I was so excited to get to meet Henry Winkler at the library yesterday evening. He came over to give a little talk after one of our Classical Concerts. He writes a series of children's books about Hank Zipzer, a young overachieving underachiever, and he often goes out to talk about how he succeeded in spite of his dyslexia. Given the HUGE crowd, I fled before the concert. I did, however, get to meet Mr. Winkler briefly while he was just hanging out in the conference room. As you can see, I got a photo with him. I was completely dorked out by his presence. Even more than I usually am. I told him I loved all of his work, but was a special fan of Arrested Development. He was very kind and warm. Fortunately, in spite of being all goobered out, I did at least look super in my Sebastien original. haha!
Henry Winkler is probably the famous person I've been most excited to meet. (I haven't met many famous people, but admit it...he is awesome!) Tell me about your brushes with greatness!
17 comments:
Hey, that's cooler than cool! Meeting the Fonz in the library!
Brushes with greatness? I passed within 3 feet of Cindy Crawford outside a beach bathroom once. I don't know if that would count as a bona fide "brush," but it's all I got.
That. Is. Awesome.
I've never met anyone 'famous', that I know about anyway. Probably wouldn't notice if I had.
When I was little, JFK shook my hand. When I was in 10th grade, Bobby Kennedy shook my hand a few days before he died. I used to wonder if neither had shaken my hand, would the world be changed enough that both would still be alive? Is that the reason I don't like to shake hands?
Henry is awesome! I love his books. I love what he does to promote an understanding of what its like to be a child with learning difficulties.
That is the coolest ever.. I use to work as an extra on film sets around town and the hubby did a movie with Denzel Washington when they filmed The Hurrican" in Toronto, Ontario which was directed by Norman Jewison.. which ws cool.. but he didn't get to shake hands or anything.. I would've drooled had I been there..
That is so awesome!...Or should I say, "Cool..." That is a great shot of the two of you! I'm positive that he's at home now wishing he had a Sebastien shirt like yours.
I used to watch him as The Fonz on Happy Days, and assumed that he talked like the Fonz in real life. I was surprised to hear his normal voice, it was so relaxed and happy.
Oh yeah, brushes with greatness. I was "dorked out" about meeting Linda Blair a few years ago. I'm sure my face was all red. She was really nice.
Then there were the close encounters with the comedians Jim Gaffigan and Mike Birbiglia that I'll always love.
I can't believe how long ago Happy Days was made now! I wanted to be like The Fonz, funny how that's stuck with him. I once had a chat with the DJ John Peel, that's my only brush with fame story. I wish I had a better one!
That's so cool. I've met a lot of famous people, because I worked in nicer restaurants in California and the juniors department at store in the Glendale Galleria.
I've met a lot of authors too because I live in Iowa City and we have that huge writer's workshop thingy here.
It's still exciting every time. I think I was the very soooopidest when I tried to talk to Maya Angelou. I seriously couldn't speak, she has such a strong presence.
Cool!
I dated a guy when I lived in LA who worked at Capital Records. Walking down the hallway, and from the other direction comes Bruce Springstein. I said hi. He said hi. I couldn't do anything more than that or I would have gotten my boyfriend in trouble. But I was all excited!
Very cool.
Nothing too incredible for me - although I did take fencing class with Herschel Walker when we were both at Georgia and was routinely beaten by him in every match we had. It wasn't quite a fair match - that was one big, strong guy. (I also, incidentally, took a speech class - public speaking - with Ralph Reed who went on to form the Christian Coalition with Pat Robertson. We argued about politics, not surprisingly.)
Ailina: Ice cold, right? haha! And of course that counts! She was right there in your air space :-)
KenV: You make a good point. There may be times when each of us has been near someone famous and we weren't even aware.
Ananda: Wow, those meetings would be hard to trump...and I think I could understand a little hesitancy to be a handshaker, given these unusual circumstances.
HW is a really lovely guy. He makes everyone feel like they can succeed.
Mrs: Oooohhh, I love Denzel Washington. I'm with you, I would have had to wear a bib or something if I were on that set :-)
Tara: haha! Yes, I am going to make Sebastien and his shirts stars!
I would love to meet Linda Blair. And I don't know...funny men are just hot...and funny. Comedians are awesome :-)
FW: I have a hard time realizing how long ago that was. Feels like yesterday.
Oh, I think having a chat with John Peel sounds amazing! He was a legend, really. Very cool.
Churlita: Look at you, all up in the right place, at the right time! And I think it is nice, like that, when you meet them just out and about.
I can only imagine what it would be like trying to think of something to say to Maya Angelou. That must have been incredible.
Pamela: Wow, I LOVE Bruce Springsteen! I think just saying hi to him would let me die a happy woman :-)
Secret: Oh my, Herschel Walker would be welcome to beat me at fencing or anything else.
And I think Robert Reed and I, yeah, we might not hit it off so well :-) Good stuff, Secret Agent Woman!
OMG! I thought you were joking!!! this is amazing, and you wore the floating is fun shirt, ahhhhhhhhh, that is so freakin' amazing!!!
The Fonz seems like a really nice person, heard him interviewed on NPR a while back, he seemed like a sharp guy.
Oh, my brush with greatness. Did I ever tell you how I was at the Vatican, and I was at a gift shop being berated by the lady who thought I was stealing stuff (I wasn't! was looking at it). And I notice this huge guy next to me, who had overheard me speaking English to the lady, and it turns out to be Shaq. He was so nice, he starts talking to me and introduces himself and asked me where I was from and was ridiculously friendly. Shaking that man's hand was incredible, he even sort of dwarfed magnificent artwork.
I met someone famous! I even went to high school with her.
http://www.tbs.com/video/index.jsp?cid=187129
It's a Meet the Browns episode. In part 3, it's a hospital scene. I went to high school with the girl playing the receptionist. No lines, but her face shows up quite a few times!
Sebastien: Would I joke about such a thing? Meeting the Fonz is serious bidnez! He certainly seems very warm and personable. He turned up kind of last minute, we really hadn't advertised, so people were wonderfully surprised after the concert when he got up to speak.
What a great story about meeting Shaq! I mean, of all places to run into him. I can imagine how seeing him might overshadow a lot of other things!
KenV: haha! That is so cool! The dark haired lady at the desk, right? She did a good job looking busy :-)
Did you just happen to spot her there while watching the show or are you in touch with her?
Ayyyyy!!!! Just saw this. Way cool!
Dmarks: I know, right? He's a great guy.
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