Celebrities

[Lethal11]

So im sitting here at work today, Manheim Auto Auction, and none other than Patrick Ewing walks in to bid on some cars. They dont want us to bother him, but i think it would be cool to get a pic with him or something. just wondering, has anyone else ever met someone famous?

[NLane]

I've got a t-shirt from where you work. Wondered what state is was in.

[Brooklynite10]

Alonzo Morning at the Atlantis in the Bahahmas. I can't call it "meeting him" because I said hello to him but he had an attitude, ignored me and kept walking. What a jerk ! I wasn't looking for the guy to stop and talk, just a hello back or even a look and a smile would have been cool with me. Guess he doesn't realize that we the fans are the ones responsible for the millions he makes.

I am friends with a girl who is on her way to becoming a celebrity. Her name is Cameron Richardson. Hot blonde who was in Maxim, and was in Stuff's 100 sexiest women in the world issue. She was on tv shows Cover Me and Point Pleasant and is staring in that new movie Supercross. She was my best friends high school sweetheart and has stayed very good friends with her. Of course he's praying that they get back together someday.

[Lethal11]

Thats cool, that supercross movie looks awsome...My bro dated a girl in high school who went on to star in AS The World Turns or one of those soap opera's..she was then romantically involved with Eric Lidros and John Wayne Bobbit...lol...i always give him crap for that.

[Lethal11]

its probably from my location (Manheim, PA). Even though there are alot of auctions under the Manheim Name, they are all named after the city they are located in. So if it says Manheim Auto Auction, it is probably ours.

[SpiderRat]

I'm dating myself a little here but I met Dennis "DJ" Johnson from the Boston Celtics at the airport years ago. We were on our way to the TORHS Nationals in Chicago. I asked him if I could take a picture with him. The picture was of us holding hockey sticks like we were at a face-off. He was really cool. A real sport.

Blah Blah Blah, Shoot the puck already

[fbr3of4]

Meet John Davidson, goalie for the NY Rangers, a few years back just before he was leaving to do color commentary for the Winter Olympics in Nagano. Went up to him and asked for an autograph. He was very friendly,outgoing and accomodating. We wound-up speaking for a good 15-20 minutes. I thought I was intruding on him but it was he who kept the conversation going. What a great ambassador for the game.

[RichardGraham]

Hey Lethal11,

Great post! I lived in Santa Monica and Venice Beach for quite a while, and I met several celebrities. Mostly in passing.

I saw James Earl Jones (the voice of Darth Vader, among many other things) at a 7-11 and said I enjoyed his work. He said, "THANK YOU," in that basso profundo voice of his.

I saw Jimmy Smits at the local Copy Spot. He was very friendly and approachable.

Downstairs from the InLine Hockey News office, there was a Karate for Kids studio. Once I saw Glenn Frey of the Eagles, but he was a jerk. I also saw Arnold Schwarzenegger but didn't say anything to him. The best meeting in that building was with Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini. I saw him in the building and asked my assistant editor, Wade, to invite him upstairs. As Wade approached the front door of the office with Mr. Mancini, I said, "Send him in, I'll kick his ass." Mr. Mancini had a good laugh at that, thankfully! /wtimages/icons/shocked.gif

I also glimpsed Jackson Browne and Sean Penn, both as they were driving cars.

In L.A., there are frequent opportunites to meet celebrities. I also met Brian Setzer of the Stray Cats and the Brian Setzer Orchestra... he was drying his car after a quick gas-station wash.

So, what do I win? /wtimages/icons/wink.gif

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[DannyG]

I sat next to Bubba Smith's mother on a flight once...she was a delight, and there's a lot of Bubba Smith stories out there, the main one I remember was her explanation of how difficult it was for Bubba to do those Lite Beer commercials back when, because he doesn't drink, and felt bad about projecting an image that he did...you might remember that he quit that gig a lot earlier than the other guys/gals who did that series of commercials.

<font color=purple>DannyG</font color=purple>

[Drexel63]

On my way to state wars in Chicago, I saw Vanilla Ice in the Philly Airport... Didn't bother approaching him though... Then, I got on the flight, and he was sitting directly behind me... Still didn't have much interest in saying hi though...

Kinda funny, he was flying Coach, and I got the exit row seating...

[RichardGraham]

Hey Drexel,

We are talking CELEBRITIES here. C'mon, man. /wtimages/icons/wink.gif

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[Drew10]

in no particular order
i met rick tocchet when he was a rookie with the flyers

i met shaq and mccgrady at jillians during a private new years party, they werent very nice and they were late and i almost stole there custom bowling ball but got caught on my way out by security

i met method man on new york city streets and the same day met queen latifah at her talk show

i saw montel williams in CT in friendly's on the way to a hockey tournament and when i got to the tournament (rye ny)we met kovalev.

i was in a scene with james franco (spiderman movie) and hot jordana brewster in a movie called ANNAPOLIS which comes out on january 27th.

i think there are a few more but nothing more then a quick hello

[RichardGraham]

Hey Drew10,

Great list!

You reminded me of some more "celebrities" I've run into, all of the sports variety.

I stood about three feet away from Wayne Gretzky while he was being interviewed by an Los Angeles-area television newsman. I was in the Kings' locker room to interview Luc Robitaille. And I got to meet Wayne's dad, the inimitable Walter Gretzky, when I was in Kitchener for the Global Inline Hockey Championships several years back. What a character!

I got to meet Bobby Hull and Brett Hull at the L.A. Forum Club when Bobby Hull Jr. was coaching the Los Angeles Blades. I took a photo of the three of them together and mailed it to Bobby Jr. (Hmm.... I wonder if I still have the slide?)

I met several RHI owners and coaches near the time of the founding of RHI, and after -- including Yvan Cournoyer, Dave "Tiger" Williams, Ralph Backstrom, etc.

For an old Toronto Maple Leafs fan, it was also great to meet and get an autograph from Johnny Bower at the Canadian Sporting Goods Association show one winter.

Thanks for the reminders!

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[sactosaxons]

In Toronto for son's hockey tourney we met Wayne Gretzky's dad - nice, nice man!

Met Brett Hull and Jeremy Roenick at Caesar's in Tahoe last summer - quite the thrill!!

Saw, but didn't talk to Mark McGwire (HUGE arms!), Michael Jordan (not as tall as I expected), Donald Trump (it's true - the hair does NOT move!) and Wee-Man (Jackass Fame) at that same Tahoe event.

[slapsh0t61]

Well, If we are talking Hockey celebrities, Ill mention that when the NHL All Star game was @ the Staples in 02 my sons and I were anxious to get into the fanfest and were 4th or 5th in line when they handed out tickets to the first 50 in line for a "skate with the greats" special.... small rink setup, skates supplied and we spent an hour circling around and talking with the likes of Johnny Bower, Jarri Kurri, Charlie Simmer and others who slip my mind right now...and Dave Taylor stepped on the ice to meet and greet also,very cool.....

[DannyG]

went to a Kings' practice the first Gretzky year...asked Luc Robataille for his autograph on our little mascot stuffed rabbit with a king's sweater...he was very personable and gracious, allowing as to how he had never been asked to sign a rabbit before.

We thanked him profusely for taking the time to talk to us...this was a time when his english wasn't what it is today...he obviously meant to reply something to the effect of "no big deal, happy to do it." The translation phrase reply he used was "This means nothing," which threw me for only a second. Very nice guy...

<font color=purple>DannyG</font color=purple>

[RichardGraham]

Hi Danny,

That's a funny story. Luc's a great guy.

Last night, I went to a San Diego Padres' game and met Jerry Coleman, an announcer for the team. He was a fighter pilot in WWII and was recently inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He seemed like a nice man. He's known for his malaprops. Here are a few I found online:

"There's a deep fly ball... Winfield goes back, back... his head hits the wall ... it's rolling towards second base."

"There is someone warming up in the Giants' bullpen, but he's obscured by his number."

"All the Padres need is a fly ball in the air."

"Gaylord Perry and Willie McCovey should know each other like a book. They've been ex-teammates for years now."

"Tony Gwynn, the fat batter behind Finley, is waiting."

"Ozzie Smith just made another play that I've never seen anyone else make before, and I've seen him make it more often than anyone else ever has."

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[Brooklynite10]

He sounds a lot like Yogi Berra.

[CoachFoo]

Of all people in all places, I met OJ in chicago ohare airport in 1988. He was very friendly. We had a very good discussion for about 20 minutes while on line.

I installed the millwork in Howard Stern's house on the island in about 89/90. Very quiet in person.

Did a basement for Ralph Maccio a few years ago, he still could not grow a beard. Very nice people, him and his wife.

Billy J. was one of my favorite customers. Would go out for a beer with us at the end of work a few times a week when we worked on his boat installing cabinets.

In colorado, my kids play alot of hockey. We run into the Aves players all the time at different rinks. Hockey players are the nicest sports people on Earth. Joe Sakic is one of the nicest people you will ever meet.

Always wanted to meet Mark Messier, never did.


Coach Foo
Colorado Blizzard

[RichardGraham]

Hey Coach,

About a week ago I was in L.A. at the Cat & the Fiddle restaurant and bar at a going-away party for a friend, and Woody Harrelson walked in. I got up and said, "Woody!" and put out my hand. He shook it, wondering who the hell I was. All the people at my table were very impressed. LOL. What I didn't know was that Owen Wilson had walked in, too. I would have much rather talked to him.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[RichardGraham]

Hey Lethal,

I think I forgot my best "celebrity" night ever. Nothing compares to this in my memory, because I'm a bigger music fan than anything else. I was at the Palomino, a music club in North Hollywood, California, many years ago. The club's no longer there.

Oddly enough, I don't even remember who the headliner was, though I suspect it may have been San Diego's Beat Farmers. Anyway, a musician in the opening band was married to Kathleen Turner, so there were several celebrities there in addition to Turner -- including Tom Hanks, Danny Devito, Rhea Perlman, Rip Torn, and Jon Lovitz from Saturday Night Live.

But the person I was most excited to see was John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival, the writer of one of my favorite songs of all time, "Green River."

Also check out his song "Deja Vu All Over Again." It makes more sense when it comes to the war in Iraq than anything our politicians say about it.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central