Rock (or film or TV or political) "stars" you really REALLY met.

[ovidsen]

My claim to fame in this category was sharing a bottle of Jack Daniels with Bon Scott, the original (and in my opinion) the greatest front man of any rock band on the planet.

This dates me, because it happened on July 4, 1979, at an outdoor concert in Rockford, Illinois, about 60 miles northwest of Chicago and about as close as you can get to Wisconsin without actually being in Wisconsin. That is not meant to insult Wisconsin.

I was working for WDAI, then a "progressive rock" FM station in Chicago, so it was no problem getting backstage passes for me and my girlfriend. And there was Bon. AC/DC was the warmup act for Cheap Trick, a local band with a strong following. I sat in a chair next to Bon and he started talking. And drinking. And talking some more. And drinking. Talking about emigrating from Scotland to Australia when he was five years old, his love of bagpipes how he was transformed from a roadie into a singer, his ups and downs of life on the road. (If it's Tuesday, we must be... where?). He drank most of that fifth of Jack, and then hit the stage. Footnote: He probably could have had just about any woman there do anything he wanted, but he wasn't into groupies. At least not that day. He was too busy drinking and talking and prepping himself for the stage.

AC/DC just plain tore the house apart. Well, it was an outdoor concert, but you get the idea. Before AC/DC started the set, I asked Bon why he drank so much. He said he needed the booze to overcome his stage fright. Seriously. He'd consumed enough Jack to put most of us flat on our backs, but he was absolutely mesmerizing on stage. You can't make up that kind of magnetism. You either have it, or you don't.

I was saddened, but not surprised when Bon was found dead in the back seat of a car in London in February, 1980. The coroner's verdict? Alcohol poisoning.

I mean no disrespect to Brian Johnson, the lead singer for AC/DC for the past 29 years. But nobody, I mean NOBODY... not Mick Jagger, not Freddie Mercury, NOBODY could scream in tune like the late, great Bon Scott could.

And I can't end this post without a high five to AC/DC guitarist Angus Young. Doesn't smoke, drink or do drugs. He's just mastered the art of writing three and four chord songs that mainly share a common theme of "let's get drunk and have wild sex". He's in his 50s now, and can't do the pratfalls he used to, but his Australian schoolboy outfit remains SO darn becoming!

Okay, what kind of quality time have you spent with someone "famous". This is not a flippant question. I bet here are lots of DUers who have gotten up close and personal with somebody "famous", and I'd like to read your story.

[DarkTirade]

1. I've met a couple of TV stars

back when I was in high school our choir would perform for the Candlelight Processional around christmastime at EPCOT every year. They'd have various guest narrators. Got to (ever-so-briefly) meet a few people who I didn't recognize, soap opera actors and the like, but the ones I remember because I recognized them were LeVar Burton and David Ogden Stiers. Our choir was also chosen to send a few of us to perform with Shania Twain when she was in town. We never actually met her, closest we came was about 20-30 feet away from her on stage. But we met the rest of her band.

[driver8]

2. Slash from Guns n' Roses

Not sure if I told this story before but if I have, I am going to tell it again!

I was working at a recording studio in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles and Slash and his band were in working on Slash's first solo album, "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere".

One night, Slash and his bandmates go out for "dinner" and come back a few hours later with a couple of strippers -- I think these girls were 19 years old, at the most. They start partying hard and one of the strippers thinks she can hang with Slash and is drinking Jack Daniels with him.

I see this girl a couple of hours later and she is smashed. She lays down on a couch in the lounge, and starts to get sick. I grab a trash can and run over to her, and Slash says, "don't let her hair get puked on!" So, Slash is holding her hair and I am holding the trash can, and the girl is puking into it.

I couldn't help but think, "my friends are never going to believe this."

I would just like to add that Slash was one of the most down to earth, coolest people I have ever met. He treated everyone with respect and was nice to everyone. When he left, I went to shake his hand and he grabbed me and gave me a big hug. He told me, "I'm going to miss you guys..."

[ovidsen]

5. Very cool story!

Sounds as if Slash is like Bon was. No pretentions, no "treat me like the star that I am" crap.

Just a regular guy with a singular talent.

[taterguy]

3. I ran into Al Gore in an airport bathroom

No wide stance jokes please.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

20. I was about to say I'm glad it wasn't Larry Craig. nt

[keroro gunsou]

4. i met Ray Nitschke

when i was 5 at some party my parents took me to. i was dressed in a god aweful packer turtlenecked sweater and green and gold golf pants. many years later, i met him again, and he remembered me, mostly cause of that ugly-assed outfit. psycho on the field, nice guy off it. reminded me of my grandfather. died too damn young.

[InvisibleTouch]

6. Does "quality time" include getting autographs at sci-fi conventions?

If so, then I've met a number of Star Trek actors and actresses: Nichelle Nichols, Majel Barret, Patrick Stewart, Mirina Sirtis, John DeLancie. All were wonderful and clearly dedicated to the fandom. I was most impressed, I think, with Patrick Stewart, who flew in direct from London to the convention. His plane was late, so he was hustled from the airport right onto the stage, and after his talk he signed autographs for several hours. The next day he did it again, though he had to catch a flight back that afternoon. He stayed and signed autographs until the absolute very last second when he had to leave, trying to make sure everyone who wanted one could get one.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

7. I Played in a garage band with one of the guys from Journey

Damned if I know which one but he was from a little shit town in the Ca. central valley called Lemoore. Met Zoe Lofgren twice. Once when she set up a card table in front of the local Safeway and talked to all comers and again at a reception for Howard Dean when he was beginning his Presidential campaign. And last but not least, Stan Getz when he was thinking of buying my house in Mill Valley.

[leftyclimber]

8. As a teenager

I sang with Bobby McFerrin. It was an "anyone from the audience that wants to come up and sing can" thing, not like I auditioned or anything. He was tremendously nice and about 20 of us had a really great time up there singing stuff he arranged for us on the spot.

I also met Dar Williams at the Horseshoe in Toronto. She was sitting out in the bar a couple of hours before her show, so I just walked up and started talking with her. Not much to report there, as it was brief. She was in pre-show-brain mode. As soon as I realized that I just let her be.

[KamaAina]

9. William Christopher, Harry Reasoner, any number of NOLA musicians

"Father Mulcahy" attended an autism conference in Toronto at which yours truly was on a panel. Baba Wawa's co-anchor emceed the Bicentennial pageant (you know, the one we all did in '76, with the song that has all the states in alphabetical order) in my then-hometown. As for the musicians, well, they're just sort of there; no entourages or posse (this was before hip-hop anyway) or anything like that.

[BeachBaby]

10. Big hair band Cinderella.

My girlfriend was dating Tom Keifer....so I got to hang out with them. I even yanked on their hair to see if it was really theirs.

Joe Perry of Aerosmith, at the Howard Stern Show. He is WONDERFUL. Took pics, signed my CD, and kissed me on the cheek.

Green Day and Jimmy Eat World - my cousin the fan club prez for Jimmy. Jimmy Eat World opened for Green Day during their "American Idiot" tour. Seems that Tre Cool, the drummer for Green Day, took a shine for me during the after-party. We ended up sitting on a couch together, talking for about 2 1/2 hours. I'll never forget it. He even gave me his cell number!

[Taverner]

22. Hmmmm, I've met Ozzy, Herbert Lom and Kip Winger among others

Ozzy made no sense. I couldn't understand a word he said. And this was during the late 80's, when he hadn't fallen off the wagon yet (again.)

Kip Winger is surprisingly cool, just don't mention Beavis and Butthead (he blames Mike Judge for killing his career.)

[jobycom]

11. I used to work for Ralph Yarborough.

Former Senator from Texas. Populist. Wonderful man. Wellstone would have loved him. He voted for Civil Rights every chance he got, and voted against the Viet Nam war every chance he got. Defeated George HW Bush for the Senate. Pissed off John Wayne, who took time off pimping the VN War to campaign against Ralph for Bush. Ralph won.

He was a heartbeat away from becoming a heartbeat away from the presidency. John F Kennedy, whom Ralph considered a good friend, had narrowed the VP choice to him and Johnson. There are at least two stories about what happened. The official story is that Kennedy wanted Yarborough, but offered the spot to LBJ to appease his supporters, expecting LBJ to turn him down. Instead, LBJ, an infamous rival of Yarborough's, got wind that Ralph would be the choice and took the spot just to snub Yarborough. Ralph tells the story differently. According to him, JFK wanted LBJ, and so he and Yarborough plotted to get LBJ. They leaked the story that Ralph would be the pick, and that LBJ was expected to refuse the job, knowing that LBJ would take it under those circumstances.

However, I'm not sure either story is complete. JFK was a brilliant manipulator, and often told different groups completely contradictory stories to influence them. I half suspect that JFK was covering all bases--trying to get LBJ on the ticket, but also trying to make Yarborough feel like a conspirator, rather than a second choice, in case LBJ turned him down. I have no evidence, just a suspicion.

In any case, when JFK was shot, Yarborough was seated next to LBJ, two cars behind him. He would tear up thirty years later when talking about it, and he rarely would talk about it. He often got upset that people wanted to talk about the assassination more than JFK's work and accomplishments.

I worked for him in the early 90s, as a part-time office researcher and assistant. Even at 90, Yarborough had a knack for making you feel good. Every time I went to his house, I left smiling, no matter how I felt when I entered. It was more than his interesting stories, there was just something about him that made you happy to be around him.

Smiling Ralph, they called him. One of a kind.

[ovidsen]

12. Wonderful story!

I was just a kid when JFK was elected, and still just a kid when he was murdered. The name Ralph Yarborough rang a bell when I first started to read your post. You've generously filled in the blank spots in my memories of a true American.

Thank you.

[FarLeftRage]

13. Ozzie Osbourne...

It was 1978, my friends and I secured backstage passes to the Blue Oyster Cult/Black Sabbath tour known as the "Black and Blue" tour. We got them, because Buck Dharma's (Donald Roeser) cousins were in our group of friends. After talking with Buck and the boys, Ozzie called me over and started shooting the shit with me like we were old friends or something. He was slightly sober and fairly intelligent to talk to. We discussed the future of metal and he said there were two bands to watch for... Def Leppard and Iron Maiden. And then the show was on and both groups gave the crowd their money's worth...

[ovidsen]

14. Ozzie was damn prescient about Def Leppard.

And Def Leppard was damn prescient about John Kongos, a South African musician now living in Arizona. I posted a "check this guy out" on Kongos a couple of days ago, but it didn't get much attention. But if you're curious, click below.

John Kongos

Def Leppard actually covered one of Kongos' almost hits. Here it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSWiKgWK2FE&feature=related

[ghostsofgiants]

15. Some obscure bands, and a few politicians.

These guys:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAutUObokCM

These guys:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ45UNanMhE

And Jean Chretien (former prime minister of Canada) and Brian Tobin (former premier--like a governor--of Newfoundland).

[Roon]

16. I met Meatloaf once..

We just watched him in concert. After the show we seeked refuge in a Hotel downtown because it was so cold. The bellman told us that Meatloaf was staying there. About ten minutes later he came walking down the hallway! It was pretty cool to chat with him for a sec.

Did you know that Meatloaf is a republican?

[no name no slogan]

30. Does he prefer to be addressed as Mr. Loaf, or just "Meat"?

I've always wondered that

This is the DU member formerly known as Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad.

[Roon]

34. I am not sure

lol

[LibDemAlways]

35. I have a friend who owns a DC robocall company. He had

taken his son to see Meatloaf at an outdoor concert and didn't get up when Meatloaf urged the crowd to its feet. Meat must have been in a bad mood because he came down from the stage and confronted him, telling him personally to get up. My friend wouldn't do it and was afraid for a minute that Meat was going to take a swing at him, but he just tossed a few choice cuss words and continued with the show.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

17. I peed on Joey Ramone's shoes in CBGB's

no shit

[ovidsen]

18. Okay! You win.

You can't get more up close and personal then aiming a whiz at a "celebrity's' shoes.

I mean, that has to top everything on this thread. You can't make up shit like that.:crazy:

[Tommy_Carcetti]

19. Well I guess now I can say I met the Vice President...

...although it was rather fleeting. He was giving the headline speech at the JJ Dinner, I had to go out to use the restroom or make a phone call, he had his handlers walking him in, and I said, "Good evening, Senator. It's good to see you." And he replied, "Good to see you too." And that was about it. But hey, it's something.

I have met Janet Reno, twice. We talked about our favorite springs in Florida, and we both agreed on Ichetucknee Springs.

I've met in fleeting/shook hands with:

John Edwards (on the campaign trail in 2004)
Howard Dean
Bob Graham
Bill Nelson
Robert Wexler
Evan Bayh (we had a short conversation)
Numerous Florida state politicians, including former Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth (who I'm somewhat acquainted with)

When I was younger, I met Steny Hoyer when I went to an event with my dad. He actually sat at our same table.

Non-politically, not a whole lot of famous people really. I have met my favorite novelist Carl Hiaasen, and he actually used some material I did for one of his newspaper columns, which was pretty cool.

I actually never met Tom Clancy himself, but I did know his son, who is actually a nice guy believe it or not. Definetly didn't want to use his dad's celebrity status, just wanted to be treated like a regular kid.

I didn't met him, but I did once see Pete Rose at my local Sports Authority just walking around, shopping. I didn't dare go up to him though.

Oh, on edit: I did more or less meet both Bill Moyers and Jane Goodall when they came to speak at my school.

I didn't talk to him per se, but Adam Sandler filmed a movie at my school and was talking up close and personal to a group of us. He was standing right in front of me, so that was cool.

[Ptah]

21. Edgar Bergen 1962

He came to a nearby farm to shop for steam tractors or engines.

[begin_within]

23. My Dad met Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart, and

his parents had Gloria Steinem come over to dinner at their house, and my other grandparents knew General Smedley Butler. My dad's parents were long-time members of the National Geographic Society and went to all their monthly luncheons in Washington. One time my grandfather was sick so my grandmother took my Dad to it. He was 13 or 14. The guest speaker was Amelia Earhart, and when it was over, my Dad and his Mom were walking through the hallways and came upon Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart having a conversation. My grandmother introduced him to them, and they had a polite conversation for about 5 minutes. Oh yeah, almost forgot, my sister dated Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar) when she was at UCLA in the late 1960s. Sadly, I never got to meet any of these famous people myself.

[av8rdave]

24. Deborah Coleman

The blues musician (one of my favorites), in O'Neill's Pub in Chicago. Had her to myself for about 45 minutes before her boyfriend arrived.

Gave a simulator ride to Bo Swenson (from the original "Walking Tall" movies).

Met several TV/movie/political people over the years on flights I've worked (all brief meetings):

Tip O'Niell
Newt Gingrich (didn't talk to it)
Howard Dean
Sandra Day O'Conner
Michael Caine
Richard Tyson
Danny Glover
Richard Simmons
John Ratzenberger
Bo Jackson
Emmit Smith
Deion Sanders
Terry Bradshaw
Evander Holyfield
The Orange County Chopper guys

Probably a bunch of others I can't remember.

[Bombero1956]

25. Ronan Tynan

I was working a concert for the Three Irish Tenors a few years ago. I was stationed near his dressing room and during intermission he chatted with me. He told me he liked the area and really like the venue. After the show he gave me the potted plant in his dressing room. It was four leaf clovers too. I also helped Tom Scholz from the band Boston get spare parts for a device he called a doubler before a concert.

[lazyriver]

26. A weird list of not incredibly famous people...

NJ Governor John Corzine a couple times a week for a month or so when he was running for US Senate and opened his campaign office in the building where I worked...he bought me coffee once. Olympia Snowe when she visited the company where I used to work here in Maine. Warren Haynes and Gov't Mule before and after a couple shows...actually hung out with the band on their bus once. Butch Trucks on the street in NYC after an Allman Brothers Band show at the Beacon, Derek Trucks several times before he joined the ABB - before during and after shows at the now closed Stanhope House in NJ...actually helped set up for his band one night. Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane/Starship at the Stanhope House during and after his set. George Thorogood and Johnny Winter during a charity softball game they used to stage during one of their tours together (I thought George was an asshole but Johnny was really cool). Artie Lange when he finished shooting the first season of "Norm". He had returned to NYC to see the Allman Brothers at the Beacon and ended up buying drinks for everyone at the Dublin Pub on the Upper West Side for several hours before the show. Artie remains the funniest person I have ever met. Oh and a couple weeks ago I met Tyler Florence from the Food Network and a few members of Kool & the Gang at a trade show in Atlanta.

[MineralMan]

27. Back in 1964, I was driving in Big Sur on the way to Monterey,

and my car broke down. I hiked down a long driveway and knocked on a door. Kim Novak answered the door and let me use her phone to call someone to come get me. Then I left and waited in my car.

[SoxFan]

28. Too many political, not enough show biz

Music

Steve Earle- Met after a show a few years ago
Jeff Sullivan, drummer for Drivin' n' Cryin'
The Sidewinders- had a beer with them when they were touring with Concrete Blonde
Assorted members of Rubyhorse

That's about it for major label performers

I know Patricia Clarkson's mother; she was a guest at our wedding.

Political stars would probably take forever to list, but here goes:

Presidents:
Barack Obama
Bill Clinton

Vice Presidents:
Joe Biden
Al Gore

US Senators:
Jeanne Shaheen
John Durkin
John Sununu
Bob Smith
Paul Tsongas
John Kerry
Blanche Lincoln
Mark Pryor
mary Landrieu
Joe Lieberman
Chris Dodd
Bob Graham

Governors:
John Lynch
Jack Markell
Craig Benson
Hugh Gallen
Bill Richardson
Bruce Babbitt
Janet Napolitano

[Rhythm]

29. The 'short list'... i've 'met' a lot of people in passing, but these i got to spend some time with

Glenn Danzig & Eerie Von - Through a good friend, i knew all of the members of the band Danzig, but spent the most time with those two. Glenn even once sang my daughter to sleep on the bus (she was 3 1/2).

Jesse James - pre-West Coast Choppers, when he worked for Danzig's security crew.

Marilyn Manson - had dinner with him and Twiggy when they were on their last 'club tour' before they started playing bigger venues

Henry Rollins (Black Flag's guitarist was a friend of a friend) - spent all night talking with him on my friend's porch in May '85

Rob Zombie - comic book shopping in Sacramento. while White Zombie was opening for Danzig.

Jani Lane (singer of Warrant) - we're both tattooed by John Rainey Jr, who introduced us at an after-show party in Charlotte while warrant was on the "Cherry Pie" tour.

R.E.M. - early 80's club show... helped them unload/set up at The Milestone Club in Charlotte.

Ice T - I was in LA with friends, and we were out sightseeing on Melrose. Stopped at a place called "Burger That Ate LA" to get lunch, and i literally ran into him as i was heading into the lobby to order (my friends were on the patio outside). he commented on the quality of my tattoos at the time. As i headed back outside to our table, i was shocked to see that he had selected the adjacent table (there was no one else there,. and probably a dozen tables on the patio), and was just hanging out with everyone. I bought a hat from the restaurant, and got him to autograph it; the hat now sits in a case in my younger brother's living room.

Introduced to the cast of the film "The Crow" by comic creator James O'Barr - Jim and i had met a couple of years before at a comic collector's convention, and had kept in touch through the mail. In 1994, Jim invited my family and i to the opening of his first-ever exhibition, at the Bess Cutler Gallery in NYC. We got to the gallery in the early afternoon on that Thursday, and were invited in by Jim, who was still hanging pieces and getting things ready. He insisted that we return that night, so that he could introduce us to 'the others'. We returned around 8pm to find the gallery full. Jim took us around and introduced us to his other invited guests: Michael Wincott, Bai Ling, Ernie Hudson, Tony Todd, Angel David, etc... Yep, the whole cast, minus Michael Massey (the actor unfortunate ennough to have pulled the trigger of the gun that killed Brandon Lee). The next night, Jim invited us to the theater to see the premier of the film. I don't think any of us saw it all the way through, though. Too many tears.

[hobbit709]

31. I was housemates for a while with Geoff Outlaw

He was the guy with Arlo when they got busted for littering. Met Zappa a couple of times when I worked at the Armadillo. Smoked/partied with a shitload of musicians there, ranging from Count Basie to Stevie Ray.

[Bennyboy]

32. I had dinner with Tom Hanks at a chinese buffett......

around 94. He has family in Sac and there he was, across the table from me.

I puffed a joint with Jerry garcia.

Skied one day at Squaw valley with Billy Kreutzmann of the Grateful Dead.

I tripped with Bob Weir, Ken kesey, Wavy gravy, Timothy Leary, Leftover Salmon at the Hog Farm pignic in 95.

I had a long conversaton with Gregg Allman, Dickie Betts from the Allman Brothers and Trey Anastasio from Phish at Laguna Seca.

[Critters2]

33. Delbert McClinton. He played a benefit for the VORP I was Exec Dir of.

He's a good guy. I didn't realize what a fan base he had. This concert ended up being a really big deal.

[TZ]

36. Oh l LOVE his music!

What an excellent guitar player he is!

[LibDemAlways]

37. He has a bad reputation on DU as a religious nutcase, but

Kirk Cameron used to live next door to a good friend of mine and I've met him a few times. He really comes across as a nice guy, religious views aside.

Back in the 80's I taught at the school attended by Annette Funicello's kids and met her a few times. She drove a Cadillac with steer horns on the hood.

I've "met" Al Gore and Jimmy Carter at book signings, so I guess those are the two most famous people I've been in the same room with.

[blondeatlast]

38. I shared a couple of beers with the marvelous Johnette Napolitano after

Concrete Blonde opened for X at a local club. She just thought my friend and I looked like nice people to chat with and she sat down; you could have knocked me over with a feather.

Great person and she loved opening for X.

[vard28]

39. Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter

Our next door neighbor was the Carter's preacher while they were in DC. Reverend Trentham. They invited the Carters for dinner and my folks were invited. The secret service set up their command post at our house. My grandmother and mom fixed all sorts of food to feed the agents since they were there way ahead of the visit and obviously during dinner. My mom fixed a favorite dessert of ours, frozen peppermint fudge ice cream and cool whip deal. The Carters loved it. The agents sent us a very nice thank you note afterward. Said they hadn't had anyone go to that much trouble for them. I was in high school.

I also met Don Shula, Bob Griese and a bunch of the Miami Dolphins players during the 70's. We had season tickets for the Redskins and I loved the Dolphins, so Dad would take me to the game early enough to see pre-game warm up. Everyone including Coach Shula signed autographs for me. I was a kid then too.

[kwassa]

40. A bunch of college classmates became famous

and I knew them all, it was a small school after all.

David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Tina Weymouth who later became 3/4 of the Talking Heads.

Gus Van Sant, who is a well-known film director, the most recent being "Milk"

Mary Boone, who is a very famous art dealer in New York.

Chris Van Allsburg, author of "Jumanji" and other well-known childrens books.


When I later lived in LA:
I also chatted with Robin Williams, who used to run at the same high school track as me in Los Angeles. I've seen many celebrities in LA, though I generally tried NOT to bother them. I did once escort Jenny Garth from 90210 down the aisle in a church, arm-in-arm. I met Laila Ali when she was a sullen teenager, my friend used to babysit Muhammed Ali's kids, I knew his ex-wife as well. I've seen probably a 100 or so well-known showbiz people, though I really wouldn't call it meeting them. I had a stare-down in a restaurant with Sally Fields, who I think thought she knew me. I must have reminded her of someone else ...

[foxfeet]

41. Judy Collins, Lena Horne, George Maharis,

and Daniel Von Bargen (the military school commandant from "Malcolm in the Middle"). Maybe a couple more I can't remember off the top of my head. Oh, I came nipple to nipple with Carly Simon once (long story).