some of our student assistants who I saw they all said "who are they?"

I bumped into Tim Henman at Dulles airport last summer during the LEgg Mason Tennis Classic. He looked lost. (kinda like his game). But still one of my favorite tennis players.

Oddly we saw a former and present pro basketball players in Hawaii in 1995. Kareem Abdul Jabbar was on the flight from Kauai and Ervin Johnson (not Magic Johnson) who plays for the T-wolves was in the Poly. cultural Center on his honeymoon. He is one terrific guy as the took the time to talk with us for a while and even got a pic of him with my son. I became a fan of his that day.

James Bond (alias SC or vv) and his gorgeous "employee" while we were transiting the Panama Canal in 3/03.
M

My first full time job after graduating from university was assistant director of public affairs (or student affairs, can't remember now) at Delaware County Community College outside Philadelphia. I had to arrange various special events. We had Ralph Nader for a speaker one evening. His transportation back to D.C. fell through so I ended up driving him and his assistant home--we stopped at the Howard Johnsons en route for a late night dinner and I didn't get back to Philadelphia til 5 am. Odd to think he's back the spotlight again as a presidential candidate.
Other than that, not too many and nobody major. The weirdest celebrity sighting was of Tone Loc at ABE airport (Allentown, PA). He was on the same flight. This was in the mid 90s and TL was a minor Z-list celebrity by then, but he still had a very loud and very visible entourage.

In the 1970's, we saw Michael Douglas with Brenda Vaccaro in St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. We saw them twice, once leaving Trunk Bay (I started to follow him; he pretended he was looking at the bushes when he noticed me following him), and then again having lunch at Caneel Bay. I was THRILLED!! That's when he was on Streets of San Francisco. I had such a crush on him! He didn't want to be noticed...just wanted to quietly enjoy his vacation.

Just met Livingston Taylor last weekend. Went to highschool in Bethel CT with Meg Ryan (Peggy Hyra- her father was my best friends math teacher in Danbury CT and my God-daughters math teacher later on). Exchanged one sentance- no make that 2 with Katie curic at the olympics in a ski shop, had one guy from sat nite live on my plane- tall dark hair guy- cant remember- and an older actor with white hair- since deceased- with his MUCH younger wife- like he was 70 soemthing and she was 30 something- at LAX but I believe he died in Rhode Island a few years ago- OH! And- when Meg and i worked at bethel food market during high school Madge the paper towel lady used to come in and buy her groceries. And then of course me- who I face every day in the mirror. I have to pinch myself as I can't believe its me.

I can't believe I forgot this one... Elvis- it was... at the... i forgot.

While I was hanging out at the pool of the Delano in Miami South Beach, I saw a middle-aged, out-of-shape, gray-haired guy with a gut sitting on one of the chairs in the middle of the pool. (If you've seen the pool there, it IS possible to sit on a chair in the middle of a pool). I caught my eye because he stood out from the trimmer younger people you're used to seeing there. For some reason, he was spelling out his last name to a waitress, and he was saying 'S.T.A.R.C.K'. I had no idea what THE Philippe Starck looked like,so I HAD to confirm whether he was the one. So I approached him and asked him whether he was the one, and he said yes. We exchanged a friendly handshake. I was going to complain about how the shower in bathroom was so impractically designed that water would get all over the bathroom when I shower, but since he was with company (a middle-age looking woman), I had to restrain myself. It's cool to know that he also stays in his own creations.

A true story about a lady tourist in Connecticut meeting the wonderful Paul Newman:

She was waiting in line for the ice cream cone she'd ordered at the local ice cream parlor in the town where Paul lives. She happened to turn around to glance out the window, and there he stood behind her! She gave just the smallest gasp......... He smiled and said "how are you?" Determined not to seem silly, she calmly said, fine thank you, took her ice cream cone from the clerk, stuck it down into her purse and walked out to her car.......

Oh... when traveling on a little jaunt into D.C. as editor of my high school paper, I interviewed the director Otto Preminger. I was only 17, and so in love with my boyfriend and co-writer, that I don't remember a thing about this (group) interview with Mr. Preminger!

(Be sure to read my story about Paul Newman above.)

My husband and I saw Tony Curtis at Prime in Bellagio two years ago. He was very nice. Also, Elliot Gould while filming Oceans 11 at Bellagio. We always seem to miss people at Bellagio, either too early or too late, but it's a magnet for sure.

Nick Nolte at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum.
Heather Locklear in the dressing room of the spa at the Four Seasons on Big Island.
Chuck Woolery at the Maui Hyatt.
And, before she was famous, Amy Grant with her nieces and nephews at Six Flags between concerts. Every time I turned around, she was right there. Wanted to say something, but didn't want to intrude on her fun with family.

We went to Chelsea Piers in NYC last week and who was bowling a few lanes over but Geraldo Rivera.

I kissed R*cky Shr**der in the eighth grade

A few weeks ago we were in NYC and ran into Woody Allen in the lobby of the Carlyle then Bill Murray in Balthazar. Same night! Mr. cher_cher *literally* ran into Woody and didn't even realize it until shortly thereafter. Bill sat two tables over from us, was low key for most of the night, then took a stroll around the restaurant saying hello to everyone. I told him that I loved him in "Meatballs."

saw Jack Wagner, his kids, and then wife at a small grocery in Vancouver, BC. Also was on same plane with Peabo Bryson from Paris to Detroit.

Bette Midler on the second floor of the Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin. I was thrilled and hurried up to the top floor where my daughter was to tell her. She didn't believe me and wouldn't come look. I returned to the second floor and, respectfully, didn't bother Midler but was interested to see the pieces that interested her. We were all in the museum for some time so eventually when my daughter came down to that floor, she, too, saw that it was indeed Bette Midler and I think was more excited than I had been. But neither of us disturbed Ms. Midler's viewing; I think celebrities like everyone else deserve their own private space.

Steve Martin in Times Square in May, he was filming a movie. Shorter than I thought .

Joan Rivers at LaGuardia, she must spend a fortune on plastic surgery, holy cow that was some stretched looking skin!

When I lived in NYC, I saw:

- Kevin Bacon riding the C Train
- Ed Norton walking on E. 11th Street
- Ric Ocasek (of the Cars) in a store in the East Village just moments before I saw Ed Norton
- Meg Ryan going to the movies with her son at the Loews theatre on Third Ave and E. 11th Street
- Rosie Perez and Annabella Sciorra eating dinner with a group of people at Pastis
- David Spade at some restaurant near Union Square where my sister-in-law was having her bachelorette party. He's very short.

That's all I can remember.

Saw Pierce Bronson last Saturday at the Lihue airport in Kauai. He is even more handsome in person! Has bigger crow's feet than shown on TV which makes him look more distinguished. Even with the wrinkles he looks about 3 years younger than on the tele. Was sitting in the wide open just after the security screening, that was surprising to me but he kept covering his face. What a way to start a vacation! Definitely one of the best looking men I have ever seen.... Hot! Hot! Hot!

WHO CARES ABOUT THE CELEBRITIES - WE HAVE BIGGER PROBLEMS!!!

As a tax-payer what I want to know is why we have Secret Agents on our payroll who can't stay "secret!"

From KAudrey's post:
"I was on a plane from NY to DC about 5 years ago and Alan Greenspan was sitting in front of me (I work in the banking industry, it was kind of neat for me). There were secret agents all over the plane."

We need an investigation into those not-so-secret-secret-agents!

Willie Brown sat next to me in the BUR United terminal last week. Since I see him all the time in Le Central, he said "hi" to me!

I see famous people all the time, living in New York---too many to list. While in Europe I saw William Hurt at The Louvre, Claude Montana sipping his cafe in in Cafe Deux Magots in Paris. I had dinner next to Eric Clapton in London while eating at a restaurant--that was fun!
Also, Tom Cruise was a "major sighting" while in Paris at The Bristol lobby. He had that million dollar smile and looked amazing, even though he was low key with a baseball cap covering his face and navy sweats.
In The Costes 4 years ago in Paris we ate dinner next to David Bowie and Iman.
I love to have Star spottings.

Well I really did bump into a famous chef, almost knocked him over! We had stopped at the Union Hotel in the little town of Benicia CA for dinner before driving to SFO to catch a redeye flight. All of a sudden my DH said "we should have left 15 minutes ago". He went to pay bill and I rushed to the ladies room. This is a funky old hotel, hallways very narrow. Rushing out of the ladies room in a panic over the time I pushed the door open, knocked it into a very tall, large man and than almost knocked him over. Not one of my more gracious moments. I was horrified, when looked up to apologize I was staring at James Beard. It turns out that he was a friend of the owner of the restaurant. I said "you are, you are, you are James Beard?" He said with a smile, "the last time I checked I was". Had a red face I am sure all the way to the airport.

I've had 3 minor celebrity sightings. My husband and I were in first class with some of the members of the band, Live. They were talking loudly on cell phones before the flight in the airport waiting area seemingly wanting to be noticed. In Disneyland in CA, I saw the comedian Gallagher sitting on a bench looking like he was waiting for someone to get off a ride. He graciously posed for a picture with me. Another celebrity sighting was on an island vacation where I saw Barry Williams from the Brady Bunch. He was staying at the same hotel we were. He covered his face during breakfast when he realized that someone recognized him.

Oops, I forgot one! My husband was in Allentown traveling for his job. One morning as he was leaving to go to work, he saw the band Sugar Ray checking in at the hotel. To this day I still tease him that I wished he would have gotten me Mark McGrath's autograph for me!

Rodney Dangerfield was one of a kind.

Way back in July, 1979, I was in New York and went to Dangerfield's for dinner and to see Rodney's stand-up act and got a table near the stage. At one point in the show Rodney Dangerfield asked if there were any Polish people in the audience, so I raised my hand. He asked me where I was from and I told him Pittsburgh. His punchline was 'That's a pretty long walk, huh?' or something to that humorous effect.

Steve Wonder fell on to my sister's chaise lounge at the pool of the Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood, FL. Later that same night we went to club in Miami and saw Billy Ocean perform live. One of his entourage was sitting next to us and invited us back stage to a private party after the show. Once I was staying in a hotel in Atlanta and went to get on the elevator and ran straight into Jesse Jackson's chest when the doors opened. His body guards moved him out of the elevator rather quickly after I resumed my balance. Robert DeNiro was a few tables away from my group at a restaurant in San Francisco. When we toured the wineries in Napa Valley later that week we ran into Francis Ford Coppola at his winery. He was friendly and polite when we went up to talk to him. His staff told us he enjoyed meeting visitors. I pumped gas in Malibu beside Sting (he was very cordial and friendly). Saw Bill Paxton at LAX buying magazines for a flight. While waiting for a taxi in NY, Henry Kissinger exited the next one at the curb and I took it. Very short! I live in Nashville so I've seen almost every country music star around town at one time or another (such as Johnny Cash, Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Martina McBride, Ronnie Dunn, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Minnie Pearl, Marty Stuart, Lee Greenwood, Ray Stevens). Most people don't even pay attention to them in the shops or restaurants.

Never. They have, however, bumped into ME.

I was on a puddle jumper from Hyannis to LaGuardia with Dick Gephardt a few years back.

I lived in the same dorm as Vince Carter, and had a late night conversation in the elevator (I was doing laundry, he was eating his 7th meal of the day).

I used to work with a woman who was Bono's grade school girlfriend - I thought that was the coolest thing imaginable!

Resurrection.....

Saw Fabio in the Las Vegas airport this previous Friday. He has a really big head and shoulder length bobbed hair. I never saw the appeal in him as you can see.

I have ridden an elevator with Jeff Beck (Yardbirds, Jeff Beck Groups), who was way shorter than expected and angry, like I had read about; played music with Jimmy Messina (Loggins & Messina), who was cool as I would have imagined; played music with Ed Black (Linda Rondstadt) and Albert Lee (Chicken Picken guitar player), both who were very nice and personable; ran into Ed Begley Jr., taller and snootier than I would have thought; met the late trumpeteer Dizzie Gillespie, whose cheeks were larger than life!; met Airto (Latin drummer, who was great; and met the Jazz Crusaders, who were as "Cool as the other side of the pillow".

When I was a teenager in the 80's, I saw Dee Snider of Twisted Sister with his wife (?) at Frankfurt Airport checking in at a gate. Oddly enough, my mom was the one who noticed him and pointed him out to me ("isn't that guy a rock star?") He was pretty tall.

Another time in the 80's, one time we were fogged in at Heathrow and we were stuck there for a day. My mom went to wander around and came back to tell me that there was a band (she thought it was Depeche Mode, maybe somebody told her that) sitting around playing cards, and there was a crowd gathered around them. I was too absorbed in my book to go look.

We sat infirst class with Hulk Hogan a few years back on the way down to Tampa. He is huge! (and very nice)

Tonight I came face to face with Alfre Woodard in the lobby of the Circle in the Square Theater while waiting to see the Putnam County Spelling Bee!

She was peeved that some man noticed her and held her arm while asking for her name. I just nodded in agreement and smiled. I loved her hair style.

She was in the last episode of Desperate Housewives (yes, I watch it) and she appears to be a mystery character for next season -- I can't wait!

seetheworld!
Cool! I like her! I like that she is on that show too

Don't blame her for being irritated with the touchy guy..ick.

I know Scarlett, isn't it cool!

Yes, some people can be really creepy, double ick!

Celebrity sightings:

* Peter Fonda's entourage on I-10 just of Las Cruces, NM (this was 20+ years ago)
* Joe Namath
* Ric Flair (several times)
* John Fox (Head coach of the NFL Carolina Panthers)
* The "Hellaric" Olympic basketball team en route from Athens to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics [I say "Hellaric" because that's what the moron gate agent at JFK kept repeating over the intercom. Someone finally told him that the word was "Hellenic" instead.]


Non-celebrity sightings:
* Literally bumping into my old Boy Scout scoutmaster in the middle of the Sistine Chapel.

Yes I have....while in san franciso I ran into Nicholas Cage and Lisa Marie Presley (they were holding hands) which was a rare site to see since they are no longer together. I met Sisqo while I was in Baltimore, Maryland at the movie theatre.He was a really nice guy and we were talking about the lame special effects that were in the Spy Kids 3:Game Over movie lol. I also saw Lindsay Lohan in Toronto during the time she was filming Mean Girls..that was pretty cool. But ya...cant wait to see more stars!

We saw Little Richard sitting in the Los Angeles airport a couple of summers ago. All these asian tourists were around asking to take his picture. His "handler" was telling them no. It was hilarious...all these asian people going nuts for a man in sparkly clothes with 2 lbs. of make up on.

While touring the DIA (modern art museum)in upstate NY with my students we spotted STEVE MARTIN.The museum was quiet and calm and I am pleased to say we kept it that way!We told Steve we loved him and their were giggles and tears among my students.He smiled and told us thank you. He is extremely good looking and a terrific dresser.

Surprisingly, I see folks waiting in line in front of me at Southwest -- Dennis Franz at Oakland Airport and Rick Springfield at LAX. They were both first in line. I guess they want to pretend they are in first class by getting the emergency aisle seats.

It wasn't me who did the bumping, but my step dad, who is handicapped with servere RA had gone with us to a huge farm equipment show in Moultrie, Ga.

While browzing (sp?) through one of the merchandize tents, he actually backed into President Jimmy Carter! It was funny, as he was taken unawares, and I think the chronic use of prednisone had him thinking alittle slowly (used to be a sharp business man!, because, he smiled, raised a finger and in his 'good 'ole boy style, said: "don't I know you?!" I'm sure he thought he was an old friend out of the past!

Pres. Carter had a couple of secret service men there, but he was very pleasant and friendly and said a few kind words. I think the fact that my dad was on forearm crutches set the ss men at ease!

Belle.

Robin William at the Urban Well in Vancouver, BC. on July 1, 2003. I was not very impressed with him.

Mine have mostly been in airports. Jeffrey Hines in Detroit about a year before he died (I was totally starstruck, it was 7:00 a.m., and I didn't have the nerve to say anything).
Yaphet Kotto (just after he starred in Midnight run with Robert DeNiro; seems to always play detectives in the movies; he was huge and totally exuded cool) and Jane Brody (Good Food Book) in Chicago (I was a total veggie then and talked with her and asked her to sign a postcard). Julianna Margulies in line for the bathroom at "Death of a Salesman" in NYC (definitely airbrushed in her magazine photos, as she had as many wrinkles as I did, but very petite and pretty).

In June my husband saw Vince Vaughn in Chicago when they were filming the movie with Jennifer Aniston.

My boss runs into really famous people in the most bizarre places, including Kevin Costner in the bathroom at the Final Four! (He has a picture with him, but taken AFTER they left the men's room!)

Forgot one--Garrison Keillor of Praire Home Companion in (where else) the Minneapolis airport. Very tall!

Faith Hill, when she was pregnant with her third child, Tim McGraw and their little girls at a gas station in Cool Springs TN back in the summer of 2001. She was TINY, GORGEOUS, and oh so FRIENDLY !

Caesar Chavez, Dennis Conner, but my favorite sighting was the evil "Team Guido" from AR1.

wasn't traveling...but I had lasik surgery done at a posh place in Bev. Hills and in walks Suzanne Somers. And guess what magazine I was reading? THe one that feature John Ritters death...talk about bad timing...

And today one of our employees say Jessica Simpson yapping on the phone while driving her SUV - no tints on the windows which is odd.

Some years back in St. Petersburg, FL, I was standing in line at a supermarket and the person in front of me was Myrna Loy..I watched her sign her name on the check..and was totally tongue tied..the check out girl asked her for her ID. The checkout girl was probably 20 something and had never seen The Thin Man or any other 1940 movies.

Not too long ago, I sat at the table next to Siena Miller and some fashion editor at an Italian restaurant in London. This was before the whole Jude Law/nanny affair broke, so Ms. Miller was chatting happily away about Jude and life in general. Pretty snazzy engagement ring, I have to say. Wonder if she'll keep it, throw it back at Jude, or toss it into the Thames.

1) Back in '92, when he was running in primaries, I had to use the ladie's room and the Secret Service wouldn't let me in because Bill Clinton was in the men's room, which was opposite. He was VERY charming and handsome in person. He made small talk. He definitely could convince your grandma to give up her panties!
2) Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell when they were making a movie in Cincinnati. I am 5'4" and Stallone is shorter than me!
3) Used to live in Deerfield, IL the home of the Chicago Bulls, and used to see all of the players around town in the '90's when they were really hot. Saw Michael Jordan buying diapers at Toys R Us, Phil Jackson buying Rolling Rock beer at Walgreen's on many an occasion, Dennis Rodman and his entourage trying to be noticed at the mall and then reusing to sign kid's autographs. 4) In Paris last year, my teenage daughter and I saw Johnny Depp and his young daughter. We were in a crowd on the Champs Elysee and he was trying to be incognito. My daughter started to scream and he hugged her before she could make a noise and asked her please to be quiet and respect his privacy. It was a magical moment. He really is sexy!

It's fun to read everyone's answers! Last week in NY, I saw Chris Noth and Parker Stevenson. Both looked like they do on tv.

h2babe - I'd probably pass out if I ran into Faith Hill.

One of the all-time beauties.

mm

I sat behind the Monkees on a trip from Heathrow to Dublin a couple of years ago. Mickey Dolenz was really friendly to everyone, pictures, autographs etc.
David Jones stood next to me at the luggage carousel and was tiny !

Just saw Madeleine Stowe this weekend at Mohonk Mountain Resort in the Catskills (NY). The setting was just like Last of the Mohicans so she must have felt right at home.

Funny thing...I've only seen one celebrity...but I've seen him twice!! Steve Martin! I saw him in about 1990 in Hana on Maui. He was having dinner. Then in 2002 I saw him walking though the lobby of the Four Seasons in Chicago!! Both times I was on vacation. I've seen Prince numerous times in Minneapolis...but that's because I live in Mpls!

* Pat Nixon - met her when I was 8 yrs old at a park dedication

* Marion Ross (Happy Days Mom)- saw her checking into the Copley Plaza

* Charles Mann (Redskins Football) checking out a bike for his kid

* Little Stevie - NYC walking

* Sam Donaldson - in DC going into a restaurant

* Tyra Banks - on the same 12-seater plane to St. Barts

* James Avery (father on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air)- at Sequoia in DC

* Marg Helgenberg (and her son)- at Sequoia in DC

* Alan Greenspan - at Sequoia in DC

* Head of the CIA in 1995 (can't remember his name) but I sold him some jewelry and had no idea who he was!

I think that is it!

What fun! Thanks for sharing all the great stories! Just realized the original post was from 2003, so I'm late to the party.

Living in L.A. I've seen a lot of soap stars (mostly from General Hospital and Days of Our Lives) at the neighborhood supermarket, and I agree that most celebrities look tinier and skinnier in person. I think the only celebrity I've met (at a book signing) who looked even taller in person is Ray Romano.

The one celebrity I saw while traveling was Donny Osmond, who was sitting in first class on a flight from Salt Lake City to L.A. a few years ago when he was hosting a game show. It was a smaller plane where the coach passengers had to walk through the first class section. He looked just like he does on TV!

I saw Ringo Starr in Heathrow when I was a kid, probably about 20 years ago. My mom was beside herself. He was wearing a jacket and tie but not shirt. Huh??

When my daughter was about four months old, we were on a plane with Robert Goulet. He was so nice to my daughter, making faces and singing to her. I guess it helps to be a C level celebrity.

Dennis Rodman in New Orleans for Super Bowl. (My prayers go out to all the folks suffering Katrina's wrath.)

Snoop Dogg on the same trip. We actually went to his hotel room. It was easy enough to find. Just followed the smell of weed down the hallway.

I wait tables in Baltimore's Inner Harbor and have met some really cool folks there:

Will Smith and Jada Pinckett - Smith.
Keanu Reeves
Gene Hackman
Dame Maggie Smith
Yaphet Koto and Richard Belzer
Kenny Rigers
Jean Pierre Rampal
Willie Nelson
Allan Jackson
Kool and the Gang
Sisqo
The entire cast of the t.v. series Roc
Hal Linden
Dianne Carrol
Anthony Edwards
Billy Dee Williams

I'm sure there were others but these are the ones I remember.

The "Church Charro" was my favorite post! I actually laughed out loud!

After living in LA, I've seen many celebrities. However, this is my favorite story:
I was waiting in line outside at the Sundance film festival a few years ago. It was really cold and windy, and I was freezing. When the doors opened, this man moved in front of the open door, making it very hard for people to pass him. I thought he was a ticket-taker or security person. As I approached the door, he stepped in front of me and prohibited me from entering. I said excuse me (twice), but he didn't budge. He just kept standing in the doorway talking to someone on the inside. Finally I said PLEASE MOVE and wedged myself between the door frame and his body. He turned around and gave me this shocked look. I glared back at him. It wasn't until the film started that I realized the man in the doorway was Harvey Keitel. To make matters worse, not only was he an actor in the film, but he was the director as well. Whoops!

I forgot one...

Last year I was shopping at Pottery Barn in Arlington, Virginia and so was Condoleeza Rice!

Tango

Last May we saw Paul Guilfoyle (Lt. Brass on CSI) at the Musee d'Orsay. Very cool.

Who cares?!

Just saw Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamilin at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Oahu a few days ago. Yes, her lips are really that big And HH was very handsome although quite tanned in a George Hamilton sort of way

In the 1980s I was on a small plane from Laramie,WY to Denver. The Beach Boys were on the flight. I was seated with a guitarist whose name I don't know. Mike Love was sitting in front of me hitting on a college girl.

Also in the 80s we were dining at the Swan Court at the Hyatt Regency in Maui. O.J. Simpson and an entourage that included several beautiful blonds (probably one was Nicole) sort of floated down the stairs into the room. OJ worked the room, signing autographs, posing for pics, etc.

I met Charles Barkley and Rasheed Wallace at a dinner event in Philadelphia while I was in high school. After the event, Charles walked out of the hotel with us, chatting with me and my friends. At 6'4", he's small by NBA standards, but his hands are HUGE.

Rasheed Wallace was in high school (Simon Gratz in Philly) at the time, and asked my friend and I if we wanted an autograph. We said, "No," because we had no idea who he was. His teammates immediately started busting on him.

I also met Chris Carter (of Eagles, then Vikings fame) while at a function for junior football. He signed autographs with my pen, and got pissed off at my dad, because my dad made a crack about how bad the Eagles were at the time.

I saw Mel Torme at a hotel in Rochester, NY. He was just sitting there looking bored and unhappy waiting for a car to arrive.

Ran into several Milawaukee Brewers at the Bleu Martini in Philadelphia. They were in the VIP lounge.

I've met dozens of celebrities in the past several years. Tonight I'm attending a theater event at Sardi's and I'll report back when this thread comes around again, probably in 5 or 6 years!

Softato: Hitting on college girls never ends for some of us; and why not?.
Those who can, do.

Sat at the table next to Henry Kissinger and the (late) Bill Blass with their wives when we were having dinner at an inn in Connecticut several years ago. I'll tell ya that Henry. What presence he has!! That was pretty cool.

Last week I ran into Diane Keaton walking her young daughter from preschool in Santa Monica. Eccentric clothes-- not surprising. Quite petite-- a bit surprising. Still an attractive woman.

I just ran into Elliot Gould on the Third Street Promenade-- not a huge deal, I've seen him many times. Nice guy. Quite tall.

As I noted in my NYC trip notes, this last Saturday at the Café Carlyle I sent a round of drinks over to Betty Lynn Buckley's table. She's quite beautiful in person, and was positively bubbly with the evening's entertainment (Elaine Stritch, who is one hell of a great performer).

I thought I saw Wolf Blitzer at the food court at CNN Center munching on a Chick-Fil-A sandwich. Could be wrong.

Alas, I must tell you , my siting was after a fact. My saleslady at the CK boutique in the Chestnut Hill mall was John Keddeny's wife to be, Carolyne, She left there to become a PR for CK in New York.

In the early sixties I bumped into John Wayne when he was shopping with friends near the Majorca cathedral. Paul

Mike Ditka (while he was still coach of the Bears), his wife, and another couple cut line ahead of us once at Neuschwanstein.

Richard Simmons (in tight white stretch pants) crossing the Rialto Bridge in Venice...

The Queen once, in her car in London.

Pack Your Bags: http://www.warobison.com

Paul Newman - for 20 minutes one-on-one.
VERY nice man IF you catch him if he has time for you. This was 18 years ago.

Ayrton Senna for about 10,
Nigel Mansell for about 10,

I met Robert Goulet in the lobby level bar at The New York Palace 7/8 years ago. My wife and I were the only other people in the bar besides Mr. Goulet and his wife. Nice folks. They sent an antographed picture to our room. We saw him as King Arthur the next night and then saw him and his wife in the bar again. We met them a few years later in The Plaza Athenee Hotel in NYC. There was a tribute to Frank Sinatra in MSG that weekend and a lot of movie stars were in town. We met Charles Bronson, Anthony Quinn and Ray Charles in our hotel.

I met Red Schoendienst who sat next to me on a flight to Albany, NY and spoke to him as well as Al Kaline. They were on their way to the Baseball HOF. My wife met Whoopi Goldberg walking down Madison Ave. in NYC. We also met Ivana Trump in the Davidoff Cigar store in NYC. We spoke to Bruce Willis and Demi Moore going into a restarant in NYC.

We sat next to Joe Montana in a restaurant in Napa, CA. Archie Manning and I went to college together. I know his son Peyton and his son Eli quite well.

On the pland on our honeymoon - Willie Nelson in 1st class going to Maui - I said to my husband look at that guy - doesn't he look like Willie Nelson - when my hisband had an opportunity to sneak a peak - he says it looks like him b/c it is him! Once we arrived at the hotel (Ritz Carlton) Steve Weber (you remember him from "Wings" and also from the Producers on Broadway), he was checking in ahead of us. Also while in Maui, Kelsey Grammar was having dinner at the table next to us. Never expected to see anyone and had fun as we kept watching for popping celebrities!

Being handsome has few rewards. I am often mistaken for the angry twin brother of a semi-famous singer whose career peaked in the late 1970's.

I can't believe this thread keeps coming up. I just got back from Home Depot, where a 7-ft tall Elden Campbell of the Detroit Pistons was standing next to me looking for halogen light bulbs.