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MguyX 
"Almost Fanatical Papish Devotion."
United States
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 Posted - 22/07/2004 : 01:51:49
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Inspired by the description Sean gave of his relationship tp Courtney Love, I thought we might start up a thread about our brushes with the famous. Here go the rules:
1. The story must be either about yourself or about someone you know directly who personally had the experience. NO STORIES ABOUT A FRIEND WHO HEARD ABOUT BLAH BLAH BLAH. The fun here is the fact that these will be true stories that are verifiable by the teller.
2. If you yourself are famous, PLEASE DON'T TELL US ABOUT HOW YOU BRUSH WITH YOURSELF -- THIS IS NOT A PORN SITE!
Who's first?
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MguyX
"Almost Fanatical Papish Devotion."
United States
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Posted - 22/07/2004 : 02:21:34
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What a novel idea! I'll go first.
A couple of years ago I was hanging out with a friend of mine who has a fairly popular public-access cable program called "Colin's Sleazy Friends." At the time, there are those who might claim that I was probably Colin's sleaziest friend, but hey, that's just a rumor. Colin's show basically involves a talk-show type format involving a musical guest (which could be local bands or on-ther-cusp-of-fame bands), a celebrity or comic (you name em), and one or two female porn stars. Colin's easy-going in your face style always made for some great stuff (Here's some of the best stuff).
Anyway, Colin starts shooting a pilot for Fox TV based on his show and he invites me along for the ride. Just ask yourselves, people: would you invite me along for the ride?
The pilot takes place in an RV that rolls around Southern California with Colin and his sidekick getting into whatever they can find. Invariably they roll up to celebrity houses or cruise around with celebrities or happen upon celebrities at local clubs (anybody see a pattern?).
This is a long story, so I'm gonna cut out significant portions in the middle right now so we's all can cut to the chase.
"Hey, man, you don't need me in the RV. I'll take my own car." So I followed the RV from the club to the house of Jamie Foxx.
When we get there, a party of sorts is already going on. We get inside and there's somebody tinkling on a grand piano that sits in the corner of a dimly lit and somewhat cavernous dining room/living room/kitchen sort of open air living space type chamber. I think there was a fire in the fire place. Then again, maybe it was just all the light coming from the back yard, since there were no lights on in the cavern. Colin and his crew go to the back rooms to interview Jamie Foxx.
If you live in Los Angeles, you learn pretty quickly this one thing about coming across actors etc.: treat them like normal people (probably because they are normal people). An adjunct to this would be: if you wind up in their homes or in their cars, don't start creeping them out with autograph requests. There's a third rule, but I'm confident that you'll pick that one up a little later in no time.
So, I'm hanging out with this somewhat attractive assistant girl in the kitchen-thing. ("Not an actual girl? Only an assistant girl?" Don't get cute! She was an assistant something-or-other-odd). We're chatting and making jokes and stuff when she politely tells me, "MguyX [um...not my real name], I like you and I don't want to be rude, but you may want to try a mint right about now." I start laughing and cover my mouth. We'd been drinking all night and yapping -- so the concept was not so far-fetched! I say to her, "Oh my God, how fucking embarassing, but I appreciate you telling me that because the last thing I want to be is offensive." We laugh.
"I'm just going to go the the refridgerator and look to see if there's a piece of lemon or something that I can bite on so's I don't offend anyone else." Jeez, it seemed so much funnier then, because we were both just rolling with laughter.
I step over to a huge Sub-Zero style fridge and open the door about half way. The door is huge and blocks my view of anything else in the room. The thing is full of various condiments and specialty items, but I can't spot a lemon or something simple to save my life. While it did not occur to me that opening a stranger's fridge might be a problem (hey, I can barely think of a party where I didn't), rifling through it seemed a bit more intrusive. I figured, if I cannot see it in plain sight, oh well, I tried.
So I shut the huge fridge door, and who is standing right behind the door as I shut it? Jamie Foxx. Being L.A. savvy, and knowing rules one and two, above, I say, "Yo, what up dude? How's it goin? I think we know someone in common?"
Jamie Foxx is about 5' 6". I'm about 6'. He's kinda skinny. I'm a little bigger. He's wearing a doo-rag. I'm wearing a Pendleton (ironically, the choice flannel shirt of many a gang-banger). He's got two bigger guys flanking him. I'm a little bigger than either one. I can see that this is going to be friendly.
"Oh yeah? Who's that?" he says.
"[Name Withheld]." Now, I did know this woman I identified to him, and she used to work with me a year or so before. And she used to tell me stories about Jamie Foxx because her boyfriend was a writer on his (former) show. And this girl was built. So I figured he'd have to remember her.
"I don't know no [Name Withheld], so I don't know you."
OK. At this point things become a little hazy. I said something that I don't recall exactly, but which I thought was reservedly funny and somewhat deferential, to which he responded with a kind of crass wise crack. I felt that his comment was somewhat subpar in the comedy department, so I retorted with something I felt was more superior, thinking that he would take up the rejoinder to my reply to his challenge, to which he enjoined "Who's the corny nigger in my kitchen tellin' jokes."
Well, yours truly was not offended. Indeed, I thought "Is that all you've got? Is that it?" SO I laughed and said, "Oh, bring it on! Bring it on!" Isn't it obvious to you, dear reader, that I invited Mr. Foxx to continue along his line of humor, that I might continue batting away such triflings with my rapier wit?
At this point, Jamie goes to a bar area adjacent to the fridge. It's dark. THere's a half-wall about four feet high between us and he's about 10 feet away from me now. He picks up something that looks to me like a stick vacuum cleaner, which I thought was hysterical -- much like threatening to swat someone with a [insert impractical item here]. THAT was funny.
I was laughing, but just then I began to realize that Jamie Foxx is about 5' 6". I'm about 6'. He's kinda skinny. I'm a little bigger. He's wearing a doo-rag. I'm wearing a Pendleton (ironically, the choice flannel shirt of many a gang-banger). He's got two bigger guys who are kind of backing away right now, and I'm a little bigger than either one. I can see that this is going to be friendly.
The assistant girl I was chatting with reaches over and grabs me by the front shirt tail, pulling me away. She's saying something, but I cannot make out what it is. Things are kind of blurry in that dark, dimly lit cavern kitchen-living room-dining room thing, but I can see in the eyes of the two guys formerly flanking Mr. Foxx that they look apprehensive.
I look over at Jamie Foxx, and through the darkness I can see that the stick vacuum cleaner was apparently designed to look exactly like a golf club. A driver, in fact, sharing all of the exact same characteristics and dimensions.
"MguyX [not my real name], don't do anything to him." She whispers frantically in my ear. At this point I realize that something has gone horribly wrong. But, hey, I'm a gracious guest, so I think for a second, and I realize that Mr. Foxx apparently thought I was calling him out (and based on the reaction of his two friends, he apparently was in need of two more loyal friends). And there's Jamie Foxx, about 10 feet away, behind that half wall, holding that damned driver-vacuum thing, and he hasn't said a word.
"Whoa! Whoa! Hey! I didn't mean ... aww shit ... look, I thought you were just kidding. I'm not not trying to start anything. I feel bad about the misunderstanding. But I don't want you to be uncomfortable in your own house, so I'll just leave."
The assistant girl walks with me a few feet but then fades to the left (something about knowing something about on which side butter adheres to bread, I don't know). I point to one of the erstwhile flanking men and say "Yo, dude, walk with me." He takes a slow step toward me, I guess he realizes that I do not pose a threat, and then he comes along as I make my way to the front.
I tell the guy that I don't understand what went wrong, but that I meant no offense. I tell him I thought Jamie was just kidding around, and I certainly wouldn't come into someone's house and just threaten them. For God's sake, I'm a lawyer!
He says something like, yeah, he understands, but you can't just come in somebody's house and call him out like that. I said again "That's NOT what was I was doing." I tell him to please explain that I thought Jamie was only kidding and to tell him I was sorry, which is why I was leaving in the first place! He says O.K. I get to the front gate (a high, opaque structure). I open it. I shake the guy's hand. I walk out.
Then I hear, in the distance, mind you, "And stay out!"
Oh reader: at what point did I become incapable of speaking English?
EPILOGUE:
There's a funny epilogue, but hey, why bother. I know some of you may think "What a [insert expletive here]!" but hey, Jamie's not a bad guy (Me? You meant me? But that's what I'm trying to tell you, it was just a misunderstanding!) Well, I guess I won't be getting invited to the FWFR convention, unless I bring a golf bag.  |
Edited by - MguyX on 22/07/2004 03:20:07 |
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Kruegerbait 
"Formerly known as Joss"
UK
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Posted - 22/07/2004 : 02:28:30
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If I remember correctly, it was on my seventh birthday when I had a small brush with fame. The head of school was told to round up anyone born on the 4th of July into the school library. As it turned out it was just myself and some other kid, I can't remember if it was a girl or boy, I must have been too excited. Anyway, as my memory serves me now, a teacher appeared in the library and told us that there was a great surprise for us both on our birthday. I did the obvious thing and went home dreaming of the best toys in the world, and been presented with them on a stage whilst everyone cheered and applauded. The next day at school, my surprise was revealed, there was a knock on the classroom door and in walked Dr Who (Tom Baker). "Is there a John S. in this room?" he shouted. I got up and he took my hand, shaked it and handed me a jellybaby. I must have looked pretty ungrateful, but the best toys in the world had just been turned into a small piece of confectionary. Anyway I still got cheers and applause from my classmates, and although an anti-climax at the time, has left enough of an impression on my mind for me to write what is probably my longest post.
Come to think of it, I could have just wrote Tom Baker shook my hand when I was seven.
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Seán 
"A Linux fanatic."
Aotearoa
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Posted - 22/07/2004 : 02:32:35
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Ok, I suppose I'd better stick this in the right thread then.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I used to know Courtney Love when I was a kid, only vaguely though, but I knew her younger sisters better as they were about my age. And my parents were friends with Courtney's mother and stepfather. And then when I was about 10, her family moved back to the USA when the amnesty on Vietnam War draft dodgers was declared, and our family bought Courtney's family's house, where I subsequently grew up (well sort of grew up  ). My parents still live there now, and it's about 7 minutes drive from where I live out in the country. I don't remember much about Courtney except that she was a bit.... errrmmm... wild and crazy, and was about 14 when they left NZ.
BTW I seem to remember when she was in NZ a few years back she said in an interview that her time at Nelson College for Girls was what 'screwed her up'! At least I didn't go to school there. 
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Edited by - Seán on 22/07/2004 03:31:43 |
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Seán
"A Linux fanatic."
Aotearoa
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Posted - 22/07/2004 : 03:30:44
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Summary of MguyX's tale:-
"I met Jamie Foxx."
 
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Seán
"A Linux fanatic."
Aotearoa
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Posted - 22/07/2004 : 04:19:42
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I've got another claim to fame. I've been posting film reviews on a website also used by an Emmy nominee. 
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aussiecanuck 
"Australian, Canadian Drama Doctor."
St Jamestown, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Posted - 22/07/2004 : 05:03:00
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I met Derek Jacobi once, but it's a Shakespeare nerd story and nothing nearly as absorbing as MguyX's Jamie Foxx story, so I'll just leave it there.
Lovely guy though. Signed my Hamlet screenplay with 'the readiness is all'.
That's me done. Shakespeare nerd, out.
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thefoxboy 
"Four your eyes only."
Eastern Suburbs, Melbourne, Australia
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Posted - 22/07/2004 : 05:18:15
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quote:
Originally posted by AussieCanuck
I met Derek Jacobi once, but it's a Shakespeare nerd story and nothing nearly as absorbing as MguyX's Jamie Foxx story, so I'll just leave it there.
Lovely guy though. Signed my Hamlet screenplay with 'the readiness is all'.
That's me done. Shakespeare nerd, out.
What about all the Dockers that you have met
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aussiecanuck
"Australian, Canadian Drama Doctor."
St Jamestown, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Posted - 22/07/2004 : 05:23:48
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quote:
Originally posted by thefoxboy
quote:
Originally posted by AussieCanuck
I met Derek Jacobi once, but it's a Shakespeare nerd story and nothing nearly as absorbing as MguyX's Jamie Foxx story, so I'll just leave it there.
Lovely guy though. Signed my Hamlet screenplay with 'the readiness is all'.
That's me done. Shakespeare nerd, out.
What about all the Dockers that you have met
I drove Winston Abraham to a junior clinic in Armadale once. Does that count? Actually, I guess it counts for us Dockers supporters AND Conan and Batty as Roos supporters...
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thefoxboy
"Four your eyes only."
Eastern Suburbs, Melbourne, Australia
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Posted - 22/07/2004 : 05:26:32
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quote:
Originally posted by AussieCanuck
quote:
Originally posted by thefoxboy
quote:
Originally posted by AussieCanuck
I met Derek Jacobi once, but it's a Shakespeare nerd story and nothing nearly as absorbing as MguyX's Jamie Foxx story, so I'll just leave it there.
Lovely guy though. Signed my Hamlet screenplay with 'the readiness is all'.
That's me done. Shakespeare nerd, out.
What about all the Dockers that you have met
I drove Winston Abraham to a junior clinic in Armadale once. Does that count? Actually, I guess it counts for us Dockers supporters AND Conan and Batty as Roos supporters...
Wasn't it Winston that was linked to the Queen? or was it someone else that I am thinking about?
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aussiecanuck
"Australian, Canadian Drama Doctor."
St Jamestown, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Posted - 22/07/2004 : 05:47:46
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Nah, you're thinking of Scotty Chisholm, 'The Prince of Pockets'... I used to drive him around too.
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thefoxboy
"Four your eyes only."
Eastern Suburbs, Melbourne, Australia
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Posted - 22/07/2004 : 05:49:16
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quote:
Originally posted by AussieCanuck
Nah, you're thinking of Scotty Chisholm, 'The Prince of Pockets'... I used to drive him around too.
Well, that's a brush with Royalty
Good enough for me
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Stalean
"Pre-order Your Copy Soon"
USA
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Posted - 22/07/2004 : 05:52:37
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First of several "Brush(es) with Fame." Kolo and I had our picture taken with David Hasselhoff and Kit (car) at the height of Knight Rider popularity.  You may ask "What is so special about that?" Well, first off I won a trip to Hollywood to view the screening of "Dune."  (I know, but that's a whole other story.) Anyway, the two older of our three sons asked us to get a picture with Knight Rider and Kit. We said sure, knowing full well this was an improbability. While siteseeing at Universal Studios, we happened upon a promotional event with David Hasselhoff and Kit. We were first in line and the only ones to get our picture taken with them and an autographed picture, too.
BTW, AussieCanuck, my sister-in-law loves Derek Jacobi and has a personal letter from him.
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Edited by - Stalean on 22/07/2004 06:15:16 |
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MguyX
"Almost Fanatical Papish Devotion."
United States
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Posted - 22/07/2004 : 06:03:37
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I hear Hasselhoff is a pretty nice guy too! (btw: "Kit" was the name of the car; Hasselhoff was the "Knight Rider.")
Also, Joss, that Emmy nominee also edited a short that won an Oscar. |
Edited by - MguyX on 22/07/2004 17:55:06 |
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Stalean
"Pre-order Your Copy Soon"
USA
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Posted - 22/07/2004 : 06:29:13
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quote:
Originally posted by MguyX
I hear Hasselhoff is a pretty nice guy too! (btw: "Kit" was the name of the car; Hasselhoff was the "Knight Rider.")
Thanks, Mguyx. My brain is too groggy right now, I should be asleep.
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Pope George Ringo
"the Pope on stage"
Texas
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Posted - 22/07/2004 : 08:02:43
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My brushes with greatness always seem to involve free beer.
When I was 17, the Violent Femmes gave me beer for helping them load their van after a show in Austin, TX.
I was sitting at a table next to the dance floor at Antone's, a great blues bar in Austin, one night when a bunch of famous people showed up to jam together. Stevie Ray Vaughn, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy, Doug Sahm, and Dennis Quaid who was playing in a band at the time all took playing literally all night long. (When I walked outside, the sun was shining). Anyway, Dennis was dancing with this girl hanging all over him who couldn't have been older than 19, and was definately not Meg Ryan. We had some empty seats at our table and Dennis asked if we minded if they sat down. As soon as he did, round after round of beer showed up at the table. Dennis was the friendliest guy in the world, talking to us about how cool it was to be able to get up and play with musicians of that calibre, and what a great town Austin was. All the while he signed well over 100 autographs and was pleasant to anyone who asked. He sat there for close to an hour and had shots sent to me and my brother after he got up on stage.
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