Famous People

[backdraft663]

We all have had our brush with famous or well known people. Who were they? Did you talk to them?

I really havent met any tv personality or real famous people, not national celebrities but I have seen locals like news anchors, stuff like that, but im sure some of you have seen some very famous people.

Oh yea I got to see Chief Billy Goldfedder today, I didnt get to talk to him he was looking busy, it was at a fire they were doing mutual aid with. Very nice guy to talk to, sure wish I got to talk to him today. Here is the link to the story of the fire.

http://www.wcpo.com/news/2004/local/12/27/fire_milford.html

[Rigin1]

My best brush with fame story has to be from when I was 16 or so my friends and I used to surf at a spot called Blacks Beach in southern California. Well at the time I was driving my moms old Toyota Tercel and the only access to Blacks was either a very long walk over rocky and sometimes submerged terrain or a risky cliff descent to one of the private stairways straight down to Blacks (which at the time was a semi private nude beach) . We opted for the risky cliff descent one day and were looking for parking in the high priced neiborhood. At 16 I was not the best parallel parker and I was attempting to park between a nice brand new Mercedes and a Jag. After about 10 minutes of trying not to hit anything a older man comes out of one the homes across the street. I thought for sure he was going to yell at us but instead he came over and moved his Mercedes and started talking to us. He was the nicest guy I ever met was really cool telling us how he saw us there alot and was worried about us going cliff crawling. So he invited us in introduced us to a really nice lady who I assumed was his wife. After about an hour or so of chatting about everything from surfing to what we studied in school he gave us a key to his side gate that would allow us into his million+ homes backyard and access to his private stairway down to the beach. We went on our way spent the day surfing and headed out. the whole day i kept thinking the guy looked familier. As we walked out past his house again I looked down at the license plate to his Mercedes and it said BORG9. I have to admit I didn't know who Ernest Borgnine was at the time but my parents seemed pretty wow'd. After that day I saw him quite a few times while using his yard access he was always really cool and never expected anything from us except to treat his property as if it was ours when we used it. Oh ya and the firm rule he set that he never wanted to see us using his yard if we were supposed to be in school.

I no longer live in CA and have met other famous people but Mr. Borgnine had to be the coolest famous person on earth to give a group of 16 year old surf punks the key to his yard so we could be safe. I still keep the key to this day on my key chain just for sentimental reasons.

Sorry for the long drawn out story but I always think it's neat.

Rigin

[CaptainGonzo]

Famous people....

While enjoying a lobster dinner at Johhny Oarweed's in Perkin's Cove, Ogunquit, Maine, Fred Willard of NBC's Today Show came by our table on his way to the men's room... ;)

Fire service..
I met Dennis Smith and Leo Stapleton at book signings, and I had the pleasure of meeting the late Jim Page at the New England Fire Rescue Expo a few years ago.

[Driver76]

My wife and I both worked for a time in the hotel industry and have come across a number of famous people.

I tend to place these people into two basic catagories:

1. Those with class who realize that they put their pants
on one leg at a time like the rest of us.

2. Those that are jerks.


Of those I remember the most:

McLane Stevens (of MASH) ... class
Paul Sorvino ... class
Virginia Wade ... class

Terri Bradshaw ... jerk
Johnnie Dep ... jerk
Regis Philbin ... jerk

Of course this is my personal opinion, based largely upon first impressions which these people presented. :rolleyes:

-bob-

[CommDiva]

I worked for a special events emergency service company, doing pro sports events, movie sets, concerts etc. I've had a number of brushes with celebrities, and yeah, some of them can be really major jerks, but most are pretty nice. I think it must be a hassle for them to be constantly approached or bugged for autographs, so I can see why they'd get stroppy and obnoxious sometimes!

Anyway, here's a few celebrities I've met (not like I'm name dropping or anything;) )
Don Johnson
Goldie Hawn
Kurt Russell
Lyle Alzado (about a year before he died)
Super Dave Osborne (a real jerk!) and his sidekick Fuji (a nice, if somewhat pervy guy!)
the actor who played Eddie Haskell in Leave it to Beaver (I've forgotten his name...Ken somethingorother)
and a lot of Canadian actors most of you wouldn't have heard of unless you watch a lot of CBC dramas


(this will probably only interest the die hard Canadian hockey fans)
Wayne Gretzky and Janet Gretzky
Don Cherry and Ron Maclean (Ron Maclean is as funny in real life as he is hammering it out with Cherry!)
Mike Foligno (took him to hospital when he fractured his leg at a game at Maple Leaf Gardens)
Peter Zezel
Dougie Gilmour
Tiger Williams
Gordie Howe (I actually got to play hockey with Gordie :D)
Eric Lindros (caught him in his red boxers!!)
Tie Domi (spotted him buck naked in the locker room!!)
I loved working hockey games :D

Dave Winfield (Toronto Blue Jays)
Mike 'Pinball' Clemons (Toronto Argos)
Cal Ripkin Jr (what an incredibly gracious human being)

When I'm in my dotage, I'll look back and fondly remember the good times, the better times and the time I got yelled at by Super Dave Osborne!!

Cheers

Pat

[Bones42]

Oprah
Gladys Knight
Mr. King of King Productions
A couple of the Commodores.


This all happened at a party Mr. King threw at his house around 4th of July a few years ago. Early in the morning before the party, 2 girls drove their car underneath the Commodore's tractor trailer while it was parking. Since we were "gracious" enough to respond and remove the girls from the trailer and their car, we got invited to the party that evening.

[tanker5117]

My part time job is driving a Limo and I see alot of "famous" people at the airports. But one the most memorable rides I had was several years ago. I was sent to a hotel with a stretch limo with instructions to pick up the passengers and drive them where ever they wanted to go. When I arrived at the hotel, the manager came out and told me passengers would out shortly and he helped me prep the back of the stretch (ice, soda and champaigne).

A few minutes later, out walked 8 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.:D :D

I drove them into NYC to a nice resturant and stayed with them for several hours. They had a manager and bodyguard with them (bodyguard looked like he could have been the offensive line all by himself).

Unfortunatly, the cheerleaders were very stuck up and refused to pose for any pictures (oldest daughter was into cheerleading at that time and loved the dallas cowboys cheerleaders).:( :(

The bodyguard didn't say a word all night, but the manager (who reminded me of Dennis Leary) was very cool and even had food sent out to me while we were waiting.



Tanker

[UTFFEMT]

WEll back in the day when I was really young (8)I was best friends with the real son of the mom from "THE ADAMS FAMILY" at the time I really didnt know who she was until years later.

I lived a couple of blocks away from the house that was used in the short lived tv show Shasaam. and also the outside shot of the house, the brady bunch.

When I got older I started working as an extra in movies when not working for the Fire Service and performed work with Thomas C Howe, those guys from thirty somthing, Cate Jackson to name a few.

In the public ive met in the street Wilford Brimley, lots of jocks, did lunch with Steve Young, The "JAZZ GIRLS" and other now local Utah Tv celebs. One of them lives in the Deer Valley area Condos where im now at.

Kinda cool,but their all just people like you and I. Personnally I dont get those people who get all wound up over celebs and especially those staulker types for those famious types. Man leave them alone thier just people. :eek:

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

Originally posted by Bones42
Oprah
Gladys Knight
Mr. King of King Productions
A couple of the Commodores.


This all happened at a party Mr. King threw at his house around 4th of July a few years ago. Early in the morning before the party, 2 girls drove their car underneath the Commodore's tractor trailer while it was parking. Since we were "gracious" enough to respond and remove the girls from the trailer and their car, we got invited to the party that evening.

I did a fire at Ms. Diane King's estate (King World Productions).
. Supposedly, Oprah had stayed at the guest house that sustained the fire a few nights prior to the fire (accidental, began in a central AC Unit).

[SAFD46Truck]

I met Tom Wopat (Luke Duke) once at a town fair, real nice guy.
When my wife was a kid she hung around all the time with the kid who played Elliot in the movie E.T.

[stm4710]

Fred Rogers. Was doing something with PBS at the trolley museum.

Former President Bush and Mrs. Bush. Mrs. Bush particpates in the summer reading festival at the trolley museum in August.

Tom Finneran........Mass people know who that is.

Former NH Govenor Craig Benson at Dunkin Donuts in Concord.....although he was still in office.

Sergay Samsinov......Boston Bruins. When his family first came to the US, his brother Yuri attened my middle school for a year before they found a permant residence.

The president of the MM/Mars company.....he owns a private railroad car that is in the cabbose train in Tilton NH.

The guy that played Schemer on Shineing Time Station.:o

Charlie Daniels...........Topsfield fair 2004. :D

[CALFFBOU]

I rolled on the death on the VP for Disney Corp. (nasty
auto vs. bike death)

I also meet Shirly Jones from the Partridge Family after the
great "Willows Fire in So. Cal. She thanked us for saving her
Big Bear cabin.

And, my friend responded to Mr. T after he rolled his vehicle
on the 405 freeway in Westminster, CA.

-Bou

[emtbff927]

Met George W. Bush at the state capitol when he was governor. I couldn't have been more than 11 y/o at the time and was taking a tour of the capitol with my girl scout troop.
Oh, and the band Bowling for Soup after a concert.

[4bugles]

In my younger days, I worked at a theme park that booked various concerts. I worked in the food service division and my boss was in charge of catering the entertainers and roadies. My boss liked me, so I was lucky enough to assist him.

I got to eat lunch with the Oak Ridge Boys at their insistance.
They were the nicest people you could ever imagine.

Joan Jet threw a bannana at me because it wasn't ripe enough.
You can imagine what my opinion of her is...

Got to visit with Ozzie Smith (baseball player) after he was mobbed at the theme park and I "rescued" him by taking him to an employee area.

In my public safety career, I've met Charlie Daniels at a County Fair, he was also a very nice, polite person.

[emsbrando]

When I was a kid I got to meet the 3 Stooges at some type of benefit.
Some others were:

Howard Cossell
Bruce Springsteen
Senator Kaye Bailey Hutchinson
Elizabeth Dole (with the above are two very nice and personable ladies)
Senator Phil Graham
Bumped into Ann Coulter at a store in New York last year, and the same day almost knocked over Page Hopkins (Fox News) in front of the Bannana Republic near Rockefeller Center.
Gregg Norman, Hal Sutton, David Toms, and Troy Aikman at a golf tournament.
Best on of all......THE BUDWISER BIKINI GIRLS

Ed
:D

[Bones42]

Jim Dowd - ex NJ Devil. His parents owned a local bar and he brought the cup there a few times after winning it. Now he's in Germany :(

[Dave1983]

I have met Dawn Wells (Mary Ann from Gilligans Island) a couple times. Her mom lives in our area and we have run on her quite a few times and on a couple of the runs Dawn was there and answered the door! Man, does she still look GOOD:D

Hulk Hogan lives a few miles from here and I have run into him at, of all places, WAL MART!

Dave

[SafetyPro]

Growing up and living in SoCal, I've had a few brushes.

Most memorable is Chris McCarron, the jockey (two-time Kentucky Derby winner). His daughters went to elementary school with my sis and me and to HS with my sis. My family actually became some what close with his family, and his daughters invited my sister and a couple friends to go trick-or-treating in their gated community one year. I drove them over (was in college at the time) and chaperoned. Before we even left their house, Vanna White came to the door with her son. We then proceeded to go around the community, meeting Paula Abdul and Wayne Gretzky (who actually invited us into the house...the McCarron girls babysat for him, I believe). Was quite an evening. I still run into him occasionally...he's now the VP and GM of Santa Anita Park race track near where I live.

The late Willie Shoemaker (jockey) and Carel Struycken (who played Lurch in the '90s "Addams Family" movies and Mr. Homn on "Star Trek: The Next Generation", among other roles) also had kids who went to my elementary school and I saw them several times, bu never really knew them.

My fifth grade teacher was the daughter of Bill Daily, who played Major Healey on "I Dream of Jeannie" and I got to meet him at an open house. Also, one of my classmates in HS was the daughter of Gordon Jump, who played the Maytag Repairman for years and was the station manager on "WKRP" amongst other roles. Met him at a football game.

We've had a few other celebrities at my HS. Stephen J. Cannell (who produced "The A-Team", "Hunter", and many other TV shows) is probably our most famous graduate. Haley Joel Osmant ("The Sixth Sense", "AI", etc.) is a current student there, as are/were Kevin Costner's kids (they may have graduated...sat in front of him at a homecoming game a couple years ago).

Finally, though I never met him, my parent's were HS classmates with one Kevin Fishburn. You may not recognize him by that name, but when he got into acting, he changed his last name to Tighe.

[NJFFSA16]

Oh my....! Those of you who know what my other job has been for a few (29)years....should realize I'm not gonna touch this thread.:cool:

(Ray....splain it to 'em.)

[TCFire]

Used to manage some record stores (back when there were LP's, cassettes, and 8 tracks!....no such thing as a CD) years ago and was able to rub elbows with some of the music celeb's when they came to town.

Ozzy Osborne circa 1980....actually a nice guy (at the time).
U2...had some beers with them on their first tour of the US...very young guys, who woulda thunk?
Thin Lizzy...my heroes, but too much drugs at the time.
Roger Glover from Deep Purple.....really nice guy.
Ted Nugent......total a$$hole!
Springsteen.....seemed like a nice guy, Clarence was very cool.
Ian Hunter (Mott the Hoople)...very funny..could barely understand his cockney accent.
Peter Wolf from J Geils.....man could he talk....!

Met various Buffalo Bills and Sabres over the years, including OJ (what a self-absorbed twit). Pat LaFontaine was a great guy, so was Frank Reich (backup QB to Jim Kelly....famous for the greatest comeback game of all time against Houston), Reggie McKenzie and Joe D. from the Bills offensive line (the Electric Company) were really good guys too.
Billy Shaw from the 60's Bills (recently inducted into the Hall of Fame) was also an extremely nice man.

[SafetyPro]

Originally posted by SafetyPro
Growing up and living in SoCal, I've had a few brushes.

Can't believe I forgot this one. Was at a car show in LA a couple years ago with my dad (he has a little Italian race car he's restored) and a few people were looking at it when up walks Jay Leno. He spent a couple minutes looking at the car and asking questions, talking with my dad and me and the rest, and made a joke when someone asked if he was gonna buy the car. Very nice, down to earth guy...just another "car guy" at the show.

He was the grand marshal at another show my dad was at, and when they started the program, he (and his steam-powered car that was the main attraction) hadn't shown up yet. About 10 minutes later, he tools in and runs up on stage covered in oil and grease. Hadn't been able to start the car, and frantically worked on it and came straight in so as not to keep anyone waiting. May have looked like a wreck, but a total class act.

[fdmhbozz]

Jay Leno is a great guy from what everybody has told me. I would love to sit down and have a chat with him some day about cars.

The only "famous" person I have met is John Kerry. I still hate that guy.

[Medic162]

My "brush" with the stars is kinda weird. When I was stationed in Wichita KS, I used to "sit in" on the bass guitar with a little band at a club just down the road from McConnell AFB called "Fireside". There was a cute singer of that band that has attained a bit of stardom - Martina McBride. Now to make this story even more odd... When I was a teenager prior to joining the AF, I worked with lots of local bands in the Louisville KY area. One of my old bands lead guitar player, a guy named Greg Foresman, is now Martina's guitarist. How weird is that? Anyways... My best friend worked Richard Marcinko's daughter, after a bad ATV crash. He was onscene, as this actually occurred on his property. My bud says he's a cool guy.

[drkblram]

Don't think I've met that many famous people.

Here's one some people might not even heard of, hadn't heard of them until this happened. WHen I was out in Diego Garcia on a Pre-Po ship the band Canned Heat flew in for a USO show. Problem was the tropical heat was too much for some of the members, so the show never happened, but we saw some of them around "town." nice enough guys, to at that age fly half way round the world for a USO show... One of my fellow crewmembers on the ship played some of their music and I realized I knew the work, just never put it to the band.

Heres one for TCfire, buffalo saber, ex-colorado avalanche and BU alum (oh and the only player ever to win the hobey baker and Calder trophy) Chris Drury. His sister was in my HS class, and I've met him a couple of times before he became famous.

Speaking of Chris, He was also a member of the 1989 Little League World Champions from trumbull CT, I knew most of the team. Many were just a year ahead of me in school. If you don't remember, they were the ones who brought it back to the US after many years of going to asian countries.

Met FDNY BC John Salka at a lecture.

I guess the most famous people I've ever met are E229LT, CaptainGonzo, and Steamer. :) :)

[RyanEMVFD]

When I used to work at a grocery store I met some NFL player (can't remember his name), Grant Taff (Retired Football Coach). When I was 3 or 4 I had one of my drawings signed by Randy White former Dallas Cowboy great. I met some of the guys from the band Shinedown, great guys.

In the fire service, I met Jim Crawford while down in Houston for a RIT class. I saw Harry Carter but didn't get to speak with him at the 2002 Firehouse Expo in Baltimore (as opposed to anywhere else it's held).

[ZootTX]

WRONG THREAD!

[backdraft663]

Originally posted by ZootTX
Although I can't say I didn't do some rather silly things in my younger days (lol, I'm 20), THAT is definitely not something I'd be doing, and especially leaving photo proof of my stupidity...

Huh??

[LeuitEFDems]

I'm with you on that one backdraft...guess he meant to put that under the "revenge of the bottlerocket" post.

[ZootTX]

Originally posted by backdraft663


Huh??
Posted in the wrong thread :o

[VinnieB]

I'll keep this short....

Brittney Spears and Family....her sister is going to be hot...I think Brittney caught me preving on her...all she did was smile...and so did I....her body guard is a Very Large Man....

Kate Hudson and Her Hubby...I forgot his name...he looked worse than the regular street bum....

James Gandolfini

the guy who plays Chris Mastromano on the Sopranos....he wanted a light for is cigarettes....I told hims that I was the light, and what he seeked is fire.....he laughed....

And the cast from Turd Watch....they were filming when a pt thought they were "real" walked up to them becasue she had her Aura coming on...she dropped and had a siezure.....I noticed they are a bunch of short people....

I know there have been others...but I just can't remember.....My memnory keeps flashing back to the 6'8" Transvestite pink powderpuff girl, Muhammmed the Bum, and Indian Joe....damn...I just got the willes....:eek:

[LeuitEFDems]

Originally posted by VinnieB

I know there have been others...but I just can't remember.....My memnory keeps flashing back to the 6'8" Transvestite pink powderpuff girl, Muhammmed the Bum, and Indian Joe....damn...I just got the willes....:eek:
Vinnie, is this what I'm gonna be looking forward to when I do my paramedic ride time with FDNY EMS in April?:D

[PFD109NFD107]

I have only had the opportunity to meet a few famous people in my days. There may be more but who can remember.

Charles Barkley - a$$
Chris Berman of ESPN was pretty cool.

Last but certainly not least is the world famous Mini-Me.... Thats right ol' Firenresq77 himself!!!!! What a treat!!

[VinnieB]

Originally posted by LeuitEFDems

Vinnie, is this what I'm gonna be looking forward to when I do my paramedic ride time with FDNY EMS in April?:D

Oh Yes...and much, much, more!!!...are you a PTOP student? where are you going to doing your ride along..what bourough I mean...or Battalion/Station?


ps...If you run into Muhammed the Bum...punch him in the face for me....he likes to get out of hand and that's how you "reset" him...he loves it...trust me...:D He also likes wedgies....

[LeuitEFDems]

I'm not sure yet. We go to all the bouroughs. I'm with Springfield College. We'll find out when we get down there what station we're assigned to. They usually like to send us "country" people to either Harlem or the Bronx. From what I've heard from past students, it's been a fun/interesting time. Been a while since I've been to the city. And of course my birthday falls in the week we're down there, and my cousin already said he's comming in from Long Island to take us to to celebrate.

[firenresq77]

Originally posted by PFD109NFD107

Last but certainly not least is the world famous Mini-Me.... Thats right ol' Firenresq77 himself!!!!! What a treat!! I'm famous to even more people to the east of us, if you know what I mean!!!!

[VinnieB]

Originally posted by LeuitEFDems
I'm not sure yet. We go to all the bouroughs. I'm with Springfield College. We'll find out when we get down there what station we're assigned to. They usually like to send us "country" people to either Harlem or the Bronx. From what I've heard from past students, it's been a fun/interesting time. Been a while since I've been to the city. And of course my birthday falls in the week we're down there, and my cousin already said he's comming in from Long Island to take us to to celebrate.

Harlem is a cake walk....Brooklyn is the place to be....or the Bronx...South of Fordham Rd....Harlem has clean up since and is nothing like it was in the 60s, 70s, and 80s..really no good trauma anymore..just a bunch of ped strucks, and man unders.......East New York, Brooklyn, Flatbush and Crown Heights Brooklyn....now there's a-lot of work to be done there....shots and stabs...all the good trauma is in the Ghettos...

[Co11FireGal]

Have met a few...mostly politicians from doing some leadership conferences in D.C., musicians from going to concerts, and martial artists just from being around it for so long.

I learned that both US Senators Jay Rockefeller (had a meeting with him and got one of his aids who didn't know jack about the subject we were supposed to discuss) and Robert C. Byrd are jerks....in my opinion anyway.

My favorite people were Chuck Norris, Bill "Superfoot" Wallace, Charlie Daniels, and Leslie Nealson. Alabama and Lonestar guys seemed real nice... These were all shake hands and move on sorta deals except with Bill Wallace and Leslie Nealson, who it turns out has an interest in WV tourism for some reason. I was sitting in a WV Senate session and tapped my friend as was like "Heeeyyy doesn't that guy look like Leslie Nealson?!" I got, "Noo yer crazy." Then like five minutes later he stands to be recognized as the guest of a senator.

Met the cast of MTV's The Real World back in October, don't watch the show so I wouldn't know what season... they were just there when I was leaving the Rich's Fright Farm (big Halloween spook house sorta deal).

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

Vinnie...

all the good trauma is in the Ghettos...

I believe you are no officially a gristled, sick old veteran.:D

[RLFD14]

Our current fire chief is a former child actor who left Hollywood many years ago when he tired of the culture, you would probably recognize his name and for sure would know the shows he was in. His older sister is still a big-$$$ major star out there. I can't name names, because he likes to keep a low profile and be a regular guy.

Our former next door neighbor in the last city I lived in is a pretty big name in the economics field though he's not a public figure, works for the Fed in Minneapolis.... he pretty much knows everyone you hear in the news on that topic, Alan Greenspan among others, knows the guy that "A Beautiful Mind" was based on and says that in real life he's not a nice guy. It was always strange to be at his house barbecuing and popping beers while our kids played in the back yard, and hear him casually dropping names while telling funny stories.... but he is such a great guy you know he wasn't doing it to impress us.

[DaSharkie]

I know there have been others...but I just can't remember.....My memnory keeps flashing back to the 6'8" Transvestite pink powderpuff girl, Muhammmed the Bum, and Indian Joe....damn...I just got the willes....

You know Vin, that cast of characters can be found 24 hours a day when you go to Harvard Square in Cambridge, MA. A freakshow if I've ever seen one....

As for famous people, I met one of the Mandrelle sisters at a concert when I was kid at the Big E in Springfield.

Now the good one is that my wife met and shook hands with none other than "The Fat One" aka Sen. Edward "Teddy" Kennedy. I must tell you that I don't ever skip the chance to rub that in her face a right honorable conservative.

[PFD109NFD107]

Originally posted by firenresq77
I'm famous to even more people to the east of us, if you know what I mean!!!!

I think that is infamous......

[pete892]

Years ago before the club got so large, General Westmoreland spoke to our Economic Club. After the speech a few of us met him in the bar and had great time talking with him and telling war stories.

For the kids on here, General Westmoreland was the commanding general in Viet Nam for much of the conflict.

I started to get into an argument with him but he agreed with me.

My point was, In WWII troops were in for the duration so the motive was to win the war so they could go home. In Viet Nam it was 13 months and the motive was to stay alive for that time. A lot different way to motivate troops.

Kind of like do we sit back and squirt small lines at the fire for six hours or bring out the big stuff and go back to the station.

Stay safe,

Pete

[VinnieB]

Originally posted by GeorgeWendtCFI
Vinnie...

all the good trauma is in the Ghettos...

I believe you are no officially a gristled, sick old veteran.:D

Gristled...Yes....Sick...A-b-s-o-l-u-t-l-e-y!.....Old....not just yet?:D I just happened to work in the Meat Grinders....on the nights the meat showed up....:D

[SteveDude]

A bit of an unfair advantage...like a lot of Firemen in London I did 'The Knowledge' kinda like a Degree on London that allows a person to be one of London's famous Black Taxi Drivers....

The licence a person to become one of the best qualified and happily best paid Taxi Drivers in the World (believe me like most Firefighters I needed it)...these 'Cabbies' are very well liked by US Tourists who come to London and get someone who speaks the language, knows exactly where they are going on London's 15,000 roads and are calm and courteous.

Obviously being in London, there are a lot of very famous people around. I have taken a lot of UK Celebrities, Members of Parliament etc around most of whom are not know by you Guys over there unless you Watch UK TV from the BBC or whatever...

Those you may know; Kylie Minogue, Denise Van Outen (recently on Broadway in Chicago) Gordon Banks...1966 World Cup (Soccer) Winning Goal Keeper, Irish Comic Frank Carson, The big Guy who used to prop up the Bar in Cheers (Name?) Richard Branson (really nice man)

I drove a cab most of the way through the 90's finally giving it up in 2002 when I got a 'Chiefs' job and had a change in my contract, shift and hours.

Through the job I have met Prince Michael (Queens Cousin) Thomas Von Esson and the US Ambassador to the UK after my involvement with the 9/11 fund raising from the UK Fire Service and London's Mayor, Ken Livingstone (Who???:D )

Quiet a few FDNY 'Celebrities'... again all part of what happened around 9/11...

But most of all dozens of you...the men and Women of the Fire Service who have either come to stay in London or when I have been to the US on trips...better than all the above because we can have a beer and bust balls like I can't with any of the above.:p

[scfire86]

Dad was a middle level exec with Rockwell Int'l working on the B-1 Bomber.

Got me in to meet President Reagan during one of his visits. Very genial, very personable. He was one of those people whose presence was apparent when he walked into a room.

I once heard it described as being able to fill up all the empty space in a room.

Saw him several years later (with four other living POTUS's) at the Nixon funeral here in OC. Even then you could tell he was having hard time getting around. He was basically led around everywhere by his handlers and Nancy.