Brushes and Name Droppings

Over the years I've meet many famous people but four encounters stand out...perhaps because with three of them I didn't actually get to meet them.
Ronald Reagan:
Once apon a time over 20 years ago I worked for the Donatello Hotel In SF. It was an upscale joint and on a certain evening so long ago Ronald Reagan was slated to give a speech there. It was a fundraiser of sorts and it was after his presidency. Well, my co-worker and I (I should mention that even though she was an anti-Reaganite she still wanted to see him and when she had seen him she was just as excited as a true-blue Reaganite) stood outside the hotel near the back entrance...as close as we dared since we knew there would be secret service. His car pulled up and after a couple of suits with ear-pieces came out, out stepped the very tall Reagan. He was much taller than I expected and he was fit. I called out his name and he turned and gave me an my co-worker a smile and that famous Reagan wave. It was cool.
Janet Jackson:
Miss Jackson if you're nasty (reference to one of her songs). Again it was during my Donatello Days. Across the street from my hotel stood another ritzy joint and apparently Miss Jackson and her entourage was staying there. Well, it was a daily deal with me to take a stroll after eating my dinner or lunch while at work. SF is such a fascinating city to walk around. As I was coming down the hill past the side entrance of the hotel across the street I noticed a steady trickle of people exiting out the door and walking to the unmarked bus parked on the street 50 feet away. My path would put me next to the bus in about 30 or so steps. Just as I reached the 20 or so step mark I noticed a lovely woman coming out the door, Janet Jackson. At the same time we noticed each other and it was in the next second that she ran to the bus and got on it before I could even wave, nod or rush up begging for an autograph or ask for a costume malfunction. By the time I reached the bus the doors closed an it began to pull away.
Jimmy Stewart:
Ever wonder why Jugglin' Jim is James? Well, I admired James Stewart a lot. His whole life in Hollywood without a scandle. He was a WWII vetran bomber pilot and considered it duty and an honor to serve and never bragged or searched for book deal. He was a conservative and good friend of Ronald Reagan. He was married once and stayed that way. Back in the radio days he actually left the show Six Shooter because the sponsor changed to a cigarette company and he thought it a bad idea to market cigarettes in a show that had such a large children audience. Well, when I heard he was going to be at the Monterrey Film Festival back in my college days I knew I had to go. Though I couldn't afford the cost of the benefit dinner in his honor I could afford to be in the audience of the showing of Harvey, celebrating it coming to video tape. His limo ran late so the ushers sent everyone inside except for the press. I became a member of the press real fast. They let me stay with a knowing wink. I was able to get a great picture of him.
I mailed it to him and he autographed it (in gold ink) and sent it back....It hangs in my office.
Alex Trebek:
While living in Nara, Japan the USO (a client of mine) called me up and asked if I would be willing to show Mr Trebek around Kyoto....a town he really wanted to see. We met at the Bullet train station and spent the whole day hanging out, eating, and shopping. he really is a very nice man.