Who did you see? (Celebrity Encounters)

I met Mr Miyagi just a few weeks before he died. Was an extra in Oceans 11 and he was on set for one scene. I was young and just excited yelled "Mr Miyagi! I love you, can I get a hug?!" and he laughed and gave me a hug. It was fucking great. I turned around and a lady looks pissed at me and says "His name is Pat Morita, not Mr Miyagi" and I said "fuck off lady" while laughing, I was just super pumped.

The funny part is, like 30 minutes later one of the main actors tried talking to me, and I had no clue who he was (other than he was one of the stars). I was just straight up rude and went "sorry, not interested in talking to you, I already met Mr Miyagi!" and just blew him off and walked away. A couple weeks later I watched "Oh brother where art thou?" and really kicked myself, loved the movie and would have loved to talk to George Clooney at that point. Missed that opportunity!

Man, thinking about it, I've met and hung out with a bunch of ska and punk bands in the late 90s and early 2000s. Managed a friend's band and did some touring with them, was cool times.

I also met a ton of porn stars in the mid 2000s through my work at the time, but they were all some combination of the dumbest person on earth, the grossest person on earth, or the sketchiest person on earth. Lots of times all 3.

Most of that is all 20 years ago now, haven't thought about that in forever. Every now and then you run into someone famous, but I don't really give a shit most of the time and am generally just casual about it. Shared an elevator with Pen and Teller not too long ago, and ran into Nathan Fielder at a food truck a few years back too.

None have ever been nearly as exciting as meeting Mr. Miyagi though. Childhood hero basically, nothing else seems to imprint on the brain in quite the same way.

I went to see Opie & Anthony live one day, and met Andrew Dice Clay there. I've also met countless comedians over the years. I won back stage passes to Kevin Smith's movie, Red State. It gave me a chance to talk with Kevin for a few minutes, and I also shook John Goodman's hand. The other people from the movie were also there, but I only cared about those 2. I've probably also met a bunch more people over the years, but I don't really remember. And just seeing someone means nothing. I've seen countless people, just because I went to concerts and shit. It only counts if you interact in some way. Oh yeah, I was out drinking with a friend and Bobby Lee & his entourage (including Khalyla) went into an ice cream next door. I walked in after them and got a picture with Bobby. Said hi to Khalyla, but didn't want to bother her.

I went to see Opie & Anthony live one day, and met Andrew Dice Clay there. I've also met countless comedians over the years. I won back stage passes to Kevin Smith's movie, Red State. It gave me a chance to talk with Kevin for a few minutes, and I also shook John Goodman's hand. The other people from the movie were also there, but I only cared about those 2. I've probably also met a bunch more people over the years, but I don't really remember. And just seeing someone means nothing. I've seen countless people, just because I went to concerts and shit. It only counts if you interact in some way. Oh yeah, this picture is from last year. I was out drinking with a friend and I saw he noticed Bobby Lee walk past with a huge entourage of people (including Khalyla). They walked into the ice cream shop next door, so I walked in after them and asked Bobby to do a quick picture. Easy enough, and he seemed in a good mood.

Ossoi said:

Well that made creating this thread worthwhile. Why was he on set, he wasn't in Oceans 11

Childhood hero you say? Then surely you too have a painting of him in your living room?

I identified as Daniel Larusso when I was 4-5 years old. My dad brought home a pirate VHS of Karate Kid II, we also went to the cinema to see Karate Kid III and I vividly remember him pointing out Ralph Macchio's face had "filled out"

I also have a limited edition Bill Conti score of 1-IV CD set which could be worth £200. Don't even have a cd player to play it on lol


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Haha, I do not have that painting, but would be happy if I did! I do have a "The Last Unicorn" poster signed by Author Peter S. Beagle if that counts for any kind of childhood nostalgia.

As for why he was there, it was at the MGM Grand in Vegas for the fight scene in the movie. There were a bunch of famous people scattered in the crowd (I was a random crowd member). I figured there was a picture somewhere - but the best I could find was this excerpt from an film blog thing.

Faces in the crowd!
Apr. 6, 2001
LVRJ

Old Vegas mingled with New Vegas for celebrity cameos during the "Ocean's Eleven" fake fight scene at the MGM Grand Garden on Thursday night. Angie Dickinson and Henry Silva, participants in the original "Ocean's Eleven" with Rat Packers Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Joey Bishop, sat near ringside with Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, not far from Siegfried and Roy, Mirage headliner Danny Gans, Wayne Newton and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, who played himself in his cameo. "We wore our mafia suits," said mayoral aide Bill Cassidy. "John Gotti never looked so good."

Also spotted: County Commissioner Dario Herrera, ring announcer Michael "Let's Get Ready to Rumble" Buffer, Bob Stupak, elegantly understated in a bright red jacket, Pat Morita, and boxers Roy Jones Jr. and Prince Naseem Hamed, who fights Marco Antonio Barrera on Saturday.

Heavyweight champions Lennox Lewis and Vladimer Klitschko staged the mock fight for "Ocean's" climactic scene.

I don't go many places you would see someone famous. I did pump gas next to and talked to Hank Williams Jr. in rural East, TX about 20 years ago. He was headed to the Shreveport area. About 10 years ago I stopped and was pumping gas in rural MS and Charlie Pride was pumping gas, he said he didn't remember it being that damn hot when he was growing up there. Both of them were driving a plain 1/2 ton truck. Both Chevies.

A talented midget, though.

Kevin Smith is short also. Up to my tits, but I'm 6'4. Internet says he's only 5'8.

The same Internet says Tom is only 5'7.

Xarpolis said:

A talented midget, though.

Kevin Smith is short also. Up to my tits, but I'm 6'4. Internet says he's only 5'8.

The same Internet says Tom is only 5'7.

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Pretty terrible famous person story, but a little while after I started college, I was in a hotel with some friends. A little black guy with the biggest diamond earrings I'd ever seen gets on the elevator, so afterwards, I mentioned it to the friends since it seemed really out of place, and he was like "oh yeah, the Bears are staying here this weekend". Growing up watching NFL games, you always sort of imagine that pro football players are massive, but no, definite manlet. Just to sanity check myself, I just googled some of their old rosters, and sure enough, they keep a few 5'8"ers around for some reason.

Was working at a Steak and Ale restaurant when I was a young 14 or so and every year the Darryl Starbird car show would come to town. One year after the show the cast and crew came to S&A for dinner and I got to meet this American Legend.



If you know who this is, you're pretty fucking old lol


Also, Darryl Starbird car show was really fucking cool

No idea who it is, but he looks really familiar to me for some reason. I can't place the name, but I keep thinking some old wrestler.

Toks Olagundoye - she really drove home the "camera adds 10lbs" saying for me. I recognized her from Castle and would have described her body as athletic, but IRL she was skinny.

Xarpolis said:

No idea who it is, but he looks really familiar to me for some reason. I can't place the name, but I keep thinking some old wrestler.

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He has an interesting cameo in American Graffiti.

I have a ton of celeb encounter stories. Most of which happened because my best friend is sort of a rock star himself and the places we hung out at were more likely to have celebs around. One time I'm in the city with my friend's band and we are waiting for the guy from Dead Or Alive to finish his set at the rehearsal studio. So we are across the street just outside Central Park, cracking a few beers and laughing about the Dead Or Alive guy getting the VIP treatment and eating into our booked slot. This older woman walking her dog gives us a dirty look and proceeds to start yelling at us about making noise in this quiet neighborhood and blah blah blah. I knew who she was but nobody else did. We got yelled at by Terri Garr. The mom from Mr Mom.

I ate at Waffle House with Sid from slipknot after he played a local show. I was sloshed. He was sloshed. Everyone was sloshed. Pretty sure the waitstaff quit.

rectifryer said:

I ate at Waffle House with Sid from slipknot after he played a local show. I was sloshed. He was sloshed. Everyone was sloshed. Pretty sure the waitstaff quit.

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I was at a bar on Staten Island with my friend and a mutual friend. Mutual friend knows I grew up as a big fan of Twisted Sister. Friend introduces me to this guy and it's AJ Pero, the drummer from TS. I was jazzed. We were talking and drinking beers. I ordered another beer and went to the men's room to make room. Came back to the bar and Pero is drinking my beer. He looks at me as to say, hey I'm in your favorite band. You owe me this beer. So i didn't say anything, but next time AJ hung out with us. I brought my beer into the men's room with me.

Chukzombi said:

He has an interesting cameo in American Graffiti.

I have a ton of celeb encounter stories. Most of which happened because my best friend is sort of a rock star himself and the places we hung out at were more likely to have celebs around. One time I'm in the city with my friend's band and we are waiting for the guy from Dead Or Alive to finish his set at the rehearsal studio. So we are across the street just outside Central Park, cracking a few beers and laughing about the Dead Or Alive guy getting the VIP treatment and eating into our booked slot. This older woman walking her dog gives us a dirty look and proceeds to start yelling at us about making noise in this quiet neighborhood and blah blah blah. I knew who she was but nobody else did. We got yelled at by Terri Garr. The mom from Mr Mom.

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Wait one minute
Your best friend is a rock star...
You're from New Jersey...
so that means your best friend is