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25.) Famous Americans I have met.
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I have met a few famous Americans.
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Those I spoke with:
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Michael Wadleigh made the 1969 documentary of the Woodstock Music Festival, the most famous non violent event during the flower power generation.
I met Michael when I was cycling from the Mekong river on my way to Luang Nam Tha in Laos. He was coming the other way heading for the Mekong.
It could have been in 2002 but I think it was in 2004.
Like so many Americans abroad he told me his life story in five very interesting minutes. Then he wanted to talk about 9.11.
Michael Wadleigh was in Laos to study the Mekong and the impact on the environment damming the Mekong would bring.
I guess I should have taken a picture of him but I didn't - but I think he took a picture of me...
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William Baldwin was one of the worlds most popular male actors but then he played a creepy role in Sliver in 1993 with Sharon Stone and his popularity faded.
I saw William standing with his smug grin in a big bar in Jasper Canada. People walked up to him shook his hand and walked away. I was in the bar with two other cyclists and I didn't speak to William, I think, although the evening got a bit blurred as I got rather drunk. To my big surprice he was the smiling face that welcomed me in to the local Subway fast food store in Jasper. According to rules anyone wanting to open one og ten Subway fast food shop(s) must be in training for a week or two somewhere else. We talked about Norway and then he asked if I wanted green pepper and my brain went DON'T say "sliver"! Then we talked some more about Norway.
First day cycling out of Jasper a black bear was next to the road. I sopped behind a big black SUV to look at my first bear up close. "Maybe William flaunting his wealth" I thought. Then I had to leave because the bear was too close for comfort. I think that night I spent in a campground romantically called "Pocahontas"...
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Those I could have spoken with:
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President Bill Clinton was holding a speech in a Sydney park towards the end of 1996. I went there with two other Norwegians but to get into the park the metal detector took too much time so by the time we got in Bills speech was almost over.
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People left but for some reason Bill Clinton and the ever smiling Australian Prime Minister were just standing there. The crowd now were about only 50 people and I joined in on "Four more years!" I thought about saying loud "I love Chelsea!" - That would have been sickening funny in Australia and Norway but NOT in the US. I should have shouted "Stay away from anyone named Monica!" but not even Bill would know what that meant...
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He walked along the fence and anyone who wanted could shake his hand or high five it. But I hesitated. The perfect US President and I hesitated. then suddenly someone grabbed Bill Clinton and moved his head next to bills head to take a photo of two close friends. Bill was shaken and looked around for Secret Service but they didn't do anything. Bill was still visibly shaken and left after a few more hands. In 2016 I spoke with someone from Sydney and I spoke about what a fun place Sydney is and then I mentioned Bill Clinton in the park and without me mentioning it he told me his friend had grabbed Bill to get a picture...