- Steve Wynn — The inventor, some might say, of modern Las Vegas, was walking around one evening unnoticed at his eponymous new hotel when he saw me. (Jan 06)
- Al Roker — Cruising through the Bellagio on his cell phone, surrounded by a few people that looked like they wanted to be with him, not paid to be. It is sightings like this that make my day, as we were walking towards each other quickly and he had only a half second to see me. I love the surgical sightings — sighted, noted, and pointed out. (Jan 06)
- Liam Neeson — Sat next to me at the bar at the Fours Seasons in Beverly Hills. Not many people around, and he was just there to have a drink. (Mar 99)
- William Shatner — Cruising into the bar at Emeril’s superb Las Vegas restaurant, Delmonico. Shatner looked good. (Jun 06)
- Brad Garrett — Similarly, the booming-voiced Garrett saw us seated near him at the above restaurant, though on a diffferent visit. (Mar 04)
- Tony Roberts — To the never-ending dismay of Rich, we had no projectile to launch at his head when he walked by us on lower Broadway. (Feb 01)
- Isaac Mizrah — He was having dinner with Mark Morris at The Ivy in London where they sat next to us. They were quiet and gracious to the staff. (Jun 98)
- Ben Kingsley — He was having dinner with his family at Citrus in Los Angeles when they saw us. Citrus is a nice restaurant. The waiter must have been an aspiring actor upon whom the years were creeping; he would not incline his head towards us for fear (I thought) of displaying a tell-tale double chin. Or maybe we just didn't pass muster at this outrageously chic restaurant. (Sep 99)
- Michael Constantine — Oh, how the mere mention of this name sets Rich off. After dinner at Bibendum in London, Bobbie, Rich, and I were walking back to the hotel when Constantine saw us. “What the hell has he done in the past 20 years that he gets to go to London?” Rich demanded. Bobbie and I tried to explain that as far as we could see, all you needed to do was buy a ticket. (Jun 96)
- Jodie Foster & Swoozie Kurtz — Sipping wine à deux in the lounge of the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills when they saw me. Having a gay old time, they were. (Mar 99)
- Sara Gilbert — She saw us as she was stumbling in front of the Athenaeum Hotel in London. Didn't Darlene learn her lesson when Becky was grounded for breaking into Roseanne and Dan Connor's liquor cabinet? (Jun 95)
- Daniel Day-Lewis — Mo’s favorite story: he saw me while looking over sweaters in the half-off bin at Bergdof Goodman's on a Saturday morning. When I did a double take, the double-named actor took off at double time. (Aug 98)
- Josephine Tewson — She played Elizabeth, the long-suffering neighbor, on “Keeping Up Appearances.” The night we saw Patricia Routledge, the star of KUA, open in “The Importance of Being Earnest,” I spotted Tewson in the crush bar between acts. (Aug 99)
- Tom Poston — Looking rather dapper standing at the top of an escalator at the Century City shopping mall. I don't much like shopping, but this is a great place to go for expensive stuff, a fun marketplace, California lottery tickets, Johnny Rockets, and a real feeling of the cultural vacuum that everyone (except me) says Los Angeles represents.
- Ian Gomez & Nia Vardalos — Caught the husband and wife team at the above-mentioned Century City, but back then I only recognized him from the “Drew Carey Show.” “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” — a movie that has somewhat redeemed Michael Constantine in Rich's eyes — had yet to make a name for Vardalos. (Jan 2000)
- Nate Archibald — Back in the days of Mulligan’s, when Buffalo had an NBA team (who remembers the Braves?), Archibald came into the club.
- Michel LeGrand — Another Mulligan’s sighting, as LeGrand, a pre-eminent film music composer (“Windmills of Your Mind”) was in for dinner.
- Christopher Knight (2x) — Forever to be known as Peter Brady, he was accosted at the bar at Mulligan’s one night by a superdrunk superfan. I also saw him at the Buffalo airport where his presence caused an unseemly commotion. (? & Jan 06)
- Rick James — Give it to me, indeed. James, a Buffalo native, was at a party given by the wacky Mulligan's DJ Keith, the King of Funk. At Mulligan’s the portly manager was the Chunk of Funk, and the wonderful Battaglias were the Funk Sisters. (RIP, Karen)
- Dana Ivey — You know her — she's the censorious lady who is in all the movies (the congresswoman in “Legally Blonde 2,” Mrs Crisp in “Mumford,” the bitchy white lady in “The Color Purple,” etc. She was at a performance of “Long Day's Journey Into Night,” which we saw in New York. (Jun 03)
- Elizabeth Wilson — Another face you know, if not the name, and also seen in New York at “Long Day's Journey Into Night.” She was the prissy Roz in “9 to 5” and Dustin Hoffman's mother in “The Graduate.” (Jun 03)
- Michael York (2x) — We saw York and his sort-of-famous wife Pat at the Manele Bay Hotel, where Rich stumbled into him and then fought a losing battle to find the words “excuse me.” The next time we saw him was through the revolving door at Fortnum & Mason's in London. He and Pat were going in as we were going out; we were tempted to pull the door back to double our inconveniencing him. (Apr 94 & May 02)
- Tom Bell — British actor of dour countenance, you might know him if you watch BBC America; he was Helen Mirren’s nemesis in the first “Prime Suspect” series. For such a craggy, miserable-looking guy he carried off his lime-green suit rather well as he jauntily crossed Trafalgar Square. (Jun 96)
- Lynn Redgrave — Saw her and her daughter as we were heading into see “Noises Off” in New York. If Redgrave was there to case the show — she later played it in London — I hope she was not too swayed by Patti LuPone’s interpretation Dotty. (Feb 02)
- Dan Abrams (2x) — Also in the audience at “Noises Off,” we saw Abrams the next day conducting one of his interviews outside Rockefeller Center. (Feb 02)
- Lothaire Bluteau — The über-fey Bluteau, whose sole reason for showing up on an episode of “Oz” was to get a shiv in the belly, was walking down Prince Street on a beautifully sunny Soho Sunday. He also played the monotone priest in the visually stunning, emotionally dead “Blackrobe”. (Mar 03)
- Hal Holbrook — He was at the theater watching “Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde.” I think that Holbrook is the most distinctive-looking famous man who's ever encountered me.
- Harry Connick, Jr. & Jill Goodacre — Not a bad sighting, at the Manele Bay on Lana’i. I enjoyed this sighting until I read (gossiplist) that he is terribly homophobic. She was a cipher. (Jun 96)
- Kurt Russell & Goldie Hawn — Manele Bay, again. They were actually kind of sweet, surrounded by many kids. While there was definitely an aura of “do not even think of approaching us while we're among family,” I heard they were huge tippers and loved to have a good time. (Sep 95)
- Amanda Bearse — She and her girlfriend were sweetly attentive mothers at the Four Seasons on Maui. (Feb 97)
- Suzanne Lloyd Hayes — This woman is becoming famous in her own right; she is the granddaughter of Harold Lloyd, the silent film comedian. With the upsurge in interest in Lloyd's career, she is frequently the consultant on many projects. We sat up late one night at the Athenaeum Hotel in London drinking a lot of wine. She showed me a pendant necklace that was made from the engagement ring that Bebe Daniels returned to Lloyd when she broke the engagement. The movie-lore lover in me could barely recover. Not having yet become a frequent visitor and ardent fan of Los Angeles, I neglected to keep her contact info and lost a chance to take her up on her offer to “show me around.” A huge regret. (Jun 95)
- Laurence Fishburne — When he checked into the Manele Bay, he instructed everyone that he was not to be disturbed, spoken to, or bothered by staff or other guests. It must have gotten to him, because by the time we checked in on his fourth day there, he would saunter around the pool for long periods of time playing the harmonica. It being the kind of place it is, no one bothered him, which, I gather, bothered him greatly. He checked out early. (May 98)
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus & Brad Hall — She seemed rather perturbed when I went to return something she had dropped, but perhaps she felt as if I were going to bother her. Who knows? They seemed nice, offering to buy everyone a drink when they held the shuttle bus up, and they were doting parents. (Jun 99)
- Celeste Holm — My original sighting; she was in Buffalo performing in “The Gingerbread Lady” at Studio Arena. I was on my way out of the movies, she on her way in to see “Cabaret.” So we're talking a 35-year history of this hobby.
- Matthew Modine — Walking around London, we saw Modine heading into The Ivy, haunt of celebrities and a place of unending charm. The food is good, but you get here what you rarely get in London - a warm greeting. (Mar 01)
- Cary Elwes — “Dashing” is the perfect word for Cary Elwes; he reminds me of those 30's leading men Leslie Howard and Robert Donat. He was walking down Shaftesbury Avenue in London, hard by the Rainforest Cafe. (Mar 01)
- Abe Vigoda — We had seen the very much alive Vigoda around the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills during our stay. One day, while waiting for the elevator, I went to the Lobby to check on something. As I walked away from the elevator Abe and his lady friend were walking towards it. I returned in time to see Rich in the elevator with Abe and said friend, with the door closing. All three tried to locate the “open door” button and failed. I burst out laughing thinking of Rich and Abe Vigoda commiserating on their inability to find the right button. (Mar 97)
- Andrew Goloda — We saw the one-time heavyweight champ outside Rockefeller Center. Rich called this one, being, as he is, a devoté of the sweet science; I keep having to ask him who it was that we saw.
- Brad Pitt — Walking through the lobby of the Four Seasons in BH; I don't know too much about the handsome part (he was pretty scruffy), but he is every inch the movie star. (Mar 97)
- Susan Sarandon — Having lunch at Olives in the W Hotel Union Square in New York. I don't have much of an opinion of her, really (she is pretty), but this was a sighting that epitomizes the whole thing for me: big name, mundane activity, and completely random. And Todd stopped by the table, which was nice of him. (Mar 03)
- Kevin Kline & Phoebe Cates — Outside the theater during the break from “Master Class”. Dude is tall. And I won't call it a sighting, but I'd bet a lot of money that that was Madonna getting into a waiting car. (Jun 96)
- Bette Midler — I went to visit Mark in NY and from there we were going to drive to Buffalo. We went to a party for a friend of Mark's, then a nightcap and Don't Tell Mama. Just one. We swear. It being the Friday evening of the 4th of July weekend, the place was uncharacteristically quiet. There were four people further down the bar, and Mark turned to me and said, “We're not going anywhere. That’s Bette Midler.” It being a piano bar as well as being dead quiet in there, we stayed until God knows how late hoping for. . . what? I guess we thought she'd sing, but she never did. (Jul 95)
- Diane Keaton — When I was working at the Rue Franklin, she came in late one evening after seeing a play at the Studio Arena. (“Miss Firecracker” opened there, and a whole slew of ’70s actresses came to town to check it out: Jane Fonda, Faye Dunaway, Marsha Mason, and Keaton. Holly Hunter got the part when it was made into a movie in 1989.) Keaton was most interested in the location of Frank Lloyd Wright houses, of which Buffalo has many.
- Glenn Close (2x) — The first time was at the Rue, when she was in Buffalo filming “The Natural.” The second time was when she was in Boston having dinner at Olives with her then-beau Cam Neeley of the Boston Bruins. I helped her on with her coat and rather idiotically told her I had also waited on her at the Rue. She was nice about it, and honest about her not remembering me, but graciious nonetheless. Such is the price of sightings, I guess.
- Robert Redford — When making “The Natural” Redford came into the Rue. Time to order and he asked for this ridiculously involved salad that contained a chiffonade of spinach, chicken breast, smoked salmon, and wild rice. I was busy, I had just made five of them, and I said we were out of the salmon, which you know, kinda makes the salad. Those of you who have worked there know the weeds into which those appetizers could send you. Years later, at a party, someone (I won’t say who *cough, cough* Sue *cough, cough*) once produced the tablecloth he had doodled incessantly upon.
- Robert Motherwell — When the Albright Knox did a major retrospective of his work, he came in for dinner.
- Simon Callow — The first time we had dinner at The Ivy in London, Callow was there with a coterie of handsome young men, acting the jovial companion similar to his role in “Four Weddings and a Funeral.” (Jun 95)
- Jean-Pierre Rampal — Waited on him after his performance at Kleinhan’s Music Hall.
- Kathleen Freeman — La Freeman was a dream in her Sergio Valente jeans dining before a performance one evening at the Rue.
- Andy Williams — When I found out that Williams would be coming in, I called my sister Jane, who came in for dinner with our brother Bill. I seated Jane and Bill at the table next to Williams. This was perhaps unfortunate for all concerned, as when Jane went to cut her suprême du canard half of the duck took wing and ended up on Williams’ table.
- Bobby Flay (2x) — Once in his restaurant, Mesa, where grabby women begged for his attention and recommendation. The second time he was walking down 5th as we were walking up. He was in his chef gear, saying hello to the neighbors as he headed to work. What a mensch! (May 00 & Jun 03)
- Ice-T — Amid a large protective group of menacing-looking guys in Las Vegas. It took me months to figure out who he was, but I knew I had seen him somewhere. (Nov 98)
- Jane Seymour — With her husband and impeccably well-behaved and polite children at the Manele Bay Hotel. Very, very pretty. (May 02)
- One of the Queer Eye guys (the hair one) — Coming out of ABC Carpet & Home one autumn Saturday. (Jun 03)
- Lauren Bacall — Stood in line forever to get her to autograph a copy of her first autobiography at Hatchard’s in London.
- Michael Musto — Taking a cig break during the much-anticipated intermission of “Long Day's Journey Into Night.” (Jun 03)
- Linda Fiorentino — Taking impossibly long strides in impossibly high heels along 58th Street in NY.
- Michael Dukakis — The ex-governor and one-time presidential nominee was walking around Downtown Crossing looking like somebody who just got off the #7 bus. Flood pants and white socks.
- Bill Clinton — Glad-handing just about anyone within reach outside the Parker House Hotel back when he first ran for president. Charisma? In spades. (Jun 92)
- Sean Bean — Sitting at a high-minimum blackjack table at the Bellagio. For quite a while, too. Handsome fella. (Jun 05)
- Mena Suvari — This dewy young thing was hanging around the lobby of a hotel in Miami to which Bobbie brought me to look around. (Jun 04)
- David Byrne — We were heading into Odeon after the theater; he was standing outside waiting for a seat on the patio. Meanwhile, inside. . .
- Charles Kimbrough & Beth Howland — Another sighting that enrages Rich to this day, at least on those days he can remember their names. He was on “Murphy Brown;” she on “Alice;” both in “Company.”
- Senator Bob Graham — Getting up from lunch at 29 Newbury while the Democrats were in town. (Jul 04)
- Emmylou Harris — Ditto the time, event, and street. Right up there with Hal Holbrook for being the most distinctive looking celeb I’ve seen. (Jul 04)
- The Earl and Countess of Harewood — He is the Queen’s first cousin. They were chatting to. . .
- Marco Pierre White — London’s original bad-boy celebrity chef. He opened the glorious Criterion (at which we saw the above-mentioned couple) and cemented his reputation at various other outlets around town. (Jun 97)
- Christina Applegate — She and her boyfriend were popular guests at the Manele Bay, tipping generously and buying rounds of drinks. (May 05)
- Larry Flynt — We saw him being helped into his Bentley outside the Four Seasons in the Hills of Beverly. He narrowly escaped being assaulted by that crazy rabbi who Michael Jackson used to blunt the outrage Jackson was dealing with in the wake of his molestation trial. (May 05)
- Joe Scarborough — Looking as if he participated in one too many of those lobbyists’ cocktail parties thathoi polloi only hear about, he was walking outside Faneuil Hall while covering the Democratic Convention. (Jul 04)
- Hal Prince — The Broadway legend was on board the Queen Mary 2 and was in the Queen's Grille nightly. I'm proud of this sighting, as I caught him out of the corner of my eye, yet was able to tag him anyway. The ability to recognize and name people in situations that are often full of commotion can be tough. (Aug 05)
- And of course, The Queen, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, and Lady Sarah Chatto — Everyone is sick of hearing about the
night we went to see “The Importance of Being Earnest,” the 100th anniversary revival of Oscar Wilde's play. I had just finished up the program
at Oxford and Rich and I were to spend a week in London afterwards. (Here's a tip: never go in August. It is overwhelmed bu schoolchildren from every nation on
earth and everywhere you go is crowded, chaotic, and cacophonous.) We were going to be in London at the time of the Queen Mother's 99th birthday. The night
before said event, we were walking by Clarence House, the QM's residence, and we saw people camped out to be the first to see her as she came out for her traditional
wave to the crowds. Now that I think about it, those people must have been professional stalkers; they spoke of her in this weirdly intimate way. They were an odd lot.
I meant to get up early for a place in line, but by the time we got there the crowds were too big to make it worth waiting. We did catch a glimpse of her, a round yellow dot off in the distance, and we saw the Queen and Prince Philip drive by. We had to get our tickets for that evening's performance, so we left. When picking up the tickets, the guy told us that we had to be in our seats by 7:45 or we couldn't get in. That seemed strange, but we made it — barely. We were held up trying to cross Haymarket by seeing a man get hit by a taxi, roll onto the hood, roll off into the street, and then get up with this wild look on his face. He laughed inappropriately, and then just ran away. So we make it to our seats, the lights go down, and in walks the Queen, the Queen Mother, and Princess Margaret. So, yes, it was pretty cool, I admire the woman a lot and all. Being ten feet away and right in front of her, I was a bit uncomfortable when I didn't sing along to “God Save the Queen;” nothing political, I just don't know the words.
So that's fun, and all that, and when it is time to go, I realize that to head back to the Palace they're going to have to take a right down Pall Mall. Rich and I head over there to get away from the crowds and press, and we stake out some ground on a pedestrian island. Her massive maroon Bentley goes by and she gave Rich a nice wave. I was distracted by a drunken Irishman yelling across the street. As the car drove by he booed the Queen quite theatrically, waving his hands and giving her two vigorous thumbs down. And then he fell down. Quite a night. Yes, quite a night. (Aug 99)