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Christopher Walken "Wasn't Weirded Out" When Fans Gave Him Ride Across City
By
Ben Yakas
Published Dec 1, 2013
Modified Dec 1, 2013
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Courtesy Sergio P.
By
Ben Yakas
Published Dec 1, 2013
Modified Dec 1, 2013
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Last month, we saw photographic evidence that dancing enthusiast Christopher Walken was randomly picked up by two strangers who saw him struggling to hail a cab on the Upper West Side. Sergio P. told us that he and his friend Ash K., both 38, had been driving down Columbus Avenue around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday Nov. 19th when they spotted the iconic actor: "He said he was hailing a cab. Wasn't weirded out [by the situation], but did look at us both and into the car. We were really nice and told him we were fans and would be honored to give him a lift. [He was] totally cool with it." So now you know how to act if you happen to drive by Walken.
"I have never picked up anyone. Not an actor or a random person," Sergio told us. Walken told them politely, "I don't want you guys to go out of your way. I am going straight downtown and you can leave me anywhere." Sergio described a little bit of what the three men talked about as they drove from around W. 83rd Street to somewhere in the W. 40s: "Since we were in NY he knew the area well but couldn't believe how much things had changed. Also told us he was born in Astoria Hospital, because my son went to St. John's High School. We talked about neighborhoods in NY and acting—he gave [Ash] advice on acting."
The best part: Walken is even nicer than we imagined. "We had time to talk because there was traffic but it was moving. When we stopped at his destination he didn't immediately get out. Finished the conversation and got out a few minutes after." So feel free to kindly offer Walken a ride if you see him—it's probably better that way than the other way around.
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Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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