*lothruin lays the scene for Gats*

You're waiting for an elevator. One comes to rest at your floor and the doors open to reveal a President and 5 body guards (or secret service, or whoever, depending to which country the president belongs). Startled looks pass both ways, hand signals are passed, you step aside to wait for another elevator while the President is hustled away from the obvious danger you pose.

I honestly think Gats understood the premise of this little vignette ...but maybe questioned the abstract fashion in which it was told?

We'll just have to wait and see, I guess.

*slaps self silly*
I understood that the poster was describing the scene of a President stepping off an elevator, entourage in tow. I was wondering which President, that sort of thing. The post did a reasonable job of describing a scene but, as per the thread theme, failed to mention the "who the heck was he?" part. Or maybe it doesn't matter...

I assumed he was not only a US president - but the sitting president, for some reason. Maybe I'm wrong about that.

hhmmmm sounds like he was standing up...sorry, I have a lapse of good joke sense!

This is an interesting thread. I have a couple to add. I also saw Hal Holbrook perform his Mark Twain portrayal. I enjoyed it but I was in far, far, far back of my college auditorium. I might as well have seen him on tv!

I went to a concert of country western star Travis Tritt a number of years ago. I had a bit of a crush, and so, I sent him a rose. (didn't get to give it to him personal... )

Twenty + years ago I was in the front row to hear John Houseman speak about the (then) controversial topic of black and white film coloration. Houseman played Professor Charles W. Kingsfield on the tv show, Paper Chase. (anyone remember this 78 tv show?? I loved it!) I was soooo excited because I was part of the journalism staff at my college (my first time in school ) and that is why I got to sit up close.

This last fall, back stage, I met The Smothers brothers: Tommy and Dick Smothers. Anyone remember this 70s comedy duo that had a Comedy Hour variety show? They were my first crush (LoL) was a kid. Although, for the life of me I can't remember which one I thought was cuter. I ACTUALLY told Tommy that I'd had a crush on them. How crazy is that?!

They showed family video and pictures from their childhood as well as their old show. And evidently (I didn't remember this, I guess I was too young) they were fired for their stand against the Vietam war. It was a great show and they were very gracious while visiting with everyone.

I met Frank McCourt (at a book signing at the Museum of the CIty of New York). He was really funny on stage (talking about his newest book, Teacher Man, which is about his experiences as a NYC teacher, including Stuyvesant High School, my school!), but afterwards, he seemed grumpy and tired, not that I blame him. If I were in my 70's and just spoke for 1/2 an hour, I'd be a bit gruff too.

<--feels silly, Gats.

I met someone else famous this week, though perhaps not very well-known if you aren't a needlework enthusiast, and mostly in America, I think. (Though I know her books have really struck it fairly big in the UK, at least.) Debbie Stoller did a book signing here for her new crochet book, The Happy Hooker. She's the author of two previous books, those focused on knitting, the first entitled Stitch 'n' ... well, we'll just say Stitch 'n' Witch, then won't we. And the second, SnB Nation. Her books are usually described as "not your grandma's knitting" but judging from the crowd at the book signing, that isn't really true. The projects in her books are "hip" or "fresh" but also lovely and functional, and all but SnB Nation are really excellent resources for new crafters as well. Nation is mostly patterns, or so I've heard. I didn't invest in that one because I didn't like enough of the patterns quite well enough. Anyway, I guess I'm babbling, but it was really very interesting. She's a great public speaker, her talk was really entertaining, and the only fault I could find was that it didn't last long enough.

HI all

I don't know if this counts but I stood behind John Howard (Prime Minister of Australia) at an ATM in Sydney one time. I remember thinking before he turned around ...My the back of this guy looks like John Howard...

You would think that the elected head of the country would have people to do that for him?

Interesting thought. Would YOU give your PIN to an employee so they could check your bank balance? I have never given thought to how such people get cash from the bank, it would be interesting to find out - probably their wives/husbands do it for them.

I met Robert Redford once when I was a kid at his Sundance Ski Resort Restaurant. I've also met Olympic athletes, Ed Eyestone (distance runner), Henry Marsh (steeple chase), and Curt Brinkman (wheelchair marathoner). And Moses Malone, former National Basketball Association player.
One person I've met and conversed with for a few moments is John Huntsman, billionaire philanthropist. What a nice man he is.

Karl Malone - Utah Jazz - very nice man

Maury Povich - A dork, and fake

Leeza Gibbons - Nice

Shelley Long - Shallow

John Walsh - "America's Most Wanted" - A genuinely good person

President George W. Bush - Shook his hand

Johnny Whittaker - remember "Family Affair"?

Irene Ryan - Granny from "The Beverly Hillbillies" - I was a kid and she gave me a piece of cake while my Dad cleaned her pool.

Dick Sargent - From "Bewitched"

Slim Pickens and Denver Pyle (The Dukes of Hazzard) came into the gas station where I worked. Both very nice.

Jimmy Osmond - kind of bland

Neil Patrick Harris - "Doogie Howser" - snob

There have been others over the years in different places. These are the ones who come to mind and my impressions.

Now THAT'S name-dropping!

For all the Aussies here, I've met a few cricketers over the years - I've umpired Shane Watson, Martin Love, Wade Seccombe, Joe Dawes, Adam Dale, James Hopes, Heath Davis etc.
I've met and/or had a few beers with Andy Bichel, Jimmy Maher, Stuart Law, Martin Kent, Sam Trimble, Glenn Trimble, Tony Dell, Dirk Tazelaar, Carl Rackemann, Ian Davis, Malcolm Francke, Geoff Dymock, Phil Carlson....

All of who mean zilch to most people outside Queensland!

Ah, cricket, that's another reminder (as with guilt by association I seem to only get fame by association!), besides running on the pitch at the final Ashes test match at the Oval in 1975, where my friend patted David Steel on the arm having just injured it, which didn't go down too well, I was walking past a local pitch in Surrey and realised coming on the pitch after tea was our then current captain, Alex Stewart, with his son.

It turned out it was a regular charity match, and besides the actor George Layton, who I actually knew from where I used to work, Tony Meo the snooker player was also fielding though I can't remember any other major names that afternoon as I was busy watching Alex Stewart who I always greatly admired.
I went to another one the year after, and besides Alan Butcher, the father of the current batsman Mark, who was fielding, the only other fairly famous name was Mark Austin, the newsreader, who was watching it, who signed my programme. Of course within a day or two I saw him again on TV!

Oh yes. I forgot about Donna Douglas, who used to be on the The Beverly Hillbillies. She's very sweet and soft spoken, and seems to enjoy talking to people.

"I met Robert Redford once when I was a kid at his Sundance Ski Resort Restaurant".

Many years ago, my mother-in-law worked at a charity event with Robert Redford and Marlon Brando. She said Robert Redford was a genuinely nice guy and Marlon Brando acted like a prize jerk.

Pope John Paul II.

I went to a Catholic school and I was on some sort of welcoming committee for the pope. I had a short conversation with him. I don't remember a whole lot except thinking that he was very old. But I guess everyone seems old when you are 13!