Did you ever have a brush with fame?

dasherHampton · Monday at 8:27 AM

Back in the 90's I got a job bartending in a night club. They would occasionally hire once popular bands to fill the house but most didn't have the original members , just gig guys.

But they did get Blue Oyster Cult to play one night (does anyone remember that band?). They brought down the house with a great set and afterwards they all came to the bar I was working. I fed those guys shots for hours and we got pretty drunk.

They told me the most incredible stories of their heyday as a headliner. Just insane stuff. They actually asked me to come with them after close but I couldn't. I remember the lead singer was really short.

What a night that was, talking to guys who've lived the rock life at a high level.

pete6032 · Monday at 9:03 AM

At one of my past jobs I was an occasional news reference and business commenter. Mostly local news publications but I did appear on appear on a couple of nationwide cable news segments.

Red Squirrel · Monday at 11:21 AM

I was on the side part of the front page of the news paper when I was like 11, if that counts.

I was playing in my room with K'nex as I was super into that as a kid and built a device that could light up a T12 bulb using only mechanical energy. One of my dad's friends who was a newspaper editor happened to be visiting and when he got wind of that he made a little story on it while he was there.

Indus · Monday at 11:26 AM

When I was in high school..

I played DM and I was good at long range shots in football (or soccer for dumb muricans). I took a free kick around the center circle and aimed for the top right corner of the goal.. I didn't expect a gust of wind that made my shot curve and go all the way across to the top left of the goal but the goalkeeper had no chance and it was a beautiful goal.

Scored 10 goals that season but that 1 free kick was the talk of the town for months at my school.. girls I had no idea of who they were like you're that kid that takes free kicks for the boys team right??

No I didn't make it professionally.

BoomerD · Monday at 11:38 AM

Fame? Nope. Infamy? Maybe.

thestrangebrew1 · Monday at 12:07 PM

Closest I've come to anything/anyone famous was when we were flying back from Cabo and had a layover in LAX for a few hours. We were waiting by our gate and Ezekiel Elliott came off a flight. Walked right in front of us.
Also, was in Seattle for a Panthers/Seahawks game and was waiting for my buddies to finish up in the restroom when Marshawn Lynch walked right past me. I didn't recognize him at first (he was already retired at this time) and he was wearing an orange jumpsuit.

DAPUNISHER · Monday at 12:25 PM

dasherHampton said:
Back in the 90's I got a job bartending in a night club. They would occasionally hire once popular bands to fill the house but most didn't have the original members , just gig guys.

But they did get Blue Oyster Cult to play one night (does anyone remember that band?). They brought down the house with a great set and afterwards they all came to the bar I was working. I fed those guys shots for hours and we got pretty drunk.

They told me the most incredible stories of their heyday as a headliner. Just insane stuff. They actually asked me to come with them after close but I couldn't. I remember the lead singer was really short.

What a night that was, talking to guys who've lived the rock life at a high level.

Yeah my buddy tells a similar story of hanging out with BOC backstage after a show about 15yrs ago. Seems like they enjoy giving fans memories to treasure.

I have a rockstar in the family. My niece married him. Reformed him from being a douche canoe. I ain't saying which band or you'll know who my niece is with a quick search. One of my sis-in-laws was a top ranked pro athlete but ain't saying which one for the same reason. I think I mentioned her name and "sport" before so there's that.

I merked a male model with a big portfolio in a full contact match, does that count? What about sparring and hanging out with world champions in kickboxing? Or Don the Dragon Wilson that made it to B moviestar status with Roger Corman. Or the time I intentionally gave Gallagher bad directions, not long after he refused to do some charity work with Robin WIlliams and other legends all infinitely funnier than his own shit stain excuse for comedy; I think it was farm aid maybe? Fuck that guy. If there is any religions hades, I hope he is smoking a turd there right now.

BoomerD · Monday at 12:33 PM

Oh hell...I thought this was about personal fame...

I hung out with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention a couple of times, "babysat" a famous drummer when he OD'd at an afterparty...(not saying who...he was pretty cool...and appreciative about not calling the cops and ambulance) partied with Justin Hayward and a couple of the Moody Blues band once, ran into Andre the Giant at SFO...tried to get an autograph for my kids...his security stopped me. " Sorry, Andre isn't in a good mood today." My reply..." If he'd win a few fights, maybe he'd be more appreciative of his fans."

Torn Mind · Monday at 1:29 PM

Derrick Mason, the WR, replied to a youtube comment years ago.

TJ Parker, who was a guitarist in Belinda Carlisle's Runaway Live concert video, replied to a youtube comment where I complimented his playing abilities. He's still alive although he sells real estate: https://www.tjparker.net/about.php

Muse · Monday at 1:35 PM

The programming director at the radio station I've DJed on since 1980 declared I was "famous!" And that was around 1982! I've interviewed a few very famous musicians on my radio show over the years.

Fame is very much overrated. I'd much rather be healthy (that's not just physical, it goes far beyond that), wealthy too. I'm actually quite healthy, AFAIK.

And there's this. I was in the same classes in grammar school with the real live human that the Ken doll was named after, being Ruth Handler's son, Ken Handler. Here's the picture of our graduation class. Ken is the tallest guy in the back row. That's me in the back row, 5 from the left side:

Oh, I forgot... I was picking up my mom and sister at LAX one day and waiting for them to emerge from the corridor after deplaning from their airliner out of New York City. I happened to look to the side and saw a single person standing alone who had evidently disembarked from a different exit. The gentleman looked straight at me, and I at him. We stood perfectly still, our mutual gaze locked. I knew I'd seen him, I very much recognized him. But who was he??? My mind was a blank, only his visage in my consciousness. He was playing a little prank on me.

Sir Alfred Hitchcock - I saw him every week on TV on Alfred Hitchcock Presents; he'd personally introduce the episode with some singularly clever, enigmatic statements.

I believe I saw him leaving the terminal in a limousine.

sdifox · Monday at 4:17 PM

Said hi to Saul Rubinek, met with Busbee (RIP), and had Shania Twain walk behind me xd

Muse · Monday at 4:39 PM

dasherHampton said:
Back in the 90's I got a job bartending in a night club. They would occasionally hire once popular bands to fill the house but most didn't have the original members , just gig guys.

But they did get Blue Oyster Cult to play one night (does anyone remember that band?). They brought down the house with a great set and afterwards they all came to the bar I was working. I fed those guys shots for hours and we got pretty drunk.

They told me the most incredible stories of their heyday as a headliner. Just insane stuff. They actually asked me to come with them after close but I couldn't. I remember the lead singer was really short.

What a night that was, talking to guys who've lived the rock life at a high level.

I've played them on my radio show a bunch of times. Great rocking band and not surprised to hear they were genuine in person off stage.

purbeast0 · Monday at 4:42 PM

When I was 4 years old I got hit by a car on my birthday and was flown to Children's Hospital down in DC for surgery and recovery.

Around Xmas, Nancy Reagan came to the hospital to visit all the kids and bring gifts. She was in a main area where all the kids went out to see her. Well I was being stubborn and did not want to go out to see her, and she heard that there was one kid who didn't want to go see her.

So she came to my hospital room and visited me personally after lol.

There was a newspaper article written about it that I still have that my mom cut out back then and put in my baby book. It doesn't mention me by name but it mentions there was one boy who wouldn't go see her so she personally went and visited him herself.

I'be also met some former Caps players at Caps games, specifically Alan Maye. He was pretty cool to chat with.

Chaotic42 · Monday at 4:45 PM

I was on a plane from San Diego to New Orleans and a very attractive woman and her family sat in front and to the side of me. I thought she looked familiar. The pilot announced we'd be waiting a minute for a passenger, and I said "Just f-ing leave him", which made her turn and glare at me.

Anyway, turns out she was Brittany Brees, Drew Brees' wife. He tried napping on the plane and some lady walked by and kissed his cheek. He nicked me in the head with his overhead bag and overall he seemed really tired and ready to go home. Fortunately for him, his kids saw a Saints merch store in the airport and ran screaming into it, which got the attention of everyone around. He sighed.

Also, the lead singer of Dream Theater tried and failed to fix my friend's camera after a concert. He got a bunch of pics of the singer's feet.

IBMJunkman · Monday at 7:35 PM

I once flew First Class from Chicago to Los Angeles. In the cabin was Michael Hasselhoff, Marcus Allen and Mr. T. Mr. T was in seat 1A. He went to sleep at wheels up and woke up at wheels down.

Oh, I also gave Dick Clark a Time magazine one time. And I have a J-card autographed by Phil Collins.

Muse · Monday at 10:02 PM

Chaotic42 said:
I was on a plane from San Diego to New Orleans and a very attractive woman and her family sat in front and to the side of me. I thought she looked familiar. The pilot announced we'd be waiting a minute for a passenger, and I said "Just f-ing leave him", which made her turn and glare at me.

Anyway, turns out she was Brittany Brees, Drew Brees' wife. He tried napping on the plane and some lady walked by and kissed his cheek. He nicked me in the head with his overhead bag and overall he seemed really tired and ready to go home. Fortunately for him, his kids saw a Saints merch store in the airport and ran screaming into it, which got the attention of everyone around. He sighed.

Also, the lead singer of Dream Theater tried and failed to fix my friend's camera after a concert. He got a bunch of pics of the singer's feet.

Was Drew playing for the Saints then? IIRC he played with the Chargers for a long time, guess they were in San Diego, moved north to become the Los Angeles Chargers. So maybe Drew's family still had a home in San Diego while he played for New Orleans.

AI Overview

The San Diego Chargers left San Diego at the end of the 2016 season and moved back to Los Angeles for the 2017 season. The team is now known as the Los Angeles Chargers.

Chaotic42 · Monday at 10:49 PM

Muse said:
Was Drew playing for the Saints then? IIRC he played with the Chargers for a long time, guess they were in San Diego, moved north to become the Los Angeles Chargers. So maybe Drew's family still had a home in San Diego while he played for New Orleans.

AI Overview

The San Diego Chargers left San Diego at the end of the 2016 season and moved back to Los Angeles for the 2017 season. The team is now known as the Los Angeles Chargers.

Yeah, I forget why they were out there. It wasn't a game, it was some sort of event, IIRC. That lady kissing him was super creepy. Would I like to actually talk to him? Sure, but he's off work with his family. Let him be.

When Drew walked in, my boss said "Do you know who that is?!" and I said, "Yeah, it's Chris Ivory (a black running back for the Saints at the time). They just make him look white for TV". I'm the funniest person I know!

Muse · Monday at 10:54 PM

Chaotic42 said:
Yeah, I forget why they were out there. It wasn't a game, it was some sort of event, IIRC. That lady kissing him was super creepy. Would I like to actually talk to him? Sure, but he's off work with his family. Let him be.

When Drew walked in, my boss said "Do you know who that is?!" and I said, "Yeah, it's Chris Ivory (a black running back for the Saints at the time). They just make him look white for TV". I'm the funniest person I know!

I knew you had quite the sense of humor!!! Kudos!

Muse · Tuesday at 12:03 AM

Oh, forgot these:

I was among a group of kids from my neighborhood, around four I guess, and we must have been around 11 years old. IIRC, it was the only time we went autograph hunting, which can be pretty fruitful when you live in West Los Angeles. We were informed (probably by a map showing celebrity residences) that Jimmy Durante lived in a modest little house in Beverly Hills on Beverly Drive. We knocked and he answered the door, shook our hands, was genuinely friendly and smiling, seemed very much the funny smiling gracious entertainer I saw on TV.

In my middle twenties I had a couple jobs driving my own car working for delivery services in Los Angeles, not concurrently. One time I delivered an envelope to Tony Bennett. It was an office building. He didn't answer the door but was sitting on his desk looking happy and secure. I handed him the envelope, he smiled and shook my hand. I made another delivery to Marlon Brando. I wrote a note on the package expressing my great love for the one movie he directed, starred in too (I have a copy of the Criterion release now): One Eyed Jacks. He did not answer the door and I didn't see him.

Oh, and another: I made a delivery to Tom Smothers. He answered the door, took one look at me and said "so Red Arrow is hiring hippies now?"

BoomerD · Tuesday at 12:27 AM

Muse said:
Oh, forgot these:

I was among a group of kids from my neighborhood, around four I guess, and we must have been around 11 years old. IIRC, it was the only time we went autograph hunting, which can be pretty fruitful when you live in West Los Angeles. We were informed (probably by a map showing celebrity residences) that Jimmy Durante lived in a modest little house in Beverly Hills on Beverly Drive. We knocked and he answered the door, shook our hands, was genuinely friendly and smiling, seemed very much the funny smiling gracious entertainer I saw on TV.

In my middle twenties I had a couple jobs driving my own car working for delivery services in Los Angeles, not concurrently. One time I delivered an envelope to Tony Bennett. It was an office building. He didn't answer the door but was sitting on his desk looking happy and secure. I handed him the envelope, he smiled and shook my hand. I made another delivery to Marlon Brando. I wrote a note on the package expressing my love for the one movie he directed (and starred in): One Eyed Jacks. He did not answer the door and I didn't see him.

Oh, and another: I made a delivery to Tom Smothers. He answered the door, took one look at me and said "so Red Arrow is hiring hippies now?"

"Yes they are, and your mom always liked Dick better."

Muse · Tuesday at 1:32 PM

BoomerD said:
"Yes they are, and your mom always liked Dick better."

CBS eventually fired them both, the bastards.

I wasn't offended, did not reply but am pretty sure I smiled. I had no idea about my employer's hiring practices, but they did hire me regardless of my appearance.

Did you ever have a brush with fame?

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