Bloviating Zeppelin

(in-ep-toc'-ra-cy) - a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Your Fifteen Minutes of Fame

In the comment section of a prior post I wrote: it might be interesting to see how many of us have come across "famous" people, who we knew, and how they reacted to us.

So that's what this post is about:

"Famous People" and our encounters with them.

Who have YOU come across and/or interacted with?

Leave your comments and tell everyone:

Who were they?
When and where was it?
How were you treated?
What was your impression?

I'll start first:

I was in radio for a number of years and made some contacts in the so-called music business. I had occasion, in October of 1976, to help record a rock album with Steve Lillywhite and Mal Kingsnorth in Glasgow, Scotland, and the result was Status Quo Live, issued in 1977. For my efforts I did get a free plane trip and a black and white glossy of the group -- but that's it. I got no credits on the album but it was still a helluva lot of fun. I was introduced to drinking a lot of beer, and also met, peripherally, some of those young women who tended to follow rock groups.

Around that time I had chance to become involved with "looping" dialogue for ILM at Skywalker Ranch in Marin County -- particularly involving The Empire Strikes Back -- because it was discovered I could imitate a certain small green character at the time, as I was helping do sound in San Francisco. And that's where that ends because I promised. I had a chance to become involved in Foley creation and editing but, because I was stupid, I let it drop.

Silly me.

I saw actress Tyne Daly at the bar of a small restaurant near the former Sutro Baths south of San Francisco in the early 80's. This was prior to her becoming a Zeppelin herself. Today she requires her own zip code.

In 1987, I was invited to the dinner table of then-Fornicalia Governor George Deukmejian and his wife Gloria in the Straw Hat Pizza restaurant at Marconi and Fair Oaks in Sacratomato. I was surprised that there was no security detail with him. The manager embarrassed the couple by announcing their presence over the building's intercom. They got their pizza for free. I had to pay.

_______________________________________________

Enough about me.

What about you?

14 Comments:

Gayle said...: I have met in person Chuck Connors (from the Rifleman TV series), James Stewart, and Jack Benny. They were all very nice.

I was 14 when I met Jack Benny. I had a summer job as a guide through a Nevada Gold mine. I didn't know who he was and thought he was a jerk because the price of the tour was 50 cents and he kept arguing that no Gold mine on earth was worth paying 50 cents for. I really got mad and wouldn't let him go through if he wouldn't pay full price. Finally he grinned and gave me a dollar. I thought he was really weird! Then I saw him later on TV and said "Oh no... he was putting me on!"

Chuck Connors was in a restaraunt once when I stopped for a bite to eat on the highway on the California Coast. I had two little kids and there was no place to sit. He offered me and the kids a place at his booth. He made the people with him leave because they had already eaten. He told them to wait for him in the lobby. Then he asked me what I was doing out on the road so late at night with two small children. I told him I was driving to Los Angeles from Seattle, Washington to pick up some money from my father-in-law to help me drive to Miami because my husband was in the Army and stationed there during the Cuban Crises. He was very polite, very concerned, and paid for my dinner. After he left I was able to eat it. I was very young and it was a bit nerve wracking.

I met James Stewart right around the same time I met Jack Benny. I happened to be living in Virginia City, Nevada at the time. I was fourteen. I met him on the back porch of the Brass Rail Bar. (Sounds bad, I know, but this bar had a soda fountain for the kids.) Virginia City is the town that they made the TV program Ponderosa about. Anyway, I shook hands with him and he introduced me to this really huge lady and I though she was his mother. I said, "I'm so happy to meet your mother." And she said "I'm not his mother, my dear little smart ass. I'm his wife." So I didn't like her. And James Stewart didn't look anything like he did in his movies. Even in 1954 he looked way older without the stage makeup. But not as old as his wife! Tee hee! But I grew up with a crush on James Stewart. He was my Movie Star idol. After that I lost interest. He's still a great actor though. At least in my book.

All true, I swear. No one could make this stuff up! :); Tue Dec 20, 09:55:00 PM PST
Dionne said...: I was saving my best one for my blog but I'll give you a preview. I got to meet and have my picture taken with John Ashcroft. I can't get the picture to work so until my friend who is the computer guru comes over I won't be able to post it. Anyway, he was awesome. He was the Governor of Missouri and a senator from Missouri before he became the attorney general. He had always come across to me as a very humble, honest, principled man. He was exactly that when I got to meet him in person. I was volunteering at a Republican fundraiser and when I introduced myself to him he said Hi, I'm John Ashcroft. I always laughed about that because, like I didn't know who he was. He was so nice and humble.

In campaigning in 2004 I also got to meet Dick & Lynn Cheney. A friend of mine & I went to an event where he was speaking and somehow got in the front row. We both had forgotten our cameras and so we joked that no one would believe us.

I also got to meet Matt Blunt who just became our Governor in 2004. My 11 yr. old daughter did too and he even asked her what her name was.

I also have been to events where I got to meet Sean Hannity and David Limbaugh. They were both as nice in person as they come across on TV and radio. I was soooo nervous about meeting Sean because he's such a hero of mine.

I have gotten to hear George W. Bush & Ann Coulter speak but wasn't able to meet them.; Tue Dec 20, 10:17:00 PM PST
Bloviating Zeppelin said...: Gayle: WAY cool! I bet Chuck Connors was rather tall and gaunt!

Jimmy Stewart later became a General in the USAAC (prior to its becoming the USAF), and I can recall Dad telling me about how he was Jimmy Stewart's boss at Mather AFB. He went drinking with Jimmy at one point and found him a down to earth kinda guy.

Also, I am WAY familiar with Virginia City. In the summer it's Hell, and in the winter it's freezing cold. I actually won $16 in the Bucket of Blood Saloon.

To this day I can do a pretty good imitation of Jimmy Stewart.

LMC: WOW! You have gotten to meet a whole bunch of political ideals! How fabulous is that??!!?

John Ashcroft and the Cheneys? Very, very, very wonderful!

Anyone else?; Tue Dec 20, 10:42:00 PM PST
Three Score and Ten or more said...: Making my living doing theatre I have known, even directed, a bunch of medium famous people. Years ago I sat and chatted with Hal Holbrook when he was getting ready to go on stage as Mark Twain. When I too was doing radio, I interviewed a then famous singer named April Stephens, a number of my former students have been on soaps or been day players in film. One of the fun things I did was be in a TV movie named Orphan Train, with Glen Ford (whom I didn't meet). For one scene, they hung me upside down in jail cell where they were interrogating some little kid. They cut me out because the director (whom I had known for years) said I was so damn spectacular that no one would have listened to the kid, they would have just looked at me. Isn't that a polite way to get the shaft. Working back-stage, I also met Bob Hope, some rock singers, and one of my high school students, Gary Pucket, became a pretty big star with his band, The Union Gap. When I was working at the San Diego Shakespeare festival, I rode up to L.A. with a guy who was doing a screen test at Desilu. (and who later was on As The World Turns for years, but I can't remember his stage name). I wanted to go because my uncle had a real estate office near Hollywood and Vine, and I wanted to visit with him. I was deeply tanned with a beard and a page boy, haircut, and as I left his office, I was attacked by about ten teeny-boppers wanting my autograph. I will never know who they thought I was, but I signed their books with an illegible scribble, and they went away happy.
About ten of my college student had featured rolls in a movie called Buster and Billy which got a lot of play years ago. Four of them quit school and went to Hollywood, from whence they sent me Christmas Cards, but none of them accomplished much. Finally, the best man at my wedding went off to become a five term conservative Idaho Congressman. (When he was hanging out with me, he was an insurance salesman.)

I also got knocked off the air, when I was doing a syndicated, college political talk show called Mr. Chairman. I had two guests, the attorney general for Idaho named Bob Smiley (who went on to be a six or seven term Governor of the state) and the Mayor of Coeur de Alene Idaho who was running against Smiley in the Primaries. We were on radio in about five cities and on closes circuit TV at the college. I egged the Mayor on, and Smiley on (I was not as much of a Republican as I have become) until the mayor stood up and called Smiley a son of a bitch.
The next thing I knew, I looked at the monitor and saw a flag waving as they played the Star Spangled Banner. I was, for a few weeks, not the favorite son of the Head of the Department of Political Science (which produced the program); Wed Dec 21, 12:51:00 AM PST
Rivka said...: O.K. BlO...
This will BLOW you away.. I met Elvis via Ginger Alden. She is my second cousin and was engaged to be married by him. Since we are from Arkansas we are close, and Elvis came to my great grandfathers funeral. That is where I met him. Sad to say most of the people were there to see Elvis.. (He was not fat at that time, he just looked pasty and unhealthy).
Ginger is one of the sweetest, and prettiest women around.
I know some 'stuff' about the memphis mafia and other information from Rosemary, her sister.
It was when I was 12, i am 41 now, so you do the math. It was right before he died. I was so depressed because i was sure i would get invited to Graceland. That is selfish, i know, but when i was little he was my idol.
There is more to that, but won't go into it all.

ALSO, when i was a rock singer in Kansas City, I became pretty popular and had opportuntites to meet people. I dated 2 famous athletes: Nick Lowry of the Chiefs for about a year, and Reggie Theus of the old Basketball team we had back then.
I met the lead singer of Loverboy. He came into the studio when I was recording a song. He heard me and back then you had to 'overdub' on your voice when you wanted to double it. So i had to sing a riff the same way I did it the first time. He commented to me out in the hallway that he didn't think i was going to be able to sing the same riff the same way, and i did it. He was amazed. He complimented my voice as well. Kind of fun event for me!
When Motley crew came into town to perform, they stopped at a famous bar in Westport where i was singing. Didn't meet them, but they stayed and listened.

Let's see...I can't think of anyone else, but that is about it.
Oh yeh, all the famous people i have met have been gracious.

Oh yeh... i met the lead singer Brett Michaels of poison. (I think that is his name). When i moved to california and sang in LA. I sang at some bars, and met the lead singer. AND while living in California there was a popular bar.. i can't remember the names of these bars!!! I will later i am sure.. i think one was called the troubador, and the whiskey a go, go. I met David Lee Roth at 'The Rainbow club'.. I think that was the name of the club.. I just said Hi, to him, didn't have a conversation.. That is where the rock stars hung out.
The sunset strip was an interesting hang out!
Anyway, as fun as that was, i am glad i am not doing that anymore!!!; Wed Dec 21, 06:32:00 AM PST
Bloviating Zeppelin said...: COOL posts!! Ain't Life wonderful?

Kinda makes ya think back doesn't it?

That's why I get so fed up with negative people -- there is so much good going on, despite what you may think -- then AND now!; Wed Dec 21, 08:50:00 AM PST
Dionne said...: Rebecca: Wow, didn't know all that about you. Very cool!!

BZ: Good point about being positive and life is good. I agree.

Eddie: You're funny!!; Wed Dec 21, 11:59:00 AM PST
Bloviating Zeppelin said...: Eddie: Thank you VERY much for the brief comment, it was greatly appreciated. Merry Christmas sir, and a Happy New Year!; Wed Dec 21, 12:19:00 PM PST
bigwhitehat said...: When I was in high school, David Lee Roth visited the Karate studio I worked in. He was in town a day before his concert. I sparred with him. He is a very good fighter (go figure).; Wed Dec 21, 01:13:00 PM PST
Gayle said...: Some very interesting stories here. Interesting experiment, BZ! "The Bucket of Blood Saloon." I remember it well. You and I have been in the same bar,just at different times.

Virginia City isn't anything like it used to be when I was there. It's simply a tourist trap now, more's the pity. The neon signs that are everywhere weren't there when I lived there. I wonder... do they still have the orginal wooden sidewalks?; Thu Dec 22, 09:34:00 AM PST
sandy said...: Since I worked in the film industry for years, I could fill your blog so I'll just say I've worked with a few.; Thu Dec 22, 04:11:00 PM PST
echotig said...: I rented a Lincoln to Tommy Lee Jones at the Midland International Airport. He was quiet when he got there to sign the papers. Then after he went out and found the case of beer my boss put in the trunk, he came back in to thank us personally. He looks EXACTLY the same in person as he does in the movies.; Fri Dec 23, 04:35:00 PM PST
Bloviating Zeppelin said...: BWH: David Lee Roth: does he still have hair? My understanding is that he's VERY sensitive about what hair he has remaining.

Gayle: I only know Virginia City from the past 10 years -- prior to that, I don't know what it was like. And yes, it still has those crappy wooden sidewalks, most of them are warped and uneven.

The kinda neat thing about V City is that, in the midst of tourist trap businesses there are rotten houses evidently containing like minded persons. V City is not the trap one might think it could be if for no other reason than it's so out-of-the-way.

It's hot in the summer and dead-ass cold in the winter.

Sandy: so. A quick overview of those who have been assholes?

Echotig: is TLJ's head really twice the size of his body, as he appears on screen?; Thu Dec 29, 09:44:00 PM PST
Unknown said...: Hey.

My dad was Mal Kingsnorth. He sadly passed away in 2004 but i'd love to hear some stories of your time in Glasgow.

Take care
Nick; Wed Nov 25, 09:22:00 AM PST

Bloviating Zeppelin

: Name: Bloviating Zeppelin; Location: Sierra Nevada Mountains, Fornicalia, United States

A former Democrat in my tender and ignorant youth, I am now a Conservative first and, these days, quite a distant Republican with a dash of Libertarian mixed in for good measure. I believe in God, the strength of America, the brilliance of our Founding Fathers, the valor of our military, and the need for Leadership in all forms and on every level. I am not an advocate of censorship as I believe everyone on the Far Left has a God-given right to be painfully stupid -- as I have a right to expose said stupidity. UPDATED NOTE: Recent legal references mandate that I make clear that these writings are ONLY my written OPINIONS and those of no one else. FAIR USE NOTICE - This web site may contain copyrighted material, which may not always have been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such images and excerpts are made available for the purpose of analysis and critique, as well as to advance understanding of social, political, media and cultural issues. We believe this constitutes 'fair use' as explained in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law. ADVERTISING: I do NOT, however, ask for nor display advertisements here.

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Bloviating Zeppelin

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Your Fifteen Minutes of Fame

14 Comments:

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