Who's the most famous person you almost knocked over/had accident with?

[Rabrrrrrr]

I have two:

I almost clobbered Philip Glass in a hospital cafeteria - I wasn't paying attention, in my own little world, and spun around quickly in the line, and thank God he was a bit quicker because WHAM! there he was with a tray full of food and I almost took all of it, and him, out.

And I almost slammed a door into Signourney Weaver - I opened it (it was a "pull") as she was walking by, and almost opened it into her face.

[BattyDem]

1. I bumped into Billy Joel on a staircase

I'm so glad I didn't knock him down!

It was at a Broadway show. I was on my way downstairs and he was coming up. My two friends were behind me and we were sort of walking and talking at the same time, so I wasn't paying attention ... and I walked right into the Piano Man himself! Luckily, the staircase was packed (it was intermission) so even if he did lose his balance, there wouldn't have been any room for him to fall ... the crowd would have held him up.

Anyway, I was just about to apologize, when I saw who it was I bumped in to. It was like: (bump)"Oh, I'm so sor ... hey, Billy Joel!" He said, "Hi" and smiled ... which was so cool! :D

[Rowdyboy]

2. Oklahoma Senator Fred Harris, ran for president in 1976...I bumped asses

with his wife, LaDonna, who is a Native American activist (Cherokee). She was very gracious.

[Radical Activist]

3. Al Franken

oops

[Susang]

4. I smashed into Billy Corgan on my way out of my hairstylist's

We both lived in the same neighborhood in Chicago and this was right before Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness came out.

I had just had my hair cut and my hairstylist at the time was working out of a loft on Milwaukee Ave. You had to go up a really long, dark, skinny flight of stairs to get to her place. I had just had my hair cut and was running late, as my hairdresser was always late for her appointments.

I ran down the flight of stairs and threw open the door and whipped myself around onto the sidewalk, right smack into the path of this huge, skulking bald man in Doc Martens and a black t-shirt with a silver star on the front.

I looked up at him, muttered "Sorry, excuse me, I didn't see you" and just bolted down Milwaukee Ave in the direction of my apartment. I was about halfway home when I realized who I had just about knocked on his ass.

[Thor_MN]

5. My brother almost knocked Wendell Anderson (former MN Gov.) off his feet

at a reception after a concert. I almost died, but I couldn't help asking him if he knew that Wendell was there. He said "No, where is he???" It was fun to watch his expression when I said "You know the guy that you just ran into???"

[stopbush]

6. Sir Neville Marriner.

I was driving south on Warburton Avenue coming from Hastings-on-Hudson to Yonkers when he started to pull out from behind a parked truck. He was at a Citgo station. The truck totally blocked him from my vision, and I had the right of way. He slammed on his brakes, honked and started cursing. I looked over and said, "Hey, that's Neville Marriner!"

[Spinzonner]

7. Ahnold

He almost ran into me crossing through a Nordstrums in South Coast Plaza (Costa Mesa, CA). It was across the street from a Planet Hollywood during the time when he had a part ownership in the restaurant chain.

He was shorter than I expected - shorter than me.

I later saw him in a western gear store in the mall along with an entourage. They cleared out the store for him to shop and a crowd gathered outside the entrance.

[Zan_of_Texas]

8. Vanessa Redgrave

A friend and I had seen her act in a Shakespearean play, and had ducked into the restaurant next door for a bite to eat afterwards. On the way out of the restaurant, here zooms Vanessa herself, coming the other direction in the passageway from the theater. Well, I managed to stop her, compliment her on the play, pull out a pen and the program, and get her autograph.

I still haven't washed the vest I was wearing at the time!

[qnr]

9. None, but from the opposite spectrum, I had a well known scientist

(I've forgotten their name after all these years) throw up on my uniform pants leg when we were crossing Drakes Passage enroute Antarctica.

[elperromagico]

10. A friend of mine at college knocked Jerry Van Dyke over.

That's a funny image, because I imagine Jerry being unable to get back up... like a turtle.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

11. my brother in law almost ran over granny d

in indiana, i think. he's a bigtime leftie and he would have been haunted for eternity if he'd hit her

[Withywindle]

12. Thurston Moore from Sonic Youth, in a crowded club...

...I was drunk and trying to get away too quickly from an embarrassing situation. He's so tall and skinny I didn't even see him 'cause his face was so far above my field of vision (if you've ever been that drunk, you'll know what I mean). He was very nice and caught me so I didn't fall over and pointed me in the direction I seemed to want to go.

This was in '88, and I remember nothing about the specifics of the situation I was trying to get away from, but I sure remember him. He's cute!


Not the same thing, but Henry Rollins walked in on me in the CBGB bathroom once. Yes, the women's bathroom (like it matters there).

[Book Lover]

13. Yoko Ono

In Central Park the year after John Lennon was shot. My friend and I were rollerskating around, and wham! there she was, nearly colliding with me.

[cestpaspossible]

14. I bumped into Linus Torvalds

[ArmchairActivist]

15. I damn near spilled a beer on Dr. Demento...

...20 years ago at an ice-cream social in the Reed College mailroom. (The good Dr. is an alumnus.) In those days, any event at Reed labeled a "social" involved multiple kegs of beer, and usually live music, though the mailroom only had space to accomodate the beer.

I remember the leather jacket he was wearing, that he was short and that I asked him if he'd play 'Existential Blues' at his show the following night. And god bless him, he did just that.

Here's to ya, Doc! :beer:

-AA

[non sociopath skin]

16. Sir Paul McCartney's brother, Mike ...

... who was in a satirical group called Scaffold who'd just played a gig at my Uni. I crushed head on into him in the doorway of the pub opposite the venue.

Could understand why he was hurrying in but sure as hell can't remember why I was hurrying out ...

The Skin

[Allenberg]

17. Does having Steven Spielberg drop a pen

on my foot in an elevator count? :D

[Cornjob]

18. Almost ran over Beano Cook

Beano is a sportcaster and analyst with ESPN and is based in Pittsburgh.

Several years ago, I was driving past the US Steel Building in downtown Pittsburgh when Beano absentmindedly (and without looking) stepped in front of my car. I slammed on the brakes and swerved, just missing him.

I have no idea why he stepped out in the middle of the block! There is no crossing there and the street is 4 lanes wide!

After I stopped, I realized it was Beano. I opened my window and said "Beano, please be more careful, I almost killed you!"

We both laughed and Beano went back on the sidewalk.

[Maestro]

19. In the late eighties

I was in Dallas' West End area, which is an entertainment section of Dallas, rushing to get to a Midnight Oil concert. It was outdoors. While running, a very long limo pulled up and I literally ran into to the very tall lead singer of Midnight Oil. He is a long stick. Really, he must be 6'4" and 120 pounds wet. He was very cool and excused himself while overzealous guards treated me like a beanbag. He told them to calm down and asked if I was alright. I said I was fine, he smiled and he moved on. It was a great concert and good night. Good boys those guys from down under.

[Joe Power]

20. Ozzy

In my previous life as a stagehand, Ozzy was shuffling behind my as I was standing talking to a group of my buddies. As I was talking I took a couple of steps backwards, Ozzy tried to quickly move away and fell on his ass. My friends thought it was hilarious. I didn't even know it had happened until he was gone, so unfortunately, I didn't see anything.

[Emops]

21. I tripped and fell over Orville Wright's headstone a couple weeks ago.

That's about as close as I've come.

[lonestarnot]

22. I ran into a wall once...but it didn't fall over. n/t

[elehhhhna]

23. Walked directly into John Ramsey (JonBenet's Dad)

a few years ago in the drugstore on Grand Cayman.

[MrScorpio]

24. I've got a few

I almost ran smack dab into then SECDEF Dick Cheney when I worked at the Pentagon. I was walking to the Concourse for lunch and instead of looking where I was going, I was looking at this hot babe. When I turned my head at the last second, I found myself looking face to face with Dick. Needless to say it wouldn't have been good if I had hit him.

Second, I almost crashed into Supreme Court Justice's Sandra Day O'Connors' Limo. I was speeding on the street behind the Supreme Court, when a big, black limo drove onto the street from an underground garage. My car screeched to a halt, and I could see through the tinted glass that the noise caused her to look up from something that she was reading. The car then drove off without further incident. Needless to say it wouldn't have been good if I had hit her.

Third, I almost hit then TRANSAFRICA Director Randall Robinson in DC. I was speeding, (Of Course) and I turned this corner. He was there sitting in his convertible at the light. I almost lost control and almost hit his car. Good thing I didn't, because it was all my fault. Needless to say it wouldn't have been good if I had hit him.

[arwalden]

25. I Didn't Meet Him, But Bumped Shoulders With Jack Kemp...

... at Washington National airport. He was talking on his cell phone and was distracted. We both swirved to avoid a collision, but we still brushed each other's side. The appropriate "pardon me" and "sorry" was exchanged and we continued on our ways.

Aren't I special? Wanna touch me now? :hi:

[radwriter0555]

26. Jodie Foster knocked on my door not once, but TWICE.... in an effort

to track down and leave messages and packages for my-then neighbor who was her set designer.

Now our kids are at the same school and she's just lovely.

[DelawareValleyDem]

36. Delete, misplaced

[11 Bravo]

27. Lady Bird Johnson.

It was 1962 and we were visiting my mon at Bethesda Naval Hospital after some routine knee surgery. The elevator door opened, I wasn't paying attention, and BAM! What a different era. There was one other man in the elevator. In retrospect, I imagine he was a SS agent, but can you imagine coming within a country mile of Lynn Cheney today?

[Lavender Brown]

28. Brooke Shields

bumped into her in the street, she was talking on her cell phone.

[SarahB]

29. Local Hartford radio legend Bob Steele (now deceased due to old age)...

almost ran me over with his car. He came about an inch away. Big excitement, huh?

[AngryAmish]

30. Bob Greene - the bad newspaper coloumnist

Almost hit him with my car. Should have run the fucker over.

[Beware the Beast Man]

31. A friend of mine almost ran over Bob Hegyes (Juan Epstein)

From "Welcome Back Kotter." He was in town for a movie shoot (Lorenzo's Oil, I think his wife was an assistant or something), and a bunch of us were in our friend's VW Cabriolet. We almost ran him over as he was crossing the street.

[dolo amber]

32. I worked at a club in Cincinnati

One evening we had a big *Smooth Jazz* festival thing...I don't remember who all was on the bill (I do recall Najee, George Duke and Diane somebody (Reeves?)...but anyway...)

So it's all nice, tables, candles etc. George Duke was headlining. I'm cocktailing for some reason instead of being behind the bar. I'm on the mezzanine, serving drinks to the nicely dressed people. Suddenly the crowd roars, and charging up the stairs, I see essentially this:




PLOWS right into/over me. I'm all of 5 ft tall and then weighed about a whole 110lbs. Drinks go flying. *I* go flying. Mr. Duke continued on his merry way, completely oblivious. :D

I also rode in an elevator with Patrick Ewing once while in NYC. He was very tall. :D (He also had on enough cologne to kill colony of pygmies. x()

[Lautremont]

33. I knocked over Ani DiFranco at a folk festival.

Also was shoved by Tim (Otter (?) from Animal House) Matheson.

[evlbstrd]

34. Arlo Guthrie,

in 1972, stepped on me outside a concert venue as I was sitting on the sidewalk waiting to get in for his show.
Arlo: "Oh, wow, man. Sorry!"
Mee: "Hey, it's OK, Arlo!"

[Worst Username Ever]

35. Dana Carvey

I *literally* bumped into him while entering an elevator. I said"sorry," and it was him, eating a McDonald's cheeseburger. Awkward.

[WMliberal]

37. Head on car crash with Jamie Winbourne of the 49ers.

We went to the same high school. He tried to do a U-Turn from one aisle of the parking lot to the next at 30 mph. Definitely his fault. He didn't get ticketed (obviously) since he was the star QB at the time.

[KurtNYC]

38. Philip Glass ruined Koyannisquatsi

Smack him once for me next time ;-)

Big dude was standing at the sauce bar at Falafel King in Westwood. Taking his time, a little bit of humus, a little tahini, a little...

"You are gonna leave some for the rest of us aren't you?" I say.

He turns around - it is Ed Asner (Lou Grant, SAG President).

Different one...

Going down a line of cards in a card shop, also in Westwood. Out of the corner of my eye I see someone half blocking my path and half just about to run into me with aggressive body language. I don't look until they are 12 inches from me on this colision course. It's Kristy McNichols.

[x-g.o.p.er]

39. Loretta Swit

Saw her in a play in Fayetteville, NC, and after the play we were in line for something, and she came through the lobby. She had to cut through the line to get to the door she was headed, and came my way, oblivious to me. I had my back to her and was talking, and stepped back into her, almost knocking her flat on her rear.

I apologized profusely, my wife smacked me on the arm, but she was really nice about it.

[LiberallyInclined]

40. Gene Siskel was almost my hood ornament.

I was driving up Clark St. in the company truck when Gene Siskel darted out from between two parked cars to catch a cab going the other way. Had I not slammed ion the brakes and spilled my entire lunch over the floor, he wouldn't of had to wait for a brain tumor to kill him.

[bettyellen]

41. I bled all over Mat Dillons foot once. Stepped on glass and

hobbled up to the bar to find my bf to help get the chunk out.
strangely enough, earlier that year matt had stomped on my foot, apoligized profusely and bought me a drink. that was a bad year for my feet i guess.

[sir_captain]

42. Almost ran over Natalie Portman a couple of times

in college. Let me put it this way--it wouldn't have taken much. Maybe a good stiff wind.

[davsand]

43. Dick Butkis

I'm 5'4" and I literally ran into him in the airport in St. Louis. He's a right solid guy--and he's a lot taller than I would have expected...

That's right, football fans--'ole Laura just about took down Dick Butkis!!!


Laura

[Rabrrrrrr]

44. I thought I was bad - I'm amazed at the number you almost KILLED!

Sheesh!!

I'm glad you are all careful drivers and able to stop accidents before they happen.

Amazing, though, how many of you have almost hit a celebrity with your car.

:wow:

[Ramsey]

45. My friend ran into Gerald Ford

On a ski slope in Vail, and she says the SS swarmed around Ford, picked him up, brushed him off, and left her sitting there on the ground in the snow!

Oh, and another friend of mine collided with Kim Basinger while he was roler blading in Central Park.

[Magrittes Pipe]

46. None. But Drew Carey once flipped me off.

And I said to Lou Reed: "My God... you're so SMALL!"

[ronnykmarshall]

47. Mel Brooks

My brother and I were at SFO picking up my then boyfriend, as in tradition we always acted out scenes from "High Anxiety" (our favorite Mel Brooks film). Were talking towards the terminal we almost walked right into Mel. It took us a second and we both said "Oh my god, Mel Brooks!". Turn and smiled and said "Hi ya, how are ya?" and went right back talking to his friend.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

48. Phil Lesh

He was jogging and almost ran over me.

[Beaverhausen]

49. Noah Wylie and Anthony Edwards almost ran me over with a cart

I work where they film ER and Anthony was driving one of those carts and wasn't looking where he was going and nearly ran me over.

dang!

[greblc]

50. Robert Plant....

I was riding my Motor Scooter through Downtown St.Paul I stopped for a Red Light and Rob walked right in front of my Scooter. I like Led Zeppelin so I opted not to run him down an and send him up the Stairway to Heaven. Justin Timberlake wouldn't have escaped.