‘Little House on the Prairie’ Star Said This Politician Was Like All The Beatles Combined

Melissa Gilbert is known for her role as Laura Ingalls Wilder on the TV show, Little House on the Prairie. However, she also crossed paths with people outside the television industry. Let’s take a look at how she met a famous politician and what she had to say about him. In addition, here’s a look at what that politician thought about Little House on the Prairie.

Kevin Spacey introduced ‘Little House on the Prairie’ star Melissa Gilbert to a famous politician

In her memoir, Prairie Tale, Gilbert describes attending an AFL-CIO and AFTRA event with Kevin Spacey. Her husband, Bruce Boxleitner at the time, was away and she invited Spacey to be her escort in her husband’s place. The headliner for the event was former President Bill Clinton. Spacey made a quick introduction of Gilbert to Clinton who asks both Gilbert and Spacey if they would like to attend other fundraisers with him later that evening. Both Gilbert and Spacey accept his invite.

Gilbert relays she and Spacey were driven in a large black Suburban with the president and the Secret Service. She said Clinton “told stories about his childhood. He said he was working on his autobiography. He was delightful, charming, smart, funny, easy to talk to, and thoroughly, disarmingly magnetic. I had seen his charisma work its magic in a room full of people. One-on-one in the back of a car, he was almost overwhelming.  I could see why people fell all over him.”

Melissa Gilbert reveals what President Bill Clinton had to say about his nose

As Gilbert, Spacey, and Clinton went from one event to another, she says the subject of nose jobs came up in conversation. She told them about a letter she received from a girl who felt the two of them were similar in that they were both victims of “a botched nose job.” Gilbert goes on to say the president “… then told a story about former supporters of his who had strongly advised him to get his nose done before he ran for president.  =They didn’t think he could win with his real nose. He laughingly said, ‘They thought it was functional, but not presidential.”

How people reacted to former President Bill Clinton

Gilbert had “a good time” with Spacey and Clinton. That night, she had the opportunity to experience the crowds reaction to the president. She writes, “The walkway leading into the hotel was lined with a crowd five deep on both sides. People screamed his name. It was like being with all four Beatles rolled in one… I was impressed with his ability to connect with people. But then, that’s what made him Bill Clinton.” 

What President Bill Clinton thought about ‘Little House on the Prairie

Gilbert was clearly impressed with Clinton. This raises an interesting question – was the former president a fan of the show? The Globe and Mail reported that Alison Arngrim, who played Nellie Oleson, said that fans are everywhere and that the former president was one of them –  admiration on both sides it seems.