BS: Degrees of Separation

Subject: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 04 Aug 16 - 03:32 AM

I just got a book out of the library showing Jack Scott shaking hands with Mao Tse-Tung. I knew Jack so this means I can do Mao in 2! Hillary a lot more, and Trump, A WHOLE lot more

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Aug 16 - 03:47 AM

The Queen (click) drove right past me at the Braemar Highland Games in 2013. Does that make me famous or something?
That, and I saw the back of Rosalynn Carter's head in Washington DC in 1977.
And that's it. I guess I'm a failure...

-Lonesome Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Senoufou
Date: 04 Aug 16 - 04:21 AM

Oh, then I'm a close friend of the Queen, because...about 20 years ago I attended a book-signing in Norwich by (delicious) Sir David Attenborough, he signed my book; and this year he spoke at the Queen's birthday service. So there you are...I'm very very famous.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Rapparee
Date: 04 Aug 16 - 09:47 AM

I've trodden the very soil Abraham Lincoln did! I've been a guest in Samuel Clemens' homes in both Hannibal and Hartford! I was there when the Pope said a Mass on the Mall in Washington, DC! I was once an Infantry Sergeant and I've walked both the Union and Confederate lines at Gettysburg, and I've been there at the Little Big Horn (where Custer got it because he didn't have Infantry with him)! I've spoken with Paul Stookey! I once had dinner (!) with R. Buckminster Fuller! Somewhere I have an actual letter from Robert A. Heinlein! I used to have an autographed photograph of Pierre Mendes France! I've been a guest at Mt. Vernon AND Monticello AND at the Truman's in Independence, Missouri! I've touched Audey Murphy's gravestone! I've shot a US Rifle, Caliber .30, Model of 1917 just like the one Alvin York used when he caught all those Germans during WWI!   And there is other stuff!

Autographs available for a small fee.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: gnu
Date: 04 Aug 16 - 07:34 PM

The crowd rushed into the square and I was separated from my parents. I was lost and crying. I was nearly three years old. The Pope came on to a balcony behind where the crowd had rushed in so we were close to his Eminence. At that moment, in silence, a stranger held me up. The Pope pointed at me and said in Italian (I am told; never spoke it and besides, I wasn't even three years old so all I remember about Rome was chasing pigeons in the square), "Blessed be the children." and he did that "get off the lawn thing" and my old man hollered "That's my son!" and I was handed back through the crowd to my mother. So, me and the Big Hat got "kinda" close when I got separated from my parents.

That's okay but, Beer spent a night here one summer night on a road trip and played geetar and we had a BBQ. THAT was cool. Then, years later, Amos AND his famous artist cousin spent a night here and Amos played geetar and we looked at his cousin's art on the PC. That was great.

I met up with Ted Williams (a few times) and Tom Sellick fishing salmon. One meeting with Ted was cool. It ended with Ted saying to me, "If I had done something that stupid, I'd'a pulled my hat down over my eyes and not looked up." or some such. Trying to cast a salmon fly along side the big dogs in a wind is... well, small dogs should stay on the porch.

I met a bunch of heavily armed USAF airmen once near a parking apron at CFB Goose Bay who wanted to know why I was near Air Force 1 (which was carrying the SCOTUS at the time)... does that count? I suppose not. BTW, the safety off part really makes ya nervous. Just M16s pointed in my general direction makes me nervous. >;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Aug 16 - 08:04 PM

There is something to this, I think - we like to feel some sort of connection with celebrities. I think the realization that we and they live in the same real world, makes us feel that maybe we're not inferior to them, after all.

When I was a kid, I was a bigtime baseball fan. Word in the neighborhood had it that Al Kaline of the Detroit Tigers had "really close friends" just down the block, and you could tell he was visiting when his pink Cadillac convertible was parked there - which was often.

It wasn't until I hit the age of 60 that I started to wonder if the "really close friend" might be a mistress....

But Al Kaline is still my hero.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Aug 16 - 08:36 PM

Well I shook hands once with Cardinal Hume (the handshake was very moist and rather limp). Nice fellow. That put me one step away from Pope Paul,who I'm sure the good cardinal must have had dealings with. As a matter of fact I was once inches from Pope Paul in St Peter's when I was 17. Had a terrible spat with Bishop Victor Guazzelli in 1976 about whether we had to bring our children up as Catholics if Mrs Steve (not a Catholic) and I got married in the Catholic Church. Irascible old bugger he was, but we won the argument!!

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Rapparee
Date: 04 Aug 16 - 08:57 PM

Well, oh yeah?

I was born about ten thousand years ago
There ain't nothing in this world that I don't know
I saw Peter, Paul and Moses playing Ring Around the Roses
And I'll whup the guy who says it isn't so.

I'm just a lonesome traveler, the great historical bum
Highly educated, from history I come
I built the Rock of Ages, twas in the year of one
And that was the biggest thing that man has ever done.

I saw Satan when he looked the Garden o'er
I saw Eve and Adam driven from the door
From behind the bushes peeping, saw the apple they was eating
I swear that I'm the guy what ate the core.

Well, I built the Garden of Eden, it was in the year of two
Joined the Apple Pickers Union and I always paid my dues
I'm the man who signed the contract to raise the rising sun
And that's about the biggest thing that man has ever done.

I taught Samson how to use his mighty hands
Showed Columbus to this mighty land
And for Phaoroh's little kiddies built all the pyramiddies
And to the Sahara carried all the sand.

I was straw boss on the pyramids, the Tower of Babel too
I opened up the ocean, let the migrant children through
Well, I fought a million battles and I never lost a one
And that's about the biggest thing that man has ever done.

I taught Solomon his little A B Cs
I was the first one ate Limburger cheese
And while sailing down the bay with Methuselah one day
I saved his flowing whiskers from the breeze.

Well I was in the Revolution when we set this country free
It was me and a couple of Indians who dumped the Boston tea
Well I won the battle of Valley Forge and the Battle of
Bully Run
And that's about the biggest thing that man has ever done.

Queen Elizabeth fell dead in love with me
We were married in Milwaukee secretly
But I snuck around and shook her, to go with General Hooker
To fight mosquiters down in Tennessee.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Aug 16 - 09:30 PM

Actually, I must say in seriousness that Bishop Victor was a hell of a good man. I was once revolted by his railing against the "threat of bitter ex-Catholics" even when I wasn't even an ex-Catholic myself yet, but he was a good-hearted bloke, good for the East End, and a champion of the underdog, and of social justice. Definitely not an establishment man. He railed against nuclear weapons and the Falklands war and got in a spot of bother for suggesting that using condoms was nothing to feel guilty about. His mind was open. Only God knows why he was a Catholic! 😉 Plenty about him on the owld Google.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Senoufou
Date: 05 Aug 16 - 03:39 AM

I'm hopeless when it comes to today's celebrities, as I've no idea who they are (and could care even less) In the shopping mall a few months ago, I was heading for a cut-price perfume shop which inexplicably had an enormous queue outside. I perked up, thinking there were massive bargains to be had, but on enquiring of the folk at the end, was told some geezer called Peter Andre was signing autographs inside. I replied, "Who's he?" and the people looked at me with amazement and pity. I managed to peer in the window and a rather poncy chap with a false tan and an over-white grin sat there lapping up the adulation.
Still not sure who he is; I'm sure he's a very nice man, but I have managed to continue my life since without enlightenment!

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 05 Aug 16 - 05:31 AM

I get the same thing from my mum. She's incredulous, almost offended, if I don't know the life story of, or haven't heard the latest tittle-tattle about, some soap opera "star." If I tell her I never watch soap operas she demands to know why not! I have been known to rile her still further by asking whether Elsie Tanner's still in Coronation Street!

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Will Fly
Date: 05 Aug 16 - 06:29 AM

Met the Queen and Princess Margaret when they visited Broadcasting House as part of the BBC's 50th Anniversary of Broadcasting celebrations in 1972. There'd a been a demonstration and general street blocking by London taxi drivers that same morning, and the Royal entourage had been held up - so met some very grumpy, unsmiling Royals.

I've got to meet and play with several interesting musicians over the years. The bestest and nicest of all was jazz trumpeter Humphrey Lyttleton - kind, amusing and great fun to be with.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 05 Aug 16 - 06:38 AM

I had a natter with Humph in Exeter just six weeks before he died. He had all the time in the world for anyone who wanted to talk to him, even after a long gig. Lovely chap.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Senoufou
Date: 05 Aug 16 - 06:41 AM

Like you Steve, I never, ever watch soaps on TV. I'd rather stick pins in my eyes to be honest. I also never watch any of these 'talent' competitions (we use the word loosely) or reality shows. I read in the paper the other day that men and women are appearing completely naked on a show, in order to select a possible 'date'. Crumbs, talk about letting it all hang out!
I'm a boring old thing because I like sensible erudite presenters on scientific, historical or wildlife documentaries. I also like witty wordplay shows such as Mock The Week.
Back to the Queen, I once saw her driven past in a limo with Prince Philip in Norwich. And saw the Queen Mother with Prince Charles at Sandringham Show. And at Uni Prince Philip walked right past me with his hands behind his back as we students stood in a long line. (He was Chancellor of Edinburgh Uni) I also saw the Shah of Persia at Holyrood house, a tiny wee man. So really, I must be quite royal by association.
Please curtsey when you address me in future.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Stu
Date: 05 Aug 16 - 10:19 AM

Hilda Ogden once brought me a beer and gave me fags when I sat opposite her on a train once. Lovely lady.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 05 Aug 16 - 10:45 AM

My dad, who worked at Burtons on Stretford Road, measured Stan Ogden for a suit. He measured Herman the Hermit as well!

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 05 Aug 16 - 10:56 AM

I once lobbied my MP, Harold Wilson and was questioned by him in his office in Westminster during a protest on Youth unemploymat in Merseyside - gawd knows what that makes me.
A few years ago, Pat and I were waiting for a plane at Heathrow when we bumped into Boris Johnson - we both burst out laughing - god forgive us for mocking the afflicted!!   
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: gnu
Date: 05 Aug 16 - 11:41 AM

Jim... hahahaa!

Rap... BRAVO!

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Will Fly
Date: 05 Aug 16 - 02:51 PM

I had a natter with Humph in Exeter just six weeks before he died. He had all the time in the world for anyone who wanted to talk to him, even after a long gig. Lovely chap.

Indeed. The first time I met him - which was some years before I played with him - was in Broadcasting House. The jug band I played in in those days (The Egbert Sousé All Stars) was composed mainly of BBC staff, and we used to rehearse in an empty studio in BH on Monday nights. We piled into a lift as usual, about 10 to 8 one Monday evening. We stopped at one floor and the door opened, to reveal: Humph.

He eyed the lift full of instruments and exclaimed, "Good lord, who are you lot?" We explained and then got talking. Suddenly, at about 2 minutes to 8, he looked at his watch, said, "Oh fuck! I'm on the air any minute now," and shot off down the corridor to his studio.

A memorable moment with a great and good man.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: MikeL2
Date: 05 Aug 16 - 02:51 PM

Hi

Many years ago I slept in a bed that Mahatma Gandhi had slept in. ( not at the same time !!!).

My wife went to see Neil diamond and after the show she went for his autograph. He gave it willingly and shook hands and kissed her cheek.
Unfortunately my wife ( bless her ) didn't realise that it was Neil Sedaka not Neil Diamond.

She still swears she wasn't drunk....lol

Cheers

Mike

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 05 Aug 16 - 05:33 PM

Eamonn Andrews once nodded at me in west London.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: JennieG
Date: 05 Aug 16 - 05:38 PM

Many many years ago a radio station in Sydney, Oz, had a week-night ring-in program called "Brush with fame: peripheral contacts with the great". It was hilarious.

The whole idea started when a bloke rang to say he had been to a party at a house next door to Ugly Dave Gray (minor TV celebrity of the time) but Ugly Dave wasn't home.

I can't remember many of the brushes (it would have to be way back in the mid-80s and a lot of stuff has been piled in my brain since) but I remember one bloke telling about his job in Buckingham Palace while on a working holiday in the U.K. He didn't get to meet any of the royals, but one of his duties was to polish the Queen's teapot.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 05 Aug 16 - 06:09 PM

I once went to a party in East London at a commune (remember them?) to discover that Dom Mintoff's rather lovely daughter was also there. I had no chance, of course.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 05 Aug 16 - 06:16 PM

I must say, Dom Mintoff was a rather admirable fellow and Yana, his daughter (who's the same age as me), is equally outstanding!

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 05 Aug 16 - 06:31 PM

I duetted with Pól Brennan of Clannad, Enya's brother, on Carolan's Eleanor Plunkett at the Welly in Boscastle, over 20 years ago. Is that any good?

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Senoufou
Date: 05 Aug 16 - 07:00 PM

My father was Area Manager (West London) for the GPO and had to go to Kensington Palace to arrange telephone lines for Princess Margaret which would be secure and completely private. He actually met her and she was an absolute cow apparently, arrogant and snotty. It may be because he didn't bow. He always said he'd never bow to any bugger.

My football-mad husband and I went into the Norwich City FC shop once, and there sat some famous player or other (can't remember his name not a bit interested) signing autographs. My husband stood there beaming and drooling with delight. I'd never seen him make such a twat of himself.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 05 Aug 16 - 07:11 PM

That's because he went into the Norwich FC shop and not Anfield. 😂😂😂

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Rapparee
Date: 05 Aug 16 - 08:14 PM

I once hung around with Bill Marwood and Al Billington. Had a great time dropping in on folks, but I got turned off after a while.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Senoufou
Date: 06 Aug 16 - 03:54 AM

Couldn't agree more Steve. The thing is, he has every single Premier League team's football strip and wears a different one each day. He's not terribly loyal to Norwich City, and is disgusted they've now gone down.
He knows the names of all the League players (I couldn't name one. Well, that nit Rooney I suppose) He went on a coach trip to Man U's ground (Is it Old Trafford or is that bloody cricket?) and Actually Sat Under Rooney's Dressing Room Hook!!!!! I had to look at about a million photos afterwards ("And this is their trophy room. And this is two statues of famous managers. And this is The Pitch (genuflect)" etc etc and I could hardly keep my eyes open.

Does that make him famous by association?

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Will Fly
Date: 06 Aug 16 - 04:03 AM

Eliza, Princess M was indeed an arrogant and snotty woman - and I didn't bow to her either!

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Senoufou
Date: 06 Aug 16 - 04:34 AM

Good for you Will. She apparently ignored the fact that my old dad had numerous qualifications in advanced telecommunications and knew his onions. She wanted a system that was unworkable with the basic one-person telephonist facilities in place at the Palace. (He was also on the London Flood Committee and was on call at all times to set up emergency telephone lines to the various emergency services in the event of the Thames bursting its banks) I bet she'd met her match though, as he was a tough cookie and quite scary when necessary. The interview probably ended up with her bowing to him!

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 06 Aug 16 - 05:11 AM

Maybe she hadn't had a drink for an hour.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Senoufou
Date: 06 Aug 16 - 07:15 AM

Or a ciggie!

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Rapparee
Date: 06 Aug 16 - 10:11 AM

I'm older than you all, I suppose, but I remember that when I was first introduced to Queen Elizabeth I didn't bow. Essex was a bit put out, but he got his later on that year.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Senoufou
Date: 06 Aug 16 - 10:17 AM

Didn't bow? You're lucky she didn't send you to the Tower, Rap. You might have been put on the rack and s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d.....

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Mr Red
Date: 06 Aug 16 - 02:23 PM

I was at school with Eric Idle, knew him, as well as you can any private thinker (2 years difference in ages).

That gets me to Hollywood, now can anyone get to Kevin Bacon in 5 more shifts for me?

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Gurney
Date: 07 Aug 16 - 01:10 AM

What's the go with you lot? Queens, politicians, TV personalities and sports nonsenses....
I was once a fellow club-member to Sean Cannon and Fin and Eddie Fury!
What sort of site IS this!

:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Ebbie
Date: 07 Aug 16 - 03:10 AM

Well, I've never seen the Queen, but I've met Chet Atkins, the marvelous guitar player. And his entire band. And Doc Severinson, Johnny Carson's bandleader. And Sam Shepard, the playwright. And William Windom, the actor. And a few others who slip my mind at the moment.

(These were all at the motel that I ran some years ago. Lovely people, all. Except for Sam Shepard- I had to move him into a room that had a better view.)

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Rapparee
Date: 07 Aug 16 - 09:07 AM

Look folks, I really do know Ann Ohnemus, author of all of those folk songs. She's the sister of a good friend of mine who's not a half-bad trumpeter himself.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Will Fly
Date: 07 Aug 16 - 01:49 PM

My fellow guitar player Chris Wolferstan was in a coffee shop in Nashville many years ago. He saw Chet Atkins across the room, went up to him and said, "You're Chet Atkins."

At which point, Mr. Atkins looked up briefly from his paper, said "Yup" - and went back to his paper.

And who could blame him!

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Will Fly
Date: 07 Aug 16 - 01:51 PM

Rap, did you get married to QE1 in Milwaukee - then go off to fight mosquitoees in Tennessee with General Hooker?

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Mr Red
Date: 08 Aug 16 - 04:20 AM

Too easy:

1) Me - Eric Idle (school - unspecified in deference to Eric's wishes)
2) Eric Idle - John Cleese (Monty Python)
3) John Cleese - Jamie Lee Curtis (A Fish Called Wanda)
4) Jamie Lee Curtis - Kevin Bacon (Queens Logic)

Now if only I had seen the last film, it would go full circle.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Rapparee
Date: 08 Aug 16 - 09:31 AM

Of course, Will Fly. And as a librarian (you're never really done with it) you may be interested in knowing that Frederick G. Kilgore was a friend of mine (yes, the OCLC one).

So was Jesse Hawk Shera, who would (during my time there) stomp the halls of the Library School at Case Western Reserve stating that he KNEW he should have been a machine gunner in the Israeli army. Nancy Pearl is another one. Over the water, I know George Kerr and some others.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Will Fly
Date: 08 Aug 16 - 10:45 AM

Fred Kilgore - I'm impressed! He came over to a library conference in the UK in 1975 to talk about OCLC. A very dynamic man, as I recall. It wasn't long after that when the British BLCMP (British Libraries Co-operative Mechanisation Project) started. The main difference was that OCLC was very much card-based in those days, and BLCMP started with microfiche production.

It all seems so long ago... which, of course, it was.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Rapparee
Date: 08 Aug 16 - 12:25 PM

OCLC was producing library cards then -- they produced a billion (!) and stopped just recently. But you could use the terminals as catalogs, which at least for the staff, we did. We also used them for unapproved purposes, like sending a form of email. Something little known about Fred was that during WW2 he was in the OSS.

Ahem...did I ever mention before that I was an invited speaker at a library automation conference at (ahem) Cambridge? It was back in '97. It sounds like a lot more than it was, especially in the US.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: gillymor
Date: 08 Aug 16 - 01:47 PM

My one close encounter with a celebrity was at the 2nd game of the 1969 World Series in Baltimore's Memorial Stadium (lousy Miracle Mets). In the top of the 1st people started hooting and cheering and I looked around and Blaze Starr was coming down the aisle of the mezzanine, fashionably late, and took her seat directly in front of me. Before she sat she said to me "Help me with my coat, darling." I complied, red-faced as I was 16 at the time and she turned and thanked me and I got a peek at the famous decolletage. She wisecracked the whole game and turned out to be an enthusiastic Orioles fan, not sure if or how that connects me to KB though.

No wait, I also met Merle Haggard backstage after one of his concerts in the early 70's. I didn't really much know who he was at the time but I remember passing him a joint.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Jack Campin
Date: 09 Aug 16 - 01:09 PM

Benjamin Britten patted me on the head when I was a baby. My mum was making the tea at a concert.

My grandma may have known him a bit better. She used to say "funny he never married".

I occasionally look up people I was at school or university with who have easily googleable names. Last week I found one who'd been convicted of passing about a million bucks in bribes to various people under the Clinton administration on behalf of a foreign government. That appears to put me one link away from Hillary Clinton, since they can hardly not have met with that much money involved.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: The Sandman
Date: 09 Aug 16 - 01:42 PM

"No wait, I also met Merle Haggard backstage after one of his concerts in the early 70's. I didn't really much know who he was at the time but I remember passing him a joint."
You could have given him flu.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: gillymor
Date: 09 Aug 16 - 01:55 PM

Perhaps, GSS, but the palliative effects of the cannabis would have eased his suffering.

Subject: RE: BS: Degrees of Separation
From: Mr Red
Date: 10 Aug 16 - 02:48 AM

until day 7