Crazy semi-famous celeb customer!

[Ree]

Peter Mansbridge, a Canadian news anchor who's pretty famous.

We have a letter from him commending us on our wonderful service.

He has a cottage somewhere in the area and was driving through.

[ShockQueen]

I've never served anyone famous, but have had run-ins with some.........

I met John De Lancie at a Star Trek convention back in '93, and he was a VERY nice individual when people asked him questions - the guy is STILL 50 feet tall when you stand next to him. ;-)

Had heard from a friend of mine many years ago that when George Takei was staying at the Sheraton here for Treasure Kon III, he was a whiny, entitlement snob. Guess he changed years later, thankfully. Would love to meet him now though!

I think the best meeting I ever had with anyone famous was with Mari Iijima. Met her at Nan Desu Kan in 2000 when I was living in Denver. I had been doing a fan site for her for a while, so when I learned she was coming, I had to go. I was working security that year, so I got to go in before anyone else to get a seat. It was so amazing just to see her in person when she was talking to people, I then found a seat up front and watched her warm up. She had recognized me from a pic I had sent her once, came up to me, and gave me a big hug while saying "I finally get to meet you". Yeah.........I pretty much melted right there. VERY nice lady, and very down-to-earth.

[JustaCashier]

(.......Our Mormon roommate didn't speak to us the rest of the year.)

Jealous little.......



Mike

[The cat whisperer]

Back at my old theatre Elton John would come in every now and then. Surprisingly to me it would just be him and his manager or maybe his significant other. No posse. Never one of those entitlement whores (which is the complete opposite of how he is rumored to be). Eric Clapton was polite the two times I met him while he was on tour and he came to watch a movie. I could kick myself though because twice I didn't realize it was him until it was too late.

At my new theatre a kinda cute older British guy was chatting with me about the fact we sell beer and how cool that was. I thought he was familiar, but I could not place him. When I got home that night my friend told me she was upset about missing the Billy Idol concert. Yes, I also blew a chance at Billy Idol's autograph, even though I probably would never had asked since he was on his personal time.

Big Boi is always a good tipper. Andre 3000 not so much (usually though 10-15%). And Ludacris doesn't tip at all (the staff joke that his tipping speech in "Crash" was all ad-libbed). Bruce Sprinsteen snuck in like he was on a covert-op even though all of two people reconized him and neither wanted his autoraph and he started acting a little offended the staff wasn't tripping all over themselves.

[draggar]

Bruce Sprinsteen snuck in like he was on a covert-op even though all of two people reconized him and neither wanted his autoraph and he started acting a little offended the staff wasn't tripping all over themselves.

That's not what I'd expect. My father in law used to go hunting with The Boss' cousin (Boo) and he even talked to him a few times. Seemed really laid back and talkative, even to some degree, starved of attention.

I mean, he wanted to talk about Guniea (sp?) hens since my father in law had some and the Boss wanted some.

[Geek King]

Well, I used a bathroom stall next to Walter Koenig when he was a guest at Origins one year. No, I didn't bug him (even though he looked like he expected to be accosted when I walked in. Talk about down sides to being well-known!).

I heard later that he's a gamer. He played some Battletech there at the con. I find that really cool, for some reason.

[8itchyManager]

Steve Smith (AKA Red Green) is an absolute sweetheart. He comes in regularly, usually eats in and always gives a great tip.
Also, he is WAY nicer than I would be, regularly stopping eating to chat up or sign autographs for some of the rudest SC I've laid eyes on.

However the local newcaster feels he is special and should be allowed to walk in, and be served immediately regardless of how many people are in line, and gets downright pissy if I don't have 6 keel (center breast) for his two 3 piece meals.

[ominousoat]

Sir Ian is both built and hung.

[Insert "Gandalf's Staff" joke here.]

Or am I the only one?

[ISellCars]

I've had 2 "semi-celebrity" encounters at my job. Both of them football players.

The first was Antrel Rolle... now the average joe probably won't know who the heck he is, but he's a starting CB for the Arizona Cardinals, and was an all-american for the University of Miami. He bought a vehicle from us before he got drafted..

And the second was a guy named Marcus Hudson, he's a backup DB for the San Francisco 49ers, he bought a vehicle from us about a month ago.

Both nice guys, I didn't think to get an autograph, but I talked football with Marcus for a good while and showed him the vehicle he bought.

My dad is a piano player, and about 6 months ago he found out Gene Hackman was in the lounge where he was playing and my dad met him and shook his hand. He said that was really cool.

[Blueberry]

Oh I am the worst at recognizing celebrities! I have quite a few 'Hey didn't you know who you were helping stories?' and damn I felt pretty stupid after each time.
I'll tell you one.
It was Christmas and there was a pretty big line. I was cashing out this one guy and his wife when she realized they needed gift bags and took off to get some.
He smiled apologetically and said 'Sorry about that. I forgot to get them.'
Because he's being very nice and the line is no longer at a monstrous level, I smile back and say 'Well, it's best to get them now, you don't want to stand in that line again!'
And we have a laugh, she comes back really quick with 2 and I ring them through.
Then I noticed the back of his credit card is worn off and I can't see the signature.
'May I see your ID sir? The back of the card is totally worn off.'
He gives me a WTF look...But pulls it out, looking incredulous the whole time, and shows it to me.
IT WAS JASON PRIESTLY!!!!!!!!
I mumble thanks and have a good day and he leaves.
The events coordinator nearly died laughing that I didn't recognize him and that I had carded him...
I also meet Tommy Chong a few weeks ago!
Him I did recognize because my husband and his aunt are huge fans and have all the movies, etc.
He was really really nice when I asked him if he could sign a book for my aunt-in-law, said he loved signing the books. (My husband didn't get one since we only had one copy left and he said his aunt deserved it more) He bought some books about how to live with lots of books, some DVDs and left. For some reason he had been also looking at wilderness survival books.
My husband now wishes I had gotten him to sign one of our 'How to Make a Bong' books.

[RogueThinker]

[Insert "Gandalf's Staff" joke here.]

Or am I the only one?

I admit, I watch LOTR with new eyes now, especially the scene where Gandalf wakes up on the roof of Sauron's tower, nude from the shoulders up.

And to get back on topic, what do you guys think is appropriate behaviour when serving celebs? Can you ask for an autograph? Should you say you liked their last movie/concert/game/etc?

[Gurndigarn]

[Insert "Gandalf's Staff" joke here.]

Or am I the only one?

All together now: A wizard's staff has a knob on the end...

(We need a singing smiley.)

[Gurndigarn]

Should you say you liked their last movie/concert/game/etc?

Sure, but quietly enough that no other customers hear you. Unless it's obvious they're looking for egoboos.

Can you ask for an autograph?

Only if they act like they want to interact with you after you complemented their last movie/concert/game/etc. Or if they're obviously looking for egoboos.

[ArenaBoy]

And to get back on topic, what do you guys think is appropriate behaviour when serving celebs? Can you ask for an autograph? Should you say you liked their last movie/concert/game/etc?

I wouldn't go for it. A lot of celebs are just ordinary folks who want to get on with their lives and having a clerk bother them due to fame will just make you look childish. You're serving a person and you have to remain professional at all costs. It isn't worth getting in trouble for a celebs autograph. One of the basic rules working at an arena was you could NEVER EVER seek celebs out and if on the off chance you had to help one, you had to be professional. My mom actually catered for bands before I was born and the most important thing and rule of it was to remain professional and not get star-struck easily.

[Pezzle]

I get to meet celebs every so often. This is because my boyfriend and I both work security at a convention called Chiller Theatre. It has its perks, we get to hang out with them all at the after parties.