Note: This post idea stolen from Dr. Zibbs.
By now, my Michelle Williams story is legendary (what? you don't know that story? click on the link, but be prepared to totally hate her because she ruined my 17th birthday), but I've known a few other pseudo-famous people in my time. Set your feelings-o-meter to jealous.
Jacob Underwood: O-Town - The resident a-hole in the worst boyband in history, Jacob and I grew up together. We even traveled for a few months around the West Coast singing for young kids (he used to call me Mother Theresa. I can't remember why). Then he went on the OG Making the Band (the one without P. Diddy) and ensured O-Town's place in craptastic history. Now, he apparently lives in Nashville, still has white-boy dreads and is trying to make it in country music. Good luck, Jake.
Ryan Hansen: Veronica Mars - I know I am one of 50 people who watched Veronica Mars, but you all know it existed, right? Ryan played the hilarious Dick Casablancas, the comic relief of the girl-detective dramedy. I know Ryan's parents and his wife better than I know Ryan, but he still gave me a hug last time I saw him so, you know, we're tight.
Craig Slike: The Mole - I met Craig the same night I met Liz (really big night). He told me I looked like his dead aunt who once dated Desi Arnaz, so naturally, Craig is awesome.
Christopher Walken: All Things Cool and Balls of Fury - While doing the requisite white girl trip around Europe, I was leading my friends down the streets of Prague and saw Christopher Walken headed towards me. I passed him, turned around to my friends and mouthed/pointed "That's Christopher Walken!!!" My friend Monick made eye contact with him and said "Hey!" to which he replied, as only Walken can, "Why, hello." It was totally freaking awesome.
I've also met Nancy Travis, Mykelti Williamson, seen Michael Caine on the street in Chicago, Jay-Z in his Lambo in NYC and attended high school with the girl who drives the bus of hot chicks at the end of Dumb and Dumber. You are so jealous right now, you can hardly stand it.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Name Dropping
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13 comments:
You live in SoCal and that's all you got? That's kind of lame.
I have more celebrity encounters than that from just one weekend I spent in Los Angeles. Of course it helped that I went to the wrap party after a taping of Two and a Half Men, but besides meeting the cast (got to tell Jon Cryer that one of my all-time favorite shows was The Famous Teddy Z and he did a double take, made Charlie Sheen laugh when he asked if Garney was short for anything and I said Garney Johnson) I also ran into Bradley Whitford on the way out (he stopped and talked to us for a good five minutes about working with Adam Sandler on Billy Madison, the first time he met Chris Farley, and how the biggest jerk he ever worked with was Wilford "diabeetus" Brimley) and then Dennis Haskins (aka Mr Belding) at a karaoke bar where he sang Lean On Me (to which I remarked "It's funny because he's singing a song that was the title of a movie about a high school principal.")
Then the next day as I waited to eat at Roscoe's Chicken and Waffle House, I met character actor Michael Gaston (the mayor on Jericho, he's in four movies this year including W and Hurricane Season)
I also racked up a few celebrity encounters when I went to an IFP West film festival in Los Angeles five years ago. I met Mike White and Michael Polish after a screenwriters panel and then later that day Mel Brooks almost bumped into me when he and Carl Reiner went to go see the documnetary Spellbound.
And then there are just the random handshakes with celebrities after attending Q&A screenings (Kevin Spacey for The Life of David Gale, Christopher Walken for Catch Me If You Can, and writer/director Richard Kelly for Donnie Darko would be my top three).
Another favorite celebrity encounter evening would be at a dive bar on Hollywood Blvd after seeing Ween at the Wiltern. I had a drink sent to Paul Rudd who was sitting at a table right across from me (it didn't seem that gay at the time), and then having Josh Charles say hello to me outside as he left and hopped on his bike... but I couldn't remember his name and I didn't want to be the guy who went "You're Dan Rydell from Sports Night!" so I just kind of nodded.
I also got to interview Ray Liotta at the La Jolla Hilton when he was doing his press tour for No Escape.
The only time I was really starstruck though and found it difficult to speak in complete sentences was when I met Mandy Patinkin after seeing him in concert at the Civic Theater.
I have more but my comment is already longer than your blog.
G: I've already heard all those stories. Yawn!
Fine. I suck at meeting famous people, but all of these people listed actually know my name, so it's a bit more than random encounters. I am gonna update this post to include my Chris Walken encounter. So, take that!
I've interviewed David Ortiz, Nomar Garciapara, Steve Tyler and a few semi-famous politicians like Ray Nagen, the mayor of New Orleans during Kartina. I know I've seen actors and other rock stars and stuff, but I don't have them categorically filed and at the ready at a moments notice like Garney apparently does ;-)
All of you can kiss my ass. And my Michael-Gross-autographed script of Family Ties.
I'm not ashamed.
Whoa, that's rad. Michael Gorss was a WAY cooler dad than Alan Thicke.
I took a piss next to Nate Dogg one time. Never seen someone with eyes that red, lol.
Umm, I am SOOOO jealous of your Family Ties script autographed by Mr. Keaton!
Thanks for "using" my idea and crediting me. You're welcome.
I am totally jealous that you met Walken.
In New York, I've seen (but not spoken to):
Chris Robinson (Black Crowes) and Benicio del Toro - that was a random twofer. They weren't together, but stopped in the middle of crossing Broadway to say hi and shake hands and talk celeb stuff I guess.
Stella from this season of Project Runway - This was just Monday. I should've accosted her and made her tell me who won.(It's over already in real time, right?)
Catherine Zeta-Jones - Way way too briefly, but long enough for me to have a quick orgasm.
Tim Gunn
Kevin Kline
Alan Cumming
Matt Dillon, Naomi Watts, Liev Schrieber, Anthony LaPaglia, Famke Janssen, Josh Lucas - All at the Tribeca Film Festival
Random guy from American Pie, Eddie something or other
Gordon Gano
Sid McGinnis
There might be some others that I'm not remembering right now.
And, oh yes, I MET Glenn Tilbrook, Chris Difford and John Bentley from Squeeze. You may have heard me blather on about the "squeeze" I got from Glenn a time or two.
I think this makes you European royalty.
Or like the fifth member of O-Town...unless they had five members, in which case you're the sixth member, but that totally ruins the fifth Beatle joke I was lazily ambling towards. I'll blame O-Town for that, since I blame them for everything else.
Oliver Platt. How could I forget. Ha ha.
I realize you and I are relatively new to each other's blogs, Red, but you have now become my Best Friend Ever since you have a connection in Ryan Hansen that could make my dream of stalking Kristen Bell a reality.
Before this I was too lazy to actually do anything about it. Thanks for keeping the dream alive!
I once [edited] with [edited] and [edited] outside some bar in Hollywood. After [edited], it was cool and they actually invited me to [edited].
um.. angela smiley is totally missing from this list.
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