Wednesday Weblog for November 6, 2024 | |
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I've always said that fame is fleeting, but anonymity can last a lifetime.
--Joe Johnston
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Leading Off: The Audiobook-Coming Soon | |
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A longtime friend, Gary, in North Carolina told me that when he reads the Wednesday Weblog, he 'can hear me.' I take pride in writing like I talk, so it is natural that the book Observations at the Speed of Life would eventually make it to the audio book stage, with me as the narrator.
I am about a third through recording each story in the book and expect it to be released on all the platforms, including Apple and others in time for holiday shopping.
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Close Encounters of the Famous Kind-Part 1 | |
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In a casual conversation, I mentioned to someone that I had met so and so. It started me thinking about all the famous and near-famous people I've met in my life. Each connection had a little bit of a twist, so I thought I would share some of the most memorable in this two-part series. There is no rhyme or reason to the order, just what popped into my head.
Some of the people are universally famous, some are famous to those in the Boston area, and still others are famous to music fans or sports fans, but to me they were all close encounters of the famous kind.
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United States Senator
Ted Kennedy
The summer between my freshman and sophomore years of college, I worked in the General Dynamics Shipyard as a "Pipefitter, Third Class, Unskilled." After a two hour or more bathroom break, I left the sh*thouse and was herded into a group where the Senator was filming a campaign commercial.
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Popeyes Founder
Al Copeland
In the early 80's, Al Copeland, members of the senior leadership team and I spent a day touring restaurants in the San Francisco area because the company I was with was interested in franchising a number of locations. At the end of the day, we went to Henry Africa's bar near the ramp to the Golden Gate Bridge and got drunk together.
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Red Sox Player & Dodgers Manager
Dave Roberts
Dave has the most famous stolen base in Red Sox history. It happened in 2004 against the Yankees and spurred the Sox on to their first World Championship in 86 years. Last week, as the Manager of the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers, he beat the Yankees again. I let him cut in front of me in a buffet line at a Lowell Spinners Award Ceremony, and I'd do it again if I had the chance.
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Boston Celtics Hall of Famer
Larry Bird
Larry and I did an all-nighter when he filmed his first TV Commercial in a restaurant that I operated. He crumbled a bag, threw it against the menu board, it bounced on the register to a six-year-old kid, who slam dunked it into a trash barrel. It inspired the Michael Jordan-Larry Bird HORSE TV commercials.
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Former Patriot
Rob Gronkowski
Rob was scheduled to do a puck 'spike' before the largest crowd in the Worcester Sharks history. My son was scheduled to do the puck drop. Both arranged by Sharks President Michael Mudd. We were beneath the stands before the game. Gronk is as tall and loud as you think.
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Country Music Star
Keith Urban
It was getting dark at a Cincinnati street festival and I was running a little bit behind, to where I don't remember. This skinny kid comes up to me and in an Australian accent (didn't know that at the time), shakes my hand and says: "My name is Keith Urban, and I'm going to be a star." My reply? "Sure, kid." True story.
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Broadcaster
Kathryn Tappen
Kathryn hosted the Bruins Pre-game show for years and moved to the NHL Network and then NBC as an Olympics and college football reporter, including Notre Dame games. She emceed an event for the non-profit I managed, and is pictured here with my son, Joe.
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Basketball Hall of Famer & Celtic
Dave Cowens
Dave revitalized the Celtics after the original championship run was over. He was a Kentucky boy, and I met him well after he retired during a University of Cincinnati basketball game in the luxury box that the company I worked for hosted. All I had to do was introduce myself as 'from Boston' and we totally engaged in Celtics talk for about 30 minutes. Partially because I knew all his statistics and the history of the teams he played on.
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Music Star
Shania Twain
Shania was performing in Cincinnati on her birthday, so backstage we got to sing Happy Birthday to her. My company generated several tons of canned goods for her charity, and we presented her with a 'check' commemorating the donation. That was the reason we made it backstage.
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NHL Players and Bruins Coaches
Mike Milbury and Robbie Ftorek
This is a different kind of celebrity connection: I played hockey against both of them in high school. Robbie went on to be the MVP in a new major league that eventually merged with the NHL. His Needham team beat my Braintree team 16-0 in our first game. Mike body checked me in a game against Walpole, his team, and almost knocked me out.
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Fitness Expert
Denise Austin
For a time, my son was a Regional Ambassador for the March of Dimes, and we flew to Washington DC for an advocacy event. Denise Austin was part of the Celebrity group, along with Susan Howard from the hit show Dallas, and Captain America, along with a politician or two
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Boston Mayors
Tom Menino & Marty Walsh
Menino frequented a restaurant when he was in Washington DC that was owned by Robert Kinkead, a fraternity brother of mine. I was with a group from Massachusetts dining there after a conference, and Bob brought the mayor in and he hung with us for a while and thanked us for our dedication. Walsh, subsequently the Secretary of Labor in the Biden Administration, was honored by the March of Dimes and we worked together on another project for the city.
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Original Patriots Cheerleader
Susan Doherty
The Patriots were among the last teams to introduce cheerleaders, and my sister Susan tried out, after NOT being a cheerleader in high school. The local station, WBZ, followed the tryouts and eventually focused on her. We attended the first game the cheerleaders cheered, and I remember it was different watching them instead of the game. My sister was on the field, and I think I was more thrilled than she was.
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Gang Green Founder
Chris Doherty
Releasing his first album at 14, having one of his songs in an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, and traveling the world as a punk rock pioneer, Chris remains the only Doherty with his own Wikipedia page. The only time I saw him play live was in Cleveland, and I arrived in time to see them install the chain link fence around the mosh pit.
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Surprise Photo at the End: | |
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Ed Doherty
774-479-8831
www.ambroselanden.com
ed-doherty@outlook.com
Forgive any typos please.
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