Famous person/people you have met

[clifp]

Ok shameless name dropping ahead.

Being pretty early in the computer field, and spending much of my career about 4 cubicles from Intel CEO Andy Grove, I meet a ton of technology company founders and/or CEOs. I guess it is relevant to this forum cause all of this guys and gals were worth 100 million+ and many quite a bit more and they could all retire early but didn't!. Not sure if they are all famous but the do have Wikipedia entries

Apple: Steve Wozniac nice guy my buddy use to play a card game with him and his son, Steve Jobs arrogant A*hole, Andy Hertzfeld designer of the Mac software, knew him at college
Adobe: John Warnock, Cofounder. Meet he and his family touring the Kremlin after a Russian Computer conferences
Borland Software: Philippe Kahn, founder hung out with him while he gave away money to kids on the street in Moscow at the same Russian conference
Compaq Computers: Rod Canion founder, CEO
Dell Computers: Micheal Dell founder
Gateway Computers: Ted Waite founder
Google: Eric Schmidt, CEO. He was probably the best teaching assistant I had in college, and meet him later at Intel meeting I was impressed he still remembered me 15 years latter
IBM: Lou Gerstner, CEO
Intel: Andy Grove CEO, Gordon Moore co-founder postulated Moore's law, Bob Noyce co-founder, co-inventor of the integrated circuit, Tedd Hoff, inventor of the microprocessor
Lotus Computer: Mitch Kopor, founder, Jim Manzi CEO and pretty much all of the pioneer of spreadsheet software from my days of writing spreadsheets
Microsoft Corp: Bill Gates, and a number of other execs there
Sun Microsystems: Bill Joy co-founder, another teaching assistant at college
Trilogy Computer, Amdahl Computers: Gene Amdahl founder, knew his wife the curator of the Boston Computer Museum quite well
Venture Capitalists
Arthur Rock: Started venture capital in Silicon Valley: Investor behind Apple, Intel, showed him how to surf the web.
Ben Rosen: investor behind Compaq, Lotus got bumped to 1st class and sat next to him and talked the whole time.
Ann Windbald: dated Bill Gates meet her a couple of times and her husband in Hawaii

Others:
Jodi Ann Paterson: Playmate of the Year 1999: Guess what she really is stunningly gorgeous with clothes on and no airbrushing
Huey Lewis. singer actor, meet him at the fabulous cafeteria at Lucas's Skywalker Ranch
Glenn Seaborg, Nobel laureate: Chemistry teacher
Allan Kellog: Medal of Honor Recipient, worked on Senator McCain campaign with him
Chuck Yeager: First man to fly faster than the speed of sound
Kelly Johnson: famous aircraft designer designed the U2, SR71 and F104
Kevin Pollak: Comedian, Actor (a Few Good Men, Wedding Planner, Avalon) he starred in a video I was the executive producer of, very funny guy.


However, my all time best celebrity week was back in 1989. It started with me going to Penthouse founder Bob Guicionne's apartment building in Central Park for advertisers in his Computer magazine. Unfortunately for us computer nerds, not only were the fabulous pictures of Madonna, clothed paintings of the religious icon, and not the singer like we hoped, but the only Penthouse Pet present was pushing 50... Oh well a spectacular place.

I then flew back to California. A couple of days latter, came back from lunch, and the admins in the office were all excited, because Marlon Brando had called me. I very nonchalantly told them "oh yes I was expecting his call". A few minutes latter his office called and I spent a 1/2 hour talking to the Godfather about using computers to generate extras for epic western he was thinking about producing. I told him that in about 5 years he could do what he wanted. Yes he sounds just like the Godfather on the phone.

Strangely enough 15 years before my sister and her husband met Marlon in bar when they lived in Tahiti, he owned an island there, and my dad who was a pharmaceutical rep calling on Beverly Hills doctors meet him going in a doctors office, so I was third my family to met him.

That Friday night, I went to a rave where I met Dr. Timothy Leary the Harvard professor turned LSD advocate. I am not sure if was high or the drugs had fried his brain, but he was in bad shape. Between the Russian computer conference, making a movie, and a bunch of celebrities sighting 1989 was heck of a lot of fun, I remember thinking Intel didn't even have to pay me.

[bbbamI]

Ok, clifp.....I think you have won the prize!

Now, I just have to figure out what that prize is.

[donheff]

Me, DD and a friend hangin with a couple of buds back in the day

[lazygood4nothinbum]

my uncle & best friend (both deceased) are in wikipedia and each have a few hundred entries when i google their names. what more credentials would anyone need?

never met my uncle (died way before i was born) but one of his friends was fats waller and when dad was a little kid he sat on fats' lap during a performance at harlem's apollo theater.

sorry i can't offer up uncle's or friend's names; don't think that would be appropriate.

some in my family still seek fame. for me it is too ego driven. i'm quite certain that my friend and i never would have become friends during the peak of his career (when he was probably the highest paid actor on television). his ego would have been over inflated and i would have been too young to even consider tolerating that.

[happy2bretired]

I've never met anyone famous but, this thread made me remember this. My husband and I were in Hawaii a few years ago. We were snagged into one of those deals where you could get a FREE whale watching trip IF you sat thru a hard sell time-share pitch. The saleman had a picture that he shared with us. It was a picture of Julia Roberts and this saleman. He must have thought that since HE knew a famous person that we hicks from the midwest would really be impressed and buy his product. He sure wasn't happy with us when we left, but, we did get to see a lot of whales.

[FinanceDude]

Pat Benetar (buddy got me backstage passes because of his dad)
George Bush Senior: (political rally in La Crosse)
Ms. Bembenek ("Bambi", of Milwaukee fame) at my co-worker's wedding.........
Senator Heb Kohl
Larry Kudlow (before CNBC fame)

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

When my son Gabe was about 17 we went to visit my alma mater in Charlottesville, Va. I had worked at a well-heeled country club as a student so we went back for a visit. They fed us in a private dining area and we were having a great time.

All of a sudden, the doors were closed and a minute later in walks the biggest, meanest, most imposing guy I've seen in a long time - 6"6, maybe 250 lbs and wearing a dark suit. He checks out the room, gives us a withering glare and leaves. 2 minutes later, sandwiched between two groups of humungous guys, in walks Michael Jordan. Table for 6, right across from us. I saw him first, and Gabe didn't. He turns around to see what's going on, and MJ gives him a great wink and a smile.

He was playing a golf tournament not long after his dad was murdered in North Carolina and, according to our waitress, was seeking lots of privacy. They weren't supposed to have seated us in that room (someone screwed up) but I guess they let it go since we looked pretty harmless and were finishing up.

[justin]

Ben Stein. Ann Coulter. During law school, our conservative student group (with large gobs of vast right wing conspiracy $$'s) hired these two as guest speakers. Our arrangement also included a lunch for 10-15 of us students and the guest speaker. So I was one of the chosen few who got to sit there and BS with Ben and Ann (on different days).

My impressions:
Ben - funny guy, very intelligent, interesting to talk to. Seems like a fun guy to hang out w/.

Ann - loudmouth, likes to hear herself talk, broken record (surprise, surprise!). I found myself unable to make conversation with Ann.


Also briefly met Clarence Thomas (US Supreme Ct Justice).

[MasterBlaster]

Before John Lennon and George Harrison died, the former beatles came over to my house. We jammed a few sessions and put some tracks down. They all agreed that I was the most talented person there. We were then going to start a new band with me as the lead singer and song writer. However I didn't want all that fame and fortune so I just let it slide.

Bill Gates called me up for advice on how to build a "home" computer. I told him how to do it and suggested that just maybe they could get some work from IBM.

Bill Clinton used to drop by back in the day, we would go get hamburgers and he would seek advice on political matters. He would complain on and on about Hilary.

By the way have you seen this video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWK3ZOmJZk4

[justin]

I was with Bill Gates and Warren Buffett last night. We were at a pizza place in Georgetown. I had already eaten. They kept arguing about what kind of pizza to get. Eventually they each got a personal pizza instead of splitting a single, larger pizza. When the bill came, they were both arguing over which one of them would have the honor of paying the bill (maybe $15 total). I said, "Dinner's on me, guys!" and paid for their dinners. Figured it would be pretty cool to buy dinner for the two richest guys at my dinner table that night.

I'll add that this all happened in a dream I had last night.

[macdaddy]

Bubba, an airline mechanic, was bragging to his boss one day. "You know, I know everyone there is to know. Just name Someone, Anyone and I know them."
Tired of his boasting, his boss called his bluff, "Okay, Bubba, how about Tom Cruise"?
"Sure, yes, Tom and I are old friends and I can prove it."
So, Bubba and his boss fly out to Hollywood and knock on Tom Cruise's door and sure enough, Tom Cruise, shouts, "Bubba ! Great to see You! You and your friend come right in and join me for lunch!"
Although impressed, Bubba's boss is still skeptical. After they leave Cruise's house, he tells Bubba that he thinks Bubba's knowing Cruise was just lucky.
"No, no, just name anyone else," Bubba says.
"President Bush," his Boss quickly retorts.
Yep", Bubba says, "I know him, let's fly out to Washington."
So, off they go. At the White House, Bush spots Bubba on the tour and motions him and his boss over, saying, "Bubba, what a surprise. I was just on my way to a meeting, but you and your friend come on in and let's have a cup of coffee first and catch up."
Well, the boss is very shaken by now, but still not totally convinced.
After they leave the White House grounds, he expresses his doubts to Bubba, who again implores him to name anyone else.
The new Pope," his boss replies.
"Sure!" says Bubba. "I've known the Pope a long time."
So, off they fly to Rome.
Bubba and his boss are assembled with the masses in Vatican Square when Bubba says, this will never work. I can't catch the Pope's eye among all these people. Tell you what, I know all the guards, so let me just go upstairs and I'll come out on the balcony with the Pope."
He disappears into the crowd headed toward St. Peter's.
Sure enough, half an hour later, Bubba emerges with the Pope on the balcony. But by the time Bubba returns, he finds that his Boss has had a heart attack and is surrounded by paramedics.
Working his way to his boss' side, Bubba asks him, "What happened"?
His boss looks up and says, "I was doing fine until you and The Pope came out on the balcony and the Japanese tourist next to me asked, "Who's that on the balcony with Bubba"?

[clifp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by justin My impressions: Ben - funny guy, very intelligent, interesting to talk to. Seems like a fun guy to hang out w/.

I haven't met the guy, but that is my impression of him also. Last Xmas, I was looking for retirement books for my sister and BIL and after going through a pile of them, I ended getting Ben's book because it was sound advice and very funny.

[dex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masterblaster Before John Lennon and George Harrison died, the former beatles came over to my house. We jammed a few sessions and put some tracks down. They all agreed that I was the most talented person there. We were then going to start a new band with me as the lead singer and song writer. However I didn't want all that fame and fortune so I just let it slide.

You made the right decision - I can tell you from experience - fame isn't all it is cracked up to be!

[poboy]

Little Richard.

[slouch]

• I shook hands with Bill Clinton (once the secret service agents were done screening me) after he finished the 9th hole at the ANCC in Arlington. I always smile when I recall him picking his ball out of the sand trap and throwing it on to the green.
• I once had dinner with Bill Gates. He consumed half a dozen cans of Fresca and we talked I attempted to engage him in conversation about the future of technology and current events. He was not fooled into adopting me or giving me any money
• I used to go to some pretty fun parties on the other coast , hosted by a congressman whose lifestyle later caught up with him after I had relocated to the left coast. He resigned from office one step ahead of being thrown out by his fellow legislators. It was interesting to see his associates disown him when everything came crashing down.

[SecondCor521]

Let's see, here's a partial list (interaction is on the level of a handshake and a brief hello unless otherwise mentioned):

Diane Sawyer, ~30 minute one-on-one conversation. Very beautiful and gracious lady.
John Bardeen, 2 time Nobel Prize winner -- buried him in the sand with my second cousin, very very nice guy.
Francis Crick, DNA guy
Barry Goldwater, former US Senator
Jane Goodall, chimp lady, taught her about rodeos
Reinhold Messner (sp?), climbed Everest solo without supplemental oxygen
Chuck Yeager, first to break the sound barrier
J.R. Simplot, Idaho only billionaire, recently deceased
David Robinson, basketball player for Navy (?)
Founder/owner of a large cruise line whose name you would all recognize, dine with him regularly - name not dropped for the sake of his privacy, nice guy, drinks 2 buck chuck
Roberts, of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts on Wall Street fame
Harvey Firestone, CEO of Firestone Tire I think
Jeff Yeager, Ultimate Cheapskate, had dinner with him once

2Cor521

[VaCollector]

....man....I must be the odd man out here on the east coast of Virginia......or maybe I need to go out and hunt for someone famous

[freebird5825]

a short list...
William Shatner, during the original Star Trek days. I was maybe 11 yrs old and in total awe of Captain Kirk and and didn't wash the hand he shook for a week.

Congressman Sherwood Boehlert (NY, retired)

Helen Hayes - saw her at a flea market in Nyack NY. I kept a very respectful distance but waved and said hello. She smiled back and waved.

[bbbamI]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbbamI About 4 years ago, I met Burton Gilliam (Blazing Saddles). He gave me a copy of the screen play for "The Green Mile" signed by Tom Hanks. This was for an auction for our volunteer center.

I forgot to mention that Burton just lives a few miles from my house. Think I'll drop by someday.

I forgot a couple of people. I met Trent and Tiny when I was 7 years old. I'm sure 99% of y'all have no idea who they are...they had a show on a Memphis tv station airing on Saturday mornings. That was when I lived in the sticks and we only had 3 stations to choose from. It thrilled my 7 year old heart.

[deepc]

Met a couple but only memorable occasion was lunch with Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter in Plains, GA.

He is seriously maligned for his performance as President, but was the most gracious, intelligent person I've ever met. We'd just done a dedication of a museum exhibit, and he and Mrs Carter hosted lunch at a historic building turned B&B across the street. This extraordinary person was justly proud of their handiwork on the building itself, and Plains GA was picture perfect. We attended a softball game in which the former President played the day before, and he was every bit as gracious and sportsmanlike on the field.

The memories of that day have lasted a long time.