Only (soon to be celebrities) that I personally knew when I lived in Jackson Heights (left NY in 1977) were: 1. Academy Award Winner Mercedes Ruehl who I had a crush on when I was 6 and she was 10 (her mother taught at PS 69- and may have been my first grade teacher) and Mercedes would occasionally help out in the Classroom. My crush ended at 7 when she threatened to beat me up and somehow (I'm not a stalker) remember the last time I ever talked to her when I went at the age of 12 or 13 to play basketball inside PS 69 which was the first time a girl had ever "flirted" with me! Mercedes recognized me and I didn't immediately recognize her because I hadn't seen her for 5+ years. She came up to me and talked to me very sweetly for about 20 minutes and then said to me "I bet you don't recognize who I am" and after staring at her for about 14 seconds, embarrassed, shouted "Mercedes". I asked her how come I never saw her after second grade and she told me she was going to some Drama School in Long Island. Like an idiot, I didn't realize that Mercedes Ruehl was the Mercedes I knew as a kid till I googled Jackson Heights on Wikipedia and had my Cosmic Revelation. Duh!
2. 2 of the NY Dolls, Johnny Thunders and Sylvain Sylvain. Johnny was more of a slight acquaintance at JHS 145 who once told me he admired my "Semi Beatles Boots". Johnny played "Walk Don't Run" at the JHS talent show and was great. Sylvain Sylvain was in my 4th grade class at PS 69 with Mrs. Levy and I didn't like him and barely spoke to him. I was never a particular fan of the NY Dolls and/or punk rock.
4. Gene Simmons lived about 100 feet from my apartment building and even at 14 he looked like he does today which scared the hell out of me every time I passed him in the street. I think maybe we exchanged 10 words with his being "F You" for something. I never was into Kiss's music but I do find Gene Simmons entertaining and intelligent when I see him speak on TV today.
Topic: Don Rickles Will Be Missed (Read 2726 times)