Celebrity Sightings

So, I don't know about you, but I think it's totally exhilarating to spot celebrities. The question is -- what do you do when you see a celebrity?? Do you scream and shriek and attack them with giddiness? Do you approach them casually and strike up a conversation? Or do you do what I do -- freeze and very conspicuously avoid eye contact altogether?

For some reason, that's the reaction that (regrettably) almost always occurs when I see a celebrity, even if I'm tempted to the point of near-bursting to approach them, compliment their work, and ask for an autograph or photo. Why is that? I guess I don't want to be awkward or inappropriate or out of line, although sometimes I think that celebrities would rather enjoy a compliment from a fan. So, I guess I'm still trying to figure that one out. :-)

Anyway, here is a list of some of my more notable celebrity sightings. (These are the random sightings, by the way. I'm excluding concerts, TV tapings, book signings, etc., where seeing a celebrity is guaranteed.)

Celebrity: Nathan Fillian

Location: Disney's California Adventure

Best Known: Yay Mal!!! Long live the Browncoats!! For me and Tim, it is definitely, absolutely, 100% Firefly and Serenity. Although, he's also been in cool things like Waitress, Desperate Housewives, Lost, etc.

Notes: We passed right by Mal and his lady friend in California Adventure, and I totally (silently) freaked out to Tim. However, even though Mal is one of the few celebrities whom I would eagerly approach to gush over and request a photo, Tim restrained me, and he passed on, not even knowing how much we adore Firefly and how much we wanted Mal and Inara to ultimately declare their love for one another. :-)

Celebrity: Dennis Haysbert

Location: (two sightings) Once at Houston's restaurant in Pasadena, and once on the walking path around the Rose Bowl stadium

Best Known: President Palmer, we love you!!! (24) Oh, and he's the Allstate guy. We'd buy insurance from you any day, President Palmer!!

Notes: He's very tall. Very tall and rather imposing. Nevertheless, when we saw him at Houston's having dinner with a few other people, it was the highlight of our lives. We were very grateful to our friends who invited us out to dinner, for arranging such an exciting celebrity sighting for us.

Celebrity: Holly & Bridget

Location: Disney's California Adventure

Best Known: Nothing that I can think of, except for their ridiculous reality show on E!

Notes: I'm actually really embarrassed that we recognized these two. Tim and I were waiting for walk-in seating at Ariel's Grotto restaurant when they walked in, along with a whole posse of other people (a couple of whom were sporting Playboy hats). No cameras, though. They're very pretty, and they seemed really friendly, although it was a little disturbing that one mom (also in the waiting area) shoved her four-year-old daughter towards Bridget to get an autograph in her little Disneyland autograph book. Anyway, no words were exchanged by us, even though Bridget was standing against the wall right across from us for about 10 minutes. (Holly, on the other hand, was being swarmed by people a little farther away.) Oh, and they didn't have any extra room at the restaurant for Tim and me. Bummer. I still really want to eat there.

Celebrity: Dustin Diamond

Location: LAX

Best Known: Why, SCREECH of course!!! Haha. Hahahaha. (Although since then, he has unfortunately become rather infamous as a weird, bankrupt, porn-star type. Ew.)

Notes: Mr. Diamond and some lady friend were waiting in this massive line at U.S. Airways at LAX, just three or four feet away from me. (I say "line," but it was really more of a giant, rippling mass of flushed-faced, angry, overly be-suitcased people. Oh, it was Christmastime. Yeah.) Dustin and I, along with lady friend, all appeared to share our annoyance in common, although no words were exchanged.

Celebrity: Snoop Dogg

Location: LAX

Best Known: Hmm... I guess his music. Or his insane new reality show. Can't say I'm a big Snoop fan, though.

Notes: This was a Tim sighting, when he was flying home to PA one time really late at night. Snoop Dogg and his posse went by him at the airport, apparently also about to board a red-eye.

Celebrity: Jane Kaczmarek and Bradley Whitford

Location: Street corner in San Francisco

Best Known: Jane as Lois in Malcolm of the Middle, of course... and Brad as Evil Eric in Billy Madison. (Yes, I know that's sad. Yes, I know he played a critically acclaimed role in The West Wing. I don't care. He'll always be Evil Eric to me. He really should've eaten some of those Delicious Triscuit Crackers.)

Notes: I get bonus points for this one, because I saw them walking TOGETHER along a downtown street in San Francisco. Jane had this blazingly bright magenta overcoat on, and Brad was wearing a light brown leather jacket and jeans. Oh, and here's the best part -- they walked RIGHT BEHIND Tim and me as we were waiting for the crosswalk!! But did I say anything? Nope! I just froze, and they passed right on by.

Celebrity: Glenn Close

Location: Salt Lake City Airport

Best Known: Hmm... either 101 Dalmations or Air Force One, for me anyway

Notes: Kudos to Dana C. on this one, because she actually flew out from Philadelphia on Ms. Close's flight. When Tim and I went to pick up Dana at the airport, we got to bask in the presence of this celebrity as she stood next to the baggage carousel (with her foot up on the edge of it, like she owned the place).

Celebrity: Dermot Mulroney

Location: El Dorado Golf & Beach Club, Los Cabos

Best Known: My Best Friend's Wedding

Notes: I was at El Dorado for work, meeting with the Director of Sales in this outdoor cantina at the golf clubhouse, when Mr. Mulroney walked by with someone. I'm guessing he was considering purchasing himself some fine ocean-view real estate.

Celebrity: Ethan Hawke

Location: Salt Lake City Airport

Best Known: Reality Bites, of course!!!

Notes: Okay, this is only a *probable* celebrity sighting. I'm still 50/50 on this one, because although it looked almost exactly like him, and although he actually made eye contact with me while passing through security, I'm still not totally certain it was him. The main reason: I later saw him waiting in line at Southwest Airlines. Sure, Southwest is fine and all, but wouldn't the real Mr. Hawke pay up for Delta at least??