I got to thinking about this crazy city I live in the other day when I wrote about being stalked myself in the super market because two deli workers thought I was Meat Loaf. It's just one more validation of celebrity power and how centralized it is out here in Tinseltown.
One of the truly cool things about living in Los Angeles is the ability to see celebrities out and about, living their lives just like you and I do. Of course, if you go to an industry function or a studio lot, it's a slamdunk that you will see a star or two. That's cheating. The real fun is when you're in the supermarket next to them as they're running their debit card through to buy a head of lettuce and some beer.
I had a really stellar celebrity encounter day several years ago when I actually tallied three sightings on one single Saturday. While picking up my dry cleaning, I saw Sydney Pollack parking his car on Westwood Boulevard. Walking into the New Balance sneaker store, the door was held open for me by Steven Bochco. And, capping it all off, Henry Winkler was sitting in the row ahead of us at the Arclight for a showing of "Michael Clayton," co-starring...Sydney Pollack.
So let's recap it. Who else have I seen here in my sixteen plus years here?
Jon Voight multiple times. In a movie theater. On a plane. At baggage claim.
Mary Tyler Moore. Once again at LAX baggage claim.
Dick Van Dyke in the lobby at the Egyptian Theater.
Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen on a flight from NY to LA.
Robert Guillaume at a coffee shop down the block from my old office. We spent five minutes discussing just how unnatural the ingredients are in a bottle of Diet Snapple.
Jack Riley from the Bob Newhart Show at the Arclight for a showing of "3:10 to Yuma."
Bob Newhart himself several times pushing a shopping cart at Ralph's supermarket. My writing partner saw him multiple times picking up a prescription at Walgren's.
Carol Burnett hiding behind sunglasses and a column at The Cheesecake Factory.
Barbara Bain from "Mission Impossible" buying movie tickets at the Arclight.
Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy buying movie tickets at a kiosk in the Grove theater complex.
Jane Alexander crossing a street in Westwood.
Brenda Strong, the narrator from "Desperate Housewives" picking out a birthday card at Aahs in Westwood.
Dean "Superman" Cain trying to corral his young son at Aahs in Santa Monica.
Kristian Alfonso from "Days of Our Lives" eating lunch with her children next to me at The Cheesecake Factory.
John Lithgow parking his car underneath my living room window.
Teri Hatcher three times. Yelling at her daughter in Tower Records. Sitting with absolutely no make-up on at the Marmalade Cafe. Standing in front of me on the popcorn line at the Arclight.
Nicolette Sheridan and I making eye contact while stopped at a traffic light on Wilshire.
Marcia Cross shopping at Bloomingdale's. Notice how I pretty much ran the table on the woman from "Desperate Housewives."
Neil Patrick Harris and his boyfriend going through security in front of me at LAX. They were going to meet the birth mother of their kids. How do I know that? I heard their whole conversation.
Michele Lee at the Hollywood Bowl. Her companion wanted to give me a dollar because I mentioned "How to Succeed."
Ellen DeGeneres at the car wash. Pre-talk show and dog drama, she was driving a Toyota Corolla.
Grant Tinker at the same car wash and at a French restaurant in Brentwood.
Greg Kinnear at the car wash.
Della Reese at the car wash as she was getting her church van lathered up.
Pre-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger fishing for coins at a parking meter near the Ivy in Beverly Hills.
Post-Governor Arnold on a date at Fig in Santa Monica, which happens to be in a hotel. They barely ate their appetizers. After rubbing each other's shoulders, they went upstairs.
Christina Ricci waiting at the car valet with me at Jar.
Rip Taylor at the Laemmle theater in Beverly Hills, one row behind me.
Lesley Ann Warren sitting next to my writing partner and me at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. She moved at intermission when he wouldn't stop staring at her.
Joanne Worley on the ticket will call line at the Ahmanson.
David Spade in the men's room at the Grove Theater.
Queen Latifah coming out of the ladies' room at the Grove Theater.
Harrison Ford on the escalator at Dodger Stadium.
Ray Romano on the club level on Dodger Stadium.
Bradley Whitford multiple times at Dodger Stadium. He used to have season tickets two sections away from mine.
Tommy Lasorda at the Dodger Stadium club. He ate some cheese and crackers from our table.
Gwyneth Paltrow at the Dodger game. Her kids are hyper-active.
Rob Reiner all the time at Dodger games and on a flight from NY to LA.
Larry King many times at Dodger Stadium. Who cares?
Tom Lasorda at the urinal next to me in the fifth floor bathroom at work. "Hiya, pal!"
Mickey Dolenz of the Monkees at the Dodger Stadium club restaurant.
Brad Garrett at the Hollywood Bowl.
Sean Hayes at the Hollywood Bowl.
Penny Marshall at the Hollywood Bowl.
The late Tony Franciosa several Christmas Eves at church. I gave him wine at holy communion. He died three weeks later.
Harvey Korman at church on Christmas Eve. I lit his candle. Also died later the next year.
Lukas Haas at church on Christmas Eve. Luckily, the jinx stopped. He's still alive.
Keifer Sutherland coming out of a medical building in West Hollywood.
Carl Reiner and I picking up old paper towels from the floor of the men's room at the TV Academy.
The aforementioned Bob Newhart and Don Rickles with their wives in the next booth at Madeo.
Tony Bennett at the same Madeo.
Bruce Vilanch at the Pantages Theater.
Joan Rivers in the lobby of an office building.
Brian Benben trying to be unnoticed at the Aero Theater. He was. Nobody knew who he was.
France Nuyen watching herself in "South Pacific" at the Egyptian.
Leonard Maltin watching a pair of screwball comedies at the Egyptian.
Ron Howard with his kids buying popcorn at the Egyptian for a showing of "Guns of Navarone." He is the only one I wanted to talk to.
Ed Begley Jr. waiting for an electric powered bus on Beverly Boulevard in West Hollywood.
Giovanni Ribisi wandering around Hollywood Boulevard.
Carson Kressley from "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" sitting next to me on a flight to NY. He had excessive body odor.
Molly Shannon sitting across from me on a NY bound flight.
Timothy Busfield on one of the first NY flights after 9/11. He and I chatted.
The late Harry Morgan of M*A*S*H* eating soup at Jerry's Famous Deli. Both Harry and the restaurant are gone.
Dinner last night: Bacon burger at GO Burger.
4 comments:
Did you make these up? Some of them? How could you recall all of these encounters with such detail? You've kept a journal? how many were Meatloaf encounters where you just confused a civilian for a star. so and so behind sunglasses....without makeup...
I've seen three stars in my 30 plus years. .Arnold at the airport.....and I don't recall the other two but saw them first in baggage claim and then later making out in a VW.
15thavebud
Made up? Seriously? All sightings are real. I have been writing them down.
Len, I'm amazed at your observational abilities to assess and discern the smallest details. knowing you as I do, I would expect you to write them down. I marvel at your discipline to do so.
The two I saw at the airport and then making out in the airport parking lot, Dudley Moore and Susan Anton.
15thavebud
You saw Arnold Zipfel at the airport? Good catch.
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