Most of the famous folks I've come in contact, I didn't know who they were...
Eric Bloom: Blue Oyster Cult was playing at a popular bar in Jax, FL. I was waiting for my date outside the ladies room when this fellow strikes up a conversation. He eventually asked me what my favorite BOC song was. I confessed that I only knew the name of one song, Veteran of a Thousand Psychic Wars. About that time my date came out and off we went. Sometime in the middle of the concert, the lead singer says, "About this time we normally play X, but we've had a request to play Veteran of a Thousand Psychic Wars. What do you want to hear?" The crowd voted for Veteran. That's when I realized who I had been chatting with. Doh!!
Charlie Daniels: I was in Bagram walking back from the BX cutting through a parking lot that they had closed a couple days ago to build a stage. I happened to be walking almost step by step behind an older civilian and a military guy. The military guy says, "...and this is the stage that we built for you." That was all I heard. I didn't realize until later that night that the older fellow wearing a Charlie Daniels Band jacket was in fact Charlie Daniels. Doh!!
(Can't remember the name, female WWE wrestler): Once again, in Bagram, I was waiting in line at the post office. This rather short was well muscled female comes up to me and says, "Hi, I'm X." Me: "Uh, hi, I'm Andy. How are you?" She realized I wasn't a wrestling fan and moved on to a soldier on up the line.
Artimus Pyle: Getting gas at Jax Beach. This raggy looking guy starts complimenting my bike ('87 Ninja 600). Tells me to be careful because there's a lot of crazy bastards driving on the road. He leaves the gas station going the wrong way on a split highway. Station attendant says, "Do you know who that was?" "Uh, no??" "That was the drummer for Lynyrd Skynrd."
Flew several comedians around Afghanistan: Peter Gray, Shawn Lee Pelofsky are the two I can find in my logbook. (Had Shawn in the jumpseat, said she was "scared ****less of flying" and "we had balls of steel for doing this for a living")
James Megallas: He was promoting his book, "All the way to Berlin" (or something similar). We invited him up to the jumpseat. Great guy!! John Ratzenberger played him in "A Bridge Too Far." He's the most decorated person in the 82nd Airborne and is currently being considered for the Medal of Honor. The dude just turned 100 last month and is still kicking!
Barbara Starr: Took her to a FOB in Afghanistan. What an arrogant *****. She put soldiers lives in danger and was promptly sent out of the country. Don't think she's even been back.
And the miss:
Vice President Bush: I worked for the Republicans when I was in high school. Our department was invited to a dinner and reception with George Bush. We were all stoked. Unfortunately, I had reservations to go on trip to Europe that night so I had to give my regrets. To add insult to injury, that just happened to be the day of the air traffic controllers strike and my flight was delayed 24 hours. I could have went!!
EDIT: Almost forgot... Chris Heben, author. He thinks I'm a total stud bush pilot.
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