Meeting famous people you like

[richardg]

Last night I met Pete Doherty and talked to him for about 5 minutes (I know his tour manager and occasional guitarist Andy Newlove, so we got backstage passses for the Strasbourg leg of his French tour). We introduced each other's partners, talked about the world cup and dogs (he had his 2 on stage with him).

He was a real gent, extremely lucid and coherent. When we left he said goodbye, shook our hands, and he remembered our names in the goodbye, which was a nice touch.

Andy had earlier asked if I wanted to meet, and I had said not really (mainly because I'm not into an awkward encounter, but also because I didn't want to come away disappointed). But anyway, we bumped into him, as backstage was not that big. And I was not disappointed, a top guy!

 

[paulfromcamden]

I'm pretty wary of meeting famous people I like - never meet your heroes and all that.

That said, despite being a fairly obsessive Sonic Youth fanboy I've met each member on different occasions and thankfully they're all been super nice.

 

[Tony Lockhart]

I was given the chance to go round to Keith Flint’s for a few beers. A young lady I worked with at Stansted was well into the rave and dance scene and knew him well. I chickened out. I’m an idiot.

 

[CHE]

They tend to want to meet me .............

CHE

 

[Yank]

Due to the nature of my work at my former place of employment, I've met more celebrities, soon-to-be-celebrities, and where-are-they-now celebrities than I could possibly list or even remember. Some standouts for being extremely nice would include Jimmy Herring (of Aquarium Rescue Unit, Widespread Panic, and various things connected to the Allmans or the Dead...), Kevin Martin of Candlebox, Daughtry, Janis Ian, Frank Black/Black Francis/Charles Thompson, The Samples/Sean Kelly, Sam Bush... Those are just the ones who came immediately to mind.

Kenny Rankin stands out as one of the most immediately and consistently unpleasant.

 

[Barrymagrec]

I`ve probably seen dozens of famous people over the years, mostly walking around Soho or other Studio / Film areas - they mostly didn`t know me either.

 

[calorgas]

Last night I met Pete Doherty and talked to him for about 5 minutes (I know his tour manager and occasional guitarist Andy Newlove, so we got backstage passses for the Strasbourg leg of his French tour). We introduced each other's partners, talked about the world cup and dogs (he had his 2 on stage with him).

He was a real gent, extremely lucid and coherent. When we left he said goodbye, shook our hands, and he remembered our names in the goodbye, which was a nice touch.

Andy had earlier asked if I wanted to meet, and I had said not really (mainly because I'm not into an awkward encounter, but also because I didn't want to come away disappointed). But anyway, we bumped into him, as backstage was not that big. And I was not disappointed, a top guy!

My daughter and her boyfriend met him outside a venue in Nottingham after the gig, I think she was saying hello to one of his dogs that was there. She said he was lovely and chatted with them for a while, was happy to be in a couple of photos, and signed her phone case.

 

[MJS]

I've been in the same room/lift/corridor as various TV presenters, unremarkable boy bands, camp BBC stalwarts, 70's music icons, and Hollywood executives. But have never really chatted to any of them. I guess I'm a bit shy. Then again, I hang around HiFi factories, News rooms, Radio studios, TV studios, Film studios, and VFX companies for a living, so it's to be expected I guess.

I was lucky to work with minor Star Wars character and all-round good guy Denis Lawson, uncle of Ewan McGregor. I did work on an Ian McEwan short film featuring them both and a pre Dr.Who Peter Capaldi.

 

[stormyuklondon1]

My brother in laws band toured with the good the bad & the queen, so I met Paul Simonon, very nice bloke. Also met Damon allbran. No comment.
Jimmy page came into a shop I was working in in the late nineties, we had a conversation about the weather. Which was nice. (The conversation that is, it was pissing down.)

 

[david ellwood]

I worked in entertainment for twenty years and also had the pleasure to meet Pete Docherty, lovely man, kind, considerate and much taller than you’d imagine.

 

[Nic Robinson]

Met and worked with many at the BBC. I spent a morning with my favourite Python once. By the end he was not my favourite anymore…a proper snooty git.

Others have been delightful to a fault in many cases.

 

[vince rocker]

I worked for a well-known bookshop chain for a long time and met many famous people who came round doing signings and talks. Terry Pratchett was great with the fans and talked to everyone, even if it meant that the staff worked extra hours. Maya Angelou was lovely. Some were not so good and clearly wanted to be elsewhere.
After a while I managed a small branch. One day I was in the office doing boring stuff then went down to the shop floor. My colleagues said "Guess what, Tom Baker has just been in and bought a book!", Tom Baker! In MY SHOP! And they didn't call me out of the office! I was not happy.
But as Frank Sinatra said to me, "Never name-drop"

 

[eternumviti]

I was given the chance to go round to Keith Flint’s for a few beers. A young lady I worked with at Stansted was well into the rave and dance scene and knew him well. I chickened out. I’m an idiot.

He used to 'rub shoulders with tory criminals' at our local hunt. He was well liked, came across as a nice guy, completely at odds with his stage persona. My sister, amongst many other local tory crims, went to his funeral.

 

[ray70]

Posted this on another forum in August 2020:

Today has been a good day. I was in Waterstones in Durham when I spotted an elderly looking man with long white hair, a walking stick and using a magnifying glass to read the book titles.

Me: Excuse me, are you Paddy McAloon?
PM: Yes

I then go on to thank him for the music he has made over the years and I tell him how much joy his work has given me. He was very gracious about it and thanks me for listening. He then asks if the person next to me is my son. I say yes and I tell my son that this gentleman is one of the finest songwriters this country has produced. Paddy laughs and waves my comment away.

It was sad to see that he is clearly not in the best of health, but his voice does not seem to have diminished.

Sometimes, you should meet your heroes. Today has been a good day.

 

[calorgas]

He used to 'rub shoulders with tory criminals' at our local hunt. He was well liked, came across as a nice guy, completely at odds with his stage persona. My sister, amongst many other local tory crims, went to his funeral.

He was involved with the local hunt? That's very sad to hear.

 

[gintonic]

https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.amp...s-it-wasnt-my-thing-and-i-wont-be-going-again

 

[farfromthesun]

Scott Carpenter from the NASA Gemini program was a pleasure to meet, as was Apollo Astronaut Alan Bean (RIP). Buzz Aldrin....not so much.

 

[RJohan]

As a Swede and living near to Astrid Lindgrens birth place Vimmerby, I have to admit never to have met her.

But I've met the book figure 'Lasse' in 'The Six Bullerby Children'. A guy called Gunnar Ericsson did political satire when I was a kid in the 1960's. He did a speech where we lived, very funny, according to my parents. Afterwards he was invited to our home for coffee and I was told he was the brother of Astrid Lindgren. Impressive, I thought. He then told me he was the prototype for 'Lasse' in the book. Very, very impressive to an eight year old!

 

[Suffolk Tony]

Delia Smith's been one of our neighbours for the last 27 years or so. We don't see her much, but she's always been very pleasant. It's amusing when she's filming one of her TV programmes - they ship in lots of potted plants & stuff, plus a crowd of filming people. Think she's given up that stuff nowadays.

 

[Martyn Miles]

I met Hank Marvin briefly after a concert he and his son were playing.
Came over as a genuinely nice man.
I’ve been a Shadows fan since they started.