Thursday, May 15, 2008

Brushes with fame

by Trish Milburn

Sometimes we seek them out. Sometimes they're totally unexpected. Sometimes they involve a minor celebrity, sometimes major. They are brushes with fame, and most of us have had at least one. Whether you've met an actor at an autograph fair, eyed a sports hero at a benefit, or simply passed a famous person on the street, these brushes with fame are often unforgettable. For us average folk, it's like seeing someone up close who has until that moment lived inside your TV. Often, these brushes cause double-takes, the dropping of jaws or accelerated heart rates. They can seem like the world stops for a moment or you're dreaming.

Though I live in the Land of Country Music (aka Twang City), I don't exactly see country music stars when I go to the local grocery. In fact, I've seen more local stars while attending Nashville Predators hockey games than anywhere else. But I don't consider these brushes with fame when they were sitting in entirely different sections and I didn't meet them. I met Louise Mandrell once while I still worked at a magazine, but probably the most famous non-author person I've ever met was Lou Diamond Phillips. It was the summer I was doing my newspaper internship, and he and the band of which he was a member did an outdoor concert nearby. My sister, my hubby (boyfriend at the time), and I went. Sis and I waited in line for autographs afterward. He was nice and signed my T-shirt. I still have it.

My most recent brushes with fame were when Jeff Fisher, coach of the Tennessee Titans, walked into Borders behind me, and when I sent a fan e-mail to Italian rock/metal band Lacuna Coil and lead singer Cristina Scabbia actually e-mailed me back a few minutes later. Very cool.

So what brushes with fame have the Banditas had? It's an impressive list. This is a lengthy post, but my fellow Banditas had such cool stories to share that I had difficulty trimming. I hope you enjoy them too.

I am perhaps most jealous of Anna Campbell's close proximity to David Wenham, who played Faramir in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Dilios in 300.

"A friend of mine had set up an acting company and was doing her first show in a very shabby venue. But David Wenham came, sat through the whole thing, and then wrote her a lovely encouraging letter afterwards. Isn't that nice? He was on his own and so was I and the audience was really small, only about a dozen people. I always kick myself that I didn't at least say hello and say how much I admired his work. But I got attacked with a huge dose of the shys, sadly."

But wait! That wasn't Anna's only brush with fame.

“Ooh, and I sat at the table right next to the one Rufus Sewell was having breakfast at in a cafe in Bondi in Sydney. He was here making a film. He's actually much bigger and muscly than he looks on screen. PRETTY DARNED IMPRESSIVE!

"And when I worked at a stall in the market in Covent Garden in London in the mid-'80s, I saw Michael Caine. He smiled at me which I thought was nice -- although I expect I looked so gobsmacked, he probably was trying not to laugh. I also saw Judi Dench and her late husband Michael Williams. They were walking arm and arm and looked incredibly happy together. They smiled at me too -- another gobsmacked moment, I expect."

Anna Campbell might have received a smile from the lady who played the queen, but Anna Sugden got to meet actual members of the British royal family!

“I met the Queen Mother when I was invited to tea at St James' Palace. It was a thing to do with the schools and the Queen Mary's Needlework Guild. I was one of the representatives from my school as I was deputy head girl. I had to wear gloves and learn to curtsey, etc. She was lovely ... but those bloody Corgis were horrid! As for Prince Phillip -- he was at the opening of a new pier in Brighton, where I went to school. And he and the Queen went walkabout and happened to stop and talk to me and my friend. We had a real giggle with him.”

Anna S has had quite a few other brushes with fame, including meeting Richard Harris, David Prowse (Darth Vader), Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick in the Harry Potter films), James and Oliver Phelps (the Weasley twins from the HP films), and her hockey hero, Scott Stevens, former captain of the New Jersey Devils.

Joan Kayse also had a bit of a royal encounter.

“I was THIS close to Prince Phillip once! I was at a nurses’ convention in San Antonio. Like any good nurses we were on our way to the Riverwalk to shop. Queen Elizabeth was visiting the Riverwalk that morning. We came out of the side door of the hotel to a deserted street. A motorcycle policeman pulled up in front of us to keep us from walking anywhere. In a few minutes here came the motorcade. QE WAVED at us! We thought that was it until we walked down to the part of the Riverwalk where she was getting on a boat. I wasn’t more than 10 feet away in the crowd and yelled out, ‘Howdy Prince!’ Prince Phillip actually LOOKED at me and laughed.”

These nurses’ conventions must be brush-with-fame magnets because while attending another in Las Vegas, Joan was on her way to a diva’s concert when, “I looked up and realized I was walking in the midst of Jesse Jackson’s entourage…with Jesse Jackson right next to me!”

I predict many of you are going to be really jealous after reading about Kate Carlisle’s encounter with Hollywood A-listers.

“My first husband worked in politics and I won't mention the year, but Jimmy Carter had just won the election. Some friends were having a small dinner party for a senior Carter staff member and his wife (I want to say Hamilton Jordan but honestly can't remember). They had invited some ‘influential political types’ but wouldn't tell us who. We got there and naturally, the first thing I did was grab a beer. The next guy who arrived came right up and asked me where I got that beer. I led him to the bar where he got his beer and we talked for a while and I tried not to swallow my tongue because -- it was PAUL NEWMAN. (This was just a few years after Butch Cassidy in case you'd like to get a good picture of what I was staring at all night.) Anyway, we drank beer together. We had dinner together. We laughed, we joked. OMG, I still get palpitations. And oh yeah, Warren Beatty was there, too, and some others, but at that point, who cared? LOL!”

Some other Bandita brushes with fame:

Susan Seyfarth:

“I went to high school with Kid Rock (known as Bob Ritchie back in the day). Our parents used to play tennis together. Bob and I were in junior high choir together, so I can claim with complete honesty that I have sung with Kid Rock.

“More recently, I hung out with Charles Barkley at my sister’s bachelorette party. He was in town to do commentary for a Pistons game (I was at home in Detroit), and he ended up at the same bar we were in. We had this semi-private room for the party with a big-screen TV and he wandered in to watch whatever game was on. He sat down with us, bought us a round of drinks. He was fun and funny. He seemed like a nice guy, and he had this bodyguard who made him (not exactly a small guy, you know) look positively scrawny.”

Loucinda McGary:

“You would think being a native Californian I'd have encountered a bunch of celebs, right? Wrong. The closest was the time Dustin Hoffman walked across the lobby of the hotel where I was staying in downtown LA. I was sitting there waiting for a co-worker (Yes, I was there for work) and I couldn't even say a word. My mouth just hung open. DUH! As for celeb signings, my biggest (and most cherished) was getting Alex Haley to autograph my copy of Roots.”

Donna MacMeans:

“I've shaken Joanne Woodward's hand and exchanged pleasantries. Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward are big supporters of the theater program at Kenyon University about 40 miles north of me. Myself and another auditor were assigned to audit the summer program's books. Afterwards, we attended one of their productions and were invited backstage to meet the star - Joanne. We were told Paul Newman often attends the performances and where he would sit when he did. Alas - he didn't attend that night.

“I also was attending an accounting function in Chicago when I got on the elevator and saw Gary Coleman. This was when he was on the TV series and so still a celebrity at that time.”

Caren Crane:

"I have a small sports moment. When I was about 10, my mom's airline stewardess cousin was a Delta flight attendant. She met Alex Karras on a flight and they were dating for a while. She brought him to our house for dinner, and he hung around until pretty late. Before I went to bed, he had me sit in front of his chair so he could brush my hair (which was long and straight). He was very nice. This was circa 1975, when he was a commentator on Monday Night Football. Kind of after his football career, after Blazing Saddles but before Webster. Also before he married Susan Clark.

“My other brush with a famous person was in NYC. I was at the Carnegie Deli and had to use the loo. Well, you had to descend this narrow, rickety staircase to the basement. I ran into Steve Landesberg (who played Dietrich on Barney Miller) coming up the staircase as I was going down. I made some comment like, "They don't make it easy, do they?" He smiled and said something like, "I think they just want us to leave already."

Cassondra Murray:

“I’ve met some absolutely WONDERFUL people like Paul Williams, Melissa Manchester, Mac Davis. Oh, and the guys from Cheap Trick. They were the coolest EVER.”

Suzanne Welsh:

“I spent and entire night with Archie Griffin, the only two-time Heisman Trophy winner. Uh, let me clarify that, I spent the night with him, taking care of his second wife when they had their baby. Very, very nice unassuming man. Signed some fetal monitor graph paper to my hubby for me. :) Made hubby's day!”

Jo Lewis-Robertson:

If you’ve ever seen a movie called Woman in the Red Dress starring Veronica Hamel, you might have caught a glimpse of Jo.

“My husband and I were in Reno, staying at our fave hotel. We liked it because there was so much more to do besides gamble. A gym with massage, shops, bowling alley, swimming pool, shows. We like to go up before Christmas when it's not so busy.

“Apparently movie crews like to shoot inside for that same reason. I was sitting in the lobby waiting for my husband to check us in when a crew started filming. This fellow came up to me and said, ‘Are you an extra?’ ‘Uh, no.’ ‘Okay, then,’ he said, ‘you either have to move or stay very still.’

“I stayed very still.”

Tawny Weber:

“I was in a Sylvester Stallone movie once (Is it bad that I can't even remember the title? Part of it was shot in Vegas), and I've been in a few commercials. But those aren't fame; they were shoe money.”

Nancy Northcott:

“At DragonCon many years ago, I bopped down the hall from my room to take the elevator down to the convention level. I rounded the corner to the elevator bank, and who should be waiting there but David (Darth Vader) Prowse? He smiled. I smiled. I couldn't think of anything to say. Since he didn't do the voice, a compliment to the acting seemed a little ‘off.’ I thought of ‘You really moved well, gave Vader a lot of body language,’ but then remembered he'd since developed very bad arthritis, or so I'd heard. I was racking my brain when the elevator arrived, empty, confronting me with a ten-floor downward ride, still with nothing to say! Mr. Prowse smiled again and gestured that I should go first, whereupon I said I'd forgotten something and ran back around the corner until the elevator had gone. By all accounts, he's a lovely man and would have appreciated anything I'd come up with to say.”

DragonCon also offered up chances to spot Ted Halmi from Xena and Kevin Sorbo from Hercules. Personally, I’m hoping to meet Tahmoh Penikett (Helo on Battlestar Galactica) when I attend my first DragonCon this year.

So, if you’re still with us after this lengthy post, tell us about your brushes with fame. Who have you met? Who have you spotted but didn’t have the nerve to speak to?

93 comments:

Minna said...

There was this Brittish actor or his exact lookalike I once saw in Savonlinna.

Minna said...

Can't remember his name, but he played a cop called Wexford in a series based on Ruth Rendall's books.

pjpuppymom said...

Hey Minna, congrats on capturing the GR!

pjpuppymom said...

Wow, I'm very impressed by all the celebrity encounters you Banditas have had. Kate, I was in college when Butch Cassidy, etc. came out. I doubt I would have been able to utter a single word if I had come face to face with Paul Newman.

pjpuppymom said...

Most of my encounters are with athletes. I sat next to Bart Starr (Green Bay QB/NFL Hall of Fame) at a luncheon. He was the sweetest man. I attended a seminar conducted by Fran Tarkenton (Minnesota and NY Giants QB/NFL Hall of Fame and co-host of the TV show, That's Incredible) and have a football he autographed for me. I met Bubba Smith (NFL All-Pro player and actor - remember Police Academy?) at my university's homecoming.

I coordinated a conference in Orlando one year during my corporate life and the hotel comped me to the executive floor. I stepped onto the elevator to go down to the lobby when a deep voice asked me to hold the elevator. A few seconds later, five Detroit Pistons players got on the elevator with me. They were playing the Magic that night and I found out from talking with them that they occupied the entire executive floor of the hotel with the exception of one room...mine. They were all very nice, very polite and really tall! lol

Fedora said...

Wow, I can't think of a one! Those are amazing--how fun to read all about you Banditas!

Congrats on the GR, Minna!

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Congrats Minna!

LOL, PJ on your sports encounters. Since the only sport I ever attend in person is auto racing, I will say I've seen Paul Newman at a very great distance in the pits at an Indy car race. Also, a wee bit closer range Mario, Michael, and John Anderetti (before John went to Nascar) and Christian Fitapaldi. Must say Michael was QUITE good looking, though a trifle short for yer olde Aunty's tastes.

And speaking of short, Dustin Hoffman was about 5'2". SHHHHH!

AC

Jane said...

I'm so jealous of Anna, I wish I got to meet Faramir. I once saw Janeane Garofalo in a Starbucks. Many years ago I saw Thorsten Kaye around Lincoln Center. He used to portray Patrick on "One Life to Live," but is now on "All My Children." I also saw Sofia Coppola at Newark Airport.

Unknown said...

Sam Neill (the Tudors) comes into my dh’s shop. He says he’s a lovely person.

A very long time ago, I met the Beatles (waving to Anna C!) when they toured Down Under. Practically every company did a promotion/held a contest in the lead up to their visit, including my father’s company. They had the same PR lady who brought out the Beatles and she arranged for me to meet them at their hotel.

After shaking hands with them, I was too awe-struck to say much and they were too busy chatting up the dozen models who won a contest to meet them :). But they were very polite and sweet. Paul (my favorite) was cooking dinner in the kitchen (lamb chops, mashed potato and Brussels sprouts – yes, I still remember!)

Afterwards, I went to their concert and screamed my lungs out along with everyone else. (I think I held in those screams throughout the whole meeting!) And I didn’t wash my right hand for a week. :)

Carol said...

Hi
Minna, well done on the GR, he's a great little guy!!!

In 1994 our family travelled in the USA. Heading west from Chamberlain on the Missouri River (in South Dakota)we came upon an 1880 Pioneer Town.
The town had been used to film 'Dances with wolves'...

I patted the horse they had there!

He was "Buck" in the movie, and that's the closest I'll ever get to Kevin Costner...(grin)

Cheers Carol

Gillian Layne said...

Minna, congrats on the bird! :)

Good grief, ladies. So many famous meet-ups! I met Warren Buffett once while we lived in Nebraska--he's the nicest person.

You guys will think I'm silly, but one of my biggest 'fan' moments was riding in the elevator last year with Teresa Medeiros. She was chatting with this dear silver-haired lady about her books. I wanted to say "I adore your books, and I love cats, too!" but I just nodded and smiled once we were alone. I'll never know if she was grateful for a moment of peace or just thought I was a tongue-tied idiot. :)

Tawny--shoe money? That made me laugh out loud :)

Helen said...

Congrats on the GR Minna

I am back on line
Great Post Trish wow how lucky are some of you Bandits Paul Newman yum. I have met a few Australian cricket players Jeff Thompson, Steve and Mark Waugh I have been very lucky and met Anna Campbell and Stephanie Laurens and as for any movie or TV stars no not that lucky yet maybe one day.

Have Fun
Helen

Caren Crane said...

Minna, congrats on the GR!!

PJ, you gave me a thrill when you said you met Fran Tarkenton. When I was a little girl, I had the biggest crush on him! *g*

Cheryl, you met the BEATLES?! I am starstruck just reading about it!!

And Kate's story about Paul Newman just made me pea green with envy. I mean, really - PAUL NEWMAN?!

I didn't mention the usual country music stuff, because if you grew up in Nashville when I did, there were loads of accessible country music stars. I saw a bunch, but people didn't hound them really, you know? They lived around there. *shrug*

pjpuppymom said...

Back with a few more...

When I was in college I went to a Blood, Sweat & Tears concert. (that'll show my age! lol) Later that night, after the concert, I left my hotel room to get some ice. The door to the room next to ours opened and out walked the guys from BS&T. Yep, they were staying right next door!

Gillian, are you going to RWA this year? If you are and you see Teresa again, untie that tongue and introduce yourself. She's one of the sweetest people on earth!

I've been very fortunate to meet many of my favorite authors and to call a few of them my friend. Of all the celebrity groups out there (and I do consider y'all celebrities), romance authors are by far the nicest, most gracious, most approachable group of people I've ever encountered. Ever.

hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna said...

I did meet Dolly Parton one time. One of the most beautiful women I have ever layed eyes on, inside and out. She said I had the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen and I just about passed out.

pjpuppymom said...

Caren, from what I read it sounds like Nashville is still like that today and I think that's wonderful.

Cheryl, you lucky girl! I was a young teen when the Beatles first came to the USA and instantly in love with Paul. I wasn't a screamer. When they appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show the first time I just sat on our living room floor with tears streaming down my cheeks. I remember my dad looking at my mom, shaking his head and saying "I don't get it." lol

Kirsty @ Bonjour Quilts said...

I saw Eva Gabor while sight-seeing at Greek ruins on Crete when I was eight (about 25 years ago). My little brother was unimpressed until we told him that she was the lady in 'Green Acres' and got to hang out with Arnold the pig. I was unimpressed once I realised she wasn't Zsa Zsa. We spent the rest of the day speaking in bad Austrian accents and calling each other 'Dahhhhling'.
Apart from that, just a few Australian cricketers and Australian Rules Football players, who are not to be sniffed at (if you like tall, lean men).

KirstyC

Bunny B said...

Oh, man! :) I actually met my idol, Kylie Minogue!! She's so sweet, I love her even more! :)

Deb Marlowe said...

The banditas are well connected!


I met Bobby McFerrin once, right when "Don't Worry, Be Happy" was big.

I met Diana Gabaldon and got her to sign my copy of Voyager, very cool!

Hmm..I ate Tim Tams and drank champagne with double Rita nominee Anna Campbell!

peggy said...

when i was small i went to a country music out door concert
and i got lorretta lynns
autograph.

Susan Sey said...

Hey, PJ, here in MN, meeting Fran Tarkenton is like shaking hand with a deity or something. You probably start to glow like the Virgin Mary as soon as you enter the state. :-)

As for writing related fan girl moments, at the 2006 RWA conference in Atlanta, I ran into Christina Dodd. Literally. I turned around & said, "Oh my gosh, excuse me," then turned back to my conversation. Three beats later I realized whom I'd just crushed & turned back around but she was gone. She'd been very sweet & gracious about the whole thing. And it wasn't like I shouldn't have recognized her. She'd just given the keynote address. In retrospect, I suppose I should be glad I didn't recognize her--saved myself an potentially embarrassing gushing fan-girl moment. But I wish I'd at least had the presence of mind to thank her for a really lovely & inspiring speech. ("Just keep walking..." Remember that one? It really was good.)

thanks for a fun blog, Trish!

Susan

Trish Milburn said...

Looks like the GR is really traveling today. Take care of him on his far travels, Minna.

PJ, that is a lot of sports encounters. So, did you feel tiny on the elevator with all those Pistons? :)

AC, I didn't realize Dustin Hoffman was that short.

Jane, I think Janeane Garofolo is funny. Your airport comment reminded me -- I once saw Emmylou Harris waiting for her bag in the baggage claim of the Nashville airport.

Trish Milburn said...

Cheryl, wow on meeting the Beatles. That's a pretty big brush with fame.

Carol, I've been to the same 1880 town in South Dakota and seen the same horse!

Gillian, my hubby is a big fan of Warren Buffett's. They have very similar views on economics. Hubby was an econ major and really enjoys investigating stocks. And I don't think it's silly that you had a starstruck moment with Teresa. She's very sweet, so if you meet up with her again, definitely tell her that you've enjoyed her books. She's a nice, sweet Kentucky girl like me. :)

I didn't include authors in the post (other than the Alex Haley reference, which was a biggie), but we can toss out some of the biggest starstruck author moments too if you all like. I've met Nora Roberts (very nice), J.R. Ward (I acted like a gooby fangirl), Sherrilyn Kenyon (maybe that doesn't count since she's a friend), and Nevada Barr (author of one of my favorite mystery authors). I'd love to meet Dana Stabenow (another of my favorite mystery authors) to talk writing and about life in Alaska. Also Stephenie Meyer so I can tell her how much I love her Twilight books.

Terri Osburn said...

Wow! Paul Newman AND the Beatles?! How could we possibly top those?

Lessee...I lived in Nashville for three years back in the 90s so ran into a few country stars then. Or should I say, they nearly ran into me. I worked at Opryland (when the amusement park was still there) and Porter Wagner nearly killed me with a golf cart. Then Ricky Skaggs nearly ran me off the road near his house one night.

Also worked in Country radio for years so met other stars that way. Did an on-air interview with Ross Coleman of the Professional Bull Riders tour and he was the closest I've ever gotten to a *real* cowboy. Chivalry is NOT dead, ladies.

I attended a booksigning at Nora's hubby's store in MD when Eloisa James was there. Pleasure for Pleasure had just come out and a bunch of us Bon Bons had sent her a scrap book from all over the country. I was so excited when Eloisa held up the scrapbook, I forgot to talk to Nora. I'm sure she thinks I'm the most horrible person. But it was really all Eloisa's fault.

I nearly yelled "You're Sophia Nash!!" when I first saw her at the NJ conference last year. I later told her and it's now a little joke between us. *g*

San Fran is going to be celeb overload. I can't even think about it!

Love this topic, Trish.

Trish Milburn said...

PJ, I agree that romance authors are incredibly friendly, gracious and approachable. Even huge bestsellers like Nora and Lisa Kleypas.

Dianna, from all accounts, Dolly is a very nice lady. Very down to earth. She does a lot for the community of Pigeon Forge, where Dollywood theme park is located, and helped launch a program here in Tennessee that puts new books in the hands of kids all across the state.

Kirsty, Eva Gabor is a pretty big sighting too.

I've seen a good number of NHL hockey players, but I don't think that counts since they were on the ice playing. :)

Hubby has met racecar driver Casey Kahne because Casey was doing some appearance for hubby's company.

Trish Milburn said...

Bunny, I like Kylie. How cool you met her. What was she like? Was this at a concert?

Deb, thanks a lot! Now I have "Don't Worry, Be Happy" stuck in my head. Get it out! (Trish gets the iTunes rolling.) :) How cool that you met Diana Gabaldon.

PJ, will you hate me if I say I had to look up on Wikipedia who Blood, Sweat and Tears were? :) I've been to concerts before, but I don't consider those brushes with fame either since I wasn't like right next to the stage being hit with the singer's sweat. :)

Peggy, cool on getting Loretta Lynn's autograph.

pjpuppymom said...

Trish, I'm 5'3. Tiny would be a massive understatement. lol. I felt like a sapling in a forest of redwoods!

Trish Milburn said...

Susan, your story about running into Christina Dodd reminded me of something that happened to me at the RT conference last month. It was the last night of the conference, and of course everyone was partying (it's a constant party at RT). I zipped out to the ladies room, and when I came back out I nearly ran smack into Fabio. It was also one of those things where I didn't realize who it was when I was trying not to plow into him. He was enough past me though that he didn't really notice so I didn't officially meet him.

doglady said...

Minna can now say she has had a close encounter with another celebrity - The Golden Rooster!

Wow, you ladies are champs at rubbing elbows with the rich and famous!Paul Newman? SWOON!!

Faramir? Oh Anna C, you lucky thing! And Rufus Sewell too? I really love his work.

My Dad was head mechanic for Bart Starr Lincoln/Mercury for years and Bart and his wife used to come to the annual picnics. They were so sweet! There was always a football game at the end of the picnic and Bart quarterbacked for both sides. My nephew had a football that Bart autographed originally for my brother. They were out of the country when my Dad died, but they sent the nicest letter to my Mom. She still has it.

I met Vincent Price when my dh and I were in college. He came to the University of Alabama to perform his one man show Oscar Wilde. He was incredible and we got to talk to him after the show. I told him he had been in my nightmares for years and he laughed that evil laugh of his. We started talking about Wilde and then moved on to Byron. It was a memorable evening.

My Mom grew up with Hank Williams, Sr. He was a friend of a couple of her older brothers. He used to come to the back door and tell my Mammaw "Ms. Neelie, I'll cut you some firewood if you'll fix me some syrup and biscuits." My Mom's family were poor Indian sharecroppers, but his family was even more poor than hers! Years later, my brother worked lights for the local amphitheater and worked a Hank Williams, Jr. concert. He told Hank about my Mom and Hank gave my brother tickets and backstage passes for the concert for Mom, my other brother, his wife and kids. He was so nice and he and Mom talked a long time about his Dad.

In the opera business I have been fortunate to have dinner with Leontyne Price, met Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo - all very nice.

Romance authors I have met include Teresa Medeiros (ate lunch with her)Karen Hawkins, Stephanie Laurens, Linda Howard, Gayle Wilson, Lyn Stone, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dianna Love-Snell.

And of course I have met Anna Campbell online and can't wait to meet her in person along with all of the other Banditas!! I spend time with famous people every day when I visit the Banditas!

pjpuppymom said...

"PJ, will you hate me if I say I had to look up on Wikipedia who Blood, Sweat and Tears were? :) I've been to concerts before, but I don't consider those brushes with fame either since I wasn't like right next to the stage being hit with the singer's sweat. :)"

Eeewww, that's a visual I could do without. lol

Awww Trish, of course I don't hate you. I fully expected some people wouldn't know who they were. (hence the age comment in my post) ;)

Trish Milburn said...

terrio, how cool that you worked at Opryland. I miss Opryland. :( LOL on Porter Wagoner almost mowing you down with a golf cart.

PJ, I'm 5'6", and I've been around a fair number of college basketball players since my brother-in-law played ball at Vanderbilt. I feel like a shrimp next to them. It was funny at BIL's wedding -- all the ball players had to sit in the back row.

Trish Milburn said...

doglady, LOL on telling Vincent Price that he'd been in your nightmares. Hee hee. You know what I equate him with? Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video.

That was a nice story about Hank Sr. and Hank Jr. And that's an impressive list of opera stars you've met.

You mentioned Linda Howard. I totally forgot about Linda! I see her every few months since we're the two Region 3 reps on the RWA board. I did have the funny, surreal thought back in March when we were in Houston for a board meeting and heading out to dinner: "A few years ago, I would have never thought I'd be driving around Houston with Linda Howard in my car." :)

pjpuppymom said...

Terri, I didn't know Eloisa had brought the scrapbook to that signing. That's so cool! :)

Trish Milburn said...

doglady, that was so sweet of you to say about the Banditas being celebrities. And I'm so excited to get to meet you in a couple of days!

Joan said...

Wow, Carol, your hand stroked the horse that Kevin's did....

I'll stop at that analogy right there :-)

Gillian, Teresa Mederios IS the most gracious person. I "kind of" know her from multiple appearances etc. here in KY (She lives in Western KY). She would have loved meeting you!

pjpuppymom said...

Trish, I felt that way after attending Celebrate Romance this year. No way could I ever have anticipated that I would be tooling around a city in Cathy Maxwell's car or chowing down on BBQ while sharing a table with Karen Hawkins and her honey or having lunch with Sabrina Jeffries or sprawled in a hotel room giggling and sharing stories with Jacquie D'Alessandro. :)

Terri Osburn said...

PJ - we got to look through the entire thing that day. We being Avery, Mander and myself. It was so great to see what everyone had put together.

Trish - what do they have in there where the amusement park used to be? I haven't been back since they took it down.

pjpuppymom said...

Doglady, that's such a sweet story about Hank Williams and Jr.

Telling Vincent Price you'd been seeing him in your nightmares for years is a classic! I never would have thought of something that great to say!

Joan said...

Doglady, your mention of Pavarotti reminded me of one of my friends and her goober husband.

Back when Princess Di was killed (I would have LOVED to have seen her!) my friend's husband just caught the tailend of a news report that mentioned papparazzi.

He asked Vickie "Pavarotti? Why was Pavarotti chasing Princess Di?"

LOL

p226 said...

I've had some "brushes" with fame. Or infamy. Fawn Hall comes to mind.... And Donna Rice. But both of those were more than brushes. Especially Fawn. Poor Fawn... I wonder what she's up to these days. It's funny that I can honestly look back on Iran-Contra as "the good ole days" since I was so young.

And no, I was not on the boat with Donna. The one so aptly named "Risky Business." Donna's been doing interesting stuff for the past few years too. Ironic... but interesting.

I've met many entertainers. The coolest of which were absolutely the (post Lionel Ritchie) Commodores. Remember them? Very cool guys. Super laid-back, and fun to hang out with.

I've also met quite a few sports figures. Football players mostly. And not really top tier players in terms of being on the front pages of the sports rags. But good players. Denny Harrah, for example. All pro lineman. But unless linemen shoot someone, they don't really make the news.

The thing I've noticed about these celebrity types is that there are three kinds. You have the ones that care about their fans, and the ones that care about themselves. And then you have the infamous political types (such as Fawn and Donna) that just want everything and everyone, especially the press, to just go away and let them live their lives.

Regardless, I've never afforded any celebrity that I've met "special" status. Ok, maybe one. I held Jake E. Lee (Ozzy's guitar player through the late 80s) in fairly high esteem. But that was because he truly was a skilled musician. And Valentina Litsitsa (a Ukranian piano virtuoso) was really nice. And brought tears to my eyes with her performance of Chopin's Etudes. But actors, actresses, bands, musicians? As a rule? What have they done to deserve elevated stature? Especially actors. Should we hold them in high esteem because they look good and play pretend well? I mean, isn't that all acting is? Playing pretend? Dunno about you guys, but I had that knocked out when I was five, and moved on to more challenging activities. Like reading Ludlum novels.

Ironically, when exposed to these folks, I honestly think they appreciated not being held on some pedestal. I treated them like normal people. And what I found out, most of the time, is that having a conversation with them is not very different from having a conversation with a stranger on the bus. They're just people.

pjpuppymom said...

Gillian, I'm going to share a Teresa Medeiros story with you. I was a regular on Squawk Radio and "talked" with the SR authors on an almost daily basis but I had never met a romance author in person. I live close to Atlanta so in 2006 I drove down for the day to attend the literacy booksigning. As I was walking through the lobby I spied four women sitting at a table in the atrium cafe. Only one of them was facing me and I recognized her as Elizabeth Bevarly. They were laughing and didn't sound like they were talking business so I walked over to Liz and said, "Excuse me, I just wanted to say hello. I'm PJ." Well, Liz yelled "PJ!", jumped up from her seat and gave me a hug. At the same time I heard this loud squeal behind me and a bubbly, adorable, grinning blonde grabbed me out of Liz's arms, gave me a huge hug and told me how excited she was to meet me. Yep, that blonde was Teresa Medeiros and *she* was saying she was excited to meet *me*! I'm sure I don't have to tell you that was pretty much a lifetime highlight moment for me and a great example of the kind of person she is. I really hope you'll have the opportunity to meet her in person and find that out for yourself.

Minna said...

Trish, maybe one one of these will get the "Don't Worry, Be Happy" out of your head:
Neljä Ruusua - Popmuseo <-I saw those guys once
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay-7FEK6-kE
And I saw the wife of one of these guys in a second hand bookstore, looking for the bands old albums -evidently the husband hadn't saved any of them- so that the kids could hear what daddy had done when he was young:
Bogart Co. - Princess
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AutQjKLjLNQ

Minna said...

Oh, and that man I saw in Savonlinna was George Baker. It was surprising to say the least to run into him in a local supermarket.

Minna said...

But maybe he was in Savonlinna because of the Opera Festival.

Trish Milburn said...

terrio, there's a big mall where Opryland used to be. It's a nice mall, but seriously, we have a million and one malls. They closed Opryland because they weren't getting as much business as Dollywood. That whole area suffered in the time between when the park closed and when the mall opened. Lots of the touristy stuff went bye-bye.

p226, I believe you're right about the camps that celebrities fall into. And with only a couple of exceptions, the ones I've met have been nice, down-to-earth folks who just happen to have a job that puts them in the public eye. But as far as actors go -- they're like any other professional. If they are good at their chosen art form, I'm going to admire the work. There's a big difference between really crappy actors who must just be in it for the money and ones who you can tell spend a lot of time on their roles, trying to make the characters come alive so the viewing audience can believe and lose themselves for a couple of hours in a movie world. I equate good acting to writing a good book -- it's not as easy as it looks from the outside looking in.

Minna said...

And when I was in Canada few years ago some Canadian professional golfers helped me with my heavy bag -I had 3 months worth of stuff in it. I would have had no idea if my relatives wouldn't have told me. I'm not a fan of golf, after all. But my, the guy who carried my bad was good looking and polite.

Minna said...

carried my bag, not my bad...

Donna MacMeans said...

THe BEATLES!!!! Oh Cheryl, that is so very, very cool.

Deb - I met Diana Gabaldon as well when she came through on a library tour. I took hardbacks of Outlander and Voyager for her to sign. One of them, she signed in Gaelic which I thought was neat.

I'm afraid, for the most part, I could sitting next to most film stars and not recognize them - alas.

PJ - had to chuckle about the basketball players. I had one very briefly as an almost client. We met for a breakfast meeting before he was to leave to play the overseas circuit. My Lord, those guys are tall!!! So many complete strangers came to our table to ask if this giant played basketball (well, yeah). You could tell he wasn't exactly thrilled with the interruptions. I can't remember his name now - but he used to play for Duke University. You must have been looking at a lot of waistlines in that elevator *g*.

Minna - Congrats on the rooster. Be sure he wears his sweater.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Congrats on the GR, Minna!

I want to go to Cheryl's DH's shop. Sam Neill. Yum. Reilly Ace of Spies. Grins.

We are SO keeping you, Doglady. You think we're famous. Grins. Totally cool on the Hank story. :>

P226 said: Dunno about you guys, but I had that knocked out when I was five, and moved on to more challenging activities. Like reading Ludlum novels.

Dude, you crack me up. BTW, if you think Ludlum's challenging, try Umberto Eco. Had to read the #*&#@(&$ book with a dictionary at my elbow.

*pout* I want to eat Tim Tams and have champagne with Anna Campbell.

Around DC, you see a lot of politicos and so forth. I used to see Jack Valenti all the time when I was downtown. He was CEO of the Motion Picture Assn.

I got to play whist till 2 a.m. with the front line of the Cleveland Browns once. Talk about big guys! :> My Mom sold the Quarterback a house and he invited us to a party. My brothers, sister and I knew how to play whist so...it was a blast.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Speaking of Duke U. I used to be transportation volunteer for a celebrity bash there. I drove PJ Carlissimo, Denis Farina, and the guy who used to play the Sherrif on Murder She Wrote. :> Oh, and some of the soap stars, but I don't watch soaps, so I didn't know any of them. Oh, and a BUNCH of baseball players...

Trish Milburn said...

Jeanne, LOL on playing whist with the Cleveland Browns.

jo robertson said...

Trish, what a totally fabulous idea for a blog topic.

Isn't it strange how when those moments are happening to you, you don't think of them as such a big deal?

Minna, congrats on capturing the Golden Rooster. My goodness, he's off to Europe now. He must be thrilled!

Would I be terribly ignorant if I asked where Savonlinna is?

AC, how precious to have Alex Haley's autograph in ROOTS!

And, okay, I'm so jealous of the Paul Newman encounter, Kate. He's the REAL "ole blue eyes."

limecello said...

I don't think I have any brushes with fame, LOL! I'm pretty clueless and don't keep up with ... celebrities of any sort. I think I've been a few places where famous people were as well, but I personally missed them. I probably came into contact with a few athletes, but I don't recognize them either :X. I have a friend who's friends with Ted Ginn Jr (football player) - FB says I'm friends with a few of those. LOL. And then I guess my best shot at "close encounters with famous people" would be politicians. I worked on the hill last summer - but other than a few scandals breaking while I was there and camera crews camping in the hallways, I didn't see much. :P I'm so celebrity useless.

Minna said...

Jo, you can find Savonlinna here:
http://virtual.finland.fi/netcomm/news/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=27068

Cassondra said...

Trish said:

I equate good acting to writing a good book -- it's not as easy as it looks from the outside looking in.

Oh you are SO right. I think it's even harder than that because the actor must take someone else's writing and bring it to life in performance art! In particular because an actor plays different roles, and has to assimilate an entire new "character" with each role he/she plays. And do it SO WELL that we forget the previous roles we've seen the actor play while we watch this film and BELIEVE that this actor really is that character. It's an amazing skill.

Terrio, I worked in Nashville for years, in the music biz, so my encounters with the famous got to be everyday events...and P226 is right I think--they really appreciate being able to just walk down the street or shop for groceries or whatever. As they get really famous it's difficult for them to even go out to eat with family without being bombarded. I always tried to leave them alone whenever possible--although sometimes my job was to get other people to leave them alone--that was not fun, getting to be the bad guy. Some fans are great--very respectful. But some are absolutely RABID.

pj, I'm lol at the vision of you on an elevator with all those football guys. At first I said, "how did five of them FIT in an elevator? (grin)

Cassondra said...

Jo, I'm jealous of the Paul Newman encounter as well.

Although I'm like limecello and don't keep up with celebrities as a rule. My husband looks across a crowded airport and says "there's _______" and I'm like, "WHO?" It's always some obscure actor from an obscure scene in some film that I would never even notice.

Once we were in an airport bar in Charlotte, NC, and some guy was alone a few tables over and my husband recognized him as one of the characters in one of the new Star Trek films (well, new a few years ago). Heck, he was some alien creature with ridges on his face and head. I wouldn't have recognized him in a gazillion years, but my husband KNOWS who these people are!

Not me. I'm clueless. Paul Newman, however.....I would have noticed that.

Minna said...

THE BEATLES, Cheryl? Now I'm really jealous.

cheryl c said...

I haven't met anybody famous. I feel so deprived!

Trish Milburn said...

limecello, I bet your time working on the Hill was interesting nonetheless.

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

THE BEATLES?!?!?!

Cheryl, please may I kiss the hem of your garment?!?! PRETTY PLEASE?!?!

And Doglady, Leontyne Price is pretty dang special too! She was born in the same small Mississippi town as my ex.

HUGS and THANX PJ for saying we Banditas are celebs. Only a FEW of us have that status right now (I wanna eat tim tams and drink bubbly with Anna Campbell TOO!) but someday...

Starry eyed AC

Terri Osburn said...

Cassondra - I did a three month stint on Music Row only to learn someone claiming to be a record label does not make them one. Took months to recover from all those bouncing paychecks. *sigh*

I ran into that little guy from the Statler Brothers in a dance hall once (Rodeos I think). Pretended I didn't know who he was and we hung out most of the night. I even danced with him and he sang the Bee Gees to me. When he hit the high notes, I had to admit I knew who he was. LOL! But I think he appreciated that I didn't ask him about his job. *g*

jo robertson said...

Thanks, Minna, right after I posted the comment I googled it. I feel geographically-challenged.

Cheryl, I would've killed to see the Beatles. My close friend had back-stage passes to one of their shows when she was in college. Unfortunately, I didn't know her then, so I have to live vicariously through her encounter with them.

traveler said...

Many years ago when I was visiting the Stratford Shakespearean Festival in Ontario I met a few of the actors at dinner. What a thrill that was. I was young and it was memorable and wonderful.

Jennifer Y. said...

My first instinct was to name authors I met because meeting them is when I get the most excited...but I didn't figure that was what you meant.

Hmmm...

Well, when I was a teen they were filming a movie near my house where my sister worked with Laurence Fishburne and Stephen Baldwin. Knowing I was a fan of the tv show The Young Riders (which starred Baldwin), my sis called and my mom took me up there. I saw both actors and Stephen Baldwin noticed me off to the side with my camera and started making goofy faces at me...LOL.

They also filmed Sweet Home Alabama with Reese Witherspoon, Josh Lucas, and Patrick Dempsey at my college while I was a student. But, alas, no McDreamy run-ins. A couple of years before I went to the college, Denzel Washington was there filming Remember the Titans. It's kind of neat to watch movies and recognize places.

I have met a few country music stars at concerts. Back when Keith Urban was with a band called The Ranch he performed at a local BBQ festival. We went and sat on the lawn in our lawn chairs to enjoy this little band no one (but probably me) had heard of. He jumped off the stage and actually did a guitar solo right in front of my chair...I was close enough to touch him if I had been brave enough. He probably couldn't do that now since he has hit it big, but back then no one knew him.

Kate Carlisle said...

Trish, wow, what a fun post! And Minna, congrats on nabbing the GR!

I'm screaming like a Beatlemaniac at Cheryl! You met the BEATLES? Are you kidding me? I would've remembered all those dinner details, too. They're my all-time faves forever. Hands down, you win my personal prize for best celeb sighting ever! Ever!

Gillian, I don't think you're silly at all. I have many moments at conferences when I'm struck dumb by the presence of one of the many author goddesses I adore. :-)

I grew up in LA and worked in television and met lots of 'names' but when it comes to meeting my favorite authors, I get tongue-tied, too!

Jennifer Y. said...

Oh, I left off someone. I met actor Dan Biggers (from In the Heat of the Night tv show and various other movies and shows) when I was in college. He spoke to my small theater class and was so warm and friendly when I talked to him after class. He had been Dean of Students at my college when he first started acting and I saw him several times at various functions there throughout my four years there. He was always friendly.

Kate Carlisle said...

Ooh, I rode up in an elevator with Magic Johnson a few years ago! He's sooooo tall. And so nice. :-)

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

It was a fun night of cards, Trish! And they were all so careful of their language as my sister and I were in our teens. :> Nevertheless, a blast.

Beth Andrews said...

I love hearing about everyone's brushes with fame *g* I've never met a celebrity and honestly can't remember even seeing one live and in person :-)

My husband played football against Jim Kelly (quarterback for the Buffalo Bills) when they were both in high school and when he was older, he ran the light show for a local band and he got to meet the members of Cheap Trick, Badfinger, Blue Oyster Cult, The Outlaws and Head East.

I went to the BOC and Cheap Trick shows but didn't get to meet anyone :-(

I really need to get out more ;-)

Anna Campbell said...

Minna, I think that guy's name is George Baker - not sure WHY I remember that and I can never remember where I left my glasses!

Cheryl, I still think your Beatles story is the coolest thing I ever heard. When Cheryl first time it to me, we were sitting in a cafe right across the road from the block of apartments that used to be the Sheraton in Kings Cross in Sydney where it all happened! Like only looking at the venue reminded you of it. If I'd met the Beatles, I'd have it tattooed on my forehead! I still giggle at the idea of Paul cooking up lamb chops and veg for tea. Bet he doesn't do that any more!

Jane, DW is really gorgeous in real life too. A bit like Rufus Sewell, more physically powerful than I'd expected. They both have a slightly fey presence on screen.

Anna Campbell said...

Helen, I laughed (and was kinda flattered) that you count me as a celebrity. As I sit her barefoot in my flannelette nightie, I don't FEEL like a celebrity! ;-) But thank you!

Posh, Kate's Paul Newman story was up there with the Beatles one, wasn't it? How fantastic!

Awww, PJ, that was lovely. Although if your point of comparison is big tough rock musicians, I'm not sure how reliable your assessment is!

Keira Soleore said...

I have nothing intelligent to contribute here, because I'm gosh darn too envious of all the Banditas' brushes of fame. Queen Mum? Paul Newman? zomg!

Minna, looks like it got too warm for the GR so he decided to hop waaaay north over to you.

Anna Campbell said...

Dianna, cool on DP! I really admire her - she's so smart and she's in on the joke which makes it so cool. I love her line "People often call me a dumb blonde. But I'm not dumb. And I'm not blonde."

Hey, Kirsty, quite partial to a long, lean man myself! ;-)

Bunny, our Kylie! How cool. How did you manage that?

Deb, snort. Here's my other celebrity call. I got to have champagne with Golden Heart winner and new Harlequin author Deb Marlowe ;-)

Minna said...

Yeah, it was George. It was a bit of a jolt to see him shopping in the local supermarket.

Anna Campbell said...

Peggy, how cool on LL!

Pam, I swear, you need to write a book and put all your stories into them. After you've conquered the romance writing world, of course, which I don't think is far off. That Hank Williams story is amazing!

P226, snickering at the Ludlum comment! Low blow, my friend!

Miss Jeanne, if you're really REALLY nice to me until July, we may organise the Tim Tams and champers. Starting NOW!

Helen said...

What fantastic stories The Beatles Paul Newman all the fantastic authors people have met.

Anna it was a thrill to meet you and I would love to meet all the Bandita's

Have Fun
Helen

Anna Campbell said...

Hmm, who would have thought Tim Tams and champagne would have got me the opportunity to have people treat me like a goddess for a few months? I like it! They probably don't, but oh, well, them's the breaks. AC, please read the note I left for Jeanne about being really REALLY nice!

Deb, this was a great scam. Thanks for letting me in on it!

Ooh, Traveler, come back and name drop!!! Please!

Jennifer, cool Keith Urban story. He comes from a town just down the road from where I live now. Believe me, it's not where you think a future millionaire country singer would originate!

Joan said...

We have a little event here in Louisville some of you may have heard of....The Kentucky Derby?

Anyway, LOTS of celebrities come to it though the closest I usually get is seeing a limo driving down the road. (I always wave at the tinted windows)

Associated with the festivities is a charity party the night before called the Barnstable-Brown Party. It is held to benefit diabetes by Patricia Barnstable (one of the original Doublemint Twins).

They have it at her house on the edge of Cherokee park and people gather behind tape to watch the red carpet arrivals.

One year John Goodman arrived. He immediately went out to shake hands along though how he managed it was a mystery....he was pretty well snookered. But hey, points for being friendly.

That same year Stephanie Beecham came. She's a British actress who was on Dynasty at the time. I never will forget how BEAUTIFUL and elegant she was. Simple black gown, simple diamond necklace/earrings. Beautiful smile. So gracious.

I then went round the back to the house to try and catch more glimpses but only saw local attendees trying to use port-a-potties in THEIR gowns LOL. Not pretty.

Anna Campbell said...

Helen, I'd love to be able to teleport the Banditas over to Australia too. You'll just have to save up and come over to one of the US conferences. You'd be in heaven!

Minna said...

I also know someone -and it's not me- who would have had the chance to dance with Bryan Adams -and she turned him down! Now she regrets it...

Minna said...

Of course, back then he was only a local celebrity, but still...

Suzanne Ferrell said...

Okay, just chiming in for a moment on the vicarious celebrity sighting. My oldest daughter used to work at the Borders near Don Henley's (Eagles) house. He'd come in all the time and just shoot the breeze with her and the other bookstore empoloyees. She never called me to drive down when he was there, darn kid!

Christine Wells said...

Great post, Trish! OMG, The Beatles, Cheryl? Wow, I'd never wash myself again;)

Love all these brushes with fame but Paul Newman, oh my! Especially just after Butch Cassidy. That would have been awesome.

hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna said...

Trish, she really did seem super nice. Very gracious and I could listen to her talk all day.

hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna said...

Anna, she does have a down home manner about her. I thought it was hilarious when she compared her uhhh, bosom to putting 10 lbs of mud in a 5 lb sack, this was when her costume literally split open.
Her complexion is flawless, I now know exactly what the historical authors mean when they say a woman has a porcelain complexion.

Pat Cochran said...

Hello to all,

My celebrity sightings are from way, waaaay back in the day. The first, young actor Mark Damon, the second was film star Pancho of the Cisco Kid and Pancho. A family favorite from the early '70s was Fred Willis, for whom we baked a cake when his birthdays came around. Fred was an outstanding running back for the Houston
Oilers football team! Oh, and I
know my son, David, who was an
extra in the now-cult-favorite
film, Student Bodies!! LOLOLOL!

Pat Cochran

Trish Milburn said...

Jennifer, that's cool about the movie with Stephen Baldwin. I was a HUGE Young Riders fan. I also remember when Keith Urban was in The Ranch. :) Strangely, I'm not a big country music fan, but I do like Keith.

Suz, that's a cool story about Don Henley.

Dina said...

Wow alot of great brushes.

I'm a big hockey fan and when I was younger I met several known players. I shook hands with Rick Springfield & Billy Ray Cyrus many yrs ago. I was in a background scene of Major League, way in the background, lol. But my most memorable brush was 2 yrs ago when I met Gerard Butler at a GALS convention in Vegas. :) :)

Trish Milburn said...

Dina, you met Gerry!? My friend Mary would just pass out. I really like him.

And your mention of Billy Ray Cyrus reminded me that I saw him once too. When the Olympics were in Atlanta, the Olympic Torch came through Nashville. I went out to see it pass by, and Billy Ray was carrying it at that point -- mullet and all. :)

Deb Marlowe said...

Anytime, Fo Anna! How about a cut of all that chocolate and bubbly?

Unknown said...

“I still giggle at the idea of Paul cooking up lamb chops and veg for tea.”

Anna, the thing that struck me the most was how ordinary they were even though they were SO famous. The hotel wasn’t luxurious by any means and there they were cooking for themselves!!

Aunty Cindy, I’ll have to get Anna to introduce us. I’ll let you shake the hand that shook theirs. :)

doglady said...

Now, I have to say I have received a phone call from Golden Heart winner and published author, Deb Marlowe, to tell me I was a finalist in the Royal Ascot and she called to tell me I won! The girls in the bakery said "Some Yankee lady called you and said she'd call back!" Hey, Yankee Lady!

And PJ you are SO right about Teresa Medeiros being a doll! I met and ate lunch with her at a Reader's Luncheon in Birmingham after the Avon FanLit event. She had awarded my winning chapter in the novella her "rose" for her pick as the best chapter that round. When she found out who I was I had to sit at her table and she told EVERYONE there that I was an author they had to watch for and said so many nice things about my writing. Needless to say I was on cloud 9 plus for days!

Aunty Cindy, Leontyne is a class act and an amazing talent. Her cousin went to grad school with me and as a result we got tickets any time she was in Mississippi, Louisianna or anywhere close. Did you know her brother was a four star general? He had dinner with us all one evening as well.

My uncles who were closest to Hank Sr. have passed on, but their stories and those of the rest of my Mom's siblings are preserved in a family journal I started.

Trish, I can't wait to meet your celebrity self on Saturday!

Trish Milburn said...

Pam, that's another lovely story about Teresa.

Thanks for all of the wonderful comments today. My sister has had lots of brushes with fame, so maybe she'll stop by when she has the chance.