I have a strange run of luck in running into famous people at the airport. Literally, in the case of Robin Williams and Danny Devito, both of whom I nearly physically ran over at baggage claim. And not literally, in the sense that it all happened so fast that I’m never sure that the person I nearly body checked was actually who it appeared to be. Usually I process so slowly that I’m about 10 feet down the terminal by the time I think “Hey, that looked like . . .” Or the time that I was at Sky Harbor and heard “Charles Sheen, please pick up a white paging phone. Mr. Charles Sheen, please pick up a white paging phone.” How many people are there named Charles Sheen? Maybe a lot. But I did have independent quasi-verification when I find out that Charlie had been sent to town for one of his many revolving door rehab trips in Phoenix that week. And with Williams and Devito, same thing, only not rehab related. They actually were in town at the time. Maybe I nearly collided with them. Or maybe I just nearly plowed into someone who looked like them by bizarre coincidence. Who knows?
So, on Sunday, while I’m trapped at OKC, waiting for the bomb sniffing dog to have his way with the abandoned suitcase at Love, I’m sitting there casually sipping a Sonic Dr. Pepper with a vanilla shot (gotta love an airport that has a Sonic), when I see this guy pass and think, “Gee, that looks like the lead singer of the Flaming Lips.”
Now Wayne Coyne does live in Oklahoma City. And frankly, how many Okies are 6’+, have wild gray hair and have the guts to wear a gray and silver ensemble, with huge white sunglasses and a pink carry-on bag, and still manage to not come off gay? I’m thinking not many.
My thinking is there are two possibilities: either this was the guy from the Flaming Lips, and if manages to be a whack-o rock start but still be down to earth enough to make Oklahoma City home, then he deserves to be left in peace as he tries to get a Moe’s burrito; or he’s a guy who knows he looks like Wayne Coyne and tries to get attention by parading around the airport in his “incognito” shades – and frankly, I don’t think we should encourage that sort of behavior.
So, alas, no cell phone pic to document the sighting. Just an odd little maybe tale from the road.
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I only ever see lame celeb sitings like politicians and local theatrical folk flying off to auditions or summer stock, did fly on a plane with Carrotop up in first class, girl hanging all over his sterioded-out biceps.
And you didn't get right off the plane? You're brave.
We saw Ted Nugent at the Houston airport once. He was riding the golf cart from one terminal to the next.
My fave celeb-sighting story was when my freshman college roommate and I saw MacKenzie Phillips (One Day at a Time) and we were acting so foolish and giddy over seeing her that she came over to us to chat us up. Granted, we were in Munich, Germany and at that point in her career not many people would have recognized her or acted like crazed groupies like us. She was genuinely interested in why we lived there and was very friendly. She was in town for a Mamas & Papas concert.
MacKenzie Phillips is actually pretty cool. Especially for our age group, where she was the cool older sister of everybody's dreams.
Considering that we all seem to spot the notables at the airport, I'm actually even happier to not being famous. I look like a wreck at the airport. I'd end up on the "What was she thinking?" page every week.
Yes, being famous and flying don't mix - I LIKES to be comfy and come off the plane with pillow lines on my head.
BTW I DID hang in the Atlanta airport lounge with some James Brown band members back 10+ years ago -- all of us were delayed by 12 hours - can't remember why. Just recall they were returning from a Tonight Show gig and I was on my way to a convention in Orlando and pissed that Atlanta's airport was so awdul and no food places were open.
James Brown's band? Awesome. I hope they were well behaved. Or actually, I hope they weren't. I'd kind of hope that they were bad, bad men with wild stories from the road.
They were pretty tired and eager to get home - as was I and I was only starting my trip. They told me some of the Tonight Show background info. I got the feeling they care far more about food they are served backstage than most other factors like meeting the other famous guests.
That would kind of go along with what a friend told me about her days working backstage at a large concert venue. Evidently everything you've ever heard about Fleetwood Mac is true.
I need to add another celebrity sighting to my list! Our four star general at work is retiring (dear, sweet man) and we took hin to lunch at Joe Theisman's restaurant since he's such a huge Redskins fan. I guess the organizers invited Joe Theisman because he was standing about 3 feet away from me!
I also saw Ted Turner at his restaurant, Ted's Montana Grill, a few years ago. Hmm, I guess I need to go to a few more celebrity restaurants to spot the celebrity. Seems to be as theme with me.
Oh, my god. How did you eat with Joe Theisman sitting there? All I would have been able to do would be think thigh bone thigh bone thigh bone.
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