I reckon many of us average people have met many famous people, or know someone who "knows" someone famous. As someone said earlier, meeting once or being an acquaintance with Famous people is not quite the same as knowing them well.
People naturally think of actors/musicians/sporting people as "Famous". There are also a handful of "Infamous" in there as well, but no rocket scientists, physicists, Nobel Prize winners etc.
This could also easily extend to a bit of 6 degrees of separation - e.g. know someone who knows someone very famous (speaking rarified air like a King/Queen/President/Ali/Sporting Superstar etc).
Many years ago I taught some famous people how to use computers - TV/Radio celebs (referrals seemed to be the order of the day) and a past Gold Logie winner (a comedian). I have met a number of famous sporting people and also a couple of ex-Prime Ministers at some Charity Golf Events. I know a golfer who played in a US Open.
My wife met Glenn and the late Jane McGrath when my daughter was in hospital - they were doing the rounds - a bit embarrasing because my wife had no idea who Glenn was and she proceeded to ask him if being tall was an advantage in the position he played! Also met the Wiggles during a hospital visit - they were probably the most famous of all!
I met and chatted to Alice Cooper for about 10 mins on a golf course - he is a mad/serious golfer - was close to a single digit hcp about 4 years back - dresses the part with his tartan trousers. He mentioned that on a previous approx 100 day world tour, he played golf on about 70 of those days. His favourite Aussie Course was Joondalup - the Quarry 9 - and he loved the fact that there were kangaroos everywhere.
In the end, I reckon there is a big difference between "Famous" people and "Interesting" people.
