Brushes With Celebrities You Failed To Realize At The Time

[AdmiralMemo]

I... have a populist streak in me to the point where I don't necessarily believe "famous" people deserve to be treated any differently than common folk.

Makes me think of Jim Thorpe at the 1912 Olympics saying "Thanks, King" to the King of Sweden after the latter presented his gold medals.

True enough. I feel sort of the same way. Respect them for what they do and who they are, but they're still normal people.

Reminds me of when I was on the Music Boat 2008. It went to Key West, then down to Calica, Mexico, which is just south of Cancun. Key West had a proper port, but Calica did not, so the entire boat of about 2,000 people, at least, was funneling down to a single ramp at the bottom of the ship. I ended up next to Matthew West [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_West] when two of the lines merged. I asked him how he liked the cruise and what he thought about singing on a boat. He said it was cool and he liked it. Then, I asked him what he did in Key West. His reply? "Nothing, because the kids were acting up too much." Such a real, down-to-earth answer. :-D

Also, sliding down a waterslide with the Katinas [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Katinas] behind me, or waiting for the same plane with them at the airport really kind of humanizes people you used to simply look up to.

 

[lacktheknack]

While not really "celebrity", while I worked at a grocery store as a customer clerk/punching bag, some very forward and friendly customer told me I had an excellent work ethic, friendly disposition, and would certainly go far in life. I watched him go in mild confusion, then a guy came up in line and said "So, that was the head of Edmonton's Bioware..."

I saw spots.

Also, I was at West Edmonton Mall when Brangelina (sorry) showed up, but I made a point of avoiding the reeeeeeeally massive crowd on the other side of the mall (I didn't know why there was one).

 

[Pegghead]

A few years ago I stood for ten minutes at an airport waiting for baggage listening to some burly men behind me discuss football. Come to think of it, most of the men waiting for bags were of a large and developed stature. Huh, you'd think that would have clicked.

Half an hour later, realize the guy I had confused bags with was Beaver Goddamn Menzies and I had been standing around the entire Sea Eagles team for almost a quarter of an hour. As in, my favorite team. They're not exactly celebrities, but to miss an *entire sporting team*? Yeah, not so Ultra from the Joe.

God. Damnit.

Woah, another Manly supporter, alright!

OT: I once sat next to Molly Meldrum on a flight, I only recognized him as the guy who I used to see on tv that never took off his damn cowboy hat. My folks told me afterwards who he was and all that, ironically he didn't take his hat off during the flight.

But still, half the time when I see celebrities I know who they are and I've seen quite a few in my time.

 

[minarri]

If I didn't notice it at the time, I never will. My memory for events is terrible and even if someone were to point out a particular situation, there's a good chance I won't remember clearly enough to recall who was there.

 

[lacktheknack]

Ryan Stiles lives within 20 minutes of me. I've actually bumped into him in the grocery store. I wasn't much of a fan until recently, though.

I don't care if he's not a big celebrity, he's friggin awesome.

...ENVY.

 

[AdmiralMemo]

Ryan Stiles lives within 20 minutes of me. I've actually bumped into him in the grocery store. I wasn't much of a fan until recently, though.

I don't care if he's not a big celebrity, he's friggin awesome.

Heh... I'd be honored to meet him.

Yeah... I really don't care if your thing is not a "big" celebrity. It could be the anchor of the news station in your town that you grew up watching since you were little, but no one outside your town knows them. It would still have an impact on you, and that's kind of what I was looking for.

 

[brainfreeze215]

I was in my favorite fish & chips joint in London, and while I was using the restroom, Oasis came in and got take out. I saw them leave. I'm not too broken up about it. Never really was an oasis fan.

In non-near misses, I've performed for Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, I saw Carlos Santana in Cheesecake Factory, and best of all... I used to do gymnastics training with Ray Park. He used the same gymnasium that I did when I lived in London. Dude's a beast.

 

[scorptatious]

One time I was at a News Station with my family as were having our dogs participate in a mock chihuahua race (remember this for later). While we were in the waiting room, George Lopez walked in and we talked with him for a while. I knew he looked familiar, but I did not remember where or when I saw him. A little later, I saw him on TV and realize he was that comedian I heard so much about from some people.

At least a few years later, I found out he played as one of the chihuahuas in "Beverly Hill Chihuahua". Really strange coincidence considering where I met him at.

 

[GrimTuesday]

I was in the car when my mom almost ran over Mel Gibson, he owns a house near me. I had no idea it was him til later but now I wish she had gunned it, it would have been his own damn fault anyway, he ran out in front of us at a light. Crosswalks don't give you the right of way if you don't have the walk sign.

 

[Kajt]

I live in the middle of freakin' nowhere, so... no. Not hasn't happened to me at all.

Pretty much what you said.

Still hasn't happened to me. Middle of nowhere for the win.

[sub]Also, why the hell did I write "Not hasn't happened to me at all"? What the fuck?[/sub]

 

[fozzy360]

I ran into Adam Sessler three times over the course of one day at ComicCon this year. Once when I was walking down the streets with my brother and my buddy; then again on the show floor near the Sideshow Collectibles booth; then finally at a restaurant. At this restaurant, my brother, my friend, and me were all by ourselves when in walks Sessler and Cliffy B. to discuss either Gears 3 or Bulletstorm (most likely Gears). Why I never said hello will remain a mystery to me until I pass from this world.

 

[Valksy]

And, actually, I've also seen Lucy Lawless (Xena).

I hate you... (of course, I don't actually hate you).

Ahem...

I was once at a trek con and had splashed out for the expensive hotel and got in the lift with someone...who looked a my T-shirt/communicator/geek-a-rama stuff and kept smiling at me in an encouraging way. To this day I have no idea who she was... (I have a horrible feeling that I would /facepalm myself in to a coma if I ever found out)

Nana Visitor stood me up once for a dinner (OK me and a couple of other winners).

I have met Chris Barrie (Rimmer from Red Dwarf), Kenny Baker, Jools Holland (TV bloke) each a number of times but that was all in the line of work and I felt it was inappropriate to do anything but my job.

I once had to apologise profusely to sci fi actress Claudia Christian because my brother had asked her to sign her Playboy centre fold (she was a trooper and did it without batting an eyelid), and then stood there blowing on the ink to dry it before he shut the magazine (please please stop blowing on a photo of this nice woman's pussy you idiot!). I Gibbs-slapped him for that one.

 

[Aggressor and Usurper]

Now, I'm not exactly sure, but I'm almost positive I saw Brann Dailor, the drummer from Mastodon, in Dublin at some point-I think it was last year when Mastodon were in Ireland supporting Metallica. Me being the shy person I am (well...on occasion) I didn't go up and say o hai. I may have missed a chance to meet one of my heroes. D:

 

[icame]

Kurt russel was at our cottage's town down by the lake. Everyone was there...except me.

I had stayed up late finishing some work on a shed so i was asleep. Learning that i missed the chance to see one of my favorite movie stars felt like a punch to the gut

 

[Zap Rowsdower]

I've met two of my local news meteorologists. Does that count?

 

[The Cookie Cruncher]

I met Beefcake the Mighty without even knowing it.

I stood in line to get into a really small bar to see GWAR (it was a one off show that my friends and I were lucky enough to get into). After a little while a big guy walks up to us and talks to us for a while. We even talked to this guy once we were in the bar. It wasn't until the show began that we all realized that we had been talking to Beefcake the Mighty. It was pretty cool and we got to hang out the the whole band afterward. Night of my life.

Well I envy you. I would love to go to a GWAR show and then hangout with the band.

OT:Well I met Bruce Dickinson in the international Airport here in Iceland. I wasn't really into Iron Maiden then, but I knew who he was, and I got his autograph, and talk to him for a little while. It must have been kinda strange for him, because I was 10 year old girl who was speaking very good English, and a semi-fan of Iron Maiden.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

I met the lead singer of Alestorm regularly (he lives in Bristol) for months, and only realised who he was when me and friends met him at a Testament gig and they recognised him. I have my 'special' moments.

 

[Hiraeth]

I went to the opening night of a play here once with a friend, and we were sitting, waiting for it to start, when someone walking along the row behind me hits me in the head with their jacket. I make some kind of annoyed noise, and turn to my friend to complain, and she tells me it was Geoffrey freaking Rush. During the interval I really wanted to go find him and say hi, but I was too shy. I'm such a huge fan of him too, the guy is awesome.

 

[Sarah Kerrigan]

When I was on the vacation I was on the same cruise as Yahtzee.

Basically, I passed the guy a few times on my way to the teen bar and I didn't know it was him. I think I bumped into him once. I went to the computer lounge once to watch ZP and still didn't think about it.

I didn't see him alot cause I read he stayed on the boat most of the time while my parents dragged me to go on dumb tours around the small countries.

I didn't find out till he posted pictures of the cruise on Twitter. They looked familiar then I looked at mine.

I had no idea the whole week. >.>

Then again, I didn't wanna seem like a douche and annoy him on his vacation. That wouldn't have been nice. :/