Far, far, far from greatness, but I met creepy uncle Joe at an event last year as he was kicking off his campaign. I'm told the campaign was unhappy that we weren't going to provide cops for security for free, but they relented and paid for a couple overtime slots. When it was over, he made a point to come over and chat with us. Did the whole close talking handshake for way too long thing. He had surprisingly poor security at the time - just one guy that we figured was a retired USSS type.

In 2016 I had to work a Hilary Clinton event and she wouldn't even acknowledge us, so I guess there's that.

We don't get much in the way of conservative candidates around here.

Staying for the weekend at a friends house and another friend of hers was passing through town. Suni Williams held the record at one time for most time in space and spacewalks by a woman. We talked about life, space, aircraft and Jack Russell Terriers.

When I was a single dad in the early 2000's, I put my daughter into a local gym for gymnastics. The owner was Dmitry Bilozertchev. He coached my daughter for about four years until I couldn't afford the gymnastics tuition anymore.

I became friends with him and his wife, Olga. He was a very quiet man and spoke very little. He mostly only spoke to the kids he was teaching. His wife did more of the talking.

Dmitry pioneered the one-arm technique on the high bar in the 1980's and is a two-time all-around world gymnastics champion and a three-time olympic gold champion.

What makes his story very unique is that he shattered his leg in 47 places in a car accident in 1985. They almost amputated his leg and said if he ever walked again, he certainly wouldn't compete in the olympics. He healed, trained and won three golds in the 1988 olympics.



This mistake on the one-arm cost him what would have been his 4th gold in 1988...


Here he is torturing his leg on the floor routine...



Other than that, I met Don Jr at the 2018 SHOT Show.


Tony.

quote:

6. I was very close with my father; he was the greatest man I have ever known. (The best kind of "greatness"). As an elementary school principal, he was adored by thousands of elementary school children over the years. He was an Air Force veteran. He was the best extemporaneous speaker I've ever seen. He could get up in front of a PTA meeting with a single note card with about 4 short notes scribbled on it, and speak eloquently for an hour or more and sound as though he'd rehearsed it for days.

True greatness noted SigFan.

I was at a gunshow maybe 14-15 years ago and bought a copy of Return of the Enola Gay. For $50 bucks I got the author to sign it. General Paul W. Tibbets Jr. Dutch Van Kirk signed it too.

There were about 30 people in that line so I didn't really say much to them other than thanking them for signing the book. Still my only Brush with true living (at the time) historical figures.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
We are all five contacts from everybody else in the whole world.

Seven, from Kevin Bacon.

I sold popcorn to Dave Chappelle a couple times in high school while working at a movie theater. I’m from a town not far from where he lives in Ohio. This was while his show was on still on the air. He’s much quieter than you’d expect him to be, the 1st time I didn’t even realize it was him. Very nice guy though, he was sitting in a theater early once, say before the show started and my buddy asked to see his ticket not realizing who it was at first and he asked him to go get him some M&Ms and a coke and gave him 100 bucks and told him to keep the change. He also travels around with the one of the biggest dudes I’ve ever seen as a body guard.

quote:

Originally posted by divil:
I was at a gunshow maybe 14-15 years ago and bought a copy of Return of the Enola Gay. For $50 bucks I got the author to sign it. General Paul W. Tibbets Jr. Dutch Van Kirk signed it too.

There were about 30 people in that line so I didn't really say much to them other than thanking them for signing the book. Still my only Brush with true living (at the time) historical figures.

I saw him at the Redding Air Show maybe 20 yrs ago,


Carlos Hathcock used to set at the tables across from ours in RVA, a good fried borrowed my car one hot sunday in August to drive him home since the van he rode up in did not have AC,

he was a helluva guy

Oh, I also met two famous spacemen. Buzz Aldrin and Michael Dorn (he played Worf on Star Trek).

Another time, I was volunteering at the Annual Space Symposium. I was sent to the little café there for an errand. As I was waiting for the volunteer coordinator to give me an assignment, I just happened to notice Buzz Aldrin talking to another gentleman. Then, I recognized Susan Helms (accomplished astronaut but horrible USAF general) and the Director of NASA. It turns out I had inadvertently crashed the 'Astronaut Luncheon' (an invitation-only event).

I would have paid good money to just spend an hour filling water glasses and coffee cups for that one, but I had to leave. I was in a room with at least 30 astronauts. . .

At the Space Symposium, I also met Bill Nye (I think it was my comments about his cameo appearance on the tv show "Stargate: Atlantis" that prompted him to make a couple guest-appearances on The Big Bang Theory). I also met dozens of astronauts, the directors of the space programs for the US, Japan, Mexico, Romania, the UK, France, Germany, and many more. There were also many space industry leaders, CEOs, and scientists. I was in nerd heaven.

Celebrity does not = greatness, but you knew that

There are celebrities who are great. One cannot ignore the impact upon society made by people such as Robin Williams, John Wayne, Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, etc. However, the term 'great' requires context. About the only 'celebrity' that I have met that I really brag about was Michael Dorn, since I am a huge TrekNerd. But, he is an entertainer, and as such, I respect him for his acting but I would not be lectured by him on who to vote for this year. He was also very cool, modest, and approachable. He also collected warbird jets. I respect celebs like him, and consider him a 'great' actor.

Now, I can NEVER respect libtard celebs who try to insert themselves and their over-inflated egos into politics. alec baldwin was a very gifted actor, but he is a world-class douchebag. I love Lady Gaga's music, but she is an idiot for supporting slo jo (with that horrible political ad, where she was trying to pretend she was a 'normal' beer-drinking, mirrored sunglass-wearing pickup-driving redneck?). . . The dixie chicks were a very talented and popular music group, until they screwed themselves by turning 'political.'

Many people here idolize musicians, who are also 'celebrities.' For some, music and musicians do not matter; for others, they do. My wife met Garth Brooks before he made it big. She recalls that moment fondly, but others here would not care. Same way, there are some 'brushes with greatness' here that I would not really care for. Of course, to each his own, and I realize that the term 'great' is open to interpretation and opinion.

The celebs I admire most are those who use their fame for good. Jimmy Stewart is one of the greatest actors of all time, yet he was a combat pilot and Squadron (maybe Group?) commander in WWII, flying B-24s. Later, he rose to the rank of Brigadier General (one star) in the Air Force Reserve. Yet, he was extremely modest about his war service, and many people would have been surprised to learn "George Bailey" from Its a Wonderful Life risked his life over Germany in WWII.


So, this thread is subjective. Some here would not consider actors or musicians 'great.' Some may not consider astronauts of military people, whom I tend to adore, as 'great.'

Went to the same elementary school (at the same time) as Vin Diesel. No recollection of him.

Went to HS with character actor Chance Kelly.

Had as customers:
Ray Knight & Nancy Lopez
Anthony Munoz (Super nice guy)

quote:

Originally posted by sns3guppy:

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
We are all five contacts from everybody else in the whole world.

Seven, from Kevin Bacon.

I know the son of the man who was Rommel’s Supply Officer in North Africa. Which adds one more level into the senior leadership of 1933-1945 Germany.

I did meet Evil Knievel at his Snake River jump attempt. I was into motorcycles back in the day (but I sold my Husky race bike to buy a diamond ring 47 years ago)

The old Gerry Ford golf tournament in Vail CO used Ham Radio Operators at each hole to call in the scores to the press booth. In 1996, I worked the 18th hole at the very last tournament ever held with another ham. Met President Ford and a bunch of other celebrities. The ones I remember the best were Clint Eastwood, Tommy Smuthers, and John Denver. Eastwood was a bit of a prick. Smuthers and Denver were unfailing kind and generous to everyone that talked to them. One of my brothers got Tommy Smuthers to do some Yo Yo tricks.

About 35 years ago, I was at the Air and Space Museum's Garber Restoration facility in Suitland, MD for their annual open house. I was standing in front of several of the then unrestored fusalage sections of the Enola Gay, the B29 that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Several feet away was an older man and young boy, likely a grandson. I overheard the boy asking the older man if that was his seat. I assumed I was looking at a B29 crewman, an interesting enough event. After the boy asked a few more questions, I realized the older man wasn't just any old B29 crewman, but had flown on the actual atomic bomb mission. I believe he was the navigator.

As they walked away, the older man looked at me. I waved and gave him a thumbs up. He smiled, nodded and moved on.

I had dinner with Werner Erhard aboard his yacht.

I met Renold E. Schilke one evening. He seemed like just another guy and not affected by his fame.

I sat on Santa’s lap and we talked briefly when I was five years old.

Jerry Sneva sold me a new Jeep Liberty at an Indianapolis dealership 20 years ago. A very nice guy; no sales pressure at all.

I met (or so I was told) Mr. Rodgers when I was a toddler. I was at the hospital and he was visting kids there.

I was in "Papa" John's suite at a UK/UL football game. I didn't meet him, but he did give me a "who the F is that look". His brother had a hanger next to the one my FIL flew out of and gave us tickets. His brother was a real nice guy.

quote:

Many people here idolize musicians,

Like my neighbor in Reading, Pa. She even had the baby to prove it. She was looking at big bucks until the father shot himself while fucking around with a pistol.

Now, back to the regular program.

My closest brush with greatness is that I knew an elderly gentleman who had played with Glenn Miller and had known Wild Bill Donovan.