I ran into Shirley Manson of Garbage while out for a walk. I thanked her for being an outspoken trans ally and got a little choked up while a told her a little of my story. She responded by asking if she could give me a hug.

Not exactly my hero but Harvey keitel was pretty awesome to chat with. Nice guy, full of compliments.

Douglas Hofstadter is strange in just the way you want him to be strange

Look I know I've heard hella sketchy things about who Stephen Hawking was as a person but all I'ma say is when I was 12 and ragingly undiagnosed I accidentally wound up at a post lecture reception for him at which I was, well, 12 and ragingly autistic and he was so kind and gracious to me

Reggie Jackson bought me a BLT and a cup of chicken noodle soup at a diner on the Upper East Side shortly after 9/11. I said hi, he sat down at my table, we chatted for about 15 minutes, then he called over the server and picked up my tab. Amazing guy

I met Mike Mangan from The Cult on a cruise, chatted a few times over the trip, super cool guy, humble, phenomenal musician

The cool thing was, while the lecture was clearly a paid gig, the hangtime with a bunch of threadbare nerds the next day most definitely wasn't. I hadn't met a lot of SF writers at that point (or many writers period) and he offhandedly dropped a few thoughts I still think about decades later.

I met Robert Munsch at a Tea and Tales, he signed my copy of love you forever, heck i even emailed him for a project when i was in highschool and he was really nice ^^

15 yrs ago: went out by myself to lunch on the beach. Also sitting alone at the bar was Jim Jensen, formerly of the Miami Dolphins. We started chatting and before long I'd gotten an invitation to join the Thursday nite poker game at his house. Poker game is no more but Jim and I are still close

I met George Carlin at a book signing about a year before he died. He couldn’t have been more gracious.

A couple of minutes later, he comes stumping over, face like thunder, and demands "Did you boys just fucking buy me a drink?" Sheepishly we tell him yes.

Nelson Mandela (cont.) ... He spoke to us, asked questions, and complimented us on our work. He was kind and not least very charismatic. Such a treat. /2

In March 1995, during the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen, I was one of many coordinators at the venue, Bella Center. One day Nelson Mandela was passing a group of us and he stopped up ... /1

At 20yo, I interviewed John Cooper Clarke in 1980 for the Manchester University students’ union newspaper. He could have wiped the floor with me, but he was welcoming, funny and kind.

Mark Cavendish made way more time than he had to for my ex wife and I when we met him and had a long conversation at the Tour Of Britain. Gave us a little gift for our baby daughter. 🚴‍♂️❤️

I was dropping off two copies of "Walking with the Wind" at Congressman John Lewis' office for his signature, expecting to pick them up later. I was taken into his inner office where he asked who I was, where I came from, what I thought about some upcoming House votes/elections and more.

I met the author Rachel Held Evans when she did a talk in my area and she was kind and gracious and friendly. And I got to meet the cast of Critical Role at a con and get a picture with them and they were very nice to me. Travis in particular made sure to shake my hand and ask my name.

This was pretty rad.

Maybe it's because the ones I've met have been in showbiz contexts where I'm (very nominally) a "colleague" or maybe I've just been extremely lucky, but honestly? They've all been lovely!

I met Robert Downey Jr (Pre Iron Man days) when he was meeting my boss for a casual meeting. When I walked in he jumped up to say hello. Randomly, I saw him the next night and he said “Hello Landall.”

I have been to a handful of festivals that G-Love played at, and he is out in the crowd meeting people every time.

I met Maya Angelou in an Off Fifth Avenue checkout line in Wrentham, MA. I let her go ahead of me because she was in a wheelchair and my line was easier for her to maneuver. I didn’t know it was her until she thanked me in her distinctive voice - such a beautiful voice, such a beautiful woman.

As a child I met Cal Ripken at an autograph signing. He was unbelievably nice and easy to talk to. A real gentleman.