Your brush with celebrity

[Duffinator]

About a decade ago I met and chatted with Mario Andretti. We were at a trade show and he was sitting across from the booth I was working in. He looked bored to tears and nobody was asking for his autograph. I'm thinking how can everyone be ignoring one of the greatest auto racing champions of all time??? So I walk over to him and we start talking about the Champ - IRL split back then. He thinks it really stupid but didn't think it would last long. Got that one wrong. He was very friendly and gracious and gave me an autographed picture that I have now given to my son.

About the same time I flew to DC and had Janet Reno sit two rows in front of me in coach! When I arrived at the gate I noticed several secret service men standing around talking into their coat sleeves. Then I noticed Ms. Reno. I was surprised she sat in coach but happy to see a government official hanging with the people. There were a few SS men on the plane as well. That was the safest flight I have ever been on!

I also flew to SLC one winter in the early 90's. The night before I went to the Kings Bulls basketball game at ARCO Arena. As I approached the gate I saw several Bulls players including Michael Jordan. I called my secretary and tell her that I'm on the same plane as Michael Jordan. She gets all excited and tells me she will do ANYTHING if I get her his autograph. Keep in mind we were both single at the time and she was hot looking!!! Michael sat at the gate with a newspaper in front of him like he could hide behind it. When he got on the plane in first class he had headphones on and was reading a magazine and looking out the window, clear message that he didn't want to be bothered. When we arrived in Salt Lake I had brought my skis with me and went down to the baggage pickup area. Scottie Pippen and Bill Cartwright were standing next to me. So I look up at them and ask: Where's Michael? Scottie says: "He's on the Bus". I said who's going to get his luggage? Scottie says in a very annoyed tone: "We have to get his damm luggage"! I just laughed.

[RayW]

Originally Posted by Duffinator

I also flew to SLC one winter in the early 90's. The night before I went to the Kings Bulls basketball game at ARCO Arena.

That reminds me of another. I was up in Chicago for a friend's wedding. The groom was (is?) Australian. One of his friends was Luc Longley, then center for the Bulls. The first time I met him I had just driven up to the reception, in their backyard, after helping clean up at the church. As I hopped out of the truck this guy had to duck to get out of the tent set up for the reception. I was standing with a buddy who's about 5'4" and it was quite the contrast seeing him standing beside 7'2" Luc. He had to sit sideways at the table (standard folding type tables) because his legs from knee down were too tall to fit under the table. I also met his wife, ~6'2" or so, and his 2 very charming little girls. I met him again at a birthday party for a 1 year old. They had a pinata hanging from the 10' ceiling. After the festivities Luc just reached up and untied the string from the light fixture. He was a super nice guy and just sat around chatting with everyone.

When he was traded (I believe to Phoenix) he gave a ton of his Bulls stuff to Sue and Chris (the 2 who were getting married). Somewhere I still have a pair of basketball shorts that fall about halfway between my knees and ankles. (note: they were new, not stinky)

Ray