Brushes with Fame

Yesterday was a day to remember for sure. The morning included the removal of a dead raccoon from my attic (it had been murdered by a fellow raccoon in what I believe was a case of raccoon domestic violence), Gregg's Birthday, a trip to NYC, an assault on our car by a nasty kid at 52nd and 9th, a fabulous italian dinner (with Auntie Wendi) made more complete by cannoli's and tira misu, a walk through Times Square in the pouring rain, a visit to the M&M Store on Broadway (the stupidest store I've ever been in), orchestra seats for all of us to see Legally Blonde, the Musical (in celebration of my daughters birthday which happens to be today) (LOVED IT!!!), Melinda getting voted out (didn't see it, but heard...wow), and a bona fide brush with fame.

As we made our way back to our car after the show,Legally Blonde, the Musical (did I mention I LOVED IT!!!), we passed the theater that houses Hairspray A crowd had gathered at the stage door to greet the cast after the show. When the screaming ensued, we knew it must be someone famous. Who was it? ASHLEY PARKER ANGEL! Oh mi-god! Oh-mi-god! Oh-mi-god you guys! (if you've seen Legally Blonde, you would, like, totally think the oh-mi-god reference was very clever). Anyway, I believe I've heard of him, but really didn't know much about him. But, with everyone screaming and carrying, my sister and I joined in like a couple of 12 year olds. Somehow, we got his attention, and let him know it was Sydney's birthday, and he was so kind, and he let us take a picture. My daughter walked away shaking and in tears, completely in disbelief over her good fortune. What a great birthday present.

Seeing her meet a celebrity (for probably the first time in her life, unless you count Minnie Mouse and the other characters at Disneyworld), made me start to think about chances I've had in my life to meet famous (or semi-famous) people. I spent the 90 minute ride home from NYC recounting my own brushes with fame. I thought I'd share them here. In chronological order.

Wee Willy Weber - Wendi was a audience member at the philly based kids show when she was a little girl. I remember being very young and being plucked out of my mommy's arms and crying when he held me. (I'm not even sure that happened just like that, but I know I cried around Wee Willy Weber) My age: 2 (?)

Bozo I got to be in the studio audience of his show. I wore my brownie uniform, because I thought it might make him notice me. It must of worked, because I got picked out of the audience to play a game with him. My age: 8

Hubert Humphrey - my parents let me shake his hand at a political event. I wore a white and pink floor length gown. He reminded me of my grandfather. My age: 9

Cher (but not Sonny) - We saw them in concert at the Valley Forge Music Fair. Afterwards, we had dinner and there she was in the same coffee shop. She graciously gave me her autograph on a napkin. It was illegible.
She was sitting without Sonny (must have been trouble in paradise by then) and having dinner with a then up and coming comic (who had been her opening act). His name was:



David Brenner - didn't get his autograph. he was, however, wearing a one piece red jumpsuit. Even at the age of nine, I recognized that was a little creepy looking.

John Travolta (HUGE event in my life!) I was a 13 year old girl, John was the twenty four year old star of Welcome Back Kotter. This was before Saturday Night Fever, before Grease, before he was a household name. He was not John Travolta, he was VINNIE BARBARINo. My dad took my friend Janet and some other girls and me to the Variety Club Telethon (hosted by Monty Hall), because we heard that Vinnie was going to be there. I brought a box of pennies that I had saved and a huge poster that said (in crayon) "We Love You, Vinnie". We somehow got to the front of the autograph line, at which time I completely fell apart and professed my undying love for this man, over and over again. I must have been completely hysterical, because he actually leaned over and touched my arm (in an attempt to calm me, I can only assume). He signed the poster, "I love you, too - John Travolta". Just thinking about that still gives me the goosebumps.

Tovah Feldshuh - (movie and Broadway actress) Went with Irisa and a group of her friends to see her in "Peter Pan". We were asked to interview her after the show for a radio program. I was flummoxed, and couldn't squeak out any questions. Irisa however was incredibly eloquent, and I felt like a mute. I somehow never got over that. My age: 15

Kin Shriner - (Scotty Baldwin from General Hospital) -
Wendi and I went to see him at a question and answer session in Atlantic City. Wendi even got to go on stage with him and act out a scene. I choked, in very much the same way as I did when I met Tovah Feldshuh. But I think I got a birthday kiss from him. My age: 18

Nancy Walker

saw her walking down the street in NYC with my parents. She looked very well-to-do. My mother started screaming, "Rhoda's mother! Rhoda's Mother", my father thought she was talking about her friend Rhoda, not realizing she was talking about the fictional character, Rhoda Morgenstern. My age: 18

The Grateful Dead, Tina Turner, Lionel Richie, Robert Hazzard, The Hooters, - (Okay, I didn't actually meet them, but I did work for a caterer and we catered the food service at their concerts. ) (That counts as a "brush", doesn't it?) My age: 20-ish

Charles Barkley and some of his basketball friends- he showed up at a bar I was at. Had no idea who he was, except that a bunch of people were crowding him. Completely went up and made a stupid fool out of myself, telling one of his companions, "You're really tall, you should play basketball". My age: 23

Mario Cantone: (Comedian and actor from Sex and the City)

Earlier in his career, my sister was somehow acquainted with him. We saw him perform at a comedy club, and then drove him to his next show at a different club. We played a silly song parody that I actually taped at a mall recording studio, and he laughed like he really thought it was funny. My age: 26

Miss America 1991 - Marjorie VincentShe was signing autographs at the car show, and since we were there, and since I've been a Miss America Wannabe for as long as I can remember, I couldn't help standing in line to get an autograph. I choked (again...see Tovah Feldshuh and Kin Shriner) When she asked me my name for the autograph, I could barely say it. That's pathetic.

Blair Underwood

- Didn't meet him, but I was on the phone with my sister, when he happened to walk by her office. (At the time she worked at a NY radio station he was visiting). Wendi said, "Gotta go, Blair Underwood just walked by." I said, " You don't tell me Blair Underwood walked by and then just hang up on me, that's not fair." So she grabbed him, and put him on the phone with me. I cannot remember the conversation, probably because I was pregnant with my first at the time. My age: 29

Tammy from The Real World -
Pretty much the same thing happened. My age: 29

Is that guy on the top right Simon Cowell?

Steven Baldwin

- (or one of the other Baldwins, but not Alex) -
We were with my parents, sister, Cousin Karen and kids in NYC. We hailed cab for my parents, which pulled over. As they were slowly making their way into the taxi, Steven Baldwin appears out of nowhere and jumps in. As the car took off, we were hysterical that Steven Baldwin stole the cab from a couple of AARP members. Seconds later, the cab stopped, he got out, and made sure my parents got their rightful ride. My age: 34IT WAS ONE OF 'EM

Jerry Seinfeld - Taking a walk with my sister and my sister-in-law Debi, we looked up and saw Jerry. He was with what looked to be a bodyguard(see photo above) Debi and I started running after him like fools, trying to get a picture. We couldn't. My age: 39

There are more, I'm sure, but I my brained has just been fried.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SYDNEY......