Meeting Celebrities

Ginjafro

Have you ever met a celebrity and what did you say and do, or were just merely star struck?

I'll kick of with a couple:

Last week Lenny Henry sat next to me at the Cinema in Plymouth, to watch "Cowboys & Aliens". He actually jumped out of his skin during some "scary" moments which was funny. It was definitely him 'cause he said "Yes, I am Lenny Henry" when I asked him at the end of the film. I shook his hand and that was cool. What was not cool was when my wife got very excited, declared her love for him and tried to jump on top of him ! At that point he seemed more scared of her than any aliens....

Yesterday I met a "celebrity" at a supermarket near Plymouth. Some of you may have heard about him but if you haven't check him out. This man is an American called "The Scary Guy" - The new face of love. This man is something else and stands out in a crowd and what a cool friendly dude he is too. I refuse to be star struck so said hello to him and we talked for a while at the checkout. When I was walking over to the car park he was a passenger in a car that was leaving. He stuck his head out of the window and bellowed, "Yeah, love and peace man!" Brilliant, he made my day.




http://www.thescaryguy.com/

I said a couple but I've got to mention a cycling celebrity. Three or four years ago, I was coming in on the last lap at the Bontrager 24/12 event at Newnham Park, Plymouth. After cycling on and off for 24 hours I was fairly knackered and delirious so not quite with it. Anyway approaching the finish line just after the 24 hours lots of people clapping and cheering, awsome. However, right on the line I could see on my approach what looked to be some random, scruffy, shambolic drunk giving High 5s to the finishers, which I happily responded. It turned out it wasn't a drunk at all but Keith Bontrager himself....another lovely bloke and celebrity, I suppose.

tim_wand

To me Paul Weller is God. (even if I do always get him and Bradley Wiggins confused)

Many Many years ago I was at Camden Market when he and his then somewhat less famous wife (D.C Lee) stood next to me at a stall. I turns to them both and says

"Really really sorry to disturb you but arent you D.C Lee?"

She replies "No im Mrs Paul Weller"

CrackFox

I was a huge fan of Jethro Tull when I was younger.

One time I spotted the lead singer Ian Anderson in a newsagents shop near Preston railway station. Star-struck, I asked him what he was doing in Preston. He replied that he'd come down for his aunt's funeral the day before.

"Wow, yeah", I said, still grinning gormlessly, "that's cool."

20 years later and I'm still cringing about it.

Graculus

When I worked at the British Museum I had lunch with David Attenborough, who was lovely. I also sat next to Placido Domingo in a restaurant.

Tomorrow I am hoping to meet Cav at Exmouth

BigG67

As part of my job I've met quite a few and on the whole they are much like "normal" folk. Mostly nice and a couple of knobs.

The coolest for me was Alan Shepard who was the guy who hit a golf ball on the moon. One of the nicest is Gavin Hastings who has a rediculous ability with names. I see him 2 or 3 times a year and not only does he always remember my name but also my wife's who he's met maybe twice.

BigG67

Had lunch with Franz Klammer once, he was nice. He's a roadie and when we got to what do you ride it turns out he has a hand made Pinarello 'cos he's, you know, Franz Klammer; so is pals with the guys at Pinarello.

verylonglegs

I saw Tony Adams in a restaurant in Antibes, 2000 was the year I think, he was with his kids and what I assume was their nanny. I then found myself behind him in the queue for the same Easyjet flight home from Nice airport at the end of the week, he must have like the £60 return fare as well. Didn’t feel the need to speak to him on either occasion though as I suspect I would have made myself look stupid. I also saw Steve Mcmanaman, Marc Overmars and David Dein walking around the area that week too, on their own separate holidays that is…so doesn’t really count as a meet. I remember being surprised at just how small and slight Marc Overmars was.

MaxwellBygraves

BigG67 wrote:

and a couple of knobs.

Come on then, dish the dirt......

Keith1983

I've met a couple at airports.

Surprisingly Nigel Mansell was rather unpleasant and rude and Joanna Lumley was really nice and chatty!

bluechair84

Stumbled in here from the MB forums, thought I'd say hello!
Took an ex to see the horse whisperer (he doens't whisper to them at all). He did an amazing show (with horses) and sat to sign autographs after. She was a massive equestrian and would have slept with this bloke old enough to be her great grandfather, such was her admiration. I convinced her not to rush to join the queue but to go at the end. Sure enough, we (me) were able to get chatting to him. After I'd congrautlated him about a great show, I mentioned I wasn't the real fan, but my partner was; and introduced this shy awestruck girl beside me realising she needed encouragement to talk to 'God'. She burst out into hysterics, shaking and stumbling her words. Old Monty and I looked at one another and back to her... and she legged it.

Afterwards, Monty's photographer took a few snaps, we chatted to some of his crew and left the gig early in the morning. She never saw him again.

bianchimoon

every year a client has a track day and a motoring 'celeb' is always provided in the past we've had James May, Vicki Butler Henderson, Suzi Perry and last time the 'real' stig who was beaten by quiet a few of us normal folk on the kart track (not a happy bunny).
Bumped into Noel Edmunds once in Grasmere he's tiny only came up to my knees and last new year bumped into Charlie Boorman at a macdonalds on the A1 on his way to scotland. Without exception all of these have been pleasant normal guys especially the gurls who were really friendly

BigG67

MaxwellBygraves wrote:

BigG67 wrote:

and a couple of knobs.

Come on then, dish the dirt......

Hmmm, no names but one who was by coincidence on a flight with me back from Florida. I was in club (company was paying) and he was in premium economy, I can only assume because the flight was full.

As we came into land there was the usual que for the loos and I saw him standing arguing with a flight attendant about why he couldn't get into the club area and use those toilets. Not that bad but he did use the oft claimed and seldom heard line of "don't you know how I am!" She didn't and wouldn't let him in. I'd dealt with him before and he was a tool then as well - not quite living up to the family man rep he projects.

BigG67

Oh and I shook hands with George W Bush.....he's a knob.

ollyridesfirst

They are just normal people who do a job that is highlighted by the media. I can honestly say i've never been starstruck by anyone.....and i'd never even think of going up to someone in a restaurant who was having dinner with their wife/kids etc and bothering them. I'd hate it to happen to me if i was in their position.

The nicest "celeb" i've met, and rather surprisingly at the time, was Sir Alex Ferguson. I was totally taken aback by how polite he was and how much time he took to just have a general chat. Nothing in particular, but he left the conversation quoting poetry.....It just shows that what you see on the tellybox isn't always what they are like! And i don't even like Man Utd lol

Ben6899

See quite a lot going about their business in London. Never bothered mithering any of them though; that would be annoying. Anyone wanting suggestions on where to spot them... start with Wholefoods Market in Soho at lunchtime.

Eric Cartman

Sorry but most of these are pretty shitty celebrities

Ive not met any proper ones yet but my ex was the continuity voice on a satellite tv channel...what fame that is!

(although I believe she is now doing some minor presenting work on regional tv so maybe one day i'll be able to sell my story about how i dated a celebrity )

shm_uk

They are just normal people who do a job that is highlighted by the media. I can honestly say i've never been starstruck by anyone

This.

'Celebrity' has been dumbed down to such a low level that it's meaningless.

There isn't a 'celebrity' that I consider of any importance such as to want to meet them, or bat an eyelid if I accidentally saw them out in public.

As has been highlighted by programmes such as Big Brother, I'm a Celebrity GMOOH, Strictly etc these so-called celebs are all as average as the rest of us.

squired

At the time he was living next door to me, my next door neighbour was a premiership footballer and international player. Not going to say who, but he was a really nice bloke. I remember once when my brother and I were walking to a local bar. He pulled up in his car and told us to jump in, then dropped us at the door. He was a real family man too, not just one who pretends to be when in the public eye.

In terms of random meets, I once bumped into Monty Panesar in a car park. He came across as super shy. I kept it short and just said I was looking forward to seeing him back in the England team.

I've also met a number of glamour models (Lindsay Dawn, Alicia Douval, Sammy Jessop and a couple who are big names in the industry that I can't quite think of right now) as they frequented the same bar as me and used to be in the VIP/Members room. All were friendly, although I generally just said hi as my drunken friends drooled over them.

dabber

Now I'm retired (early) I do a bit of golf caddying and as a result I've met quite a few and spent quite a bit of time in their company (4 to 5 hours or sometimes all day) so in that time you typically get to chat to them quite a bit (with the odd exception.....
Here's a few, but there are many more.

Prince Andrew - although I'm no fan, he was actually very pleasant, polite and friendly. Quite jokey and quite colourful language.

Gary Lineker - No comment... not my cup of tea

Alan Hansen - thought he would be quite dour but actually was very pleasant and again, very polite.

Peter Alliss - just the same as his commentories - chatty, jokey, extremely nice.

Tom O'Connor - one joke after another, very nice

Jimmy Tarbuck - very formal, serious, not easy to deal with but not nothing negative either

Hugh Grant - easy going, friendly. All the caddies like him.

Oh, I had lunch with Peter Ustinov at the Hotel Carlton in Cannes (6 of us on the table) - this was before I retired. Terrific company, one story after another, it's a wonder he got the chance to eat anything.

king_jeffers

Jimmy Carr - really nice guy.

verylonglegs

OllyRidesFirst wrote:

i'd never even think of going up to someone in a restaurant who was having dinner with their wife/kids etc and bothering them. I'd hate it to happen to me if i was in their position.

Pretty much what I was thinking, I would have felt a complete tool trying to manufacture a conversation for no real reason. I'm sure I’ve read a ‘celeb’ saying that being interrupted at such moments is one of the most annoying things they have to put up with too.

I have myself actually been asked if I’m someone off the TV a few times now, the first time a couple of guys approached and one had something he wanted to be autographed, I could hear the tremor in his voice as he spoke to me! The most recent a young lady asked and when I said I wasn’t him she shrugged her shoulders and said the likeness was good enough and insisted on a photo with me for her facebook anyway. Weird.

GiantMike

I met Roy Walker at a barber's shop a couple of weeks ago. Really nice guy and really down to earth.

When I was a reporter for a student newspaper (1993) I had the opportunity to interview Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis. I went to the pub instead.

Did an advert with Dave Prowse (Darth Vader and Green Cross Code man) when I was 6 (didn't have a clue what 'celebrity' was back then).

Regularly jump on Susanna Reid when she's finished doing the Breakfast show. Usually in the BBC lift for a bit more excitement.

BigG67

Eric Cartman wrote:

Sorry but most of these are pretty shitty celebrities

Ive not met any proper ones yet but my ex was the continuity voice on a satellite tv channel...what fame that is!

(although I believe she is now doing some minor presenting work on regional tv so maybe one day i'll be able to sell my story about how i dated a celebrity )

Go on then, what are good celebs?

rick_chasey

Met Paul Gascoigne when I was 8-or 9. I barely remember it, but apparently, he was a top bloke.

I remember a lot of empty glasses.

BigG67

Dabber wrote:

Now I'm retired (early) I do a bit of golf caddying and as a result I've met quite a few and spent quite a bit of time in their company (4 to 5 hours or sometimes all day) so in that time you typically get to chat to them quite a bit (with the odd exception.....
Here's a few, but there are many more.

Prince Andrew - although I'm no fan, he was actually very pleasant, polite and friendly. Quite jokey and quite colourful language.

Gary Lineker - No comment... not my cup of tea

Alan Hansen - thought he would be quite dour but actually was very pleasant and again, very polite.

Peter Alliss - just the same as his commentories - chatty, jokey, extremely nice.

Tom O'Connor - one joke after another, very nice

Jimmy Tarbuck - very formal, serious, not easy to deal with but not nothing negative either

Hugh Grant - easy going, friendly. All the caddies like him.

Oh, I had lunch with Peter Ustinov at the Hotel Carlton in Cannes (6 of us on the table) - this was before I retired. Terrific company, one story after another, it's a wonder he got the chance to eat anything.

+1 on Hugh Grant (rather bizzarely he was one of the other 3 blokes at the Franz Klammer lunch). He was really nice and actually, genuinely listened to what others were saying. We had a great conversation about natural sporting ability vs hard work and time.

mouth

Years ago i worked in a petrol station and this particular day I was minding my own whilst reading News of he World or something in between customers and then Darren Huckerby (Leeds, Forest and some other crap teams fame)starts filling up the Impreza. Couple of kids come in and start arguing with each other about who it is. When he came in to pay they decided to ask him who he was.

"excuse me mate, but are you Darren Huckerby?" asked the 12 year old.

"Yes mate, do you want my autograph?"

The reply was priceless. "Not really. Do you want mine instead?"
I actually choked on my tea and couldn't actually contain myself whilst taking his payment. He never came in again.

Also, not my story but cool nonetheless - my mate used to be a ticket collector at the local Cineworld and was one day very surprised to look up and see Steven Spielberg and George Lucas clutching two tickets and some popcorn for some crappy film. Nobody else had recognised them.

john_kline

About 20 years ago I sold Henry Cooper's house for him. Really, really nice guy. So sad when he died.

Clever Pun

I meet quite a lot of music celebs (if you can call it that)

guys from Kyuss were all really cool
Lemmy nice enough
Electric Wizard, Taz is great and an ace tattooist.
Eyehategod/Down all really solid guys
I go to football with Ben from Goblin a fair whack too.

Anyone heard of any of those

verylonglegs

Mouth wrote:

Years ago i worked in a petrol station and this particular day I was minding my own whilst reading News of he World or something in between customers and then Darren Huckerby (Leeds, Forest and some other crap teams fame)starts filling up the Impreza. Couple of kids come in and start arguing with each other about who it is. When he came in to pay they decided to ask him who he was.

"excuse me mate, but are you Darren Huckerby?" asked the 12 year old.

"Yes mate, do you want my autograph?"

The reply was priceless. "Not really. Do you want mine instead?"
I actually choked on my tea and couldn't actually contain myself whilst taking his payment. He never came in again.

Made me chuckle especially as I'd heard from an employee at one of his clubs that he was a rather arrogant character.

Ginjafro

There's been some excellent responses to celebrity spotting and its always fun to know if you or they made a fool of themselves, during an encounter.

I've just remembered one of my first "celebrity" encounters during the late 80's. After hitching round Europe for a few weeks I was on my way home across the Channel on a Hovercraft. I sat down to very shifty looking character, namely Charlie Kray, the Kray Twins older and criminally inclided brother. He was actually very polite and friendly and struck up conversation with me. He confirmed that he was indeed Charlie when I said I had recognised him from reading a book about the Twins called "A Profession of Violence". Then he seemed to be keeping out of trouble but I have now learned that he died in 2000 during a 12 year stint at Her Majesty's Pleasure for drugs!

bobtbuilder

I was lucky enough to have a beer with Dave Grohl backstage at the NME awards this year. He was really friendly and we chatted about our favourite bands & musicians. He seemed genuinely interested rather than being polite.