Just Desserts

[Dragon_Dreamer]

So my best friend is a musician, and plays a lot of local gigs. He as a standing policy that I am *always* on the guest list, even for shows I'm unlikely to be able to attend.

So I was headed to one of his gigs this weekend, walking down to the bar from my parking spot about 1/4 mile away. (Small town, not a horrible walk.) A group of girls ended up ahead of me, laughing and giggling about the show they were going to, which turned out to be the same one. They were fangirling over him, and I mentioned that he's my best friend. One of them looked back at me.

G: "Yeah, right. I'll make sure to tell him you said that!"

I rolled my eyes internally as her friends laughed. So we get to the venue, and suddenly they realized that the doorperson was a woman, and immune to their attempts to not pay the $10 cover.

While they were trying to come up with money, I looked at the doorperson, and calmly stated my name, and that I should be on The List. Got waved right through.

I heard the "Not Fair!"s as the door closed behind me.

(I told my best friend after the show and he thought it hilarious. He's not a fan of people like that either.)

[Pixelated]

Yeah, some people do make outrageous claims about famous people. But it's always best to take politely such claims at face value until and unless they are proven false in front of you ... or you might get totally OWNED.

[Kristev]

And the show ran happily ever after.

[Dragon_Dreamer]

It did go well, though the tradition of his popping multiple strings at that venue continued. It's become a running joke. Lots of new stuff interspersed with a few of his oldest songs. I posted a link to his site in the Discord.

[Kit-Ginevra]

Mmmm….desserts

[AkaiKitsune]

My only interaction with a famous person was when they came over here (because tourist town) with their family for fun. Apparently the guy was some hot (definitely hot but then I have a very definite types) n tot movie star filming on the mainland. I don’t follow the stars and really couldn’t care less. So I didn’t even know his name (he told me and quite frankly I don’t remember) just that I had seen him on tv somewheres. I helped him escape the fan girls (seriously if a guy has a ring on his finger and his family is RIGHT THERE he’s definitely not interested in your boob job). Later I gave the tour of the city and pointed out the restaurants that aren’t going to fangasm over someone and some of the nicer places to visit that don’t care if their customer is a movie actor.

I don’t really see the whole appeal over stalking a stranger for their looks or what they are paid to market to the masses. To me it’s like claiming to have fallen in love with the Starbucks barista because of their wonderful personality when we all know that it’s bullshit nod and smile we put out to keep customers satisfied. That being said I can certainly see why people would find movie actors and the like physically attractive since most of them are.

Maybe it comes from working with horses for so long (after all the horse doesn’t care if you’re a hobo or a prince. What you give is what you get, sometimes with an equine flourish) but I really give absolutely no shits about who someone is/claims they know. I’ll get to know you and make my opinion on that. That being said I can hold a grudge long past when it should be dead and buried so when I find myself not liking someone it can take years to revise my opinion on them.

[greek_jester]

I have (briefly) met quite a few famous people as I used to go to conventions a lot in the 1990s. I tended to prefer the smaller ones, as the stars were more likely to be able to come down to the hotel bar/restaurant and have a nice meal/drink without being harassed (and anyone who did attempt it would be more likely to get hauled out and given a talking-to by other con-goers).

My biggest claim to fame was having a nice long chat with a dapper older gentleman in the bar at a con, and not twigging until about twenty minutes in that he was actually one of the con guests; he started talking about how the security escorting him at one con in America were all dressed as storm troopers (he was one of the Empire officers in New Hope). I just kept chatting to him, since he was a nice chap, and before he wandered off he mentioned that he enjoyed doing the smaller UK cons as people treated him like a person, rather than a commodity. Sadly, that's no longer the case; I stopped doing cons when they started getting more and more Americanised, with the guests being hidden away like prize jewels.

My main reason for wanting to meet anyone famous was to be able to look them in the eye and thank them for all the pleasure they've given me with their acting/writing/singing over the years. I have also never gone up to anyone when they're not working i.e. in an autograph queue, book signing, whatever. On the odd occasion I've seen someone famous out and about I let them be; they're as entitled to time off as I am, and bothering someone during their time off is Not Nice.

[Dragon_Dreamer]

I wouldn't call him "famous," at least not yet. Fairly well-known in the area and this part of the state, plus Colorado, yes. He and his wife just did a small gig in Alaska. Someday he will be, hopefully, he's that good!

[EricKei]

Back home, we had a number of both local and "real" celebrities as regular customers, both at the pizza joint and at the boutique grocery. I think they appreciated the fact that 90+% of people in NOLA just treat them like everyone else (which can mean anything from a "Where y'at, Cap?" (as in Captain) to inviting them in for a po-boy and a beer, in the relevant circumstances).

[notalwaysright]

Can't just say Americanized, have you seen how Asia treats it's celebrities? Like, can't walk through an airport, are afraid to date due to jealous fans. I've never met a famous person, I don't think I'd be weird about it though. They're actors or singers doing their job, performing, etc.

Anyway, better to wait and see who's foot is in who's mouth in situations like in the op.

[Nunavut Pants]

My biggest claim to fame was having a nice long chat with a dapper older gentleman in the bar at a con, and not twigging until about twenty minutes in that he was actually one of the con guests...

My mother used to be a professor at UC Santa Cruz. She went to a faculty mixer, and started talking to a charming older gentleman. She missed his name, but she thought he was nice.

Someone later asked her how she enjoyed her conversation with Tom Lehrer...

[AccountingDrone]

My main reason for wanting to meet anyone famous was to be able to look them in the eye and thank them for all the pleasure they've given me with their acting/writing/singing over the years. I have also never gone up to anyone when they're not working i.e. in an autograph queue, book signing, whatever. On the odd occasion I've seen someone famous out and about I let them be; they're as entitled to time off as I am, and bothering someone during their time off is Not Nice.

*snicker* I know a bunch of authors, and have been an occasional con author wrangler. I am currently sitting here with lavender hair courtesy of a bottle of custom hair dye one of my favorite authors sent me. I have met and in one memorable instance fallen off a ladder into the arms of an actor - most actors are pretty nice people when you treat them like regular people. The ones who want you to worship them tend to have ego issues Running into random actors seems genetic, my mom kept rounding corners in NY and body checking various actors/singers =) She 'ran into' Alfred Drake 4 times, he finally invited her to have coffee with him, he was joking that it took him 4 times and a year to get up enough nerve to ask her to coffee

[csquared]

A friend of mine had gone into a music shop/guitar store. The owner was talking with an older gentleman who was jamming on a guitar. My friend listened for a while. Between numbers, my friend compliments him on his playing and asked if he is in a band. The guy hesitates and says "Yeah." Little while later, the owner says "Gary, can I get you something to drink?" My friend turned to the guy and asks, "Gary? Gary Rossington?" and preceded to look for a hole to crawl into.

A few year ago, The Wife and I went to NY. A couple she knows moved there so that he could get into the NY theater. They know a few people, and set us up for a backstage tour with one of the minor actors. He is a real pretty boy, gay as the day is long, but the fangirls are crazy about him. Oh, the looks we got when we told the doorman who we were there to see.

[otakuneko]

My biggest claim to fame was having a nice long chat with a dapper older gentleman in the bar at a con, and not twigging until about twenty minutes in that he was actually one of the con guests;

Had a similar experience at a con. Waiting for a panel, started talking with a woman and her partner about the subject matter -- Lupin III. I didn't catch on until the panel actually started, that it was actually Ellyn Stern and Richard Epcar (Daisuke Jigen) I was talking to.

[Racket_Man]

my closest "brush" with famous persons is mostly the local BUT world wide know American Football team here in Cheeseheadland Central.

We have delivered to their houses and a couple of times they came in with their kid(s) just to have pizza. we left them alone to enjoy the time with their family.

Since I am a "transplant" I tend not to fanboy like the locals might. still a fan of the team.