30 Awkward Moments Caused By Not Knowing Who Was In Front Of Them

"If I were in a situation where I was talking to a celebrity and didn't realize who they were, I would simply continue the conversation as if they were any other person," celebrity expert Mike, Hollywood's Ultimate Insider, told Bored Panda.

"I would treat them with the same respect and courtesy that I would extend to anyone else. If I eventually found out that they were a celebrity, I would still maintain a professional and respectful demeanor," he said.

"To avoid embarrassment in such a situation, it is important to focus on the conversation and the person you are speaking with, rather than their celebrity status. It is also helpful to keep an open mind and be prepared to learn from the experience."

According to Mike, celebrities should always keep in mind that they're constantly in the public eye—fans can (and do) approach them at any time.

"They should be gracious and polite when interacting with fans, even if they are not feeling their best," the expert explained the right etiquette to us.

"Celebrities should also be aware of their surroundings and take steps to ensure their safety, such as traveling with security or being mindful of their personal space. Ultimately, celebrities have a responsibility to set a positive example for their fans and the public, and they should strive to do so in all their interactions, whether in public or private."

It can be absolutely mortifying to realize that you’ve been speaking to a star without even realizing it—especially if you’ve said or done something foolish. And, look, the fact of the matter is that nobody really enjoys feeling like they’ve embarrassed themselves.

All of us want to be adored and respected by our peers (even if we sometimes pretend like we’re above it), so finding ourselves in a situation where we’ve made a mistake, in public, isn’t how we imagine having a good time. Imagine if someone famous you’ve been looking up to all of your life was to think you’re a tad weird. The horror! Fortunately, it’s not the end of the world.

If you’re ever in an awkward situation, you essentially have three options open to you. You can ignore reality and desperately pretend that nothing embarrassing happened. You can quickly mumble an excuse and physically extract yourself from the situation (possibly replaying the interaction in your head all day afterward). Or you can do the mature but uncomfortable thing: slow down, feel whatever messy feelings and chaotic thoughts are raging inside you, and embrace them.

As we’ve covered on Bored Panda before, by accepting what’s happened and showing everyone that you were slightly embarrassed by it all, you’re (somewhat ironic) improving your reputation among the people who saw you mess up. It’s counterintuitive but it works! It also improves your emotional resilience.

We tend to like people more if they admit to their mistakes and have a good sense of humor. Contrast that with folks who are such perfectionists that they deny they’ve made any mistake at all. Or individuals who run away at the slightest sign of social discomfort. Honesty and straightforwardness will help you make more friends than pretense.

Besides, by dealing with your embarrassment here and now, you’re stopping it from strengthening and morphing into shame now. Better a bit of social discomfort and a quick apology to your fave celeb for being a clutz/jerk/having the emotional intelligence of a rusty spoon, than spending the next few years cringing every time you think back to what happened. By being humble and communicative, we have the power to solve quite a few issues!

Odds are that if you’re polite and say ‘sorry’ for any real or perceived slight, the celeb is bound to accept your apology. The best stars are graceful and gracious—they know that not everything will go smoothly in public, but they know how to stay cool under pressure. Besides, they probably know that not everyone will recognize them.

The average person spends most of their time worrying about how others will perceive them instead of really noticing who’s around them. Tom Brady or Joe Biden might come into your coffee shop and you might not recognize them because they’re physically in a different context than you’re used to seeing them, so you think they’re simply lookalikes.

Or they might be wearing clothes that you’re not seeing them in. In short, we don’t live our lives expecting to stumble across Barack Obama or Tony Hawk while we’re out shopping for groceries. But if you do spot them, be courteous, treat them like any other human being (i.e. be polite and kind), but feel free to compliment their work and/or achievements if you feel it's appropriate. Don't gush, but don't be aloof, either.

We’d love to hear some of your own stories about meeting well-known people you didn’t even realize were (semi)famous, dear Pandas. Drop by the comments to share your experiences. And we’re curious about which of these posts you enjoyed the most. Be sure to share your opinions.

For some more stories about people who had no idea who the heck they were talking to, check out Bored Panda's earlier post right over here.