I've seen pleny of celebrities over the years as I'm based at LAX. It's especially funny when I get upgraded ahead of one. They throw a fit!

Rod Steiger was in 1st class on UA from LHR to LAX the other day. He's so huge now he needed a wheelchair.

Gone for a weekend and there's a thousand new messages!

Here's my (one and only) celebrity sighting for the day...

7/5/99 BOS-LAX - The entire Norway Women's World Cup soccer team!

First I wondered why they weren't heading back to Norway (they lost to China that weekend). Then I realized, gee, maybe they have the right to watch the finals, too. Later I realized my ignorance of the sport of football: they need to play for third place against Brazil! All this will be occurring minutes away from me at the sold-out Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

They are a quiet and civil bunch (unlike American sports teams). All sat in the back, quietly reading (Norweigian) newspapers of the coverage of the game or playing Nintendo Gameboys.

Many years ago when I was a sophisticated young woman (I think I was 18) I sat next to this chatterbox kid (he was maybe 15) wearing sunglasses. He talked and talked and talked about everything under the sun. When the pilot came over the loudspeaker and talked about the beautiful sunshine and billowing clouds, my seat mate said, "Tell me about it". "Why don't you tell me, you've got the window?" I replied. "Oh, I can't," he said, "I'm blind".

He then pulled a Life magazine out from under the seat and began to show me his pictures. He was Little Stevie Wonder. He sure was friendly then.

Also sat IN COACH many years ago with Bill Gates (from Vegas to Seattle). At the time the rumor was that he would never pay for a 1st class ticket. I recently flew Seattle to London with an entire Biz Class full of Microsofties and mentioned it to one of them. They said, "I don't think he ever did. He went straight from coach to his own plane."

I too was prevented from entering an elevator with Elizabeth Dole last fall at the Baltimore airport. Wonder what she does in there that she needs all that privacy?

My son and I sat across the aisle from Isaiah Thomas JFK/DTW in March. I noticed he had on a nice suit, but I wouldn't have known him from Adam My son was thrilled. They played palm pilot games.

In May we were on the same plane as Hakim (some Spanish/Moorish rock star). We knew he must be famous when we were plowed down by 60 screaming thirteen-year-olds who were flying from Malaga to Barcelona with their school music group. I adore teenagers but am always amazed at how much engergy they waste and how much noise they can make. http://talk.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Personal brushes with celebs over the past 15 years:

George Plimpton (writer)-dresses like an old
professor & carries 12 newspapers under his arm. BWI-ORD
Terry Bradshaw (ex QB Steelers) is a very 'white-knuckle' flyer. BWI-PIT
Jesse Jackson - had 2 bodyguards come on the plane in FC to check it before boarding)
Foster Brooks-played a drunk on the Dean Martin TV show. PHL-ORD
Barbara Mandrell & husband - LAX-LAS
Evander Holyfield - ATL-DFW
Morris The Cat (honestly!) travelled a 3 hour flight in a soft carrier under the handlers seat in FC. Got off and there were TV cameras everywhere to greet Morris.
Laura Davies - lady golf pro is a very big woman. MCO-??
A group of pro wrestlers in FC...sorry I'm not a fan. Some kid told me at Bag Claim.
And most recently...actor Sam Elliott, who I sat next to in FC from SLC-Calgary, where he was going to film a movie for Turner. Nice guy, but also a bit nervous about flying.

You MET THE MORRIS THE CAT???!!???!!

WOW!

MOrris must be lifetime elite on whatever airline he flies!!! I can see the security screening!

*Did you pack your own bags?
Morris: MEOW
*Were your bags in your possession the whole time?
MOrris: MEOW MEOW


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MEOW! MEOW! MEOW!!!

Well, I suppose I might add my two cents. These were all in first class. I sat behind Dan Quayle one time on a flight from IND-CVG. Everyone on the whole plane had to stop and say hello (to Quayle) right by my seat.

Another flight, Bruce Jenner, made such a fuss with many requests, and even asked that a passenger give up their choice of meal so he could get the choice he wanted.

I can't remember his name, but he is the kid that was in Terminator 2 (the one Arnold was supposed to protect). This was a flight from ATL-LAX, and he was so obnoxious, even ringing the flight call button 5 times for something as mundane as a kleenex. The flight attentants were crazy.

On another, I sat across from Gomer Pyle. He seemed just like Gomer. And on my latest encounter, I sat next to former TNN Talk show host, Ralph Emory (Sp?). I vaguely recognized him. He said, don't you know who I am???? Sadly, not being a country music fan, I wasn't a fan, but I do remember his show while I was channel surfing.

These were only about a 1/3 of all the people I have seen on planes. It's defintely different than restaurants, because you are forced to sit next to them.

• Smokey Robinson (First Class, UA Shuttle)
• George Schultz (First Class UA) - former dean of the business school at the University of Chicago (my alma mater) and, oh yeah, he was a politician of some sort http://talk.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif
• Joe Montana - in football terms, a 'god' (First Class UA Shuttle)

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• Ronald
• mailto:[email protected][email protected]</A>

On my recent YYZ-LAX-YYZ flights (in Business Class of course):

Eugene Levy (actually he was in BC, I was heading for the back).

Liona Boyd: I had the window, she had the aisle; I think she was impressed that I knew who she was, and that I have her first big (Christmas) recording on cassette. Impressed that I have the second one with Roger Whittaker, and _really_ impressed that I knew it also had Zamfir on it! (which proved that I really have it, I guess).

David Cronenburg: we had adjacent aisle seats on a 6x6 767. I moved to the row behind him after takeoff (no way I was moving in _front_ of him!).

Obviously some movie star because the FA-in-charge was drooling all over her and her boyfriend, but I don't know who it was.

And someone who _seemed_ like a movie star (a particular one in fact) but was travelling alone without entourage and could just as easily have been a wannabe or production type. I think I was confused by the retro-70s look (long straight blond hair, etc.). Had a script for a movie that's not in production yet. Didn't have the nerve to ask her name after being too-asleep to smile when we got on the elevator together at LAX. Wish I had.

andrew

Updates to my earlier post:

Alexander Haig (IAD-SEA flight)
Tom Berenger (actor - Major League - Sutton Place bar - Vancouver)
Jim Lehrer (MacNeil-Lehrer newshour on a DCA-BDL flight)
Oliver North (ORD two weeks ago)

I saw ditto_DOC - and imagine..in coach!

ditto - I saw doc in coach

We don't get so many celebs back in my part of the plane. Last time I flew I sat next to a local municipal judge (the same one who heard the recent case of a certain President's under-age daughter with a fake ID).

On another flight I sat near one of the people actors on Sesame Street. No, not Big Bird...a person. I was somewhat impressed that PBS flew its folks back in the back.

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Middle_Seat

I sat behind Chuck Yeager on a flight from Sacramento. Pilots from other planes kept coming onboard to shake his hand. He signed an air-sick bag for me!

I also sat next to Roger Ebert out of Chicago...he was kinda pompous though.

PF

March 99. Flew in business class with the delectable Denise Richards. Was flying BA from London to LAX. She is a gorgeous gal http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Jerry Lewis - had the whole fc section on my US flight. Came back to coach to talk to the kids and stayed in fc reading to a child while coach departed. Cracked jokes on the intercom before we took off. A class act, even though he was dressed in nylon shorts.
Terry Bradshaw - Walking by himself in ORD.
Dan Quayle - Traded my US fc seat with him so he could sit next to Marilyn.
Jesse Jackson - across the aisle from me on a US fc. After Clinton's but before his own troubles.
BJ Thomas - Sat next to me in fc but couldn't figure out who he was, couldn't even read his autograph for the fa, so had to ask, then I forgot what songs he was famous for.
Tommy Lasorda - on a flight to LAX, he chatted most of the time with the fa's.
Rick Flair - had the bulkhead aisle in fc across from me on a US flight.