Monday, November 20, 2006

Can I brag for a minute?

Old Lady and I recently began a comment-based Celebrity Throwdown where we keep trying to one-up the other on the number of celebrity contacts we have each had. Since the worlds of renown and notoriety seem to be drawn to both of us inextricably, I imagine our little game may last quite some time.

While my brushes with fame have never gone much further than the occasional Hollywood party, our beloved Poor George has actually worked and interacted with the rich and famous in professional settings.

For those of you not intimately acquainted with our Poor George, he is a professional clarinetist by trade, in addition to being a leisurely gourmet. (As talented as he is at maintaining my BMI at just a few numbers above optimum level, he has never chosen to make money off his food skills.)

Poor George has had the pleasure of playing gigs with the likes of:

Dizzy Gillespie



John Faddis




Quincy Jones



And as of last night, we get to add Phillip Glass to the mix.



George recently began playing with the Greenwich Village Orchestra, so I went to one of their concerts last night. Among other things, the orchestra performed Glass's Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra, a strange sounding piece, as is true with much of Glass's work - but I love twentieth century music, so it was right up my alley.

Before they began, the conductor casually mentioned that Mr. Glass was in the audience and asked him to come up on stage to say a few words. Apparently he lives just a few blocks away from the auditorium, so it was easy for him to drop by and listen to George and his friends perform his work.

How cool is that?

I hope that Poor George will still remember to talk to us, the little people.


15 comments:

Melinda June said...

But you have a psychic link with Belinda Carlisle. You're a SOMEBODY!

Anonymous said...

It must be really cool to live in New York City.

Dale said...

Amazing. You two are running NYC now aren't you?

Poor George is really Poor Rich George for all the musical love he's putting out there. I'm hungry.

Coaster Punchman said...

Ah yes, Belinda - I will have to share that awesome tale in a future entry.

Old Lady, NYC generally pisses me off, but I admit I was impressed at being able to go to a local concert and have Phillip Glass just casually stroll in to introduce his work. That was awesome. (But Hollywood was still better for random star sightings - they were somehow more visible there than they are in NY.)

Dale, if I'm running NYC, why is there still garbage and dog shit strewn copiously around my block? I must be lazy and incompetent.

Joe said...

How very cool. My only brush with celebrity came in the mid-80's when I was a photographer's assistant. I met Cindy Crawford, Angie Everhart and Lolita Davidovitch when they were starting out as models, doing catalog work for Sears.

Oh, and I met George Lindsey, the guy who played "Goober" on the Andy Griffith show.

Since then I've led a celebrity-free life.

Anonymous said...

I'll see your Carey Grant and raise you Tipper Gore and Barbara Bush!

Coaster Punchman said...

It was Gregory Peck, not Cary Grant, though I can see how those two could get confused. Barbar & Tipper! I'll have to consider that one.

Anonymous said...

Well, slap my hand! Yes, I do mix up the two frequently!

Old Lady

lulu said...

I might need to get in on this throwdown as I have made a ton of lattes for a ton of famous people...Tom Hanks, John Cusack, Oprah, Di Nero (those of us close to him call him "Bobby"), Madonna.... the list goes on.

Coaster Punchman said...

Omigod! How does Madonna take her coffee? Was she like totally fabulous about it or just nonchalant?

Moderator said...

Your famous friends are cooler than my famous friends.

Anonymous said...

Yes, Lulu! There have been so many famous people that I haven't seen or met that have filmed or come through or bought houses in Savannah! Throw down with you & CP would be great!

jin said...

One of my fondest memories from when I was 19: listening to Phillip Glass, at 2AM, whilst drinking Sambuca & playing Monopoly with my older brother after getting home from a busy night in his restaurant.
:-)

"Go George!!!" :-D

Tumuli said...

And I've only met Danny Glover. I need to get out more...

Coaster Punchman said...

Bubs, you met Goober? That is EXACTLY the kind of star sighting I am SO into. Washed up actors are the best.

Old Lady, I would never slap you. Insult you and/or make fun of you, yes, but I'm definitely not into physical violence.

Grant, I'd say I'm also cooler than you but I won't because I try to be nice and it may not be true anyway. Although I am now in my 40s and you're still in your 30s (the geek years...)

Jin: Sambuca, Monopoly and Phillip Glass --- that paints quite a picture.

Tumuli, you weren't by chance driving a cab and passing him by when you "met" Danny Glover, were you?