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“It Made My Entire Life”: 30 Times Meeting An Idol Went Better (Or Worse) Than Anyone Expected
Article created by: Gabija Palšytė
Many of us have someone we idolize, whether that’s a person in our line of work or somebody who has celebrity status. We tend to put them on such a high pedestal that it often doesn’t register with us that we could meet them, let alone get to know them on a personal level. But on a rare occasion, it happens, just like people win the lottery, and the stories they get to tell range from amazing to absolutely regrettable.
They do say that it’s best to never meet your idol, so people under this popular thread shared their experiences meeting their heroes, proving or disproving this. Scroll down to check them out for yourself, and don’t forget to upvote your favorite stories!
- Read More: "It Made My Entire Life": 45 Times Meeting An Idol Went Better (Or Worse) Than Anyone Expected
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#1
Steve Irwin. My best friends mum worked at Australia Zoo as a ranger. We would get free passes every weekend and sometimes you’d see Steve walking around in the background, talking into his walkie talkie.
I remember one time there was a distraught lost child. Steve took him to the food court and told him that he could order anything he wanted. He really made that little kid feel safe.
The guy just had a heart of gold.
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#2
I’ve shared this story before but here it is again: back in 2016 I flew from Melbourne, Aus, to London to meet Carrie Fisher at a convention.
Growing up as a young, mentally ill woman, it was amazing to see someone as famous as her be so open about her struggles. I openly cry in front of her as I tell her how important she is to me, and she says “don’t cry sweetheart, you have such pretty eyes” which naturally, sets me off more.
I thank her profusely, head off to do some shopping, and return like 6 hours later to get my photo with her. She holds my hand again and says “you still have such pretty eyes” and it makes my entire life.
I miss her terribly.
#3
Many years ago my mom worked at restaurant near a little airport. I was waiting for her to get off work and knocked over a bunch of crayons (for kids coloring books) and this older guy helped me pick them up. I blurted out “You look like an older Indiana Jones!” He took a beat and said “That’s because I am,” and then walked away. Apparently it was actually Harrison Ford, which I didn’t find out until later that evening when my mom and I walked home.
#4
When I was a teenager I was really into MASH and Alan Alda. I read all his books and thought he was the coolest. On a family vacation to New York I ran into him in a bookstore! I think he was a bit confused to have such a young person be into his stuff, but he kindly shook my hand. Lovely guy.
#5
My aunt met Orlando Bloom back when they were filming the 2nd/3rd POTC movies. She knew I was absolutely obsessed with him so she approached him at the bar of the hotel that they were both staying at in the Bahamas (him to film the movies, her for family vacation) and asked for an autograph. As she tells it he was very sweet, chatted with her for a while, happily signed a cocktail napkin addressed to me (“To [name] ❤️ Orlando Bloom”), and even encouraged her to keep the pen he’d signed it with for me to have as a funny keepsake, it absolutely blew my middle school mind when she called me up to tell me about it. I still have that autograph (and the pen!!!).
#6
Met Robin Williams once. Suuuuper nice and so funny. Went out of his way to joke around with volunteers and will forever be one of my heroes.
#7
I met Muhammad Ali when I was seven years old (I was a white girl with gappy teeth an pigtails) and he made jokes when I told him that Ken Norton should have won their third fight (I was a brat but I still think that). He was so sweet to me. What made him the greatest was everything he did outside of the ring. He will always be the greatest to me.
#8
My idol turned out to be a groomer so here’s a positive story…. She’s not my idol but the most famous person I’ve come in contact with was Scarlett Johansen while working at Disney. She was actually pretty nice. I didn’t even notice it was ScarJo until midway thru serving her. We joked about ppl not being able to read signs and follow simple directions.
#9
I met Emma Thompson in a bar, one of the few people on earth I would call an idol. I was so nervous my hands were evidently shaking because she reached out and held them, smiled directly into my eyes the whole time we spoke, and gave me a big hug at the end. I was 35, an age where it’s not cute to be so awkward!, but she was an absolute class act of kindness and graciousness, I’ll never forget it.
#11
Woody Harrelson was visiting relatives and came into the library I work in. He was very funny and talked with everyone. Wanted to know what was going on in town. No one asked for photos or autographs - maybe that's why he stayed so long to chat with everyone. Not the experience that you asked for since it was so positive, but there it is.
#12
I served Will Ferrell and Adam Sandler on separate occasions at a bar in Mammoth Lakes, California. They were both incredibly nice and bought drinks for the entire staff and gave incredible tips.
#13
A very minor "meeting" experience but I'll share anyway. A few years ago I went to a (fantastic) talk by Jane Fonda, who is the closest thing to my "idol", and then waited afterwards with a group of people. Unfortunately those people were lunatics who, from listening to them, appeared to wait at any sort of celebrity event for autographs etc (genuinely, it seemed like a bizarre cult) and they were absolute bulldogs about getting her attention. I asked Jane for a photo, and she basically ignored me, but I think she was trying to get though those idiots as quickly as possible. Then she made a joke, and she heard me laugh so she looked right at me and smiled. Honestly, that made me happy enough!
In an ideal world she would've also taken a photo, but I'm rational enough to know I wasn't anyone special to her and she was doing the best she could. She didn't need to stop at all, she could've walked straight past us and gone home. I was mainly annoyed that the people who weren't specific fans got priority, but there's no way she could've known that.
#14
I wouldn't say "idol" but "hero" definitely - and I had the exact opposite experience.
I do some writing professionally, both as a journalist and in the entertainment world (book/film/theatre type stuff), and there's one particular writer who I've looked up to since I was a kid. She's one of the two people who inspired me to get into my niche, and I've studied her work to hone my own.
She was working on a new project a few years back, and I wound up interviewing her for a profile (sidebar: I'm not refusing to name her to try to be coy or get a "guessing game" going, but because there have only been a few interviews with her in the last few years, so saying who she is would be traceable to my real identity very quickly, lol). Just as we were starting the interview, she cut in before I could start asking questions and insisted on telling me that she had read a recent piece I'd written, how much she enjoyed my observations on a specific point, and how very talented she thought I was. I'm pretty sure I was a stammering mess at that point, but managed to tell her how her work is such an inspiration to mine, too. It was a very kind and generous moment. And she's actually kept in touch with me since then!
#15
Some cast members from The X-Files, and Arrow are a bit up their own [butts]. I won't say who, but it disappointed me a bit.
Not Scully though, she's just very professional.
#16
Spent some time with Gaga on a small set. She went around and introduced herself to all of the crew. (Maybe 10 people.) This was peak Gaga and she couldn’t have been nicer.
#17
Met Hanson via their fan club (yes, I know) which is a paid membership and you can get the chance at shows to be chosen to meet them. It was all of about. 2 minutes and they all seemed annoyed to be there, rude, dismissive. If you're going to take money from fans for a fan club and offer them chances to meet you, at least pretend to want to be there.
#18
2018 Allen Iverson, I was his cocktail server, he looked at me. And someone from his posse said “we don’t tip darkskins”. it was the most embarrassing day of my life still till this day… I cried.
#19
I met Andre Agassi at a tennis tournament. He was on a court practicing. He was engaging the whole crowd and answering questions. He was just a normal guy who happened to be an amazing tennis player. I can imagine him being just as chill in a backyard having a beer as he was practicing that day.
#20
Back in 2013 when I was 15 I paid $500 for a Justin Bieber meet and greet (stupid, I know). He arrived over an hour late and did not interact or acknowledge any of us. He stood like a statue wearing sunglasses while 100 very obsessed teenage girls rushed in posed for a photo and were rushed back out. It was over in about 5 seconds. Thinking back now the whole situation was realllly sad. We knew it would be a really quick thing but he arrived so late that his crew came in and was telling us all it wouldn’t be a meet and greet but “a photo opportunity”. It was sad that all of these young girls were soooo excited to meet him and had paid a lot of money to do so and he and his team literally didn’t have a single care at all.
I understand at the time he was going through a lot and since then he has apologised a lot for his various antics, but he has never really apologised to the thousands of young girls that wasted hundreds of dollars for what would be a really terrible and heart breaking experience. Since then I’ve remained a mild fan but I have always sustained the impression that he doesn’t like and has no drive for his career and resents his fans.
#21
Not my idol, but I saw Brendon Urie walking down the levee area after performing NYE in New Orleans. I LOVED panic! At the disco as a teen. He just walked right in front of me and I said “omg hi brendon, I love panic at the disco!” To which someone in his posse replied “it’s BREN-DEN” (I guess I said it too much like Bran-DON). Aight well [frick] y’all too then!
#22
Not an idol but someone I enjoyed watching…before all his conservative weirdo behavior became public knowledge.
Chris Pratt got an award from a student organization at my college and my (all-femme presenting) a cappella group was slated to perform for him during his campus tour. We were performing in the group’s clubhouse, and when the tour reached us he got sort of creepy and acted like the org hired us as [adult] workers. Basically like “oh you hired all these girls for me?” We had to nervously laugh it off and sing for him but it’s bothered me ever since.
#23
Not my idol but I met Kit Harrington (AKA Jon Snow) at a hotel bar and he was the nicest, sweetest, most patient person. Had a lovely chat and he let me take a photo with him. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau however, seemed irritated to be recognized and did not want to talk but he did let me get a photo with him. Also briefly met the producers and the actor who played Sam who was also an absolute darling. Started thanking me for watching the show. The show that literally ALL of America was obsessed with.
The actors were in town for a season three premier and I had attended an exclusive after party where they were supposed to show for meet and greets. Must have been tired because though I briefly saw Rose Leslie, no one else made an appearance.
#24
I was staying at a hotel in Orlando about 8 years ago and Tracy Morgan was apparently staying at the same hotel. He was in one of the common areas of the hotel with his family. This was about a year after his horrific crash with the Walmart truck. I went up to him and let him know that I was so glad he was ok and that I was so sorry for the loss of his friend. He was so very sweet and introduced me to his family. You could tell he was still recovering physically from the crash. He chatted with me for about 10 minutes and happily obliged when I asked to take a picture. I’ll never forget what he said to me that day. In regards to the crash he said. “I’m afraid I’m not going to be funny anymore.” That statement really broke my heart, but I’ll tell you something: I saw his show two years after that and he was hilarious! He has a fan for life.
#25
I went to a book signing by Judy Blume. The deal was if you bought her new book she would sign it. I bought the book, but also brought my copy of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing that I’d had since elementary school (I am in my late 30s). When I got up to her after waiting in line she was very annoyed that I asked her to sign the kids book. She turned to her publicist and said “I thought this was supposed to be about the adult novel!” And sort of chastised me for not buying the book and playing by the rules. I tried to show her that I had bought her new novel but just wanted her to sign my beloved old book instead, but she just scribbled off a signature while complaining and was like, “next!” I totally get that even the nicest folks can have bad days, but it was totally mortifying to me and I’m still not really over it.
#26
I met Billy Porter at Pittsburgh pride last year and he just acted very annoyed/didn’t want to be there. It was extremely hot that day so I’m trying to give him the benefit of the doubt but it was disappointing.
#27
I met J Smith-Cameron (Gerri Kellman on Succession) when she came to give a talk at my university a couple of weeks ago. She was vibrant, funny, and incredibly interesting - she was with her husband Kenneth Lonergan and talked all about her career acting in New York and her experience on Succession. They took questions from the audience for almost an hour and were just so friendly and warm (and she is gorgeous in person too!)
11/10 experience, Gerri has my vote for CEO, let’s see Mole Woman win the whole thing.
#28
Not my idol & actually a happy story - i was once waiting to be served at east london coffee shop when i realised the tall hipster beside me was russell brand. i loved russell brand & was a massive fan of his radio show. i stood there nervously wondering if i should say something when the barista came over and asked "are you two together?"
without missing a beat, russell replied "Ah, she's not happy but we're working things out".
i'm not a fan of his beliefs nowadays and unfollowed him on insta but i'll never forget this tiny little interaction that made my work morning / week.
#29
Tyra Banks is a nightmare to service people, but I feel like a lot of people know that already.
*maybe I should say was because my story is from over 15 years ago and she could’ve changed???
#30
Never idolize mortals.
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