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Celebrity encounters

Started by Bigfella, August 31, 2021, 03:54:44 PM

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Quote from: Blinder Data on September 08, 2021, 11:38:32 AM
I've seen various celebs out and about but the most beguiling encounter was a few years ago when I saw Frances McDormand, Joel Coen and some other guy having a drink on Gordon Street in Glasgow city centre. The incongruity of such Oscar-winning Hollywood heavyweights in my city beguiled me totally.

And you're absolutely sure it wasn't just Tony Roper and Dorothy Paul?

Fr.Bigley


seepage

Quote from: Better Midlands on September 08, 2021, 12:07:54 PM
I met Jeff Minter once at what I think was some sort of computing convention/tradeshow in London circa 1986 - I was pretty young but remember the Llamasoft stand being the most interesting thing there.

I was in the same year at uni as Minter. Took an instant dislike to me when he asked who was playing Jethro Tull and I said it was I. Also remember him flummoxing the lecturer at Computer Club by demonstrating some ML stuff on the Commodore PET instead of another BASIC program.   

Sonny_Jim

Jeff and Giles always put on lovely booths at whatever conventions they go to.  I remember one year they were handing out free Peanut Lion bars[nb]illegally imported from Poland[/nb] to people waiting in the queue for TxK.  Also handing out free surplus copies of Trip-a-tron.  Lovely..

Also at same convention I spotted Craig Charles having a ciggie outside.  Being a massive Red Dwarf fanboy I didn't want to seem like a complete prick and yell out gazpacho soup or whatever, so I spent the rest of my ciggie working out something interesting to ask him.

So, mentally prepared, I walked over to him, said hello and asked him 'Who came up with 'Awooga'?'  Was it you or John Fashnu?'.  I was so proud at having come up with something that wasn't just 'Was Kryten funny when the cameras weren't rolling' or whatever.

He audibly sighed, rattled off quickly that no-actually-it-was-written-by-Grant/Naylor-and-Fashnu-nicked-it.

Deflated, I realised I had just interrupted his only moment of bliss in the last couple of hours that he had graciously spent with people asking him if Kryten was funny.  Felt like a proper shit but I suppose it taught me a lesson.

The Ombudsman

I've spotted a few celebs about the place over the years. Only one I can think of sharing was meeting Donald Sinden down the booze isle in Waitrose. He had a loaded trolly containing only booze. Had a nice brief chat with him about finding whatever it was he was looking for. I didn't really know who he was but he'd been pointed out to me previously going about his business in the town.

Mr Trumpet

Oh and at work I recently gave a tour to god-tier cinematographer Roger Deakins and his wife. Nice chap.

Jerzy Bondov

Dara O'Brian nearly walked into me coming out the toilets. He's tall. I went 'oop sorry' and he smiled.

Quote from: badaids on September 07, 2021, 06:17:25 PM'keep em wet lads'
Sex Advice with David Bellamy

Egyptian Feast

Quote from: Jerzy Bondov on September 09, 2021, 09:44:51 AM
Dara O'Brian nearly walked into me coming out the toilets. He's tall. I went 'oop sorry' and he smiled.

He tried to interview me on the street in late 90s Dublin. I knew him from late night TV and how stupid he made people look, so I told him to fuck off.

I saw a lot more celebs when I lived there. Walking down Grafton Street at various times I encountered Thom Yorke (looking miserable), Bobby Gillespie (face like a knee cap), Matt Damon. I once helped Henry Rollins find a shop he'd been in on a previous visit that sold Sinatra bootlegs. His roadie did most of the talking, but Rollins was decent and put me on the guest list for his show that night.

The best celebrity encounters there were of someone that only Irish CaBbers would know - Miley out of Glenroe. He used to buy fags from the shop I worked in and would always call me a "good man" and then cycle off on his old bone-shaker.

A friend at college's band was managed by Fruitbat from Carter USM and I had a lovely chat with him one night they were playing. Apparently Schofield was being a dick long before he took the piss out of them onstage so he had it coming.

I served Ian Botham his dinner at a Lord's cricket ground event to celebrate some old-timer. Almost everyone I served was rude as fuck, including whoever the old-timer was, but Botham was very conspicuously polite and grateful all evening, so he's OK by me even though I've seen that photo through no fault of my own.

I once spied Natasha McElhone buying Puzzler magazine at WH Smith's in Heathrow. She gorgeous.

I've repeatedly chatted briefly to Lloyd Kaufman of Troma fame (and his lovely wife) over the years at various screenings. He's usually too busy to talk for long (unless you catch him hanging around the lobby while the film is playing), but is always a delight.

I'm sure I have more crap encounters I'm forgetting about...

checkoutgirl

I don't approach celebrities because it's an imposition but have spotted a few out and about in Dublin. Might have mentioned some before but anyway... Celeb - where - doing what

John Hurt - D'Olier Street - walking around
Stephen Rea - The Westin Hotel - sitting at table
John McEnroe - Gotham Cafe - eating, I worked there
Alex Higgins - Jervis Centre - walking around (he looked fucked)
Jimmy Carr - Templebar - swanning about all posh
Neil Patrick Harris - Parliament Street - in Spar shop with a man
Brendan Gleeson - The Pod - having a pint
Craig Charles - Grafton Street - clearly enjoying being mobbed by fans
Mike Murphy - McDonalds Rathmines - getting a burger, I served him
Roddy Doyle - Tower Records/Clonliffe Road - browsing/walking around
Adam Sandler - O'Connell Street - was a film premier (Zohan?) so not sure if it counts
Arthur Matthews - Terenure - on his bike
Reece Shearsmith & Jeremy Dyson - Henry Street - walking around
Packie Bonner - Cafe En Seine
Don Conroy - Merrion Square - on his bike
Puff Daddy - Merrion Hotel entrance - getting out of a limousine

Don Conroy was a minor Irish celeb who did painting on RTE in the eighties. Mike Murphy was the Irish Jeremy Beadle in the 70s and 80s. Packie Bonner was a goalkeeper for Ireland in the 80s and possibly 90s.


I've been in the post gig queue to encounter Limmy and Stewart Lee but that hardly counts.

Dex Sawash


Went to visit my mother in prison and met
Spoiler alert
mook
[close]
in the visiting area

vanilla.coffee

Not an encounter so much but a couple of weeks back, Zoe Ball was staying in the same hotel as me (Doncaster race course hotel)
Sat at a table next to mine at dinner she was constantly being hassled by wedding guests from a function room next door asking to have selfies with her.
She was patient and gracious with the selfie people but it must have been getting on her tits.

I think her radio show was broadcasting live from Doncaster that week.

I got Jamie Stewart (Bass player in The Cult) autograph, he was sat opposite me on the Metropolitan line back in 1987. He disembarked at Rayners Lane.

I got Gary Numan's autograph at an air show in North Weald in mid 1980 something. He was flying a Harvard WW2 plane painted to look like a Japanese fighter plane.

Kirtsy Hawkshaw (It's a fine day - Opus 3) lives down the road from me.

The Ombudsman

Here are a few more total banal encounters I've had over the years. I don't get star struck and would only ever say a quick hello sort of thing, but I fear I would embarrass myself if I met Steve Coogan or Chris Morris.


I saw Mark Lamar in Rye walking around with some people being very loud and obvious. It was a Sunday evening IIRC so very quiet. Looked like he wanted attention. Also used to see the chap from Keane about the place as he lived there. Gavin Rosdale from Bush was once spotted too. Oh, and Vic Reeves when we in Threshers together. These were all in Rye.

Paul McCartney and Ian Hislop both looked like old ladies. Hislop said hello. Embarrassingly enough I was reading Private Eye, we used to get the same train to/from London.

Way before he was mayor even, saw Boris Johnson outside his office at the Spectator playing up. He was trying to unlock then mount his bicycle but looked like he was emulating Chevy Chase with his deft hand at physical humour. He dropped a coffee. Saw him again fairly regularly cycling around the GLA building. Only saw Livingstone once but waved and said hello as we passed each other and he smiled and said a chirpy "Good Afternoon" back. Neil and Christine Hamilton were at an expo I attended, didn't like them much but they were very polite.

Never met her but used to speak to Joan Armatrading on the phone regularly and she was ace.

Spoke to Noel Edmonds on the phone and that was unremarkable.

Simon Mayo held a door open for me inside the old BBC building. Walking past us were the two from The Streets.

Paul Whitehouse was on the phone outside my old office. I wanted to say hello as I passed but realised he was on his way to Southwark Crown Court when Langham was on trial. Also around there saw Rolf Harris and Max Clifford.

Bob Mortimer I've seen twice as he lives around my way. We both got our COVID vaccines at the same time & place. He also replied to a DM I sent him which was amazing.

Also had an embarrassing incident with the singer chap from Wet Wet Wet. Nothing majorly bad, didn't say anything. I was shitfaced and didn't realise who he was and was lusting after his very nice coat.

And the last one I can think of was Terry Waite. Believe it or not, about 9 months after his release he was in a cash and carry in Charlton. I went up to get his autograph, must have been 8 or 9. He was very gracious with his time and spoke to me for a good 10 minutes about school and stuff.

monkfromhavana

Saw Nick Owen on a date in Birmingham. He was wearing a pink shirt.
Davina McCall in the reception of a company I used to work for (she was there to interview one of the employees who was doing something for Comic Relief.
The guy who played Max (not Max Ramsey, the later Max) in Neighbours out walking his dog in Elwood, Victoria.
Ex-German football, Hans Wiener, in his sports bar in Berlin.

Also interviewed Clive Toye who was instrumental in setting up professional football (Soccer) in America in the 1960s. He was the guy who helped sign Pele, Beckenbauer, Best, Cruyff, Carlos Alberto etc etc. was general manager of the New York Cosmos and a few other teams. We continued messaging for a fair while after, with him complimenting me on my niche knowledge of 1970s/80s stateside football.

Beagle 2

One that makes me cringe was being in a comedy club (at which this person was not on the bill). There was a load of photos of comedians on the wall, and my friend pointed at them and said "Is that Aisling Bea?". I couldn't see anybody on the wall who looked like Aisling Bea so I marched up to the wall squinting and loudly said "Is WHAT Aisling Bea?", at which point Aisling Bea, who was sat about a yard from my face said something like "Yes, it's me!". In a nice way, but I felt like an absolute twat and ran away.

Sebastian Cobb

I sometimes see Michael Redmond wandering about Glasgow.

I once popped into The Stand on a Sunday when he was comparing and ended up picking on me for a bit, but was nice enough to buy me a pint and have a chat in the interval.

Hat FM

once Damon albarn seemed to be following me and my mate around all of the trainer shops in covent garden. size 11 if you're interested. also saw Bobby Gillespie walk past my work on the Aldwych.

non capisco

Quote from: Beagle 2 on September 09, 2021, 12:30:10 PM
One that makes me cringe was being in a comedy club (at which this person was not on the bill). There was a load of photos of comedians on the wall, and my friend pointed at them and said "Is that Aisling Bea?". I couldn't see anybody on the wall who looked like Aisling Bea so I marched up to the wall squinting and loudly said "Is WHAT Aisling Bea?", at which point Aisling Bea, who was sat about a yard from my face said something like "Yes, it's me!". In a nice way, but I felt like an absolute twat and ran away.

That reminds me of opening up my old workplace on Old Compton Street at 6am and seeing Patrick Stewart stumbling about shitfaced and grinning. He winked at me and bellowed "YEEEEEEEEES, IT'S MEEEEEEEEEE!" as if he was projecting to the back of the The Old Vic.

checkoutgirl

Two more

Brendan Grace - Hotel in Wexford - lamping
Dalores O'Riordan - St Anne Street - on mobile phone posing beside her big Mercedes


Brendan Grace was an Irish comedian whose biggest character was a schoolboy called Bottler. Also appeared in Father Ted to bully Ted as Jack's temporary replacement.

Dolores O'Riordan sang in the musical group The Tart Gooseberries.

Fr.Bigley

Jethro (of Jethro fame) eating two Gingsters pasties at once while hurling insults at a local gay man in St Ives, he was fucking smashed and threatened to "Have you killed" to a clergyman when he was told off for trying to shit in the church vestibule. There was a woman crying who I assume was his wife crying "why do you do this Jethro?" To which he replied with a swift kick in her fanny.

willbo

I spent a London to Northampton train journey next to Alan Moore. I couldn't remember who he was till afterward, only that I somehow knew him from Forbidden Planet and telling myself he must have either worked there or been a regular.

ElTwopo

Bobby Gillespie contemplating yoghurt in Sainsbury's on Essex Road

Graham Linehan walking towards Highbury Corner accompanied by a bee that was flying alongside him

Lemmy striding down Essex Road towards me with murderous intent in his eyes. Stepped into the road until he went past.

Rhys Thomas negotiating an icy pavement in slippy shoes (also Essex Road!), and us doing that thing when you try to walk past someone but you both move to the same side, then both move to the other side etc.

Leslie Ash asking me if the copy of The Sun on the bench next to me was mine (I said no and she put it in her bag). There were some other interactions but I forget what they are now.

Violet Berlin and Gaz Top came round to our house when I was a student to borrow a guitar from my housemate. They laughed at the Tesco bag lampshade in the living room (rude).

kalowski

I always think of the Viz article on why Gaz Top was "toppermost of the poppermost" whenever I read his name.

"Pop, pop, pop, popability. That's the beauty of Gaz."

paruses

Quote from: checkoutgirl on September 09, 2021, 11:04:56 AM
I don't approach celebrities because it's an imposition but have spotted a few out and about in Dublin. Might have mentioned some before but anyway... Celeb - where - doing what

Have you deliberately missed off Aiden Gillen? I used to see him along Leeson Street a lot. Was initially excited but was told at work that everyone's passed him. All agreed he's very nice though and says hello.

Keebleman

Through my job I see Carol Vorderman quite a bit.  She's always polite and unassuming but the clothes she wears are enough to make David Bowie circa 1973 say, "Ooh, that's a bit much."  It's 'Famous Person' couture.

Fr.Bigley

Quote from: Keebleman on September 10, 2021, 08:42:32 PM
Through my job I see Carol Vorderman quite a bit.  She's always polite and unassuming but the clothes she wears are enough to make David Bowie circa 1973 say, "Ooh, that's a bit much."  It's 'Famous Person' couture.

Is her arse as legendary as they say?

Keebleman

Quote from: Fr.Bigley on September 10, 2021, 09:12:16 PM
Is her arse as legendary as they say?

Yeah, she looks good.  A lot of effort and expertise has gone into making her look good, but even so the overall effect is pleasing, not sad and plastic.

Fr.Bigley

Quote from: Keebleman on September 10, 2021, 09:14:55 PM
Yeah, she looks good.  A lot of effort and expertise has gone into making her look good, but even so the overall effect is pleasing, not sad and plastic.


Keebleman

Though even so she only looks about 1% as good as Behnaz Akhgar who I also see regularly, but that's not snide against Ms V because Behnaz is possibly the most gorgeous woman on the planet, and an absolute sweetheart to boot.  Always cheerful and chatty but never in that "I'm famous so I'd better be nice to the plebs" sort of way.

kngen

I was working backstage at a big festival in Sydney in the 90s and saw Mark Lanegan of the Screaming Trees stood not far from me, leaning on a cane for support. I went over and told him how repeatedly listening to one of his songs had gotten me through a really, really fucking bad trip one night, and I just wanted to thank him for that, because it was really felt like my sanity was slipping away otherwise. He responded incredibly graciously, and he told me about his teen years taking acid, and how much he regretted it. I mentioned the cane, and he said he'd had a bit of a spill on a motorbike, but he was on the mend. All very felicitious. What really surprised me though was, about maybe 30 mins later, I was talking to a colleague, and I saw him hobble over to me from a good 50 feet away, told me he was heading back to his dressing room but wanted to say goodbye. And then he shook my hand, and told me to take care, which I found incredibly touching.

I always knew he was a bit of a wild one, but I figured that this was the new, mellow Mark Lanegan at peace with himself, as that was certainly how he came across.

So it came as a wee bit of a shock, when reading his autobiography this week, to discover that the reason he fucked his foot up and needed a cane was because he'd jumped off the stage the day before to attack an audience member who'd hit him with a coin. And a couple of days afterwards, he'd strangled Al Jourgensen of Ministry with a telephone cord over an argument about heroin.

He also writes about the bad trip he had that he touched upon when we chatted - it sounded truly horrible, but my wee tale clearly struck a chord with him. I'm very glad I met the nice Mark Lanegan, because it sounds like he was fucking terrifying otherwise.

Goldentony

on one hand he's been a danger but on the other, strangling anyone from Ministry is fair play