Ok, so as of this moment, 33% of respondents have been either at a concert or in other proximity to ST. Forget 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon.....clearly 2 degrees of Steven Tyler is more appropriate!
I thought (for a time when I was fresh out of college) that I would write/photograph for Rolling Stone for a living.
I had a chance to meet quite a few musicians because of hanging with a certain group of people (they provided shall we say chemical diversions to visiting bands).
I met/saw Steven Tyler at bars on 3 separate occasions (only really talked to him the once), once at Pearson Airport, once at Newark, and once I glimpsed him in a restaurant (can't remember the name).
Very charming, very co-operative with fans, etc. etc. Just a really nice man.
I think my poll vote should be discounted. I voted seen him in a nonconcert setting...but not in person!
Re: 16yr old girls, he showed great lust for those performers trying for Idol. A bit gross. But yes, charming and seemingly kind.
Everyone on 3FC has probably had at least one celebrity encounter in his or her lifetime.
As I mentioned on the other thread, I have seen Steve Tyler three times, each time in Manhattan. Once I saw him get out a limo to attend the premiere of his daughter Liv's movie, "Stealing Beauty." It was fascinating to hear the paparazzi calling out to him in a really familiar manner, as if he were an old friend of theirs. Later, I saw him again in the lobby, where the stars of the movie & their guests were hanging out for publicity photos.
I have also seen Tyler on the street in the city. Once he was walking down the street with some other people. Another time he was standing right outside a restaurant, while someone (not him) apparently was finishing a cigarette. I did the NY thing, which is that I kept going where I was headed, and tried not to stare. If we'd somehow looked at each other (unlikely), I would have nodded and yes, I would have kept going.
I have never done anything but nod briefly or kind of say "hi" while keeping walking after seeing a celebrity. They're in the city, living their lives, and I shouldn't bother them. Kind of like wild animals in their natural forest habitat.
Actually, every couple weeks, in NY, I see someone famous. Famous somewhere, to some people. Usually I have no idea they're famous, though.
The person with me hits my shoulder & hisses or says sotto voce: "Did you see that [guy, chick, woman, older guy]? That was [fill in the blank with a name usually meaningless to Saef]."
Me [trying hard to look without actually turning my head or being seen to be looking] "Uhhhhh [and other unintelligible noises]."
Later, while we're still walking, I ask, "What was the name of that guy we saw coming out of the Spotted Pig?" (or whatever place it was). I try to remember the name, so I can tell the guys that I have lunch with at the office. So the celebrity will not have been wasted on me. Anyway, they are more likely to know the person, due to their out-of-control TV consumption.
(Yeah,I do like trash TV, mostly Bravo, but my taste is less wide-ranging than theirs, and I go to bed earlier than they do.)
Coming back to Steve Tyler: At least I knew who he was, though the second time I saw him, for a moment I thought he was Mick Jagger, though I knew he wasn't. I knew it was Someone Like That, though.
ETA: I am much better at bird-watching & identification than at famous-people-watching & identification. If they had a Sibley's or Peterson's guide for celebrities, that would be really helpful to me.
I am very poor on celebs. No tele, you see, apart from the gymn.
Good for you re no tele! It sucks up so much of our time.
I have been trying, for some time, to get DH to put our television away for a month. I recently totalled how much we each watch per week. I'm up to14-15 hours and DH is up to approx 21-23.
And we invariably snack while watching.
Maybe I'll try again in the summer, when there's more daylight and I have more energy in the evening. Right now it's a lazy was to spend those last 2 hours before bedtime.
Re celebs I only recognize musicians from my 20's as that was when I was really, really focussed on it.
"Sibley's guide for celebrities" is the best idea ever. He just did a guide to trees, maybe he's ripe for the next thing.
Potential notes for Sibley's next book:
The Greater Hilton can be identified by her habit of underwear-flashing.
The Lesser Hilton is known for her hair-tossing.
The North American Lohan is usually obscured by paparazzi, but can be positively identified by brilliant plumage.
The Crested Spears is very voluble & visible, and is easily attracted to backyard feeders by cans of Red Bull, while the Shaved-Head Spears is more reticent & tends to skulk in the underbrush.
Steven Tyler
