Quoted from "Marcelo"
I saw Hulk Hogan at LAX last weekend while picking up AyaBirdie. They were on the same plane. The man is HUGE.

When one of my cousins was 4 years old, my uncle took him to see a wrestling show where Hogan faced Kamala. After the match, my cousin told my uncle: "I'm going to shake his hand". Before my uncle could stop him, my cousin had run to the ring and climbed in.

He extended his hand to shake Hogan's. He looked surprised to see him there. Shook his hand and had him do those poses he does at the end of his matches.

I thought Emperor Norton was San Francosco's only royalty...

I've had a few celebrity run-ins. I met DeNiro once. That was freaky. I twice met Julia Roberts briefly. I got a new year's kiss on Y2K from Lauren Bacall. All I could think was "Man, those lips kissed BOGIE!"

I went to high school with Jennifer Aniston. She was cute in those days. We were moderately friendly back then. I haven't seen her since though.

I met Bob Dylan when I was a little kid. He used to co-write some songs with producer Jacques Levy (god rest him) who was a friend of the family. They actually co-wrote the song "Joey" which is on the Desire album, that day in our house.

I once got to meet Sonny Rollins, who is as nice as he is musically blessed. His wife was producing his recording session at the studio I was a gopher at. She knew I was a fan of his, and so she let me into the control room during a take. She was so nice about it, too. It was magical.

I was in a few classes at SUNY Purchase with Parker Posey. I still run into her from time to time.

When I was about 13 I met Sammy Davis Jr. I almost didn't know it was him, because he was tiny!

What took the cake was being invited to Al Pacino's place for a barbecue about 8 years ago. He was still with Beverly D'Angelo at the time, and she was cooking up a storm! Guests included Dan Akyroyd, Bill Murray, John McEnroe (who I talked with for about an hour, about music), and, not so big a celebrity, but a fine actor, Paul Benedict (a.k.a. the guy they think is "Guffman" in "Waiting For Guffman").

But the highlight of the evening was beating James Caan, a.k.a. Sonny Corleone, in a game of 8-Ball!!

I've met a bunch of other ones. The main thing with celebs is that they're just like everybody else, but in really really different circumstances...and what they love more than anything is to be treated normally. Case in point: The first time I met Julia Roberts, it was at the recording studio. She was doing some singing (believe it or not) for that Woody Allen picture "Everyone Says I Love You". When I saw her in the hallway, instead of saying "I would slay entire armies to sleep with you" or "I can read your thoughts with this machine" or something equally insane, I smiled and said, "Hey...how'd it go up there?" Her stone face cracked and she smiled a huge smile of relief, like, "Oh thank god -- a normal question". She answered "Oh gosh, I dunno. I've never sung in the studio before. I hope I did o.k." and I said "I'm sure you did great, kiddo." She laughed, thanked me, and went on her way.

Quoted from "Marcelo"
On Thursday while at work my boss asked me to take the golf cart down to this building on the other side of the lot to pick up a hard drive waiting for us. And I was like "cool!" because hey, cart! The best part about driving a cart is getting to pass people who are walking and laughing at them. So anyhoo, I go get the drive, and as I'm driving back I pass this hot blonde and her two hot brunette friends, all of them clunking by in uncomfortable wooden heels. As I pass them the blonde yells out "hey, can we have a ride?" I stop and say "Hop in!" They all get on my cart. "I'm Marcelo," I say. The blonde smiles. "Hi, I'm Tara, these are my friends Kari and Kari." I had inadvertently picked up Tara Reid and her two friends, both apparently named Kari. Tara looked good - not skinny, not fat, not drunk/stoned out of her mind. As I drove them to their building they were incredibly grateful, thanking me every chance they could. When we got to their building they hopped off and Tara said "Thanks so much, Marcelo. You're AWESOME." So Tara Reid thinks I am awesome, and you know what? I think SHE's awesome too. I think Tara Reid has a good heart. Everyone else is conniving and dramatic, but I think Tara just sorta bumbles through all that looking for a drink and a party, completely unaware. And I respect that.

What a stud-muffin!

Um, I had this friend... That was the son of a celeb once... and he used to call me to say "hi" every once in a while.. But, he doesn't do that anymore.. :P

Merry Christmas Baby! ;)

Tomo and I were at the Blue Note Christmas Night to catch Monty Alexander. Toward the end of the set, Monty gets on the mic and says there's someone in the audience who he'd like to persuade on stage for a song.

Turns out that guy in the audience was Kevin Spacey. He sang "That's All"

I must confess I haven't seen "Beyond the Sea" yet, but I've heard good things about his singing. Unfortunately, I wasn't that impressed, but it still makes a good random celeb sighting.

Quoted from "SwingKitten"
<img src="http://awards.frankdecaro.com/images/winners/robert_verdi.jpg"> Robert Verdi, E! fashion correspondent, style icon, and TV personality on "Surprise by Design", lives in my neighborhood. This morning I was secretly amused (and, frankly, somewhat horrified) to see him slummin' it in sweatpants, a t-shirt, and Birkenstock clogs on Montague Street with his morning coffee. Why can't celebrities be bothered to throw on some jeans to go down the street for their java? I mean, seriously. This is why the general population thinks it's okay to wear a VELOUR SWEATSUIT to the THEATRE!! :crash:

Oh god, I've worked with him before. Yeah, he's a celeb in the fashion world and a queen of Fashion Week - but he's such a wannabe.

I went to HLL's Christmas party, and Adrian Zmed was there. No joke.

Also, one of the guys from Nelson.

Clearly someone has never seen "Bachelor Party."

Quoted from "Marcelo"
I went to HLL's Christmas party, and Adrian Zmed was there. No joke. Also, one of the guys from Nelson.

Who was serving the appetizers and who was working the bar?

and I jumped up and down a few times. and clapped my hands in front of my chest.

over the holidays, we went to the tampa, fl airport to pick up my husband's mother. while we were waiting, we saw christina, one of the contestants from cycle 4's ANTM. oddly enough - my husband recognized her before i did. :P

Muahahaha!!!

For more Howard Dean follies:

http://www.screamingpickle.com/members/howarddean/

Quoted from "SwingKitten"
I know I'm making you Daily Show fans jealous... Rob Corddry was at my apartment at a gathering we had. My boyfriend is friends with his wife. He even decorated a cookie (with olive tapenade and toothpicks rather than frosting, but still). He's just as funny in real life as he is on TV. I think vintagewhore was starstruck, but most others didn't know who he was... (This must be an old picture.. he's since gotten rid of the Charlie Brown curl in front.)

Dude!! Next time you see him, tell him I said hi! We did improv at UCB together!!

Quoted from "HotLindyLove"
I don't know what the hell you're talking about. I just did the stairs in Santa Monica with Owen Wilson the other day and he's as thin as a rail. THIN. really thin.

Ditto. Just saw Owen Wilson at the stairs. Hard to believe he's a star (okay, sorta).