BS: Meeting Remarkable people

Subject: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Donuel
Date: 16 Feb 18 - 09:00 PM

I've had a penchant to understand the world by 'going to the source' that most often turns out to be a person. While name dropping is considered gauche, here it is all about the people we met.

It turns out my encounters were mostly scientists, story tellers and musicians. You can ask for details if interested but here goes the short list which is miniscule compared to the people Mike Wallace or Leslie Stahl met.

Marvin Minsky, Rod Serling, J Allan Hynek, Leonard Bernstein, The Gurdgieff family, Van Cliburn, Judith Anderson...then there were the silent memorials be it Lincoln, Hyde Park or Corn Hill.

What made the great people truly great in my eyes was that they were devoid of pretentiousness and ego.

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Donuel
Date: 16 Feb 18 - 11:16 PM

People used to say, "what makes us unique are the books we read and the people we meet".

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: DMcG
Date: 17 Feb 18 - 03:46 AM

What made the great people truly great in my eyes was that they were devoid of pretentiousness and ego

I would agree that matters a tremendous amount. While living in London my daughter used to do some shifts as usherette at smaller, art theatres (not sure that is the correct term for such staff these days, but still...)

There were a lot of well known actors would come as members of the audience, and on one occasion Michael Gambon came. He had his arm in a cast or sling (I forget which) and he needed to avoid knocking it if possible. What was striking was his complete absence of ego, and how he was keen not to put this usherette to any more trouble than was absolutely necessary. For example, he would be perfectly happy to take the uncomfortable usherette seats at the back that are basically in a corridor, if she wanted the better seat he had bought. In general, the whole thing had the air that he appreciated even the lowliest jobs in the theatre were vital to its existence, and he didn't put himself above anyone ("Call me Mike").

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Feb 18 - 04:10 AM

A friend and I met Sir David Attenborough many years ago when he was signing his book in a Norwich bookshop. My friend had bought a copy and we waited in the queue to see him. He was delightful, very kind and apologetic for the wait. He asked us about ourselves and was obviously a true gentleman, polite and unpretentious.




I still fancy him ;)

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Feb 18 - 11:18 AM

I have met several "remarkable" people, including having once had dinner with R. Buckminster Fuller. Some I still consider friends and with whom I periodically correspond. Some have, unfortunately, passed away. I shan't name them, however.

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: meself
Date: 17 Feb 18 - 11:45 AM

Well ... I had a dream last night that Bob Dylan came to my house for a little jam - and I had forgotten that he was coming, so had to keep him waiting. He was very gracious and unpretentious. Does that count?

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 17 Feb 18 - 11:54 AM

yes definitely...what flavour jam did you give Bob?

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 17 Feb 18 - 12:03 PM

Have shaken the hand of Cardinal Hume. Sat next to Esther Rantzen all afternoon at Make Poverty History at the Eden Project. Had dinner with Thora Hird. Actually, some of the most remarkable people aren't famous at all. Blair Peach was my friend who became famous for all the wrong reasons. He was one of the most remarkable people I've ever met.

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Feb 18 - 03:09 PM

I met a George Lucas at a reception after he confirmed my nephew (that is, Catholic BISHOP George Lucas, not the movie guy). I asked him a theological question: Were all of the edges of the sandwiches missing because the Anticrust had been there? He just laughed.

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: meself
Date: 17 Feb 18 - 03:23 PM

'what flavour jam" ... Actually, we never got to the jam - we kept being interrupted and sidetracked, like the old comedies where one guy is coming into a room by one door just as the other guy is leaving by another. Bob was cool, though; took it all in stride.

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 17 Feb 18 - 04:33 PM

well that was definitely Bob...he's always been inexpressibly cool.

even his taste in jam is blowing in the wind....unknowable, charismatic and yet....effortlessly enigmatic.

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: keberoxu
Date: 18 Feb 18 - 12:32 PM

I met composer Peter Schickele,
better known in his performance alter-ego, PDQ Bach,
and our university chorus performed with him.

He was self-effacing and upbeat and made our rehearsals fun.
Not an aggressive or mean bone in his body.

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: meself
Date: 18 Feb 18 - 01:10 PM

I often hear, as in this thread, about how pleasant so many famous people are - and I often whether if they are that way by nature or if they train themselves to be that way. That's not to take anything away from them; in fact, it perhaps says more in their favour if they are not that pleasant by nature, but are make a real effort to be so.

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: David C. Carter
Date: 18 Feb 18 - 01:28 PM

Jacques Chirac,Emma Thompson,Pavarotti,Rod Stewart,Ron Wood,Jake Thakray,Sara Dylan.

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Senoufou
Date: 18 Feb 18 - 01:46 PM

Quite a while ago we were in the Castle Mall in Norwich, and saw a huge crowd, plus a long queue coming out of a perfume shop. Standing there was a chap with a sickly smile and people were nearly genuflecting before him. I asked a young lassie who it was. She said (in breathy rapture) "It's Peter Andre!" I replied, "Who?" and a thousand faces turned to me in utter horror.
I'd never heard of the bloke.

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Donuel
Date: 18 Feb 18 - 02:38 PM

Keb I'm envious. PDQ

Their mark of genius is most pronounced in how simple and humorously they are able to clarify their point. I think its called wit.

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Mr Red
Date: 19 Feb 18 - 05:42 AM

I met Prof Eric Laithwaite - a really original thinker - on a committee if the IEE (now IETE). He got the essence of what was needed, and they used his idea. He pioneered linear motors and warned about a maglev at Birmingham Airport. Something about technology used for small models not scaling linearly. Unfortunately that lot didn't listen to him, and it was an unmitigated mistake.

I also knew Eric Idle while at school. He was a thoughtful guy, a thinker too. Anything theatrical, he was there, but outside of that - no ego I could detect. Not that I knew him well enough to see all his aspects, he was years above me.

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Feb 18 - 05:48 AM

While I was at Edinburgh Uni, Prince Philip was our Chancellor.
He came to visit and we lined the small walkway where he was to pass.
He seemed a bit detached and merely glanced at us as he walked along. I wasn't terribly impressed to be honest. Still, we all dressed as hippies and probably looked horribly decadent to his military eyes.

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: meself
Date: 19 Feb 18 - 12:54 PM

Of course, someone in the position of Prince Phillip is the classic case of 'famous for being famous' - fame didn't accompany some sort of achievement, and his personality had little do one way or the other with his having ended up in his position - other than that the Queen may have found him appealing.

Okay, I'm rambling. I'm just thinking along the lines of my previous comment ......

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Feb 18 - 01:06 PM

I suppose I was thinking he might have stopped for a brief word with one or two of us. But maybe he was behind schedule, or even a bit daunted by all the students gawping at him. It can't be easy to stop and speak to complete strangers. (Although I've never had any problem; I'll talk to anybody!)

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Donuel
Date: 19 Feb 18 - 01:57 PM

meself, I find that a good meandering rambling amble allows the unconscious to get a word in edgewise. The previous sentence sounds like I'm talking to myself, meself.

we'll get our coats

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Mr Red
Date: 21 Feb 18 - 08:33 AM

Prince Phillip is the classic case of 'famous for being famous'

those that knew him in the UK Navy during WW2 found he could do the business. I did hear one guy on TV reckon, when he was torpedoed, that the hand that grabbed him when he got to the gunnels of the rescue ship was PP.

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: meself
Date: 21 Feb 18 - 03:43 PM

But that's not what he's famous for - he's famous for being famous. Well - he may be remarkable as well as being famous - but he's not famous for being remarkable ... !

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 21 Feb 18 - 05:17 PM

He's also famous for being a thick racist twat.

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Andy7
Date: 21 Feb 18 - 05:32 PM

I was in our local shopping centre when I realised with horror that a very famous reality TV star was nearby, speaking and being filmed for TV, watched by an adoring crowd of her fans.

So I quickly hid behind a pillar, worried that I might be caught on camera, shown on national TV and taken for one of those fans!

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Feb 18 - 05:38 PM

I suppose a celebrity could be remarkable. Bruce Willis unremarkably acted like a regular guy at a Starbucks at 5:30 AM

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Senoufou
Date: 21 Feb 18 - 06:21 PM

I remember an interview Prince Philip gave with Fiona Bruce on BBC TV a few years ago. She was extremely deferential and polite, and her questions were hardly controversial (and had probably been agreed beforehand). He was absolutely vile to the poor woman, aggressively dismissive, rude and arrogant. If I'd been Fiona, I'd have simply got up and walked out, and left the unpleasant man sitting there alone.

He also it would seem finds any folk of an ethnicity that isn't white and Anglo Saxon amusing and he rather despises them. As Steve says, thick and racist.

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 21 Feb 18 - 06:33 PM

You missed out "twat," Senoufou, but you're a damn sight more cultivated than I am. And a damn sight more cultivated than that ignorant cheeky Greek! The ultimate hanger-on...

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Senoufou
Date: 22 Feb 18 - 03:40 AM

I'm not really more cultivated than you Steve. I'm afraid I've taught my poor innocent husband far too many very rude words!

I used to be quite keen on the royals, but over the years I've come round to wishing they'd abolish the Monarchy after the Queen's demise.
I can't even get excited about the two royal weddings and a birth being inflicted on us this year. No doubt the TV will be 'nothing but' for weeks.
On a less grumpy note, I see Sir David Attenborough is to present another wildlife series called Dynasty. Now that DOES excite me! (goes all fluttery and swoons)

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Rapparee
Date: 23 Feb 18 - 09:41 PM

Not being a big fan of the British Royal Family, I am unsurprised to learn that Prince Charles and Prince Philip were educated in Duffus (spelled Doofus in the US).

"Doofus" is not a compliment. Scotland really should change the name of the town and I'll suggest that to my friends in the SNP.

Subject: RE: BS: Meeting Remarkable people
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 23 Feb 18 - 09:46 PM

Neither of them sound particularly educated to me.