At 7th period (happy hour) yesterday we had a brief conversation about the most famous person we'd ever met. The most famous I could come up with was Dr. Edward Teller, but today I realized that while he might be the most significant person I've ever met, he wasn't the most famous. No, that distinction goes to the Captain himself, William Shatner.
Who is the most famous person you've met?
13 comments:
Pat Boone - my aunt was his secretary for many years.
Timothy Leary. (or is he infamous?) TL was doing a lot of touring when I was in college, and I was part of the student group working (hosting) his lecture one evening on my campus. I recall a bit of talk about his Mind Mirror program pre-show. Met Gene Rodenberry too; most attended talk on campus that year, we had to change the venue last minute. Also a few band members and solo musicians that were on the rise; some took the time to talk with the host students. I've also met some heirs/major business owners that came to consult with profs and made the time to chat informally with small groups of upperclassmen and grad students.
-- lgm
Buzz Aldrin.
Tony Gwynn, baseball hall of famer, while I was coaching in central Cal in the 90s.
David Ogden Stiers, who was on MASH, while I was working at a Radio Shack in college in San Diego. I was working at a store near Balboa Park, and he was acting in a play at the Old Globe Theater. He came in the store to buy some speakers. I got to run his credit card.
Alan Parsons - backstage in the late 90s at two shows, one in Orange County and the other in LA.
I guess they're all three pretty famous.
Kurt Vonnegut, it was horrible.
Vonnegut was going to speak at my niece's university. My niece is an arts and literature person, and knew I really enjoyed his books. She asked if I wanted to attend with her. Sure, sounds great. When I arrived, she told me that prior to the speech, there is a meet and greet for the literature club. There was wine and cheese with maybe 40 people. Vonnegut was making the rounds.
I met him, we shook hands and chatted for maybe a minute. It was horrible. I really like his work, but there is nothing you can say to a favorite celebrity that they haven't heard a billion times. But, I tried, and sounded like a forgettable moron. That was decades ago.
I sat next to Roger Ebert (of Siskel & Ebert fame) in first class on a flight from Los Angeles to Oahu. He didn't say a word to me the entire trip nor did he watch any of the in-flight movies.
Arnold Palmer - I was at the Latrobe PA Country Club and he walked in. I got a picture and everything.
Roger Penrose - I attended a lecture he gave and asked him to sign my copy of "On the Nature of Space and Time" (the book he coauthored with Stephen Hawking).
Bong Soo Han - at a martial arts convention/competition in the early 1980s.
In Vegas once I met (and got a picture with) the artist Wyland. I've seen a few of his Whaling Walls. Love his work, can't afford any of it.
Ellison Onizuka, who went down on the Challenger. He did a space biology seminar for me with some high school seniors. Nice guy.
Richard-the-liberal
There's a nice tribute to El at the airport in Kona, on the Big Island of Hawaii. A small "science center" or something like that.
I chatted with Charles Townes a couple times for my work. He was the most charming and down to earth gentleman. He sent my son an autograph copy of his book.
He had the rare combination of extreme intelligence with humble graciousness.
I went to high school with Bill Engvall, Jeff Dunham and Robert Jeffress. Anne Rice also graduated from the same high school ten years earlier.
President George H W Bush, December 2005, in Kuwait. He was visiting the troops.
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