(OT) celebs/athletes you've seen in person

[IMK]

Working at a radio station, I, like FearTheDawk, have met more celebrities than I can remember. It barely even registers anymore unless it's someone I really admire. These days, it's mostly country artists - had lunch with Kellie Pickler a few weeks ago, I've interviewed Billy Ray Cyrus. A number of American Idol contestants (who I've usually never heard of since I don't watch the show.) Two years ago I sat at a table eating Chick-Fil-A with Lady Antebellum and had no idea it was them. Glen Beck has done his show from our studios - I know he's a pretty divisive figure these days, but he's very funny and charismatic in person. Jon Ritchie has been by, he of course does TV here in central PA. That's just off the top of my head.

[Blitz]

I've met so many stars working the book that it might be easier to name who I haven't met. Once you see how a lot of these people are it changes your who perspective about stars.

Biggest douche bags I met...Barry Bonds by far is the biggest, Tiger Woods and the assholes from Jackass.

The most down to Earth and genuinely nice guys Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone.

[sfphillyfan]

That would confirm my suspicions on the guys from Jackass. If you get famous by hurting yourself with stupid pranks, I have to wonder how many brain cells you actually have.

Basically, my prejudice is that if you were on a MTV "reality" show, you're a douche.

[FRESH]

Blitz, your list of nice guys doesn't surprise me. Some of these cats seem pretty cool. THe celeb I'd most like to hang out with is probably Bruce Wilis. I think he is one of the ones least likely to be a pretentious A-hole.

But that could be another thread....what celeb would be cool to hang with........??

[FearTheDawk]

Bruce Wilis. I think he is one of the ones least likely to be a pretentious A-hole.

From what I saw, major MAJOR a-hole

[Blitz]

That would confirm my suspicions on the guys from Jackass. If you get famous by hurting yourself with stupid pranks, I have to wonder how many brain cells you actually have.

Basically, my prejudice is that if you were on a MTV "reality" show, you're a douche.

They were a first class mess. They came in and trashed EVERYTHING. They were ripping on people. What you see on TV from them is what you get when the cameras are off. Total attention whores.

Blitz, your list of nice guys doesn't surprise me. Some of these cats seem pretty cool. THe celeb I'd most like to hang out with is probably Bruce Wilis. I think he is one of the ones least likely to be a pretentious A-hole.

But that could be another thread....what celeb would be cool to hang with........??

I saw Bruce for about a minute. He was in a rush and having a bad day so I pretty much stayed away. A lot of fans don't understand that just like us they have bad days. I never did autograph hound. Just not my thing.

Arnold tipped a girl $25 bucks because he wanted a Fruit Punch but they didn't sell it at the bar. So she ran across the casino to get him one(only took a minute).

Denzel actually asked me how my day was going. LOL...that was a trip.

Stallone I saw a lot because he was a good friend of the owner.

That would be a great off season thread FRESH.

[flyered]

Great thread!

Met Clint Richardson when MJ was in his sophomore year at UNC. Talked about a bunch of things with Clint, who is a really affable guy. He said MJ may become the best ever, and I countered that he was only averaging like 10 - 12 ppg (don't remember exactly now). Clint said that's b/c Dean Smith shackles freshmen. Guess Clint had something there ...

Met Ali at a gala event. At one point a line formed and people started walking up to shake his hand. This was 1997, so he was already not well. The guy behind me started mocking that Ali couldn't even shake hands anymore, and I unceremoniously told him that he didn't have to wait on line to shake hands if he didn't want to.
When my turn came, I shook Ali's hand, which absolutely enveloped mine, and then proceeded to blabber at him that he was in fact the greatest. He looked at me like I was crazy ... duh! He wasn't all that into adults, but his face absolutely lit up when kids came up.

Saw Aretha Franklin just recently at the St. Regis in NY. Her posse sat next to us and we gave them one of our extra chairs. Let's just say that "large" does not begin to describe the lady. When they got up to leave, I yelled "respect", and the whole place clapped at her. She acknowledged us. Liked being recognized but not hassled. Now of course it being NYC, 10 mins later, my friend and I get propositioned by a hooker right there. (To avoid future questions, yes, she was hot, and no, neither one of us bit ... sorry, no pics).

Saw Patrick Ewing at a NY Italian restaurant. He had a round table with his posse - about 6-7 guys and one woman. When anyone came near his table, he put up his hands Joe Frazier style and ducked under the table - very classy.

For old-timers here, I've had several chats with Billy Melchioni, who was Doc's teammate on the Nets (happy belated b-day Mr. Erving!). Billy is just a wonderful guy and, as you can imagine, has some great stories.

Finally, went to a Knicks game (vs. Sixers) a couple years ago and sat 2 seats over from Spike. Not that I am complaining terribly, but the ref's butt was in my face every time play was on our half of the court. Spike wore a multicolored sweatsuit with perfectly matching custom-made sneaks. I am not an autograph seeker, but I figured being two seats away ... he obliged, grudgingly. Emboldened I went over and got Clyde Frazier's autograph. Interesting observations from courside: AI kept flopping in the first half. Eventually the ref said "OK, that's it, Alan". And magically, the flopping stopped!

[taz]

I've met quite a few, years ago I worked for Spectacor so I met alot of celebritity types, Have to say the biggest ass I ever met was Eric Lindros. Total Jerk. I have met alot of nice celebrities though, my favorite is Bill Bergey. I have talked to him several times over the years and he is just really nice. He even remembered my name the second time I met him.

[leifdawg]

I've met BJ Penn (arguably the best pound for pound fighter in the world) a few times.

Eddie Vedder when I was like 5. (My dad was a manager for a small concert hall in Eugene, OR in the late 80s/early 90s.

Saw Anthony Keidis at LAX a few years back. He had a baseball cap tugged down trying to hide his face. So I was sitting in my seat kind of staring at him and he noticed me looking at him and gave me a kind of wink/nod gesture clearly asking me not to say anything. So I just nodded back.

Celebrities I would like to hang out with:

Alive: Bob Dylan

Dead: Bruce Lee

[Jukin]

Celebrities I would like to hang out with:

Alive: Bob Dylan

Dead: Bruce Lee

The problem with hanging out with Dylan is that you won't be able to understand a damn thing he says. As for Bruce Lee, he'd probably smell really bad by now!!

[leifdawg]

?????

I listened to his radio show all the time when it was on and could understand him just fine.

[Jukin]

I went to the taping of David Letterman's 10th Anniversary show back when he was still with NBC. The musical guest that night was Bob Dylan. He was so stoned that you couldn't understand a single word he was saying. It was so bad that Letterman and the stage manager were openly laughing at him. Even the people who stood in line for three hours just to see Dylan were laughing at it.

[eagles2000]

I sat next to Shawn Andrews mom on a plane back when he was just a rookie. I was flying to see the Birds in Detroit or Chicago and see was headed back to Little Rock on a connection. Very nice lady and was thrilled to talk about football and her sons

I stayed at the hotel the Eagles stayed at in Detroit and rode down the elevator with Chad Lewis and David Akers. For the life of me I couldn;'t tell who Akers was and it wasn't until later that year that I saw a Campbell's soup commercial and realized it was Akers that was looking at me with a don't you know who I am look. We recognized Chad right off.

my next door neighbor for a few years was Keith Krepfle's brother and I got to hang at with Keith at the 1999 NCAA final four. Since then I took Keith to two Eagles games and he took me to one. He was one of the hosts at a benefit dinner for Ortho Davis when he was dying of cancer and he took me around I met a ton of Eagles including Harold Charmichel Otis Smith, BIll Bergey and others and I sat next to Kevin Reilly at dinner (he now hosts the pre and post game radio show on WYSP)

I sat across from Donte Stallworth at the Capital Grille after a Bird's game

That was it for Bird sightings

[EagleDan]

I went to a dance at the "Sons of Italy" hall in Bristol Pa. The DJ for the evening was no other than Steve Van Buren!
I Took my son shopping for a bicycle at "Two Guys" store in Cinnaminson, and he met and got and autographed picture from Harold Carmichael, He still has it!

I Met Lou Rawls in person in a hotel in Cherry Hill.