Have you ever been star struck?

[Brian63]

Ever encounter a celebrity or superstar athlete or pop culture personality in a more casual setting (not at any kind of public or promotional event highlighting them, for instance) either walking down the street or in a restaurant?

I never have, but have always wondered how I would react. Shocked, I am pretty sure. There is no good reason to have a starstruck reaction, but that reaction can still manifest anyway. Living in the suburbs and rural communities my whole life though, it has just never come up.

Have you ever seen or met anyone in a more casual setting, even a private one, and did you ask for an autograph or say something nice about them to them, or shout at them (if you dislike them), or what? Who would you be most interested in personally meeting, living or dead?

 

[Brian63]

Actually, the closest thing thing that I can think of is having had some email exchanges with prominent figures in different activist circles. One was Ray Comfort himself, very briefly. Another was the head of a very pro-apologetic Christian organization (this was just last week). The last was with a well known activist atheist (that got a bit heated, unfortunately).

 

[ZiprHead]

Sally Strothers, of All In The Family Fame, sat next to me at the Detroit Metro Airport when I was a kid.

Edd China, of Wheeler Dealers, commented a couple times on my comments to his FB posts.

Gene Riley, semi famous gospel singer, is my sis-in-laws's uncle so I've met him several times.

I've met blues singer/guitarist Larry McCray several times. My bro-in-law is friends with him.

My brother was leader and keyboard player of the Detroit band Frijid Pink. Their one hit was a metal cover of House Of The Rising Sun.

 

[prideandfall]

very minor, but in the terminal waiting for a flight from denver to las vegas i noticed tom arnold was sitting across from me.
i just kinda looked at him askance for a second to verify in my mental catalogue of what tom arnold looks like that it wasn't just someone who bore a striking resemblance to tom arnold (i'm pretty it was actually tom arnold) then shrugged and went back to reading.

i met mark jackson in like 2003 (the drummer for VNV nation, which i know none of you have ever heard of but are megastars in the music circles i move in) at a night club and made a complete fucking ass out of myself stuttering something incomprehensibly stupid at him in a hallway.

i was also propositioned by the lead singer of switchblade symphony in like 1997 (again, none of you have heard of them, but a big deal in the goth community at the time) and in that insane way that happens when you're a teenager i had to say no because my mom was there in the parking lot yelling at me to hurry up so she could drive us home.

 

[Worldtraveller]

I've met quite a few famous people here and there over the years. I would say the closest I've ever come to actually being starstruck though, was when I met Carl Sagan.

I've met Bridgette Nielson and Mark Gastineau (sp?) at the airport. My brothers were too afraid to ask, so I got their autographs for them.

Linda Ronstadt used to come to the restaurant I worked fairly regularly (the Ronstadt family lives in Tucson). Lots of other famous people tend to stay there as well.

 

[marc]

Saw or met a lot of celebrities at conventions. Never really been star struck by any of them.

Closest would have been getting a picture with Stan Lee, but that was rushed in, told to stand behind him, snap picture, rushed out so the next group can get their pic.

 

[spikepipsqueak]

John Clarke came into my shop with his wife one bleak winter morning.

They picked things up and put them down while I wondered, behind the counter, whether it was him.

Then he pointed to some bread and said "Ancient grains?" and I made some smartarse comment that I would have also made to anyone else but which made me want to cringe after he had left - because I had made it to a comic talent of his calibre.

 

[Horatio Parker]

I accompanied Sandra Bernhard once. She was very courteous and professional. And tall.

 

[ZiprHead]

[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/t40INnb6DnY[/YOUTUBE]

This is my brother singing, or lip syncing as was done in those days.

He knew a lot of the old Detroit rock stars and was friends with Bob Seger. He helped Bob write the piano line for Turn The Page. He also did a lot of session work and filled in for Great White's keyboard player for a couple shows in Toronto. He was an absolute virtuoso on any keyboard placed in front of him.

Oh, and he said Ted Nugent was an asshole even in those days.

 

[ZiprHead]

And this is my nephew's band Adaboy! being interviewed on Detroit radio's Behind The Mike with Pam Rossi.

[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/evLx9AtgRrU[/YOUTUBE]

My nephew's the one in the baseball cap.

 

[ideologyhunter]

In 1965 I rode Flipper. Does that count? (I think there were 3 Flippers that were used on the TV show, but I rode one of 'em.) Therefore I made ACTUAL BODY CONTACT with a star (his fin.) He later refused to take my calls, tho'.

 

[Brian63]

Pete Buttigieg's husband, Chasten, has a first cousin who is good friends with one of my neighbors. She approached me one day when she saw me walking while wearing my "Pete Buttigieg 2020" hat, and let me know about that tidbit. We also discussed politics/religion a bit more generally.

So I cannot say I have met him myself at all, but kinda cool that I would have this very loose personal connection with a guy that could be President of the U.S. sometime in the future.

 

[TSwizzle]

I see celebrities, mostly TV actors, quite frequently and have been in their company lots of times. I'm never star struck and I have never asked for an autograph or a picture no matter who it is. I have friends in "the industry" so I am sometimes in the company of successful actors, producers etc. I know a few actors that work quite a bit and I see them on made for TV movies or commercials. They are not celebrities now, but maybe some day they will be.

 

[Thomas II]

.......

 

[Tom Sawyer]

I once had Angelina Jolie come up and start making out with me. That threw me off. She apologized afterwards and explained that it was because I'm just a dead ringer for her husband, but I actually didn't mind all that much.

 

[Ford]

I've also met my fair share of celebrities during my radio career. I very rarely get star-struck.

There was one time, though...we were at Disneyland in the late 90s for the opening of the "New Tomorrowland." There were a lot of famous people there. I met Wally Schirra (one of the Mercury 7 astronauts) and stood next to Buzz Aldrin. The elusive one was Glenn Frey from the Eagles. We couldn't get near him. Anyway, I was checking out of the hotel and saw him standing in the lobby waiting for the elevator. I didn't even try to talk to him.

A little while later we were all having lunch at this little cafe on our way out of the park, I said (rather loudly) "you know who I saw in the lobby? Glenn Frey!" Our promotions director said - through clenched teeth - "yes, and he's sitting right behind you." He was there with his kids. Didn't bother him. But we both walked up to the condiment bar at the same time. I gave him a "what's up" nod and he nodded back.

 

[Ruth Harris]

Who loves ya, baby?

In the mid 70's Telly Savalas was visiting a vacation home near where I lived. He stopped in a local liquor store to buy refreshments - and I was in there. I loved the Kojak series and was absolutely tongue tied to actually meet him. He was very polite and well spoken. I have never forgotten that.

Ruth

 

[TSwizzle]

Who loves ya, baby?

In the mid 70's Telly Savalas was visiting a vacation home near where I lived. He stopped in a local liquor store to buy refreshments - and I was in there. I loved the Kojak series and was absolutely tongue tied to actually meet him. He was very polite and well spoken. I have never forgotten that.

Ruth

He used to live in the Sheraton in Universal City and was a regular in the bar there and I ran into him. A very nice guy, very sociable and laid back. He seemed to enjoy interacting with anyone that spoke to him. The bar staff loved him.

 

[Gun Nut]

I met Colm Meaney (Miles O'Brien in Star Trek TNG and DS9) at a bar. We had a beer and talked about Long Island. Poor guy really didn't want to be there I don't think... he was visiting a friend that owned that bar.

 

[Gun Nut]

Pete Buttigieg's husband, Chasten, has a first cousin who is good friends with one of my neighbors. She approached me one day when she saw me walking while wearing my "Pete Buttigieg 2020" hat, and let me know about that tidbit. We also discussed politics/religion a bit more generally.

So I cannot say I have met him myself at all, but kinda cool that I would have this very loose personal connection with a guy that could be President of the U.S. sometime in the future.

I know the psychoanalyst that supervised the clinical therapist who treated our current president of the united states after he was kicked out of grade school for bullying and pulling a knife on several other kids - it was court-mandated psychotherapy. It's how "Little Donny" stayed out of juvenile hall. That person is quite old now (but told me this story in like the 90's - so motivation to lie was nonexistent)... after this person passes, I might be able to share more of what was illegal for that person to have told me (patient confidentiality and all)... verifiable details.