1. Richard Pryor, Actor/Comedian Extraordinaire, circa 1970.  I was about 9 years-old, at O’Hare Airport with my sister Linda and my father.  Linda spotted Mr. Pryor wearing an attention-getting white fur coat.  On his arm was a beautiful woman.  Linda excitedly pointed him out to me and dad, and by the look on my father’s face he hadn’t a clue who he was looking at.  I just thought Richard looked cool.

2. Assorted Chicago White Sox Players and Coaches, circa 1971.  As a result of going to White Sox Baseball Camp in, if I remember correctly, Appleton, Wisconsin.  My favorite was an ex-third base coach whose sign to steal was to pick his nose.  Really.  And it worked.

3. Rod Laver, Hall of Fame Tennis Player, circa 1974.  I was a ball-boy at the Volvo tournament up in New Hampshire, part of a contingent from Chase Tennis Camp in Bethlehem.  Myself and some other campers somehow found out what room Mr. Laver was staying in and actually knocked on his door, and he actually answered.  Very gracious man.  Now beat it kid.

4. JoAnne Carner, aka "Big Mama," Famous Golfer, LPGA, circa 1991.  My parents were visiting me at grad school in Tallahassee, Florida.  Mrs. Carner was coming down the stairs at their hotel.  My parents, golfers and golfing fans, spotted her and struck up a conversation.  My mom was so excited I thought she was going to pee herself.

5. Joel Grey, Actor, circa 2004.  I was staying at the Beverly Hilton and it was just Mr. Cabaret himself and me on the parking garage elevator.   I told my wife about how I excitedly informed Mr. Grey that his daughter Jennifer’s movie Dirty Dancing was my niece’s favorite when she was a kid, and that I loved him in the wholly unappreciated Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins.  I told her I didn’t understand why he then backed up as far as one can back up in an elevator and looked at me with a mixture of what may have been absolute terror and pity.  I should mention that he’s a slight man, and I top out at six-two. “You tower over him,” she told me.  “Probably scared the crap out of him.”  Me?  Nah, I'm a puppy dog.  I did think not going for the obvious Cabaret reference would hold me in good stead though.  Fucking Remo Williams, what was I thinking?

6. Mike White, Actor/Writer, circa 2003, 2005, 2007.  Three sightings in L.A.  First at a well-known breakfast spot next to the Writer’s Guild building on Sunset.  Second time was when I was visiting my friend Tom in L.A. and I took him to Book Soup on Sunset, the greatest book store in L.A.  Third time when I was jogging on the trail bordering Beverly Hills on Santa Monica.  Mr. White was walking what looked like a pair of French Bulldogs with who I’m assuming was his girlfriend or wife.  I wanted to mention I liked that movie he was in with Jennifer Anniston that I couldn’t remember the name of, but I was jogging and it would have looked weird (and scary—see #5 above) to stop and strike up a conversation.  Plus I would have asked if he’d like to see my screenplay.  Too L.A. and too cliché.

7. Donald Moffat, Character Actor, circa 2005.  My wife and I were going into a seafood restaurant off Union Square in New York, and Mr. Moffett was coming out with a woman.  He was much shorter in person. He looked me in the eye and I could tell he knew that I knew he was a movie actor.  Probably didn't get recognized a whole lot.  I had to explain to my wife that among his many roles, he played the President in Clancy’s Clear and Present Danger, and the head law partner in Regarding Henry.  BFF of Harrison Ford?

8. Ryan McPartlin, Captain Awesome in Chuck, circa 2005.  Struck up a conversation with Ryan when we were working out in the fitness room at the Holiday Inn on Van Ness in San Francisco.  We were both attending the Robert McKee screenwriting seminar.  Actually hung out a little bit over the brutal three-day seminar.  Fit SOB.  Ryan, not Mckee.

9. Kevin Johnson, Former Player Phoenix Suns, current Mayor of Sacramento, circa 2009.  His Honor’s office is in City Hall across the street from my office.  Saw him walking through Cesar Chavez Plaza.  Think he had a bodyguard.  Little bit of an ego on that one.