Brush with "greatness" NF

[douG]

Who the heck is that guy with Brian Blowes? Wow, luck-eeee.

[misfish]

Who the heck is that guy with Brian Blowes? Wow, luck-eeee.

[Canuck2fan]

I used to cook for a living here are some of the folks who dined while I slaved away.

 

Peter Pocklington I got to shake his hand because the wanted FRESH SQUEEZED ORANGE JUICE dammit. So I squeezed him a 4 oz glass charged him $7.50 for it and he ordered a second then wanted to meet me LOL... more money than brains that fella.

 

George Chuvalo met him at the front desk before a sports dinner he was writing his speech standing there. Took time to shake my hand and talk for a bit. GREAT GUY!!! Said the meal was the best he had on the rubber chicken circuit in a while... when he poked his head into the kitchen after to thank the staff

 

Eric Lindros walked into the kitchen by mistake. Big like a truck smart like a street car. NO CLASS at all.

 

Eddie Shack funny guy always on.... Him and Johnny Bower were hilarious together. Daryl Sitler not so much...

 

Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy were in a lot times over the years. Very classy couple. Always polite and very genuine.

 

Gordy Tapp and his wife would stay at the Inn for two weeks for about a 5 yr stretch. He is a extremely funny in person and his bride wasn't hard on the eyes I am pretty sure she was one of the hee haw girls who was out in the corn field.

 

Rockin Ronnie Hawkins. DO NOT EVER get this guy talking, unless you have about 4 hrs and don't mind laughing so hard 90% of the time that you will think you did about 600 ab crunches.... Like after an hour I say Mr Hawkins didn't you say you were running late for something. He goes Yeah probably but damned if I can remember where I am supposed to be.... Before I could say anything more he goes but don't worry about it my manager knows I am here he will eventually come along and get me to where I ought to be.....

 

Prime Minister John Turner (retired) a little blasted and couldn't accept the fact that I wouldn't allow the servers to open the bar at 10 AM on a Sunday just for him...

 

Prime Minister Joe Clark (retired) Kind of funny he gets his plate from the breakfast buffets sits down at the table with the owners of the hotel and his chair comes totally apart. Joe is donkey over applecart on the ground and laughing about it...

 

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien He was the leader of the opposition then and was giving a speech and supposed to have a private lunch afterward. So my boss "the chef" spends like 4 hrs making these girly little sandwiches and fancy crap spends like 40 minutes on the garnishes alone. Cretz takes one look and asks if it would too much trouble to get a cheeseburger instead.... I say no problem pal and cook him up one. Sure he might of swindled the oddd million or two but I will always think of him as a regular guy who didn't want cucumber sandwiches LOL.

 

Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau I am standing in cooking class at GBC and this honking HUGE dude comes in and says hey you come cook a steak for the PM.... Now in hindsight I might have handled the situation better by NOT saying what you want me to cook for that a__whole. Sorry not going to happen. Well lets just say the RCMP does not always have a sense of humor....

 

Those are a few of the luminaries I can remember coming in the dining room over the years.

Edited February 27, 2007 by Canuck2fan

[Hellfish]

Raf- Lemmy is a genious love Motorhead lucky man, most impressive so far i must say.

 

I havent met too many ppl more musicians than any, Daney carey-Tool, Larry and les frpm Primus, Mudvayne several times partied on their bus, Neil and Geddy from rush, all time Fav SOULFLY MAx Cavalera i can die happy after meeting him. Met carlos Delgado and alot of other Jays in Dunedin Spring Training. Fergy Jenkins from the jays was my National coach for Baseball. I didnt meet him but Lennox Lewis trained at my gf's boxing club for when he fought for Canada in the olympics her grandfather was his coach and he still owes for dues and a airplane ticket 220.00 i believe the total is the debt is ont he wall at the club, alot of NHl stars like Corey cross and Arnott used to workout at the club.

[danc]

Who the heck is that guy with Brian Blowes? Wow, luck-eeee.

 

LOL Doug... Good stuff.

 

My list includes Nibsey Russell and Tony Bennett, as well as many world class athletes when I used to attend our local sports celebrity dinner. Some names that come to mind are Dave Winfield, Pat Gillick and Dave Stewart of Blue Jays fame, Gordie Howe, Dan Fouts, Jake Lamota, Brent Musberger, Doug and Darren Flutie, Dennis Hull.... and many many more. I attended for about 15 years and they had 3 top level athletes per year, so you can imagine. Once in the early 90's I ran into a table of Blue Jays in a restaurant in Minneapolis. They included Garth Orge, Gillick, Rance Mullinicks and Tom Henke. I had a brief chat with them at their table. This was right after a Twins/Jays game that I attended. I also partied with Brian Adams several times. He used to play here quite often before he became really big and he took a liking to my circle of friends and used to hang out with us after the bar closed.

[MJL]

Jim Veltman from the Toronto Rock was my gym teacher in high school

 

My friend brought Russell Oliver (cashman!) from Oliver Jewelry to class for his presentation.

 

I saw Global TV's water-cooler mascot in front of Sam the Record Man at Yonge & Gould. He gave me a free coupon to something I can't remember.

 

Jim Bamford Superintendent of 42 division Toronto Police services (retired) is my uncle's neighbour. I moved 100 large concrete slabs into his backyard in the summer of 03.

 

I fished with Steve Davis, snooker God, for carp...Or at least someone who had an AMAZING resemblance to him.

[Mike the Pike]

From 1984 to 1987 I worked for Micron and Bauer hockey skates I was fortunate enough to meet a some famous hockey players.I met Mario Lemieux the summer after he joined the NHL he actually worked for the company during previous summers.Also met Kevin Lowe when he was with the Edmonton Oilers.Raymond Bourque (Boston),Steve Shutt and Larry Robinson(Canadiens).Oh ya one more Hockey great Shane Corson. The year after Pierre Elliot Trudeau retired I went to the door(at Micron) and there he was our former Priminister with his three sons who were quite young at the time.They were there to purchase Ski equipement which we also sold.

 

When I met my wife in 1992 she won a trip to London England and Kenya Africa.So we are sitting in a restaurant in Kenya and we look over 2 tables and we see Alain Thick with a young woman half his age .The young Lady was so close to him we never bothered to disturb him.Thats all I can think of for now.

 

Great thread .MTP

[douG]

OK, my wife convinced Peter Mansbridge to come speak at the ceremony for her Gr 13 Grad class, by claiming that the two of them are related, and he had a familial responsibility.

 

He did.

[mikemo]

I met Jean-Paul Tremblay and Rob Wells, aka Julian and Ricky, at the Toronto airport last feb. They seemed shocked that I called them by their real names, then walked off to the bar.

[David Chong]

Davis,

You're absolutely right! Hope that all goes well for your son! The Hospital for Sick Kids has always been one of my favourite charities!

Dave

[Headhunter]

Just to clear the air a bit... the "greatness" aspect of the title was intended to be tongue in cheek! It's all perspective! I'm a little surprised that some have over analyized this, ok, may not that surpirsed.

Thanks to all who have responded, it's been a very interesting read... and Davis, I'm sure your brush with greatness, stands out among the others! Best wishes to you and your family and a speedy recovery!

HH

[JustinHoffman]

Hello All,

 

Had a few brushes with "celebs" in my time, many of whom I actually went to school with.

 

Sat beside Kevin Brereton (aka the rapper/singer K-OS) in grade 12 history. Was good buds with his brother Andy, and hung out at their house quite often.

 

Went to public school and high school, as well as lived 5 doors down from the WWE wrestler Test. He was big as hell back in those days also!

 

Went to highschool with Wayne and Keith Primeau. Also went to highschool with NFL'er OJ Santiago, and Olympic gymnast Lori Strong (very easy on the eyes!)

 

Stood in line for a concert in T.O. behind "Snake" from Degrassi Junior High.

 

Caught a basketball thrown by Vince Carter while at a Raptors game.

 

Would see Eric Lindros numerous times at Koo Koo Bananas back in the day. My friend from high school was the girl who charged him with assault for "spitting" beer at her at that very same bar..

 

Sat beside George Strombolopolous at a late night Chinese diner. Used to date a girl in T.O. that lived on the same street as Master T, of Much Music fame. Saw him walking around town most weeks.

 

Had a beer at a table beside Jonathon Torrens (aka J-ROC) from the Trailer Park Boys.

 

Had a locker beside NHL'er Marc Savard's girlfriend back at Durham College in Oshawa. (Another treat for the eyes!)

 

Had breakfast last year at a table beside NHL'er Wade Redden here in Ottawa.

 

Walked by Jean Chretien leaving a pub here in Ottawa.

 

One of the funniest stories (at least to me) was back when I started writing for fishing mags. Was laying in bed one Saturday morning, hung over as heck. The phone rings, and not certain I even had a voice, I decide to let the machine pick up.

Ring, Ring, Ring......."Hey Justin, Bob Izumi here....."

Had to chuckle that morning!

 

Good Fishing,

Justin