Extra! Extra! Celebrity sightings with Mustard Lane! Read all about it! So although they may be normal people just going about their day, when a celebrity stumbles upon an activation or an event it provides an exciting and intoxicating atmosphere for everyone to behold – including for our Mustard Lane Brand Ambassadors! We recently scrounged amongst the ranks for the hot gossip and BOY did our Laners deliver. Chances are you’re reading this and you’re thinking ‘OH I’VE MET A CELEBRITY WITH MUSTARD LANE! I wonder if they want my Michael Bolton story?!’ In short, yes we would love to hear your Michael Bolton story – but for now lets all enjoy these tales of chance encounters with Hollywood’s A through C List Celebs! You heard them here first, folks!
Ron Howard – Danielle Beckmann (LA/NYC)
I was working a super cool interactive event with Mustard Lane for the opening of the part-documentary part-scripted series show MARS written and produced by Ron Howard. Myself and another Laner (shout out to Matt James!) were assigned the upfront monologue, and we got to wear cool uniforms and pretend we were a part of the IMSF–a fictional NASA-type company that is referenced in the series. After an amazing opening day, the opening night party commenced and the guests started getting fanicer and fancier in their attire. Matt and I would launch into our monologues, excited to see who might come in next…and before we knew it, we were delivering our scientific jargon to none other than Ron Howard in a tux and his lovely wife in a sparkly black gown! They smiled and listened, and then of course were briskly escorted to the cocktail area–but it was so fun to get to share a performance moment like that with Mr. Howard himself. The after party was star studded, and as the cocktails flowed, let’s just say that I remember seeing Cuba Gooding Junior having a good time that night. All of this was just a normal day at the office on The Lane!
Jada Pinket Smith – Janelle Reid (NYC)
I was working a Facebook gig for ML and when I arrived the client goes ‘Jada will be here at six’ and I’m like ‘……Um ….what??’ It wasn’t the first time having a celebrity spotting on an ML gig, but this was DIFFERENT. Now, for context, I’m Team Leading this gig, so I’m trying to keep it together and it’s going well until right before she leaves my fellow Laner says something to her that I can’t hear. Then, Jada goes, “Of course!” and literally runs over to my side for a picture. I nearly passed out. She then reaches out and thanks me and runs out the door to a car. I was stunned with no words for a bit…shook. She was great and watching her engage with her fans as family was beautiful to see. I wasn’t expecting the one on one but it was epic.
Bill Clinton – Courtney Brady (Colorado/NYC)
It was just another ML gig, working a gala with one of my favorite clients, Lavazza, when we noticed some activity a short distance behind our setup, near a back door to the venue. I looked over and noticed a group of sharply dressed men with earpieces, communicating like they were on a mission. I thought they must be bringing in a celebrity the “back way,” which wouldn’t be too uncommon at a large, fancy fundraising gala in NYC. As they approached, it didn’t take me long to realize this wasn’t just any celebrity… it was our former President, Bill Clinton! Turns out, he was the surprise speaker for this event, and on his way out, he stopped at our table for an espresso! Never did I ever expect to see, let alone meet and speak with, a former POTUS, but here I was, joking with President Clinton about hazelnut coffee creamer! You better believe that when he thanked us for his coffee, I replied, “Thank YOU, Mr. President!”
Katie Holmes – Matthew Borchers (NYC)
Twas a few weeks before Christmas and all through the Giftagram Pop-up for Frederick Wildman Wines at the Columbus Circle mall, we were wrapping away, through a twelve hour day..when..I was told Katie Holmes would be making a press appearance! In all seriousness, this was honestly one of the best pop-ups I’ve worked – free wine and cheese samples AND a free gift-wrapping station?! Score. Our team staffed the whole experience, from managing the line, to providing quality copper-paper-tied-with-eucalyptus-leaves-wrapped gifts. I was managing the wrapping station, and my co-team-lead told me that the client was going to have Katie Holmes come over to the gift counter and wrap a gift, and that I’d “be there to help.” I’m an overthinker and a bit anxious so my head instantly started trying to figure out what the scenario was going to be..What doth it mean to help someone – not someone. Katie Holmes – wrap a gift? When she came over, – she was taller than I’d expected – and they had the camera all set up, I was reminded that she’s a human too and that I’ve met my fair share of “important people,” and this was no different. She was absolutely the loveliest! She introduced herself, “Hi, I’m Katie.” – I know who you are…I mean, “Hey Katie. Nice to meet you, I’m Matt.” And, from there, she proved herself to be a very skilled gift wrapper..I really just stood there. She talked to me the whole time, to keep it natural for the cameras.. She asked if I was an artist, which led us to dance and taking classes at Steps on Broadway on the Upper West Side and how she’s started taking her daughter there. The cameraman had us hand the gift she wrapped back and forth a couple times for some still shots; she was so warm, the smiles were fully genuine! She wished me the best, and a merry Christmas, and she continued with her schedule. It was certainly an unexpected and highly cherished moment on the Lane!
Justin Roiland – Matt Bogey (China/NYC)
Back in 2017, a bunch of us got an email for a pretty exclusive event. I don’t remember there being a lot of details, other than the location (somewhere downtown). When we got on site, we were given the shiniest, poofiest gold jackets I ever did see. The event was a private Jay-Z concert being attended by celebrities, and people likely trying to sleep with celebrities. Part of our job was to usher intoxicated guests onto shuttle buses to the after party, but three of us got tasked with guarding the Rick and Morty truck, which was full of exclusive plush toys. I love Rick and Morty, and have since gotten a tattoo on my leg to eternalize this love. While handing out plush toys to the masses, Deven pointed out Justin Roiland, the actor/writer who voices both characters. I broke rank and told him I was a huge fan. He was incredibly sweet, and said “Of me? That’s so nice, man! Do you want to take a photo?” Yes, Justin, I do and always will. Anyway, snapped a terrible selfie and handed his whole group some Mr. Poopy Butthole dolls. Solid night. Would 10/10 do it again.
Katey Sagal – Alex Stewart (Sacramento/NYC)
My favorite celebrity moment in New York (not just on “The Lane”) has to be when Katey Sagal brushed past Deven and myself backstage of “The View”. You may know her from the TV show “Married With Children”, “Sons of Anarchy” or, my personal favorite, the Disney channel original movie, “Smart House”. Now, if you know me, you know that, even though I’m an actor, I’ve never seen ANYTHING. Like… anything. It’s a problem. I think I’ve actually NOT been put on certain ML events because of my ignorance surrounding the most BASIC Hollywood staples. Deven has Venmoed me money in the past imploring me to watch movies that I definitely should have seen by now. That said, I happened to be in the middle of season 4 of “Sons of Anarchy” at the time this all transpired- one of the only TV shows I’ve actually watched start to finish. So this was big. I was starstruck and Deven was a crayon… like literally dressed as a crayon. Crayola was retiring and introducing a new color and Deven was to be featured on “The View” as the retiring crayon to promote the event. I was to be his handler- ya know, make sure he made it from the greenroom to the stage, didn’t tip over and (as I would come to find out) make sure he didn’t bump into Katey Sagal who was ALSO going to be a guest on the show. I wish I could say that we chatted it up with Kate, maybe had a few yucks backstage and left the situation with each other’s snapchats but, what actually happened was this; She walked by to do her run through, asked Deven some question about being a giant crayon (because you literally COULDN’T ignore him if you tried), he gave her a thumbs up because that’s all he could do, and I stood there with my mouth open. THEN LATER, after we did our Live TV appearance, she walked past us again and said ‘Hello’ again, and Deven once more just waved hello as he was very method. Katey smiled and turned to her friend and said ‘He still won’t talk to me!’ I think she MAY have seen me in her periphery and her arm DID brush past mine as I was helping Deven shuffle out of her way. It was… electrifying. Also, they have free yogurt backstage of “The View”.
