I use to work in video/television - so I have met and worked with a lot of people.  Here are some folks I just bumped into:

Fivush Finkel  (actor) on a NYC street

Joe Lieberman (politician)  NYC street

Reba McEntire (singer/actress) sitting at a table next to me in a local restaurant 

Gary Busey (actor) in Palm Springs, CA

Ozzy Osborne (singer) Las Vegas

I lived in Bethel ,CT  for 14 yrs and ran into Ritchie Blackmore in the local CVS in the late 80's (?) as he lived in the town nearby. I said hello and he was startled and turned and walked away like he had seen the devil.

I had a good laugh at his reaction as I heard he was fan shy.

I heard he used to go the the local tavern restaurant in the old operahouse building on main st. in town and would hang at the bar but I never saw him.

I have a few. The morning after the 2000 One For Woody show in Manhattan I'm walking down Broadway and about to walk into a record store. Phil Lesh walked by. If I hadn't gone to the show the night before I wouldn't have known who he was as that was the first Dead-related show I went to. Nice guy.

Another time in Manhattan I was on the south side by the NYSE and I was crossing a street. Robert DeNiro was sitting in the car, first one at the intersection. Didn't talk to him obviously but still kind of cool.

Not sure if this counts but several years ago when I was in grad school I took a second job working security at a minor league baseball stadium. Bonnie Raitt was playing a show there and I get a call on my radio saying they needed someone to escort her from center field to the stage, right behind second base. So I did. Wasn't sure what to say to here but she was very nice, thanked me for the escort and then I got paid to see a great show. 😀 

Oh and coot, is Henny Youngman the guy that had a scene in the movie "Goodfellas" as an entertainer in a club?

I ran into Jack Nicholson not once but two different times at the same club, The Roxy in Hollywood.  Both times I was in my 20's and therefore still living in L.A. so this was some 40 years ago.  I moved to the Bay area when I was 30.

First time:  Me and a buddy had stopped in the parking lot of The Roxy because he wanted to buy tickets for an upcoming show at The Roxy box office.  So Dennis is over at the box office.  We had two girls in the back seat.  One of them says to me, "Rob!  Rob!  Look who is standing in front of the car!"  I hadn't noticed.  It was Jack.  He was talking to another man.  They started to walk, still talking, then they stopped again.  I was in the front passenger seat and I could have reached out and touched Jack, I'm serious.  I had a six pack of beer on the floor in front of me (back then that was not such a big deal).  I raised up a beer and said, "Jack, I'd really like to say I had a beer with you."  He completely ignored me and kept talking.  Then they turned and started walking towards the club.  As they did, Jack turned back at me and said, "You can say I did, alright!" then kept on walking.  God, I thought that was SO cool, that he acknowledged me.

Second time was maybe a year or two later.  I was inside The Roxy for a Warren Zevon show.  I spotted Jack in the audience.  What was really shocking was that he was just walking around, mingling with the crowd, I mean he just did NOT care.  People were being cool until of course one guy had to stop in front of him, "HEY!  You're Jack Nicholson!!"  Jack, obviously, practiced at this, got right in the guy's face and said, "YEAH, YEAH, MAN!!  THAT'S ME!"  Again, I loved his reaction.  It was like, look man, I have a right to be in here and enjoy a show just like you.  So don't be an assh*le.  I mean, he didn't berate the guy at all.  He just gave him exactly what he deserved.

@robslob  Jack Nicholson at a Zevon show!  Was his hair ... perfect?  

Used to see famous people all the time when I lived in NYC, especially when I worked at the Viacom building. They just walk amongst everyone else, go to the same restaurants and bars, etc. I remember seeing Paul Shaffer with a rolling suitcase headed out of Time Sq. My brother worked at 30 Rock (the building not the show) and later NYU Film Dept so he'd share elevators with Brian Williams or Norm MacDonald. I think Spike Lee has an office in the NYU Film Dept.

On a cold winter day I had no food in the house so I ran out to a bodega. I looked up and saw Steve Buscemi with a giant furry hat walking towards me. His brother, who is also an actor, actually lived nearby and checked out my apartment when we were moving. I don't think he took it, but he told me about when he lived in St Augustine. And actually, when I was in St Augustine last January they were having a film fest and we saw Joe Pantalioni walking down the street. I guess he was screening a film there.

Michael Shannon lived in the condos above our grocery store. We'd see him in our local bar (which was an old shipyard bar and used as a filming location pretty often) or pushing his daughter in the cheapest stroller ever, which was kind of great because most parents in the area had mega sidewalk-clearing strollers. Michael Cera was hanging out at our record store while he was filming a movie at the bar.

I was at a bar and saw David Cross making out with some young girl. My friend told me it was Amber Tamblyn, who he later married. I didn't know who she was but later realized she is Russ Tamblyn's daughter.

I was running late for work one day and was annoyed to see the sidewalk was closed for a photo shoot only to see it was Tyra Banks. She is super tall.

Was having dinner with my wife and her parents and Eric Holder and his family happened to be at the next table.

I remember seeing Derek walking around near the Beacon, probably headed back from dinner. Saw Steve Earle in the Beacon bathroom during the final ABB show.

When I worked around Washington Sq I'd see a ton: Jeffrey Wright, Famke Jansen, Matthew Broderick, Sam Sheppard, Questlove, Adam Duritz, Josh Brolin, Carla Gugino. They probably all lived in the Village.

Living in Nashville, working in the live event business and having been employed by several country music artists over the years, I have had occasion to meet many famous folks in the course of that work. I worked for Jerry Reed for almost 8 years, so I met a LOT of actors,comedians and artists while in his employment. But the three unexpected ones stand out because they weren't part of the normal routine.
1) In 2008 I was standing in line at the International Market Thai Restaurant waiting to pay for my lunch. The fellow next to me looks at my tray and points to the order of shu mai dumplings and casually asks if they were any good. He had a British accent and when I looked at him I immediately recognized that it was Robert Plant. As I started to reply, Allison Krauss came around the corner and saw the dumplings. She instantly half whined "Oh no Robert, don't eat those, they give you the worst gas." 
2) While working for Jerry, we opened Nashville's first, free standing, state of the art video post production and editing suite. It was in an old house on 18th Avenue and done in the style of recording studios. You rented the facility and you did not have other clients potentially looking over your shoulder. The place had been open for a couple of weeks and we were not heavily booked, which meant a lot of time just hanging out. We were sitting in the front room, when there was a knock at the door.I went to the door and looked out the peephole and did not see anything. Another knock and I cracked the door slightly, looked straight out and still didn't see anything. As I went to shut the door, a voice says, "Don't slam the door on the midget, man!" It was Paul Williams, who had come to town to see Jerry and his new business. He was really funny, personable, and profane. We all went to Hap Townes for a meat and three. And dessert. Which we consumed in the car on the way back to the suite.
3) Working at Starwood Amphitheatre on June 17th, 1994 as the head of video for the facility. The amphitheatre did not have cable (Cable wanted tens of thousands to run signal out that far). But I had installed a single 1 meter satellite dish, wired to the production office so we could have real time weather. In California, O J Simpson was running from the law and it was all that was on TV. As I sat in the production office, watching radar, David Crosby walks in. He asked if I could get network programming and said he wanted to see what was up with OJ. Up until the intermission, he sat there and made comments on the chase. He said several times that OJ would end up at his safe place. Then he related how he had hid in his safe place while trying to elude the FBI. It was a surreal scene and Crosby predicted the whole scenario as it played out.

One of the highlights of my life was talking  to Joe Frazier in a diner parking lot in south Jersey.   10 minutes of magic, talking boxings great days.  He was so kind.  When I mentioned the legendary fights with Ali, he physically bristled at the mention of Ali's name.  The surreal moment was Joe Frazier asking me why I didn't pursue my boxing ambitions, after I told him I trained in my 20's and then changed my mind.  I still cherish his autographed pic he insisted on giving me.

@bird72:  10 minutes with Joe Frazier!  Oh Man that's the best story yet by far.

@robslob, thank you.  I should mention I basically accosted poor Joe, as he was going to get in his big white Cadillac to leave.  He was the most humble person you could imagine.  I should also add that that cat was DAPPER.  Rings and fine clothes.  He gave me two signed pictures, and one I keep, the other went to Tyler Seaman during his fight, I thought Joe could help, alas......  

I had Rita Hayworth walk right by me at the Atlanta airport in 1967. I could have touched her. I heard oooooo and aaaaaaah and a couple of whistles in the concourse and wondering what was going on then suddenly there she was walking right by me so close I could have grabbed her arm. She was smiling but walking fast and never slowed 

A good friend of mine was at a hotel in Las Vegas and stopped an elevator several floors up and when it stopped and the doors opened Frank Sinatra and his wife Barbara Marx were on the elevator. Just the three of them down to the parking basement but nobody said a word. 

In New York I opened an outside door to the RCA building and looked around to hold it for the person behind me and it was Jesse Jackson. 

Once in Washington, D. C. was leaving a hotel and Sam Donalson was behind me. 

I've gotten to chat with several famous musicians and a few actors. 

Oh yes in Winston Salem, N. C. I was once seated at a table next to actor Stephen Boyd who was making an appearance at a theater next door promoting Jamacian Reef, a movie I never saw. He was extremely friendly. Boyd had a huge part in Ben Hur and several big scenes with Charlton Heston. 

Wasn't me, but a good Wanee friend was on the way to my wedding and ran into Derek Trucks at the ATL airport. Derek said "nice shirt" and my buddy had forgotten that he was wearing a TTB shirt. Great start to a great weekend.

@lee

Yes, Youngman plays himself in Goodfellas.

Once sat one seat away from Jimmy Page and Ronnie Wood at a Jeff Beck show.
Said hi to Willem Dafoe at the Guggenheim and saw Robin Williams shopping for a jacket at some department store in NY, probably Saks I can't remember.

I was working at a lumber yard in Westport, CT while going to engineering school in the early 1980's and was working the counter at Christmas time when after class when Paul Newman came in and asked me if we sold Christmas lights. We didn't and I had to direct him to the local department store down the road. The man had the most striking blue eyes and I was almost speechless as he is one of my favorite actors.

Meatloaf used to come into the store with his wife once in a while and would hang out and shoot the breeze with us while his wife shopped for kitchen cabinets. He was a great down-to-earth guy.

Roger Daltrey's mother and father in-laws came in from time to time but never Roger.

Keef Richards lives locally but unfortunately neither he or his wife ever came in the store.

Westport, CT was a very wealthy town where many celebrities lived so you never knew who you might run into.

Talked to Bernie Parent, Philadelphia Flyers goalie on the street in Doylestown, PA. I passed him walking in the opposite direction, turned around and said Bernie? He immediately stopped, held out his hand, we talked for about five minutes. A very friendly appreciative man. This most likely occurred in the mid 80's, after his career was over. This isn't the proper forum but what the heck. I've spoken to and become name known friends with members of the DTB, STB and TTB, all at shows. They and the individual band members my wife and I have known are the most humble appreciative people I imagine exist in the world of music!

Funny story my brother told me a few years ago.

He was on the elevator at 30 Rock and Norm MacDonald got on. The elevator stopped at the fitness center and Norm told him he was in the locker room and turned around to see a naked Max Weinberg using the blow dryer on his crotch. I thought maybe Norm was just spreading funny rumors but a few years later Will Forte told the same story on Conan.

1977 Gregg Allman in the parking lot prior to the Sea Level show @ The Roxy, Hollywood, CA. He pulled up in a corvette (it was just him) and parked next to me in my TR4. We exchanged hellos and commented that we were looking forward to seeing Sea Level.

Early 80’s was at an apparel trade show in Los Angeles, CA and had gone outside for a break. That’s when I saw Muhammad Ali. There he was by himself, no entourage, no crowd. We spoke, don’t remember the conversation but I did get his autograph, but have no idea where it might be. Why Ali was at an apparel trade show I don’t know, maybe there was a clothing line with his name on it.

Carlos Santana many times…Ran into him while playing golf at Peacock Gap in San Rafael, CA. (Marin CO.) We were playing golf and Carlos was playing tennis. Naturally we hit an errant shot towards the tennis courts so we could say hi. Another Carlos meeting was in San Anselmo, CA. (Marin CO). I was walking down the street headed for lunch at Bubba’s Dinner. As I neared the dinner a Citroen pulls up to the curb and lowers to the ground. Carlos emerges from the car. He was headed to Bubba’s too, chatted briefly. 

Over 20 years ago I was walking in Manhatten and there was this couple window shopping. A really short guy and a tall blonde. The guy had his arm around her shoulder - it must have been almost straight up. We were pointing, snickering at the odd looking couple. The guy turned around and it was Dudley Moore. The woman was whichever model he was with at the time, I forget.

Was at a jazz show at Birdland on 42 st, Lou Reed was sitting at the next table over.

I was in a bar waiting for dinner at the MGM in Vegas. Jackie Mason was going to go on soon, he was hanging out, standing right behind me talking to his friends. I didn't want to bother him so I just let him be. My wife said he was looking at me, kinda pissed I didn't recognize him and make a big deal out of it. Oh well, you never know who wants to be left alone and who wants the attention. 

I ran into Carlos Santana and Cindy Blackman walking around in San Francisco. We chatted briefly  while waiting for a light to turn green to cross the street.

I sat a few seats away from Jim Plunkett at a Stanford football game once.

I was in a restaurant in Malibu and Arsineo Hall was seated a couple tables away.

I was at a 49ers/Ram game in Anaheim back in '89 and OJ Simpson walked in front of me in the parking lot. 

Bumblefoot was seated directly in front of me on a flight a couple years ago. I didn't notice him until he got up to grab his bag from the overhead compartment after we landed. 

I was right next to Frank Hannon of Tesla at a Dicky Betts concert once. I didn't know before hand that he is Dicky's son-in-law. We chatted quite a while.

I ran into Ron Jeremy at the Rainbow in LA once.

I went to a Wendy's in Oakland after a Warrior game once and Joe Morgan was sitting down in the dining room doing some paperwork. I didn't know it at the time but he was the owner. 

In Tokyo, I was sightseeing in a temple and Candice Bergen was there at the same time.

And the easiest one to spot of them all, I saw Manute Bol walking down the street in front of my office in Oakland once. I spotted him literally from a block away.

I've excluded music festivals, shows, and music cruises where musicians are everywhere.

This is a cool thread.

Excluding sporting events in which I have seen a few...

In NYC elevators my wife met Mike Huckabee and her and I said hi to Giada De Laurentiis in an elevator which I had no idea who it was, yet I was impressed with what I saw.  (honest I just copy and pasted her name from google, no way I know how to spell that).

Sat next to Carol Alt at a Ranger/Islander game when she was married to Ron Greschner. She was pretty cool and very nice to the fans around her. Smoking hot in real life.

I really never have,just some local Indy/Indiana folks but I never said anything.

People of that stature I am sure get hounded all of the time. I feel just let them have a peaceful existence/normal life for a few min's instead of bothering. I am sure its cool and pretty surreal to meet some one famous no doubt, but I try and look at if from their perspective too.

There are three people I would not mind sitting down with and sharing a couple of drinks with. Two are dead,one would probably not give anyone the time of day. So there you have it.

This isn't my personal experience, but it's worth sharing and the times have changed.I have a friend in Malibu that walks dogs for people, among her clients are Martin Sheen, Jackson Browne , Bob Dylan who also leases or rents a little bungalow to my friend , very nice place, it was in the movie Dr. Dolittle. A few summers back I got a request for some of my homegrown and seeds, no problem as I used the USPS quite often.My friend forgot to tell me she was having a hip replacement and in hospital for several days.To make a long story short is my weed sat in Bob Dylans house for like week, before my friend eventually picked it up.

Forgot to add to my previous post I was once queuing in a department store and Christian Bale was standing behind me. Also saw Brian May in a hardware store, yeah I thought that was strange as well.

By accident?

When the “new” Tampa airport opened they had these trolley trains that ran out to the terminals, before the days of TSA and limited access.  We hippie trash would light a fire then head out there and ride them for fun.  Shared a car with Buddy Miles who was coming in to play a gig with Freddie King and Chuck Berry.  No convo...

While in DC we went out the Merriweather for Lesh and the ABB and I looked the my left and O’s catcher Rick Dempsey was walking next to me. Just a howdy and head nod. 

I forgot about these until about a week after I first read this post. I owned/operated a hotel/restaurant in Saranac Lake, Ny for 26 years. We had some random visitors/guests. Hal Linden aka barney miller. Lauren Hutton the model. Natalie merchant stayed with us before opening for Dylan in lake placid. Gerry Cooney ate in my restaurant as did donna jean godchaux when she toured with the zen tricksters. when donna walked by my rest. manager said who's that? I replied "she sang with Elvis" Donna looked over and smiled at me.

But the best one was one day a limo was parked out front....sat there for hours . I see the driver as I am walking back from lunch and we start chatting. He says "you like the ABB?" trying not to faint I spit out "yeah". he says I got one of the drummers and I'm like immediately "Butch, Jaimoe or Marc? The driver looks at me like I'm nuts but says "Jaimoe. "  Turns out his daughter was doing a "shock" program out in the woods to break a bad habit or two. Jaimoe came up to meet her at the completion of the program, also meeting his wife Catherine. The ABB were playing in Bethel, NY. a couple hours away. Anyway the driver says you got to play it cool or he'll know I told you it was him. So I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to ambush poor Jaimoe. I finally see everybody gathered around the limo and I walk up act all surprised and say :Jaimoe!! He was cool and after I asked for an autograph, he waited while I ran to my car and got an Instant Live CD that he kindly signed. He left shortly after in the limo but the daughter and Catherine hung back so the daughter could get a shower. I chatted with Catherine but lacked the Cohones to ask for tix a move I've always regretted. But I got to meet the man and shake his hand...a real thrill.

I like to hear stories like these.  Here's a few of mine:

I dragged my buddy to see Robyn Hitchcock at a local pub in Eugene, OR.  We got there early to get a good seat and to eat some dinner before the show.  This guy was looking at me and I thought I knew him.  I asked my buddy and he said, yeah, he looks familiar.  Guy finally comes over and asks if he knows me?  I said, yeah, you look familiar, have a seat.  We're chatting and trying to figure out how we know each other.  Finally, I ask his name. 

"Peter", he says, "Peter Buck".  

"REM?!?"  Well, now I knew why he looked familiar to me, but not sure why I looked familiar to him!  He sat and had dinner with us.  Great guy!  He was playing guitar for Hitchcock.  Had no idea.

Another time in Eugene, my buddy Todd invited me over for Seder (Passover) dinner.  I was meeting all new people, for the most part.  I was sitting next to this large bald man who introduced himself as Charles.  

"Charles, you look familiar to me?  What do you do?"

"Well, I'm in a band..."
"Oh year, Todd and I are, too!  What's your band?"

"The Pixies..."  

Oh, man, it was Frank Black, aka Charles Thompson!  He was also in a band called Frank Black and the Catholics and we were at a Seder, which I thought was funny.  He was a great guy and even came to my high school careers class to talk about his "career"!  That was a highlight.  

Way back in 1984 my company sent me out to L.A. in support of the Olympics that summer. While dining in a restaurant around Marina del Rey in walks Muhamad Ali, his wife Veronica, and bodyguard. I just happened to look up as they came in and he was looking at me. I must've had a shocked expression on my face. He gave that biting bottom lip and raised his fist. I got up with my co-worker and shook his hand said nice to meet you Champ. My buddy had the where-with-all to ask for an autograph but I was too starstruck I guess. He was a hero of mine since the mid 60s. And still is.

Walked by Wynton Marsalis on the Upper West Side in Manhattan in the mid 2000s. Just kind of nodded. He was dressed in a nice 3-piece pinstripe suit too. Looking quite dapper.