Name-Dropping for Fun...

[boba]

Originally Posted by speeder

Roy Orbison sat at my desk in the showroom of Westwood Porsche in 1986 and talked to me for almost an hour while waiting to pick up his 911 from service. I swear, time stood still.

Was it his factory slant nose? If so that car just recently changed hands here in DFW with a friend brokering the deal. Car had lots of documentation and was in very good condition.

[DGriz]

Fun idea:

Mid 70's:
Met Archie Manning - then QB for the New Orleans Saints - who's family lived 5 blocks from me.
Met Angelo Dundee (Mohammed Ali's manager/promoter) in an airport lounge
Had a Coke with Walter Cronkite on Martha's Vineyard (others had cocktails)

Early 80's:
Met Manute Bol, who was working out with a trainer at my high school gym.
Coached Cooper, Peyton, and Eli Manning at various local kids sports camps (yes, I can take huge credit for their athletic prowess haha)

Later 80's:
Met Mike Mills of REM twice - once on Mud Island in Memphis and also in New Orleans
Flirted really unsuccessfully with ESPN commentator Erin Andrews.

Early 90's to mid 90's:
Cheered the Manning boys in football
Met Ashley Judd (pal of a UK pal) at a party.
Hung out at Kingsway studios with Dan Lanois (Canadian music producer), and via him was introduced to Sarah McLachlan
Met but did not dare flirt with then supermodel Helena Christianson in Harbour Island, Bahamas
Peyton Manning starts to become a big big deal...Eli, not yet.

Later 90's to date:
Brother in Law TJ Miller voices part of "How to Train your Dragon" so we get to attend the VIP tent of the premier and meet Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrara, and Jeffery Katzenberg.

Most recently: Invited to Broncos training camp VIP tent with my sons by now QB Peyton Manning.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by boba

Was it his factory slant nose? If so that car just recently changed hands here in DFW with a friend brokering the deal. Car had lots of documentation and was in very good condition.

He was driving a black turbo look cab, if memory serves. I only saw his car as he was driving out in it, no way I was going to stand up from my desk and let the visit end prematurely. I would have probably pissed in my pants before getting up to use the can.

I've actually had a weird Zelig-like life and met lots of illustrious people. I met George Harrison and got to talk to him for a while after a screening of a film he produced in about 1989, at the old DGA building on Sunset. He could not have been nicer, I was working for my friend who produced small events like that screening and that's why I was there.

[kiwiokie]

First year of F1 at Indy took the wife and paid some outrageous amount for a room at a Red Roof Inn. Had heard the teams stayed at the Omni downtown so we set the alarm clock for 5:30am Sunday morning of the race to have breakfast there as I really wanted the autograph of Michael Schumacher. Got to the hotel and found it was only 4am - someone had messed with time on the alarm clock in the motel. Sat in the lobby waiting for the restaurant to open at 6am. Saw some drunken guys come in with their hookers. BMW engine techs were first down. Smoked cigarettes in the lobby - very Euro. Bridgestone techs were next with their aluminium instrument brief cases. Restaurant finally opened and we had breakfast. Williams, Ferrari and Jordan people all around but no Schumacher. Paid the bill and was walking out of the restaurant and almost walked over Heinz Harald Frenzen. He is built like a jockey. Said "good morning", he reciprocated and we left. Yes I know I have lived a quiet life :-)

[Geneman]

Nixon in 1972 in the WH situation room and rose garden with Haldeman, Ehrlichman and the chief fixer Chuck Coulson in attendance

George HW Bush. in his library in Texas talked fly fishing for an hour..very sincere guy.

HUNTER S THOMPSON. at that cheesy bar he liked in woody creek right outside of aspen (name anyone?) v smart guy when not wasted,...

James Watson nobel prize winning discover of dna structure. personal friend... dinner and fund raising event with him many many times.

Paul Newman and Joan : lived in my hometown in CT ...spoke cars with him many times entirely approachable on the street v nice guy.

[pavulon]

When i was 21, I had an airline attendant move me into 1st class seating. Didn't really occur to me that it had happened until years later...just thought they had some reason to move me and that the seats were really big! I'd imagine that there was someone important sitting up there.

[ChemMan]

Originally Posted by Geneman

James Watson nobel prize winning discover of dna structure. personal friend... dinner and fund raising event with him many many times.

One of the people I would have like to meet in my lifetime. Linus Pauling was another. I remember the day he passed away. There was a small memorial set up for him at the Chem Building at Michigan State.

[speeder]

In 1991, Iman and David Bowie were living in the apartment next to my GF's at the time. My GF and Iman knew each other from the old days although I would not call them friends. More like "frenemies". I basically lived there although I had my own place up the canyon. David and I became good friends, actually at his behest and not with the blessing of my GF, who thought he was gay. (He most definitely is not). He bought a concours Series 2 XKE roadster in BRG while we were hanging out, he found it in San Francisco and had it shipped down to L.A.

One night they had a small cocktail party and invited us. The guests were Tim Curry, Little Richard, Luther Vandross, Bob Rafelson and a few other civilians, including me. David spent the lion's share of the party talking to me and the other nobodies. He was that kind of English gentleman, he could not tolerate anyone being in his home and not feeling 100% welcome and appreciated. I've lost touch with him but I'll always cherish the friendship for as long as it lasted.

We also went to an Oscar viewing party the same year at Dodi Fayed's house in Beverly Hills. Kareem was there as well as Tom Cruise and a boatload of other Hollywood people. Dodi was a complete prick to me, he had no time for anyone who was not famous or a really hot chick. Kareem could not have been nicer, what a great guy.

That's more than enough of this for me, I've never thought that it's a good idea and not sure why I'm doing it(?)

[A930Rocket]

Seems we are from the same town. I lived there 13 years and went through the school system there. Went to Staples and lived on Marion Road.

It was at Kleins on main street that I saw Paul Newman

Originally Posted by Geneman

Paul Newman and Joan : lived in my hometown in CT ...spoke cars with him many times entirely approachable on the street v nice guy.

[johnco]

well I did have this little incident at the New Orleans Hilton when Rick James and two huge body guards came sat at my table , got all obnoxious and beligerent after a while trying to run me off from the table I had been sitting at all afternoon. it was getting pretty intense before the manager and a couple security guards came over and escorted him to his room. one night after after a Elvin Bishop concert we were sitting at a college bar having a usual night of drunken bebauchery when Elvin and his band walk in, hit the stage and played a few of his then hit songs. after they got off the stage, Elvin and Micky Thomas walk over to our table and ask me if they can join us because, in his words, we looked like some partying MF's and had all the good looking women. we drank until daylight.. very nice guy, he ain't good looking but sure can play! I once got drunk under the table (or so he claims) by the famous world traveler big shot hollywood movie consultant Mr. Hugh Rose. he ain't good looking but sure can drink. lol

[Don Ro]

"That's more than enough of this for me, I've never thought that it's a good idea and not sure why I'm doing it(?)"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Because 150 posts and almost 5,000 views says that we like it, silly boy.
.
.
Amazing stories, all!!!

[Don Ro]

DGriz: "Flirted really unsuccessfully with ESPN commentator Erin Andrews."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Best one-liner so far.

[Don Plumley]

Originally Posted by speeder

I've met Jack Olsen.

And I've met Tyson Schmidt! (And he's turned a wrench on my car and dropped his engine in my garage)

[speeder]

Tyson Schmidt, that's a good sighting.

[genrex]

Man, what a thread! I would love to talk with Kareem sometime. I've been a huge fan since his Milwaukee days...

My stories are mild compared to the stories here. Neil Diamond and his entourage came to my apartment after a show in Omaha in 1979; his roadies wanted to see my friend's Sportster that was in the living room. My friend's girlfriend was thrilled, and had her picture taken with Neil. Then Neil and his gang went to the most expensive steak house in town, but we weren't invited.

In 1974, saw Dick Van Dyke smoking a cigarette during a break in filming outside of Niagara Falls NY. I yelled "Hi, Dick!" and waved hello like a dork, and he waved back to me. So I got that going for me.

__

[Don Ro]

"I yelled "Hi, Dick!" and waved hello like a dork, and he waved back to me. So I got that going for me. "
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now that's the spirit of the thread.
Waving like a dork.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by genrex

Man, what a thread! I would love to talk with Kareem sometime. I've been a huge fan since his Milwaukee days...

My stories are mild compared to the stories here.

Kareem was amazing...I'm always impressed when someone so rich and famous is nice to a regular person like me, actually having a conversation, etc... I think I told him that I did not know anyone at the party and he said, "me too!"...but I think he was fibbing just to make me feel not alone. Really nice and sensitive people are like that.

I think that meeting a lot of famous people is just a function of where I live, (Los Angeles). I have friends who went on tour with the Rolling Stones when they were kids because their parents were their friends, etc...flew in the plane with the lips on it. That would be a story to tell.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by speeder

.... Really nice and sensitive people are like that.

I think that meeting a lot of famous people is just a function of where I live, (Los Angeles). I have friends who went on tour with the Rolling Stones when they were kids because their parents were their friends, etc...flew in the plane with the lips on it. That would be a story to tell.

Was entering our little airport at 6ish am many years ago, and Richard Petty had stopped to accommodate an older couple who were getting their picture taken with him...I just kept walking to the gate. Further down came across Kyle looking back and good naturedly giving his dad grief: "Hurry up old man" . Met lots of blues singers along the way...almost met the Stones. Well, their limo almost ran me over as I was leaving the Voodoo Lounge show in Raleigh as fireworks were literally raining down on our heads....

[intakexhaust]

Originally Posted by speeder

That's more than enough of this for me, I've never thought that it's a good idea and not sure why I'm doing it(?)

Denis - Fun read, politely said and can relate.

I prefer to be a bit reserved on name dropping here too, only out of respect. Looking back, the weird thing is how when you end up at a function, meeting, partying with the 'A' list and you know whats not to be talked of. Some of the silly moments was when I fixed an NFL QB up for a one-nighter. Another time was some private track time in formula Ford's and SCCA spec racers with a few of these guy's that WERE NOT permitted to do while under contract. Nobody knew and I'm not naming here... ha.

[intakexhaust]

Last blab from me on this...
Believe it or not, there are some most genuine nicest players in the NBA. Out of nowhere on a Sunday AM, I had a call from so unnamed player for 4, yes FOUR floor seats at a Knicks, Bulls final that afternoon. Crazy nice and just had to find 3 others to drop everything and show up. Cheers