Ever meet one of your idols in an odd place?

Had an early morning flight from Toronto to Austin for the ALMS at Circuit of Americas. Rather than stress over the rush hour traffic, I got there extra early and took the elevator to the lounge at 6 a.m. Doors open and this bad-ass dude comes on, tattoos, wild black ringlets tucked under a cap and all this awesome silver jewelry. I thought to myself "self, that there is our favourite kind of bad boy.... holy E36 M3, it's freaking SLASH!!!"

There I was, shoulder to shoulder with frigging Slash, and I couldn't say a word.

Sometimes I am sooooo lame.

In the 80s, I worked in a hobby shop for a few years. The week after the Indy 500 was always fun. I've sold German trains to Rick Mears, die-cast cars to Arie Luyendyk, Al Unser Jr. would stop in, but never buy anything, Mario and Michael came in, too. Not really idols, but it's my path crossing with stars.

I don't have any idols anymore. When I did, they died. Now, deserving people earn my great respect, but no one reaches pedestal status.

Call me jaded but it's what works for me.

Wasn't he talking with Jian this week. So you didn't throw your underwear at him?

Jeff wrote: Wasn't he talking with Jian this week. So you didn't throw your underwear at him?

No but I admit I couldn't take my eyes off his triceps, dude is built.

That would involve meeting an idol.
So no.

My dad peed next to Larry Csonka once.

Jg

I idolize no one. Respect yes. But no idols. nifty meeting slash tho.

No surprise, it was at Oshkosh, but I was walking through Hanger B and I almost snapped my damn neck. Holy E36 M3! That's Bob Hoover! He had just gotten his medical back and was there signing autographs.

I told him how I contacted my senator about the whole thing and urged him to have the FAA reconsider. He thanked me and I thanked him for the autograph. Heady stuff for a 17 year old.

I gave a bottle of homebrew to Ken Grossman, owner/founder of Sierra Nevada Brewing.

Be yourself Lesley, he's seen a groupie or two.....

My wife sat next to a guy on a plane and two people approached him for an autograph.

Trish asked "Are you famous?"

I'm Clint Black.

"Oh.

Are you famous?"

I met Adam Savage at DragonCon. I would have to say that he is everything i hoped and dreamed. I pussed out and said about 2 words to him. LAME

I wouldn't call him an "idol", but I ran into (almost literally) Christopher Titus at a Barnes & Noble once. Ok, I had just been to his show at a comedy club so it wasn't 100% random but still.

I had just got coffee, coming down the escalator with the (ex)wife and he walked right into me talking to his manager or someone. I looked up, "Titus! Loved the show!". He smiled, thanked me, shook my hand, and started off to get coffee himself. My brush with fame.

I used to sell stuff to Bill Murray on a regular basis when I worked at a hobby shop. Not an idol, but definitely a interesting guy.

The funniest thing, he drove a old 80s Chrysler convertible POS.

Went to a car show north of Houston a few...decades ago and we were cooking burgers on a grill in the parking lot. Making a little noise and having a few beers with friends when Willie Nelson walks up with an ice bucket. Of course we offered his a beer and burger, but he got his ice and went back to his room. About 20 minutes later he pops back and asks if the offer was still open. Sat for about 2 hours with all the celebrity fawning over in about 5 minutes. He flirted with my girlfriend and after about 15 minutes of general 2 a.m. parking lot activity she begs off to go to bed and pats the "scruffy old flirt" on the cheeks and screams "YOU"RE WILLIE NELSON!!!!!". He was kinda sitting in a dark spot and she was across from him, but it was great that it took her a while to realize that he was not just one of our car friends being charming.

Bruce

Most of mine are sports figures and I met them before they became famous.

One Saturday we were visiting my aunt and one of her high school students came to the door to turn in some late work. She introduced me and we talked for a while. Joe Namath.

I went to a high school football game where one of my college classmates was a coach. He introduced me to the team and particularly the quarterback. Joe Montana.

I went to visit my brother at the school where he was teaching and he introduced me to some of his students including one of the football players. Tony Dorsett.

For the old folks among us. I frequently met my grandparents neighbor and a former student of my mother's. By then he was already in the NFL and would come back to visit his family. George Blanda.

If I had had any idea of the future I would have gotten some autographs.

Not an idol- but I ran into Jeff Hardy (WWE/TNA) at Arby's at MOA. Didn't realize it was him until I saw the crazy beard. Had his hair all tucked in a hat. Didn't say anything to him, figured he wanted to be chill for a bit.

Throw me the , Indy!

Hmmm can't think of any. Met Mario Andretti once but that was at a CART race at PIR. He want driving that weekend but his son was.

Oh wait just remembered I met Wozniac once as well. That was in a book store.

Weirdest brush with fame was in the early 90s, when I was a teen, I was at Astroworld in Houston. I was standing in line at the Viper rollercoaster and Weird Al Yankovic cut in with security to ride the coaster.

At the time I was irritated that he cut in line, as an adult I realize there is no way he could wait in a line with everyone else for security reasons.

On a Dash 8 from Toronto to Sudbury. Sitting across the aisle and one row up from me was Michael Ironside. He was filming in Suds at the time.

He actually broke the ice with me (we're both follically challenged). I just thought he was a nice chatty guy. It was my seat neighbour (coming back from Oman, Jordan) who recognized him. He joked about a makeup girl who asked him if he was related to the Michael Ironside who was in Top Gun. "Yeah, that's my son!"

The three of us talked the whole flight like old buddies.

He's not evil at all!

Back in the late 80's I literally ran into Sam Rutigliano at the airport. He was the coach of the Cleveland Browns the last time anyone cared. Neither of us were looking where we were going and ran into each other. I said :Hey, you're Sam Rutigliano" and he said...wait for it..."Yes I am". But that's not all. About 5 minutes later I'm coming to my gate and standing there about 5 feet from me was Mario Andretti. My sister already knew him, so it was an easy intro for me "Hey, I'm BLS (bitchy little sister)'s brother. We talked for a few minutes and then I had to board. That was kind of a surreal 10 minutes or so...

Not idols... but... I finished in front of James Clay yesterday because of a good pit stop strategy in an endurance race at the Glen.

I also sputtered out of gas under caution so I had to limp back in to the pits... but they are closed under yellow so I was coasting down hills to try to make it around until they threw the green. There were two cars behind me at the time... the 2nd one back was obviously really pissed off at my predicament keeping him from racing to catch up to the pace car.

After the race I went to find him and apologize. Turns out, Aaron Poveledo is a pretty nice guy :)

Spotted Tiff Needell standing near pit-in with his son at Mid-Ohio during an ALMS session in 2008(?). Very gracious, receptive of my awkward compliments, and nice enough to get a pic (shot by his son). As best I recall, later found out that he was working on a documentary/series following Lord Drayson's exploits.

Spotted Butch Miller at a gas station in SE Ohio in circa '94. He was using his ASA hauler to relocate his then-new wife's stuff. Was cool enough to chat for a couple minutes before /signing giving me a hero card before he hit the road.

Pretty sure I boarded a flight in Charlotte behind Mike Skeen this spring.

I've met Brett Lunger, for those who are just seeing Rush . He's local.