From: no_offline_contact@example.com   
      
   On 2026-02-08 3:45 p.m., shawn wrote:   
   > On Sun, 8 Feb 2026 15:33:51 -0500, Rhino   
   >  wrote:   
   >   
   >> On 2026-02-08 2:12 p.m., BTR1701 wrote:   
   >>> So the girlfriend and I went to see Don "American Pie" McLean at the Saban   
   >>> Theatre last night and who should end up sitting next to me?   
   >>>   
   >>> Gary Cole - aka Bill Lumbergh from OFFICE SPACE. Also TALLADEGA NIGHTS,   
   VEEP,   
   >>> DODGEBALL, TRUE BLOOD, and literally hundreds of other stuff you've   
   probably   
   >>> seen him in.   
   >>>   
   >>> I had to resist making a joke about having to get the TPS reports finished.   
   >>>   
   >>>   
   >> What is "L.A. protocol" for such situations? In other words, if you   
   >> happen to recognize someone like Cole (or perhaps someone of much   
   >> greater or less familiarity) in close proximity is it considered rude to   
   >> approach them, speak to them, ask for autographs, etc? Or are you   
   >> supposed to keep your distance and wait for them to approach you? I   
   >> realize that all sorts of people WILL approach them - and sometimes the   
   >> celebrity will expect you to approach them and welcome it - but is there   
   >> some sort of general understanding of the right way to handle that   
   >> situation? Of course I'm speaking of the general public, as opposed to   
   >> someone who is SUPPOSED to interact with them, like an interviewer.   
   >   
   > The official protocol is to genuflect and say "Greetings and   
   > salutations, Mr. Cole".  LOL   
   >   
   I just wondered what the standard behaviour was among people from   
   longtime residents of LA who must encounter these situations all the   
   time, as opposed to tourists or paparazzi who presumably show less   
   restraint.   
      
   I remember an interview with Paul Newman where he said the thing that   
   made him stop signing autographs was when someone hit him up for a   
   signature in the men's room while he was literally taking a whiz. I can   
   imagine something like that making you erect some boundaries....   
      
      
   >> For what it's worth, I have no idea what "TPS Reports" are. I knew Cole   
   >> best from Midnight Caller and a one-season wonder called Wanted,   
   >> although I've certainly seen him in a number of other things like The   
   >> West Wing.   
   >   
   > Yeah, the first thing I can recall seeing him in was MIDNIGHT CALLER.   
   > Wow, I just looked up the cast and Wendy Read is now a lawyer in   
   > California. As for the TPS Reports its a bit that comes from the movie   
   > OFFICE SPACE where Cole plays a manager who is always coming around   
   > asking about the TPS reports. Some sort of useless bit of paperwork   
   > that the management is concerned with.   
      
   I figured it must be something like that but I never saw Office Space so   
   I thought I'd ask.   
      
   --   
   Rhino   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)