Closest You've Been To Famous Person

I got Darryl Dawkins' autograph when he came into the store I where I was working at the time. He was currently the starting center for the Philadelphia 76ers, and was tall, big, strong -- sort of exactly like a guy you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley -- and had a contagious smile and was very friendly with everyone who approached him. (Also known as "Chocolate Thunder", he was one of the main reasons the NBA came up with the collapsible rims, so that he wouldn't shatter so many backboards.)

I once answered a question for Joe Theisman: I was in the Miami U. marching band, getting ready to go on field for the halftime show at a Washington Redskins vs. Cincinnati Bengals game. As the teams were coming off the field, Theisman looked in my general direction and asked, "You guys from Miami?". I rather tersely yelled, "Yeah!". He said, "You guys have a good team this year," which we did: we won the Tangerine Bowl that December. (I think this was before he became the starting quarterback for the Redskins, so he wasn't as famous then as he later became.)

Ellen Degeneres (before she was famous) and Robert Klein at a fourth of July party we put on for the advertisers when I worked at a TV station.

Penn & Teller at a college event - we were their go-fors (not gophers) making sure their dressing room accomodations were just so and they got soda and water when they needed it.

Bill Romonowski (49rs/Broncos/etc) - went to high school with him and did a phone interview on my blog.

David Morrell - at a Backspace Conference - had a nice long conversation with him about him getting his pilots license.  

Mika Breshinski (Morning Joe) - Worked with her at the same TV station cited in the first one above before she went to national television.

Mcclain Stevens (M.A.S.H.) when I worked as a intern at a local radio station.

In all cases, I had more than a passing conversation with the person...

My first experience was REO Speedwagon I guess. My then boyfriend, now husband was part of the radio station putting on a concert in Oklahoman, years ago. I don't know if they count as famous.  It was after their initial success.

The next was when I moved to San Antonio. Mind you, I am not into many sports. I only love Tennis. Know nothing about Basketball, Baseball or football. So I moved to SA and worked at a hobby store. Some guy comes in with his kid and I help him in my department like I do anyone else. I get him to the register and some of my coworker "ladies" start screeching at me. Don't you know who that is? He is with the Spurs. Now the only spurs I knew at the time where the actual spurs I sold in the doll house miniatures.  . Told you, know nothing about those sports other than Tennis. They swarmed him, asked for autographs and all I felt was embarrassed for the guy and his kid. I can't even remember his name. 

For me they are just all people. Like anyone else.

Bruce Springsteen Charlottesville, VA in October last year. Best concert I've ever been to. Got an amazing spot in the pit and had a fantastic time. I've seen him 6 times, but that one was the best. I've also met several horror genre celebs at the few cons I've been to, like Bruce Campbell and George Romero.

Lots of concerts.. Willie Nelson, Alabama, Ingrid Michaelson, Joan Baez, Peter Paul and Mary, Ian & Sylvia (THAT was really close, very small venue), Juice Newton, indeed close enough for sweat , Tina Turner (alas, not close), Gordon Lightfoot, Big Mama Thornton (very small venue, and later at a Blues festival, larger), Don McClean, Men at work, Everly Bros, American Idol tour, so many more.  Last year at one of the Men Alive (Orange County's Gay Men's Chorus) concerts, Nicki Blonsky was featured and she came out to the lobby with all the guys to mingle and I got to talk to her.. she appreciated how short I am, though she is even shorter! (I'm 5').

Other celebs..  I've sat a couple of feet from Martina Navratilova, Monica Seles, Aranxta Sanchez' mother and dog, ran into Venus Williams in a garage and talked to her, been in an elevator with Black Eyed Peas and also Conchita Martinez.. not the same elevator or even the same city or state) , waited to get into a tennis match a foot away from Wilt Chamberlain (REALLY tall!), a couple of feet from Joan Baez at a press conference, almost knocked over by Gloria Allred at a demonstration, next table at restaurants with John Wayne and another place, Danny Thomas (John Wayne lived in the same city we did, Danny was eating there on the way to Laguna Beach, when Marlo was in a play there)..  Elisabeth Kubler-Ross (lecture and talked but didn't bring a book to sign.. she thought getting signatures was a colossal waste of her time.. actually she said she would rather have time to smoke a cigarette! 

Book signing, Mary Engelbreight, Jon Archabault (he was the fantastic illustrator for Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.. and he drew a coconut palm with his signature.. very nice guy), Ozzy Osbourne, quite a few writers of books on trauma and abuse, also labrador books, and talked to those authors.

I went to high school with Paul Le Mat who was in American Grafitti, Melvin and Howard and other movies, and Greg MacGillivray who was half of MacGillivray-Freeman (IMAX film process)

Almost forgot the Nixons!  I was working at my first job as a programmer trainee and one of the older programmers was all excited because the Nixons were all coming to the courthouse nearby (Santa Ana, CA) to register to vote and she was really hot to go over, and dragged me along.  So we were mere feet from Dick, Pat, Trisha and I think Julie was there too. Pat and Trisha were so tiny.  The other person with me got to shake his hand.  She was excited.  I was interested, but not that excited.