Heading to EWR: three guys who looked like they were in a band.

one was named Mr. Stephens and with me and the other two dudes were asked meal choices first.

Teh other was nobody but teh blonde guy got my interest (no it's wasn't Geo1004.)

Had a British accent and kept humming to himself. I think it was crazy Billy Idol.

Today I got to fly the USAIR shuttle DCA to LGA with former President Bill Clinton on board. I was in 7a while he was somewhere in 1. Since he was the last person to board and the first person off (and I was reading Up in the Air) I almost missed finding out who was the person that rated Secret Service.

The interesting thing about the Shuttle is that since there is no first class everyone is seated like coach class in any other airline 3 across. (With the exception of those that rate Secret Service like Clinton and Dick Cheney's wife. I think they buy or block out middle seats for them.)

I've seen televsion hosts (James Brown of Fox Sports) stuck in the middle seat and authors (Suze Orman, financial writer) have to fight for overhead space. Just like one of the people!

I wish he was following me!

I've had my share.

In the '80s:

Hulk Hogan in the Republic Airlines lounge in DTW, watching a Lakers playoff/championship game. Very courteous to the lounge desk personnel. Nobody messed with the very cute woman with him.

Mike & Kitty Dukakis on a NW flight ORD-BOS. I didn't know they were there 2 or 3 rows behind me in coach on a packed 727 until near the end of the flight. They were returning from a trip he took to China while governor of Massachusetts, with an entourage including a lot of local press. I recall we made it runway to runway in 1 hour, 15 minutes, cleared straight in, as fast as a good flight DTW-BOS on a DC9 with tailwind.

80s or 90s:
The Temptations and entourage including girlfriends and wives. Lead singer sat next to me in coach, a large guy with lots of gold chains. He grabbed the FA's butt, once. She must have suspected that he'd done it before and been read the riot act, so she didn't recite chapter and verse of how he'd be met by a federal agent if he did it again, but she did give him one good glare before smiling and pretending nothing happened, as did he. Alan Dershowitz (might have been in 80s) mentioned only because everyone else thinks OJ's defense team is celebs.

90s: a long dry spell for celebs, I guess. A couple of folks from Wall Street Week in different places, a bunch of various college and pro athletes I didn't particularly know, an Indycar owner with trophy wife, a female presidential historian.


1999 or 2000:
Senator John Kerry and aide, on a 100% full Metrojet cattlecar of all things, MIA-DCA (or was it IAD?). Aide tried to get them reseated, a very, very large guy was aisle next to them. No go, all seats full so the aide just had to take the center seat. If I were a senator and my woman were a billionaire, I don't think you'd find me on MetroJet. Then again, I'm Chairman's Preferred, so I don't think he could reasonably expect to see ME on Metrojet, either!

Fall, 2000 on an 8-leg run to/from TPA:
Meryl Streep going BDL-PHL was in the last row of F, as were my girlfriend and I. Meryl had the A window, C was empty, my GF was in D, I had the F window. At first I thought she was Martha Stewart, then decided not, but still thought I recognized her. So I asked my GF, who kept whispering movie names to me until I got it right. Hat and sunglasses most of the way, and put down the windowshade as plane approached gate in PHL. Everyone in F recognized her as we were getting baggage down, everyone left her alone, she went out of her way to not say hello, smile, get out from behind a newspaper crouched in the window seat, or admit who she was. Sad she feels so threatened, nobody in F was going to bite or probably even ask for an autograph. I still wonder if she paid for the C seat just to keep it empty, I suspect she did.

Prius (John if you prefer, and yes I drive one.)

A couple of months ago I saw the Crocodile Hunter from SYD-LAX.

He was the first one off the plane and vanished really quickly. Crikey!

It made me wonder if celebrities have special immigration and customs desks because theres no way he had cleared the lines at passport control in the time it took me to get there.

A couple of years ago, as we were getting off a PBI-(TPA)-LAX flight, we saw Samuel L. Jackson ahead of us on the jetway. He must have been in F, but I'm not sure if he got on in PBI or TPA. The fun part was walking about 10 feet behind him up the entire Delta terminal and watching all of the double takes as people passed him going the other way.

I also had Jim Palmer (baseball hall of famer) in front of me in coach on a CO flight IAH-PBI a couple of years ago. Someone asked nicely for his autograph and he declined, so I thought that was kind of rude, but I guess it's his choice.

Sports celebrities autographs are commonly sold in mall shops for money, maybe he thought that this person was trying to take advantage of that, or perhaps he had an exclusive contract with some company to sell his autograph? Just wild guesses.

ObCelebSighting: Several years ago, while on a layover in STL, I saw quite a mob around a gate. I went over and saw Richard Simmons and his handler (a lean, tall man, holding the bags) coming off the plane. He looked and was mumbling something about being exasperated, apparently the flight from LA was late. Of course he was in flaming yellow/red colored bodysuit, etc. Well I was walking back toward my puddlejumper terminal and I noticed that he and his handler were right behind me on the moving walkway (this was at the end of the former C concourse). I was walking right with him. So, I whipped out my cellphone and called my mom. I said, "guess who I'm standing next to?". (she is quite a fan of his) Somehow (don't ask me how), I got the idea to ask him if he wouldn't mind talking to my mom, that she is quite a fan. He said sure and I gave him the phone. So picture this: me walking next to Richard Simmons, on the phone to my mom, as people are coming up and staring. On the way down the concourse, he approached a girl with a Pizza Hut single pizza and begged a bite off of her (of course, she gave him one). I can't believe I didn't take a picture of this, but my mom can attest that she talked to Richard Simmons for about 4 minutes one night.

Oh, and once I saw Tom Arnold in line at the McDonald's at the UA gates at DCA. He was by himself, ate his McD's, and got on a flight to LA. He had sunglasses on, no one approached him. I think celebrities never fly through IAD. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Three coolest sightings of mine:

1. Robert Duvall--about a year and a half ago. I was flying home from Hawaii. Duvall was on the LAX-Dulles leg. He looked about 75, but I think he could have kicked anyone's butt on the flight.

2. Barry Williams--three years ago. I was flying from ORD to RIC. He was shilling his "Growing Up Brady Book." He was a jerk.

3. The coolest one yet. Two months ago I was flying IND to ATL and saw that Jared guy who lost all the weight eating Subway subs. In case anyone is curious, he ordered a Diet Coke and didn't eat his Delta snack mix.

[This message has been edited by dbmaury (edited 08-01-2001).]

Full circle .. go back to the first post in this thread from Beckles and then read this one.

I was on the start of a really long trip a few months ago at LIH (Lihue airport in Kauai, Hawaii) waiting to board the UA 757 red-eye to LAX when I spotted (or rather thought I spotted and heard the voice of) Johnny Cochran in a nylon jumpsuit accompanied by a nice looking woman. I was hanging around the counter waiting for my upgrade to clear .. He was told by name to hang around for an upgrade too. My upgrade cleared before his.

On the plane, it was obvious that his partner was in 1A or 1B (can't remember which) and if I switched my mid-cabin aisle seat with hers, that two couples could sit together, including J.C and his partner. I didn't mind switching into my favorite seat, so I offered without being asked and he thanked me profusely and called me a gentleman and a scholar. As we shook hands I couldn't help but to think to ask Mr. Cochran: "If it doesn't fit .. must I change where I sit?".

-David

ok .. I didn't really ask him that but the rest is true.

-David

Naomi Campbell on a BA from JFK in first, when she went to sleep she put on some kind of huge plastic mask om her nose... The FA came to me when she was in the restroom and said: "do you know who that is?" I said: "Yes, but do you know who I am?", he appologised and left....

Mel Gibson with wife & kids at a fun park in Australia.

The Queen - in the street outside my office here in London (does that one count ?)

Natalie Imbruglia at my local pub in London.

OK .... none were on planes, I know.

Oh ... and one more ..

Akibono (I think that's how you spell it) the champion Japanese sumo wrestler - in an elevator at a hotel in Melbourne (can't remmaber which one - it was about 5 years abgo now !!). And yes - only my girlfriend, Akibono and me could fit in the elevator that was meant to be able to carry 15 !

Sugar Ray Leonard on a flight SJC-LAX a few months ago. We had already pulled away from the gate when the pilot announced that we had to return to the gate to pick up an additional passenger. I was at the front part of steerage and so I could see him enter. He boarded, greeted the crew and then quickly took his seat in the right side F bulkhead window seat. I guess being a VIP/celebrity has its priveldges.

Nichelle Nichols (Uhura from Star Trek) was on a flight SJC-SFO once. She had already pre-boarded the flight much earlier as I did not see her board, and I was one of the first passengers down the jetway. She was sitting in the left side F bulkhead window.

Once while waiting in the LAX Terminal 4 AC for a LAX-LHR, Pat Riley was there with his family. When the LAX-LHR flight was boarding, Mrs. Riley (his mom) was called to preboard.

Flying out of LAX, there are all sorts of celebrities. I guess living in Los Angeles where celebrities are a dime-a-dozen, I kind of don't notice them anymore. When I remember a few more, I will edit my post.

Hello,

I guess not many celebs fly on US but the only major celeb on one of my flights was Bobby Hull (former pro hockey great) on 1997 US flight from PIT to RIC. He was across the aisle in FC from my wife and me.

He read the entire flight. Our takeoff was probably delayed several minutes as many US ground personnel came on board for autographs that he graciously provided.

Cheers,

Va.SquireFlyer