Surprise in-person autos!

MVSNYC · #1 07-14-2014, 11:16 PM

Fun thread...I too have lived/worked in NYC for 15+ years.

Many run-ins...Clapton, Springsteen, Steve Jobs (the day the iPhone was launched), Joe Pesci, Keanu Reeves, Joey Buttafucco (yes, that guy), Ivanka Trump (I see her all the time, about 6'3" in heels), Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Eli Manning, Artie Lange, Joe Pantoliano, Ken Griffey Jr...and on and on. I almost never ask for autos, sometimes a handshake, and the "big fan" comment. I think they appreciate the subtle hello.

Sidenote- where I did ask for a ton of autos, was at Nazareth Speedway in PA circa 1988-1994. my dad & I used to get pit passes for the IndyCar races, and got sigs of pretty much every top driver...Andretti, Foyt, Mears, Fittipaldi, Rahal, Unser, etc, etc...fun times.

whitehse · #2 07-15-2014, 10:20 AM

Living in Wisconsin one doesnt often run into celebs in the course of normal daily life........unless of course one of them lives among you!

I was on a curvy, country road that rolls along a secluded lake when, as I rounded a sharp curve, I almost ran over a man who was crossing the road to throw out his trash. Lets remember, this is a country road that is barely two car lenghths wide and crossing the road to throw out one's trash is not all that unheard of. I quickly hit my brakes and allowed the older man with white hair and full beard to cross. As the locals are known to do he waved to me as if to say thank you for not making me a part of your front bumper and went abouy his business. It was then that I realized I almost ran over John Mahoney, or as we call him, Frazier's dad from the show Frazier. I rolled down the window and said "sorry for almost running you over John!"

He looked at me, threw his head back with a laugh like he did on Frazier and said "Thats ok" and got into his car.

Being a resort area we have had many pro sports stars walking around town and even a few musicians. We all pretty much leave them alone while gawking from afar! LOL. The cool thing is John Mahoney is always out in the community and it is not unusual to see him at Panera bread and other local restaurants. He certainly seems like a regular guy and the locals usually treat him as such.

MVSNYC · #3 07-15-2014, 11:08 AM

Andrew- I loved him in Eight Men Out...

[Eddie Cicotte is warming up before Game 7]
Kid Gleason: Put it away, Eddie. I'm going with Wilkinson today.
Eddie Cicotte: Why?
Kid Gleason: You haven't had your stuff lately, have you?
Eddie Cicotte: But I feel right today, Kid.
Kid Gleason: I can't take any chances, I'm sorry.
Eddie Cicotte: Like I can't lose, that's how right I feel.
Kid Gleason: Sure you do, Eddie.
[He starts to walk away]
Eddie Cicotte: Kid! I can't miss.

RTK · #4 07-15-2014, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MVSNYC

Fun thread...I too have lived/worked in NYC for 15+ years.

Many run-ins...Clapton, Springsteen, Steve Jobs (the day the iPhone was launched), Joe Pesci, Keanu Reeves, Joey Buttafucco (yes, that guy), Ivanka Trump (I see her all the time, about 6'3" in heels), Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Eli Manning, Artie Lange, Joe Pantoliano, Ken Griffey Jr...and on and on. I almost never ask for autos, sometimes a handshake, and the "big fan" comment. I think they appreciate the subtle hello.

Sidenote- where I did ask for a ton of autos, was at Nazareth Speedway in PA circa 1988-1994. my dad & I used to get pit passes for the IndyCar races, and got sigs of pretty much every top driver...Andretti, Foyt, Mears, Fittipaldi, Rahal, Unser, etc, etc...fun times.

At The Milwaukee Mile - Robin Yount on a couple 3000 hit related items and Walter Payton on a magazine cover at Road America. Both were great guys to talk too. I also met and received autographs from racing greats Roger Ward and Parnelli Jones, a couple names that go way back. I was also around Sylvestor Stallone while he filmed a cheesy racing movie ( no autographs).

Kzoo · #5 07-15-2014, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MVSNYC

Sidenote- where I did ask for a ton of autos, was at Nazareth Speedway in PA circa 1988-1994. my dad & I used to get pit passes for the IndyCar races, and got sigs of pretty much every top driver...Andretti, Foyt, Mears, Fittipaldi, Rahal, Unser, etc, etc...fun times.

Sounds very familiar, but my hunting grounds were Michigan International Speedway and the Detroit Grand Prix in the early to late 90's. I had a photographers pass at the Detroit GP for 4 years with all the access included. That's where Walter Payton signed a poster for me on a pretty relaxed Friday morning one year. I remember thinking he looked pretty thin and he was kind of quiet. Most Indy drivers at team owners are pretty approachable, even these days. The only guy that would never sign and would sneak out the back way in all my years of seeing him at races was Paul Newman.

whitehse · #6 07-16-2014, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kzoo

Sounds very familiar, but my hunting grounds were Michigan International Speedway and the Detroit Grand Prix in the early to late 90's. I had a photographers pass at the Detroit GP for 4 years with all the access included. That's where Walter Payton signed a poster for me on a pretty relaxed Friday morning one year. I remember thinking he looked pretty thin and he was kind of quiet. Most Indy drivers at team owners are pretty approachable, even these days. The only guy that would never sign and would sneak out the back way in all my years of seeing him at races was Paul Newman.

The Newman/Haas Racing team's office is literally about 100 feet from the door of my work and, as I sit and type this I can see their building. The cool thing is anyone can stop in there and see the HUGE amount of trophies, race suits, two actual race cars and an original Leroy Neiman hanging in their very impressive lobby and I have done this many times. I knew a gentleman that was a accountant for the race team and he stated that Paul Newman came to the Christmas party one year and they were all under strict rules regarding the interractions they could have with him. Basically, the rules were to leave him alone and this went for ALL members of the team except for Carl Haas and his entourage.

The fact that Newman would slip out the back way at the tracks comes as zero surprise to me.

Wow..looking at the Wiki page for Carl Haas I guess I should get this man's autograph as he is even more impressive than I thought he was!

RTK · #7 07-16-2014, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitehse

The Newman/Haas Racing team's office is literally about 100 feet from the door of my work and, as I sit and type this I can see their building. The cool thing is anyone can stop in there and see the HUGE amount of trophies, race suits, two actual race cars and an original Leroy Neiman hanging in their very impressive lobby and I have done this many times. I knew a gentleman that was a accountant for the race team and he stated that Paul Newman came to the Christmas party one year and they were all under strict rules regarding the interractions they could have with him. Basically, the rules were to leave him alone and this went for ALL members of the team except for Carl Haas and his entourage.

The fact that Newman would slip out the back way at the tracks comes as zero surprise to me.

Wow..looking at the Wiki page for Carl Haas I guess I should get this man's autograph as he is even more impressive than I thought he was!

It was pretty well known that PLN didn't sign autographs. It was common to see him around his race team. One morning, with no one around we crossed paths and I said "good morning" to him. He was actually a just a regular guy that enjoyed his racing. I heard a wonderful story about him at the Long Beach race dodging the Hollywood types and paparazzi and having beers with the crew guys out of sight from passersby after all the work was done. He also stopped by the campsite (at Road America) of a collection of internet racing guys I know to say Hi and thank us for supporting the series. He was the heart and soul of the CART/Champcar series. I'm sad it's gone.

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