Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Thirteen Things (Or People, In This Case)

Today, my thirteen things are the thirteen degrees of -R-. The premise is based on the idea of six degrees of separation, or six degrees of Kevin Bacon, but instead of Kevin Bacon, it is me! And really it is going to be one degree of -R- because I am just going to list "famous" people I have met or have a (somewhat tenuous, and by somewhat I mean very) connection.

When I reread this post, it looks like I am namedropping. But the point of this is how LAME my namedropping is.

1. George Burns - When trying to fly to visit my grandparents in Florida when I was about 5, my family was trapped in the DFW airport because there was a tornado warning. So was George Burns! So I chatted with him.

2. Sarah Vowell - I met her at a book reading, as you may remember.

3. Ahman Green - I was on a flight with him not too long ago. He was sitting one row ahead and across the aisle from me. The guy next to him did not speak to him the whole flight, and then when Ahman was about to get off the plane, the guys blurted out, "Good luck, Ahman!" Ahman just rolled his eyes. He also tried to make a phone call during the flight and use his Ipod when we weren't supposed to be using electronic devices. It was so crazy!!! [read with sarcasm]

4. One of the stars of the American Pie movies - I went to high school, had a lot of classes, and was in extracurricular activities with this person. FYI, this person is a jerk.

5. My dad had lunch with Bo Jackson when Bo (we are on a first name basis) played for both the Royals and whatever football team he played for.

6. Brett Saberhagen (former pitcher for the KC Royals) - When he was pitching for KC, he was one of my friend's neighbors. I was in the first grade, and I think my friend gave me a baseball card signed by Mr. Saberhagen.

7. When I was in fourth and fifth grade, one of my friends lived across the street from a NY Jet. The Jet's daughter went to school with me but was much younger. We were obviously very close, as I have no idea what the daughter's name or the player's name is.

8. Aaron Neville - My dad also met him about ten years ago when Aaron Neville was filming an American Express commercial.

9. My mom met some of the original members of the Beach Boys. They were playing at some corporate event my parents had to go to.

10. We met a football player for the University of Minnesota on the flight from Houston to Minneapolis a couple of weeks ago. He is not famous, but he is a starting player for the team. I am running out of people!

11. Oh, John (Jon?) Carroll, who was on one of the Survivor shows and did pretty well- I worked with him on some things. (Could I be more vague?)

12. David Letterman - DL and I were at the same minor league game in Indianapolis when I was in 6th or 7th grade. I didn't actually get to meet him, but he was about two feet away from me. If I can count the Ahman Green thing, I can count this.

13. George Schulz, former Secretary of State - my friend has met with him and is/was doing research for his next book, I think. Or something. I would call and ask, but I have to leave to go pick H up at the airport!

If I were a good blogger, I would provide links for each of these people, but I am not, so I will not. To which "celebrities" do you have a tenuous connection???

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

My sister saw Henry Winkler in LAX.

And that's about it.

Ha. No, actually, Nick and I saw John Roberts at the Shakespeare Theater in DC one night. This was a HUGE deal for Nick because he's in law school and a fanboy nerd for any Supreme Court justice.

And once my dad had dinner with Ken Harvey, who is an old Redskin. At the time, though, he was just a Redskin.

Oh, and Hilarie Burton went to my high school, but I did not like her and she was much younger (3 years, I think) but she was annoying and I will not watch her show or any show on the WB for that matter.

Stefanie said...

Way too many of those people are sports-related, which means I have no idea who they are, but it is an impressive list nonetheless. ;-)

Um, I met Lady Aberlin from Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood when I was a kid... and I was about ten feet away from Josh Hartnett at a MN DFL volunteering event last year... Yeah, I don't have much beyond that. I've shaken the mayor of Minneapolis's hand twice (and saw him out with some friends in Uptown one night recently). Does that count for anything? No? Didn't think so. Oh, and supposedly Rosie O'Donnell was staying at the same hotel as me when I was in New Orleans a few years ago, but I didn't see her, so I suppose that's not very impressive either.

stinkypaw said...

Celine Dion took private classes from my English high-school teacher, and she used to come pick him up - so I've seen her a few times, that was in the 80s.

While walking in Old-Montreal (where there's a LOT of movies are shot) I ran into Jan-Michael Vincent - this was also in the 80s - I used to think he was such a heart throb!

In '98, during a karate seminar in Hawaii actually had to do self-defense with Michael Jai White, he's quite a big boy and man! Did he look good topless!

Through karate I've met quite a bit of local personality, and that's always fun and at times desapointing, because in "real life" they are not as nice as I thought they might have been. No matter what it's always fun! =^..^=

Galoot said...

I wrote a blog about celebrities I've encountered before - through work and chance encounters. But I've only had some tenuous connections to a few:

Dennis Drew and Steve Gustafson of the 10,000 Maniacs. The Maniacs are originally from the city where I now live. My improv group opened for the band at a fundraiser a couple of years ago. I know Dennis in a profesional way and Steve in a social way.

Bill Chott - actor. Bill isn't a household name yet. I went to college with him for a year and we worked in the theatre together. He has been through Second City and still does improv in L.A. I think his biggest role to date has been one of the "special" athletes in "The Ringer". He also provides the announcer's voice on "The Ambiguously Gay Duo".

Sarah said...

My mom and I took a mommy and me swimming class with Sissy Spacek and her daughter when I was like 3. I don't remember it but dad has video. Apparently stalking runs in the family.

I also know Dave Matthews since he's from Charlottesville and used to play at this bar we used to sneak into in highschool. And by "know" I mean was in the same room with him and by "sneak" I mean it was under 18 night at a real bar and we felt so cool.

I met the current governor of Virginia in a Barnes & Noble and had a minor freak out and called him "Mr. Governor" instead of "Mr. Kaine"

Also, because I am rambling, I met Katie Couric and her sister Emily at an event in Charlottesville once. I heart anything Couric.

-R- said...

Boozie, I forgot that I have met Clarence Thomas and H even had dinner with him! You should also see how many pictures I took at Arlington of the headstones of Supreme Court justices. It is a little weird.

Stefanie, you are from Wisconsin, so you have to know who Ahman Green is! I am curious as to how you met someone from Mr. Rogers...

Spaw, very cool. I am surprised Celine Dion was giving her English tutor rides in her car!

15/Galoot, The Ambiguously Gay Duo!!!!!! Now I have that theme song stuck in my head. Except all I know is that the part that goes, "The ambiguously gay duo... the ambiguously gay duo..."

Sarah, so did your dad teach you how to video tape stalkees without being noticed and such? I love the Dave Matthews story. You two are practically best friends.

Anonymous said...

LOL, a long time ago I did a (less-revealing) list as a blog entry*. Love the how & when of each one in your list :>

I just remembered that Alex and I saw Dana Delaney (China Beach) at the Orlando airport, and I know the keyboardist for Teddy & the Pandas ("We Can't Go On This Way" [before your time :-D ]) and Sully from Godsmack.

Also, 13 is so my number! Get me going on that one sometime :-)


*twist my arm if you want a link.

Stefanie said...

R--Um, you're right; I guess that does sound sort of familiar? I'm sorry; I really am embarrassed that Brett Favre is about the only Wisconsin athlete I can name off the top of my head. I should really know these things, I suppose.

Oh, and Lady Aberlin was at the zoo for some event once; that's where I saw her. Or maybe it was Summerfest. I don't know; she was in Milwaukee for something, and we were there. Big excitement, I know.

Guinness_Girl said...

OH dear. My list is quite long. In fact, I might have to do a secondary blog post of the day just to write about it...

The best thing about my list is that it's not only my CONNECTION with the celebrities that is tenuous...it's also their status as celebs. I'll let you know when/if I write about this.

don't call me MA'AM said...

Where are you from? Because you know Ahman Green... and one of the stars from American Pie is also from the midwest (at least I know of one that is). He and Ahman share the same hometown. Hmmmm...

I have to think about my famous connections. I don't think I could 13. My husband, who grew up in CA, though has a lot. He's even partied with Slash. Yikes.

J. Andrew Lockhart said...

I want to hear more about #4!

Paisley said...

hmmm...

Gary Collins and Mary Ann Mobley
Dylan Baker
Jason Mewes
Melissa Joan Hart
some girl from ER and Scooby Doo
the clerk guy in clerks
Rick Schroeder
Kevin Bacon
Kyra Sedgewick
Derek Luke
That Josh guy from Poseidon
some screenwriter dudes
and a few directors

:)

I can't remember anything else. I am blanking. I know there's more. The best one is Dylan Baker. He's soooo nice and wonderful. I had breakfast with him and his daughter. Awesome guy.

Derek Luke was pretty cool, too.

:)

fun list.

princess slea said...

Awww, don't tell me it's Seann William Scott? He's from Minnesota and I guess I could see him being an ass (obviously) but I still think he's funny.