Read my Whining & Dining column in tomorrow’s paper and find out about my dinner last week with Morgan Freeman. Yep. Morgan Freeman. You’d have to look long and hard to find someone less celebrity-obsessed than I am, but I gotta tell you: This was a thrill. He’s quite the charmer and I had a fabulous, fabulous evening. To top it off, the meal at Madidi in Clarksdale was excellent. The best tuna I’ve tasted, great softshell crab, good wine and excellent company all ’round.
Morgan was completely gracious to all the folks who came up with their digital cameras and at one point, I was snapping so many photos for people that I had no idea who the cameras belonged to. Bill Luckett, Morgan’s partner in Madidi and Ground Zero, was kind enough to invite me to join them when I called earlier in the week to check on the status of Ground Zero in Memphis (no date yet, but everything’s a go, he said).
Responses to “Dining with Mr. Freeman”
January 8th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Gracious, I believe is the word for this gentleman. My wife and I went to Maddidi for our 20th wedding anniversary. Seated at the back right corner of the restaurant my wife looked out the front window and said “Isn’t that him”. As it turns out it was. I went to the bar side a little bit later and asked the hostess if that was indeed Morgan Freeman. She said it was and it was okay to approach.
I did and asked Mr. Freeman if I could ask a favor. He said that I could depending on what it was. I explained that Edna and I were there for our 20th and asked if he would come by and say hello. He said he would in a few minutes. I went back to the table not saying anything to my wife.
In Maddidi, there is a walkway behind the dining room at the restaurant that serves to connect the restaurant and bar area with the kitchen. The opening to the walkway was behind and to the left of us. A short while later Mr. Freeman, I feel I should say Morgan but, came down the walkway and just slipped around the edge of the opening. My wife looked up and said “Oh, my God!’. Morgan replied “Only in the movies”.
He spend some twenty minutes sitting and talking with us and it made my wife’s anniverary.
January 9th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Jennifer, this picture is magazine quality! The more I hear about Morgan Freeman, the better I like him. Neil, I can’t think of a nicer way to spend your anniversary - how wonderful that you and your wife got to meet and visit with him as well. It’s been wonderful to see his career revitalized, and I hope he’s going to enjoy having a club here.
January 9th, 2008 at 9:49 am
And I’m sure a great magazine photographer took the picture–I just downloaded it!
Neil, I laughed out loud at the “only in the movies” comment. That’s quick!
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