Touched by greatness. Tell us about your run-ins with celebrities. Me I was driving on a street near

[applegrove]

my house in Ottawa. As I went around a corner a huge group of people were crossing the road into my lane. They stopped at the yellow line so I kept going. All of a sudden some kids started across into my lane. Then all of them did except for one. I had to slam on my brakes really hard or I would have had to vere into the road where that one guy was. Who was that one guy? Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulrooney of Canada (this happened while he was PM).

[MrScorpio]

1. I should start another Six Degrees of MrScorpio thread

Just so I can brag about this.

[applegrove]

3. We see you everywhere in the Lounge. But links don't work for me so I miss out on all your

song choices.:hi:

[MrScorpio]

4. God dammit, that sucks

You can't see YouTube at all?

[applegrove]

7. Nope. And I've tried remedial measures. My computer is 10 years old

so I think that is the issue. I miss out on all the good stuff.

[MrScorpio]

8. You ought to save up some cash and get a used computer on Craigslist

You can get a better one than the one you have for under $100, you know.

[applegrove]

13. I'll keep that in mind for when I'm less cash strapped.

[MrScorpio]

15. Oh, I feel ya on that one

I'm there right now

[begin_within]

2. Not me, but my Dad met both

Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart at the same time. It was in the early 1930s and my grandparents were active members of the National Geographic Society and went to all the monthly luncheons. One time my grandfather was sick so my grandmother took my Dad instead. The guest speaker that day was Amelia Earhart. After it was all over, my Dad and his Mom were walking through the hallways and came upon Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart, and the 4 of them had a polite conversation for 3 or 4 minutes. My Dad was 14 so this was probably in 1931 I think. Many years later, Gloria Steinem came over to have dinner with my grandparents at their home in Chevy Chase.

[nolabear]

5. Hey, I met Gloria Steinem too!

Just a couple of years ago. She and I went to the same writers' colony, in different years. We had an alumni reunion/fundraiser and I got to shake hands with her and she said complimentary things about my writing (swoon).

I have a couple others but will save for another time.

[begin_within]

65. Cool

[KamaAina]

87. Grandpa swore to his dying day that Doris Day had a crush on him

they met once, somehow, somewhere.

[MissB]

6. Not me.

But my brother, who is a pilot, has met tons of celebs. He doesn't fly commercial planes. He has even eaten a celeb's meal, which is an odd story in itself.

[madinmaryland]

9. 1995 in Rock Center...

Arnold Schwartnegger and Maria Shriver.

[madinmaryland]

10. 1994 in Rock Center...

James Lovell (Apollo 13 astronaut). I was invited to a private book signing.

[hobbit709]

11. 1980 I smoked a joint with Count Basie backstage at the Armadillo

[stuntcat]

18. win!

:headbang:

[DFW]

33. Now THAT is coolness! N/T

[geardaddy]

39. You win the thread.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

12. sorry

tmi.

[Bombero1956]

14. Ronan Tynan one of the Three Irish Tenors gave me a gift

I was working one of their concerts and after the show he gave me a crystal bowl of shamrocks.

[Bertha Venation]

16. June Lockhart visited me in the hospital when I was a baby.

:bounce:

[nolabear]

29. Hey! You're back!

We were just wondering where you've been. Niceta seeya.

[Bertha Venation]

46. hi, nolabear

thanks :hi:

[applegrove]

47. Hey Bertha. Hope all is well.

[BillStein]

17. I met Laura Linney

at a coffee shop run by my friends... she's beautiful!

I saw the Queen once in Toronto- mostly just a hand waving from the limo window, but still...

[mikeytherat]

19. Here's a pic of me and Bo Derek:

(I'm the forehead behind Ms. Bolero)

This picture is from a gig I did several years ago. That night I met Bo, Quincy Jones, Sam Donaldson, and Michael Jordan.

mikey_the_rat

[hifiguy]

20. When I was 14 I shook Hubert Humphrey's hand

at a rural county fair while visiting friends. Lovely man, and treated me like a grown-up and talked to me for a minute or two. That was 1970 when he was running for Senate again.

Met Robert Fripp once when he was doing a solo Frippertronics show at the local arts center in 1979. He's only about 5'7" tall but quite literally radiates an aura of incredible power. You instinctively step back from him.

Played bass in a band with the guy who later became Prince's first lead guitarist.

Waited on Prince back in 1979-80 when I worked at a dry cleaning shop. He was an utter asshole even before he was famous.

Met Patti Smith, the original Ramones and Ian Dury & the Blockheads at record shop signings. Patti was incredibly cool and charismatic, Ian Dury was a hoot and the Ramones were sulky.

[DFW]

34. HHH was a prince of a guy

My father and grandmother were good friends of his, and he got me a job in Washington once in the mid sixties.
I met him a couple of times, and he treated me as an equal, too, even though I was only 14 or 15 at the time.

[geardaddy]

36. I was born on the same day, in the same hospital as HHH's

granddaughter when he was VP. My mom has a picture of her and him in the hospital corridor. He's in suit and she's in a housecoat. :D

[freshwest]

21. Well-known singer & an actor, names can't reveal, in group; chatted/Jim Morrison & Dan Ellsberg &

A line up of well-known politicians. I don't feel special about any of the meetings because it was all about the reasons, not the people.

[sinkingfeeling]

22. Ate dinner a table away from Sally Field back in the late '70s. Met Bill and Hillary Clinton and

several Democrats who ran for President over the last 40 years. Also saw President Bush I give a campaign speech in Cincinnati.

[jcboon]

23. In college

I've met quite a few celebrities but have had actual conversation with John Kenneth Galbraith, Bella Abzug, George McGovern and . . .drumroll please . . . James Baldwin.
I don't think any of them were particularly impressed with me but were very polite. . .

[SwampG8r]

24. i walked right into the beaver at six gun territory

i was going into the authentic western saloon as he was going out for his part of a show
slammed right into each other

[MorningGlow]

25. Mostly just hello-waves in passing

When I was a kid, my family and I took the NBC studio tour in L.A. and saw Scatman Crothers backstage somewhere. I had no idea who he was at the time, but he was friendly--then I thought it was cool when I spotted him on TV shows after that.

Gregory Hines in New Orleans. I think I also saw one of the chicks from The Real World on the same trip but I didn't care.

Met several bands while working the entertainment committee in college, etc.

And as I've said a zillion times here in teh Lounge, chatted with Douglas Adams after he did a Hitchhiker's Guide reading and Q&A. Lovely man. :loveya:

And I've interviewed several famous authors/speakers on the phone, but haven't met them in person.
No bonding with anyone hugely famous, however. Woe. :rofl:

[WillParkinson]

26. Too many to name...

I work as a server at a hotel in Milwaukee. I've served many celebrities, singers, sports figures and political figures in my nearly 25 years there.

[DFW]

27. Excelsior! ('Nuff said)

[Rambis]

28. Parents taught the Everly Brothers in school

They have been to our house off and on for years. My parents have spent New Years eve at Don's ranch. They brought my parents the 4th copy of wake up little susie.

[sinkingfeeling]

31. Still love the Everly Brothers after all these years.

[RebelOne]

30. I dated George Dewitt, a well-known game show host from the '60s. n/t

[LynneSin]

32. I was leaving a concert at Stubbs in Austin TX during SXSW - ran into Billy Idol

He gave me a big hug

I thought he would smell bad but he smelled really good!

[AlecBGreen]

35. Lee 'Scratch' Perry

My buddy was drummer for his band. Crazy guy!

[geardaddy]

37. A few experiences:

Heard Deng Xiao-ping speak at the National Day parade in Beijing in 1984.

Saw Joel Coen and his wife Frances McDormand walking around Lake Calhoun with their son. I think they were filming "A Serious Man"

Saw Flip Wilson get off the plane my mom was on coming back from PA.

Was drinking in a bar when Mike Farrell (B.J. Hunnicutt) walked in and asked for change for the parking meter.

[AngryAmish]

38. I worked at a fancy golf course as a kid

Met many famous people. But there is one that stands above them all, and quite frankly above everyone else on earth:

[Hassin Bin Sober]

50. My FIL has a picture with him and Iron Mike standing in front of his Cessna 310.

FIL is a retired charter/commercial pilot. Flew IM around a few times.

[Tallulah]

40. I shook hands

with Reynaldo Rey on Canal Street in New Orleans. It was the early morning hours and he was just going out. Nice man.

I also met James Brown at a Hilton Hotel one night after he performed. I was walking in, he was leaving. He shook my hand and hugged me.

LOL, I was thrilled.

[madmom]

41. Not me but my grandmother used to work at the Lord Baltimore Hotel

when I was a kid. She was always telling us of famous people she had encountered one way or another. The only ones I can remember off had are all three of the stooges. I think I remember that because my brother made such a big deal out of it. What is it with men and their stooges anyway?

[bif]

42. I met Duke Ellington. Had a photo of him picking his nose!

Also met Wynton Marsalis, Tommy Flanagan and a ton of other musicians.

[stuntcat]

54. wowwww

many tons of cool points!!

[GoCubsGo]

43. I almost ran into Michael Stipe of REM--literally.

I was walking down Lumpkin St. in downtown Athens, GA with some co-workers. I was not paying attention to where I was walking. One of them pushed me aside and said, "You almost walked into Michael Stipe!" I never saw him, even afterwards. I don't think he was watching where he was walking, either.

[deutsey]

44. I met Frank Zappa in college

Sat and talked with him backstage for about a half hour or so during his lecture tour. It was just him, me, my friend, and some other guy in the green room. Zappa did most of the talking, though. We were too much in awe.

I also shook Chuck Berry's hand in the Warner Theater in DC after a concert and met Larry "Bud" Melman backstage (old David Letterman Show fans should remember him) during an MTV "new music tour" he was the MC for that was being filmed at my university.

I saw Alan Alda walking with his wife across the street from me near Georgetown U (his daughter was a student there). As a big MASH fan, I wanted to cross the street and shake his hand but didn't want to be an intrusive fan.

Lastly, Martin Sheen walked right in front of me at a demonstration in DC. He was with his friend Mitch Snyder (the homeless activist who later committed suicide). They were on a hunger strike together. I shook Snyder's hand but didn't get to say anything to Sheen.

[deutsey]

45. Not sure why my message duped

[sakabatou]

48. The Mythbusters

[abq e streeter]

49. Many, including Ernie Banks, Bonnie Raitt, Dixie Chicks, Bobby Keys, Bo Diddley

,Willie Dixon, John Podesta... Junior Wells bought me a beer in a bar once... John was an undergrad friend and a great guy.......Bobby has actually become a friend and I'm supposed to play with him again in September.....Ernie was a true gentleman who stopped to talk with me despite having had a long day already. Same thing on the same day with Curt Flood and Joe Cunningham (St. Louis Cardinals, for the non-baseball fans reading this thread)...Hung out with Bonnie in her dressing room, and she was a real sweetheart, very down to earth as were the Dixie Chicks, who I did a show with before they were famous. Did a show with Willie and he was a kind and generous soul.Drank beer and ate ribs with him after being told by the promoters that all that was off-limits to anyone but Willie and his band , but he just laughed at that, and then invited us in and told us to eat and drink up... Bo was not very friendly after the one time I played with him but I'd had a nightmarishly bad night and don't blame him for being rather cold to me; he was expecting a pro and I sounded like an amateur that night.
My favorite one though is not a celebrity but I revel in its obscurity. My old college roommate is the author of the words: "tough actin' tinactin".

[rurallib]

57. Ernie Banks, my boyhood hero!

met him once briefly. Knowing Ernie would never sit one out often helped get my ass out of bed in the morning.

[abq e streeter]

59. Mine too, (along with Louie Aparicio)...This was no more than a 2 minute conversation

but I couldn't believe I was actually talking to Ernie Banks. I don't know if my knees were shaking, but they might have been.

[Hayabusa]

51. Went to a wrestling event

in Poplar Bluff, several hundred miles away from my home in Columbia. My mom and I went to go get lunch at the nearby Taco Bell from our hotel room and promptly run into Tony Mamaluke, Mike Knox and Kyle O'Reilly (a developmental wrestler who I think once teamed with Knox at the counter. I didn't ask for their autographs, since I don't really feel comfortable about bugging celebrities while they eat.

Still, pretty interesting, in my opinion

[AtomicKitten]

52. I dated Ian Whitcomb a long time ago.

[abq e streeter]

61. How cool...I actually have a book he wrote, called Rock Odyssey

[stuntcat]

53. Milla Jovovich

One night I hung/chatted with her a while outside a club.

I've met a few other supahstahs, musicians, for signings and fan-time junk, but Jovovich was real-life.

I passed Tracey Thorn on the stairs of a nightclub in London where we'd gone to see Ben Watt dj'ing :headbang:

[Xipe Totec]

56. You have no idea how envious I am

Mila is one of my favorite celebrities.

[stuntcat]

71. Dang I shouldve known I'd spell her wrong

I used to have a cat named Milla so I get them mixed up :p

[driver8]

86. I am very jealous...

She is one of my all time favorites!! One of the most beautiful women in the world!

[mwdem]

55. I have a pic of me and "The Dude"

but I never post pictures! It was from last Nov. Ft. Worth Film Festival. He walked out of the theatre, was lined up for an interview, and I just stepped in and said "This is for my facebook ladies", he said "OOOOkay, and my husband took the shot. I love me some Jeff Bridges!!

On edit, we are the same age, but he made me look younger!

[applegrove]

64. I just rented that movie and could not watch it to the end. Must be a guy thing. My brother loved

it.

[kwassa]

58. Robin Williams and I used to run at the same track.

I made small talk with him about some loud escaped cockatoos in the trees nearby. Others seen running; songwriter Paul Williams and actor Michael Morse

I saw many through the years of living in Los Angeles

OJ Simpson several times before the crime, Martin Balsam, David Brenner, sang in a choir that performed with Ben Vereen and Billy Preston and Carl Anderson. Dyan Cannon, Barry Bostwick, Alfre Woodard, Laurence Fishburne, saw them all at my church.

Nancy Wilson, the jazz singer, just hanging out.

I can't remember them all, quite honestly. I also went to art school with classmates who became the Talking Heads, and also film director Gus Van Sant. Dale Chihuly was teaching glass there then, too.

[glinda]

60. Spent 10 minutes in a private hallway with Vincent Price. We had a wonderful talk. He gave me

a kiss on my cheek.

[Xipe Totec]

62. Jean-Loup Jacques Marie Chrétien

At a party




and John Watts Young in the course of work




And Robert Laurel Crippen in the course of work

[DFW]

84. Never met Chrétien, the Canadian PM, but.......

His nephew, Raymond Chrétien (for Canadian Ambassador to the USA) is a friend from about 16 years back. GREAT guy.
I wished I could kidnap Raymond Chrétien and have him work for OUR State Department--finest foreign service officer
I ever met from ANY country.

[burrfoot]

63. At the Kennedy center, when I was on a high school trip,

somebody pointed out Dr. J speaking with another man in the lobby. Thinking I was really cool, I went up and politely asked if I could have a picture with him. He very kindly said yes, a friend of mine snapped a shot, and I thanked him and left. A couple of minutes later, my teacher let me know that the other man in the conversation that I'd interrupted was Colin Powell- but back then, I didn't have the slightest idea who that was :)


:toast:

[GoneOffShore]

66. Had lunch next to Marvin Hamlisch in NYC at Artisanal.

Shared an elevator with Christopher Plummer.

Cooked fried chicken for Denyse Graves.

Opened for Jim Croce in 1969.

Cast "under 5's" and worked with Steve Buscemi.

Had lunch and worked with Terry Guilliam on 12 Monkeys. Also met Brad Pitt - he was smelly.

[mokawanis]

67. Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

He was speaking on campus here in Madison, WI. about 10 yrs ago. I was talking to a friend outside the auditorium in a hallway when a door opened and Vonnegut walked out and stood next to me for a few minutes. I shook his hand, thanked him for coming to Madison, and he responded "I enjoy giving these talks and it pays really well."

[trackfan]

68. Minnie Driver was put on the phone with me to ask me what a Visigoth was.

The person with her knew I would know the answer.

[Bennyboy]

69. Willie

At most concerts I and some photographers would always seell photos fo the artists that were appearing and usually some of other artists to that were comaptible. This is 1978 I think in San Jose at Spartan Stadium:

I was selling some Willie shots after a concert at Spartan stadium in San Jose. As usual,I had lots of different artists out including Willie. I heard this voice behind me say "Those sure are some nice shots" I thanked him and turned around and IT WAS WILLIE! the first thing that goes through my mind is "here we go again". Willie asks me 'How much". I tell him 3 bucks each or two for five. (8X10 B&W). He gives me a ten and picks out all the shots of himself. I tell him cannot accept his money but he insists on paying me. To this day, it is the coolest encounter with a big star I have ver had.

[Bennyboy]

70. Jerry Garcia

The one time I met him. Oasis ballroom, around 78 or so. little teeny neighborhood club in downtown Sacrmento. We went in early and my friend Frank lit a joint and passed it around...we were the only ones in there at the time and the circle was SO OBVIOUS!. Someone passed it to me I took a hit and passed it on. A couple of minutes later a security guy (Big Jim from BGP crew) told me he saw it and I had to leave.

Boy was I pissed!

So i went next door to a bar, the Why Not Club, and ordered a beer. Biggest beer ever for 90 cents. I looked around at the girls and none of them were cute...at all. Linda Rondstadt was on the Jukebox and I told the guy sitting next to me that she was about the only female singer I liked (I was such a sexist then). he then asked me "Are you gay too"? I loked around once more and realized I was in my first gay bar. I picked up the glass and just downed it.

I went around to the backstage door and after a while Jerry pulls up in this silver beemer. I was emboldened by the alcohol and told him my story (not the gay bar part). he said it was cool and took me backstage. We burned a fatty of the best weed ever (his..or really Mt Girls) I thanked him and went back to my friends and I had a great time at the show.

Reconstruction too.

[hifiguy]

72. That is a great story

Chillin' and having a smoke with Jerry - it can't ever get any better than that.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

73. Henry Winkler was my college-graduation speaker.

I was within arm's length of Dustin Hoffman at AFI when he asked one of my coworkers where the bathroom was. I'm only average height, but I towered over him.

A few years ago, I met Ray Manzarek from The Doors and got his autograph and pic at a book signing. Another musician I met was Black Thought from The Roots (Jimmy Fallon's band now).

And a few months ago, I got a pic and autograph from David Simon, creator of "The Wire" (one of the greatest shows ever) and author of "Homicide" (which the show was based on) and "The Corner."

[Kali]

74. some scenes for Young Guns II were filmed here and I got to eat lunch with and meet the cast

got my videocassette of Repo Man autographed by Emilio Estevez. He laughed.

[Faygo Kid]

75. I spent the evening with Michael Moore in Flint while he waited for reviews for "Roger & Me"

I had reason to be at the Genesee County Bar Association in Flint that evening while the New York premiere of "Roger & Me" was held; it was '88 or '89 as I recall. He was there waiting for the NY reviews to be faxed to him. I recall that he wore a Detroit Tigers hat. . . Anyway, I had heard of him as a writer in Michigan, so I stuck around to wait for the reviews to come in, and we had a nice evening of it with good conversation. Once they arrived, and of course they were great, we were both happy. Cool evening, and I will see him again in Traverse City, hopefully this summer.

Then there was 1976, when a high school junior who lived down the block named Madonna Ciccone attended my wedding reception with my new brother in law, who ended up in jail. But that's another story.

[Lindsey]

76. Too many to say since I live in L.A. I've had conversations w/

quite a few and George Clooney was standing literally just a few feet from me.(in '94). He is the best looking person on the planet (IMHO). We made eye contact and he smiled (heart melted, of course). I pick up on energy and his was so pure. I'll never forget that night (it was at the Golden Globe Awards and I saw many, many celebrities)..... but NO ONE was more beautiful on the outside and from my perspective on the inside than George.

[demgurl]

77. I have been lucky to come across a lot of celebs....

Some are more well known in Canada. I hung out back stage at a Kim Mitchell concert. Hung out with Burton Cummings (Guess Who) and even drove him around sight seeing and hung out at the mall with him. Had dinner and hung out with Tom Cochrane (Life is a Highway). Hung out skating with Luba and her band. (Let It Go) Interviewed Joey Smallwood for a school paper. (Premier of Newfoundland Canada)

I met Gabe Kaplin and Robert Hedges (both Welcome Back Kotter)and was invited to hang out with them. Hung out with Eddie Van Halen for a night. Met Michael Stipe (REM) and hung out with him.

Saw Michael Keaton get out of a limo in New York.

Hung out with Jamie Foxx (Living Color) at an airport.

Met John Pizzarelli. (Jazz great and son of jazz great Bucky Pizzarelli)

Met and hung out with Susan Olsen. (Cindy - Brady Bunch)

Met John Edwards.

Ran across some chick from Baywatch. Not sure of her name but know she was blonde.

Met and hung out with the whole cast from iCarly.

Saw John Lassiter when I was touring Pixar.

Those are a few. I know there are more but I am tired and it is late.

[Duppers]

78. Was kissed by Peter Yarrow in the late 90's

A group of us had dinner with him after PP&M concerts. Not just once but 3 concerts -- 3 dinners, 3 kisses. He's the nicest person!!

My husband met 3 Nobel Physics Prize Laureates when we lived in Cambridge: Nevill Mott, Tony Hewish, and Brian Josephson. He also met Stephen Hawking when we lived in Cambridge. My hubby did research at the Cavendish Lab there. He also had dined with Sir Hermann Bondi several times.

Whoa! How could I have forgotten my not-too-well-known friend who acted on BayWatch, Lori Ashton (Lori Overdorf Ashton Zondag). She dated Sean Penn for two yrs in the late 80's. They broke up after he began dating Robin Wright. Anyway, she was our next-door neighbor, a good friend, and my son's first baby sitter and is now one of my FB friends.

[auntAgonist]

79. Pierre Elliot Trudeau, Peter Fonda, Elvis Presley's uncle Vester. nt

[provis99]

80. President Jimmy Carter, after church in Plains, Georgia in 1978.

there was an audience on the lawn, but I think it was basically my family and about 20 Secret Service people pretending to be tourists. Got great pictures of Carter and his Secret Service entourage coming out of the church.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

81. My grandfather taught the Andrews Sisters in high school in the 1930s

Kevin Sorbo's father was my eighth grade science teacher, but I remember Kevin only as a little kid running around in corduroy overalls.

My last year as a grad student at Yale was the year Jodie Foster was there. I saw her around a lot, but she was trying hard to blend in.

I walked into Sterling Library one day and there was a woman standing by the circulation desk who looked a lot like Lily Tomlin. It was reported in the Yale Daily News the next day that she had been on campus visiting her nephew, who was a student in the Forestry School. (This isn't as good as my roommate who saw Solzhenitsyn in Sterling Library.)

I also met Dick Cavett, who was attending a play a friend was in.

Meryl Streep and Sigourney Weaver were both at Yale Drama School when I was a grad student. I once happened to sit at the same lunch table as Meryl Streep after she graduated and came back to Yale to tell her friends about life as an actress in New York.

I saw New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman eating in a local restaurant, but I refrained from punching him out for his cheerleading for the Iraq War.

Traveling in Europe as a 17-year-old, I saw the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi changing planes in the Amsterdam airport.

I once rode on the same flight from Minneapolis to New York as Dear Abby (Pauline Philips), who lived in Minneapolis.

I once played on a broomball team with Peter Agre, Nobel Prize winner in chemistry a couple of years ago.

Ann B. Davis (of the Brady Bunch) once showed up at my church in Portland for Sunday services.

While in Portland, I was in a circuit training class with Micaela Watkins, who was on Saturday Night Live for a while a few years ago.

Amy Tan came to speak at the college where I was teaching, and I was one of the people whom the president invited to have dinner with her.

[susanr516]

82. Not a lot of celebrities in Corpus Christi

but I did literally bump into Freddy Fender at a local restaurant many years ago. I was walking around a corner and we ran into each other. I looked at him and said, "Excuse me," and then my brain said, "Wow! That's Freddy Fender!" I guess the look on my face said, "Wow! You're Freddy Fender!" because he started laughing and told me to have a good day.

[mysuzuki2]

83. It was 1991 I believe and I was flying to Vienna.

on the plane were Dizzy Gillespie and his band as well as Miriam Makeba. They were touring europe together. I think It was Dizzy's last big tour. When we landed in Vienna I went to the mens room in the airport. Who should come into the room and stand at the urinal next to me but Dizzy himself! So, I enjoyed a pee with one of jazz's greats. Note, I think he was checking me out.

[driver8]

85. I was on a jury with Andy Richter of the Conan O'Brien show.

He was our jury foreman -- a very nice guy!