Celebrity sightings ...
 

I'm in the CRC here in New Orleans waiting for a flight to CVG and the guy two cubes down from me just made a call, and I swear I'm not eavesdropping, but he says "Hi, this is Johnny Cochran", so I wait until he gets up from the phone, and sure enough, it's THE Johnny Cochran of OJ trial fame.

So, if anyone has any burning questions you want to ask him, e-mail me quick before his flight leaves!

This brings me to my next question, anyone else have any notable or interesting celebrity sightings in their travels?

The only other one I've ever had was at the CRC at DCA where I saw Colin Powell, but that's about it for me.

I'm sure at least some of us must have run into celebrities in FC before ...

I think I posted this in another thread a while back, but I've forgotten where. Not too long ago I was seated with Newt Gingrich in first and didn't recognize him until we got off the plane. This was especially embarrassing not only because I've met him before (several years ago) but also because he's a close friend of my wife's family and she was riding cattle car on the same flight. He waited with me until she got off so he could say hello.

Likewise, some time ago I posted about Mike Wallace (60 Minutes) and his wife on a flight from ACA-DFW. They were in the last row of FC, and I was in the first, so I didn't see too much of them on the plane... but while waiting to claim luggage in DFW before customs, people started taking pictures, and then the "No photos are permitted in this restricted area" announcement was made...

OMNI: Beckles, did the glove really not fit?

Over a year ago... I saw a man who looked strikingly like Wolf Blitzer doing the O'Hare Dash to make a connecting flight.

We were going in opposite directions on the moving walkway between the terminal but I am sure I saw a CNN logo on the bag.

Now I wish I could meet some REAL celebrities on my flights (Like Meg or Michelle!) http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

lately (in early march-99) I had the pleasure to be seated beside the famous Matt Wald from Flyertalk in first class from SJU to ORD.

Don't know the exact dates, but here are my celebrity encounters:

IAD-LAX Former mayor of DC- Marion Barry and an entire entourage

And on another flight:

IAD-LAX Former mayor of DC- Sharon Pratt Kelly- Next to me in coach!

(what's with former DC mayors and LA?)

MIA-LAX (1998) Martina Navratilova- Sat right next to me in 1st.

Some other actors that I have no idea what their names were.

Saw/flew with lots of politicos into/out of DCA. Not sure that counts. (It is their habitat, after all.)

Ran into Tina Turner at Brussels in the EuroClass lounge some years back. Wasn't sure if it was her (pix always seem to emphasize the long legs) so asked, "Excuse me, you look familiar - aren't you Margaret Thatcher?" She was amused; her bodyguard, lurking in the vicinity, wasn't. Really a gracious person.

And philforest, if you sat up front with your wife in steerage and are still alive, you must have a most understanding frau. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Sat next to Willie Nelson in FC from AUS to IAH about a year ago. Really nice guy, we talked about golf and how tough it is to hit a one iron.

Speak of Johnny Cochran, I was in FC once with F. Lee Bailey during the OJ trial. Didn't talk to him as he was very occupied with a very beautiful woman travelling with him. Probably a Jr. Attorney working for him (yeah, and I have some land in South Florida I want to show you at LOW tide).

Rudi, I haven't met this "Matt Wald" Celebrity yet. Is he the one that recently put his star on the sidewalk in Hollywood?
Or, was that in San Juan?

Yeah...that Matt Wald guy....the writer for The Times....

I saw a fast black man running through the airport, leaping over seats to get to the Avis counter a few years back...

------------------
g'day
wl

arturo themk fas man knot goin to Evis, he bee goin to Hurts. or mebe runin frum Hurts.

ORD - OMA last summer; Joan Jett next to me (across the aisle) in first. Didn't even recognize her for over 30 minutes. And I thought she was HOT when I was in high school. Now.... what can I say? Yuck.

I'd trade twenty of those Joan Jett encounters for one with Willie, Jaws! My heroes have always been IRS dodgin' cowboys....

BTW, the Blackhearts were in back.

Cheers,

'toad

I've sat next to the following people on all things Shuttle by United, thought anybody whose anybody wouldn't fly on that ****:

Jesse Jackson
Amy Tan (Author of Joy Luck Club)
William Brown (Mayor of San Francisco)
Arsenio Hall
Somewhat famous African-American singer, whose name I can't ever remember, only knew she was famous because UA employee came on-board to ask for her autograph.

Years ago while dozing off in the NW worldclub at LAX, I noticed a buzz of activity around the area. Awakened to discover that Don (Barney Fife) Knotts was sitting next to me.