Should you not meet your hero's

I was listening to a Vin Wiki segment from a guy who supplied the cars for an American Top Gear.  It was obvious that he didn't like Tanner Foust.  He went on into the segment and at one point described Tanner as "not a car guy", and from the story, I would agree with him.  I have always admired Tanner, and always thought when he was interviewed that he seemed like a nice guy.  You can tell from top gear that he is a bit sensitive and irritable.  

A friend of mine was part of putting on the Mt. Washington hill climb.  He described Travis Pastrana as a great guy, and could not say enough nice things about him.  I don't think I have ever  heard a negative thing about Travis.

In my college days, I worked fueling airplanes and at one point managed the fuel concession for a small airport.  If you hang around airports, you will meet famous people.  Some of them treat you like furniture, some rich people think you should kiss their butts.  A few  I met were totally cool.  One guy, (William Hurt) didn't seem like the most intelligent.  But I met these people while they were traveling.  They could have been just having a bad day.  Although the small airport was a summer hot spot.

I spent a fair amount of time with Christopher Reeve and he was always just a  nice, very normal down to earth guy.  You could tell when he was asked for an autograph by another pilot that he was happy to oblige, but wanted to be just another guy at the field.

I read a story about Billy Crystal where he sounded like a real jerk and his jerkness was part of his personality.   

So do these people have the right to have a bad day?  Of course.  But is it better to never see them in a different phase of their every day.  I mean Tanner Foust isn't paid to be a nice guy.  William Hurt isn't paid for his brains.  I do get sick of celebrities who think they have all the political knowledge in the world.  A few I have stopped watching, just because they are so overtly political.  I think I'll stop on this topic.

I don't know where I epected to go with this.  Maybe it's just nicer to view people in their best light, which is where they are showcased on tv, etc.  It certainly was great to hear my buddy talk about Travis Pastrana and not so great to hear Tanner Foust is a twit.

Maybe this should be in Rants....

They are just people. And people can change.

Once I was traveling through O'Hare Airport on an early Saturday morning and I saw Mike Ditka so I stopped him by saying "hey, coach".....

He was a bit annoyed but my take was how many people bug him and I was another "da coach" dude annoying him.  

In the end he did talk to me as I was respectful and quick with my discussion.  I just failed to mention how much I loved his role in the Kicking and Screaming movie. 

Yeah, and, why in our society is it so darned important? I really don't care if someone is an athlete/movie star/model/whatever. I'm interested in people. 

Daniel Day Lewis is widely renowned as perhaps the greatest living actor, yet studied shoe making. Guy Martin is the most real person there is, despite his near super human nerves. Dave Grohl, is just a dude, Keaneau Reeves, too. So, they are real people, and maybe worth the time in spite of their celebrity, not because. 

The above is, of course an opinion, and worth every cent paid. Party on Dudes!

I ran into Rick Hendrick at a Nascar race in Richmond, just after a Jimmie Johnson win.  I was wearing a 48 sweatshirt, he offered to sign it and even laughed at a joke I'd made.  All around it was exactly what I expected, he's touted a as a nice guy and that's what I saw.

Don't treat your heros as heros, treat them as people.  They were just people trying to people when they accidentally became your hero.

The day I met Joe Engle was the day.  Here's a guy who flew 140 different aircraft, the X-15 no less, the only guy to hand fly the orbiter in on re-entry, and I wanted him to autograph my log book. Instead of signing it and moving on, he stops, and starts checking out what I've been flying. JOE ENGLE, super pilot, interesting in my spam can adventures?

I don't use the word hero, but that day Joe was definitely in the top 10.

can vouch, Travis is awesome.  He comes into the hotel lobby and looks at me and without words being exchanged he offered me a beer.

robbie gordon is awesome too.  
 

I can't remember everyone i've met but I don't recall ever walking away thinking "man that guy's a D"

In reply to Appleseed :

That's awesome!!!

Patrick said: can't remember everyone i've met but I don't recall ever walking away thinking "man that guy's a D"

You sure about that?  I've met you before.

I forget now if it was Pastrami or Block, but one of my rallycross/rally co-driver friends (Phil Marsh) was telling me about standing in line with his kid at a signature session at... some stage rally somewhere.  The memories all blend together after a while.  Anyway, Phil and company get to the front of the line, and the guy (might have been Ken Block) instantly recognizes my friend and his kid and says, "Why are you in line?  C'mere, get on the other side of the table" and the kid spends what is no doubt the awesomest time of his life thus far being on the other side of the table while a greet-n-sign is happening.

I meant well known people, I've met plenty of people where i walk away and go "man berkeley that D"

Aside from Neil Armstrong, I had no greater hero than Carroll Shelby.

I met Carroll Shelby, shook his hand, and I remember thinking, damn, this guy is cranky.

Peoples is people's.  Some be dicks, some be cool. The famousish people I've met are mostly race drivers, and they are just race car drivers at the track, whether they are Kyle Busch or not.  

If I were famous, I'd probably be seen as a dick, because I'm a pretty nice guy, but I really just want to be left alone after a while.

I got Bobby Rahal a hot dog once. Seemed nice enough.

Agree, Travis is a great dude. Spent a good amount of time talking with him and Rhys Millen at PPIHC last year while we were waiting out some weather. 

Over the years I've had a chance to meet a lot of racers with the work I've done. Most of them really didn't surprise me that much. Hinchcliffe was a lot of fun to hang out with for an afternoon. 

Celebs are people just like everyone else. Respect them and be cool and for the most part they are back.  

Short of Obama/Mr Clinton/Bushes/Trump I've waited on or well actually said I wasn't going to wait on every head honcho eedjit numbers two/three and four in this town.

Most seemed quite pleasant including Hills.  Would I want to have a convo with even a single one of them?  Naw.  Maybe Bolton but that's about it.

Race car drivers?  I'd be polite say it was nice to meet them shake their hand and be on my way.

Unless they wanted to talk Sentra based 200sx(s), Chevette HSRs, or any other old E36 M3-box I'm interested in.

I think John Somnez ( former coding guy ) has it right.  Unless you can bring him some value you're not gonna be part of the inner circle and take up his time.

Frenchyd has the best story about Earnhardt.  

Grohl is nice.  So was Shaq.  Rick Dees is super nice.  The AT&T girl is the sweetest ever.  I'll never go back to waiting tho'.  I'll die first.

I’ve met half a dozen famous-within-their-circles musicians. For the most part, all have been very nice and about exactly what I hoped for. 

Same with retired hockey players. Some of them are brain dead morons, but that is to be expected. They’re generally more agreeable when you’re drinking with them than Reffing whatever team they’re coaching at the time.

Ron Santo and Ernie Banks were the nicest folks you could imagine. 

Then I’ve met a bunch of celebrities, although none of whom would I call my heroes, as a caddie. None of them were dicks. Mostly people are just people. 

Back in about 1989 I was in L.A. for a swimming meet.  My best friend from college lived there, and when I traveled there for competitions I would do my best to schedule an extra day or two to visit after the meet.  Mike was/is a big LA Kings fan, so he got us tickets to a game--it was my first NHL experience.

We parked in the far corner of the Forum and began walking up towards the arena...and quite literally nearly bumped into Jon Candy and his family.  We talked for a few moments and he was nothing short of gracious and kind (like all Canadians, right?).  I thought that was really cool--still do.

TTom_Spangler said:

I got Bobby Rahal a hot dog once. Seemed nice enough.

I raced with him in the Bahamas in 1984. He was just a nice guy who liked vintage racing. The picture is a younger me back in 1986 with my personal hero Sir Stirling Moss  

He finished the week in first place I was second and A guy named Steve Kline Third  

Contrary to the first post, I can vouch that Tanner Foust is a very good guy.  He does indeed love cars as well.  

Woody said:

Aside from Neil Armstrong, I had no greater hero than Carroll Shelby.

I met Carroll Shelby, shook his hand, and I remember thinking, damn, this guy is cranky.

I'd be cranky too if I spent 50 years waiting for my heart to stop at any moment. 

In reply to jfryjfry :

That is great to hear.  As other's have said, people are people.  My siblings remember my father keeping James Garner talking on a dock when it was obvious he just wanted to get in his boat and go.  They said he didn't let it get in the way of being nice, but he obviously wanted to get going.

My dad also used to chat with a naval officer who walked by the house periodically.  He later became famous for being the first American in space.  My dad thought he was great.

John Lingenfelter was awesome too, we had a great conversation in the parking lot at Summit Racing a couple months before he unfortunately passed away.  Also Larry Nance, I ran into him at Summit one night and we just talked about cars and basketball.  The Catch 22 was the reason I got into drag racing.  Watching a guy i loved play basketball for my team then seeing him on espn2 drag racing?  I couldn't play basketball but i can drive anything.  

I met Mike Finnegan when I showed up to an event early and didn't know where I was supposed to be. Very friendly response to my stupid question. 

There was also the time when I was at one of the vendor's booths at LS Fest looking at their stuff and I realized Mike Copeland was standing next to me. I of course had no clue of anything to say so I didn't. I'm socially awkward like that etc.

I met Steve Darnell at a local car show earlier this year, and Dave Kindig a few years prior. Both of them were very friendly, and happy to chat with me about cars.