Brush with "greatness" NF

[Headhunter]

Well, as the fishing reports have begun to dwindle and cabin fever begins to set in for another week, I thought I'd start this topic, to get everyone's mind off of the weather and their dreaming of soft water!

Very much like David Lettermans' comedy bit, tell us who you have met in your life, that's famous/infamous etc... I'll start!

Back in the mid 90's, I was fortunate enough to secure some gold tickets to a Leaf game, vs the Rangers (MLG). We were three rows above ice level in the corner and noticed that there were quite a number of empty seats to the left of us. Suddenly, there was a commotion in the stands and who comes walking over and sits right next to me?.... Goldie Hawn, her husband Kurt Russell and four or five of their kids. Man, is that ever a fine lookin woman! She was very friendly, not aloof and very genuine! Kurt would have to stand on a phone book to look Roy in the eye! Leafs won the game!

My second brush came at Toronto airport, when I was picking my F-in-law up from a trip down south. I noticed a guy drop his pen as he was exiting customs, so I picked it up, called to him and he turned around. It was Donnie Osmond, he was in town for Joseph and the .... something or other! He looked put off initially, thought I was an autogragh hound, then seemed disappointed as I simply returned the pen and walked away! I know I missed the chance of a life time... but it just wasn't my life time goal! LOL

Tell us about your brush, fishing or non fishing!

HH

[douG]

I bought Stompin' Tom a beer one Wednesday night in Georgetown.

[trapshooter]

The Tragically Hip. Great guys.

 

Bunch of NHL guys.

 

Nothing too crazy.

[Joey]

I met Ted Nugent backstage after his concert. Got a backstage pass after pushing my way up to the front and one of the staff handed it to me.

 

I bumped into Lanny MacDonald at a Flames game in Calgary at the Saddledome. Said Hi how are ya and he shook my hand.

 

I met Eddie Shack selling Christmas trees down the road in the Hillcrest Mall parking lot many years ago.

 

That's all I can think of offhand.

 

Joey

[Whopper]

Well I got to meet a bunch of OFC'ers last June at Lakair. Stayed with Wayne and fished with Lew for a day.

Got plans to fish with TG in May.

Don't know if it gets any better that that.

 

Whopper

[SlowPoke]

I bought Stompin' Tom a beer one Wednesday night in Georgetown.

 

LOL!!! Who hasn't?

[blaque]

Caught James Hetfields pick at the "And Justice for All" tour at the Aud in Buffalo (think it was the Aud lol)Not much of a brush, but thats the closest Ive come to one on one with Fame. I saw John Stamos at the Buffalo airport years ago (full house, Uncle Jesse) but again no direct "brush" My dad has one though, and this is goin back about 15 years also. He actually drove the shuttle part time at the old Buffalo airport and believe it or not, ....Heather Locklear and her body guards hopped on and she talked to my dad a bit, it was late and they were the only ones ridin......and he said he wish he had a pen and something to write on for an autograph, and then she laid one right on his cheek and said......"That will have to do" and laughed, and off the shuttle she went. Hes funny, he still tells that one to this day lol.

[Nemo]

Hey douG was that at the Hollywood in Norval?

[Pigeontroller]

"Greatness" is a pretty generous word for a Movie star or hockey player. I did stay in a motel when I was 7 years old, a young guy by the name of Terry Fox had stayed there the week before on his way through Ontario. I guess he would be my idea of "greatness".

[fishforfun]

I bought Stompin' Tom a beer one Wednesday night in Georgetown.

 

Thanks douG and we've been trying to get rid of him ever since!

Have the yearly pleasure of attending an NHL alumni dinner but I can't take a pen and paper because I'm supposed to be a player LOL.

[lew]

About 30 years ago the Platters were at one of the local clubs here in Toronto, so a group of us went to hear them sing and we had front row seats. Part way thru the show they were looking for a volunteer to come up on stage and sing with them, and seeing as I was a lifelong fan of theirs, and had consumed just enuff beers, I immediately hopped up and sang Harbour Lights with them.

 

We had a lot of laffs and after everything was over, the whole group of them came and sat at our table for the rest of the evening and we ended up having a ball with them.

 

Great group of guys !!

[Terry]

been a few...lets think.............

We use to drink with Red Fisher..he seemed to spend a lot of time in Keswick

at the bars, and I was no stranger to them either.....

 

I could tell stories about Whipper Billy Watson, but not many would know who he was any more

[ccmtcanada]

I shook hands with Joe Carter a few months after he hit THE home run that won the 1993 World Series. He was working on an endorsement with the company I work for. I walked into the waiting area and there he was....I stood there with my mouth hanging open...managed to say hi and then shook his hand. He was very friendly and called me "pal"...LOL.

 

Met Mike Palmateer at the burger joint he opened in Ajax back in the 80's. He was one of my idol's growing up so that was a thrill. He used to show up there a few times a month to chat with the customers.

 

Got George Bell's autograph at my grade 12 prom...haha. He was in the hotel lobby where our prom took place. The lost that night...maybe that's why he wasn't that friendly...LOL.

 

Got Darryl Sittler, Wendel Clark and Johnny Bower's autographs at assorted trade shows I've attended.

 

That's about it for me....

[Joey]

I could tell stories about Whipper Billy Watson, but not many would know who he was any more

 

 

Joey

[fishforfun]

 

Joey

Did he not run a snowmobile fundraiser on Lake simcoe yrs ago?

[Bernie]

Had a good chat last year in Bristol with Larry McReynolds and Bill Davis. We were fortunate to get skybox seats from one of our suppliers(Excide Batteries) and they stopped by. There were few people in the skybox that day due to the snow that happened that morning. Was really something for me to meet and have a one on one talk with Larry McReynolds. Always respected Mr. McReynolds for his talent. Really is a nice guy. Mr Davis seemed to be in a hurry that day so he didnt stick around as long. Likely had an issue with Michael Waltrip that day.

Edited February 26, 2007 by Nipissing

[Terry]

yup, that's him

 

 

yeah, they used his name for that fund raiser for years and years

[TJQ]

In March 1986 (I think) I was in Toronto for the annual Prospectors convention. Me and a bunch of guys spent way way too much time in the hospitality suites and then stumbled back to the Motel. We were back at the room for a bit, when this dude just walks in and starts chatting it up with one of the guys, next thing we know theres at least 20 more people in our suite and its a huge party... lotsa strange stuff going down, and it takes us a while to figure out that its the band UB40. They were on their way back to their room after playing Massey hall.. and heard the ruckus in our room and stopped in... its gets pretty fuzzy after that.....

[charlied]

I haven't met anyone great but some famous canadians I guess. Sat next to Bruny Surin and Donovan Bailey...2 of canada's all time greats and talked briefly with Bruny at a Canadian Track and Field championships I attended. Plus got pointers from Glenroy Gilbert another top canadian sprinter on the Relay team that won olympic gold. I have met many of Canada's top sprinters. I was also highschool friends with a couple members of the group Three Days Grace. I think the Terry Fox thing would be the best...what an inspiration to us all!

[Bly]

brush with greatness............

 

I get to share a house and other things with the lead singer of Gridlock! lol

 

The closest I have ever gotten to meeting any kind of celeb would be when I "landed" in Canada and The Cure was there also.

 

 

 

bly

[fishforfun]

Getting old, just remembered 1983 or 84 coaching a 10 yr old hockey team at a tourney in Buffalo, we got tickets to the Sabres game, came with an invite to the dressing room post game. when the kids were done and headed home with their parents we the coaching staff got to shoot the breeze for 15mins with Scotty Bowman!

[lew]

Back in '67 I worked at Toronto airport as a gas jockey / baggage handler and our biggest customer was American Airlines, which was also the airline of choice for alot of the Hollywood actors commuting between Toronto and Los Angeles.

 

Our office was on the ground floor of the old Terminal 1 right where the airplanes parked to pick-up / drop off passengers, and any of these so-called celebrities would sit in the comfort of our private waiting room so they wouldn't have to mingle with the low life, common folk they had to share their oxygen with.

 

Funniest thing I remember was Eddy Fisher (husband of Elizabeth Taylor) waiting to board for Los Angeles, and we were told to be sure to load his bags last, so they'd be the first unloaded and the "very important Mr. Fisher" wouldn't be held up waiting to leave Los Angeles Airport.

 

Naturally, his bags were the very 1st ones that we loaded and were stuffed right in the nose of the plane and everything else jammed on top of them and Mr. La La would then be the LAST to get out of the airport.

 

Poor Eddy Fisher was probably still searching for his bags at midnight hahahaha

 

I always hate it when somebody tries to put some egotistical actor on a pedistal above anybody else.

 

Another day I spent a couple hours sitting yakking with Twiggy while we waited for her plane to arrive. Very nice girl who didn't think she was above the rest of the world.

 

Also spent an afternoon shooting the breeze with the Blue Angels and that was one of the most interesting bunch of guys I've ever talked with.

[brickNblock]

Famous..........None that can come to mind.

Inspiring..........Perhaps, but not a Terry Fox amongst them.

I have been fortunate enough to party and meet many celebrities though.

I'll not go into many details as I was at my party best in the '70's..........

Partied with......

Tanya Tucker

Petulia Clark

Edgar Winter/Leon Russel at the Carlton Hotel in our room.

Dated Debra Harry for about a 2months in 1977 just after her separation.

Drank beer with David Caradine..(Kane...Grasshopper..KungFu)....I did, he drank triple daquiries.

Jammed w/...Aerosmith durring the taping of 'Toy's in the Attic'

Met Darryl Sittler on a plane to Detroit shortly after his 10 pt night.

Met Darryl Sittler at the Richmond Hill Jeep dealer while shopping for a new jeep about 1 month after.

Met Darryl Sittler again on a plane while I was working in Detroit about 2 yrs after the first time.

I was a roadie for Max Webster also budding guitar player back in the early '70's and met many a local Toronto musician.

At the Spring Fishing Show I met up w/ TJQ / Monique.

Partied at one of Hank William Jrs' homes in 1990..( w/Hank and friends), that was in Kentucky, right beside Kentucky Lake..and, ..Land between the Lakes and the great Mississippi.

Met John Anderson (TML'S), on a game night back in the early days at a KFC where he was stuffing his face about 4hrs before a game.

Met most of the Raptors having lunch at Wayne Gretzky's in Toronto on my oldest boys birthday...we were going to the game that night......A very young Vince Carter came in with his own food..(cold pasta in tupperware)....and an older Alvin Williams was right beside me drinking Tequila Sunrises.

At Lakair I met all sorts of OFC'rs............months before that at BOQ I met an OFC'r I hadnt seen in years,...TYBO...maybe 25 yrs before............Big Pleause meeting Lew, Roy, Irishfield, GaryV,Motvt8r,Muskiestud,The plummas and Whopper, DouG, Rick, Deg an Partner, Adam an Sandy, Chuck an Lady Walleye, Big Cliff...JP an MuskyBill,Keramel(Keram),Bill (BK@PTO)..fishensled nd the list goes on an on...Geritt an co............and of coarse Fishdawg..thers many many I've missed but they are there............sorry Joey..you too. an Jigger(Rick, now northland)...Shad,(basscatcher)

........years ago though I settled down and met the missus.......best party/friend and companion I've ever had the pleasure to meet..I netted big time!

Edited February 26, 2007 by brickNblock

[irishfield]

I've met my share of well knowns (and in most cases tolerated their false fronts).....BUT the "brush with greatness" in recent years has to be Maureen. If you guys knew half the things that she's done for man kind you'd understand why I say that. She has no false side, straight up and to the point...with a great BIG heart.

[Beans]

Back in '53 when I was a skinny office boy of 17 my boss called me in to take a lunch order for him and Jack Dempsey..."I'll have two corned beef on rye with mustard and a couple of beers" Jack said...."Wadda ya mean you can't buy beer" he bellowed...scaired the crap outta me...I got the sandwiches and the office manager picked up a six pack of Heinekens at the liquor store...Cripes he was a big man...

 

Also got to meet Sally Rand...My boss was a real rounder in his day and knew everybody...

 

I've fished with Lew and Big Cliff and Roy and Nanook and Meely and Crappieperchhunter and Irishfield and Gary V and Adam and Sandy and misfish and Photoz...does that count?...does to me...

 

WTG Wayne...now there will be no living with her...

Edited February 26, 2007 by Beans