Have you ever been seated next to a celebrity or semi-famous person?

I went to see Liza at the Palace and was seated next to Joel Grey. Since I knew we were from the same city, we talked about that.

I sat next to Kellyanne Conway on a flight from NY to LA a few years ago. I asked to be moved because of her strong body odour.

R2 Was it coming from her pussy?

Yes I think so, it was distinctly fishy. But I didn't lean in too closely to be sure.

Say next to Grace Jones on Concorde from NY to Paris circa 1986.

Sat next to Michael Rowe (Dirty Jobs guy) on Amtrak DC to NY circa 2006.

Sat next to Michael Bolton on flight Charlotte to NYC. He was a douche and surly because no one. Including myself, said anything to him.

Sat next to Van der Beek Charlotte to Nyc. Simple but nice guy.

I sat next to Gwen Verdon on a flight from London to NY once. Even at her rather advanced age, she sat with one leg folded under her, on the seat. We probably didn’t share more than a dozen words but she was gracious and kind to the cabin crew. I remember thinking at the time that she was a class act.

Sat next to John Stamos at a Mall in Cleveland Ohio, his girlfriend Rebecca Romijn was filming a commercial.

Next to Gina Lollobrigida (WHO????) at a play La Liz was in. Greta Garbo on flight from Rome to NYC. Bunch of old broads I knew nothing about. Sad. Why couldn’t it have been some hot dude.

Sat next to Will Sasso on a flight from Ca to Chicago. Really nice, I could not tell if he was hitting on me or not. I wish I would have accepted the invite but I had to catch a connection.

R8 You sat next to Greta Garbo? How old are you?

I didn't sit next to him but I stood next to Robert Duvall at the luggage carousel. He wasn't wearing his toupee and blended into the crowd but I recognized him and couldn't resist talking to him. He was very gracious and we chatted until we collected our luggage and went our separate ways.

I’m in my mid 70s. It was the year Elvis died. About 1977 ish? She was very chatty.

I sat next to or near Abe Vigoda on several occasions at plays in both Los Angeles and New York. And yes, he was very much alive at the time.

I sat next to Orlando Bloom for a nearly 5 hour movie. Sat next to Sidney Poitier at a movie also. Sat next to Lynn Wyatt at a play, on Valentine's day. Just this weekend, I thought I was talking to Ann Dowd, but she wasn't Ann Dowd. Turns out many deplorables kinda look like Ann Dowd.

I sat next to Sarah Jessica Parker during a Broadway matinee of "Noises Off." This was a month after 9/11. She looked far more attractive in person than on TV.

I also sat next to Tom Stoppard during a performance of "Coast of Utopia." He reeked of tobacco and grabbed his cigarettes and made a run for the exit during the intermission. He came back reeking of even more tobacco.

R15 I don't recall a horse in "Noises Off", unless it was one of the actors who was hung like one.

R12 It sounds like you regret sitting next to Greta Garbo and chatting. You're a dick.

Well, Garbo let her feelings be known. Clearly.

R12 I'm sure as long as you didn't mistake her for Marlene Dietrich, you'll be fine!

Matthew Broderick toured gayborhoods throughout the US promoting Torch Song Trilogy (1987). and came into the AIDS organization I volunteered for. The person conducting the tour stopped at my desk and described my duties. As I stood up to shake his hand, Broderick hugged me. He smelled wonderful.

There were two empty seats between me and k.d. lang who was on a Valentine’s Day date at a Harold and Maude screening.

Shared an elevator with her leaving her after show in Vancouver.

Sat next to Bobby Cannavale after he went through security and was putting his shoes back on at O’Hare. I was surprised he didn’t have pre-check.

Danced next to Mindy Cohen at the Abby.

Talked to John Larroquette on the phone about a rental listing. Was quite friendly and funny. Talked about needing a balcony so his dog could tinkle.

Was Fred Armisen’s property manager for a few years. Never met in person, had one phone call with him.

Sat one table over from Warren, Annette and Anjelica Huston at dinner.

Took acid with Ken Kesey’s son at the county fair. Does that count? 😂

They filmed Grimm on my street several times. The toilet truck was always parked in front of my house.

Shared an airport shuttle with Tracey Gold at SFO. We were the only two passengers in the shuttle, we were underage and required airport escorts to help us make connecting flights.

Not seated, but stood for a bit with Jill Whelan before going onstage at a charity function.

Mel Brooks, Smokey Robinson, Jeb Bush, Colin Powell, Mary Robinson, Vin Scully, F Lee Bailey, Justin Timberlake, Justice Stephen Breyer, Barney Frank, Bill Russell, Phyllis McGuire, Minny Driver, and Eva Gabor on planes; Ted Kennedy and Mario Cuomo on Amtrak; Oprah, Abigail van Buren, Steve Martin, Carrie Fisher and Ann Miller at dinner in restaurants, Regis Philbin and Dr. Ruth at dinner on cruises; John Lithgow and Malia Obama standing in line; Mordecai Richler, shitfaced and hilarious before a talk at Harvard and Steve Allen at dinner at the Faculty Club there.

I talked to all of them.

Quite a few politicians in meet and greet lines or through a business associate. Bill and Hillary, Obama, Governors Roberts and Brown, Congress folks Defazio, Wyden, Merkely, Hooley.

My office was across the street from Vera Katz (Portland Mayor) for several years so would chat her up on the sidewalk while out with my dogs.

Does Sam Adams cruising the sauna at the gym count?

Sat next to Donna Douglas (Ellie Mae Clampett) LAX to ATL back in the 80s. She was in the window seat and I was in the aisle with an empty seat between us. She was sweet but seemed quite daffy, as if her grasp on reality wasn't quite 100%. She was dressed in a pink/white check pant suit and had her hair in the classic Ellie Mae double pigtails. The makeup was literally caked on her face already, but she pulled out her makeup case every 30 minutes or so to do a total retouch.

Also in the 80s from LAX to ATL I sat across the aisle from Mary Anne Mobley and her VERY DRUNK husband Gary Collins. He was so out of it Delta had to have two men help him onto the plane and get him seated, whereupon he immediately passed out and never made a sound the whole flight. We were on the bulkhead aisle and she took off her shoes and sunk down in her seat and planted her bare feet against the bulkhead wall while the movie was being shown. A FA eventually came up and asked her to remove her feet from the wall. MAM was not amused.

Sat next to Whitman Mayo (Grady Wilson from Sanford & Son) on a flight from DFW to LAX He seemed like an affable guy and he clearly loved being noticed by people in the departure lounge before boarding.

Sat across the aisle from Morgan Fairchild (LAX to ATL) once. She had so much makeup on she didn't even look real. And nothing on her face seem to move. Very mannequin like.

There are more but I'm tired of typing.

My mom flew with Paul Newman. Very funny charming guy. Carried his own cooler of beer on flights. This was waaay back in the day tho.

I was at a Broadway show in the 90s. Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward we’re sitting directly in front of me. There was empty aisle seat next to them, on Woodward's side. About two minutes before showtime, a youngish woman sat down there, glanced down the row and gasped. She leaned over to Joanne Woodward and whispered, "You’re sitting next to Paul Newman!" Without missing a beat, Joanne Woodward replied with the sweetest smile, "I know!" It was all so cute.

R18 R12 wrote that she very 'chatty.' I don't think he appreciates how special that must have been! But, again, maybe he has her confused with Dietrich as someone upthread mentioned...

Yes and No

Sat next to James Marsden at a Broadway show in 2011. Gorgeous, friendly, bright and charming. Beautiful in person.

I’m an old dude so keep that in mind. Years ago my partner worked for a company which had an affiliation with the Academy Awards. The company was given tickets for employees to attend screenings of movies for Academy Award consideration. I other words, you had to be a member to get into this theater. We’d go periodically, but I never knew what was playing so in my opinion it was hit or miss. One time when we were entering the theater I saw this guy that looked really familiar and with him was this short, frumpy woman. We get seated and I’m still racking my brain, who is that guy. So I turn to my partner and say, “ that guy is Jon Peters. Is that dumpy woman with him Barbra Streisand?” Who’s sitting behind us? Peters and Streisand. They didn’t look amused. I just kinda smile at them and face forward. The movie playing that night was Scorsese’s documentary The Band. Before the opening credits a trailer states ‘play this film loud.’ Fifteen minutes into the film half the old attendees are walking out because the music was too loud for them. Jon and Babs stayed and so did we. However my ears were ringing for hours afterward.

LAX to AUS on the way to SXSW. I sat next to Slash from Guns N Roses. We chatted a little about why we were going to SXSW and who was playing. Then I put on my headphones, opened up my computer, and worked.

Sat next to Yoko One at art-house movie theater UWS. Asked what I thought of the movie and she gave her verdict. Quiet and unassuming lady.

Oh no R17, didn’t mean to sound like a prick. Sorry. I just meant that I was fairly young, didn’t know who I was gabbing with for like 10 hours of fly time until we deplaned and the stewardess told me. By chatty, I meant she was a nice, old lady, easy going conversationalist, who had traveled the world, told stories and she shared her bring on board lunch sandwich with me. I was really a dumb hick from the sticks going back home with a nice, friendly travel companion to pass the time. She sure didn’t seem like she wanted “to be alone”.

I think she could tell you didn't have the slightest idea who she was and thus she could relax with you. Sounds like a lovely experience.

This is from a friend of mine from years ago. He was comfortably seated at the table next to gay pornstars Trent Reed and his boyfriend at the time Jake Andrews in a restaurant in W. Hollywood. He could hear every word that came from their mouths and he said one thing was painfully clear. That neither one of them had an IQ much above 80.

I won a trip to the Indianapolis 500 in 1998 or so. I have never watched any type of car racing in my life. I had filled out the bottom of a coupon, for crying out loud. Very random.

Anyway, my SO and I were sitting on a bus waiting to tour behind the scenes before the big event. We were among the first on the bus, and I read USA Today while waiting. A man sitting In front of us asked if he could read it when we were done. Sure, I said, and handed it over. I couldn’t really see him at the time, but when we were filing out of the bus, he turned around and thanked us. It was Barry Williams, of the Brady Bunch. I talked to him several times over the next couple of days, he was very nice and gracious. He was apparently a guest of Smith-Kline Beecham, who also held the contest I won.

I sat next to former Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, D-Texas, on a Southwest Airlines flight from Houston to Austin circa 1990. She was gracious and chatty and asked me about my travels. At the time, she was teaching at the University of Texas.

By the way, I was sitting at the window seat on the front row when she came in and sat in the aisle seat. Otherwise, I would have been too shy to choose a seat next to her.

^^ I was only 25 at the time.

I got an upgrade on a flight from Athens, possibly because I wore a button down shirt and leather shoes whist queuing in a crowd of British tourists who looked like they crawled off beach at 6am and didn’t change yesterday’s caftan. My sartorial nous got me into first class!

Once in first class I promptly battered a man in the head whilst lifting my luggage to the overhead compartment. Now there was heaps of room so that made it all the more embarrassing. The man turned. My stomach dropped. I breathlessly waited to be punched in the face. The man was Liam Gallagher.

Liam, however, gave a quick grin, asked “all right, mate?” and closed the overhead locker. What a gent.

My other sighting was Charlie Sheen who was last on the plane in Singapore because he was shopping and/or drinking. I saw him rush over as I was send out of the plane back to the gate because I dropped my boarding pass. He was embarrassed and apologetic about being late and quite charming. He introduced himself to me and we chatted as we waited to be let in.

Charlie was skinny as hell. This was maybe 3 years before Tiger Blood. It’s a shame what has wrought on his body.

In front of John Cameron Mitchell at Hedwig on Broadway (NPH’s final performance). We smiled at each other. He looks a lot younger than his age with very clear skin and a nice aura.

Greta Garbo traveled frequently, she had a reputation as a recluse but she actually had quite a busy social life.

I once sat next to a woman I’ll call G. She claimed to have been nominated for Oscars (which is adorable, but literally anyone can be nominated). She even thought we had worked together before.

I adore bag ladies!

I went through EST training in the 1980’s and Werner Erhard sat next to me during part of the last session. He was very good looking but didn’t ping for me.

When I first moved to LA - I flew home for Chirstmas. I was connecting in Detroit. I get on the plane in my coach seat and the FA comes up and says can you come with me? I was freaked out I thought they were kicking me off. SHe said "I need to seat you in first class is that okay?" and my DUH could not be fast enough of a response. As we are walking to my seat I am sat next to...Madonna. Now as luck would have it I moved to LA to work in entertainment. I was working in a PR firm with high profile clients and the first thing my boss told me - do not freak out in front of a client - it will freak them out. This was 1999 around her Beautiful stranger song from Austin Powers. Could not have been nicer. She realized I knew who she was. Other than hello when I sat down I did not say a word to her. Once we were in the air she tapped my arm and said she had to go the restroom. She came back and saw I was reading Naked by David Sedaris. We talked about it, then she says "by the way thank you for not freaking out when they sat you." I told her I worked in PR and work with celebrites and learned early not ot freak them out. She wanted to know who I worked with. We must have spoke for about 2 hours.

That M/G shit has never been funny. Ever.

On flight from LAX to JFK I sat next to Ted Danson.

When I worked at Warner Bros. I was taught to never talk to the actors. Dont even have eye to eye contact.

So, I ignored him.

R47, you’re very obedient.

Tangental to R40's post - I sat in front of Liam Gallagher at the final performance of Sunday in the Park with George in London circa 2006. He asked my boyfriend if he could borrow his programme to peruse.

Sat next to Nigella Lawson. Didn’t speak to her but she has excellent hair.

Next to Ed Meese on a flight to DC.

And once, Sen. Bob Kerry was IN my seat on the NY - DC shuttle. I let him stay because of his artificial leg.

Mark Wahlberg at mass; Ashton Kutcher in Coffee Bean; Larry King and wife at Spago; David Leisure ORD to LAX. Was parked next to Nestor Something at grocery store. We were putting groceries in car at the same time. We spoke briefly. The Bates Motel tv show had just ended and I told him I was really pulling for him and Norma to end up together.

Sat next to Alan Cumming on an Acela to DC maybe 18 months ago. He really looked like he didn't want to be recognized or spoken to, so I didn't say a word. He was traveling with his partner/spouse and someone else (and his dog), which I didn't realize for a long time. I asked if they'd like me to switch seats and they were quite polite but declined.

I sat between Ladybird Johnson and her SS agent on a southwest flight from Houston to Austin once. The agent started chatting with me, as he would, and when I asked what he did for the SS, he said, “I accompany Mrs. Johnson” and pointed to her. I turned, shocked, and she said, “Yes, it’s me”. They were both incredibly gracious and pleasant and we chatted the whole flight. Several months later I was doing my afternoon run at Town Lake and they were both walking with another woman, but remembered me and called out hello, and LB introduced me to her dear friend Jehan Sadat. I nearly fell over. Sweet, seeet woman.

In 1980, I sat at the same blackjack table as actor John Schneider and whatever woman he was dating at the time. He sat on the other end of the table. This was at the original MGM in Vegas.

I flew up to The Greenbrier to escort a friend of mine to a dance when we were seniors in high school and sat next to Julia Child on a puddle jumper back to D.C.

We struck up a conversation and she was lovely. I had just returned from living in Europe and we talked about her time there after the war. I think she was very surprised I knew who she was. She was beginning get feeble and like the Boy Scout I was at the time, I helped her get to her connecting gate with her bag.

I sat next to James Franco at the screening of Howl at the Castro theater. He left once the film started and then came back for the Q&A.

I also sat behind Nancy Pelosi and her huge family at a screening of a movie about Hemingway at the Castro. The movie started an hour late because they waited for her, and she was the very last person to arrive. Her whole family was there before her. They filled most of the row in front of me. I didn't know why we were waiting or who the people in front of me were until she showed up. She wasn't wearing one of her wigs, so she looked like any other prosperous elderly woman.

Served Sting at a downtown club. Arrogant asshole! And cheap. Nobody liked him. Nobody.

I did not know Madam Pelosi was a wigger! Thanks DL.

My sister and I stood in the pit at The Globe Theatre during Hamlet; the Redgraves, Vanessa, Lynn and Corin were sitting just above us. I recall that my sister and I were able to finagle our way to seats close to them after an intermission.

I found myself sitting next to John Simon on a bus. I had spent a good deal of my life reading his reviews of film, theater and opera and for some reason (I am a painfully shy person) I struck up a conversation with him. He was very friendly and pleasant. It was hard to believe this was the notorious, nasty, slash and burn critic.

We talked about Follies. I kid you not.

To R60. I got to spend a lot of time with Lynn Redgrave over several years before she died. I'm talking about just doing normal things like going to the theater, having a bite to eat or just walking down the street. Wonderful woman. I used to pinch myself when I was with her in case I was dreaming.

I was across the aisle from Roger Ailes, then the head of Fox News on a flight from JFK to New Orleans in 1999.

A friend asked me if I'd thought about hijacking and crashing the plane. He said I could have saved us all a lot of trouble.

R25 , I enjoyed your stories. When you get up the energy, write more, please.

I fucked Van Jones one whole summer off the coast of the Atlantic in his ASS.

Rich Sommer (bigger younger guy on Mad Men) sat a row behind me on a flight from LAX to MSP not too long ago; no chat. Vincent Kartheiser (also from Mad Men) sat next to me and my friend in a bar several years ago (nice guy, chatted with him about his Mad Men work for a short minute and then kept to ourselves until he left). Josh Hartnet also in a bar, chatted for a few minutes, he wasn't very interesting but cordial. Also chatted briefly with Josh Jackson when we were in line together. I didn't recognize him but my friend later told me. Rang up Heather Locklear when I was a shop-bottom in Phoenix at the Fashion Square. She was polite, but dressed really sloppy (back in the days of Juicy Couture sweatsuits). She also didn't appear to have a car, as she and whoever she was with were later spotted treking across the parking lot and across Camelback . Only customer/worker talk between us (we were instructed not to "recognize" any customers with a media presence). Didn't speak to her myself but Donatella Versace came into my employer afterhours with her daughter. People are always shocked to hear it but she was super kind and funny, brought her water and she said thank you to me. I got to carry some of their packages out to their SUV when they were done which was kinda cool.

A few that are not mine, my mom and dad sat next to Sarah Brightman (Phantom) at some benefit thing years ago. She was super fat but sweet. They also sat next to Pat Sajak at Beauty and the Beast on Broadway. They chatted with him and his wife a lot ad he was cool apparently.

^^ What's a shop-bottom? Sounds obscene.

DL-slang for a gay male retail worker, usually for those who work in fashion retail. Although I am not really a bottom.

I was seated at the table next to Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford (yes, that long ago) at il Cantinori. They barely said a word to each other. She was so stunning - all she had was a salad and just poked around at it. He was handsome. I never acknowledged them/

The dumbest celebrity in the whole world is Richard Gere. True story.

Stood next to Gere at a protest many years ago. Did not know he was there. Just looked next to me and there he was. What struck me because I never thought much about him, was neither a fan or a hater, but he had an aura about him. He was in the prime of youth and he really glowed in person. And I had not seen that on screen though clearly many others did.

I sat in the same row as Nancy Pelosi at the revival of South Pacific on Bway. Everyone welcomed her to NYC when she and her husband crossed in front of us to reach their seats. She must have recently gotten a facelift because it was really tight.

I sat next to Neil Patrick Harris’ husband when we went to see NPH in Company (with the N.Y. Philharmonic). He seemed very nice

Shook hands with Woody Harrelson at a bar in Dallas about 8 years ago. He's a lot shorter in person than you would think (IMDB says 5'9.5", but he's not that tall) and he had two young woman hanging off him neither of which were his wife.

The only others I can think of at this hazy moment, and I would NEVER say they're celebrities but maybe semi-famous, are the Bon Appetit crew. I've seen half of them on my morning/afternoon commute through the WTC Oculus.

Molly is always looking down at her fucking phone not looking where she's going!

I sat next to Lil Kim on a flight from NY to LA. She's cute, funny/hysterical, was wearing all Fendi monogram shit, and DROVE me to my hotel in her private car! I still have her number/email and talk to her from time to time. She's basically retired and barely in her mid 40s. I'm kinda jealous but love her.

She sounds fun! Now all I can hear right now is "How Many Licks" R74

I used to be scared of the dick, now I throw lips to the shit handle like a real bitch!

I love Lil Kim! We played the shit out of Hardcore at parties in college and we were a bunch of white kids. Cardi B is nothing compared to her.

Years ago I stayed at Pierre and Poppy Salinger's guest house in France. Pierre Salinger was press secretary to Kennedy. They were lovely hosts, their son cooked dinner for us. We had cocktails with Pierre, Poppy, and the former press secretary to the prime minister of Japan. I think she still runs the property, it looks a bit more polished than when I stayed there. I remember it being a little shabby, but in the best way, lots of beautiful weathered fabrics, tons of books, dogs ruled the roost.

R45 - I also spoke to Madonna at length at an industry party. If you don't freak out and kind of ignore her, she'll want to interact. this was before she had all those kids, tho. She was sweet/funny/intelligent/caring. I understand why she's a megabitch to people in "the business," but she was wonderful to me. I told her I wanted to see her art collection and she sent me five huge, expensive coffee table art books for my birthday and included a beautiful note: "...to tide you over."

R78, your story makes no sense. You and a very famous celebrity, strangers to each other, speak at length at a party, you decide to swap contact information and you tell her when your birthday is, then she sends you an expensive birthday gift? This sounds like a fan’s delusion.

r45 Great story, but I have one question. Why did you get moved to 1st class? Was it so the seat next to Madonna wasn't empty? Wouldn't she prefer an empty seat next to her?

Madonna has never gone anywhere alone in her life. Both of the Madonna "encounters" told here are pure FANATIC fiction.

[quote]I saw this guy that looked really familiar and with him was this short, frumpy woman. We get seated and I’m still racking my brain, who is that guy. So I turn to my partner and say, “ that guy is Jon Peters. Is that dumpy woman with him Barbra Streisand?”

Frumpy AND dumpy huh?

[quote]Madonna has never gone anywhere alone in her life. Both of the Madonna "encounters" told here are pure FANATIC fiction.

I think that too. It didn't ring true...the one @ R45- I didn't read the other one.

There was a time when Madonna was fun...back in 89/90 when shooting Dick Tracy, Madonna, Sandra Bernhard and Warren Beatty would show up at Catch One on Saturday and Palette on Sunday nights...Madonna would often hit the dance floor solo and just dance with the guys while Sandra and Warren looked on....there was also a weeknight place called Horizon that hosted Club Louie....and M would show up there too...CRYBABY had just come out so Ricki Lake and Johnny Depp were also around...Pallette was where the WeHo Hamburger Mary’s came to be....it was such a cool club..perfect mix of lesbians and gay guys...Kim Basinger, John Waters and Margeux Hemingway showed up during the late summer/fall 1989.....a bit off the sitting by tangent but had to give Madonna a bit of credit for hanging with the gay boys back in 89/90 and actually being kind of fun...and didn’t take herself so seriously....

Sat behind Lucille Ball when she came to Boston to see daughter Lucie in the national tour of Seesaw. Boston was the first city on the tour. Gary and Lucy's mother Dede were there too.

Sat in front of Robert Klein at Lucie Arnaz's final performance in They're Playing Our Song. He had already left the show and Tony Roberts had replaced him.

Sat next to Richard Jordan at a matinee of Bent starring Richard Gere and David Dukes.

I sat next to Rosemary Harris once at the Edison Cafe. She smiled very sweetly at me.

20 years ago I was seated next to Richard Ruccolo (recently infamous elsewhere on these threads for his current occupation) at a film festival showing of [italic]All Over the Guy[/italic]. It wasn't my original seat, but festival organizers asked me to fill one of the empty seats next to him and Dan Bucatinsky, I assume because I was in a dress shirt and tie rather than the graphic tees or clubwear most attendees were wearing.

The film print broke something like three times, and Bucatinsky kept running up to the projection booth to see about it, so I made idle small talk with Ruccolo rather than leave him to fidget in silence. He was very nice, a bit nervous. I put my foot in it asking about his TV show, which apparently he'd just gotten cancellation news about from the network, but he was gracious about it. Would not have guessed that he'd end up being the poster boy for swingers' resorts, he had an amicable young Rotary Club dad vibe at the time.

Andrew McCarthy and a companion were sat at our table on a Sunday morning at a very busy Veselka. I was stuck having breakfast with a hook up from the night before because I couldn't think of anything fast enough to get out of it, and it at least got him out of my apartment. I made eye contact with McCarthy twice and then made a concerted effort to ignore him because he seemed to not want to be recognized.

Faye Dunaway took the only empty seats in the Cinerama Dome which happened to be next to me during the final evening of the AFI Fest in 2002. I wish I could tell the whole story.

Justin Long sat next to my friend and I when we were dining outside in Weho. He'd just gotten a new puppy and I couldn't keep my hands off of it. He was very nice.

Nathan Lane was seated opposite me one tiny table over at the old Edison Cafe in NYC during lunch in between shows. (We were both working on different shows at the time.) I nodded a polite acknowledgement to him and he looked at me like I was a piece of shit, so I rolled my eyes at him and ignored him the rest of the meal.

Sat next to a very rude and possibly high/inebriated Adam Lambert at a sold out screening of a rock doc. He and his companion talked through the whole movie and I shushed them several times and got nasty looks. When the movie was over, they introduced the director of the film to come up and do a Q&A, so I stood up and shoved my way past them, ice in my eyes. By the time I got to the stage, they had left.

I had dinner with a Network of folks all working for the same cause. I forget the Dish which was served. The head guy was a Billionaire, though not game hungry you still might recognize his name. Just regular folk.

We had a DLer a few years ago who posted a hilarious story of watching Lucille Ball buy wallpaper at some cheap-o home decor warehouse.

The author Paul Sheldon. I’m his number one fan. He actually stayed at my house, if you can believe it. Turned out to be a real dirty bird.

r88's Nathan Lane reminded me of the time he tried to pick me up at the old Works bar on the UWS, back in the late 90s when I was a cute twink. He was absolutely shitfaced drunk and quite creepy and wouldn't stop trying to talk to me. The more I ignored him the more persistent he got. He was just gross. I left soon after.

Nathan Lane STORY is what I meant.

What's he doing these days?

R8 what did Will Sasso invite you to do?

Once on a plane next to Frank Zappa. Once next to Ray Davies. I was too intimidated to talk to Zappa. Davies asked me about a book I was reading, which opened up the conversation. It turned out he had just worked with a friend of mine, and we wound up talking for a few hours. Very nice, very intelligent.

Shirley Maclaine sat next to me at the ABT tribute to Fred and Ginger. When Darci Kistler and Peter Martins were dancing divinely in this beautiful number - Shirl grabbed my thigh for a minute. Like with real pressure. Not sexual, just excitement at what we were seeing. Her date was the late Brian Linehan. Trust me, I have much better thighs. She also smiled at me several times and we talked about how beautiful certain moments were. Suzanne Farrell danced that night too, though she had retired a few years earlier. Shirley and Linehan were having a great time too. A lot of laughter. Shirley Maclaine is fun y'all. Or she was 27 years ago.

[quote]We probably didn’t share more than a dozen words

Mine would've been: Jack Cole Marilyn Fosse Damn Yankees Chita Nowadays Cocoon THANK YOU!

[quote]Faye Dunaway took the only empty seats in the Cinerama Dome which happened to be next to me during the final evening of the AFI Fest in 2002. I wish I could tell the whole story.

Immediately realizing you were a "little homosexual" Dunaway whipped out on of the NDA's she kept in her bra and made you sign it?

Or, are you a Bronze-Age gay and can't remember?

Yes.

Directly across the aisle from Mann Coulter. Feigned a weak smile when she realised I was staring at her feet. They're ginormous.

NY to LA, next to Walter Cronkite, we became friends Ritz Carlton SFO, Cher in the next room, we chatted in the lounge until the OJ chase started. IAD to Paris, next to Richard Chamberlin IAD Pan Am lounge Kris kristofferson DCA to LGA Al Sharpton, Dan Rather. I could go on and on because I traveled a lot out of Washington. But, Walter was the best.

Oh, I forgot my partner and I were seated in front. Oh Ellen and Ann back in 1996. They were going to Washington for the WH Correspondence dinner. They made out under their blankets until the flight attendant kept interrupting them. This was the week she was on the cover of Time.

Lots going on in First class!

Partridge Family star Danny Bonaduce! More than once!!!

Sat next to Alec Baldwin in 2008. I had gone to see an off-off-Broadway production which had just come out of an acting workshop (tickets were free and it was an early evening time-killer) when a few minutes before curtain, I heard a distinctive voice say to me "Is this taken?". Looked up and saw it was Baldwin, gesturing to the empty seat next to mine. I said it was empty and he took it, saying thanks. The drama went on and about half-way through, he started looking through the playbill several times then leaned over toward me and whispered, "Is it only me or does this play really suck?" I agreed it was bad then after about ten minutes later, he leaned over again, whispering "Well, I think I've had enough of this as I can stand. Time for a drink. Enjoy the rest if you're staying". I said "thanks" and he got up and left.

R105 Well, obviously Alec wanted you to join him, ya big dummy.

You could have had some Baldwin cock!!!

[quote]Didn't speak to her myself but Donatella Versace came into my employer afterhours with her daughter. People are always shocked to hear it but she was super kind and funny, brought her water and she said thank you to me. I got to carry some of their packages out to their SUV when they were done which was kinda cool.

It was cool being treated like a slave? You didn't speak to her, brought her water, carried her packages, she said thank you. OMG, you "got to carry some of her packages"? What a privilege!

Sat next to defective Margo Hughes at a play.

Sat next to Kathleen Turner at "Master Class" with Tyne Daly . She was polite and we chatted about the play.

Sat next to Jerry Seinfeld at "Spiderman - Turn off the Dark." At intermission he turned to me and said "So, what'd ya think?!" I said it was awful.

I bumped into Tony Kushner while we were both walking our dogs. The dogs got along.

Sat between Katie Couric and Lauren Bacall at "The Producers." At intermission, I wasn't crawling over Bacall, so I went in the direction of Couric. She was standing in the row talking to the person behind her and I couldn't get past. I kept saying "Excuse me Ms. Curic." Bacall grabbed my hand and said "Come this way, she's not moving."

Mel Brooks, who is tiny and looked old years ago, was across the aisle from me at a concert of "Crazy for You."

At "War Horse" I was pretty early and was third on the aisle and would have had to crawl over two people who were already seated to get to my seat. The entire row behind us had no one in it yet and the rest of our row was also yet to be filled. I told them not to get up, I'd just go around. One of the two women said to me once I was seated next to them, "That was a classy move." At intermission the woman in front of us told me who called me classy. Anna Wintour thinks I'm classy.

I took cocaine with Suranne Jones once

I stood next to Olympic gold medal speed skater Dan Jansen at a urinal in the Bradley Center (Milwaukee). Of course I snuck a peek. Not real long but quite thick.

I smoked weed with the then current governor's son of my state.

r110, I once did coke with Bertie Carvel! (Nasty guy, chases young women to have threesomes with his wife who he barely speaks to.)

I wonder if any DLer has done coke with Jodie Comer to make a Doctor Foster hat trick.

Ahh interesting about Bertie. Shame as he is a good actor. Do you think Jodie does drugs?

Actually ignore that she’s from Liverpool!

When I lived in the Chelsea Merc building, I was on the same floor as Penelope Cruz and would often see her at the elevator or walking with her bag of garbage to the compactor closet. Very sweet and always a hello. She was not in NYC all the time but when she was in town she sometimes gave parties and leave the door ajar so guest could walk in and out, lots of Spanish compadres and great music. She was at the peak of her beauty at this time, was about 15 years ago.

I sat behind Katie Holmes and her daughter Suri at a Broadway performance of "Carousel" several years ago. Holmes came in wearing a floppy hat, which she thankfully took off when the show began. Suri was wearing a big red ribbon in her hair (I kid you not). Except for that affectation, she seemed mature beyond her ears and a big protective of her mother. They also seemed to have less of a mother/daughter dynamic and more of a bff's dynamic.

Years, not ears. Sorry for the typo. DL needs an editing function.

R106 After the fact, the thought did cross my mind that since I wasn't enjoying the play either and while I don't think Baldwin was extending an invitation, I could have at least said something like "Yeah, a drink sounds good right about now" and perhaps had a drink or two. Lost opportunities...

[Quote] I also sat next to Tom Stoppard during a performance of

Peed next to him after after a movie preview on Broadway. No, I didn't peek.

After reading this thread, I just realized that the celebrities I've wanted to meet are long dead now.

It’s not too late to become one yourself R120 bring back the old glam

Not sure this qualifies as a celebrity, but was in a crowded restaurant when Mary MacDonald or whatever her name is (the yaahoo!! lady from So You Think You Can Dance) came in with her daughter. Epitome of a bobble head. I mean she was tiny in stature and size, probably 5'2"with 4 in heels. And a big giant head with a mass of long shaggy hair. They went and sat on the patio.as the tiny restaurant was full and they didn't want to wait. It wasn't that warm out.

R112 My bf's dad worked at a theatre where Bertie Carvel was touring in a play. He had "horror stories" about him, but refuses to divulge.

Will r110 divulge about Suranne Jones? I love her!

[quote] We struck up a conversation and she was lovely.

Obviously you didn't tell Ms. Child you were gay. She was not down with the homos.

Except for tennis players, I only have one--

I stood in line at a grocery store in Manhattan behind the guy who played Mr. Belvedere. It must have been about 1989 or so.

Sorry, guys.

Back when he was VP, Nelson and Happy Rockefeller were behind me at a performance of Hello Dolly with Pearl Bailey. They came in after the overture began and lights were dimmed. I had no idea they were there. At the intermission I got up and slipped on the carpet and fell back into Happy. Secret Service jumped up freaking out. Happy and Nelson helped me regain my feet and wished me a happy new year.

Interesting to hear gossip about Bertie Carvel. I saw in him as Murdoch in "Ink" last year and thought he was very good, though not especially noteworthy. I wanted to see Jonny Lee Miller, who I think is very talented, and I was interested to see a Rupert Goold-directed play. After seeing Carvel in "Doctor Foster," I grew to dislike him. Yes, I can separate actors from their characters, but sometimes the innate nastiness comes through.

Sat next to Kathleen Sullivan on the DC Metro. Years before she had co-hosted 'ABC World News This Morning' with Steve Bell. We each said hello and then she continued to chat with me. (No idea why.) Since SHE was chatting ME up, I told her that I used to watch them every morning and loved them both (which was true), and she was very gracious.

Sat next to Melissa Manchester on my bed in my college dorm and got high with her. This was a thousand years ago when she toured college coffee houses. She wasn't quite as polished in those days; very granola and folksy.

[Quote] She was at the peak of her beauty at this time, was about 15 years ago.

I used to think she was ugly back in the TC days. But the weight gain helped fill her face out.

[quote] Donatella Versace came into my employer afterhours with her daughter. People are always shocked to hear it but she was super kind and funny, brought her water and she said thank you to me.

No bag of oats to go with the water?

Donatella seems like she'd be a polite person w/a little bit of humility. She's a sybarite, a pleasure-seeker. She likes to smoke, tan, and drink. Somehow, she stays slim.

IMO, she is a better (more practical / wearable) designer than her brother was.

I sat next to Nina Totenberg in the Supreme Court during an argument but chatting was not really allowed.

I met Gina Lollobrigida many years ago, at Olden camera in midtown. Think this was the early 1980s.

Gina was at the counter buying some Nikons, I was there to buy a few rolls of film. I recognized her immediately. She seemed excited that such a young person knew who she was.

Gina looked really good, I was shocked at how short she was. I asked for her autograph, she signed the bag my film was put in. I asked the man behind the counter for another bag for my film, I told him, "I don't want the bag Gina just signed to get wrinkled!" Gina laughed and said she was glad I wanted to keep her autograph safe.

I said a few words to her in Italian, she was impressed, I told her my grandparents were born in Italy. We had a brief conversation, she was extremely pleasant and super nice. I told her I had to get back to work, it was my first job and I didn't want to screw it up.

In the 90's, I sat next to Carol Simpson (former abc weekend anchor) at the DC DMV. We didn't talk. Also, Sen. John Warner at Brooks Bros. He and the sales guy came over to look at dress shoes where I had just finished trying on a pair. Brief banter between the three of us. George S. at Starbucks on Dupont frequently early weekday mornings. We said hello sometimes.

Sat next to Lea Thompson for jury duty. When they called her name, she looked around to see if anyone reacted. She was disappointed.

Gina is supposed to be quite the bitch but if I had been in your situation and would have been in her thrall. Not only very beautiful but a very good actress dramatic and comic. Dear god she starred in a terrific movie with Gerard Philipe!

[quote] Sat next to Lea Thompson for jury duty. When they called her name, she looked around to see if anyone reacted. She was disappointed.

I had similar situation with Sally Kellerman at a doctor's office. Because of HIPAA, full names couldn't be said. The nurse said either her initials or first name and last initial. SK finally said "Kellerman?"

Years ago one of the guys in our friend group signed a contract with Liberace for a project using his name. There was a party scheduled to celebrate the collaboration. He asked all of us if we wanted to come to help him celebrate. We all said that we would be there. The day arrives and we all show up to the venue. Unbeknownst to any of us, Liberace, who was wearing a dark suit, nothing flamboyant, liked to support up and coming talent. There’s some young girl there who sings and she performs a couple of numbers for the guests. After Liberace does his speech he starts to mingle. Our friend comes up to us and asks us if we’d like to meet Lee. We all look at one another and we all say no. While disappointed our friend didn’t take it personally. Liberace was a lot stockier than we thought he’d be. Although he probably had to be wearing and dragging around those sequined capes.

I met Ann Miller. At the perfume counter. She was performing Sugar Babies in my town, how would I know? I was 22 years old and didn't know anything about her except that I had to put my mom and aunt up overnight when they came to see Ann and Mickey Rooney. Toronto. 1985.

So Anne Miller was at the perfume counter of Simpson's department store, in the middle of the day wearing a lot of eyeliner and a dark ranch mink coat. Hair was in that pulled back chic thing but far too dark. (I was corrected later when I called the mink black) She was with a pretty fabulous gay guy with frosted tips and a very nice smile. They were just buying perfume. Simpson's was a nice store. We bought our YSL jackets there for going to the ballet. Ann was just like I now know her from old TV clips. Both a bit lurid old Hollywood looking, but real as rain. She looked young for whatever age she must have been. The coloring was dark and the powder was very white, lips red. At 2:30 in the afternoon. I was enthralled in a mischievous way. I was kind of a tough handsome boy. Not an old movie lover.

So here is what happened. I recognized her from her tiny nose and too dark hair from frotting in front of some Merv Griffin show PLUS all the recent local posters about Sugar Babies. I told her my boyfriend was with the National Ballet (true) and that he LOVED her. (a possible truth:) Could I please have her autograph? Trust me I have met far more important people since - I was being a bit of a wad. I knew her autograph would amuse my boyfriend. So I played up my interest. But I was very cute and handsome then and she was INCREDIBLE. She said your "LOVER" must be very handsome - what roles does he hope to dance? I told her because I knew those answers. She asked the lady behind the counter for one of the perfume boxes.....Yes Ann Miller did. It was very smelly but quite gorgeous - OPIUM. Ann Miller had the lady miter cut the box and proceeded to handcraft a lovely and beautiful message INSIDE to my lover wishing him a beautiful life as dancer and hoped that he would experience more joy than pain. I fucking swear. On the Opium box. Then she complimented me on something and asked if we had seen the show. I said, no but my mom did and she really liked it. Ann Miller gives her gay friend a look and he also was very kind and smiled and asked me if I would like tickets with backstage passes. I smiled very sexy and said, yes. My boyfriend will be thrilled. He gave me tickets for some upcoming night. Miss Miller said in this Texas d r a w l - don't forget to come backstage. I want to meet him. She did.

My boyfriend loved all of this - we fucked for days over my coup. But we never used the tickets or went to the show. He told his friends and showed off the Opium box. They didn't laugh at Ann Miller, they kind of laughed at the idea of Ann Miller. So we were all too cool to go to see the show. Never went or even gave the tickets away. I felt bad about it, because she was a fucking DOLL. I'm so fucking pissed to this day. At myself. We didn't have cell phones then, so there was no photo evidence. I should have told him just how great she was- how kind to me. Instead of laying on the lurid observations. I wasn't trying to be bitchy. We just thought everything we didn't appreciate was a joke. I had a lot to learn. RIP Ann Miller.

That story makes me ridiculously sad for some reason.

Great thread!

I sat next to Tommy Tune at a performance of "Hedwig" with NPH on Broadway. We talked for a bit; he was very sweet. Also sat next to the actress Vanessa Williams of "Melrose Place" at the Lupita N'yongo play at the Public. She was with another guy (her husband?) and was apparently there because one of her friends was in the play (they met up after the show). We didn't talk, though.

Wow, R139, great story.

[quote] We just thought everything we didn't appreciate was a joke.

Great line.

[quote]After the fact, the thought did cross my mind that since I wasn't enjoying the play either and while I don't think Baldwin was extending an invitation, I could have at least said something like "Yeah, a drink sounds good right about now" and perhaps had a drink or two. Lost opportunities...

R105, don't feel bad. I wouldn't have left with him either. I would've been too afraid that I was wrong and he really didn't want me to go with him and would've been annoyed that I was following him out of the theater.

Yes great Ann Miller story but I hated your ending.

OK so Suranne was very gay friendly and that is who she partied with. Possible eating disorder. Sort of came across as someone with learning difficulties of some sort? It was in the way she spoke but it was not severe. She was pretty trashy too tbh.

But she was also nice and friendly i must add.

r105 - DAMN, can't believe you didn't pick up on Alec's come-on! You could've gotten some of that handsome daddy-bear. Let this be a lesson to everyone else - when someone says something like that to you, ACT ON IT!

Yes. I sat next to Christopher Reeve at Crimes of the Heart.

I sat next to Irene Worth at Raising Arizona.

I sat behind Warren Beatty at Into the Woods, 2002 revival.

Lena Dunham sat behind me at Hamilton.

Speaking of Ann Miller, in the late 1990’s I was in Waikiki for business. In the evening I was walking on Kalakaua Blvd and coming towards me is a classy looking woman in a white two piece suit, high heels and jet black hair pulled back in a bun. She’s walking by herself and as I get closer I notice that it’s Ann Miller. As I get closer I smile and say, “Good evening Miss Miller.” She smiles back at me and says, “Good evening to you too.” It was kind of sad because I was the only one who appeared to recognize her.

Oh I forgot one. Waiting for a table at Cheeaecake Factory next to Toni Colette. I just happen to look over and she was standing there looking for her party. She gave me stink eye. I wanted to tell her not to flatter herself. I didnt even like her except in MW.

Most LA residents have a ton of these stories. Elevator ride with Shemar Moore, needy Heather Locker, Shatner grocery shopping. Most are fun just to recall but a few stay with you like Toni "my shit doesnt stink" Colette.

Ann Miller does sound like a lovely lady. So what if her hair was too black, lipstick too red. I appreciate it when people make a damn effort to look good and be appreciative of their fans.

R139, that's an interesting and honest story. We all do stupid stuff like that when we're young and not confident in our own tastes and ignore our instincts to be kind & decent. Glad you learned from that. Ann Miller did sound like a doll, very kind and generous lady.

Chris Pine obviously intoxicated at 6:30pm on Robertson.

I sat next to Gene Hackman at a performance of "Passion" on Broadway. I had the aisle seat, and he asked me to switch with him. I had just broken my leg, which was in a cast, and it was much more comfortable for me to have those extra few inches to stretch my leg out, so I said no. He was very surly and refused to say another word to me.

I sat behind the Spears family on opening night of Britney’s Vegas residency. They seemed apprehensive.

Sat next to Common in the Virgin America terminal at LAX a few years ago (I still miss Virgin America). He was handsome but quiet and unassuming.

I once flew from LA to NY and sat next to Timothy Hutton. Not only was he rude to the flight attendants and to me, he stunk. Seriously. Horrible body odor.

Holy Christ, r105. Why didn't you follow him out? He was a man in need!

Glad you said no to switching seats, R153. He sounds like an asshole (Hackman). Your leg was obviously in a cast. He shouldn't have expected you to switch seats.

I sat behind Jason Alexander on a flight from Burbank to SFO. He sat on the row in front of in the center seat. He wouldnt shut his mouth. He kept trying to be humorous to the flight attendant every time she walked by to the point she would roll her eyes and force a smile. He was like George Costanza. I wanted to kick his seat. Fortunately, it's a relatively short flight.

r158 was he bald or wearing his toupee?

no toupee if I recall correctly. This was awhile back.

Dissing Garbo, Ann Miller, and Liberace. You people were young fools

r150, maybe just a case of RBF?

A lot of her pictures show a 'not so friendly' expression.

I sat next to Diane Schuur on a plane when I was 12 or so in the late 1980s. It would have been a flight between San Francisco and Seattle, I believe. She was super nice. I had no idea who she was. :(

^I think the flight attendant told me or I saw her on the news. I don't remember how I put it together. But, it was her.

R162 it wasn't RBF, it was stink eye. Unprovoked stink eye, I should add.

[quote]R85 Sat behind Lucille Ball when she came to Boston to see daughter Lucie in the national tour of Seesaw.

Lu was going to sit next to me on a plane once, but Gary talked her out of it.

r166, better than sitting behind Lucy and being accused of kicking the seat.

Is that you, Martin? r85

Lucy was probably grouchy because the cut her off after two drinks.

R165 I’ve met her a couple of times, both personally and professionally and she has been more than pleasant.

Maybe it’s you...

When I was going to grad school in New York, I went to a Todd Almond songbook showcase at Lincoln Center, and Patricia Clarkson was seated behind me. I recognized her immediately by her unmistakable voice. After the show, I walked by Courtney Love, who was sitting at a table in the front with some friends and a boyfriend (she performed one of the songs). It was a weird night.

When I was 13, Steve McQueen and a film crew arrived in my hometown to make "The Thomas Crown Affair." My neighbor was a local radio announcer and was hired to ad lib a polo match in the town next to ours, for a scene involving McQueen. Bob asked me if I wanted to go along. I couldn't say no. In the course of the afternoon, I watched the "match" from the sidelines. At one point, McQueen took a spill and cut his hand on the reins. Filming, obviously, had to stop and he started walking in my direction. I then realized his trailer was right behind me. So as he approached, I did a stupid thing and asked for an autograph. He stopped and smiled and then said he couldn't hold a pan and showed me his bloodied hand as proof. But then he shocked the hell out of me by suggesting we shake hands. Not long after, it was time for lunch. The crew knew this 13-year-old was a big fan and, without telling me ahead of time, arranged for me to sit at the long table opposite McQueen. Keep in mind he was the top box office star at the time, and yet he had an easy rapport with everyone on the crew. Best day ever.

I was already seated at L'Orangerie in WeHo when they sat Robin Williams next to me.

r171 but did you meet our Faye?

Sat next to Natalie Portman in Chicago O’hare Airport for nearly three hours. She was there with her bro-douche of a husband and adorable long-haired kid. Natalie spent the entire time keeping her kid occupied with toys and activities while her husband wandered around talking and drinking iced coffee, or sitting and playing on his phone. Husband was tall and very good looking but man.... when it was time to board the plane, tiny Natalie was shouldering 3 y.o. child, his toy bag and child-care bag and large handbag, while her husband had one small carry-on in one hand and his phone in the other. And guess who was in charge of showing boarding passes and i.ds? Not the hubby.

^* talking on phone.

La Wanda Page in a bar

Sat next to Marilu Henner on a flight from Chicago to Los Angeles. I was five or six and traveling alone. My parents let me watch TAXI , so I knew who she was. She was super nice and spoke to me like I was an adult.

Helen Lawson. It was in 1974 on a flight from New York to Paris. She was very nice but I could hardly get a word in. She spent most of the time boozing and bitching about Neely O'Hara.

I once sat next to Bjork on a flight and said 'hi' to her upon taking my seat.

She then asked if I had a pen she could borrow............

HAHAHA@R179

[quote]Sat next to Marilu Henner on a flight from Chicago to Los Angeles. I was five or six and traveling alone. My parents let me watch TAXI , so I knew who she was. She was super nice and spoke to me like I was an adult.

I bet she remembers you to this day!

R153 - Did Gene call you a horse's ass? It's one of his favorite expressions.

Sat in the row right in front of of Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter, plus mini-entourage, at an open-air show by Rufus Wainwright at Kenwood, London.

Damn r181 one step ahead of me!

But when someone asks me if I could meet any celebrity in the world, that’s my stock answer, because I know she would remember me for the rest of her life!

Marlo Thomas

She farted repeatedly....the smell!

Sat next to Andie McDowal, her then-husband Paul Qualley, her children, and her nanny at a restaurant about 20 years ago

Andie talked loudly throughout the meal. She tried to correct the children in a way that seem juvenile and not helpful; she just called them by their full names when they were squirming and behaving like normal children who were too small to sit through the long dinner by themselves

Her children seemed more bonded with the nanny than with Andie.

The husband seemed checked out emotionally.

Andie's constant loud talking and screaming was tiresome - she was like one of those Wal-Mart mom's who constantly screams at her kids who ignore her

[quote] I’ve met her a couple of times, both personally and professionally and she has been more than pleasant.

No, you haven't.

[quote] Maybe its you...

Why would you use an ellipsis?

I sat near Caroline Kennedy on a bus in NYC. I couldn't believe she was on the bus. It was definitely her though. Her skin is very washed out and she seems like an anxious person. But maybe being on a bus alone was freaking her out.

Yes, sat behind Meryl Streep at a weekday (greyhair) matinee of "Mr. Marmalade" at the Roundabout Theatre in NYC -- probably November 2006 or 2007. Her daughter, Mayme Gummer, had the lead role. I was momentarily star-struck and wanted to say something to her, then realized it would be stupid. She was just a mom on an afternoon outing to see her kid in a play. She was very recognizable, of course, but not dressed flashily. She sat sort of down front, so not that many people who came in after she did saw her or recognized her. I didn't like the play much and was super-preoccupied with the fact that my partner at the time had terminal lung cancer and this was our first and last outing to NYC together. Something we had talked about for years, but could never do because of heavy work schedules.

[quote]R173 did you meet our Faye?

I imagine she was detained, throwing salads around her dressing room.

She was thin and starving in that movie.

Years ago, I sat across from British musician Joe Jackson on a fairly empty N train going to Lexington. I got on downtown, he was already on the train.

Joe was one of the whitest humans I'd even seen in my life! Joe looked like across between a vampire and a corpse. He had a miserable expression on his face, it was not because anyone recognized him, no one did, just me, he simply looked disgusted. Very sour and annoyed. I also remember he had very red lips, with his super pale skin, it looked as if he was wearing lipstick! He didn't make eye contact with anyone. He got off at the Carnegie Hall stop, 57th Street.

Joe was very tall and skinny, he wasn't attractive in the least. He actually looked like an alien! Joe was one of the most bizarre looking humans I've ever seen.

I sat down for a matinee of "Long Day's Journey Into Night" with Brian Dennehy and Vanessa Redgrave. I was in the last row of the orchestra. Redgrave is famous for refusing to wear a mic. There was a racket coming from across the aisle. I thought I'd never hear her. Then I looked to see what it was. It was Christopher Reeves and the sound was the breathing machine keeping him alive.

Hamilton at the Public - Billy Crystal sitting in front of me with a baseball cap pulled very low.

Hamilton on Broadway: Two little kids walk in and sit in front of me. I thought: Who brings little kids to Hamilton. Matthew Broderick and SJP do. At one point, one of the girls crinkled a water bottle. SJP had it out of the kid's hand in a flash!.

Rode on an uptown 6 train across from Bronson Pinchot of "Perfect Strangers" fame. He was alone and I did not say anything to him. He got off at 66th Street/Hunter College.

Also rode an uptown 1 train with Suzan-Lori Parks, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright. And though he wasn't next to me, I saw Peter Scolari on an uptown 1 train one day graciously stand up and give his seat to an older lady who got on with a cane. I smiled and wondered if she knew the guy giving her his seat was a television star.

R191, I used to see Joe Jackson all the time at the Strand. He was odd looking, but not as odd looking as now since all the plastic surgery.

Back then he was interesting to look at. Now he is disturbing to look at.

Poor R105, doomed to be always told "you fool!" ;) Wonder how many other stories of lost opportunities are out there.

Sorry but I still don't get who would want to have sex with Alec Baldwin anyway. He's pig eyed, fat, short legs, too hairy, old and gross.

Long gone Footlight Records in NYC - Liza and I were the only people in the shop. They were playing Frank Sinatra and changed songs before the end of whatever he was singing. Liza: HEY! put Frank back on!

[quote]Also, Sen. John Warner at Brooks Bros. He and the sales guy came over to look at dress shoes where I had just finished trying on a pair. Brief banter between the three of us.

About how they'd have to roll Elizabeth in some flour from the kitchen so he could find the hole?

[quote]After Liberace does his speech he starts to mingle. Our friend comes up to us and asks us if we’d like to meet Lee. We all look at one another and we all say no. While disappointed our friend didn’t take it personally.

What a shitty group of friends you are. I hope he dropped you and found better ones.

Another Ann Miller rave: she was there for rehearsals for "Sugar Babies"soon to open at the Shubert and in the audience, right in front of us (with the same walker, presumably) at the Boston tryouts for "Dream Girls" in 1981. She spent some of the first act re-doing her makeup with one of those lighted compacts. It was a little distracting but what the hell, it was Ann Miller. We said "Hi" to her walking up the aisle at intermission and ended up having a glass of champagne with them at the lobby bar. My husband's a Texan, too, so they had that to talk about and she did the same thing - the walker handed us a card and said to call for house seats and to see her again backstage. I'd seen Sugar Babies in NYC that summer, but my husband (who was my new BF then and up from NY on our second date) hadn't and we sure as hell went the following weekend. She was a wonderful old broad, said she was glad she could still work and bring in the crowds and complained, both times, about how much her feet hurt.

It really was a two-fer that night: Ann Miller and seeing Jennifer Holliday bringing down the house at the end of the first act with "And I am Telling You" for only the third time in a regular performance.

[quote] She was very recognizable, of course, but not dressed flashily. She sat sort of down front, so not that many people who came in after she did saw her or recognized her. I didn't like the play much and was super-preoccupied with the fact that my partner at the time had terminal lung cancer and this was our first and last outing to NYC together.

R189, I don't think Meryl Streep ever knows how to dress. I'm sorry about your partner having lung cancer. That's what my mom died from. On Christmas and New Year's, we knew it was the last time to spend holidays with her. We did a few special things, knowing it was the last. I'm glad we did all of those things, but in honesty, it was kind of hard to enjoy because I was always sad.

[quote] Sat next to Natalie Portman in Chicago O’hare Airport for nearly three hours. She was there with her bro-douche of a husband and adorable long-haired kid. Natalie spent the entire time keeping her kid occupied with toys and activities while her husband wandered around talking and drinking iced coffee, or sitting and playing on his phone. Husband was tall and very good looking but man.... when it was time to board the plane, tiny Natalie was shouldering 3 y.o. child, his toy bag and child-care bag and large handbag, while her husband had one small carry-on in one hand and his phone in the other. And guess who was in charge of showing boarding passes and i.ds? Not the hubby.

R174, I think I've heard this story before. Sounds like she was reduced to a house frau. Her choice, though.

The Setting: Orso Restaurant...

The Date: March 1997 a few weeks before the Oscars.

The Comment: Made by patrons at a table near mine and that of a famous actress “We adored you in TMHTF and just wanted to say congratulations on your nomination!”

The Response: “Was I talking to you?!?!”

The CUNT: Lauren Bacall

What is TMHTF?

Famous adjacent... sat next to Diana Vreeland’s grandson, Nicky Vreeland, in Business Class on a flight from Paris to New York in the early 2000s.

He was a Tibetan Monk by then, wearing his robes, and a very sweet guy. We talked for hours about his grandmother, whom I greatly admired.

R204 The Mirror Has Two Faces

I was at the performance of "All My Sons" (right before Thanksgiving or that Friday, a matinee) when Tom Cruise and the Beckhams showed up. They were two rows behind me.

I had got myself situated for one of my favorite double features (The Miracle of Morgan's Creek, and Unfaithfully Yours) at the old Regency on Broadway and 67th. Minutes later a couple sat right behind me talking loudly, one sounded familiar, but I didn't turn around. Just as long as they shut up when the movie started, I figured. They didn't. I took it for about five minutes and finally I swung my head around and said, "You two aren't going to talk through the whole damn movie, are you?" It was Lauren Bacall and her gay hairdresser friend. They looked momentarily mortified and shut up for awhile, but they kept shushing each other when they started talking again, saying, "Shhh. He'll yell at us again!".

HA! BITCHES!

I think I’ve mentioned all of these before in various threads.

Sat next to Tom Selleck at a London theatre. He was a total jerk who made a scene about being taken to the VIP lounge for intermission. Theatre didn’t have one. No one knew who he was -He looked like a homeless bum.

Shirley Maclaine knocked me over in a theatre lobby, fleeing from a fan who wanted her autograph. She apologized, helped me up, and we chatted through the intermission. She was quite nice, and we had similar taste in theatre.

Stood in line after a reading to get Diana Rigg to autograph her book. That was a conversational ice breaker, and she ended up inviting me to a party that was held in her honor. We chatted more. She was intelligent, charming, and an excellent conversationalist.

Shared a dining table with Harvey Fierstein for a week on a gay cruise. Very nice guy -funny and warm.

Inadvertently crashed an opening night party for a Broadway show (held at a restaurant) and ended up sitting next to Faith Prince. She was friendly and took the time to chat with me and my friends.

I didn't realize how friendly stage actors & actresses were. Sort of like how country music performers are friendly with their fans. I guess it makes sense.

I've written about this before.... but I was ahead of Anjelica Huston picking up tickets for Baz Luhrmann's 'La Boheme' at the Ahmanson Theater in 2004. She looked beautiful, and she and her date were sleek and well dressed. She was very calm and gracious.

I had just watched her episode of "Inside the Actors Studio" and told her how much I admired the interview. I said, "You were so good on that ... and not everyone is!" Then I released her back to the wild.

Later my friend asked me why I spoke to her, and I said, "Are you kidding? Every day an actor isn't recognized they die a little."

Smoked with Christopher Walken. He made perfectly nice small talk with me, and seemed happy I didn't acknowledge who he was, except another human being.

Short exchanges with Mariska Hargitay and G., same event, but separately. Mariska was very charming; G., notsomuch.

Sat behind Simon Callow at a West End theatre in the late 90s. He had an alleged but obvious callboy with him, with whom he was trying to make conversation rather badly, which amused my date and me to no end. We didn't chat with them.

Sat in front of Judy Woodruff on a flight once. She was not to be trifled with.

Sat in front of Richard E. Grant on a flight once; while I did not chat with him, the whole plane of Brits gave him audible shit because he and his wife/gf held up the flight leaving on time because they were in the lounge and unaware the flight had boarded. He was mortified, which I have always given him a lot of credit for.

Encounter with SJP and John Benjamin Hickey at the Adam Driver/Keri Russell play I'm blanking on (revival from the 80s; Driver has a huge cock). SJP was a few rows in front of me but on her way in (she and Hickey came in just before the curtain), she stopped to say hello to me as if we knew each other (we don't). Everyone around me was totally bewildered (lots of Jersey frauen staring at me, trying to figure out how I knew their goddess), as was John Benjamin Hickey, who seems like a total douchebag.

Sat near Woody Allen and Soon-Yi seeing some Vanessa Redgrave play 20 years ago or so. We didn't speak to them, but my friend nearly died of plotzing about being so close to him.

Only really negative encounter of this ilk was sitting next to Carole Radziwell on the subway. She requested I not speak to her, even though I was not trying to speak to her. I wasn't even gawking, as her really bad plastic surgery was very hard to look at (she's emaciated and rearranged). I rolled my eyes at her and that ended that.

[R191], I used to see Joe Jackson all the time at the Strand. He was odd looking, but not as odd looking as now since all the plastic surgery. Back then he was interesting to look at. Now he is disturbing to look at.

I couldn't believe how pale he was, like he needed a blood transfusion, he looked ill. Years before I saw him on the subway, I saw Joe in concert at the now defunct club, The Bottom Line. I don't remember him being so pale.

I found this pic of Joe, is it recent? His face looks the same to me. What sort of plastic surgery did he have? He's always had an odd pig nose.

In this photo, he looks a bit like Klaus Nomi.

Does Joe still live in NYC?

[quote] Only really negative encounter of this ilk was sitting next to Carole Radziwell on the subway. She requested I not speak to her, even though I was not trying to speak to her.

God, she's really insufferable and boring. On the Real Housewives, she was so boring that her big outing was walking her dog.

1. Summer of 1997. First full summer in NYC. With my BF(now my husband) got tickets for “On the Town” at the Delcacorte In Central Park. My 14 y/o nephew was in visiting. Comden and Green were seated behind us. 2. Around 2000 went to a small theater in the W50s off 9th avenue. 3 one act plays, one by Paul Rudnick. Jane Krakowski was seated in front of us, Paul was seated behind us. 3. When selling our coop in Gramercy Park in 2008, the client came in to view the apartment accompanied by Victor Garber and Andrea Martin. I was sitting in the lobby with the dog waiting for them to leave. They came down after 45 minutes with the broker and asked a question the broker could not answer. At that point I went over to join them and answer the question. Victor and Andrea were very friendly and relaxed. I was a bit star struck. He bought the apartment.

[quote]r231 In this photo, he looks a bit like Klaus Nomi.

Or Annie Lenox.

My friend (who passed away 5 years ago) was the stage manager at the Papermill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ for many years. He said Ann Miller was a horror and would call him at all hours late at night when she was drinking talking and babbling. He would listed and put down the phone and go to the bathroom and come back and she was still prattling on. He said she was very nice when sober but a lonely and needy drunk, which was most late evenings.

Who isn't a lonely and needy drunk most late evenings R217?

Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, and their baby at a restaurant by the Tiburon ferry in the early aughts. It was an informal place where you collected your own order to bring back to your table. I was with a gaggle of cyclists from Different Spokes, the gay cycling group in SF. We were all clomping around in our cleats and helmets. Andre picked up their order and ferried it to their table next to ours. He was in great shape, and they both seemed relaxed and down to earth.

[quote]—Ann Miller made Sondheim weep when she first performed this song.

Oh, dear, I hope in the good way!

Funny, I saw that production at Paper Mill and Ann was sensational, but when I watch that bootleg, apart from the dress, that's not how I remember her doing the number at all. Her take on it was different, but really emotional and wonderful. She brought the house down!

By that point she'd had to have some bones in her ankles fused, so although she could walk carefully as you see, she could no longer tap. I'd also seen her in "Sugar Babies" over fifteen years earlier and people can joke about Ann Miller, but live on stage she hit it out of the park. Her perfume buying assistant mentioned in an earlier post was a guy I had a few dates with named Butch, he is a great guy and loved Ann.

My bf at the time was an entertainment critic in a midwestern city and was scheduled to review an outdoor Liza Minnelli concert. He chatted with her on the phone beforehand for his story, and she invited him backstage to meet her. I went along with him as "and guest" but near the end of the concert he yawned that he wasn't that interested in meeting her and we should just leave before the traffic jam. My heart sank; it would have been my only celebrity meet and greet ever.

But that was him. I know he would have said something dumb like, "You know, people often thought my mother was an actress because of the way she presented herself". He didn't like anyone stealing the limelight. He thought he was really the star of every event he reviewed. He would show-up late breathless, sweating and disheveled and start making loud demands of the staff.

This is so "Mary!" but Ann Miller was a REAL star, the likes of which we will never see again.

[quote]r220 By that point she'd had to have some bones in her ankles fused,

I had the bones in my ankles fused ....... [italic]behind my head!

When Don Lemon lived in Chicago , he tried flirting with me in Einstein Bros Bagels one Sunday . I didn’t know who he was until a couple of weeks later when I was off work and saw him doing the 4:30 news . I liked him when I was talking to him but I don’t usually date African American guys so I didn’t pay that much attention to him .

Sat at tables next to Lauren Hutton countless times at the now closed Noho Star on Lafayette Street. She always seemed to be in a consistently foul mood and was very brusque to all the wait staff despite being a regular and seeing many of them several days a week.

And as for anyone approaching her to give a compliment on any aspect of her career... they did so at their own peril! She would literally tell people to fuck off and get lost.

Perhaps all the rumors about her were true and she was frustrated lesbian who was afraid to come out. She sure seemed like one miserable lady.

Not seated, but another standing-smoking story: Seated near Connie Chung and Maury Povich in a West Hollywood restaurant. I went out to smoke and Maury followed me out to bum a cigarette off me, with the admonition "Don't tell my wife."

I was on a plane with Madonna, she was in first class but kept walking back to economy (where I was) to yell at her son.

[quote]Lauren Hutton...And as for anyone approaching her to give a compliment on any aspect of her career... they did so at their own peril! She would literally tell people to fuck off and get lost.

I would've told her how much I loved her mother in "Annie Get Your Gun" then asked her how many matchbooks she can fit in the gap between her teeth.

Ellen slapped me on the subway

Was a few seats away from Liza and Billy Stritch at some off-off Broadway show in the late1990s. I can’t even remember what the production was, but in any case Liza was just as delightful and wonderful to be in close proximity to as all the stories I had heard. She would smile at anyone who looked her way and during intermission was friendly and talkative to everybody who approached her.

They played some disco tune in the lobby to announce the 2nd act and I remember her shaking her shoulders and doing a little shimmy as we walked back into the theatre. Go ahead and “Mary!” me and I know it probably sounds corny, but even that little action was just so charming and she radiated such a joie de vivre that you couldn’t help but feel happy just being in the same room as her.

And it wasn’t a sloppy drunk type of thing at all. In fact, she declined a drink someone offered to buy her from the lobby bar and you could tell she was sober. So this must have been a period that she was on the wagon and taking care of herself.

Odd that Maury would've said that, because Connie also smokes.

[quote]Odd that Maury would've said that, because Connie also smokes.

I don't know. Maybe they were both trying to quit at the time or something.

That's a cute story, R230. There's an old Larry King interview of Liza; he asks her why she's so popular with gay men. She thought about it and said: "Because they have good taste!"

I saw a preview performance of the Broadway musical "Hairspray" and John Waters sat right in front of me and my friend. He turned around to tell us he'd seen every performance of the show out of town so far and that "we were gonna love it!"

I reminded him that we'd met at the Cannes Film Festival some years earlier (funny mix up). I sincerely doubted he would recall the incident, although he claimed he did, of course. I think he was just being a nice. We had to stop talking because there was a BIG hubbub and people were applauding something even though the house lights were still on. We were all amazed to see BARRY MANILOW being brought to his seat! John Waters said, "Ohmygawd, it's Barry Manilow at MY SHOW! I'm calling my mother at intermission, she'll be so impressed!" It was a charming NY moment. Seated separately directly across the aisle were columnist Liz Smith and Baryshnikov, but we didn't give crap about them, only Barry!

This isn't my story but that of a former colleague from work.

They were on a weekend away somewhere in rural Australia. He went for a morning walk and another guy (with an American accent) asked if he could join him. They were making small talk for about a hour into the walk and then the American guy said "You don't recognise me do you?'". My work colleague answered honestly saying he didn't. The American guy then said he was Nicolas Cage and the penny dropped with my work colleague. He told me he felt so silly not to recognise Nicolas Cage. Anyway, Nicolae Cage thought it was great that someone didn't recognise him and they both had a good laugh about it.

^ I didn't know Cage did an Australian movie.

But I went to Google and it said that he did 2 movies in Melbourne — one was pretending to be in Boston and the other was pretending to be Texas.

Nothing groundbreaking, but Julia Ormond sat next to me in a theater when she was a juror for Sundance one year.

I really didn't pay much attention until she hit my leg with her coat. I looked over and she apologized and I said something goofy like "No problem, best to get comfy" and smiled as I turned back to the screen.

Internally, I was fangirling a bit, but figured I would just be cool and respect her space. Plus, it was just nice to hear her voice as she talked on the phone before the film. I did notice her hands were really well manicured with red nails. It was around the time she was on Mad Men.

[Quote] But I went to Google and it said that he did 2 movies in Melbourne — one was pretending to be in Boston and the other was pretending to be Texas.

I think one of them was Knowing.

Not too exciting but when nip/tuck was still on, the actress who played Kimber sat next to us at Mr. Chow. If you have been there, you know the seating is not the most comfortable in the middle section where they literally pull out the table so the person can get to their seat. This is where she was, essentially facing me a seat over. Very attractive, didn't try bringing attention to herself as she dined with a female friend.

TMZ was outside when I left so they probably caught her.

r173

I didn't meet Faye, but an assistant director had me walk a horse behind her as she draped herself over a gorgeous Ferrari and watched "Thomas Crown" play polo.

r240 GET THAT FUCKIN GODDAMN LITTLE HOMOSEXUAL BOY AND HIS FUCKIN HORSE AWAY FROM ME!

Only really negative encounter of this ilk was sitting next to Carole Radziwell on the subway. She requested I not speak to her, even though I was not trying to speak to her. I wasn't even gawking, as her really bad plastic surgery was very hard to look at (she's emaciated and rearranged). I rolled my eyes at her and that ended that.

Well, she's a fresh young woman, new to the city and probably felt a bit intimidated by all the attention to her beauty

R235 How can anyone not recognise Nicolas Cage??? It's not like your colleague had never heard of him.

Caroline Kennedy using a bus. I guess Jackie On Assistance taught her to economize.

R235 Plus why would Cage ask to join a random stranger for a walk? For an HOUR? This is an odd story.

R243 Maybe Nic wasn't wearing one of his hair pieces or maybe he was wearing I hat. I didn't ask my colleague and not everybody is obsessed with celebrity. I didn't ask for details partially because the story was quite endearing really.

R245 It was in regional Australia and they we staying at the same remote hotel. Maybe he didn't want to go out alone and noticed someone else going for a walk and decided to join him. Nothing really unusual about that is less populated areas.

I stood next to Senator Chuck Schumer at an airport. He had just gotten off a flight from New York, and was stopped by another passenger because he had accidentally grabbed the wrong trenchcoat. The exchange took place right in front of me.

I realize politicians don't get where they are because of looks, but he reminded me of The Penguin from Batman. He was almost as wide as he was tall, and completely disheveled. His features were also sharper than they appear on TV. I hope he becomes Senate Majority Leader, but he really is comically ugly (as is, coincidentally, his cousin Amy).

R246 Could he have been worried about dangerous wildlife?

To me Cage just has one of the most recognisable faces, even with sunglasses and a hat on, the nose would give him away. And the distinctive drawly voice.

back in the 80s i'd often second act a broadway show when in the area.... and as the house lights would come down I'd race to find a vacant seat in the orchestra.

one night I was very pleased with myself as my timing was great in getting an aisle seat right down front. as the stage lights come up i turn to the patron next to me, and it's Jack Nicholson giving me a Who the Fuck are You? ....The Shining had just been released... it was terrifying.

Sat across the aisle from David Brooks on the amtrak to NYC. Nothing remarkable, except I was surprised he wasn't in first class. Some women asked him to sign some book and tried to pitch their cause, which he politely received, but the deference they showed this hack was a bit sickening.

R248 Well that is possible. I'm weary of snakes when I'm away from a major city - I think it is the brown ones that will attack without provocation.

Not everyone would recognise him. I've walked past numerous well known people without realising it only because who I was with recognised them. I'm sure if a was having a conversation with Nicolas Cage I would recognise him - we'll I sure hope I would but also given you would expect some famous person to pop up could make a difference for some.

Joe Biden on the Acela. This was during the GWB administration. Technically, he sat across the aisle from me. He was super friendly to everyone, very gregarious. And he seemed to know about half the people in the car. (Which, I guess, makes sense; lots of pols take that train.)

How odd, r215. Where do you suppose their respective spouses were?

I used to know a certain little someone who thought she was a celebrity who was sat next to me every night at the dinner table. I intervened.

[quote]Sat at tables next to Lauren Hutton countless times at the now closed Noho Star on Lafayette Street. She always seemed to be in a consistently foul mood and was very brusque to all the wait staff despite being a regular and seeing many of them several days a week. And as for anyone approaching her to give a compliment on any aspect of her career... they did so at their own peril! She would literally tell people to fuck off and get lost. Perhaps all the rumors about her were true and she was frustrated lesbian who was afraid to come out. She sure seemed like one miserable lady.

Lauren has always always a miserable, nasty, self-absorbed person, even before she became famous.

Years ago, I got an earful from the elderly women who headed the sewing department at a pattern company I had worked for. As this woman had been with the company for many years, she had tons of stories to tell, especially about the models who came in for the fittings. This woman told me, a lot of the models would come in after night of heavy partying, some didn't even shower before coming into the fittings. A lot of the models reeked of BO, cigarettes and other foul odors.

This woman told me, Lauren Hutton was "the worst, very rude and acted as if she was already famous, she wasn't at the time, she was just doing catalogue work". She told me, Lauren always smelled horrible, "Like sweaty feet, very heavy BO, cigarettes and always had a bad crotch odor, like she had an untreated vaginal infection!" This woman never held back with all the gory details. She was such a hoot. She would always warn people to not purchase certain items at the company's in-house sales, because so many of the models were so dirty and they likely wore a lot of the items during the pattern catalogue shoots! "Definitely do not buy any socks, those girls don't wash their feet!"

Anytime I read about how horrible Lauren Hutton is, I always think about her smelly body and her crotch rot!

[quote]I took cocaine with Suranne Jones once

Suranne Jones, is she the mannish looking British actress with the horse face? I remember her from a cop show aired on PBS and that HBO series about some famous lesbian. Is she a lesbian?

Yes, Suranne Jones is the one with the rather disturbingly shaped nose. I can look at nothing else when she's on-screen. She was in Gentleman Jack.

Been seated near lots of celebrities in NY restaurants. Comden and Green in the theater district. Bill Murray just a year ago in midtown. Jane Fonda at Tavern on the Green in Central Park -- extremely good posture, chewed her food well. Also, John-John in an elevator. Dan Rather in the lobby at the Metropolitan Opera. Tom Brokaw getting into a cab. Not to mention tons of soap actors and porn stars on the streets... Ah, there's nothing like New York. But, out of New York, I nearly bumped into Lauren Bacall in Boston in front of her hotel. Saw Broderick Crawford in front of Buckingham Palace.

Mike Huckabee sat across from me in a puddle jumper from La Guardia to the D.C. Airport. All the flight attendants were fluttering and swarming around him. "Can I get you anything Governor?" "Do you need something else Governor?"

He was nice by the way but egads--the flight attendants were annoying.

I've had two separate encounters at the checkout counter of Ralph's in Toluca Lake/Studio City.

1- Steve Perry was in front of me in line. I had a full cart of groceries that I was waiting to unpack, but he kept his wagon in back of him, basically blocking access to the belt. (I fucking hate when people do that shit. Pull the cart up in front of you as soon as it's empty, FFS.) I caught his eye a couple of times, smiled and nodded at the cart, hoping he'd pick up the cue, but he clearly thought I was a fan and gave me a really shitty face like I was about to blow his cover. I then nudged the cart, and he turned around to say something with a scowl on his face, but before he could, I said- very pointedly and nastily- Could you move your cart out of the way so I could unpack my groceries? He withered a bit, but did so.

2- I believe I've told this one on another thread a while back, but I was up early on a Sunday morning to grocery shop. The store was pretty much empty, so there was only one checker working. I got in line and noticed that Martha Plimpton was in front of me. She was wearing a somewhat formal gown, was with a male companion, looked like she had been beaten with several bottles of Georgi Vodka and the only things in her basket were several bottles of alcohol. Male companion had to help steady her a couple times. She took no notice of me, thank god, so I could covertly gawk. Martha Plimpton doesn't mean shit to me. But a drunk Martha Plimpton at 7 in the morning after a night of boozing it, picking up some hair of the dog? I'm here for that.

Moby held the door for me as we were both exiting the now closed National Wholesale Liquidators store in Greenwich Village.

Seeing a famous person in a discount store is always hilarious. I remember seeing another celebrity in that same store, but I cannot remember who it was.

I met Chastity Bono. Standing and seated. Once my goofy friend chased Leslie Nielsen around a gay convenience store. Leslie was playful with us, though I kept deferring. He resembled some kind of silver hound dog. Miss Lauren Bacall had hair like mounds of spinning blonde silk. She was imperious but altogether nice. Very much a star.

[quote]They were going to Washington for the WH Correspondence dinner.

Oh, dear!

[quote]I'm weary of snakes when I'm away from a major city

I think you mean "wary."

[quote]Saw Broderick Crawford in front of Buckingham Palace.

How old are you? Broderick Crawford died in 1986.

Old enough to know Crawford was named after his mother Helen Broderick.

[quote]Plus why would Cage ask to join a random stranger for a walk? For an HOUR? This is an odd story.

This IS Nicholas Cage we're talking about. The only thing you could tell me about an encounter with him that I wouldn't find believable is him turning in an understated performance.

I sat next to The Pointer Sisters at McDonald’s in Malibu one time. June Pointer kept bitching about her fucking cheeseburger tasting like dog meat.

What is gay convenience store?

^^^ It's a 7-11 that presents hole. Duh.

[quote]I sat next to The Pointer Sisters at McDonald’s in Malibu one time. June Pointer kept bitching about her fucking cheeseburger tasting like dog meat.

Were you so excited you just couldn't hide it? Or did you Jump?

R210 said, "I didn't realize how friendly stage actors & actresses were. Sort of like how country music performers are friendly with their fans. I guess it makes sense."

Yeah -They can be stars in the theatre, but virtually anonymous out in public, especially away from Manhattan. Also, nearly all of them had to work their way up with talent -the casting couch and looks don't have the same pull in the theatre (there are always exceptions, of course). The result is that most stage actors are pretty down-to-earth. Movie stars who spent years in the theatre prior to Hollywood tend to be the same way. I've worked in the theatre for 30 years, and can count on one hand, with fingers left over, the number of total assholes I've come across. Not at all the same for the Hollywood types I've had to be around.

[quote] I sat next to The Pointer Sisters at McDonald’s in Malibu one time.

When they stood up to leave, was one of them showing partial bush?

June loved flashing that pussy, god rest her soul.

A lot but one of my faves was sitting behind Sharon Gless at Tyne Daly's opening night performance of "Gypsy" at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. She was jumping up and down in her seat with excitement when Tyne made her entrance and she led the standing ovation when she took her bow. Watching that, you knew how she felt about Tyne, contrary to those reports that they hated each other.

R107, I actually agree with your comment; the amount of deference we were instructed to show her and her kid was really excessive and pandering. But back in the glory days of high-end retail, it wasn't a rare occurrence to well treat big-spenders. And although I recognize it as sarcasm, my job (for which I was paid, I wasn't a slave) really was to basically cart crap around for other people as I was an assistant to two of the more successful personal shoppers. Also, because it was a higher-end retail store that sold Versace clothes and products, she was something akin to royalty. So in that sense, it was cool. But I agree, the deference we had to show her was really silly and sort of hackneyed, and I don't think she even really cared one way of the other. R131 I was pretty young, probably 18 or 19, and very new to fashion, so the only real impression I had about her personality was Maya Rudolph's SNL impression of her. That's truly what I was expecting. But, of course, she was nothing like that in that occasion. I always thought it odd that she was in a store buying designer products when, I assume, she knew these other designers and could just get something shipped to her, likely free of charge.

Many years ago, I was with a friend who had worked on the EMI three-CD Show Boat set, and Karla Burns (who played Queenie) was with us. Somehow or other, we ended up at a McDonald's on the Upper West Side, and they were giving out promo cardboard crowns.

We all wore them as we ate. It was fun.

I fucked Cheyenne Jackson off the coast of the Atlantic in his ass one whole summer.

Did you make conversation, R276?

Yes R277. Sometimes he'd yell for help when the tide came in.

I sat next to an elegant lady while waiting for a graduation ceremony at the Malibu campus of Pepperdine in 1984. We were all sitting on concrete benches outdoors. We had a pleasant chat but I don't remember what about. When the announcer introduced notable guests, he announced "Mrs. Charlton Heston" and the lady stood up and waved while everyone clapped. Until that moment I didn't know who she was. She was there for the graduation of their daughter. Charlton was in Europe making a movie. Turns out she was an actress, Lydia Clarke Heston, and a published photographer. I wish I had known this; we could have had a more interesting conversation. But I think she enjoyed just having a normal regular old conversation unrelated to Hollywood.

Who the fuck is Anne Miller?

brilliant, r280

>>How old are you? Broderick Crawford died in 1986.>>

That makes sense, since I saw him in front of Buckingham palace in 1974. Yeah, there are people here who have had long lives. It's not a crime; in fact, it's an achievement. (BTW, I'm 63.)

Wait, hold up. Let’s hear more about Adam Driver and his huge cock. I don’t care if you sat next to him or not.

Who the fuck is Anne Miller?

HAND IN YOUR FUCKIN GAY CARD NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Someone who spells her name Anne Miller has no right to take away anyone's gay card.

[quote]I thought I'd never hear her. Then I looked to see what it was. It was Christopher Reeves and the sound was the breathing machine keeping him alive.

I hope you leaned across the aisle and scolded, "Would you MIND?"

r285 Fuckwit, r280 spelt her name 'Anne Miller', I just relayed that before making my own comment. Dipshit

Next to Lee Radziwill and André Leon Talley at GREY GARDENS the musical at Playwrights Horizons in 2006 before the show moved to Broadway.

She seemed amused by the portrayal of her adolescent self in the first act and laughed a few times. But then she and André abruptly left right after the second act began. My boyfriend and I have always wondered if she was somehow offended or simply bored.

^^^^ To those that haven’t seen the show, the first act has scenes with Jackie and Lee as children visiting Big Edie and Little Edie.

R288 Do you remember what she was wearing and how did she look?

I've posted this before but will do it again in this thread...

I was on the 6 train going downtown a few years ago and charlie rose got on and sat in front of me. This was after the scandal. He looked sooooo bad! His hair was all over the place, he was wearing a suit with no tie but he had on these ugly ass black sneakers! He was pretending to look busy on his phone. He was just flicking thru the menu pages on his phone...you know the pages with a bunch of icons...he was just flipping thru page 1, 2, 3 etc. and making all kinds of complex facial expressions like he was doing something important LOL.

He got off the train at union sq. He looked a mess! and so fucking old.

The old joke when Ann Miller was in "Sugar Babies" was she was tapping so hard she fell down and broke her hair.

I used to meet a lot of people in the performing arts, but I got completely star struck when I sat opposite James B. Stewart, the writer.

I also sat at a table next to Lee Radizwill on Thanksgiving Day 1998 at Maya’s Restaurant on St. Barts. She was with Hamilton South and Jeffrey Bilhuber and all three of them were drinking like fish and drawing a lot of attention to themselves with very queeny “hey girl!” behavior and loud, gossipy conversation.

Lee was smoking and constantly gesticulating wildly with whichever hand she happened to be holding her cigarette. It was almost like the behavior of a coke head although I’d never heard any drug rumors about her. However, she was in a very manic mode.

They were nice to the wait staff and not being bitchy, but the whole “oh my god darling, fabulous!!!!” schtick got tiresome really quickly and you could tell everyone else was perfectly happy to see them leave.

Hey R290 can’t recall what she was wearing, but her sartorial style has always been pretty discreet. She wore a lot of Armani all through the 1990s and early 2000s and was a “global ambassador” for the brand. So she was likely wearing something like this.

[quote] Lee was smoking and constantly gesticulating wildly with whichever hand she happened to be holding her cigarette. It was almost like the behavior of a coke head although I’d never heard any drug rumors about her. However, she was in a very manic mode.

I would not put it past these older people to do cocaine or Adderall (on top of chain smoking, coffee, and alcohol). To this group of women, you simply don't get fat. Whatever it takes.

R293 has an extremely bizarre sense of what famous is.

Sat next to Marisa Berenson at a friend’s kitchen table many times over the course of several months as we were all named on the same benefit committee and planning the details for a charity event. This was about 2002 and she was really gorgeous in person, even more than I was expecting. She was also friendly and fun to talk to.

But on the night of the actual event at Cipriani 42 it was like she became a totally different person and was positively glacial with everyone. Not to excuse this mentality as it still revealed a very unattractive side of her personality, but she was also stone cold rude to many people there that by then were miles above her in the social and celebrity pecking order. I mean, Cabaret and her late 1970’s disco era heyday were already more than 20 years in the past.

It wasn't so much offense as it was disappointing. I never expected to become personally friendly with her after we moved on from the benefit committee, but it was rather sad to realize what a pretentious phony she was. Oh well, I still like her sense of style and think she was a pretty decent actress.

^^^^ “offensive” not “offense”

Angela Lansbury was seated next to me on American Airlines First Class LAX-JFK in the early 2000s.

Decided not to acknowledge who she was and simply said hello. Had a little bit of small talk when the meal was served but that was it. The typical way you would behave on a flight no matter who the seat mate might be.

Anyway, after landing I couldn't help being a fangirl and told her “now that the flight is over, I just have to let you know your work has given me so much pleasure in life!”. She was so lovely, said it was honor to hear that, and I should have told her earlier but that she appreciated my respecting her privacy and that as a celebrity flying can be tough since some people think it’s their chance to host an episode of Inside The Actor’s Studio in the sky! LOL

I have only heard lovely things about Angela Lansbury. Class act.

The mother of Catherine Deneuve is 108 years old.

Michelle Obama at ABC Kitchen. We wondered why there were a bunch of empty tables near ours while the rest of the place was packed and had lots of people waiting. All the sudden there was this frisson in the air and a palpable streak of wild excitement in the room as Michelle and another woman walked in and were seated while all those other tables were immediately taken by very handsome secret service guys.

I’ve been around a lot of famous people, but her magnetism and star power combined with the whole scene with the hot security guys and everyone in the room totally losing their jaded “seen it all” New York attitude made for a very cool moment!

R303 = I met Michelle Obama at an event and I agree - totaly star power.

Johnny Carson at a restaurant in Scottsdale, AZ. He was a table or two from where I was sitting.

[quote]Angela Lansbury was seated next to me on American Airlines First Class LAX-JFK in the early 2000s.

I sat next to Lansbury in a Delta flight first class ATL-LAX around the same time.

She was knitting for most of the flight. I didn't say anything to her, but she overheard me speak to the flight attendant and realized that I was English, too. So she struck up a conversation.

I told her, "This is quite a coincidence, I was in the car with a friend just last week -- we were driving through the middle of nowhere singing along with Mame. The excellent Broadway one you were in, not the other one."

She smiled at that, and said, "I must say you've sung it more recently than I have!"

She was delightful.

[quote]Johnny Carson at a restaurant in Scottsdale, AZ. He was a table or two from where I was sitting.

Fascinating!

I was standing next to Christopher Reeves exiting the Cherry Jones Heiress at the Cort. A friend excitedly told me but I didn't bother looking I had seen him so many times. It was later that week he had his accident. Heartbreaking and eerie. Up and about seeing plays, working, then a miserable wretched bit of bad luck for such a lucky golden boy.

[quote] Lee was smoking and constantly gesticulating wildly with whichever hand she happened to be holding her cigarette.

R294, I love this sentence. I'm going to repurpose it at Thanksgiving. "Mom, just fucking tell the story already. No one wants to see your gesticulating hands for a story you tell every year."

Saw the matinee/evening back-to-back of both parts of Angels in America, c. 1993, at The Ahmanson in LA. It's an intimate theatre, and right across the aisle from me was Warren Beatty, Anette Benning, Rob Reiner and his wife.

In NY, shortly after Tarzan opened, good seats, turned around at intermission and right there was Joan Rivers in an aisle seat, chatting with a well-dressed man standing in the aisle. I learned much later that she was always kind and generous to the masses. Too bad I didn't know that at the time. btw the opening of Tarzan was incredible. The rest of the show was not.

c.1987, at a theatre that's part of UCLA, sanding in line for tickets to a Robert Longo performance piece that featured Sean Young. Whispered to my friend "That guy right behind us, he looks like David Bowie." Friend's response: "That IS David Bowie."

1995. Streisand. L.A. County Museum. We followed her and her friend for three hours. No photographs. No autographs. No disturbing her.

Although a good "Avigdor WAIT" would have echoed nicely in the gallery.

I enjoyed the Angela Lansbury stories. She sounds very nice and normal.

I went to see Carly Simon's opera Romulus Hunt.

Just as the house lights dimmed, two people were seated directly behind me -- Carly and her gay husband.

It made me feel very self-conscious, as my reaction would be very obvious to her. I thought her music was pretty good, but the lyrics, written by her friend Jacob Brackman, were not. It was all Freud with the subtext on the top. But I laughed anyway, wanting to be kind to Carly Simon, who must have been nervous about the audience's reaction.

Well she doesn't sound very nice when she's buying Members Only. And why was she buying Members Only? We will never know.

In the mid- nineties I was at Charles de Gaulle Airport and pointed out to my friends how in Paris it seemed like every old lady walks around with her tiny dog and brings it into shops, restaurants, museums, etc. Suddenly I looked down at the floor and saw one such dog and I said to my friends "like that one:" I looked up to see its owner and it was Liza herself. She was pulling out a cigarette and searching for her lighter. I quickly pulled mine out to light her smoke and we had a nice chat for about two minutes, when I realized she was probably wanting to go on her way, so I said I was a huge fan and would always remember meeting her. She was very nice and gracious.

I was at an L.A. Wendy’s and just sat down to take a dump in the single occupancy men’s room when someone started trying to get inside like their life depended on it - banging on the door with their fists and kicking the door. Nothing was said - I was scared to death. After I finished I waited a good amount of time to be sure the person had left the restaurant. When I slipped out of the restroom, a Wendy’s employee stopped me and said that Wynonna Judd was trying to get snide. Go figure.

R316 Them laxatives after a side of beef, a bucket of chicken, and a bottle of Jack ain't no picnic!

r292, I used to say about spraying so much hair spray to set a style until they had an "Ann Miller Hair Helmet". But I stopped using it a decade ago because no one knew what the hell I was talking about. I also used to say, "Jack Lord Hair Helmet", but that was obscure too.

We were at Shame on the Moon on Valentines Day in the late 1990's sitting one table away from Harry Carey and his wife when he dropped dead.

The staff handled it as smoothly as they could and the EMT's were there in minutes, making me wonder if massive coronaries at the table were a regular event.

Maury Povich smokes so much his clothes practically suffocate you from the smell. Yuck. I was a realtor for a few of his staff when doing the show in Chelsea and he came to look at 3 apartments that were purchased by 3 of his staff over a two year period. He was a protective father type to each one, all women. Each staff member referred me to the next and they all loved working for him. He seems very nice, but never have I ever been around someone with that much cigarette smell on the clothes (and breath too).

R319: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! NO WAY!

I sat next to Bob Geldof on an Easyjet flight back from Mallorca. He was reading We Need to Talk About Kevin and leant into his fiancee on the other side to discourage conversation. A very very thin and straggly guy. In the seats behind were Fifi and the little one from Paula's marriage to Micheal Hutchence. This was about 2006.

The hair jokes about Jack Lord and Ann Miller are similar: The Santa Ana winds were so strong I saw Ann Miller's hair move.

Marisa Berenson was a decent actress? I don't remember her being in many films, other than "Cabaret" and "Barry Lyndon". Perhaps she was in European TV shows which were never aired in the US? I know her more as a famous model than an actress.

Berenson had a supporting role in a Tilda Swindon movie.

She was fine - it wasn’t a demanding role.

Sat next to some tramp who was at the time the reigning miss America at a football game. She spent most of the time flirting with the tv network guys. It was pretty obvious she was looking to duck her way to the top. Saw Raquel Welch in Vegas once. She’s a surprisingly good singer and dancer. Sat next to her mother and some guy she later married and divorced.

Another Angela Lansbury story (sadly, not my own, but a friend's).

My friend went to see Sweeney Todd, and afterward waited at the stage door to get Lansbury's autograph. They were chatting a bit, when Stephen Sondheim came over to take Angela to dinner. She turned to my friend and said, "It's been such a lovely chat. Would you care to join us?" My friend did. She said they had a wonderful conversation and she never felt like a fifth wheel. Not sure who picked up the tab, but she still considers it an all-time favorite memory.

r288 The actress playing me was ugly and FAT! And the one playing Jackie was better looking. THAT'S why we left.

R327's friend for the win!

During the 1996 Dem Convention in Chicago, I attended an event at a small concert venue. It was for some woman’s rights something or other.

We arrived early and no one was there. I went to bar by entrance to get drinks, but no bartender so I was hanging around waiting for him to show when Gloria Steinem and former Texas Gov. Ann Richards walked in!

I was stunned and they looked confused because there was no one there and had no idea where to go. So I said hi and they asked if I could help them find their seats. I said sure but explained I didn’t work there.

I offered to buy them a drink, and remembered as soon as I said it that Ann was a famous recovering alcoholic, and stumbled over an apology, but she laughed and called me sweet. I went behind the bar and made them drinks! OK for Ann and white wine for Gloria.

I led them to their seats, which were directly across from ours. Throughout the concert, they’d catch my eye, raise their drinks and give me a little wave. I’d giggle each time.

I always loved Ann Richards, but found Gloria to be too severe. But that changed my opinion about Gloria. She was great. Very friendly and got a kick out of the fact that I crawled behind the bar even though I didn’t work there.

A few years ago, Sat behind Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick at a movie in Provincetown. My bff stage whispered “One degree of separation!” They overheard and laughed.

They were very affectionate during film. Nice since they’d been married a long time at that point.

[Quote] My bff stage whispered “One degree of separation!” They overheard and laughed.

I bet that made your bffs day 😄

R331 -- I've run into Kevin many times due to some mutual friends and he's always been somewhat rude and unpleasant. Both he and Kyra are "stars" and feel that if they're not always treated as such, they make it clear they're unhappy. He is worse than she is though -- I think she's gets what they're doing, while he's completely lacking in any self-awareness.

And Sondheim went along with this, r327? How odd.

R334 That was my thought, too. Because inviting an unknown civilian would change the conversation at dinner. They'd have to be careful what they said.

Nor do I think Angela would have extended the invitation unilaterally.

But just maybe whatever reservations he had, Sondheim was gentleman enough to go along with his star's mood and wish - and trust her. Plenty of other opportunities for a one-on-one, as they both knew.

He woulld be gentleman enough to go along with it, but I think good manners would have kept her from issuing such an invitation. But whatever, it's a nice story.

We sat next to Babs and Brolin when for some reason she wanted to see The Full Monty on a real screen. She held up the film for 20 min. and then Brolin angled himself away from my Other as if to shield Barbra from strangers. The woman behind us kept laughing so loudly and exaggeratedly that I guess she thought B. was going to turn around and say, "Let's be friends!" LOL

Stood behind Joan Plowright at the P.O. near MGM. I did that spontaneous, but stupid thing of "Aren't you....." and then blanked the name. She totally froze me with that look and "No." I felt completely humiliated and haven't liked her since.

Morse lost by about 18 percent of the votes cast with Neal carrying the district including the city of Holyoke, where Morse has been mayor for over a decade.

Sat near Jane Krakowski (who I love) at HADESTOWN. I usually don't bother celebrities, but I couldn't help myself. I said hello at intermission. She was nice, and I kept it quick, but I'm sure she was like "oh jeez, another GAY."

Oops R341 in wrong thread

Sat next to (well kind of, the tables were a few feet apart) Jackie and Maurice at a very tone upper east side italian restaurant. As they were leaving he stopped by a table of friends to say hello to them. She stood apart like a shy schoolgirl patiently waiting for him to finish. She looked exactly how you expected Jackie to look after spending a lifetime looking at photos of her everywhere.

[quote] I've run into Kevin many times due to some mutual friends and he's always been somewhat rude and unpleasant. Both he and Kyra are "stars"

R333, you are a liar. If you're using the word 'stars' then you definitely don't move in those circles. Now beat it, Dawn Davenport.

Liam Neeson at the Four Seasons bar in Beverly Hills, Jay Leno at dinner (BH), Bill Ayers on the Acela to Boston, Mark Morris & Isaac Mizrahi at dinner at The Ivy (London).

[quote]Jackie and Maurice at a very toney upper east side Italian restaurant. As they were leaving he stopped by a table of friends to say hello to them. She stood apart like a shy schoolgirl patiently waiting for him to finish.

I wonder if they were friends of Maurice's wife.

I don't think that Sondheim knew that my friend had only just met Angela Lansbury, as she was very polite and introduced her saying, "Steven, this is my friend, ______," and they continued talking for several minutes before the dinner invitation was issued. I expect it was early enough in the run of Sweeney that having a "civilian" share her thoughts on the show was interesting, but my friend said she let the other two do most of the talking. Sadly, I've never met Angela, but I do know Sondheim and he is usually very friendly and gracious with people. The people I know who know or have worked with Angela absolutely love her, saying she is an extremely loyal and considerate friend.

A very very thin and straggly guy. In the seats behind were Fifi and the little one from Paula's marriage to Micheal Hutchence.

I saw him at Penn Station in NYC; he was surprisingly short and scrawny (he was 5'3 tops) and - no lie - picking his nose

R349; - Bob Geldolf

I sat next to Beau Bridges on a flight once. I did not give a single fuck and it was annoying being woken up a few times by people talking to him.

R349 Bob Geldof is 6'1".

I have been to the Brentwood Country Mart three times while visiting LA.

Each time, Laura Dern has been in there, shopping, swanning around. Seems nice if flighty. She must live nearby.

The last time I went, my friend and I had brunch and I was sitting in a banquette seat. I was sort of aware that a couple had been seated at the table next to us, and the woman sat on the banquette just a few inches from me. I never really looked at her. My friend was facing me and this woman, and my friend kept giving me these weird looks but I couldn't figure out why.

When we left, my friend revealed she was trying to get me to look at the woman because she knew she was someone famous and couldn't place her. My friend is younger and more granola/artsy, so she rarely knows celebrities, even though she lives in Los Angeles! She said it was an older actress with a lot of plastic surgery....WHAT IF IT WAS FAYE????

Was that at Farmshop, R353?

Then you can consider yourself very lucky for not having that image etched in your brain for life.

[quote]R353 She said it was an older actress with a lot of plastic surgery....WHAT IF IT WAS FAYE????

If there was no salad being thrown, it wasn’t Our Faye.

[R349] Bob Geldof is 6'1".

There is NO way that is true!! He's scrawny, I tell you! SCRAWNY

r353, I saw Cillian Murphy there years ago. Gorgeous delicate face, no ass at all. Negative ass. Just hip bones.

Bea Arthur, at a diner in NYC back in 1999. She was having breakfast by herself in the booth next to us. She seemed irritated that we were whispering about her. I didn't even attempt to say hello to her. I asked the host on the way out if that was indeed her, and he said yes.

R359, of course she was irritated by rude behavior. Who wouldn’t be?

[quote]I saw him at Penn Station in NYC; he was surprisingly short and scrawny (he was 5'3 tops) and - no lie - picking his nose

Bob Geldorf is 6'3", you must have seen a lookalike. He's very tall.

I sat next to Bea Arthur in a fancy hotel bar in LA.

She was sitting with several very loud gay guys. I was sitting next to them, having a glass of wine and reading a book.

I was close to them and they were loud, so I heard everything they said. I discovered that they had just returned from the same gay-themed play I had. Two of the guys were in the cast. Bea had been in the audience, but I hadn't seen her.

I got a very favorable impression of her. She was funny and very supportive of the OK actors. But I really liked how comfortable she was being around very nelly gay guys. They seemed to be good friends.

But the gay guys were so pretentious, talking about the FABULOUS hotels they stayed at. And one of them said something that is, perhaps, the most unintentionally funny thing I've ever heard. I'd repeat it here, but I'm saving it for something else.

R362 = this never happened. Your fiction really sucked in it's entirety but the part beginning with the word 'nelly' and everything after was revealed 100% bullshit. You harvested material from another thread and worded it to fit your response. You are clearly untraveled and less fortunate in life than many others.

Rose Marie once asked me to pass the salt.

R363 I am glad that I was seated next to Bea and her friends that night and not you.

Although I doubt you would have been allowed in.

[quote] I am glad that I was seated next to Bea and her friends that night and not you.

You weren't seated next to Bea and her friends. This didn't happen. Had you kept the story free of homophobic words and cliches, it might have been believable. But you didnt and it wasnt.

[quote]WHAT IF IT WAS FAYE????

Faye would've made you move R353.

Was having dinner with friends at Bowery Bar in 1993 just a few months after Eric Goode had opened the place and it had quickly become the hottest boîte in town.

Anyway, a large table next to ours was empty for a while and then David Bowie, Iman, Nan Kempner, Bob Colacello, Annie Lebowitz, and JFK Jr. with a woman we didn’t recognize all arrived together and sat down. It was too noisy to hear any of their conversation, but what an eclectic group! Remembering seeing them makes me a bit nostalgic for a New York that is long gone and was much more interesting than today.

[quote]Each time, Laura Dern has been in there, shopping, swanning around. Seems nice if flighty. She must live nearby.

No, she flies in a couple of times a week to buy zucchini.

I sat in front of Annie Lebowitz and Susan Sontag at a play about Roy Cohn.

During intermission they clucked disapproval of someone living a closeted life.

It's Annie Leibovitz, not Lebowitz. (The things you can learn from watching Jeopardy.)

[quote]The things you can learn from watching Jeopardy

Rather than going to an actual art gallery or book store.

[quote]You weren't seated next to Bea and her friends. This didn't happen. Had you kept the story free of homophobic words and cliches, it might have been believable. But you didnt and it wasnt.

You are the type of nuisance that can ruin this site. Someone provides actual gossip and you sit at a keyboard, knock back yet another gin & tonic, and scream, "LIAR!"

I regret that any flamboyant homosexual cliches hit a little too close to the bone, but had I left them out I would not have been recounted what had occurred.

R372 Yeah, but then I'd actually be required to exert some effort.

Not knowing the exact spelling of Annie Leibovitz's name doesn't exactly make one an uneducated rube. Some of you queens are ridiculous with your opinions that not knowing pop cultural references from the Boomer generation makes one ignorant.

R371 here. Did I say or imply it made one an uneducated rube? I was just stating a fact that I was surprised to learn myself (yes, from Jeopardy) even after owing a book of hers and going to several of her exhibits. (This last pointed toward the schmuck who posted R372.)

R9 what did Will Sasso invite you to do?

Love these stories. Keep 'em up!

Is Will Sasso gay? Can't figure him out. He's quite talented, he's always made me laugh. I always thought Debra Wilson from MadTV was gay.

Sat next to Prince on a NWA flight from LAX to MSP. It was a DC-10 so it was 2-2-2 seating in first, and he was in the window seat and I was assigned the aisle seat next to him. I guess he had expected an empty seat next to him but first was completely full. He asked the FA about reseating him in a ‘more private’ location. She said that wouldn’t be possible unless he wanted to move to coach. He declined, but then turned to me and asked if I would consider moving for $1000. I got my carry on and relocated to the last row of the plane, where I had a whole row to myself. Easiest $1000 I ever made. When he opened up his wallet, he must have had over $5000 in hundred dollar bills.

Lucky bitch, R380! Give me something, darling!

[quote]He declined, but then turned to me and asked if I would consider moving for $1000.

My god, you must be ugly.

[quote]even after owing a book of hers and going to several of her exhibits.

Then you can't read.

R371, I did not think you were calling me a rube.

I was grateful for the correction.

"When he opened up his wallet, he must have had over $5000 in hundred dollar bills"

You need to be ready to buy drugs at all times.

Crackney? Don't be so gross. Whitney would either talk your head off or tell you to leave her alone. She'd never be in a single seat in her life. Her family travelled first class around the world over and over again, until she had no money left. You don't go bankrupt from doing crack. It's the people who enable you who take most of your money. Superstars pay people to stick around OR they pay them to go away. It's very privileged behavior, but it's not reserved for Black celebrities. Prince was an intensely private and difficult guy. So was Whitney at times. But they weren't flying in private jets like Springsteen, Sting, The Rolling Stones, Bono, McCartney and all those other "working class" white superstars.

Was $1000 enough to pay the cost of your first-class seat? Seems like he could just as easily have bought two seats himself if he were that concerned. It's taking a big chance to just buy your ticket and hope for the best.

I have shaken the hand of a man who shook the hand of Prince William, the future King of Britain.

Sat across from Jesse Eisenberg at Newark Airport. We were flying to TIFF.

Was an aisle away from Michael Ausiello on an LA-NYC flight.

There's footage of me in a digital trash can from RHOBH.

Cher and Rob Camiletti were seated in the booth next to me at the old Duke's in West Hollywood around1989.

Was on the subway at 53rd and 5th and the guys from One Direction all got on. The car was nearly empty and I was sitting there playing a game on my phone. They kind of swarmed me and one guy started commenting on the game I was playing, sitting real close, and being kind of flirty. Cute English accent. I didn't really engage in conversation. Just smiled. I had no idea who they were. They were very happy and joking around like they had just signed a big contract or something and thought they'd go down into the subway to see what it was like. Didn't know who they were until I recognized them on a TV program.

[quote]R389 Sat across from Jesse Eisenberg at Newark Airport. We were flying to TIFF.

I wish it had been Hallie Eisenberg.

I bet that one’s a real bitch.

[Quote] There's footage of me in a digital trash can from RHOBH.

Digital trash can? 🤣

R387, I thought the same thing. Maybe the guy was on a business trip and his employer paid for the ticket?

Or maybe...did anyone notice the lingo in that post? MSP, DC-10? Who knows such things?

Maybe he was an airline employee flying for free who strategically sits next to famous or wealthy people in first class hoping they'll pay him off to move.

MSP is hardly "Who knows such things?" if you live in Minneapolis or St Paul. No different than LGA, SAN, or ORD.

DC-10's were a popular airplane.

Millions of people who are not airline employees know these things.

[quote]Or maybe...did anyone notice the lingo in that post? MSP, DC-10? Who knows such things?

If you follow Q, you know such secret code.

In no particular order. Lauren Bacall. Laura Linney. Robbie Fairchild. Darren McGavin. Celeste Holm. Chita Rivera. Lupita Nyong`O. Um ..., oh. Joan Rivers. Colton Ryan. Warren Beatty. Austin Pendleton. Linda Lavin. ... um ... Oh. Sigourney Weaver. Terrence McNally. Sam Shepard. Beverly D`Angelo. Diane Keaton. ... um ... ug. More later.

Yoko Ono at Cookshop on 10th Avenue in Chelsea a few years ago. She was very demure and the staff seemed to love her.

I'd pay Yoko $1,000 not to sing.

[quote] DC-10's were a popular airplane.

[quote] Millions of people who are not airline employees know these things.

The only people who could name anything about a DC-10 are people who work in aviation. Ask a dozen people out on your sidewalk to tell you anything about DC-10, and you'll get blank stares.

Anyone who talks this way, and refers to cities by their airport acronym instead of, you know, by the city's name, or calls a flight attendant an "FA" is in the biz.

But that's the easiest cash he's ever made, so he's not very high in the biz, which makes you wonder why he was in first class to begin with.

Flying for free seems to be the most logical explanation.

Thank you, R401.

I thought it weird that anyone would think that as many people live near Minneapolis-St. Paul as pass through the major hubs in New York or LA.

Or that anyone remembers the model numbers of airplanes.

I just assumed he was just spectrumy with a weird obsession. Being an airline employee makes more sense.

I am neither in the aviation biz nor an aircraft enthusiast, but I remember the DC-10 well. All those crashes...

[quote] Sat across from Jesse Eisenberg at Newark Airport. We were flying to TIFF.

Was this before or after the summer of 2014? I need to know to determine whether or not to be jealous of you having the chance to stop him before the played Lex Luthor on film.

r404 — Where/what is TIFF?

Toronto International Film Festival? Taiwan International Film Festival?

Tiffany Trump's twat?

[quote]R405 Where/what is TIFF?

#TakeItFatFaggot (?)

[quote]and thought they'd go down into the subway to see what it was like.

Yeah, R391, not like they'd have a subway in I dunno, London?

Stood next to David Byrne at opening night of "Here Lies Love" his messy environmental musical about Imelda Marcos. There were different levels of seating including being down with the actors in the staging area and David was just there experiencing a show he created and rather adorably singling along/mouthing the lyrics he wrote as the stage actors sang them.

Saw him after the show too when he came into a bar near the theater along with most of the cute cast including Conrad Ricamora, who is hella sexy in person.

Like R15 , I sat next to Sarah Jessica Parker, watching a production of Betrayal, starring Juliet Binoche. It was one of those last minute buy one ticket at the theatre deal, so I was seated next to the chair on the aisle, and after the lights dimmed, SJP was escorted to her seat on the end. They save these two seats for last minute guests of fame.

We ended up commiserating because an elderly man in front of us was snarfling and snuffling very loudly and disruptively. So we repeated said "Oh Dear" in silence and "That was really good" at play's end."

R411 I take it SJP was well groomed for the night out.

Hey R410. The same thing happened to me at Here Lies Love with David Byrne. He and I were squished together in the crowd for the whole performance down on the floor. We got pushed around too as the set pieces got moved around. I also saw him after the show and got to chat awhile. It was a very fun and memorable night getting to be close to one of my music idols.

Well he didn't check her pussy R412. Or did you r411?

I had lunch with Audra McDonald when she was in Master Class. It was a matinee show during its LA run. I was friendly with a guy in my apartment building named Karl who went to Fresno's version of performing arts high school with her. That's where they were both in a production of Evita, "and Audra played Evita." OF COURSE she did lol. We became friends right around when the Carousel revival opened, and he laid out her entire career trajectory right then and there, and he was right. "She's gonna win a Tony, and she's gonna win more Tonys,' she'll be a huge star," etc.

We ate at KooKooRoo somewhere near the Mark Taper Forum, and seeing as their friendship went back in years, I admit I was a bit of a third wheel, plus I don't have that "always on" vibe that a lot of actors do. But she was nice as could be, and her rather plain dressing room was memorable for one thing, tucked in the side of the make-up mirror: a polaroid of Audra with Liza Minnelli.

[quote]I'd pay Yoko $1,000 not to sing.

How sweet of you top call it singing.

Ann Miller has one of the most dynamic solo dance numbers in movie history, in my opinion. Goosebumps every time. So happy to know she was a doll. I'd have killed to meet her.

In the 90s I was in Workout Warehouse on WeHo when Faye Dunaway, apparently getting ready for some awards show, got angry with her trainer for not working her hard enough. Then she jumped on the treadmill next to me. Moi politely ignored her, but couldn't help but look when, with the treadmill going fairly fast, she attempted to dig stuff out of her bag. I thought an accident was about to send both of us flying into space.

Her skin was amazing--very pale and perfect.

Was she panting "I'll survive, I'll survive" as she ran, r418?

I remember DL icon Mia coming into Tower Records when I was working there. She was very pregnant with lord knows who. She sat on a display platform which was a cube where they piled up cds while the department manager(classical) helped her. She was another one who's skin was milky white pale and perfect. I couldn't believe it. She was talking with one of her kids(I have no idea) and telling them how wonderful Bjorling was.

I sat across the aisle from Dom DeLuise at a very dramatic opera, and he cried like a baby. It was very sweet.

I sat next to Ellie Kemper in a Catholic mass several years ago. Very friendly woman.

R421, which one?

The fat Italian one.

I don't recall. It was many years ago, and I've seen many in Lincoln Center.

R425, got it. Too bad.

My great aunt Nicolette moved to New York City in the 1970s to pursue a modeling career. She had some very minor success, but did manage to marry a successful stockbroker who provided well for her and their family. As much as I loved her, I am the first to admit that she wasn’t very bright. She was a sweet girl, but thank god her body and face were a 10.

In the early 1980s, Nicolette was on a small plane to meet her husband in Martha’s Vineyard at a cottage they had just purchased for a summer home. As it was getting ready for take off, a woman in her early 50s was hurried onto the plane by a stewardess and sat across the aisle from Nic. Nic paid little attention to her, but a couple on the plane began whispering and making noise- to which the woman seemed to not even notice.

Nic continued reading her book, a biography of Marilyn Monroe. A few minutes into the flight, Nic saw the woman looking over at her and her book. Nic said, “I just love Marilyn Monroe. She died way too soon. Are you a fan?” The woman lowered her head and said, “No, she isn’t someone that holds interest for me.” Nic being Nic, continued on by saying “I wish I had met her, she seemed so very down to earth.” The woman replied, “I met her once. Very beautiful, but a very troubled woman who never found her way.” At that, the woman turned back to her seat and never said another word the entire flight.

When the plane landed, the woman was the first to depart. The couple gasp to Nic as the woman was walking off the plane, “ Holy shit, that was Jackie Onassis talking to you about Marilyn Monroe.”

Nic said she didn’t recognize her because Jackie was wearing reading glasses, no make up, and her hair in a ponytail. The pilot and the stewardess confirmed it was Jackie because she often took that same flight to Martha’s Vineyard.

Wow r427 great story! Is your great-aunt still living?

R428. She died about four years ago. She would often tell that story, her brush with American royalty.

Since we're doing relatives, I'll tell this one. (I this story before on DL the day that it happened)--

My dad was at the airport in NYC--I don't remember which--and he was standing in line for security very late at night. As he always does, he said to the person ahead of him, "How's your week going?" And the answer, "Not too good," came from Brian Williams the week he was exposed about lying about being shot down in Iraq.

Anyone remember Louis Freeh? I didn't think so. He was the directory of the F.B.I. (Others include James Comey and J. Edgar Hoover.). He and I were at a charity event that included a casual dinner. The two of us sat at a table together eating our short meal. Never said a word to each other. I figured he wanted to be left alone. It was really weird, us both sitting there chomping away, and not even acknowledging each other.

My other big celebrity run-in was being on a cruise where one of the featured speakers was ambassador Joe Wilson, who was there with his wife Valerie Plame. Valerie had just been outed as an undercover CIA operative a couple of months earlier. When I met her, I went all fan-gurrl. First of all, she was beautiful. Second, she hadn't appeared in public except a few days earlier in a Vanity Fair pictorial. For the rest of the cruise, Joe was my best friend; I figure he thought I was hitting on his wife, and was protecting his territory.

I know these are lame stories, but I don't have much else to offer, except the time Larry Kramer cruised me.

Wich is also lame.

R427, Great story!!! I think your story is the winner here.

r427 that is a great story. How awkward for Jackie, though, because the whole world knew her husband fucked Marilyn.

Jackie's response about Marilyn in that story R427 is incredibly diplomatic. I don't know if I would be so kind about a woman who was having an affair with my husband

Not me, my Dad...mid to late 70s he was flying from NYC to London for work. Sat next to a charming, pretty, young thing (pretty much his words). They talked for most of the flight - just before landing he asked her what she did and she said she was a singer...”what’s your name? Maybe my son will know you - he’s into popular music”. Olivia Newton-John.

In 1999 I was in a small vegan restaurant in LA with my classmate and next to us was Marilu Henner. On the other side was Rick Rubin, a producer my friend knew of.

Sometime around 2007, I was in a small theatre in NYC watching this movie, Snowcake, and one of the actors, Alan Rickman, was behind us. My friend was a Harry Potter frau and freaked out. I was more interested in the VERY cute twink usher....

Adrienne Barbeau and I were both in a hotel Business Center trying to get our boarding passes to print. We finally got it to work. Such a nice woman.

My Dad and little brother (he was maybe 4? ) at an O'Hare airport bathroom This would have been very early 80's. Saw Muhammad Ali at the sinks and told him how big of a fan he was. Ali thanked him and told him that he had a fine looking son. Dad was tickled pink about it.

Ty Burrell from modern family, which I never watch. He kept looking at my table which was 2 feet from him, like we should know him. I recognized his shoe polish black hair and knew he was someone but I had no idea of his name. Good looking in person but the hair is way severe.

I sat with Joan Rivers parents at a show in Las Vegas in the seventies. Her Father was funnier than her. Nice people. That same trip while seeing Sinatra Robert Deniro sat at the table next to us and gave Sinatra a bottle of wine.

Susan Lucci, bitches. First class JFK-LAX. She was nice but quiet so I didn’t overplay it.

I sat in front of Carol Burnett at a Broadway show I turned around to look at her and was shocked to see how much PS she had, she looked like the breve of Frankenstein.

Was she a kind hearted lesbian with a cocaine problem (NOT CRACK, which is wack)?

I was at a preview of "Parade" at the Donmar in London, and sat next to Alfred Uhry (with Jason Robert Brown) one seat over. I chatted with Uhry before the show and and told him how much I loved Driving Miss Daisy, and wished them the best with the production in London.

Uhry was delightful and charming. Brown was more into his phone.

I was with a critic friend about ten years ago at some show. We were on the aisle, and as folks were taking their seats, anyone in our row had to pass in front of us.

A party included Eileen Heckart, and as she went by me I was moved to say, "Loved you in A Family Affair." I didn't, though, because you never know how they'll react. (Anne Meara, for instance, was a terrific bitch.) And if Heckart was like the characters she played, she would have taken my head off.

Others in addition to what I've already posted: Chris Kattan at Target Plaza. Dermot Mulroney - I stood behind him at the drycleaners. Incredibly handsome, very tan, very well put together.

[quote]A party included Eileen Heckart, and as she went by me I was moved to say, "Loved you in A Family Affair."

"I enjoyed seeing your name on the privy fence."

What is PS?

Plastic surgery

At a preview performance of the Broadway musical A Doll's Life in 1982, Hal Prince, Betty Comden and Adolph Green sat directly in front of me and argued in whispered tones about what was wrong with the show.

I enjoyed listening to their arguing more than I did watching what was on that stage.

The show opened a week later and closed after just three performances.

R8 R12. I read a post somewhere, it wasn’t datalounge, by someone who used to see Greta Garbo haunting the various antique stores in NYC. The poster said GG was highly approachable and friendly so long as you kept the conversation to Antiques and so forth, you had to pretend not to recognize her. She hates people who’d go ape-shit over her. That would sent her scurrying.

I was sat next to Dame Judi at the Haymarket back in 2002, when she trumped out a noisy wet one in the middle of Vanessa Redgrave's heady monologue in "Lady Windermere's Fan." That Judi is a pill!

R449, thanks.

R452: "I was sat next to Dame Judi at the Haymarket back in 2002, when she trumped out a noisy wet one in the middle of Vanessa Redgrave's heady monologue in "Lady Windermere's Fan." That Judi is a pill!" YES! Let's make "to trump" a verb meaning "to fart." That would be a great use of an otherwise vile name.

[quote]YES! Let's make "to trump" a verb meaning "to fart." That would be a great use of an otherwise vile name.

Thanks, R455. Now, we have to put it into common usage. And it's both a noun and a verb. Go to, DLers!

Sat next to the late Jerome Robbins at a performance of "Dances at a Gathering" by American Ballet Theatre at (what was then) at Lincoln Center. Very dapper and trim. The house was sold out and I kept wondering why the seat next to me was empty, until he slipped into it as the house lights dimmed.

[quote]I was sat next to Dame Judi at the Haymarket back in 2002, when she trumped out a noisy wet one…

Which is why she's now called Judi Drench.

This happened to me year ago andI rrely even thing about it . . .

1986, Universal Ampithetre i the valley. post Color Purple /pre-Oscar Whoopi Goldberg's solos show, the one where she's a junkie who goes to the Anne Frank house and also plays the little handicapped girl at the beach, is a hot ticket. I'm good friends with my next door neighbor, Emily, so I hit her up and she's my friendly date for the night. We are still close friends to this day, but it's not a great night. Emily would have been more entertained by Elaine Boosler; The Whoopster was way too edgy for her.

It's intermission, and in a fog of ambivalence we're wondering should we stay? Go? What? Dead, awkward silence. Intermission is wrapping up, you could tell there were some early exiters, and I look down toward the front of the stage and there's this big bank of empty seats. It was a simpler time, and getting from Point B to Point A was easy; you just had to be a bit ballsy. We agree to go down there and claim two of the seats, and just as the lights go down, we're there.

And they are great seats! It's the back row of the first group of seats, Whoopi is right there. And a minute later, just as my heartbeat slows down and I'm thinking 'We did it! If I just act as if these were our seats all along, this will salvage the evening," a big burly guy taps me on the back. And to his credit he was nice enough, but he said "Y'all can't sit here, these are Eddie Murphy's seats, you're gonna have to move. Now." And this was Eddie from his Beverly Hills Cop period; there was no bigger Hollywood comedy star, he was bankable and HOT. And he's there right behind his burly bodyguard, along with his sizable entourage. They'd waited for the lights to go down and everyone was seated to avoid making a scene. Heads bowed down in shame, Emily and I quickly filed out.

"I enjoyed seeing your name on the privy fence."

Ah, I knew I recognized that reference. I saw the Bad Seed today on TCM - what a camp classic!

Sat in front of Judd Nelson at a basketball game

Sat next to Harry Connick Jr. at a basketball game

Kissed by Richard Gere outside a bar

I might have mentioned this before, but I was seated across from Steve McQueen at lunch during a break from filming the original "The Thomas Crown Affair." (I was a set visitor.)

I was seated next to Aidan Quinn and Johnny Depp at a lunch break during filming a scene in "Benny and Joon" (I was a featured extra.).

I was eating dinner at a Cracker Barrel outside Albany, New York, back in 2002 and in walked a young pro wrestler whom I immediately identified as John Cena. He was about to appear at a venue downtown while I was on my way to Maine. The waitress sat him at a table next to mine. His arms were the biggest I had ever seen in person. It was difficult to focus on my meal with him in such close proximity. He was respectful of the wait staff throughout the meal despite the fact that the waitresses were fawning all over him.