Celebrity encounters

[chveik]

And I was rude about Prince Philip's hat when I was little. He gave me the evils.

hope the hat pulls through

[Cold Meat Platter]

Shook hands with Glen Michael of Cartoon Cavalcade fame at the Bo'ness fair. Not washed it since.

[Thomas]

Stewart Lee very patient after gigs; I shook his hand too much.

Went to see St. Vincent in concert and noticed two celebs in the balcony seats above. Shortly thereafter they descended, and stood next to us in the crowd. One an American actress, the other a posh model. Thought I caught the posh model side-eyeing me a few times, but decided it was an illusion of my own vanity. After the show my girlfriend said '[posh model] kept looking at you.' Back of the net.

Tommy Tiernan hung around after a stand-up gig, and happily filmed a short cameo for a friend's sketch when asked.

[flotemysost]

I've also ran into that Chris Morris a couple of times, once at the theatre and once at an Exctinction Rebellion talk (I'm sure I've mentioned both on here) but again, not sure that counts as an interaction as I didn't actually say anything.

Though I did subtly point him out to my mum, who was with me on the former occasion (she's a fan, but I don't think she recognised him outside of his Day Today/Brass Eye getup), and a bit later my mum excitedly said "Well clearly everyone's out tonight, I just saw Phil Jupitus over there!" and it wasn't him at all, just a slightly chubby bearded bloke.

Feel free to tell us more about your bisexual awakening. Provide pictures and diagrams if necessary.

Mate.

[Uncle TechTip]

I shared space with Reginald D Hunter as an equal outside a bar in Soho. I was talking to someone as we smoked cigarettes and they sort of looked across as if to say, take a look at the person who just integrated into our mini smoking group, and I did, and then did a surprised gesture where I jerked my head backwards a small amount. As we all smoked cigarettes, we engaged for a good two minutes. He laughed politely at a banal observation I made about the weather. I laughed at something amusing he said about the weather "here". The details of each are lost to the mists of time. But mainly it was just some people having a fag outside a bar.

[Uncle TechTip]

Something they say on the Word podcast is that celebrities' heads are always smaller if you meet them close up, does anyone have any data to back this up? It's thought to be something to do with seeing their faces and indeed entire heads in photos and TV performances, it somehow enhances the size compared to when you see them in real life. I queued up to greet Mark Kermode at a reading and he didn't seem as big as he seemed on the telly,

[The Bumlord]

I literally bumped into Peter Andre once. Tiny little fella.


But quite a big head.

[Phoenix Lazarus]

Stewart Lee very patient after gigs; I shook his hand too much.

I'm imagining you were acting like that guy in the Banzai game show.

[Jockice]

Shook hands with Glen Michael of Cartoon Cavalcade fame at the Bo'ness fair. Not washed it since.

Well, if we're doing Scottish 70s celebrities Tiger Tim Stevens said hiya to me at an outdoor event he was hosting. I think he was on the way to the toilet or something and we just walked past each other. I was about 11 at the time. And overawed. He wasn't the first famous person who spoke to me though. That was Barbara Knox a couple of years earlier when she was opening something in Carlisle and I somehow ended up 'backstage' and  had to ask her how to get out. Then Ronnie Corbett drove past me when I was on holiday in Fife aged 14.

Haven't seen another celebrity since then though.

[Ian Drunken Smurf]

Waited frustratedly with Ray Wilkins at the baggage carousel at Edinburgh Airport while I was a student. He gave me an autograph and told me how he hated spending more than waiting for luggage than flying...

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

* Julie Christie enters thread, anxious to tell of the time she nearly copped off with Lisa Jesusandmarychain*

[Neomod]

Janet Ellis once stood on my foot at a theaudience gig at the 100 club. Earlier in the week I'd bumped into Sophie E B in Inverness street.

My first shopping trip to Camden Sainsburys back in 93 and I was behind Andrew Ridgeley buying cat/dog food.

BRITPOP!!

[The Mollusk]

I literally bumped into Peter Andre once. Tiny little fella.


But quite a big head.

He was staying at the hotel I used to work at about 10-15 years ago whilst filming some show or other about his life. Staff at the hotel he was at before had tweeted about his whereabouts so they had to move him (I was shocked he was supposedly that famous). He lost his room key card so I had to go to the room with a new one. I'm a working class schmuck so I always treat anyone as I'd like to be treated, so I was just like "There you go mate, enjoy the rest of your evening!" "Oh my god I can't believe it's you, it's really you! You're so much more handsome in real life!" and he invited me into his room and I sucked him to completion and swallowed the lot. He was very chipper, thanked me very much and that was that.

The other memorable celeb encounter at that hotel was Derek Acorah, who came in through the front reception, inexplicably sat in the hotel's emergency wheelchair being pushed by two fawning middle-aged women. I was too gobsmacked to say anything but I did suck him to completion and swallowed the lot later in the evening.

[paruses]

I'm imagining you were acting like that guy in the Banzai game show.

Or Jed Maxwell

[lebowskibukowski]

I once sourced a particular white powder for a particular cast member of Peep Show. My guess is that this was not his first similar transaction that evening judging from his facial movements...

[jobotic]

Mentioned this one before, but here goes...

Bumped into Rick Wakeman who offered me use of his spare gloves because I couldn't find mine. In the end I didn't need them as mine turned up.

In the absence of any further explanation I'm going to have to assume that these were murderin' gloves.

[Utter Shit]

I drunkenly waved at Cilla Black during Ladies' Day at Ascot in 2006. She waved back, which I think is definitive proof that her reputation as an awful woman who steals tables that people have reserved is completely undeserved.

Also met Gus from Eastenders at a club in Watford around the same time. He seemed like a bit of a dick, although he was drunk and so was everyone else, so I wouldn't judge him too harshly based on that one experience.

[Utter Shit]

In the absence of any further explanation I'm going to have to assume that these were murderin' gloves.

Any gloves can be murderin' gloves if you've got a positive mindset.

[Voltan (Man of Steel)]

I once gave Bobby Davro directions to the nearest hairdresser. He asked - I didn't just go over to him because his hair was a right state.

This was early 90s Wolverhampton so I like to think they gave him a faded flat-top with tram lines and eyebrow slits.

[jobotic]

I met John Hegley years ago at a poetry event my work put on. He was very nice.

I was once incredibly rude to Delia Smith whilst hammered and I shudder to think of it.

Stood next to Kevin Schwantz and Kenny Roberts but didn't speak to them and you don't know who they are anyway.

There's another one that I've forgotten and I'll get back to you.

[DrGreggles]

It's the summer of 1993, and young Greggles has gone to see the first 'Bottom' live stage show - obviously starring Rik Mayall.

Rik had been my comedy hero since I was about 6 when my Dad let me watch 'The Young Ones', so here I was, over a decade later, with my first chance to see him live - and I was rather excited.

So excited in fact that I had got a train several hours earlier than I needed to (what if there was a delay?!) and had about 3 hours to kill until my mate arrived, so I started wandering around the city centre looking for something to pass the time.

As in pretty much all cities since, I headed towards the market in the hope of there being a record stall and, as I approached, I recognised a man who was buying some fruit.

It was RIK BLOODY MAYALL!

Not wanting to waste this golden opportunity, I walked up to him to tell him how I'd been introduced to his work when I was 6, and how important he was to me, and that he was essentially the reason why I was a comedy fan.

That's what I planned to say anyway...

Instead my voice regressed to a pre-pubescent state, my stutter returned,  and I was only able to utter "Hi Rik, I'm a big fan."

Rik looked at the nervous teenager in front of him, raised an eyebrow, gave (what can only be described as) a Rik Mayall smile, and said "And with good reason!"

I grinned for hours - and still do when I think about it. He'd essentially performed just for me - even though it was only for 5 seconds.

You know when they say "never meet your heroes"? Well, they are wrong.

[SweetPomPom]

Fergal Sharkey has squeezed my other half out the way to get to the bar on 2 separate occasions, different places. He is approximately 4'6" and his head is a perfect cube shape.

Helen Mirren used to bring her mum to our restaurant for lunch and was always an absolute sweetheart.

[shiftwork2]

^ I think we just knew that Rik had to be a good 'un.

[Magnum Valentino]

Rik Mayall story is great, thanks for sharing that Doc.

[Jockice]

I once gave Bobby Davro directions to the nearest hairdresser. He asked - I didn't just go over to him because his hair was a right state.

That's nothing. I once gave Screaming Lord Sutch directions to Sheffield City Hall. Cynthia Payne was with him at the time.

[turnstyle]

I made Bob Mortimer laugh once. Wish I could remember what the fuck I'd said now, but knowing me, it was definitely hilarious.

[jobotic]

Yeah lovely Rik Mayall story

[Jockice]

It is great. As I've said many a time I'm not the world's biggest Rik Mayall fan, but I can really totally imagine him doing that.

[Inspector Norse]

Met Eagle Eye Cherry at a couple of parties and punched him in the face[nb]accidentally during a game of 5-a-side with mutual acquaintances[/nb].

Received an envelope full of cash from a Swedish ice hockey legend (his daughter attended the school where I worked and it was a contribution to their class party).

Scored a fifty for my village U-17 cricket side under the watchful eye of Shaun Pollock (well he was having a beer on the clubhouse balcony, not sure he actually watched the game). Not sure why he was there - maybe he knew the club pro or something.

Met a bunch of other Swedish slebs at various things but not the type of person who's famous internationally.

[Ham Bap]

It's the summer of 1993, and young Greggles has gone to see the first 'Bottom' live stage show - obviously starring Rik Mayall.

Rik had been my comedy hero since I was about 6 when my Dad let me watch 'The Young Ones', so here I was, over a decade later, with my first chance to see him live - and I was rather excited.

So excited in fact that I had got a train several hours earlier than I needed to (what if there was a delay?!) and had about 3 hours to kill until my mate arrived, so I started wandering around the city centre looking for something to pass the time.

As in pretty much all cities since, I headed towards the market in the hope of there being a record stall and, as I approached, I recognised a man who was buying some fruit.

It was RIK BLOODY MAYALL!

Not wanting to waste this golden opportunity, I walked up to him to tell him how I'd been introduced to his work when I was 6, and how important he was to me, and that he was essentially the reason why I was a comedy fan.

That's what I planned to say anyway...

Instead my voice regressed to a pre-pubescent state, my stutter returned,  and I was only able to utter "Hi Rik, I'm a big fan."

Rik looked at the nervous teenager in front of him, raised an eyebrow, gave (what can only be described as) a Rik Mayall smile, and said "And with good reason!"

I grinned for hours - and still do when I think about it. He'd essentially performed just for me - even though it was only for 5 seconds.

You know when they say "never meet your heroes"? Well, they are wrong.

Thats a heartwarming story.
Still miss Rik.