I stood 10 yards from Paul Giamatti.
Star of the HBO mini series, "John Adams" and such films as "Sideways", "Private Parts" and "Planet of the Apes". Saw Paul in the courtyard at Skirball Center after the radio play, "The Rivalry", last night in LA (see 3rd post down) - he performed the role of Stephen Douglas opposite David Strathairn's Abe Lincoln.
Anyway, I wanted to tell him what an inspiring performance he gave as the lead in "John Adams". I wanted to tell him I thought that that mini series was one of the best I'd ever seen on TV and that watching the show made me proud of my country's heritage. I wanted to tell him that there were moments in that show that made me wept.
But he looked as if he was trying to make a beeline to his car in the parking structure when he was suddenly "attacked" by 3 or 4 autograph and picture seekers. I thought to myself, "no - I'll let him be". Was that the high road I just took? Perhaps my good deed will produce dividends some other time.
"The Rivalry", by the way, was excellent.
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11 comments:
I just don't get this.
First Tony C. goes stalking Paul Newman, and I guess DeNiro, Alec B. and all these other gods in NY. You stalk Minnie Driver, Paul G (I really dug him in "Shoot em up", BTW.) and a handful of other famous types, either in your office, or in the main.
But neither of you two namedroppers close the deal, and prattle on and on about "how close" you were, as though a) you'll get another chance to do this or b) you've achieved some higher level of being by stalking and not meeting your idols.
In my humble experience, as long as you treat the celebrity with the same respect you would treat anyone else, they are usually pretty approachable. It's part of the game, and they usually enjoy an educated and respectful homage, when done respectfully and without drooling. Unless they're a dick, and there are plenty of those, right?
blogs such as yours or Tony's would be far more interesting to us non-celebrity soaking midwesterners if you actually grew a pair and contacted these star crossings. would love to hear what Paul G thought about his performance, or even his John Adams gig...or his great camp gig in Shoot em up.
Come on you two - where's that reporter's instinct? What would Patty Villa think?
Just kidding - keep blogging!
brian
brian.
you asked (from one of my very first posts in March of 2007).
Celebrities I've met and conversed with (more than 5 sentences):Brian Wilson – The Beach Boys “genius”, Wendy Wilson, Carnie Wilson, Chynna Phillips, Marilyn Wilson – Brian Wilson’s ex, Barbara Wilson – Dennis Wilson’s ex, Justyn Wilson – Carl Wilson’s son, Jonah Wilson – Carl Wilson’s son, Ricci Martin – Dean Martin’s son, Jeanne Martin – Dean Martin’s ex, Carl B. Wilson – Dennis Wilson’s son, Michael Wilson – Dennis Wilson’s son, Billie Hinsche – former musician with the Beach Boys and now touring with Al Jardine of the Beach Boys, Anne Hinsche – Carl Wilson’s ex, Jeff Foskett – singer/musician with Brian Wilson, Jay – owner of Chez Jay’s - Dennis Wilson’s favorite hangout, Ed Figuero – former drummer for the Beach Boys, Desi Arnaz Jr., Karen Lamm – Dennis Wilson’s ex-wife, former model/actress, wonderful woman, Jon Stebbins – author of The Real Beach Boy, bio of Dennis Wilson, Alan Boyd – producer of Endless Harmony, Beach Boys bio on VH1, Ed Roach – photographer for the Beach Boys, Jerry Schilling – Memphis Mafia/Elvis’ former mgr., Carl Wilson’s former mgr., Steve Kalinich – co-writer with Dennis Wilson, The Honey’s – Brian Wilson’s girl surf band in the 60’s, Jan Berry & Dean Torrance – Jan & Dean, 60’s surf band pioneers, Earl Hamner Jr. – creator of The Walton’s, Michael Learned – mother in "The Walton’s", Jon Walmsley – Jim-Bob in "The Walton’s", Seymour Cassell – starred in a lot of John Cassavettes films, "The Life Aquatic", Rob Reiner, Merv Griffin, Eugene Levy – SCTV, "Waiting for Guffman", Carlos Alazraqui - the voice of the Taco Bell Chihuahua, "Reno 911!", Patrick Stack - producer and brother of Tim Stack (Howard Stern's "Son of a Beach"), Bruce Boxleitner, Megan Gallagher – "China Beach", Jack Klugman, Bruce Dern, Jeff Conaway, Dominic Monaghan, Cory Feldman, Tim Conway, Ernest Borgnine, Bo Svenson, Mike Farrell – son of Mike Farrell from "MASH", Dan Lauria – father from "The Wonder Years", Alley Mills – mother from "The Wonder Years", Richard Roxburgh – "Van Helsing", "Mission Impossible II", Tim Conway, Ernest Borgnine, Michelle Phillips – Mamas & the Papas, Doug McKeon - the boy in "On Golden Pond", Dick Martin – from "Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In", Scott Bakula, Ashton Kutcher, Steven Lisberger – Screenwriter of "Tron", Martinez, A. – "The Cowboys", "Port Charles", "Santa Barbara", Don Cornelius – creator and host, Soul Train, Corbin Bernsen – "LA Law", "Major League", Joe Lando – "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman".
I think I'm tickled the most by the Beach Boys-related celebs as I've been a Beach Boy groupie since high school. Everyone was extremely laid back - like old friends, and I've met them all (as has my brother, Jason) on several occasions while involved with the Carl Wilson Cancer Foundation. Eugene Levy and I had a succinct conversation while standing at the bathroom urinals at Rob Reiner's production company in Beverly Hills. Earl Hamner is an avid fisherman and has a beautiful, trophy marlin on the wall in his office in Studio City. What a thrill it was meeting him! If you didn't already know, the TV series, The Waltons, was based on Earl's real life in Virginia, and Earl IS John-Boy, who was my inspiration to major in Journalism in college. John-Boy, that is. Well...Earl, too, I guess. Also, that was Earl's voice you heard narrating each episode. Ricci Martin, Dean Martin's son, is a wonderful man and a chip off the old block (I'll get to Deano in another blog). Karen Lamm - well I'm gonna keep most of that story to myself. Embodiment of the 70's Californian girl, she was a model/actress and graced billboards, television and magazine ads, while hanging out with Jack Nicholson and Elliott Gould, and she was married to Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys twice. I first met Karen at her apartment in West LA, and as she eyed me up and down, she said that if she had met me "back in the day" she woulda "went for me in a second"...which has to be one of the most flattering things anyone has ever shared with me. Her heart gave out in 2001 and most certainly was taken from this life much too early - she was 49. I went to her funeral and the reception that followed at her sister's house. Elliott Gould, Judd Nelson and Catherine Bach were in attendance. I'm thankful I got to know her that last year of her life...and I think of her often.
I probably missed a couple. There's a bunch I've seen from afar (Tom Cruise - 20 yards) or seen and just said "hi" to (Jack Lemmon, walking his poodle) - but I didn't bother to get into all that. You might have noticed Mel Gibson and Brett Favre are not on the list. Yet.
As I mentioned, Paul Giamatti looked as if he was on a dead run for the parking structure. i didn't "have to" talk to him.
forgot two -
James Rado, the co-creator and co-author of book/lyrics for HAIR, the musical; and Michael Butler, the original producer who brought HAIR to an Off-Broadway venue, then to Broadway. i did a telephone interview with both that I featured on my blog for the 40th anniversary of HAIR this year or last year - can't remember. it's on the blog somewhere. also met both Michael Butler and Peter Yarrow (from Peter, Paul and Mary) on opening night when I performed in HAIR in Iowa in 1995 (I think it was 1995).
this morning i met Bob Marley's son, Ziggy. you'll have to look at the post regarding said meeting and conversation that followed.
oh - regarding my "reporter's instinct"? i hate the media - which i've made quite clear on my blog. if the media were a person i would strangle her. him. it. whatever - the media would be dead.
...and I met with and talked with Teri Nunn from Berlin - last night at The Canyon Club. awesome concert - see blog post.
okay, point taken.
BUT, it still seems weak to blog "i could have" or "almost met" so-and-so. I know it fills the blog, but you and yer girl, "the media" need to kiss and make up - it's much more fun that way. Oh and the Teri Nunn post was much, much more interesting, (yep, she's still hot) from this reader's perspective...
thanks for the name-drop-o-rama...that must have been bursting a seam inside to get out. Feel better now? Then again, I think I would have traded all my celeb encounters, past and future, for 10 min of just hanging with Cool Hand Luke, wouldn't you?
brian
i don't understand youR last post, brian. the purpose of my long ass "name drop" post was to illustrate that these are ALL people i DID MEET WITH and TALKED TO AT LENGTH and USED TO NETWORK IN THE "BIZ"...not people i 'could have' or 'almost met'. ???? Giamatti was ONE guy I opted not to talk to out of courtesy - he's a nervous sort anyway from what i've been told.
and yeh - it felt good to 'get it out' because you assumed that i never 'close the deal' and that i just 'prattle on'. you shouldn't assume anything.
and as big of a newman fan as i am, yes - it woulda been cool to hang with him - but i wouldn't trade it for the times i've had hanging out with some of the Beach Boys and their families and other band members/acquaintances.
and what "yer girl" are you referring to and "the media"...what's that? if you're referring to my hatred for the media...no. if the media were a person i'd strangle the sonofabitch. and i NEVER put anything in my blog to 'fill it up'. no fillers. what i find interesting i hope others will. you may not but 10 others might OR 10 others might hate it and you'll like it. such is the blogging life. glad you liked the teri nunn post - truly a sweetheart.
...forgot about Mark Metcalf (from "Animal House" - we talked about him once before i thought) he and i HAVE talked over the phone a couple times and he's reading one of my plays as we speak. there's a great part in it for him, so...the more shit you throw, right? and Bo (Svenson) and I are having coffee when he's finished shooting his latest film. nice guy, that Bo. wants to put me in one of his movies (he has a production company) that he wrote if he can get it made.
...i talked to Marion Ross yesterday - the mother from "Happy Days". Met her in 2002 while doing "Blood Brother"...she's friends with the director and the director just passed away. Informed her about the memorial service and she had a lot of nice things to say about Milaukee and the Bronz fonz.
...met taylor mills two weeks ago. she's a FB friend and i've only seen her from afar as she sings back-up for Brian Wilson's band (for something like 7 years now). her hubby (todd sucherman, drummer for Styx) was playing in manhattan beach. she sang a couple of songs and i inroduced myself. we talked for 5 minutes or so. great singer and a sweetheart.
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