Have you been fortunate (unfortunate?!) in meeting a celebrity in your travels?
 

Thought it might be interesting to see if anyone has been lucky (or unlucky!) in spotting a celebrity when traveling. <BR> <BR>We have met several major league baseball players on our cross-country road trips. We try to catch as many games as possible and to see all the ballparks, and ds likes to get as many autographs as possible. <BR>

I had the misfortune of meeting Robin Leach in Vegas. What a jerk.

I was in London this summer, during Wimbledon, and Eli Nastasi was in the room next us. We were also seated next to him at breakfast one morning. He was actually a quiet guy and only showed his infamous temper, and barely then, when his poached egg came too well cooked! <BR> <BR>Like you, we enjoy baseball and attend games around the country whenever possible. We were at a Braves spring training game in Orlando last year and discovered that Christopher Reeve and his family were sitting in the box next to us. They apparently are big Yankees fan and his son was there to throw out the first pitch. We watched in awe as Derek Jeter etc. came to his box to greet the family. The last visit was from Ted Turner and Jane Fonda. We were literally a few feet away and didn't even try to disguise our gawking! There were some very poignant moments and I felt privileged to witness it all. Unfortunately the game was called due to rain and his son never got to throw the pitch. I hope he got the chance some other time! <BR> <BR>Now a tip--if you like collecting autographs go to the spring training games. Some of the hometown fields give you great access to the players and they are good about appeasing the fans! We've had the best luck in Bradenton and St. Pete.

Lastyear I was in NYC on business (before I moved to the area). Stoppd for a slice at the well known Joe's pizza near Bleecker and 7th Ave in the heart of the west Village. kept thinking that the guy laughing it up and hanging out with his buddies at the table next to looked familiar - it was Cuba Gooding Jr.! To their credit, people just left him alone other than to wave and say "I like your work". By the way... the pizza there is excellent...

Ate breakfast 7 or 8 feet away from Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee last summer in Mexico. <BR>Sat behind Jessie Jackson at the Olympics. <BR>In hotel room next to Courtney Cox in Las Vegas this spring. <BR>Ate dinner next to Alice Cooper and clan in Scottsdale. <BR>Same floor as Bruce Willis, Demi Moore and their kids in Atlanta few years ago. <BR>Airport and plane encounters with Barry Bonds, Meredith Baxter-Birney, Peter Frampton, Kathleen Turner. <BR>Ran into Mike Tyson in Las Vegas at the airport. <BR>Same inn as Sylvester Stallone in Martha's Vineyard. <BR>In line behind Christopher Cross at Starbucks in Santa Barbara. <BR>Rode the train through the southwestern US with Jackie Gleason a looonngg time ago.

Well, Cary! <BR>You must either enjoy living in the lap of luxury, or you're in "the business"! <BR>(?)

I was in Wash. National (don't make me use that other name) Airport, in a magazine and candy alcove. I'd squatted down to look at magazines on the bottom rack and then turned as I stood up to pay for the magazine. I'm short (5'1") and as I turned, I plowed smack into the middle of a very solid gentleman. Even though I'd hit him "midships" pretty hard with my head, he didn't lose his breath or his balance. It was like hitting an upholstered wall with a nice belt buckle. <BR> <BR>I apologized to the belt buckle (too embarrassed to look up) and paid the salesgirl, who was laughing and blushing herself. "I wish I'd run into THAT one," she said. As I backed out of the shop, I finally looked above the belt and shirt and saw the smiling, friendly face of Sugar Ray Leonard. His son was with him, giggling at me. <BR>

Hey Shorie, you mean the Ronald Reagan International Airport??? <BR> <BR>I met Kareem Abdul Jabar (SP) years ago in Utah - what an attitude he had! I really couldn't have cared less but I knew dh would think it was cool.

Niet! Niet! RRI Airport! <BR>I'm with Shortee on that one! LOL! <BR>I'm gone for ONE year (in Portugal) and DCA becomes Ronald Reagan! I wondered for an entire year what RRI was, and didn't dare want to admit I was out of sync! <BR> <BR>PS...Don't think I've EVER met anyone famous in All my travels...or else I didn't notice! (very likely...) I DID see Sophia Loren going into the Art Museum in the new "old" Berlin at the film fest in Feb. 1994...

I was a ticket checker some time ago at Park City Utah when Robert Redford skiied through my line. Reaching down to grab the ticket that was hooked to his ski jacket in order to punch it was some experience. He was very nice, smiled that smile and said hello. Shorter than I'd imagined him. Also checked Christy McNichol's ticket there.

I saw John Voight at the market pushing his cart around like everyone else. Also Angie Dickenson, she's very pretty but wears lot of makeup. Mike Tyson going into Baskin Robbins for an ice cream...he's HUGE!! Elizabeth Taylor and George Hamilton dining together some years ago....he's as tan as he looks in pictures. Buffy the vampire slayer (Sara Gellar) at the antique mall...at the same mall I saw Kim Basinger, and Monica Lewinsky...OJ Simpson at the local public golf course. Tina Turner in one of the first Mercedes SUV's I had ever seen on the road. Also at the market...Johnny Mathias. He looked fabulous...The most exciting celebrity encounter ever was at a concert...I was able to go backstage and had a conversation with Bob Dylan.. That was the biggest thrill ever!! He looked just like you would remember, with the long coat and even though it was backstage, dark and during a show (he was there to see his son Dylan who is in the group "the wallflowers) he had his dark glasses on. It was really neat!! Sorry to ramble but I'm star struck!!

whoops..sorry, "Jacob" is his first name...

I always seem to see several celebrities every time I'm in New York City. In November I saw Katie Couric at a play one night and then at another play the next day I saw Julia Roberts and Benjamin Bratt. Another time Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward were sitting behind me. One afternoon last year I saw Woody Allen and Soon Yi(sp) walking down Fifth Ave and also walked past Yoko Ono. And another time I was behind Jody Foster in line at MOMA--someone from the museum recognized her and escorted her out of the line and into the exhibit.

Toni, sorry to be a stickler but it's "Jakob.":) <BR>Jenna <BR>

I apologize for the length of this post--but the ending is great! Years ago, my dad worked for a Detroit automaker, as an instructor for factory trainees. His job required him to fly, from our home in MA, to MI, approximately 30 times per year. While home for the holidays, in December of 1967, my dad had read a Time magazine article about Dr. Christiaan Barnard, who had just completed the first successful human heart transplant. A few days after Christmas, my dad had to fly back to work, in Detroit. He boarded the plane and found himself sitting next to Dr. Barnard. My dad recognized him, immediately, but was too "shy" to say much--as he tells it, "why would a famous heart surgeon want to talk to a 'grease monkey' like me?" Well, my dad certainly underestimated himself and his fellow traveller! Dr. Barnard started a conversation that lasted the entire 4 hours (due to bad weather delays) that they sat together--he wanted to know everything about my dad, his work, our family, etc.. My father was floored when the doctor, sensing my dad's "humility," compared his ability to replace "worn" parts, in a human, to my dad's automotive expertise--what a compliment! At the end of their flight together, in Chicago, they shook hands and wished each other well. Now, for the best part. Nearly fifteen years later, my parents were waiting for me, at Logan airport. I was a pre-med student, in NY, and was flying home, for a first semester break. At the gate, my dad heard a man say, "Joe! How are you?!" He turned, and there was Dr. Barnard. After all those years, he still remembered and was able to recognize my dad--amazing!

Nearly bumped into Morgana in the Pittsburgh airport. Met Alan Alda at Heathrow baggage claim. Flew to New Orleans with Farrakhan. Sat at bar with Eric Clapton in a Sheraton in Buffalo, NY. Stood next to Frank Zappa while using urinals at a club in Philly.

Annie...what a great story! Sounds like your Dad made a huge impression.

Saw Tony Curtis at a restaurant in Vegas last month. That man wore more make-up than Tammie Faye.

My few encounters include <BR>The Neville Brothers on a plane to New Orleans. Jimmy Carter/family/secret service Katz diner in Atlanta. Dave Clark Five boarding a private plane on <BR>the tarmac. George Hamilton sunning on a North FLorida Beach. <BR>

I have met many. Years ago at DeGaulle airport in Paris I met Carl Reiner and Leslie Uggams. Also shook hands at a Boston MBTA stop with Jimmy Carter and with the pope years ago during one of his motorcades in St Peters Square. The <BR>nicest person I have ever met was Charlie Daniels backstage after a concert. The crudest person I ever met was Mohammed Ali in an elevator. He was arrogant, vulgar, insulting and an outright disgrace.