Three of my friends recently met the incomparable Wayne Newton backstage before one of his concerts in Las Vegas. They went to see the "Danke Schoen" crooner at the Tropicana after taking in a U2 show the previous evening.
Told by my friend Walt that U2's Bono had introduced himself as Wayne Newton the night before, the 67-year-old Vegas fixture promptly introduced himself to the Tropicana crowd as Bono. And mugging for this photo between my friends Liz and Sue, the entertainer extraordinaire called himself "a thorn between two roses." Awwww.
Though prone to cliches and Viagra jokes, Newton left a favorable impression with my friends. Their encounter got me thinking about my most memorable brushes with celebrity. Here are my top five:
1. Barack Obama - Met the future prez in 2007, early in the New Hampshire Primary campaign. We shook hands and shot the breeze for a minute or two, and I got the sense he was pretty down to earth.
2. Jennifer Garner - Spotted the erstwhile Sidney Bristow at a Harvard Square bagel joint a few months ago. Sporting Saturday morning sweats and a ponytail, she was playing mom to daughter Violet.
3. Matt Damon - Rubbed elbows with Good Will Hunting at a benefit golf tournament a few years back. He gave me a cool-guy nod when we passed in our golf carts.
4. Bill Clinton - Bubba gave me the grip and grin during his 1992 presidential campaign. The venue was a semi-seedy social club in Manchester, N.H.
5. Alice Cooper - Was introduced to the metal master born Vincent Damon Furnier at a golf-industry trade show about 10 years ago. Cooper is a golf nut who was appearing in commercials for Callaway golf clubs at the time.
