Non Writing Claims to Fame

I once got shoved down a flight of stairs with The Kinks in a Birmingham dance hall.

christ...how old are you lot???

I once had a deep conversation with a gerbal who starred in animal hospital. He told me how fame had ruined his life. He lost his wife, she ate the kids. He is currently undergoing treatment for nibble addiction in the Rolf Harris clinic in London. Very sad.

My father once bought Oswald Moseley a pint (the old bastard was a socialist at the time... ...so was Oswald).

Is she really, Ralph? I never knew that. Is it true? Well he was on the road a lot... Love Pam Ayers (Ayres, or my way?). Youngster....ancient.

I want to hear more of Marina's lying grandfather - if he had 999, did someone else have 998 ? As we're talking about ancient history - does anyone remember party-lines - none of my friends believe that when I was six, I could go and listen at the phone to a conversation someone down the road who shared a party line with us was having. (This was 76, by the way) - also have friends that can't believe there wasn't always daytime tv - my memory fades a bit pre six hours of "Pages from Ceefax" - which they used to list in the Radio Times... I did drunkenly offer the midget guy (James Dean Bradfield) from the Manic Street Preachers outside, but he wasn't having it. Regret to this day that I didn't just chin the smug ****er. (Excuse language, feelings run high about that overblown bunch of gits)

nibble is a very good word oops wrong thread. oh sod it *clicks post*

I've got similar recollections to you, Andrew. Think our party line was in 60s. Never knew why it was called a "party line" from what I remember there was never anything exciting happening on the other end - then again, we did have boring neighbours. Often wonder what they made of some of our calls though (I had three teenage sisters).

Yep, I remember party lines, too. And the first telly, and the first cassette, and the first stereo, and the first telephone, and the first flight, and the first... Am I showing my age?

Nibble IS a good word. Oops, sorry. Its just sooo gooood.

Party Lines, Party Sevens...... Andrew, them was the days......

...my friend, we thought they'd never end...

I remember party lines too. My grandmother had hers until sometime in the late 70's. I used to love to pick up the line and listen to other talking there. Nothing exciting in my life though as far as claims to fame.

We had party lines in Ohio in the 1950s. I was a little kid, but I remember it being a pain in the neck, especially if your party included someone with a bunch of teenager or a drunk. It was possible to get a private line, but that cost more. Eventually, we got a private line, and after a few years they stopped offering party lines. I also remember at that same time in order to make a long distance call (even just to Cleveland from Cincinnati), you had to call the operator, give the details, then she would call back with the connection maybe 30-60 minutes later. When I first visited Poland in 1991, it was the same. When I told people it was like that in the U.S. when I was a kid, they almost didn't believe me.

Being absolutely blown away by Microwaves back in the early 80s. Standing watching your pizza cook in awe. Mother's neurotic fear that the 'radiation' might leak out and cook us all from the inside-out. Cookery books that told you how to cook in a microwave. Now, in the rare event that we use them, we're all like Elizabeth Taylor, standing there shouting "Hurry up!" I don't know if technology will ever really amaze me again. I know that the internet is an astonishing thing, but I don't feel about it the way I did about Microwaves and Ataris. Have now turned this thread into retro-techno... Sorry. Feel free to claim the thread back, whoever posts next.

My Dear Friends, I do not claim to fame, however others do claim fame to me. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth being one of the fortunate few who has received a personal letter from myself inviting her for dinner round at my place.I am sure she has bragged about this endlessly to friends and family. Also due to my hospitable nature I have also extended the invitation to the Pope, who for one must be over the moon at receiving a letter from myself and no doubt is the envy of the Arch bishop of Canterbury.Other dignitaries who have had the pleasure of my correspondence are, Professor Stephen Hawkings, Tony Blair, Mohamed Al Fayed,Richard Branson to name but a few. Now if your really lucky......

I was the only person to apply to do Politics A level at St Brendan's in Bristol in 1981...."chant, come and have a go if you think you're hard enough..... in a different direction, my mum served Englebert Humperdink in a pub in Bath, in the 60s My Aunty put up the Boomtown Rats when they played Galway in the late 70s/early 80s ........................can't be arsed saying anything more...........................

I was a GPO engineer and used to install party lines........is this a claim to fame???

I'm always forgetting my party lines...

yes dave dear ...

I was once electrocuted by a banana. Don't even go there. No, it's not a joke (though it is amusing, especially considering I'm still alive to tell the tale). It also probably explains my writing style :( BEAT THAT ANYONE!

Electrocuted by a banana? That's nothing, mate! A mere trifle...

I once had a long conversation with Brian Keenan in a toilet....he was a very nice man and drunkenly accosted Eddie Izzard at the Fleadh....he was terrified and drunkenly accosted Wierd Al Yankovich in New Orlans.........he was a c**t....

I played air guitar side by side with glenn hoddle at his after wedding disco then signed autographs for small boys who thought I was the spurs player john prat. (I think that's what they said). Of course, glenn went off to monaco and we drifted apart. he found that jesus saves and tried to sign him up. eileen drury came along as defender of the back four faith and the news of the world did the rest. Me? I famously fart around in forums.

Busking in caffs in Cannes I held out me hat to that actor bloke (what the hell *is* his name?) who played in the 'Father Brown' series. Bastard refused to give me a penny (or franc, in this case). Just goes to show, the more loaded they are, the meaner they are. Not much of a claim, 'tis true. Have to rack me brain for others. Something to do with meeting Harold Pinter I vaguely remember... Before the dementia set in.

Oh, and don't forget the spread on the front of the Evening Standard, in me altogether (well, almost)... Ah, those were the days.

I inadvertently wandered into St Christophers Square, just off Oxford Street where Rupert Everett was filming. He walked up to me, put his hand under my chin, kissed me and said; "My darling you cant come in here" "Too late" thought the 22 year old Everett obsessed Liana "I just did"

I met Christopher Lambert at the Odeon in Birmingham about 6 years ago. He was doing a press conference-thingy, and me and myfella wandered into the press room/bar. He was as dull and boring then as he still is today.

i had dinner with nigel planer once ...

This thread is getting more and more like Letterbocks every time I tune in. Do I win five pounds?

Once met Paul Newman on a stairwell backstage at the Geilgud Theatre. Once shared a train compartment with Bobby Moore on the way to Southend On Sea. It was very late and I was so dumbstruck I had to wake me Dad up. Met Nick Hornby (here we go) in a rare record shop in Islington. I asked the shop assistant to play a certain track off an album that i was interesed in and this geezer behind said 'that is one of the greatest albums ever made mate', I turned around and it was him. I had to have a brandy! Had a pint with Van Morrisson at the 100 Club in London, he just mumbled. Once worked with Pam Ayers???

Nope. *off to bed to nurse a severe case of whocitus*

i met wendy cope once ... and she didnt tell me what her favourite word was ...

was 'half-meeting famous people' what you had in mind by 'non-writing claims to fame', Fish? or is this sad load of postings just a reflection of the times?

Once worked with Pam Ayre's eh, Ralph? Any influence on your writing? and what was the album???

well chant ... i suppose i kicked off with kissing gaz ... so may be steered it that way ... maybe some others along the lines of " i was the first person to drive down the newly opened stretch of the A14 between rothwell and market harborough" might happen along soon ... i am ever hopeful ...

My Grandfather told me (when I was very young) that he had the original 999 telephone number and he had to give it up for the emergency services. He also told me a lot of stuff that subsequently turned out to be absolute bullshit . . . Haven't snogged anyone remotely famous although I did have a rather vivid dream about Ewan McGregor recently. Does that count? If my dream was true, he'd have a very strong claim to fame as needing the largest sporran in the country. *blushes at the happy recollection*

Oooh, just remembered! I had a (very brief!) affair with Soloman Burke's lead guitarist. Does that count? And Roger Daltry kissed me. And... and... Bet none of you know who SB is anyway... *goes off in a huff*

I once met Jimmy Page backstage at the Mean Fiddler whilst chatting to a friend of a friend and didn't recognise him, I asked him who he was and what he was doing there! Doh!

well if it had been solomon burke himself andrea, that *would* be impressive... i used to live round the corner from Jim Barron, who as everyone knows was assistant manager to Big Ron at Villa in the early nineties. nobody has ever been impressed by this. [apart from the person who thought I meant the Bullseye presenter, Jim “let’s have a look at what you could have won if you weren’t so stupid” Bowen.]

Liana Working with Pam was great. There was a lot of drink physical stuff involved as you can Imagine. Everone knows that she is the bastard daughter of Jack Kerouac. She was and is a huge influence on me. 'Teeth' as those who know this trgic piece of affectionatly call it, is a work of genius. Long live Pam!! The album in question was 'Dave Godins Deep Soul Treasures Volume 1' And no, Solemon Burke is not on it. But it is good for shagging so I am told. Ralph

i wish i'd looked after me teeth ...

no ...i'm the dolly on the dustcart ...