Gregory F. Packer (born December 18, 1963), is a retired[1] American highway maintenance worker from Huntington, New York, best known for frequently being quoted as a "man on the street" in newspapers, magazines and television broadcasts from 1995 to the present.
He has been quoted in hundreds of articles and television broadcasts as a member of the public (that is, a "man on the street" rather than a newsmaker or expert).
[4] It has also led to Packer's other claim to fame: being the first person in the world to buy an iPhone, on June 29, 2007 at Apple Fifth Avenue in New York City, after having camped out for five days in front of the store.
)[4] His efforts to be first in line have also allowed him to meet people including Mariah Carey, Garth Brooks, Dennis Rodman and Ringo Starr, as well as at least four presidents of the United States: Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush[2] and (before he became president) Donald Trump.
According to a 2002 article about Packer, "He was first in the line to see ground zero when the viewing platform opened at the World Trade Center site December 30, 2001.
"[9] In June 2003, columnist Ann Coulter and blogger Mickey Kaus, commenting on media coverage of Hillary Rodham Clinton's memoir Living History, noted that Packer was "the centerpiece of The New York Times' 'man on the street' interview about Hillary-mania."
Coulter said:[10] It was easy for the Times to spell Packer's name right because he is apparently the entire media's designated "man on the street" for all articles ever written.
[12] The Associated Press sent out a memo to its news editors and correspondents,[13] stating in part: The world is full of all kinds of interesting people.
[15] This caused Nicholas Carlson of Silicon Alley Insider to refer to Packer as "the same stupid guy who's first in line for everything.
"[19] Though he had previously claimed to be a Steelers fan, Packer stated he was "all about the Giants", and "as proud as [he] was in the Yankees' dynasty years."
"[22] In August 2017, Packer was interviewed by The Independent as part of a crowd gathered in New York City to watch the solar eclipse over the U.S.[23] Several months later, he was interviewed in the New York Daily News before attending Midnight Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral, saying "It's Cardinal Dolan that keeps me coming back year after year.
He also expressed disappointment at the directives issued by various news organizations to not quote him, saying, "if I'm their source for an interview, I don't see where the problem is at all.