Anyone ever spot someone well known in a random public place?

[Ishtar]

It really is a small world after all, as you never know who to expect seeing walking around. Now many of us have obviously met well known people at conventions and other planned appearances, but has anyone actually seen someone well known just randomly out in public? I went to the renaissance fair earlier today, and while we were about to get food, my friend pointed it out to me that the voice actor Wayne Grayson was standing in line at one of the food stands. I took a look myself, and I could definitely see it was him, especially since I have met him at Anime Next twice.

This isn't the first time something like this has happened either. 2 months ago, I was strolling around New York City for the day, and I saw Tyra Banks as she was getting in her car. Only got a few glimpses of her, since she was surrounded by a mob of fans. Back in 2005, another time I was in New York City, I saw Matthew Perry on the street filming something for a movie. My sister even got a picture with him.

[RockmanDash]

Not really well known but when I was going home to California, I ended up sitting next to a blond hair women from Fox 11 news. xD

[Michael24]

I bumped into Huey Lewis (almost literally!) at Disneyland in 1991. That was a pretty big thrill for me, it being Huey and my first big celebrity encounter.

My mom and I met former San Francisco 49er coach George Seifert (and his wife) outside a Costco in the mid-90s.

Also in the mid-/late-90s, former football player Sean Dawkins lived across the street from us with his mom during the off-season. My brother got lots of autographed stuff from him, and he used to toss a football around with us occasionally in the street.

In August 2007, around the time of the whole Anna Nicole Smith fiasco, I was at Universal Studios and saw her boyfriend Larry Birkhead with a friend, standing in line to get something to eat.

I also came close to a really big one a few years ago. A friend invited me to go to L.A. for the weekend, but I passed because I just wasn't in the traveling mood. Well, on his way back home he and his mom stopped at a restaurant outside L.A. and were seated at a table next to Nicolas Cage and his oldest son. Needless to say, I regretted not tagging along. :(

[PC!]

I was riding a shuttle to the St. Louis airport when I happened to notice that the large, fur coat-wearing man sitting at the other end was a member of The Temptations.

[ThePRPD]

I was in the mall during the winter season with my mom and I saw Santa Clause. He isn't as fat as some people believe. He doesn't have any elves either.

[Foxface321]

Coming home from a funeral and saw Al Sharpton

[Rho]

I think I saw Lise Simms exiting a gas station a few years ago.

[cartoonscartoons]

I talked to Kurt Busiek a few years back at a comics shop near my house.

[Juu-kuchi]

I passed by Stephen Colbert and his son at the Newark Airport. Since he probably gets attention all the time AND he had his kid with him, I let him be.

[Ishtar]

I passed by Stephen Colbert and his son at the Newark Airport. Since he probably gets attention all the time AND he had his kid with him, I let him be.
That's exactly why I didn't approach Wayne Grayson when I saw him as I mentioned. This wasn't an anime convention where he was specifically asked to come and communicate with the fans. It was just a renaissance fair and he was merely there as an attendee trying to enjoy his time. Randomly approaching him then and there would have been random, and he might have seen it as rude. Plus, he was with his wife and a friend. Besides, I've already met and talked to him twice at cons before that.

[JAG]

My brother used to play kids' hockey, and we met an NHL player at one of his team's practices at the Ice Forum in Kennesaw, Ga. I cannot for the life of me think of the guy's name, but he used to play for the Thrashers.

[Brandon Pierce]

Met Rupert (forgot his last name) from two of the "Survivor" seasons, at a Jillian's restaurant in Seattle. They had the Survivor season finale airing on their flatscreen TVs. It was the one with Aras winning.

[defunctzombie]

I haven't approached him, but President Carter occasionally comes to the local baseball field for the minor league games. He likes to fish in my area.

The neat thing is that he never wants to do the first pitch or any of that stuff. He just wants to watch.

[Temple Fugate]

I served George Steinbrenner at a Ben & Jerry's back in 1999. I didn't recognize him, but he pointed at my Yankees cap (caps were required wear) and probably got frustrated that I didn't understand why he was so interested in it.

[G. Wen]

I've ran into Neil Degrasse Tyson and Bill Nye at an astronomy convention.

[Tash]

Bill Clinton yelled out his window to my grandparents once back when he was still running for president (he was apparently giving some sort of campaign speech in Battle Creek, and they just happened to be getting into their car for something unrelated as he was leaving the area).

I've never been quite so fortunate, though.

[Ishtar]

One other noteable mention. When I went to a Yankee game in summer 2008, both Jerry Stiller and Ben Stiller were in the audience watching the game. I wouldn't have noticed if the Yankee Stadium staff hadn't mentioned it, as they even showed them on the video screen. They were litteraly sitting only several rows down from my right.

[The Cartoon]

I saw one of my favorite Poker players, Chris Ferguson, at a Los Angeles airport a few months ago.

[HomeMoviesFan]

I'll get the big one out of the way: my uncle was once the executive producer for the Drew Carey Show, so naturally we met the man himself many, many years ago. I don't remember that much, but Drew was nice IIRC. But that really doesn't count, still exciting though.

As for on-topic, I sat next to David Wain, from The State and Stella (he also directed last year's "Role Models") in a yogurt shop earlier this year. He was busy on his laptop, so I didn't bother him, although he did say "excuse me" to our party when he got up and left. Nobody else knew who he was, but they actually got mad at me for not talking to him. I guess I'm more respectful than other people, LOL.

Besides those two and shaking Penn and Teller's hands at a local food festival a couple years ago, I haven't encountered that many celebrities as much as I wanted to. I've known people to be more lucky, though. My sister, a former Starbucks barista, served Meryl Streep once and good friends of mine have met Tim Allen and actually talked to him for a good five minutes in a restaurant. Another has spotted Jenna Fisher and Rob Riggle at an airport. I'm still awaiting something that will trump David Wain, hopefully soon...

[Rocketboy]

My family met Steve Tyler at a Hilltop Steakhouse during New Years eve.

He specifically said "Happy New Years" to us.

[Spideyzilla]

No, but my cousin bumped into Robert De Niro, and my Aunt did the same with Al Pacino.

[JasonFox]

I was visiting relatives in Washington in 98' and I met Bob Dylan on a shopping boardwalk, which was surprising because hes one of my favorite singers.

I also 2 months ago met Joseph-Gordon Levitt and I just said Hi and he said Hi and we walked away.

[ThePRPD]

No, but my cousin bumped into Robert De Niro

My dad did to. He was at the hospital my dad works at with his cousin I think it was.

[LeatherJeans]

When I was in California this summer, I nearly saw Johnny Depp..
Plus my Uncle Tony knows Tommy Lee Jones because he was at his ranch once in Texas..

[Brandon Pierce]

I'll get the big one out of the way: my uncle was once the executive producer for the Drew Carey Show, so naturally we met the man himself many, many years ago. I don't remember that much, but Drew was nice IIRC. But that really doesn't count, still exciting though.
Is your uncle Bruce Helford?

[Damien]

I saw Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart at a restaurant bar. I was there to meet a friend, who was talking to whoever when I arrived. He and I moved down the bar, and it wasn't till an hour later he pointed "this wrestler" out and said, "Yeah, that's who I was talking baseball with when you came in."
I also saw Jimmy Hart in line for AC/DC last December. He was about six spots behind me, but I didn't approach.
It's usually wrestlers down here. My buddy made lunch for Jeff Hardy in the Orlando area, a coworker saw Edge in a Wal-Greens parking lot, and another coworker nearly got knocked over by Hulk Hogan while rounding the corner for the bathroom at Tropicana Field. Hogan did not apologize, so the story goes.
A few years back, I also made desserts for members of the band Sevendust. I cheated on that one, though, and asked the waitress if she'd take me out to meet them.

[GregX]

I was once on line behind Sofia Coppola in a Starbucks in Hollywood.

[DarkArmedDragon]

I spoted a Raiderette in the local McDonals (got an autograph too!)

[Dr. Daedalus]

When exiting a Penn & Teller magic show in Las Vegas, my dad and I spotted David Carradine amongst the crowd. I didn't recognize him, but my dad was like, "It's David Carradine!"

[Fool's Gil]

I think I saw Craig Robinson(Darryl from The Office) at the Minneapolis/St Paul Airport. He was 6 feet away from me. I didn't check because

1. I didn't want to be wrong
2. If I was right, I didn't want to make him uncomfortable, since he's just a guy doing his thing, and happens to to be doing his thing on TV. No big deal.

[JasonFox]

LOL just today I saw Adrien Brody leaveing a Dunkin Donuts, I acted very casual.