Earlier this week did you happen to see Rob Lowe as a guest on Conan?
[If not, I’ll wait here while you watch this clip of it. Take your time. No rush.]
[Okay, continuing on…]
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IN THE ABOVE INTERVIEW Conan reminds Rob Lowe that The Donald thinks that Rob Lowe is the most beautiful man he’s ever seen.
As much as I dislike The Donald, for many reasons, on this particular point I agree with him.
I’ve seen Rob Lowe in person. In an airport. Waiting for his wife [girlfriend?] to exit the Women’s Rest Room.
He smiled at me as I walked by, tipped his ball cap– and I swooned.
Yes, Rob Lowe is as incredibly handsome in person as he is on-screen. I’m talking really. good. looking.
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THANKS TO THE FOREGOING remembrance I got thinking about all the celebrities I’ve seen in person, usually in airports, occasionally at business events.
Or sometimes just out and about.
The following is a list of these celebrities, presented in no special order, intended to get you, my gentle readers, talking about famous people you’ve seen in real life.
Go on. Tell all.
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MY LIST OF CELEBRITY SIGHTINGS
Rob Lowe [Movie + TV]
Paul O’Neill [MLB]
Phylicia Rashad [TV]
Richard Belzer [Comedian + TV]
James Cromwell [Movie]
Sela Ward [TV]
Peter Frampton [Music]
Big Show [WWE]
Joe Theismann [NFL]
Ann-Margaret [Movie + Stage]
Anthony Muñoz [NFL]
Carrot Top [Comedian]
Melanie Griffith [Movie]
Richard Chamberlain [TV + Stage]
Tim Russert [News + Author]
Tasha Tudor [Artist + Author]
Don Budge [ATP]
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You have quite the list there. I’ve come face to star-struck face with: Michael Jackson, Gary Bussey , Paula Abdul, Herbie Hancock, Maya Angelou, Ertha Kitt, Geoffrey Holder (The Uncola Man for those of us old enough to remember that), the group Color Me Badd, Prince (OMG is he shorter than you think, lol. Even with the heels), Eryka Badu, India Aire, Common, Alicia Keys and Don Cheadle (before he was famous – his mom and my mom worked together and were friends. Traded comic books with him and baby sat his little brother)…um, I think that’s it. Kinda fun doing a little shameless name dropping ;-).
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Dana, you amaze! So many musicians. And Don Cheadle?! My celebrity sightings pale in comparison. But I agree, it’s fun to do a bit of shameless name dropping. Thanks for playing along.
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I worked at an air port for a minute which is where most of my sightings happened :-).
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Ah-ha! Now that makes sense. Still good on you for paying attention.
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I’m coming up blank but I must have seen some. Lionel Ritchie was wonderful in performance but my husband has a story about the Doobie Brothers. It was back in the day…they were performing at our local fair. On his way to work he walked past a large hotel and they were unloading. He said, “You’re one of the Doobie Brothers.” The guy said, “Yes I am and who are you?” He told them and then this guy introduced him all around as if he was a star. It’s one of his favorite stories (that means it only takes a half beer before he brings it out at parties).
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Kate, that’s a great story! I remember the Doobie Brothers, sort of. I can understand why your husband needs to tell the story as often as possible! Better that he share something positive after a beer than be an old drip who whines.
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I’ve seen Lenny Kravitz, Pink (concert) and that’s it…oh my ordinary life! You have super human celebrity finding powers! It makes me wish we had lots of money and/or frequent flyer miles.
How fun! Rob Lowe really is cute, and in an I’ll never get wrinkles kind of way.
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bitsfromheaven, an ordinary life is okay by me. Your celebrity sightings are cool. Don’t know how I’ve ended up seeing all these people except to say that when airlines make me wait in airports, I tend to look around.
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My list is very short. I got Jesse Owens’ autograph when I was a girl scout. Met Bette Midler at her concert. Rode in an elevator with Randy Travis. We were in Las Vegas when Tim did a lot of traveling. Morgan was with me. She was 18 months. Then his chauffer let us sit in the limo. It was fun! They were so nice! When Tim and I were on our honeymoon in Michigan at The Grand Hotel, we watched Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour film a scene from “Somewhere in Time”.
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Beth, wow! You’ve had some really fun encounters with celebrities. I don’t remember the honeymoon story at all– and you’d think that I would. I’ve never been in a limo [well one that wasn’t a hearse], so I’m jealous. It was in Vegas where I rode in the elevator with Richard Belzer. That city is over-flowing with the famous.
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I was once next in line behind Clay Aiken as we passed through airport security which was awesome as they cleared the line for him in order speed him along on his way and I basically was able to benefit from the ‘drift’ as if I was part of his entourage. I probably have seen other celebrities and just not realized it as I am TERRIBLE at recognizing faces outside their usual context.
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Allie P, what a great way to breeze through TSA! I’m not sure if I’d know who Clay Aiken was outside of on-stage, so I’d say that you mustn’t be so bad at recognizing faces if you knew it was he. Cool story.
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I live in North Carolina. It was once a requirement that you be able to recognize each and every NC based American Idol finalist. Thankfully that particular rule has fallen out of favor.
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I bet that it was a rule! Good for you to know how to go along, to get along in your lovely state. 🙂
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Mine are a lot of athletes, mostly. And David Sedaris. And Toni Morrison, who was gracious and encouraging and lovely. And Mike Fratello, the NBA coach/analyst.
Rob Lowe is completely beautiful, period. Always has been. And I never loved him more than when he was on The West Wing. Sigh. Now THAT’S who we need as President. Jed Bartlett. Can we please just have HIM?
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nance, I’ve seen a bunch of athletes, too. I attribute that to being with Zen-Den who seems to get us invited to social events that involve athletes. I’m totally thrilled to know that Toni Morrison was lovely. It makes my heart happy. Good idea about Jed Bartlett. Now could you please make that so?
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I’ve seen a lot of celebs, including him! He ate in a restaurant with his son. They were dressed for baseball. Very handsome guy.
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susie, no kidding?! Small world. I saw Rob Lowe in the Dayton OH airport which makes sense because he grew up in the Dayton area. But for you to see him is more significant, I do believe. How fun.
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Every time we go to Santa Barbara we drive to Montecito and eat at the Inn. While we walked by Lucky’s Bar and Grill, a small restaurant right next door, he stared through the window with intense blue eyes. Of course we turned around and grabbed a table. Seemed like a really nice guy.
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Great story. I think he seems okay, too.
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He is beautiful.
I’ve met a lot of musicians, but I can’t think of any actors I’ve met…
I still miss Tim Russert. Meet the Press sucks now.
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joey, I’ve only met the one musician, Peter Frampton. I stood behind him in line at our local Starbucks. I was at a cocktail party with Tim Russert, but too shy to go over and introduce myself. He died about a month after that party, much to the world’s sadness.
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Are you still too shy to do it, or has it changed you?
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I’d be just as shy to approach a celebrity in a large group, like a party, but would now say “hello” in a smaller group or in person [like on an elevator]. So I guess that it changed me in a small way.
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🙂
In a social setting, I think it’s nice to say “I love your work,”and see where it goes. I’d never bother them otherwise.
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That is the perfect thing to say. Now all I have to do is find a celebrity and remember to say those words! 😉
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I can be shy at times, but I hate missing opportunities more 🙂
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I love the Rob Lowe / Alter Ego Rob Lowe commercials:
As far as celeb sightings go, you’ve got me beat by a mile. I met Bruce Hornsby before a concert at Wake Forest and BFF snapped a picture of the two of us next to his keyboard. I shook hands with Sandra Day O’Connor when she spoke at USC Law School for Law Day. We bumped into Bill Clinton in Philly while chowing down on Philly Cheese Steaks. And I met Steve Forbert at a small wine tasting / concert in Lewes Deleware:
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nrhatch, I think that you win if you actually met your celebrities. Shaking hands with SDO is pretty darned cool in my book. And bumping into a President? Amazing.
The closest I’ve gotten to a President was GWB when he threw out an Opening Day pitch. We were in the first row of the seats along the home base line where we could really see him. Of course, as we sat there we were being monitored by sharpshooters up on the roof who had their rifles pointed at us. A different sort of experience!
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What timing! Just last night my son walked right past the Red Wings head coach (Jeff Blashill) at a local ice rink. Blashill was with a group of parents and my son didn’t give him a 2nd glance, thinking he was just some random kid’s dad (which technically he is). It was only when my son got in the locker room that his teammates were all excited and clued him in. But by this time, Blashill had left. My husband has ridden an elevator with two Red Wings. We saw another Wing at a Tigers game, and we talked with the Wings’ TV play-by-play guy when we we followed the Wings on the road. Oh my, I’m starting to see a pattern here. haha Other than that, I’ve only seen Morrissey.
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Nancy, what a funny story. So glad that your son found out who it was. It’s interesting how celebrities walk among us, eh?
I didn’t know who Paul O’Neill was until after he patiently held a restaurant door open for me as I dawdled my way out while I changed from regular glasses to dark glasses. My husband was almost apoplectic about my behavior, but PO didn’t seem in the least bit put out– AND I SAID THANK YOU.
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Wow, you’ve seen a lot of famous people. Not counting the time my husband and I got picked in the Oscar lottery to be in the red carpet bleachers as the celebrities entered the auditorium (that was pretty cool), I’ve passed by Christophe Lambert (from the Highlander movies), Tim Robbins, Prince, and I saw Spike Lee in the airport.
I’ve never watched much that Rob Lowe has been in, but my husband and I love the new show “The Grinder” starring him and Fred Savage. So funny.
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Carrie, you were at the red carpet part of the Oscars?! Okay, that may take the cake here in celebrity sighting coolness. Of course, the other people you’ve seen are an interesting mix of humanity, as well.
I’ve watched a few episodes of The Grinder and liked it, too. RL’s character is perfect– so believable in an totally made-up way.
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I don’t know if they still have it (they probably do), but being able to sit outside on the bleachers as the stars come into the show is based on a lottery. You submit for it. Luckily my husband and I were chosen. (I imagine they do background checks.) It was a long day but a fun one. Though it would have been more fun to be able to go inside and watch the show…
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That’s fascinating. I never thought about who the people are who are sitting on those bleachers. I can imagine it was a long day, but what a fun memory to have.
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It is. Will and Jada Pinkett Smith were the biggest crowd pleasers. They came up to shake hands even though they technically weren’t supposed to. Most stars waved but some walked by like we were nothing but mere peasants.
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No kidding? Seems like all the stars should be appreciative of any attention they get from us peasants. Without us peasants, they wouldn’t be stars.
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My thoughts exactly.
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All right… I have ridden an elevator with Sophia Loren, sold candy and Dom Perignon to David Brenner, stood beside Buddy Guy in the restroom and talked to him while we were relieving ourselves, saw Yul Brynner twice, once at the Ritz Carlton Chicago when we were celebrating our anniversary and again when his limo passed me in downtown Chicago (I waved, he waved back), met Jim Bouton (former major-league pitcher and author of Ball Four) at a Durham Bulls game, saw Bob Dylan and Tom Petty at a bar in Detroit (tried to meet them, and was told to f— off by their bodyguard), and sold stuff to Bob Wallace (reporter, WBBM-TV in Chicago), Jim Tilmon (weatherman, WMAQ-TV in Chicago), and Bill Frink (sports director, WLS-TV, Chicago) and been interviewed on a bus by Chuck Goudie (WLS-TV, Chicago). I’m sure there’s more, but those are all I can remember.
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John, that’s a wonderful list of celebrity encounters. You actually said something to them which is way cooler than me staring from afar. I always liked David Brenner, and am happy to know he went for candy and Dom. I know that I’ve heard Jim Bouton’s name, but as with most sports celebrities, I’m vague on what sport they’re involved in. Not really surprised that the rockers’ bodyguard chased you off, but at least you tried. Fun list. Thanks for sharing.
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Oh, I remembered another: I saw Stevie Wonder at Newark Airport, getting ready to fly to LA. He didn’t see me, though… XD
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Rob Lowe is indeed gorgeous, and I loved him on West Wing. He was kind of a jackass with his tweets after the Paris attack last year, though, so I’m not sure if he’s a racist jerk or not. I hope not.
I’ve met (worked in hotels):
Jerry Seinfeld
Harry Anderson (remember Night Court?)
Weird Al
Toni Tenille (I can’t remember if Cap’n was with her) (She’s afraid of heights)
Peter Garrett (Midnight Oil)
And, I once gave Sinbad a ride in my car.
Seems like their should be more. I dreamed that David Bowie came to pick me up from work when I was 20, and take me home, because we were married, but sadly in real life we never met.
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Oh, I met Erin Brokovitch, and I was at a military base when Air Force One was there, and saw Clinton drive by in his limo. I was mad at him at the time, but I’ll admit it was a bit of a thrill.
My mom was in the bathroom with Geraldine Ferraro and the Secret Service, way back when she was running for office.
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J, I’m impressed with your celebrity “connection” to comedians. I loved Night Court. Harry Anderson was a hilarious as the judge. I admire Erin Brockovich so I’m putting that one in the really cool column. I’d forgotten about Geraldine Ferraro. She impressed me with her cool demeanor when she was on the campaign trail.
Sorry you romance with Bowie didn’t work out. Some things are just not meant to be! 😉
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Me, none. I did see Maurice Chevalier in France a long time ago; he was playing boules in a small village in the south of France. Otherwise, in spite of all my visits to Ashley in NYC and LA, I haven’t sighted anyone, OR more likely, haven’t recognized anyone. 🙂
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Margaret, I’m surprised. I figured with all your world travels you’d have seen lots of famous people. However, Maurice Chevalier is quite a sighting, so you can have props for that.
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Can ads featuring Super Creepy Donald Trump be far behind?
I tend to be oblivious to celebrity… I probably wouldn’t recognize anyone on a list of the most famous celebrities today. Outside of baseball players (I once was a postgame autograph hound), the only celeb I ever met was, of course, Regis Philbin. I did do a brief weather internship at a local station where three of the on-air personalities there at the time later went on to national prominence (Paul Goodloe – The Weather Channel, Trey Wingo – ESPN, and Matt Winer – ESPN and later TBS). Goodloe’s a funny guy who knows nothing about weather…
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evilsquirrel13, I suspect you’re onto something with the ad idea. *shudder*
I’d forgotten about your time with Regis. Now that’s kind of a big deal. Goodloe and Wingo I’ve heard of, but would not be able to place without help. The other guy, no idea who he is. Interesting who stands out to each of us, and who doesn’t. Thanks for playing along.
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I have really dreadful out of context recognition so I could meet hundreds of celebrities and not have a clue. I met John Schneider back in his Dukes of Hazard days when I worked at Worlds of Fun, though I didn’t have a clue who he was. I might have seen Elton John walking around the park but I can’t really remember. But I met and got to talk with Charlie Plumb on a couple of occasions and that I will never forget.
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Zazzy, I’m surprised I noticed some of these people, but James Cromwell you cannot miss when you’re standing beside him on a Manhattan street corner! Had to look up Charlie Plumb because I’ve never heard of him before. Sounds like a fascinating man– and you got to talk with him. Me? I just see most celebrities from afar.
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I WILL NEVER TELL ANYONE that you and Trump agree! LOL NEVER! To the GRAVE this secret will follow me! LOL
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Thank you for your support, Jasmine. It seems impossible to me that I could ever agree with the man, but on this beautiful point I do. 🙂
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HEY you never know he may have an etch-a-sketch moment!
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