Celebrity sightings?

[PArefugee]

As most FA's I've had a fair share of celebs most memorable was Robert Palmer. After serving 21 pax just to serve him ice cream he declined. Breaking every protocol I asked him for autograph, which he happily gave. I tried to leave when he said "wait you might like this" and handed me casset of latest album not even released yet. I treasure it to this day. Another time I had Frank Zappa from SVO-JFK and he was nicest guy.
Has anybody heard that when Whitney Houston was confronted by Captain about smoking in bathroom and told that she could be fined $2000 she calmly asked who to make the check payable to.
Mario Van Peebles hung out in aft galley and talked to everyone cool guy [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[FlyBoyChuck]

I've seen and dealt with many celebs on my flights out of vegas, but the one who took my breath away was Tina Turner. She was beautiful, sweet, and so humble. I couldn't believe this living legend was in my presence, and was so nice. I too broke all protocol, and asked for her autograph, and she signed it "to Chuck, Love Tina Turner".

[airblank]

Thanks for keeping this string (and juicy anecdotes) going.

I'm curious what everyone's airline considers "protocol" for celebs--how do you get notified they're on board, what can and can't you do on your airline?

Cheers.

[PArefugee]

Airblank thre's nothing written called "celeb protocol" but after paying thousands to sit up front to avoid being bothered pestering for autographs aint too cool. I also think that my job is to try to protect celebs from being bothered by crazed fans. Some crazed fan hurt Tiger's knee recently I'd freak if that happened on my flight.
PS rumor has it that Jimmy Buffet does an walk around to say hi to everybody now that's cool

[XJ420]

Celebs and others on my flight.
Steadmen (Oprah's beau)- TYS-MEM Very Quiet.
Ashton Kutcher (That 70's show/Dude where's my car?) CID-MSP
Kinda quiet. upset b/c he took the last flight out of CID to connect to YVR for "the most important meeting of my life,"
Jessie Ventura MSP-DLH Nice guy
2 Abercrombie Models MSP-PIT
very cute, and a little frisky ; )
UT women's basketball team MEM-XNA
offered coache's first class for free tickets, but game wasn't the night of our layover.
LSU women's basketball TYS-MEM
just got beat by UT team. very friendly.
UM gymnasitc team DTW-MDT
they were supposed to go to SCE for the big 10 tourny, but SCE was all canceled. got on our flight, coach was upset. had to take a bus from MDT to SCE. ** got 2nd place this year in tourny.
U of North Dakota BBall team and Cheerleaders MSP-GFK good guys, had a blast b/s with them.
Norte Dame Hockey Team DTW-SBN
good time singing on the plane.
Tara Lapensky (sp) DTW-PIT
B****!!! very very rude.
Tim Allen DTW-MKG very nice, flys all the time!

[traveler]

Patrick Kluivert and his family (20 of them).
(football- Barcelona)
They spend their holiday in our crew hotel in CUR.
Very friendly.

[skyhi]

Debbie Reynolds, DTW-MBS, very, very nice. Sitting in first class, talking to other fc passengers. Did not want a drink (short flight). Asked if I could hang her coat. She said, "Thank you sugar, but no. My tootsies are cold. I think I will keep it with me." All "celebrities" should take a lesson from Miss Reynolds.

A#$hole who wrote "Tuesdays with Morrie." Indignant. Didn't speak to the hired help. Challenged every last crew direction. Sat in first class, refused to turn off his computer and cell phone, indignant about bringing his seatback and tray table up prior to landing, very pokey about restowing his carry-on luggage prior to landing. Should have had security meet the flight. Wanted to tell him that his book sucked!

Richard Masur (Ann Romano's younger boyfriend in television's "One Day at a Time"). LAX to MSP. Sat in coach. Did not say a word, did not look up. Obviously not wanting to be noticed.

Pro golfer Curtis Strange, DTW-RIC. During pre-departure, I asked him for an autograph. He asked for a beer. Before we knew it, he asked the different crew members for a total of five vodka and tonics during 90-minute flight.

I did not work this particular flight, but I heard about Dick Van Patten, the father on television's "Eight is Enough." Sitting in first class. Ate his breakfast. Obviously still hungry after eating. Demanded another first class breakfast. FA said there was not another fc breakfast. He got nasty. She then suggested that he demand a breakfast from another first class passenger. He could even pick the passenger. Good move on her part for it shut him up.

[push_here]

Lets see in the past four years:

BB King (2 times)
Geogre Foreman
Evander Holyfield
Gladys Knight (no pips)
Ray Charles
Glenn Close
Lisa Leslie (WNBA HOUSTON)
Prince
Maya Angelou
Sybil Shepard
The cast from "Stomp"
various stars from "the stories" sorry don't watch soap operas don't remeber names

Sorry no juicy stories to tell
Most of them were polite, most of them don't eat. Most just sit with their eyes closed for the entire flight.
With the exception of BB king who was awake the entire 4 hour redeye flight.
And the snotty little Prince, left a ton of magazines on baord (good readin)

[img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[Celestina]

Rudy from Survivor (I love him! He really is a cool guy and I think he should have won)

Ray Charles (I wasn't working f/c but I saw him come on the plane. The other f/a's told me his companion did all the talking for him.)

Senator McCain (UGH!!! He wouldn't respond to me until I addressed him as "Senator McCain" then he would smirk. He never asked for anything. He just wanted to be left alone. I guess it was a good thing I never asked him why he had a bandaid on his forehead!)

Bobby Allison (I was nonreving and sitting next to me was this older man and I noticed everybody was talking to him about Nascar racing and he was talking to me also and was very polite. I still didn't catch on until he started handing out autographs and he gave me one. I don't watch racing so I didn't know who he was but he's a really famous Nascar racer.)

[travatl]

I love this thread.

Tom Glavine (Atlanta Braves)...very cool.

Ivander Holyfield several times...always nice and humble.

N'Sync...after their USAirways was cancelled, was bumped over to us, but had to sit in coach from MCO to ATL...took the last two rows, and were boarded up the back. Trie d to keep a low profile, but all it took was one teenage girl to come walking past enroute to the lav, and 5 minutes later, every teenage girl on the plane was on top of them. They were cool though, signed autographs, even though they were obvioulsy tired.

Brittney Spears...sweet and cute, but quiet.

Linda Hamilton...cool as Hell, didn't even care about the 3 hour delay.

Davy Jones (from the Monkeys). Quiet...asked for and got a free upgrade from the agents.

Sherman Helmsley (The Jeffersons) twice. Always nice, always steps on the aircraft with a happy and loud "Morning Crew!".

My favorite ever though has been - Leah Thompson from Caroline in the City. This past year was in the musical "Cabaret" in the lead role, which I happened to see on Friday night. On Sunday morning, she's right there in 3D from ATL to HOU. She stood up in the forward galley drinking Budweiser for the entire flight. When she left the aircraft, I stepped on to the jetbridge, and said "Goodbye Sally Bowles!" (her character's name in Cabaret), and in her most dramatic and british accent, she turned, through her arms in the air, waved, and yelled "GOODBYE DAHLING, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU!" It made my friends who had seen the show jealous for a month.

Travis [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]