Saw Some Celebrities This Week- Page 2

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 9/29/05 at 4:22pm

Yankeefan! Julia Murney!

Okay, not like her walking by you is a huge deal, but still. <3

I have a penchant for walking into actors, even though their "celebrity" status is debatable. Literally crashing into them. It's smoothe.

Updated On: 9/29/05 at 04:22 PM

[sweeneytodd2]

Posted: 9/29/05 at 4:32pm

Today I ran in to Norbert Leo Butz at my local CVS. He lives in my town! Of course I complimented him "I loved The Last 5 years, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, etc" but I tried not to seem like a stalker. He was very nice about it.

[Di2]

Posted: 9/29/05 at 4:37pm

I really loved him as "Roger" in Rent....

so good...

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 9/29/05 at 4:42pm

Haha Emcee.

I haven't literally walked into any actors in the city, although walking past them/NEARLY walking into them seems to be pretty frequent. And I generally don't say hello to them or anything.

I nearly walked into Megan Hilty going up 8th avenue as I was digging my cell phone out of my bag.
walked past Hunter Foster
Sarah Saltzberg
Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Kate Wetherhead
Mandy Gonzalez (the ONE exception to the above. I talked to her for a bit)
Terrence Mann

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 9/29/05 at 4:45pm

I walked into Taye Diggs a few weeks ago. Neither of us was paying attention, and we just collided. He was a perfect gentleman, and I was just like "oh my God, I'm so sorry!" and ran.

I walked smack into Cheyenne Jackson once... and he remembers. heh. I was also like "SORRY!" and scurried off, that time. He gave me that "I know you know who I am" sort of look, but I was afraid to say anything.

I've crashed into Raul Esparza twice. You'd think I'd learn. One time I was walking backwards -- after Broadway Under the Stars, up by the stage -- and bam. There he was. The other time we just collided in a doorway at Seth's Chatterbox. It worked out, since I was actually on my way in to find him so I could ask him something.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 9/29/05 at 5:01pm

The other time we just collided in a doorway at Seth's Chatterbox. It worked out, since I was actually on my way in to find him so I could ask him something.

Hey, that works.

The time I saw Jesse Tyler Ferguson, I was on my way to a dance class, but I had stopped at the deli on the way there to get a bottle of water. I couldn't tell who it was at first, even though they looked really familiar. So, I turned my head to look, and somehow managed to trip. He saw. It wasn't until then that I realized who it was.

[makenzimarciano]

Posted: 9/29/05 at 6:32pm

Di2 -

I love that story. Sounds like something I'd do.

Having moved to Manhattan a few months ago I thought I would've run into more people, but so far only the following:

Phylicia Rashad (at the gym)
Amy Poehler (at the gym)
Tina Fey (the gym)
Jack Nicholson, Kevin Bacon - UWS near my voice teacher's apartment
Matthew Perry walking down the street
Sutton Foster on the subway
Dan Fogler sitting next to me at Silence! The Musical
I saw a woman in Barnes & Noble on 67th today and I know I know her from something, but I can't place my finger on it at the moment.

My husband swears he shared a steam room with Al Pacino at the gym. Ew. :)

Updated On: 10/2/05 at 06:32 PM

[Bdwyguy30]

Posted: 9/29/05 at 6:39pm

I sent this as a private message but felt like sharing.
"Well you know Di, the same can be sad about Television actors, if you don't watch their show then how can they be a celebrity. I think that Broadway celebrities are just like television or lesser known movie people who aren't high profile. The same person who you may not think is a celebrity may be one to others. If you don't watch 24 you wouldn't have a clue as to who Carlos Bernard is but in many circles he would be considered a celebrity simply because he is on a tv show. my point is that just because an actor has made their name from a Broadway show alone does not give you or anyone the right to say if they are a "celebrity" or not. Celebrity does not mean movie star it just means someone or something that one celebrates and to Myron if Frenchie Davis is a celebrity then you cannot discount that."

[JustABernieFan]

Posted: 9/29/05 at 7:57pm

Two weeks ago, I saw Brad Garret walking down 42nd and 8th. He was heading to a theatre. I was looking straight ahead and not realized it was him, but as he came closer, I realized it was him and he looked away. He didn't look approachable. I also saw CarrotTop once in Times Square interviewing someone for a show. He was looking left and right, and he looked as if he was scared.

[PJ]

Posted: 9/29/05 at 8:14pm

I've Brad Garrett twice in the last week. It's weird. I saw him randomly walking around on Madison and then saw him leaving his hotel.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 9/29/05 at 8:31pm

I was on the same plane as Hayley Mills once and I'd definitely consider her a celebrity despite the fact not EVERYONE these days knows who she is. My generation may not know who she is, but when I mention that to anyone over age 40, they start freaking out and gushing about how much they loved her. When I told my friends, I finally ended up explaining that she was Miss Bliss on the junior high version of Saved by the Bell.

PJ, if you run into him again, tell him that he needs to give Jeffrey Tambor his Emmy!

Updated On: 9/29/05 at 08:31 PM

[jakebloke]

Posted: 9/29/05 at 11:32pm

I live on the UWS and see quite a few celebs.
I used to see Chris Meloni *HOT* at the gym all the time. Haven't seen him in a while.
See Kevin Bacon and family all the time.
Saw Madonna once on the street with her hubby. That was cool.
Just today I saw both Regis and Kelly. And Sarah Jessica Parker on my way to work (in the village) She was with her son. cute kid.
As far as broadway people...sat next to Julia Murney on the subway the other day. See Norm Lewis, Brian D'arcy James, and Matt Cavenaugh (spelling) at the gym.
See All My Children stars all the time. Cameron Mathison....can we say.....SO HOT. damn. Anyways.....it's fun, to see these people, but you realise they are just people.

[Amneris]

Posted: 9/29/05 at 11:46pm

this morning at 9:10, I crossed the street with Sarah Jessica Parker in the village and she looked @ my rolling stones concert shirt and smiled right at me and kept walking. She is so nice.

[LionessInWinter]

Posted: 9/29/05 at 11:46pm

I see celebrities out and about fairly regularly, but most recently Frances McDormand and her Coen brother husband getting on a plane behind me, and both of them again a couple of nights ago walking out behind me at the NYFF.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 1:43am

celebs are defined by the person. Like if i saw Norbert just out and about, i'd freak out, but my friends would probably shake it off as just another random person. Just like if my friend bumped into the Trey Ana-something (the lead singer in Phish) he'd freak out, but I wouldn't think anything of it.

[ShineOn]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 11:26am

I'm going to have to go out on a limb here and agree that Broadway personalities are NOT celebrities.

Save for name dropping, last weekend I saw a production out of town with two rather large Broadway names. I happen to know one of them and went out afterwards with her and a few members of the cast. Firstly, it amazed me that there were so many people fawning over her at the stage door (since we weren't in Manhattan), but they were mostly college theatre students, so it made sense they knew who she was.

The minute we left the alley, not one eye turned to look at her that hadn't been in that theatre. At the restaurant there wasn't a trace of recognition. She was able to enjoy herself without fear that some random person was going to interrupt her meal hounding her with compliments and begging to take a picture.


Do you think SJP can sit down anywhere to eat without at least ONE person in the restaurant noticably POINTING at her the entire time?


That right there is the major difference. These personalities may be important to us because we value theatre and their talents, but it's almost like a tightly knit neighborhood. No one knows whats going on inside of our picket fences except us.



That said, there are obviously different levels of celebrity. Granted in todays society more people are going to know who Britney Spears is over Haley Mills (who I actually DID run into on the street when I was living in the UWS-- actually walked RIGHT into her). Of course, that doesn't make Haley any less of a celebrity. Most people do know who she is.

As far as the T.V. argument goes, try telling me the majority of people who DON'T watch T.V. can even COMPARE to the majority of people in the world who have no interest in theatre and can't honestly name one musical sans CATS, POTO, HAIRSPRAY, RENT, or WICKED?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 11:35am

I think the notion of "celebrity" is defined by the specific person's viewpoint. I guess there is a certain "definition" that goes with the term -- movie stars, world-wide pop-stars, etc. But I don't think that the "officialness" of the word should discount people getting excited over someone who they consider to be of some level of celebrity status.

If I randomly walked into Adam Pascal, I'd freak out. Run away, but freak out. And he's hardly a huge star. But to me, that would be big. And just because he isn't famous to the rest of the world, that shouldn't make it any less exciting to me, or to someone who walks into Anthony Rapp or Norbert Leo Butz, you know?

Updated On: 9/30/05 at 11:35 AM

[lamentingenvelope]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 11:43am

Wow. I have so few celebrity stories. I walked past Jay Reiss once, he was fussing with his cell phone. A few blocks later I walked past Deborah Craig. I walked outside of a restaurant and saw Denis O'Hare buying something at a newsstand. Of course these people are all celebrities to me but when I got back to Pittsburgh and told my friends about all of this they were like "Uhm... okay."

Celebrity is in the eye of the beholder, I guess. A few minutes after we walked past Jay I turned to my parents and said "That's Jay Reiss!! He's so funny!" My dad replied, "Why didn't you say something?" "...That would be weird." He shrugged. "Why? He's just a guy."

[ShineOn]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 11:43am

Oh, I'm not discounting your enthusiasm. We all have people we look up to and admire. Don't you think intellects get all giddy inside when they're talking to a mentor or some literary influence they've looked up to most of their life? Does that mean they're a celebrity? No. Does that make their excitement any less valid? No.

I'm just saying these people aren't known to the world outside. There are a handful of people you could "brag to" about "meeting" said person who would actually have ANY idea who you're talking about, let alone care. That's the major difference.

So if this thread was labeled, "Saw some Broadway actors/personalities this week!" it would make all the more sense. Stating they saw some 'celebrities' and seeing Jesse Tyler Ferguson listed is just a moot point.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 11:47am

Nobody's going to know who my astrochemical physics professor is, even if seeing him walk down the street makes students giddy. (Totally hypothetical.)

But with people who are actors, there IS some level of celebrity -- because you can see it even in a forum like this. You can be excited and share your excitement and people will know what you're talking about and care. I don't think it's "wrong" to call theatre actors celebrities -- there are different levels. I think it's a flexible notion.

There's also a major difference between saying you saw someone so you can brag and saying it just because you're genuinely excited. I remember a thread a few weeks back where someone posted how excited he was just to have randomly seen Anthony Rapp somewhere. Genuine sentiments of "that's so cool!"

[Di2]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 12:00pm

Shine on..

EXACTLY!!

Broadway people are wonderful and I think it's great that certain people feel they are celebrities but they are not "famous" or "celebs" to the general public and cannot be compared to the same level of celebrity status as a Spears or an Aguilera or a Cher.

That's all I was saying.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 12:03pm

Yeah Emcee, but then there were some people sticking their nose up saying, "So what? I see Broadway actors all the time!"

So if this thread was labeled, "Saw some Broadway actors/personalities this week!" it would make all the more sense.

But to people on a Broadway message board, a leading actor in a Broadway musical IS considered a celebrity. I wouldn't start a thread on the main board here talking about how I saw Robert Thompson on campus last week. I'd start it on a TV message board where people would know who he was and agree with his celebrity status.

Updated On: 9/30/05 at 12:03 PM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 12:11pm

That's true, orange. Which totally killed Ebonic's happiness. Maybe I'm silly, but I even still get excited to see someone I've actually sat down and had coffee with. I mean, I don't act star-struck, which is unusual, but getting to see him on stage or spend time with him is still exciting and mind-blowing to me.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 12:47pm

And just for argument's sake, American Heritage Dictionary of the English language says this about celebrityhood:

"Synonyms: celebrity, hero, luminary, name, notable, personage

These nouns refer to a widely known person: a social celebrity; the heroes of science; a theatrical luminary; a big name in sports; a notable of the concert stage; a personage in the field of philosophy."

Someone can be considered a celebrity in his or her field without needing to compare with Britney Spears's status.

Updated On: 9/30/05 at 12:47 PM

[JACXR71]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 12:55pm

I agree with the general sentiment that it's all about what this person means to you. Without getting into what the real definition of 'celebrity' is, I think the definition of 'fan' is a lot more universal. And if the person in question has the ability to cause even just one person to feel like a 'fan' in his/her presence, then yes I would call that person a celebrity. Of course we can get into the varying degrees of celebrity and fame, but I think the general idea remains the same.