I've been very fortunate to have met many actors and singers over the years. It seems like it is always through theater, concerts or book signings.
Most of the celebrities I have met, have been in London. It's a lot easier there. The very first one I met was Peter O'Toole, who is a living legend. This was in 1992. He was doing a play on the West End called Our Song. It was a great play. The whole thing was just a vehicle for Peter, mostly consisting of his characters' monologues. I waited for him outside the stage door after the show and he very kindly signed my program. It was a very brief encounter. I did not fully appreciate the meeting until a few years later. I was after all only 18.
That same year, I also met Tony Slattery after his musical on the West End called Radio Times. Most people in America would know him from the UK version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? I also met British comedian Julian Clary at his book signing of How To Be A Real Man.
1992 was also the year I met my first Python - Michael Palin. He was doing a book signing of the companion books of Around the World In 80 Days and Pole to Pole. He was appearing at Stamford's the map store in London. I was really nervous, being a huge Monty Python fan. He was very nice and did not mind my saying how much I loved Python.
In 1996, I found myself in London once again. I met Richard O'Brien of Rocky Horror fame after his West End one-man musical called Disgracefully Yours. He was very nice, but thought his performance was substandard due to his being sick. I thought he was great. Also that year, I saw Oliver! on the West End with Jim Dale as Fagan. I got to meet him after the show as well. He was a very nice man who spoke to me for a few minutes. My grandparents had seen him in the musical Barnum in San Francisco years before. My mother is a big fan as well and I got Mr. Dale to sign a program for her as well.
1996 marked my second meeting of Michael Palin. He was at a book store in Covent Garden signing his novel Hemingway's Chair. Again, he is one of the nicest people in the world.
When the Idol phenonemon started, my meetings have gone up a bit. In August 2003, I was fortunate to meet Clay Aiken, along with the other American Idol Season 2 finalists at a Meet & Greet. This was during the American Idol 2 tour. I did not have a pass, but Jerome (security) kindly let me in. I just had a photo for Clay to sign but nothing for the rest. I took their pictures and said hello. That was a lot of fun. Clay looked down at my photo (it was his first RCA promo photo) and said "Wow it's a better copy than the one I have" He signed it, "To PSBFAN, All My Love, Clay Aiken" It is very cool.
March 2004 saw me travelling to Montreal, Canada to see Ryan Malcolm perform. He won the first season of Canadian Idol. Ryan signs autographs at the end of his shows, so that was my first meeting with him. I subsequently met him 3 other times after that.
December 2004 marked my meeting of another Python - Eric Idle. I was even more nervous, as Eric is my favorite Python. He was doing a show at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay in Vegas. Early on in his tour, people were given the opportunity to purchase ticket/meet and greet pass packages. I was very excited, and anticipated when the Vegas packages would come up. Unfortunately, those were discontinued. However, when I got to the show, there was a little sign saying "Eric will be signing after the show" I was very excited and barely got through the show. When it was my turn, I was shaking so badly and so giddy, he couldnt help but notice. I gave him my name and said "I've been a fan for 23 years" He laughed and shook my hand and said "Thank you for being so loyal" All I could think of was "He touched me!" It was quite funny and an experience I'll never forget.
June 2005 is the first time I met John Stevens, American Idol Season 3 finalist. John came in 6th place and produced an album called Red last year. My first meeting he was performaing at Feinstein's in NYC. Two great shows and a really great guy. I had a lot of fun. John came out to LA to do a show in August 2005 and of course I went to that as well. He is a geniune guy with a real talent. I look forward to more things from him in the future.
Along the way, I have also met several Oakland A's players at Photo Days, a few sports figures who did signings in grocery stores. I think going to signings, concerts and the theater is so much fun. It really personalizes things more when you get a chance to say hello to the performers involved. I hope to continue this in the future.
Related Tags:
Eric Idle,
Peter O'Toole,
Tony Slattery,
Ryan Malcolm,
Clay Aiken,
John Stevens,
Michael Palin,
Jim Dale,
Richard O'Brien
