Ran into Lars Ulrich and Connie Nielsen outside of the Uffizi gallery in Florence with my brother. My brother told him he liked his music and he said "right on!" Met Steve Vai a couple of times, and got to hang out with the Deftones backstage when I was in high school.
The keyboard player for Bon Jovi came to my middle school and talked to my keyboarding class. I played Minuet in G Major and he complimented me and told me to keep at it.
Once through a total fluke I got bumped to first class on a flight and ended up sitting next to Emma Roberts. I’m sure the last thing she wanted was somebody chatting at her for 3 hours, so I just nodded hello and said nothing. She also said nothing, but I got the feeling she appreciated it.
I’ve interviewed a lot of different bands over the years, so I won’t name any of those. Most were nice, a few were less so. Nothing extreme. Had the pleasure of spending some time with Hayley Williams on a few occasions. Absolute sweetheart. I met Mike Tyson at a mall in Vegas while I was extremely drunk and begged him to punch me in the face. He didn’t. My cousin Rick plays in a band called Finger Eleven. Not sure how big they ever got in America, but I’m sure plenty of people have heard their song Paralyzer at least once. Had the pleasure of meeting loads of professional hockey players over the years. Henrik Zetterberg was the nicest. Patrick Kane was the biggest douche. Lots of UFC fighters too. Mostly in Vegas. I was supposed to be in IT Chapter Two before my scenes got cut at the last minute, but I got to meet most of the main cast from that film. Bill Hader, Jessica Chastain, Bill Skarsgard, etc. I know there’s more I’m forgetting, but it’s 3 in the morning and I’m too tired to think.
Finger Eleven throws me back to 2003 playing 1080 Avalanche on Gamecube all day. It's been years, but I remember loving the album the featured songs were originally from.
Oh I wasn't trying to call Pratt an asshole or anything lol, he seemed like the nicest dude ever during the commercial breaks, he went and talked to the front row a couple times I actually went looking for them in DC too lmao, never found them though. That reminds me though my family was on vacation in Myrtle Beach while they were filming the third season of Eastbound & Down, which takes place and was filmed almost entirely there. One time we drove by a giant crowd in front of a storefront with a big shark on it but didn't stop, then I watched the season when it aired and it turns out it was Danny McBride, Will Ferrell and Craig Robinson shooting a scene there lol
I only know it because a guy mentioned on a podcast I listen to that he went to the same high school, haha
I worked at a truck stop for a year and a half, I met Vanilla Ice, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Mya, Joe Girardi, and ESPN anchor Steve Levy. Got a pic and auto with Ice, Stone Cold, and Girardi. Girardi is my favorite because I worked overnight the night after the Yankees played in the ALCS. I actually brought a random Yankees jersey in purely in case a Yankee stopped in on the way back from Boston. He came in to fill up his Mercedes.
I met Q & Sal from Impractical Jokers in London in 2014. They were doing a recording for their podcast What Say You. They did a 'lets all go to a bar after the show' style thing which was actually pretty cool. Had some random people there e.g. I was sitting next to the writer of The Inbetweeners. I was at Gotham Comedy Club and met Sebastian Maniscalco just chilling in the foyer bit. Is their a thread for Music artists?
Phillipe Nover dropped in at my gym this last summer. Was real nice when he came in. Only time he mentioned he was a former fighter was when we asked if trained before or not haha. Didn't get a chance to work with him, but he's real good. Proud of the work he's doing in NYC as a nurse at the moment. Shout out to Finger Eleven too. I saw 50 Cent in O'Hare once. We didn't talk, but he did flash that shit eating grin he has. Was a highlight before my 7am flight or whatever it was.