Anyone know what Alan Alda's like in real life?

[bif]

He seems like the nicest guy ever in his movies.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

1. Not an act. Same in real life.

He's a feminist.

[trof]

10. Really? Damn, I thought he was straight.

Oh...wait...
nevermind

[barbtries]

2. i never met him

but i did meet James Garner, another nice guy, and he was the same in real life. i bet alda's the same way.

[trof]

11. Ha. I met him too. Nice guy.

Is he still 'with' us?

[barbtries]

12. he is

83 years old

[trof]

13. Met him at baggage claim in L.A.

I was an airline pilot, standing just outside of baggage claim waiting for the limo/van to take the crew to the layover hotel.
A long, black limo pulled up and he got out.
Just before he donned big wraparound sun glasses I recognized him.
He stood next to me looking around.

I said "I really like The Rockford Files".
He said "Thanks. Look, I'm picking up my parents, please don't blow my cover."
Hundreds of people milling around us and nobody recognized him with those shades on.
"Your secret is safe with me."
"Thanks, man."

[barbtries]

15. he was a patient in a dental office where i worked.

one morning i showed up a little late and he was there and he said, "how come i had to be here at 8 and you got to come in at 9?" i said cause i'm special

[hlthe2b]

3. I've never heard anything but nice things about him...

I think he's the "real" deal.

[HopeHoops]

4. Probably a horny bastard like the rest of us.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

21. No, I've read your posts. There is no "rest of us." There's us, and there's you.

[HopeHoops]

22. Uh, okay.

I just assumed there were other guys with two foot cucumbers out there.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

23. Cue the "That water is COLD...and DEEP, too" jokes.

[HopeHoops]

24. "Is that a bazooka in your pocket or are you just here to rob the bank?"

[Arkansas Granny]

5. I've never met him in real life, but every time I've seen him interacting with others on tv

he seems very genuine with a great sense of humor. I'll bet he'd be a blast to get to know.

[ret5hd]

6. you know, things are complicated for me...

most people i just don't want to know...they'd be more trouble than they're worth

some people...i'd like to know them knowing i wouldn't necessarily like them.

others, i don't want to know even if i think i might like them. alda is in this group. don't ask me to explain it.

[applegrove]

8. Who didn't adore him in mash. He had such a great moral compass for somebody in a war.

[DFW]

9. Came close, but never got to talk to him

Alda spoke the introduction at the 85th birthday concert of a friend of mine, but disappeared before the party afterwards. Apparently he had encouraged Alda when he was just starting out (my friend does acting as well as singing-even did a
film with Humphrey Bogart!).

[progressoid]

14. Read and/or listen to his book.

It's kind of interesting.

[nolabear]

25. My favorite thing about that book

It was a good read, lots of intimate info and a stuffed dog to boot, right? But after the whole, I dunno, two hundred pages of him telling the story of his life in great detail, I flip over the last page and there's the customary teeny paragraph,
entitled: About the Author. I literally burst out laughing.

[nolabear]

16. Had a great encounter at a signing.

The line was so long they had us group up alphabetically and they called us by letters. Let's just say my last name is far enough along the alphabet that we had a chance to chat with those around us. I was near, but a group ahead of, a very elderly, very talkative woman with a chair and an oxygen tank but no dearth of enthusiasm for Alan Alda. She went on and on about her name being Arlene "Just like Alan Alda'a wife's" but that when she was a kid a teacher had tortured her by calling her "airline" and she wanted to ask him if anyone ever called his wife that. Of course, when I got up to Mr Alda I leaned forward and said "An elderly lady will be here in a minute, and she'll tell you her name is Arlene like your wife's, and if you ask her if anyone has ever called her airline she'll think you're magic."

He looked at me for a minute and said "Is that what you people are doing back there? I need to be back there, not up here. It sounds like you're having fun." With a big smile, of course.

Sadly the handlers made me leave the immediate area but I did hear loud laughter a few minutes later and I hope it was her.

[mockmonkey]

17. Apparently he's a prick...

I love him!

[Orrex]

18. He and I once got into a knife fight in a bar in Altoona

Over a woman, of course.

Sure, he makes a big show of being a nice guy, but he'll shiv you if you cross him.

[ret5hd]

19. oh, i'm SO using that line sometime in the future. i dont know when but sometime.

[Ron Obvious]

20. I'm sure he's exactly the way he comes across

I'm not a celebrity hawk, but I've heard him interviewed often enough in various NPR interviews (Fresh Air, Whadda ya know with Michael Feldman, etc), that I suspect he's exactly how he comes across. Besides, he's been married for over 50 years, and him an actor!