Name the top 5 people you’d most like to grab beers with

(I apologize for ending this post title in a preposition. It’s bothering me too, but I think it would be lamer to say “…with whom you would most like to grab beers” – somehow that would diminish the tone of this post.)

I’ll warn you, settling on 5 people is a brutally difficult task. It is also somewhat revealing. You can pick anyone. As I went through options I thought about people I’ve always wanted to meet, people I admire and/or people who would probably just be fun to drink beers with. For now, let’s make this list only for people who are alive. Also, I don’t mean grabbing beers with all 5 people at once – just separate beer-grabbing with each. And importantly, know we all reserve the right to amend our lists at anytime! Here’s my offering:

1. Ian Wright – host on the travel show Globe Trekker. Wright travels throughout the world, obscure places and popular places alike, and somehow manages to be funny to all people in all cultures. Interesting dude too and I’m pretty certain he likes his beers.
2. Conan O’Brien – I’m not always in line with all of his late night stuff, but I still think he’s hilarious. If you have doubts about Conan’s hilarity, read this commencement speech he gave to the Harvard class of 2000.
3. Lyle Lovett – strange, super smart, immensely talented musically, funny looking and Julia Roberts’ temporary husband when she was trying to prove to herself that “beauty is within”.
4. Charles Woodson – Not only one of football’s all-time greats, a very interesting guy besides. (The owner of a winery though, Woodson may prefer wine to beer – I’d be fine with that.)
5. Brian Regan – comedian, hilarious content, clean, intelligent, near flawless delivery – this would be a highly entertaining beer-grabbing.

Here are some of the others I considered (italicized were the hardest cuts):

• Steve Stricker – PGA golfer from Madison – one of the best players in the world and by all accounts, the nicest guy on the tour.
• Steve Martin – One of the rare comedians to keep his humor relevant for decades. Man with Two Brains, The Lonely Guy and The Jerk were all great movies.
• Bill Bryson – I highly recommend his book I’m a Stranger Here Myself
• LeRoy Butler – Packer legend, fun dude, underrated w/regard to his commentary and insight into all things football
  
• Ron Wolf – one those guys some consider a genius
  
• Gene Wilder – grew up with his classic movies
  
• Bob Uecker – could listen to his stories for days
  
• James Lofton
• Sidney Moncrief
• Aaron Rodgers
• Helen Mirren
• Bill Cosby
• Jeremy Irons
• Adam Sandler
• Peter King/Don Banks
• Tim Howard/Brad Friedel
• David Feherty
• Herb Kohler
• Ted Thompson/Brett Favre – get them both hammered, see what happens
• Dr. John
• Martin Sexton
• Christian Lander
• Will Ferrell
• Tom Watson
• Emmylou Harris
• Pele
• Kristin Wiig
• Glen Hansard
• Dennis Miller
• Mark Tauscher
• Warren Buffett

*Note: David Zucker of Airplane fame had been on my running mental list for years, but back in 2008 in Minneapolis, Brother Steve, Brother Dan, my wife and I actually had the chance to have a beer with him. It was one of those great life moments – though it was interrupted when security types tried to escort us from the party because we didn’t have the appropriate guest passes or something. It was embarrassing in the moment, but eventually hilarious as it seemed like the kind of thing that would happen in one of his movies. (Fortunately, we got to stay and party.)

*Additional Note: if Tim Russert hadn’t passed away last year, he would have in my top 5.

Who would make your top 5?