Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse...

[tonyw]

Now this will really drive down passenger loads.

Overly Friendly Skies: Remain Seated

Just when you thought airports couldn’t get any scarier, along comes Richard Simmons. Our spy reports that on a Continental flight from Newark to Los Angeles last Thursday, the hyperactive aerobicizer played “greeter” in first class, bouncing around in tight Lycra shorts (a “disturbing package display”) and what appeared to be a deep spray-on tan. “He keeps introducing himself to people, and everyone’s sort of avoiding his gaze,” our source whispered via cell phone. “He’s acting like a lunatic.” Whenever Simmons learned some unfortunate passenger’s name, he insisted on singing it to the tune of “The Name Game” (you know, “Nancy-Nancy-bo-bancy . . . ”). He stopped to ask a group of military students what they were studying (“military-military-bo-bilitary . . . ”). Simmons later called us to say, “I get on a plane and help serve the food and water! Throw pretzels! Get people going! Sometimes I do a little chair aerobics. I’m like the court jester of the sky!”

[pilot602]

Just more proof that the TSA is useless ...

[TheWife]

[Doug Taylor]

Actually, that's fairly accurate.

I met Richard Simmons when I was jumpseating from LAX to ATL on an MD-11 (anyone remember those? ) and the guy was in the cockpit during boarding happily chatting away to two pilots who didn't even acknowledge his presence and kept looking forward.

That same flight, according to the flight attendants, Andie McDowell got all pissy because her seat mate didn't know who she was nor did the flight attendant crew when she expressed her astonishment.

Stars are weird on jets.

[johnbail]

Who is Andie McDowell

[stuckingfk]

She does commercials for cosmetics (can't remember which kind). I remember her best for costarring in Groundhog Day with Bill Murray.

[chperplt]

My wife was on a US Air flight with Simmons.. He acted the exact way the Continental article stated.. Weird dude

[I_Money]

I have flown on the same flight as 'Travis' the band - I really liked them at that time, so it was cool. I spoke to them breifly at the baggaged claim - they had a ton of stuff to pick up.

I have also been on a few flights with professional sportsman, but to be honest a nice girl sitting next to you is WAY cooler.

[AirborneMedic_ANGa10]

Interesting story about Simmons, me, and flying. When I was just a couple of months old on a flight from MSY to LAX, Richard Simmons sat immediately behind my parents and I. At some point during the flight, he asked to hold me, and my parents obliged. I guess I was so disgusted to be in the presence of such a weirdo that I left him a 'little surprise'. Let's just say that I was promptly handed back to my parents!

[Ophir]

[ QUOTE ]
Just more proof that the TSA is useless ...

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL

[Adam4884]

That's pretty funny about stars being mad because no one acknowledged them or what not. I always thought stars wanted to be treated just like all the other passengers.

Speaking of celebrities on planes, a former neighbor of mine was a flight attendant for US Airways Express and she had JFK junior on one of her flights a couple of years before he died.

Take it easy-
Adam

[MQAAord]

I flew tons of LAX-JFK transcons during my 6 months in NY, the only celebrity I ever saw was Tyra Banks. Very nice lady, very tall. She stood up during the flight and whacked her head really hard on the overhead bin, we all felt so bad for her. Why can't that happen to the jerks on the planes!

[I_Money]

[ QUOTE ]
Why can't that happen to the jerks on the planes!



[/ QUOTE ]

Do not worry I have banged my head many times.

[Doug Taylor]

Since becoming an airline pilot in 96, I've seen:

Ben Stein,
Eugene Levy,
Shirley Manson (Singer from Garbage enroute to MSN),
Richard Simmons,
Charles Barkley (two weeks ago in PHL),
Andie McDowell,
Brooke Shields,
Cameron Diaz (ain't all that suprisingly),
N'SYNC (their plane broke down in MCI and we flew them to MCO),
Evander Holyfield,
That lady from the old US Sprint Commercials that lives in JAN but has a house in MT somewhere, Ican't remember her name,
Bob Costas,
Robert Reich,
Michael Moore,
George Will (right after he dissed airline pilots in his column),
Sinbad (this is funny - a guy walks up to Sinbad (who was wearing sunglasses) and asks him "Are you someone famous?" and he says "Yeah brother, I'm Sinbad!" the guy says "Oh, ok" and walks away)
Stone Cold Steve Austin (who boarded in San Antonio, go figure)
Pat Summit,
That "Snap into a Slim Jim" guy but it was at the layover hotel,
and Barry Sanders.

Oh, and Myra Brown from "The Mole", but I knew Myra when she was just a plain old Delta pilot and occasionally run into her in the pilot lounge in SLC.

and a bunch of politicians in and out of DCA that hop in the cockpit and say, "Hi, I'm Congressman Jimmy Joe Bob from Rhode Island..." (Hmm, thanks for interrupting the checklist bub, have a seat!)

The funniest thing I've heard is one of the flight attendants had Evan Marriott in coach one day that kept trying to pick up on her. Then he started telling her in the galley who he was and that he was "Joe Millionaire" and just to spite him, said "If you're a millionaire Joe, why are you flying coach? "

[outside_looking_in]

Richard Simmons , huh, Pretty wierd dude. Maybe someone should have taken offense to him throwing pretzels and thrown him out the door .

[Louie1975]

Hey Doug:
Does Myra still fly for Delta? I am good friends with Elavia from 'the mole' and I thought the pilot from that show flew for another airline.

Louie

[davetheflyer]

[ QUOTE ]
always thought stars wanted to be treated just like all the other passengers.

[/ QUOTE ]

An FA told me that she had the older woman from "Just Shoot Me" on one of her flights. She actually in disguise with a wig (the actress, not the FA), but acknowledged who she was when the FA asked.

[tonyw]

[ QUOTE ]
Stars are weird on jets.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup. I heard a story (don't know if it's true) about the artist formerly known as Prince. What a royal PITA. The guy wouldn't talk to anyone, instead, he had his body guard answer the questions. For example, when they asked him, what can I get for you to drink, he was silent, but his body guard said, he'll have a whatever.

Despite all this, someone who had a kid who was a huge fan of his (has he done anything since like 1988, by the way?) said her kid was a huge fan and asked for an autograph. His body guard said he doesn't do autographs but I will ask him anyway.

Later, the body guard says, he'll do an autograph this one time. What's your kid's name?

The autograph comes back:

to so and so
thanks
love, god.

Like I said, what a royal pain.

The only celebrities I've met are minor ones. I met Joe Thiesmann on one flight to Chicago and Randy Cross on a flight to San Fran. They were really cool but that was because we were talking football -- gee, I wonder why?

[ready2fly]

Kid should have torn it up and sent it back with a note saying:

"Hasbeen. No thanks. Love your last fan."

What a jackass.

[Joe]

[ QUOTE ]
That lady from the old US Sprint Commercials that lives in JAN but has a house in MT somewhere, Ican't remember her name,

[/ QUOTE ]

Candace Bergen (Murphy Brown)?