Working in hotel I can say I’ve at least encountered several celebrities. None of them I have really met, talked to at length or could claim to have known. Like Sharruma, I can’t say I get too excite about meeting most of these people. Part of that is because of my job. Professionally, I can’t get all excited and fawning and asking for autographs from these people. And partly because I don’t care enough to. They’re people and want to be left alone for the most part. When you get the ones that want special treatment and want things free I enjoy treating them normally all the more.
Let’s see. Since I generally don’t care I’m sure I’ll forget a lot, but here are ones that stick out in my mind.
Buddy Epsen stayed at the hotel I worked at. My manager was a huge fan and talked to him for about a half hour. I was involved in some of that conversation (but I’m the one who had to wander off and help other guests from time to time). Super, super, super nice guy.
Wil Wheaton stayed there, too. Not at the same time. Talked briefly with him when he checked out.
Steve Schirripa was the Entertainment Director the first couple years I worked at the Riviera Hotel & Casino. Talked with him and interacted with him a lot on several occasions. When he left the Riv it was becuase he got offered this part on some show called The Sopranos. (It looks like he had other bit parts before that, but I never knew it. Nor cared.)
John Elway stayed at the hotel I currently work at once. Nothing more than a passing “hello” though. Funny story involving him however: At the time I was working night audit (graveyard shift). One of the servers from the lounge came up to turn in her paperwork and was rather embarrassed. She had served him and didn’t realize it. She said, “has anyone ever told you that you look like John Elway.” His casual reply was, “yeah, I get that from time to time.” He signed his bill back to his room. She thought he was messing with her until she looked it up in the computer and verified the name.
Bo Jackson stayed, too. (Not at the same time as John Elway.) He is a person I would love to meet and be able to sit down with and have a chat. Alas, I only got to nod and say hello as we passed in the lobby.
Robert Englund I got to help and chat with briefly when I was at the Riviera. That was neat.
Kevin Farley (brother of Chris Farley) was at the resort last week. I saw/heard him talking to one of the girls at the front desk. I didn’t care enough to find out why he was there or if he was staying. But she was helping him set up a dinner reservation.
Donald Bellasario has stayed at the resort a couple times.
When I worked at Whiskey Pete’s Hotel & Casino (where I met Buddy Epsen and Wil Wheaton) I got to check in several country and western singers when they came to play at our show room. Don’t remember any of them, but mostly I just got to meet their managers when they came to check in for the star. Loretta Lynn may have been one, I’m not sure. But it doesn’t really sound impressive to say, “I met Loretta Lynn’s manager!”
When I worked at the Riviera I got to meet a lot of comedians when they came through to work at the comedy club. They didn’t necessarily stay at the hotel, but being a manager does get you around the hotel and not always stuck behind the front desk.
I got to meet Pia Zadora in passing one time at the Riv. She had some connection to the hotel because of some connection with past ownership. I don’t remember and don’t care what that connection even was. Why did I even mention her?
The Riviera also had ties to the Adult Film Industry. I got to meet some of those “stars” when they came through the hotel. Jenna Jameson is the one that sticks out the most (sorry for the pun). But that was because one of the guys at the front desk was completely ga ga for her. He would always know when she was coming and would do whatever he could for her if he got the chance to offer to do anything for her. It was quite sad.
