I have spent too much of my life in an airplane. Not awkward but fun none the less.
Sat next to Brittany Spears mom in first class. She was a nice lady, not bad looking. MTV was in Kentwood to film a special and were traveling with her, they kept commenting on the Louisiana food. I had hunted at a camp next to their property, she knew the camp, asked me if I killed a deer.
Was in first class and a very gay flight attendant made a big deal out of Bill Cowher being on the plane. He was with his daughter at a basketball camp, and they were in coach, could not resist, class. They moved them up to first, no two seats together. I get up to offer my seat, I'm 6'4" 250 pounds and he smiled and said who did you play for. Thanked me.
One of the first times I was in first class I am flying back to Cleveland. Paul Warfield gets on the plane I start to talk to him and he has some mean looking dude with him. Turns out that dude was Hanford Dixon. I ran into Hanford at a bar years later, I am sure he did not remember me, doubt he remembered anything at that point.
Back when they let everyone past security in airports I was standing next to an attractive, blond, tan, buxom lady with tons of gold jewelry. I tried to make idle chat but she shut me down. The incoming flight lands and the first person off the plane is Hulk Hogan. He grabs the blond, his wife, as he is besieged by kids. Decades later he was in a booth next to my company's at the NACS trade show. I told him I had met him and his wife before in Tampa. Seems a few of us have encountered the Hulkster.
Was in Pure Platinum in Orlando, I think, and my buddy says to me look at that huge back dude that just walked in. It was Wilt Chamberlin. He was by himself. Surrounded by bouncers and dancers immediately but stopped and said hi at the bar, drinks were comped of course. He was in the VIP room after that.
Mike Shula sat next to me on one flight. Talked to him about being from Ohio and living in AL. I was not sure if he was married but he made a lot of progress with a sexy flight attendant. He was hired as Alabama's coach right after that.
They were filming some horse movie in Louisiana. I had taken our steering committe customers out to dinner, Annabelle's Plantation, and Kurt Russell was eating at the table next to us. The women went crazy. He graciously signed autographs. No one else even knew who he was.
We were at some old stone hotel in Virgina and Ron Howard and Ashley Judd were there. Ron came to our conference room by mistake. We asked if he was filming a movie, he said no just was meeting to discuss upcoming projects. I learned how make up and editing make some people much better looking than they are.
Living in NOLA for as long as I did I got to meet quite a few "famous" folk.
:p
