OT - famous people you've randomly seen in public

Submitted by blockm97 on

My list....

John Elway:  Hotel lobby of the Amway Grand in GR.

Bug Selig:  Amongst a crowd of people while leaving UM at Wisky in 1999.  He was incredibly nice and I was suprised that nobody else recognized him.

Nick Nolte:  Just before 2 AM in a downtown Pittsburgh pizza joint.  He looked rough.

 

MGoBoard

FanInSTL

August 16th, 2015 at 3:33 PM ^

Was sitting in a hotel lobby the night before the USC UT national championship after the 2005 season. OJ was there too, with a blonde girl who had a small dog wearing an OJ Jersey. Small lobby and nobody else was there so I asked him how he saw the big game. I don't think he was used to people talking to him in a normal manner so we chatted for a few minutes. He went outside for a bit and then came back to talk to me some more. I think it's the only time I've spoken to a murderer.

Joined: 09/14/2012

MGoPoints: 231

CoverZero

August 17th, 2015 at 4:13 AM ^

Wish I could say the same.  One of my closest friends growing up through HS raped and murdered a 4 year old boy, some years after we lost contact in the 90s.  It was big news in Downriver in 2005.  You never really know a person.

Joined: 08/30/2014

MGoPoints: 14571

Broken Brilliance

August 16th, 2015 at 8:12 PM ^

Brian Cook at an airport where I'd ne ER expect to see him in the thick of the harbaugh pursuit. I was more nervous approaching him than any athlete I met because I've read his content every day for the last five years. He seemed a little annoyed that I asked for a photo, but that mightve been due to a postponed flight we were on. Sorry Brian!

Joined: 09/07/2010

MGoPoints: 7711

M go Bru

August 17th, 2015 at 9:15 AM ^

Barry Sanders at  the Tulsa airport. He checked into the flight 5 minutes before boarding. He sat 2 rows ahead of me on the flight.

I came up with the perfect line, but unfortunately it was a day later.

I was going to ask him "Are you the brother of the famous Northwestern running back, Byron Sanders."

I'm sure that would have brought a smile to his face. 

Adrian Dantley at the checkout counter of the original Dunham's at NW & Orchard Lake Rd.

Vinnie Juhnson, Kelly Tripuka, and Jim Northrup in the same night at Ginopolos at 12 mile and Middlebelt.

Talked to Jim Northrup for about 15 minutes. He was lamenting about how little money he made with the Tigers compared to the players of today. 

 

 

Joined: 10/24/2008

MGoPoints: 1505

Gobgoblue

August 16th, 2015 at 3:17 PM ^

Hulk Hogan on the plane, Eminem because Michigan, Mohammed Ali many times. Probably more, but none of mine have been random places. usually just the airport or big sporting events

Joined: 07/07/2012

MGoPoints: 21043

rob f

August 17th, 2015 at 12:24 AM ^

3 of them random, here in SW Michigan (he had lived near Berrien Center, MI along the St Joseph River for many, many years before moving back to the Louisville area several years ago).

The most memorable encounter I had, though, was at a small sporting event, a Little League Baseball tournament about a dozen years ago.  Ali was at Eaton Park in St Joe to cheer for his own son, who played for the Howard Township LL All-Star team;  I was there in support of my nephew, who played for the New Carlisle (IN) All Stars.  Saw Ali arriving just before the end of my nephew's game (a win), so I stuck around to watch Ali's son's team also win, which set up a head-to-head clash between the two teams the following day. 

Because of on-and-off rain, the crowd was pretty small the next day (though word got around at the complex of Ali being there and many fans, parents, and ballplayers came over for a glimpse and/or pictures), so I and my son had the opportunity to meet Ali.   

Knowing from the day before that Ali would likely be there again, I dug up an old pair of boxing gloves that had belonged to an uncle who used to box (as a youth, in the Gold Gloves Tournament in Grand Rapids), and brought the gloves along, hoping for an autograph.

Ali seemed to enjoy interacting with the small crowd each day, so I figured it wouldn't do any harm to ask him to sign the gloves (but not until after the game).  My nephew's team proceeded to beat Ali's son's team, but  Ali stayed around to enjoy the post-game adulation, so I grabbed the gloves out of my car and approached the Champ. 

Almost on cue, though, as soon as he saw the gloves and heard me ask him, "Champ, could I please have you sign these?", his eyes got big, he quickly made a scowling face, and bellowed, "Who you calling 'chump'??!   You want to box me?!  You want me to give you a good whoopin'??!  

As he took me by complete surprise, he immediately broke into laughter at my reaction and proceeded to sign the gloves, then posed with me and my son and nephew and the gloves .  We then actually talked for a minute or two about the game we had both watched, Ali taking particular interest in wishing my nephew good luck with his baseball career.   I was just so impressed that he would take the time; he genuinely seemed to be a nice and wonderful man.

I proudly still own those gloves.  And selling them is not an option. 

 

Joined: 11/11/2010

MGoPoints: 194593

Gustavo Fring

August 16th, 2015 at 3:18 PM ^

Rupert Grint (dude who plays Ron Weasley) in the West Village in NYC

Neil Patrick Harris in the lobby of my office in the financial district in NYC

Wally Sczerbiack at a beer garden in Stamford, CT

JR Smith at a bar in NYC

Kal Penn at a cousin's wedding (not quite random but I did talk to him and stuff)

Joined: 09/29/2009

MGoPoints: 5175

WBALLZ

August 16th, 2015 at 3:19 PM ^

Stood next to Dale Earnhardt jr & sr in line for the raptor at cedar point. Had no idea who they were until I noticed dale sr was wearing an Earnhardt racing shirt w/ a small picture of himself on it.

Joined: 01/01/2013

MGoPoints: 1072

HelloHeisman91

August 16th, 2015 at 3:21 PM ^

I was a valet in Phoenix while in college.
A-Rod
David Spade
Ken Griffey Jr
Muhammad Ali
Million Dollar Man
Shaq
Kobe
Randy Johnson
DMX
......
I could go on and on. I got to talk to to Griffey Jr. and walk him to a restaurant. He was the highest person I've ever encountered.

Joined: 08/05/2009

MGoPoints: 46190

HelloHeisman91

August 16th, 2015 at 3:55 PM ^

None of them tipped extraordinarily well but A-Rod and Amare Stoudemire were the worst. Stoudemire used to come in after games all the time with his entourage, usually 4-5 cars, and inly give us $20. It was $4 for the service. Needless to say his vehicle were never left in front of the restaurant. Straight to the garage for him.

Mark Grace drove the worst car, I'll never forget him hopping out of an 80's Jag with Illinois plates the year he was traded to the D-Backs. Ashtray full of butts and cigarettes in hand. Great guy!

Joined: 08/05/2009

MGoPoints: 46190

LSAClassOf2000

August 16th, 2015 at 3:22 PM ^

A couple days before Motor City Comic Con this year, my wife and I were walking through Twelve Oaks Mall and walked right past Dean Cain, who was apparently in town early for the convetion.

This one is more a local celebrity, but on storm one time we stopped to eat at the Kerby's near the Lodge and Evergreen and unwittingly sat in the booth next to Channel 7 anchorman Stephen Clark. 

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130627

East German Judge

August 16th, 2015 at 3:23 PM ^

  1. Gil Gerard in LA having dinner with an attractive woman who was not his wife,
  2. John DeLorean also in LA in a hotel and looked and walked as if he was really drunk,
  3. Saif Ali Khan in Ann Arbor outside of Lena on Main Street - got pics with!, and
  4. Jim Harbaugh in Ann Arbor at the Barton Hills fireworks.

Joined: 10/05/2014

MGoPoints: 190468

AZBlue

August 16th, 2015 at 3:22 PM ^

Rodney Dangerfield at the urinal next to me at LAX. Wouldn't have probably even noticed him except for the A-hole that asked for an autograph while he was using said urinal.

Joined: 09/14/2008

MGoPoints: 16806

GoWings2008

August 16th, 2015 at 3:35 PM ^

But not randomly. He spoke at my Air Force Academy graduation.. Ran into Dennis Rodman at a bar in West Bloomfield once. Rosie Perez in the Los Angeles airport, and the most random was Meryl Streep and Glenn Close at Westminster Abbey. Met Stevie Y at the Ryder Cup in 04, which was very cool.

Joined: 01/26/2011

MGoPoints: 69700