too many to count, as personal security at certain times, from early stars, at the dawn of film, to modern screen marvels and rock stars. i have been very, very fortunate to accumulate much wisdom from them, and see them at the top of their game.

many of them are truly lonely people and cherish the real friends that they do have, for many use them, including their own family members......so sad....

Well..let's see...

Most of mine are from going to concerts. Not just seeing the band but actually meeting the guys after the show.

I have met all the members of the band Anthrax except Frankie Bello and Joey Belladonna. John Bush was the lead singer when I saw them.

I met Wednesday 13. He did a show at my favorite club and there were only about 50 people there. He came out to do the meet and greet thing after his show and my brother bought him a drink. He ( Wednesday ) wound up sitting at our table just talking music ( he said he goes through a LOT of cornflakes because he winds up getting ideas for songs while he's eating breakfast ) and shooting the shite for about 45 minutes. VERY cool dude.

I've also met all the members of Ra. Including original members who are no longer with the band. One of the pics in my profile is of me standing with Ra's lead singer Sahaj. He is one of the coolest guys I've ever met.

I ran into Brandon Inge ( Detroit Tigers 3rd baseman ) a few years ago at a bar in a little town North of here. He had just signed a new contract and was out celebrating. Totally a nice guy. Very friendly.

When I was a freshman in high school, I attended a football camp where Chris Chandler was also attending; this was obviously before he got to the NFL-he was still in high school, as well. To make a long story short, he was the most talented QB there, and also the biggest a-hole.
On Labor Day, 2008, I met then-candidate Barack Obama. He was here in Milwaukee giving a campaign speech at Laborfest, and the company I work for was transporting the press corps. The other drivers and I got to meet him personally at the airport as everybody was boarding the plane.
I'm around a lot of professional baseball players for my work (when they come to Milwaukee, we usually get the job of shuttling to and from the airport/hotel/Miller Park, but we're under strict orders NOT to talk to them unless they initiate the conversation.

I completely forgot one event in my life until I spoke with an old Army buddy last night. When he and I were stationed at Ft. Hood, Texas, one night we went down to Austin to see a band he knew about at the Opera House.
When we got there, there were only a dozen or so cars in the parking lot, so we thought maybe the show got canceled. We went to the door, and it was open. We went inside, and there was about 20 people in the first 2 rows, and the rest empty.
The band came in, and by the end of the 3rd song, said to us all- "Get your arses up here and dance. You're the only ones here, have fun". We did, and we DID. Great flippin night.

The band was Madness. Their most famous song was "Our House", but they had 6 or so albums released.

How close was I...? to Randy Gradishar of the Denver Bronkos? Well, close enough to have Easter Dinner, A couple of Thanksgiving dinners and I think there were a couple of summer picnics also, when he came home for the holidays. ( He is a cousin on the ex's side of the family )

But some of the actors that I have meet were because my Uncle owned a restuant and got season tickets to a local play house and a lot of them would come after their show for dinner. There was Pia Zadora, Meridith Baxter-Birney, her hubby, David Birney, The Oak Ridge Boys for example. God I am old. LOL

shoot, thanks Leigh Ann, just remembered! Last Christmas Eve (08), Marie bought all her children down to our program and also donated a whole meal for Thanksgiving. She's such a tiny woman- I was surprised. She went around the room sighning autographs for alot of the guys, one guy recently told me he still slept with it under his pillow. She is actually a very nice woman, but had TV make-up on- almost scary looking. Had no idea people wore that much stuff for television.
My friend Marge (81), who started the program 14 years ago by feeding just one hungry man one morning, got her picture taken with her. She is still impressed.

Awww such wonderful stories to read about and get just one more peak into anothers world......

When I was a little kid I was waiting at the airport for my sister and got to meet the Beetleborgs.

You know you're jealous.

I'm jealous they got to meet you.