The Name Drop Thread

11/1/2023 8:42am
bizutch wrote:
Met Robin Williams in my local bike shop while building up my first official DH bike, a yellow/red Intense Uzzi DH. He was wowed & asked...

Met Robin Williams in my local bike shop while building up my first official DH bike, a yellow/red Intense Uzzi DH.
He was wowed & asked about it.  Everyone else was in awe of him but I'm off in the head too & we hit it off & just babbled.
He told me the rumours were true that he was really into bikes, that he'd been in disguise in the back of the USPS chase car feeding Lance & crew in feed zones. Hadn't missed a TdF in over 10+ years & was there to pick up a road bike to ride on a stationery trainer while filming Patch Adams.

Asked how much my DH bike cost & I said "a maxed out credit card". I made the worst joke of "Wanna sponsor my credit card?"
He actually belly laughed, got serious & said he sponsored a pro XC racer under the table. She was pretty famous, but have forgotten the name.

Asked if I had a resume & said YES! Told me to drop it at their offices in the building across from the bank. Went to 5 different lobbies all looking at me like the biggest idiot. Last one, a lady off to the side in a really nice outfit said "Who said to bring your resume?"  "Robin Williams." had to tell her my story all over.
She said "Tell you what. I'll call around and if I can find which building they're in, I'll get it over there."

Two weeks later, a $1000 check from Robin & Marsha Williams with a letter from his attorney that it was not to be made a public matter showed up in my mailbox.

He was my favorite actor as a kid, an adult...and dammit. That's my ultimate name drop.  That money made a lot of stuff possible way back when and his support  (probably forgot about me the day after) but I sent photos and race results to the address on the letter all season as a thanks.
 

Thanks for this story; best one here so far IMHO. Put a melancholic smile on my face.

8
bizutch
Posts
1105
Joined
8/1/2009
Location
Fletcher, NC US
11/1/2023 9:02am Edited Date/Time 11/1/2023 10:41am

Thanks for this story; best one here so far IMHO. Put a melancholic smile on my face.

He was just the greatest human.
All my famous people stories are weird.

Hit on a girl while on semester break on Sanibel Island. Got a date. Her dad was in line behind her. It was Ted Koppel, world famous ABC news anchor. He left the condo as I arrived.

Met Sammy Stewart, World Series winning reliever & Preston Pearson, Dallas Cowboys receiver. Both went to prison for cocaine & tossed their autographs. Also tossed Ted Koppels autograph.

Ate dinner w/ Zach Galifanakis on the set of a scene for MasterMinds b/c everyone else was terrified of him. He stunk & was high.

Todd Seplavy of Iron Horse invited me to dinner at US Open with instructions to razz & rile w/ the media guys. I think he made Thai?? Tried razzing w/ Sven & Trumpore  but they leaned into it, so set in on Fraser & the room was mine. Felt bad afterwards & apologized profusely for my fuckery.    But I blame Sven...he egged me on.

Got hammered & somehow found a kindred spirit in Palmer at Seven Springs National at the bar. Got me to sit & swill with his crew at the booth.  He immediately fokks w/ the muscleheads pulling for the Chicago Bulls by becoming an over the top Utah Jazz fan. Things got heated & I tapped out.  It didn't make the news.  I "think" I exited w/ Voreis via the arcade???

Talked Voreis into filming his NWD segment at WindRock & coming to the Asheville Urban Sprawl event & still feel bad about it to this day.  Hardest working man in MTB at that point, running a full bike demo fleet, taking people on ride demos, building em up, driving cross the entire country daily & then wrecking himself in sheer exhaustion to please a bunch of groms.  Voreis should have a permanent retirement fund from all of us.

 

4
naptime
Posts
25
Joined
7/7/2022
Location
Bozeman, MT US
11/1/2023 9:41am

While I've never had beers with Laurie Greenland, I did sell bikes to Robert Redford and his wife at the shop I worked at in highschool. Not a big movie watcher and had no idea it was him until they left and my co-workers told me. Later ended up in an elevator with them in NYC and didn't have the balls to bring it up. 

1
mtbAndy
Posts
68
Joined
6/21/2013
Location
Big Stone Gap, VA US
11/1/2023 10:15am
bizutch wrote:
Met Robin Williams in my local bike shop while building up my first official DH bike, a yellow/red Intense Uzzi DH. He was wowed & asked...

Met Robin Williams in my local bike shop while building up my first official DH bike, a yellow/red Intense Uzzi DH.
He was wowed & asked about it.  Everyone else was in awe of him but I'm off in the head too & we hit it off & just babbled.
He told me the rumours were true that he was really into bikes, that he'd been in disguise in the back of the USPS chase car feeding Lance & crew in feed zones. Hadn't missed a TdF in over 10+ years & was there to pick up a road bike to ride on a stationery trainer while filming Patch Adams.

Asked how much my DH bike cost & I said "a maxed out credit card". I made the worst joke of "Wanna sponsor my credit card?"
He actually belly laughed, got serious & said he sponsored a pro XC racer under the table. She was pretty famous, but have forgotten the name.

Asked if I had a resume & said YES! Told me to drop it at their offices in the building across from the bank. Went to 5 different lobbies all looking at me like the biggest idiot. Last one, a lady off to the side in a really nice outfit said "Who said to bring your resume?"  "Robin Williams." had to tell her my story all over.
She said "Tell you what. I'll call around and if I can find which building they're in, I'll get it over there."

Two weeks later, a $1000 check from Robin & Marsha Williams with a letter from his attorney that it was not to be made a public matter showed up in my mailbox.

He was my favorite actor as a kid, an adult...and dammit. That's my ultimate name drop.  That money made a lot of stuff possible way back when and his support  (probably forgot about me the day after) but I sent photos and race results to the address on the letter all season as a thanks.
 

He had a house down the street from my uncle in Florida in the Mork & Mindy era. I've been told the parties were loud and wild, he wasn't the best neighbor. I've always enjoyed his movie and comic work but my dad and uncle aren't fans.  

4
Falcon
Posts
368
Joined
9/6/2015
Location
Menifee, CA US
11/1/2023 10:29am
bizutch wrote:
Met Robin Williams in my local bike shop while building up my first official DH bike, a yellow/red Intense Uzzi DH. He was wowed & asked...

Met Robin Williams in my local bike shop while building up my first official DH bike, a yellow/red Intense Uzzi DH.
He was wowed & asked about it.  Everyone else was in awe of him but I'm off in the head too & we hit it off & just babbled.
He told me the rumours were true that he was really into bikes, that he'd been in disguise in the back of the USPS chase car feeding Lance & crew in feed zones. Hadn't missed a TdF in over 10+ years & was there to pick up a road bike to ride on a stationery trainer while filming Patch Adams.

Asked how much my DH bike cost & I said "a maxed out credit card". I made the worst joke of "Wanna sponsor my credit card?"
He actually belly laughed, got serious & said he sponsored a pro XC racer under the table. She was pretty famous, but have forgotten the name.

Asked if I had a resume & said YES! Told me to drop it at their offices in the building across from the bank. Went to 5 different lobbies all looking at me like the biggest idiot. Last one, a lady off to the side in a really nice outfit said "Who said to bring your resume?"  "Robin Williams." had to tell her my story all over.
She said "Tell you what. I'll call around and if I can find which building they're in, I'll get it over there."

Two weeks later, a $1000 check from Robin & Marsha Williams with a letter from his attorney that it was not to be made a public matter showed up in my mailbox.

He was my favorite actor as a kid, an adult...and dammit. That's my ultimate name drop.  That money made a lot of stuff possible way back when and his support  (probably forgot about me the day after) but I sent photos and race results to the address on the letter all season as a thanks.
 

I bet if Robin ever got the race results you sent in the mail, he read them and smiled. 

2
bizutch
Posts
1105
Joined
8/1/2009
Location
Fletcher, NC US
11/1/2023 10:40am
bizutch wrote:
Met Robin Williams in my local bike shop while building up my first official DH bike, a yellow/red Intense Uzzi DH. He was wowed & asked...

Met Robin Williams in my local bike shop while building up my first official DH bike, a yellow/red Intense Uzzi DH.
He was wowed & asked about it.  Everyone else was in awe of him but I'm off in the head too & we hit it off & just babbled.
He told me the rumours were true that he was really into bikes, that he'd been in disguise in the back of the USPS chase car feeding Lance & crew in feed zones. Hadn't missed a TdF in over 10+ years & was there to pick up a road bike to ride on a stationery trainer while filming Patch Adams.

Asked how much my DH bike cost & I said "a maxed out credit card". I made the worst joke of "Wanna sponsor my credit card?"
He actually belly laughed, got serious & said he sponsored a pro XC racer under the table. She was pretty famous, but have forgotten the name.

Asked if I had a resume & said YES! Told me to drop it at their offices in the building across from the bank. Went to 5 different lobbies all looking at me like the biggest idiot. Last one, a lady off to the side in a really nice outfit said "Who said to bring your resume?"  "Robin Williams." had to tell her my story all over.
She said "Tell you what. I'll call around and if I can find which building they're in, I'll get it over there."

Two weeks later, a $1000 check from Robin & Marsha Williams with a letter from his attorney that it was not to be made a public matter showed up in my mailbox.

He was my favorite actor as a kid, an adult...and dammit. That's my ultimate name drop.  That money made a lot of stuff possible way back when and his support  (probably forgot about me the day after) but I sent photos and race results to the address on the letter all season as a thanks.
 

Falcon wrote:

I bet if Robin ever got the race results you sent in the mail, he read them and smiled. 

Did it for that very reason. Just wanted the guy to know I wasn't taking advantage of his generosity & pursuing a mutual passion. 

eljefe1
Posts
12
Joined
1/12/2023
Location
Poway, CA US
11/1/2023 10:55am

Brian lopes blocked me on Instagram

26
owl-x
Posts
418
Joined
3/23/2016
Location
Seattle, WA US
11/1/2023 7:37pm
owl-x wrote:

I am Tiger Woods. 

Unlikely, but not impossible.

djyosh wrote:

It's actually Reggie Miller trying to convince us it's someone with less issues with bike fit. 

If I were Reggie I’d tell the story about how I scored 87 one night (high school?) and was all bragging at the dinner table, while my sister sat there stone faced. 
Dinner done, she got up and laughed…asked parents what was up and it turned out Cheryl had dropped 100 that night!

something along those lines…I was hyped when I found out Reggie is a MTBer.

I rode e-bikes with two longtime friends today, been a long time since we roasted the local together. They’re still killing it riding trails on their BMX bikes (over and near 50), but they’re great friends and I love em…that’s what matters!

bizutch
Posts
1105
Joined
8/1/2009
Location
Fletcher, NC US
11/1/2023 8:48pm
eljefe1 wrote:

Brian lopes blocked me on Instagram

Doubt it.
#longliveE-Bot

1
1
11/5/2023 4:10pm

Had around a 30 minute conversation with Chuck Norris a couple of years ago. He is super cool and loves his fans. 

7
mamath7
Posts
95
Joined
6/17/2014
Location
FR
11/6/2023 3:32am

I had a chat with Andreu Lancondeguy at a gas station 20 years ago, I told him he was clearly the next big thing.
I am proud as a father every time I see him on a podium.
 

1
bizutch
Posts
1105
Joined
8/1/2009
Location
Fletcher, NC US
11/6/2023 2:16pm

Had around a 30 minute conversation with Chuck Norris a couple of years ago. He is super cool and loves his fans. 

No lie.  My dad spent 30 years being told he looked like Chuck Norris.
Dad's a black belt in Isshinryu karate & man was it an ego boost. 

You sure it wasn't my dad?

1
11/6/2023 3:24pm

Had around a 30 minute conversation with Chuck Norris a couple of years ago. He is super cool and loves his fans. 

bizutch wrote:
No lie.  My dad spent 30 years being told he looked like Chuck Norris. Dad's a black belt in Isshinryu karate & man was it an ego...

No lie.  My dad spent 30 years being told he looked like Chuck Norris.
Dad's a black belt in Isshinryu karate & man was it an ego boost. 

You sure it wasn't my dad?

Lol,

 That's pretty funny. 

I'm sure it was Chuck Norris. It was at the Glock dinner at shot show in 2019. 

1
mcozzy
Posts
20
Joined
7/14/2021
Location
GB
11/11/2023 1:37pm

Ive sat next to Matt Jones on the bikepark Wales uplift bus.

Also on another occasion with Rich Payne of GMBN. I'm expecting an invite to the dirtshed show anyday now.

3
1
veefour
Posts
568
Joined
7/31/2016
Location
Cinderford GB
11/12/2023 8:32am Edited Date/Time 11/12/2023 8:35am
bizutch wrote:
Met Robin Williams in my local bike shop while building up my first official DH bike, a yellow/red Intense Uzzi DH. He was wowed & asked...

Met Robin Williams in my local bike shop while building up my first official DH bike, a yellow/red Intense Uzzi DH.
He was wowed & asked about it.  Everyone else was in awe of him but I'm off in the head too & we hit it off & just babbled.
He told me the rumours were true that he was really into bikes, that he'd been in disguise in the back of the USPS chase car feeding Lance & crew in feed zones. Hadn't missed a TdF in over 10+ years & was there to pick up a road bike to ride on a stationery trainer while filming Patch Adams.

Asked how much my DH bike cost & I said "a maxed out credit card". I made the worst joke of "Wanna sponsor my credit card?"
He actually belly laughed, got serious & said he sponsored a pro XC racer under the table. She was pretty famous, but have forgotten the name.

Asked if I had a resume & said YES! Told me to drop it at their offices in the building across from the bank. Went to 5 different lobbies all looking at me like the biggest idiot. Last one, a lady off to the side in a really nice outfit said "Who said to bring your resume?"  "Robin Williams." had to tell her my story all over.
She said "Tell you what. I'll call around and if I can find which building they're in, I'll get it over there."

Two weeks later, a $1000 check from Robin & Marsha Williams with a letter from his attorney that it was not to be made a public matter showed up in my mailbox.

He was my favorite actor as a kid, an adult...and dammit. That's my ultimate name drop.  That money made a lot of stuff possible way back when and his support  (probably forgot about me the day after) but I sent photos and race results to the address on the letter all season as a thanks.
 

My brother was an extra in Good Morning Vietnam when they were filming in Bangkok. He said Robin Williams was really friendly, approachable and outgoing.

A couple of months earlier we both got work as extras in a mini series being filmed in India, starring Kirk Douglas. Friendly, approachable and outgoing? Not so much.

I've met quite a few names in the mountain bike world over the years, including CG, BK, Manon Carpenter, Peaty and Fabien Barel. I've been to Martin Whiteley's house in Granada and my most recent "brag" is that Dan Stanbridge (ex Dirt/Norco rider) bought a bike bag off of me a couple of months ago.

My experience of all the "names" I've met through riding has been really great, every single one of them has been cool.

3
3971
Posts
22
Joined
10/26/2021
Location
City, UT US
11/14/2023 7:22pm

I had a pic of me in MBUK 20+ years ago. They got my name wrong. And called me the "tubby kid on the Turner"

8
Mugen
Posts
136
Joined
3/28/2014
Location
FR
11/15/2023 2:29am

Got lost in a liaison stage with Thibaut Daprela 2 weeks ago, he made me climb up one of the steepest race stages, luckily we were on ebikes. I thought we were going to be best friends, but I asked him if he has tried a Sur-ron, which he didn't seem to appreciate, despite him owning one apparently. I guess the saying is true "don't talk about religion, politics, money and Sur-rons".

 

Still not sure which is funnier: the people who got the point of the thread or those thinking this is actually a name-drop thread.

2
veefour
Posts
568
Joined
7/31/2016
Location
Cinderford GB
11/15/2023 3:36am Edited Date/Time 11/15/2023 3:36am
Mugen wrote:
Got lost in a liaison stage with Thibaut Daprela 2 weeks ago, he made me climb up one of the steepest race stages, luckily we were...

Got lost in a liaison stage with Thibaut Daprela 2 weeks ago, he made me climb up one of the steepest race stages, luckily we were on ebikes. I thought we were going to be best friends, but I asked him if he has tried a Sur-ron, which he didn't seem to appreciate, despite him owning one apparently. I guess the saying is true "don't talk about religion, politics, money and Sur-rons".

 

Still not sure which is funnier: the people who got the point of the thread or those thinking this is actually a name-drop thread.

I think most of us get the point of the thread and why it was created, but if you aren't going to name drop why bother contributing?

3
Ksilvey10
Posts
37
Joined
2/22/2017
Location
Potosi, MO US
11/15/2023 7:20am

Back in 2004 or 2005 (I can't remember), I met Andrew and Elliot Jackson at an MX race in Indiana. They stayed at our house one night on the way back to Oklahoma. Elliot was just a middle-school aged kid then, and they weren't even on an amateur MX team yet back then. Our moms just hit it off. I took them snipe hunting on the farm...

1
beaverbiker
Posts
20
Joined
5/20/2011
Location
Millerton Lake, CA US
11/15/2023 2:26pm

I knew Spomer before Littermag. Highlight of my life. Nicest dude of all time, and I bet no one disagrees with me.

11/15/2023 3:17pm

During a transition stage at a race at Bootleg, I pulled over for Lopes so he could pass me (not on an ebike) on his e bike. Trying to be friendly said "there you go" or "have a good one!" No response, just a stone cold expression. He won the race but didn't bother sticking around for awards, too. 

Rachel Strait cheered me on during a final sprint at the end of a stage at Sea Otter one year. You best bet I gave it my all!

4
Tanner_Carl
Posts
141
Joined
11/2/2018
Location
Bumfuck, WI US
11/16/2023 9:06am

Back in 2019 I dropped in on a Peruvian scree field starting at ~15,000 feet behind Geoff Gulevich. Our vacation coincided with his trip and it was an awesome experience. He's a down to earth, genuine, and hilarious human and wasn't bothered at the slightest of my fan-boy antics. A few dinners, drinks, shuttles and attended a Cusco Football game together, can't say enough good things about the guy. https://www.instagram.com/p/B4-02CAnB2g/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Earlier this year in Mexico my wife and I were on a trip with the Oaxaca expeditions crew and I noticed Brad Simms jibbing around at our hotel, he was there on an Adidas shoot. Spent a day and half together doing the usual vacation activities; dinners, drinks and a day of shuttling.. I could sit and listen to his life experiences for days, the road to get where he's at and the dedication to his career on a bike are incredible. He's got a very inspiring perspective on life.

Turns out travel is a sweet way to meet rad people! 

4
Big Bird
Posts
2175
Joined
2/1/2011
Location
Oceano, CA US
11/16/2023 9:59am
Back in 2019 I dropped in on a Peruvian scree field starting at ~15,000 feet behind Geoff Gulevich. Our vacation coincided with his trip and it was...

Back in 2019 I dropped in on a Peruvian scree field starting at ~15,000 feet behind Geoff Gulevich. Our vacation coincided with his trip and it was an awesome experience. He's a down to earth, genuine, and hilarious human and wasn't bothered at the slightest of my fan-boy antics. A few dinners, drinks, shuttles and attended a Cusco Football game together, can't say enough good things about the guy. https://www.instagram.com/p/B4-02CAnB2g/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Earlier this year in Mexico my wife and I were on a trip with the Oaxaca expeditions crew and I noticed Brad Simms jibbing around at our hotel, he was there on an Adidas shoot. Spent a day and half together doing the usual vacation activities; dinners, drinks and a day of shuttling.. I could sit and listen to his life experiences for days, the road to get where he's at and the dedication to his career on a bike are incredible. He's got a very inspiring perspective on life.

Turns out travel is a sweet way to meet rad people! 

Thanks for reminding me...

On our Adidas Eyeware road trip to Canada we were being guided on the North Shore by Peter Stay Smith of Norco and Jay Hoots and met a fourteen year old Geoff Gulevich riding an Ellsworth Joker with the most clapped out Boxers that I've ever seen. I'm surprised that he had any front brakes with the amount of oil spewing out the seals.

2
3971
Posts
22
Joined
10/26/2021
Location
City, UT US
11/19/2023 8:15am

I fix Peter Sagan's MTB when he's in Utah - very nice chap. He had a Discovery film crew with him this summer, filming for a documentary about the 2024 Paris Olympics. Sagan name dropped Minnaar to me on camera. He said that Gregg told him "harder was faster". So we pumped his fork up to the max. (#Namedropinception). 

5

Post a reply to: The Name Drop Thread

The Latest