Top Stories

People Recount The Most Famous Person They've Ever Bumped Into

People Recount The Most Famous Person They've Ever Bumped Into
Photo by Yvette de Wit on Unsplash

I once had the joy of working of in an environment where I often got to meet––and in some cases, chum around––with famous people. That time I met Susan Sarandon was quite fun (I think I had only been on the job a few days). Later on I'd meet film director Mike Leigh, actor Ewan McGregor, and author Anne Rice (among others). Probably my favorite encounter: The time I got to hang with Laura Linney for a good ten minutes or so. She was fabulous.

Reddtor StJohnPaul2 asked the online community,

"Who's the most famous person you've bumped into?"

"He struck me as the type of person..."

Neil Armstrong. He was a professor at the University of Cincinnati at the time. He struck me as the type of person who wanted no part of being famous.

Jefferson_Barracks

"He came into the store..."

Leonardo DiCaprio. He came into the store I was working at to buy something. He was such a chilled guy.

Andwhy99

"One of my customers..."

Matt Damon, Neil Patrick Harris and Kristin Wiig. All at once.

One of my customers was a studio in Toronto where they were filming the movie Downsizing and they were at the table beside me in the cafeteria where I was meeting with my contact. Said hi and talked for a minute and not much more as they were basically on break from work. They were all super nice in any case. Particularly Damon.

SharpieBass

"The waitress told me..."

Michael Douglas came into a pizza shop I worked at years ago. The waitress told me he sent his compliments to which I replied, "Who the f*** is Michael Douglas?" He was standing at the register mere feet away and boy, did he look sad.

RowsCrayon

"Got him to sign my jean vest..."

Alice Cooper. He was going to a store in Calgary, Raise your Fist and Yell tour. Got him to sign my jean vest, right between his first and last name across the shoulders. We shot the s*** for a few minutes, and then his manager upgraded my tickets from bleachers to 3rd row from the stage. It's what he had. I was too chicken at the time to try to ask for back stage passes.

Pyanfars

"Apparently..."

Hideo Kojima. Apparently, he had traveled to my bf's hometown looking for inspiration, and he was taking a stroll near the cathedral. We didn't talk to him, though. My boyfriend is a huge Castlevania fan, but he was so shocked that he just kept walking.

Green_Fabulous

"We found a lake..."

Nicole Kidman. Last September, I was in Nashville for a music festival and on our last day in town, my friend and I decided to spend the day hiking. We found a lake and drove through a pretty posh neighborhood on the way. We park, get out of the car and head towards the trailhead. I notice a woman walking towards us that really stood out to me. She was really tall and thin, with a ball cap pulled low on a morning walk apparently with her girlfriends. As my friend and I approached, she bumped into me as she was talking and I heard the accent and saw her face and it all clicked!

Pickle72

"At first I just thought..."

I ran into Amber Rose going through border security on the way back home from spring break in Mexico. At first I just thought it was weird that some really hot tall bald chick was wearing giant sunglasses and 5 inch heels in security, then I saw the two very muscular body guards with her and it clicked.

I also met Steve-O at my first job! I sold him and his friends some smoothies and then told him how much I loved him and asked for a picture with him and he was super nice about it. He got arrested the next day for protesting Sea World!

mightymarmalade

"As I was leaving..."

Robert DeNiro.

Sat next to him at breakfast in a tiny cafe in New Paltz, NY. He was with his son, so I didn't try to say talk to him or get pictures or anything.

As I was leaving, I told him I was a big fan and he smiled, nodded, and said thanks.

When I told my mom, she casually mentions that she met him years ago on the set of Deer Hunter and he told her to call him Bob.

purpleblackgreen

"I made that weird sound..."

Tim Allen. He walked into our elevator in Vegas. I made that weird sound from Home Improvement and he chuckled.

tomfoolery77

"He held the door..."

Harrison Ford. He held the door of a convenience store for me.

kpbiker1

"Turns out he was filming a pilot episode..."

Ving Rhames.

Two years ago, I was visiting Los Angeles with my parents and girlfriend, and we decided to visit at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. While we were there, we noticed what appeared to be a police funeral in progress. But when we took another look we realized that it was a set for either a movie or TV show. We decided to drive by and low and behold, we saw Marcellus Wallace himself, dressed as an LAPD officer, getting his makeup done beneath a palm tree. He waved at us as we drove by, and being a huge Pulp Fiction fan, I could hardly contain my excitement.

Turns out he was filming a pilot episode for a CBS police drama. To this day, I still don't know if we were technically allowed to drive though the set, but it was still the highlight of that entire trip.

Wooden_Self

"Literally bumped into..."

Literally bumped into Catherine O'Hara on my way to an interview in NYC.

donotvotemedown

"I had gone to see..."

I once ran into Bill Murray briefly in New York. I had gone to see The Waverly Gallery when it was off-Broadway, and he sat right in front of me. I could have touched his head. I didn't, but I could've.

Betathan

"I had no idea..."

I helped Steve Jobs find an address. I had no idea who he was at the time.

ashleylife

"She was receiving..."

Mother Teresa. She was receiving an honourary degree at my university in 1973. I walked out of residence with my head down and literally walked right into her (almost knocking her over) while she was touring the campus.

hectordoink

"Love that man."

Bernie Sanders. I saw him at LAX in August 2019. He was just sitting at the gate to Miami with one body guard and one photographer. I was actually wearing a Bernie shirt. I was so nervous but I went up to him and the photographer led me to him. He was super nice and talked to me for a bit. He was actually flying economy! Love that man.

zellyjelly16

"I didn't have any paper on me..."

Britney Spears. I met her in 2003 while shopping in Santa Barbara. I didn't have any paper on me but wanted her autograph. I had a pen so she ended up signing the outside of my leather purse. I remember thinking she was really short and had too much makeup on.

sjleone1

People Explain What They Bought With Their First-Ever Paycheck

Reddit user MisterChiTown92 asked: 'What did you buy with your first ever work paycheck?'

Person fanning out wad of $100 bills
Alexander Mils/Unsplash

Working a first job is an important part of growing up.

Whether it's working a paper route (do kids even do this anymore?) or working at a video rental store (do those even exist anymore?) first-ever part-time jobs establish important life values and lessons to the youth.

Also, there's nothing that validates accomplishment at a young age more than being able to buy something with their hard-earned money.

Curious to hear examples of this, Redditor MisterChiTown92 asked:

"What did you buy with your first ever work paycheck?"

These generous Redditors found value in paying it forward.

Dinner's On Me

"It was 1976, I was making a whopping $2.50/hour at age 16 (20 cents higher than minimum wage, and it was an office job so I wasn't on my feet all day)....my family didn't have a lot of money (which is why I started working while in the 11th grade), so with my first paycheck I took my Mom and brothers out to dinner at Big Boy. I remember being all proud to say 'Get whatever you want, even the combo meal and a milkshake, it's on me."'

– Ouisch

Dinner Miscalculation

"I took my mom out to a fancy French restaurant. I had no idea how much it was going to cost, then plus tip, I didn’t even have enough! So she had to help me pay the rest. My mom still joke about that from time to time when we go out with the family."

"That was almost 25 yrs ago, damn time flew by."

– jonwtc

Gift For Mom

"I bought my mother a beautiful shawl. I never saw her wear it but it was in with her things when she died nearly 50 years later."

– WakingOwl1

These Redditors got to reward themselves with the things they enjoy most.

Creating Memories

"About twenty bucks of my first paper route earnings, for the pizza buffet and soft drinks, and some arcade games, with my best friend."

"While the shape I've been in has varied over the years, I've kept that stamina I built up hauling around damn near my weight in newsprint. For long endurance rides, hikes with a loaded-up pack, and running."

– ArmsForPeace84

Brand New Kicks

"I was 14 and got a job as a bus boy at a local BBQ joint. With my first check, I went and bought myself a pair of blue/brown Airwalk shoes. I remember how cool it felt to be able to buy something for myself and not have to ask my parents."

– johnnybmagic

Scoring Big Time

"A Playstation 2. Excellent buy, kept it for a over decade before buying an Xbox One."

– Birdo-the-Besto

"It was an Xbox 360 for me. Loved that console."

– HabeLinkin

"Still have a modded PS2. Had a hard drive with games on it too. It still turns on last I checked, I wonder if the hard drive still works..."

–DubaU

A Timeless Treasure

"My family owned a construction business, and my father had me on site for as long as I could remember. I don't remember the first thing I ever bought with what he paid me, but I remember the first thing I set out to buy and had to work for weeks to get the money for. It was a Lego castle set. $49. I'm almost 50 now, and I still have it."

– Spodson

Naughty Pleasures

"lol I bought a candy g-string so I could eat it off of my girlfriend while she was wearing it, and a black cowboy hat with spikes on it from Hot Topic hahaha"

dirtydickmf

Some recalled having to prioritize taking care of business over indulgences.

The Necessities

"gasoline and insurance to continue to be able to go to work."

– TurpitudeSnuggery

"I remember getting my first paycheck being so proud of it and my stepfather goes wow you don't have enough for gas. How are you getting to work for the next two weeks? Made me realize I needed to work more."

"I should also put in here that this was my first on the books paycheck. Made it feel a little different."

– truelydorky

Saving Up For Wheels

"Used to mow lawns and do odd jobs for cash when I was a kid. When I got my first 'real' paycheck that I had to cash at a bank, I saved every penny for several months until I bought my first car at age 16."

"Had zero expenses back then, which made it easy to save money. Fun memory."

– YupHio

Building A Wardrobe

"Clothes."

"I had to start working at the age of 12 because my parents could no longer afford to buy clothes for me."

– Opposite-Purpose365

I worked at a video game store in the mall when I was 15.

I was miserable being stuck behind a counter in a tiny corner store with hardly any adequate air circulation. Working with a personality-clashing co-worker didn't help things either.

But when I got my first paycheck, I remember thinking it was a major milestone and reward for enduring the unpleasant work conditions.

I used my first-ever earnings on a denim jacket from the Gap at the mall where I worked. I wore that stone-washed jacket with pride at school for years.

What was your most prized purchase from your first paycheck?

man and woman at wedding with balloons
Álvaro CvG on Unsplash

Weddings are built up to be magical events heralding a happily ever after for the newly minted spouses.

But like any major life event, a lot can go wrong.

Weather, illness, natural disasters, relationship drama, family squabbles... you name it and someone, somewhere has seen it at a wedding.

Keep reading...Show less
assorted items at antique shop
Christelle BOURGEOIS on Unsplash

Growing up we used a can opener, toaster and hand mixer that my Mother received as wedding gifts. She was married in 1966 and those small appliances were still working well into the 1990s.

When Mum sold her house and downsized, she decided to get new small appliances that matched. The old but still functioning ones were avocado green, stainless and harvest gold.

Since then I've gone through countless electric can openers, toasters and hand mixers and none worked as well or as long as those ones from the 1960s.

The ones with moving parts don't have the same power as the old ones and the toasters all lose heating coils in just a few years.

My complaints about small appliances are mirrored by many.

Keep reading...Show less
angry girl in black and white striped shirt
Photo by Julien L on Unsplash

Double standards are an unfortunate part of society.

A double standard is when two or more individuals or sets of people are treated differently when they should be treated the same.

A good example is the difference in the way my brother and I are treated when we cook. I'm big on baking and have a natural talent for it. Whenever I bake anything, even something complicated, like cheesecake, I'm given minimal praise, if any at all. This is because I'm a woman, and in my family culture, women are expected to be able to bake.

My brother isn't as good a baker as me and rarely does it, but when he does, he is praised for subpar brownies because he's a man and it's amazing he can even cook as well as he does.

I'm not the only one who has experience with this.

Redditors have identified many double standards in society and are eager to share.

It all started when Redditor Extreme-Minute-4746 asked:

"What double standards make you angry?"

Civil Service

"As a federal government employee, why do I have to follow all kinds of ethics rules, but politicians and judges don’t?"

– mittychix

"F**k, right? I have to spend six weeks reviewing documentation and hearing out dozens of random companies to award a £100k contract but the minister who runs my department can give his mate's company a multi-million£ contract to run ferries without even getting quotes - DESPITE THAT COMPANY NOT HAVING AND FERRIES AND THE PORT IN QUESTION NOT HAVING CAPACITY FOR THEM."

"I left the civil service after that one."

– Disco_is_Death

"This. Yeah I could get in trouble for accepting a gift over $50 (like I have that much influence anyway) but politicians and judges get lobbied millions..it's infuriating."

– gtbeam3r

"Yes. And they get to keep their jobs for being completely dysfunctional, but if I pulled a fraction that garbage, I’d be fired."

– TrekJaneway

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

"That some people expect you to respect their no, whilst they will most definitely not respect yours."

– IvyBloodroot

"On that note, respecting someone as an authority is often equated to respecting someone as an individual."

"Eg. Teachers who say if you don't respect me (as a superior), I won't respect you (as a person), when they're really not the same thing."

– Paperonia

The Bullied

"School bullying."

"The kid getting picked on has essentially no power. Go to a teacher? Get labeled a snitch and tattle tale. Don't do anything? You're just made an easier target. The moment they fight back, they're the ones who end up dealing with detention, suspension, expulsion, etc. You have more power as a bully in the schools than the victim."

– FriskeCrisps

"It's because bullied people are usually rule followers, and the school wants the problem dealt with as quickly as possible. Best way to do that is to expect the rule follower to follow rules, rather than the rule breaker to suddenly change their ways."

"Fairness ends up on the chopping block."

– darsynia

Services Cliff

"I'm 41 years old and have Cerebral Palsy. If I try to find anything related to the disease - how to deal with it, any kind of ongoing care - it is virtually impossible because all the care is just for children with CP. It's like once you turn 18 the world just doesn't care anymore."

– Zechnophobe

"I’m autistic and in the same boat. “How to deal with a child who…” I'M ASKING FOR ME."

– aroaceautistic

A Two-Way Street

"People who are obsessed with the idea of kids being respectful towards adults, but don't treat kids with respect in turn."

"Edit for example: I went to a very old-fashioned school where the rule was that when an adult entered the room, even in the library and break/lunch, every student in the room had to immediately fall silent - mid sentence, mid word, didn't matter - and stand up until we were given permission to sit back down again. If we didn't, we were chewed out and sometimes even given detentions. The argument was that it trained us into respect, but I was also brought up to believe it's rude to interrupt, and it felt like the teachers were constantly interrupting us."

– MerylSquirrel

"My father in law is like that. He’s “kids should be seen and not heard” type of old school."

"But then he wonders why the children in the family all steer clear of him and why they disregard most things he says."

– Macintosh0211

Doctor, Doctor

"This might be a bit controversial, but I’ve come across a couple of doctors who demand special treatment away from work but preach and practice treating all their patients equally."

– kimchi-pancake

"They charge you a fee or cancel if you’re 5 minutes late but have no problem leaving you waiting for hours. I’ve waited an hour in the lobby and another in the actual examination room."

– SadComfort8692

"Same! i can understand if it’s out of their control but i could hear her, clear as day, giggling with her coworkers about her weekend. i waited 20 in the lobby and 20 in the exam room. i love a good gab but, for f**k’s sake, do it later! if i yapped outside for 20 minutes, it would be a $50 fee and another 4 month long wait to be seen again."

"I suddenly had a $50 i-can-hear-you-nattering-through-the-wall fee. she laughed but it’s been collecting interest ever since…"

– manyfeetball

Alcohol Is Alcohol

"Beer drinkers act like they aren’t alcoholics because they don’t drink hard liquor. Ok sir you just drank 25 beers and then looked at me sideways for drinking a g&t at the family reunion."

– Brainfog_shishkabob

"Same goes for the “sophisticated” wine drinkers..."

"Stop judging me for enjoying a drink on the terrace a few times a year, when you empty 1-2 bottles each evening..."

– 2Madam_Mimmm

"That’s definitely the way it is. I’ve got a snotty alcoholic family member, that THINKS she’s sophisticated, because she drinks high dollar wine, out of very expensive glasses."

"Yeah, pissing yourself and passing out, in front of the mailbox, are definitely the traits of a sophisticated person."

– sweathogbrooklyn

Mr. Mom

"Fathers taking care of their kids."

"I take my kids to doctor appointments, dentist appointments, take them to school, and pick them up. I do all that stuff."

"Every single f**king time, it's, “Dad’s babysitting today?” Or some stupid comment like that. No, I’m not babysitting. I’m being a f**king parent!"

"I hate the double standard that dads can’t do stuff like that with their kids."

"I can’t take my daughter to the park without being questioned or looked at funny either."

"People need to give dads more respect. A lot of us bust our a**es too. I work hard. I take care of my kids, I play with my kids. I clean the house. I do laundry. I don’t stop. I don’t rest, I don’t relax."

– moms-sphaghetti

"Give us changing tables in the men's room!"

– Da1UHideFrom

"Nothing bugs me more than when a place only has changing tables in the women's bathroom."

"It's 2023, I take my son to the aquarium by myself sometimes... Looking at you London SeaLife centre 🤨"

– AstonVanilla

Household Split

"The laundry is always a wierd one. My wife is a much better cook than me. And she hates me cooking when she's in the house. So to compensate I do all the laundry, including ironing before someone mentions it, and all the washing of dishes."

"But even at work, this doesn't seem to be understood as possible. I complained my washing machine had broken and the comment was 'Oh no, what's wife's name going to do?'"

"To which the answer was 'Wonder why I haven't done the washing this week.'"

"But it's infuriating."

– RelativeStranger

Justice Is Bought

"The American justice system. You can afford the best and many more lawyers when you have money."

– TooAfraidToAsk814

"Justice is blind, but the b*tch sure can smell money."

– burgher89

Worship

"I am supposed to respect people's religion, but people aren't supposed to respect my non-religion."

"Particularly when their religion instructs them to not respect my non-religion."

– GeebusNZ

"It kinda makes my head spin that there are people who I get along well with who, per their religion, think I deserve to be tortured in agony for all eternity."

Daztur

Yup, me and my non-religious self have personal experience with that last one!