They say that you shouldn’t ever meet your heroes, but we wholeheartedly disagree. Wholesome is as wholesome does. And there are plenty of celebrities and stars who are full to the brim with love, life, laughter, and kindness.
The past couple of years have been incredibly tough for many of us Pandas, so we’re all in need of some heart-warming things to keep us going. Thankfully, Twitter comes to the rescue in the form of some of the most soul-healing encounters that people had with celebs that prove they’re some of the most kind-hearted people on Planet Earth.
Get ready to have your heart grow three sizes today, Pandas! Scroll down to read some of the best moments people had with stars and upvote the stories that made your Happiness Index go all the way to 11. There are plenty of smiles to go around here—enough for everyone.
Bored Panda reached out to entertainment, pop culture, and lifestyle expert Mike Sington, known as Hollywood's Ultimate Insider, for a chat about meeting stars in real life. Mike noted that we should do our best to put aside any and all expectations about our heroes. "When meeting a celebrity in person, get rid of all expectations. Expectations can just lead to disappointment. Some celebrities are just like they seem on screen, some are not. You’ll most likely have the best encounter if you go into it with zero expectations." Read on for my full interview.
Image credits: Doug_Tilley
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Celebrity expert Mike suggested that we do our best to be genuine and natural before meeting someone famous. "Stay grounded and be yourself, it’s really just a situation of a person meeting a person. Keep it that way and you’ll keep the celebrity comfortable. You don’t want to scare them off!" he explained to Bored Panda that it's best to simply be yourself. It might sound hard when you consider what our beloved stars have accomplished in life, however, they're still human beings like you and me.
According to the expert, being polite can help create a positive encounter with a celebrity. "We tend to think celebrities are just being nice and kind because we think they have to do that to be successful. After all, who wants to admire a miserable celebrity? What we fail to realize is most celebrities are genuinely nice and kind, and you can definitely take advantage of that by being nice and kind yourself. That’s what creates a positive celebrity encounter," he said.
Such a great lady. She has a book club for children that my grandsons are apart of.
Mike also had some advice for any of you Pandas who might feel a bit nervous walking up to your favorite stars. "Celebrities have no problem being admired by their fans! Keep that in mind if you run into your favorite star. They know meeting fans, and interacting with them, comes with the territory, and is part of their chosen profession," he told Bored Panda.
"If you’re feeling nervous, just think to yourself, ‘This person is a star because of me. This person is successful because of me. I actually pay their salary by purchasing, or viewing, or listening to what they produce.’ Then go for it, as long as your timing is right and you’re not interrupting a personal or work moment," he noted that we still have to be mindful that we're not intruding.
I had the pleasure of meeting Tom Hiddleston after a performance of Betrayal in the West End. He came out the stage door to sign programmes and take photos with fans every night after the show - not just doing a few scribbles as he made his way out, but arranged with the theatre to put a queuing system in place and he came out specifically for some time to meet people every evening before going back inside. There was no requirement or obligation for him to do that - he's just lovely and seems to genuinely appreciate the position he's in.
I've heard - or read - numerous stories about how nice Tom Hiddleston is.
*Writes a whole paragraph about Chris but only writes a sentence for Tom*
He will remember that always. Movie stars have a responsibility to their public, because a lot of the public looks up to movie stars.
I can't get over thinking Chris Evans is an amazing cyborg that has us all fooled. He's just this close to looking like plastic. Even his name is so generic, I can never remember it. Nice guy and all...but sometimes I wonder....
Some time ago, celebrity and pop culture expert Mike explained to Bored Panda the dynamic between celebrities and their fans. Mike has met, quite literally, hundreds of stars during his decades-long career in Hollywood, and he’s been left with lots of positive experiences. In his words, the vast majority of celebs have been kind, gracious, and friendly.
Mike explained that stars know quite a bit about how their fans feel meeting them, so they go the extra mile to be nice to them. It works as an antidote to all the nervousness.
“Don’t be afraid to meet a celebrity! The majority are smart business people, and they realize their fans who watch their TV shows, stream their music, and buy tickets to movies and concerts, are paying their salaries. They want to be nice to you!” celeb expert Mike, from LA, explained that it’s in the stars’ best interest to be as nice as they can be. However, this doesn’t change the fact that many celebrities are genuinely kind.
“In my experience, the one constant I’ve noticed is the bigger the star, the nicer the celebrity. The established stars have it down and understand the importance of the celebrity/fan relationship. You usually only have a problem with the newer, up-and-coming stars. They at times don’t get it and may think they’re too good to interact with you. This attitude often backfires, and they realize if they want longevity, it’s actually not that hard to be nice,” he told Bored Panda.
Something that newer celebrities need to remember (and sometimes veteran stars need to be reminded of) is that they are always, always, always in the public eye. Even when they think that they aren’t. Nearly everyone’s walking around with a smartphone in hand or in their pocket, so celebrities need to be mindful that their every movement is being photographed, filmed, tracked.
Stars need to adapt to a mindset that means they’re always on display to the entire world. “So it does take some conscious effort on the celebrity’s part to be nice, just knowing every interaction, and everything they’re doing in public can be recorded. For some celebrities, in fact, I’d say most celebrities, being nice comes naturally. It doesn’t take any special effort, because it’s who they are as a person,” Mike said.
I bet it's now worth more than some art masterpieces. It was done by a master after all.
During another interview with Mike, I was very interested to learn about how working professionals and fans should interact with celebrities who come and eat at, say, a local restaurant. What’s more, even though most stars are wonderful people, some might be rude, so it’s best to know what to do in those extremely rare cases, too.
“It’s always best to stay professional at work, of course, and that includes trying to be pleasant. Having said that, no one deserves to be mistreated. If a celebrity, or anyone, is being especially rude, as a server I would step away and let my manager know,” Mike told Bored Panda.
So sad that many of these are the RIP category. The world is a much poorer place than it was a decade ago with most of these guys around.
“Any professional manager would intervene, to the point of even possibly asking the celebrity to leave. The celebrity knows everyone has a camera, and they probably don’t want that sort of scene recorded and posted,” the celeb expert revealed that (nearly) every star knows that they’re in the public eye and they want to avoid causing a scene.
I met him once. In a convenience store,it middle of the country, in NC. EVIDENTLY, he liked to stop and use the grass airstrip behind it, and was friends with some folks locally. I was gobsmacked at the sight of him, and of course he noticed my jaw agape, and lifted one finger in a shush, I said nothing. When Indiana Jones shushes you, you shush. Absolutely true.
Mike suggested that fans who are simply dying to meet their heroes should avoid approaching them while they’re still enjoying their food. “Never interact with a star while they’re actually dining at a restaurant. The worst thing you can do is interrupt their meal,” he noted that we should be mindful of these well-known individuals, no matter how much we’d like their autograph, a selfie, or to tell them how much we love their work. Patience is a virtue!
Tapestry was part of the music of my teenage years. One of the best albums I've ever heard. My favorite from that is "Coat of Many Colors".
According to Mike, once the star has left their table and has started going to their car is a good moment for fans to approach them. “An especially good time is if they’re just standing around waiting for the valet. Then, they’re likely to actually appreciate a fan encounter because it’s flattering and helps fill the time. A simple, ‘I really admire your work. Could I get a picture with you, please?’ is all you need. Keep it short, simple, and polite.”
Saying the whole time, "This land is my land! This land is your land!"
Note: this post originally had 64 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Went to a Star TREK TOS convention, back in the day. Just as my 7yo daughter got to the front of the line for a full-cast autograph, a collector pushed her out of the way to get to the first star, with a stack of photos to sign. Jimmy Doohan became FURIOUS, refused to sign his photos, told the rest of the cast to do the same, and my daughter happily sat in his lap, signing autographs for about 30 minutes. She got her signed picture AND spent time with her Dad's heroes. Jimmy Doohan, for the win.
James Doohan was a really nice guy. He lived near us in Washington State and you would see him screaming down I-405 or Hwy 520 in his Black Merkur Scorpio with a license plate that said "Doo Fame" on it. My husband and his co-workers would see him the the Redmond QFC from time to time. He was always gracious and a sweetheart whenever he saw them because he knew they were Star Trek junkies.
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Simon Tofield (as in Simon's Cat) was autographing one of his books and I only found his table when they were already packing up to leave, he saw me clutching the book and turning around as I realised I was too late, so he called me over, signed the book (and drew the cat chasing a bee) and asked one of the assistants to get me a free t-shirt!
DuchessDegu, that's a very nice story! :) Thank you for sharing.
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I have MS and get tired very easily, so on days out, I often use my wheelchair just so I can sit but still get around and see things. I was at a convention in 2018 and had a photo op with Denis Lawson. I'd been in my chair while queueing, but stood up to have the photo taken. As I was standing, I caught my foot on a footplace and staggered a little. Denis stepped forward to catch me and led me to the right place for the photograph. I asked if we could stand in a dance hold, so he held me close in a ballroom hold, then began to sway gently back and forth - very nice. When the photo was done, he kept hold of my hand and carefully escorted me back to my chair and helped me into it. I felt a fraud, as I can walk well unaided (I'd just caught my toe earlier) but I wasn't about to say 'no thanks, you can let go' any sooner than I had to.
My hubster has met horror movie greats, and rock greats, and the most I can say is "I met a few writers and Sissy Spacek and I buy the same brand of olive oil", LOL!
Sissy Spacek is an amazing actress. I would be so happy to be able to meet her.
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True but gratitude can be a big factor in how public figures treat people. One of the world's brightest stars Dolly Parton believes we can all be stars in our own way and in our or someone else's world. Affection and humour can go a long way, and people who have these qualities tend to go far too.
Load More Replies... How nice to know that celebrities remember where they come from and that their fans are one of the reasons for their success! They do still have to work hard for their money and deserve their privacy.
I’ve met Bruce Campbell twice during his book tours, the first time in November 2001 and the second time on June 22, 2005, which also happened to be his 47th birthday. The staff had brought him a cake and Bruce offered me the first piece. Super awesome guy!!!
In the 90s we were on a flight back from Cancun. I woke up to find my aunt talking with Jim Belushi. He stood in the aisle for 20 more minutes and only went back to his seat because we were getting ready to land. Wish I'd been older to join the conversation. Ever since then I watched my aunt like a hawk to learn how to converse with anyone anywhere-very useful skill.
When I was a young child, my Nan took me to a local corner shop and Noel Edmonds was there. She turned around to find him chatting with me in my pushchair. I didn't really know who he was but he was just a nice, down-to-Earth man
Part 2 con't "Did I get you the right color? I was a little worried you weren't going to like it". "I loved it! Purple is my favorite!" "Santa's" wife came over to me with her cell phone & showed me a photo. "This is my actual husband at his retirement job" she said. It was a photo of Santa Claus in traditional Red Santa outfit, at a mall display, with a child on his lap, posing for pix. It's the closest I ever came to meeting someone really famous!!!
My roommate and I went to a convention and met Colin Baker, who played the Sixth Doctor in Doctor Who. His Doctor gets a bad wrap for being pretty crappy and narcissistic, however Colin Baker was anything but. The person in front of us presented him with fan art of his Doctor with a character only known in the radio dramas the BBC started putting out, and he got slightly emotional over it. The actress who played the character had recently passed and he said he wished he could show it to her. When it was our turn I gave him a cat shaped lapel pin (the only things Mr. Baker was allowed to choose for his nightmare of a costume WERE the cat lapel pins he wore, all from his personal collection) and he told me "I shall wear it with pride", in a very sincere way.
I was on a trolley tour into Sabino Canyon Park, Tucson, Arizona with my 4 year old granddaughter. She saw a fellow visitor sitting with his spouse. The man was about 70 years old, wearing full "hiking mode" clothes. He was Caucasian, had Snow White, curly hair past his shoulders, full beard to mid-chest, & wore wire-rimmed glasses. "Grandma, I'm pretty sure that man is Santa Claus! Do you think it would be ok to go talk to him? He's not REALLY a stranger", she said. "Go ahead", I replied. When the trolley stopped & folks were disembarking, She approached the man with total confidence & said, "Hello Santa! I just wanted to thank you for the two-wheeler bike you gave me last Christmas." "Santa" got down to her eye-level & said, "Did ""Did
My dad used to work at a hotel as a chef. He told us that he met James Conner and showed us a photo from his phone. It was actually real.
I am normally SO non-aggressive, especially when I was younger. Literally the ONLY time I ever shoved someone for running into me ("What's your PROBLEM, Buddy?"), or really EVER did anything other than de-escalate a physical confrontation, it turned out to be Corey Feldman. I then realized he was literally running away from screaming fans.
Met Tom Skerritt in an airport lounge (not a VIP lounge). He shared his newspaper with me. I had just watched the first episode of Bothers and Sisters and said it was a drag that they killed off his character in the very first episode. He shrugged and said that's just the way things go. The airline hostess came to ask him if he'd rather move to the VIP lounge (she likely thought I was bugging him even though I just sat reading the paper with him). He said he was fine where he was. Very chill guy.
How can there be such horror stories from Hollywood, yet there can be such utterly wholesome stories from actors as kind and genuine as those in this post??
When I was in high school (Catholic) we had a field trip to the Bayview Playhouse in Toronto to see the musical "Godspell".This was 1973. At one point in the "intermission" the audience was invited up on stage to share juice and cookies with the cast. Mind you, this was part of the play, but the wonderful reputations these people have decades later speaks volumes. Juice and cookies with Gilda Radner, Martin Short and Eugene Levy. I look back and have to pinch myself that I had that wonderful opportunity. RIP Gilda Radner. Even after all these years, such a loss.
i met Cowboy Kenny on my 6th birthday in Montgomery, AL at a country music festival. according to my mom, a few of the artists loved me. she also said that they picked me up, held me, and i think one or two gave me a kiss on the cheek (not in a weird way). it was really fun
At one of the big New York Star Trek conventions, I got hugged by Nichelle Nicols. I was waiting in line at her table, to get an autograph and buy her record (a little45, remember those?) As she walked by me I was struck by her beauty and blurted out, without thinking about it, "You're so beautiful!" She smiled and laughed a bit, said "Thank you1" and stepped forward and hugged me. Her security detail was pissed, tho. She was beautiful on the inside as well as the outside. How many decades ago was that? I don't even recall.
Somehow I ended up driving the van for Michael Dukakis (as a young kid with no real political clout and connections) and he jumped in and introduced himself and asked me questions like I was the most astute political analyst on the planet. I offered pretty little really, but he was incredibly down to earth and sensitive and really made me feel valued. He was an engaging and thoughtful leader.
why am I at my desk on Monday morning crying? Damn you, feel good lists!
I met Kiefer Sutherland outside of one of his concerts in 2016. He stopped to indulge this fangirl, and when I told him Behind The Red Door was my favorite of his films he said that was a great choice. He was also very patient while my mother fumbled with the camera on my phone because she was nervous knowing I was standing side by side with one of my favorite celebrities. Mark Sheppard recognised me from one convention to the next, several months apart. That meant a lot considering how many people he must meet. Also met Ben Platt after one of his shows in 2019. I asked him for a hug, and he embraced me like we were old friends.
I was at a party in Athens, Georgia in the very early 90's. There was a guy standing alone at the party. He looked awkward and wasn't talking to anyone. I looked at my boyfriend and we both realized it was Michael Stipe from REM. We walked over to him and we ended up just shooting the breeze about anything and everything for about an hour. He was really down to earth. You could tell he was a little shy but he was happy to hang out with us. I've been a huge fan of REM since I was 15 and meeting him was one of the coolest things I'd ever experienced.
One thing I've always thought is, regardless of whether or not I agree with some of these people, whether it be with politics, religion, or even just film/television opinions, I'd happily still meet some of them and get to know them and their personality, see if they're kind or not. Just because you don't agree somewhere doesn't mean you can't find a common ground and agree there and relate to that.
I was at the Burbank Airport one afternoon waiting to fly to Seattle. I was amazed to see a sign for Zimbabwe or Zambezi or somewhere in Africa. I was sitting on a set of bleachers which I thought was weird at an airport, when I was suddenly surround by all these people. When I mentioned my surprise at the podunk airport flying to Africa they all started laughing and told me they were filming The Worlds Greatest Athlete. They asked me to be part of the airport crowd in the movie and we talked until my flight was announced. Disney studios is located in the same area and I had run ins with people who once were involved in animating the classic fils or colorizing the black and white films that was popular in the 80's. Coming home I accidentally booked my flight into LAX instead of Burbank. Spent the time waiting for my ride sitting next to a guy with a 4 foot long machete. I miss those days where traveling was such an adventure. And no one wore bombs in their tighty whiteys.
I worked at an ad agency and one of the local sports caster/news guys came walking down the hall. I was the Creative Secretary for the groups of Art Directors and Production people. One of the Art Directors was a huge fan of this guy walking down the hall. So I stopped him and said "Edward talks about you all the time. Can I get your autograph for him?" So this guy relies "Who the hell is Edward?" I had him write that. I had worked with Edward at a place that was mostly women. I'll never forget the day he returned to the break room with about 10 boxes of feminine products and one huge bottle of ketchup. I just had to ask if anyone looked at him kind of weird and I guess he hadn't noticed with all the other crap he restocked. The autograph was a going away present as he was going to LA to pursue his advertising talents.
I got to meet smudge the cat in Ontario once. He was sweet and as soft as you would think.
Went to a Star TREK TOS convention, back in the day. Just as my 7yo daughter got to the front of the line for a full-cast autograph, a collector pushed her out of the way to get to the first star, with a stack of photos to sign. Jimmy Doohan became FURIOUS, refused to sign his photos, told the rest of the cast to do the same, and my daughter happily sat in his lap, signing autographs for about 30 minutes. She got her signed picture AND spent time with her Dad's heroes. Jimmy Doohan, for the win.
James Doohan was a really nice guy. He lived near us in Washington State and you would see him screaming down I-405 or Hwy 520 in his Black Merkur Scorpio with a license plate that said "Doo Fame" on it. My husband and his co-workers would see him the the Redmond QFC from time to time. He was always gracious and a sweetheart whenever he saw them because he knew they were Star Trek junkies.
Load More Replies... Simon Tofield (as in Simon's Cat) was autographing one of his books and I only found his table when they were already packing up to leave, he saw me clutching the book and turning around as I realised I was too late, so he called me over, signed the book (and drew the cat chasing a bee) and asked one of the assistants to get me a free t-shirt!
DuchessDegu, that's a very nice story! :) Thank you for sharing.
Load More Replies... I have MS and get tired very easily, so on days out, I often use my wheelchair just so I can sit but still get around and see things. I was at a convention in 2018 and had a photo op with Denis Lawson. I'd been in my chair while queueing, but stood up to have the photo taken. As I was standing, I caught my foot on a footplace and staggered a little. Denis stepped forward to catch me and led me to the right place for the photograph. I asked if we could stand in a dance hold, so he held me close in a ballroom hold, then began to sway gently back and forth - very nice. When the photo was done, he kept hold of my hand and carefully escorted me back to my chair and helped me into it. I felt a fraud, as I can walk well unaided (I'd just caught my toe earlier) but I wasn't about to say 'no thanks, you can let go' any sooner than I had to.
My hubster has met horror movie greats, and rock greats, and the most I can say is "I met a few writers and Sissy Spacek and I buy the same brand of olive oil", LOL!
Sissy Spacek is an amazing actress. I would be so happy to be able to meet her.
Load More Replies... True but gratitude can be a big factor in how public figures treat people. One of the world's brightest stars Dolly Parton believes we can all be stars in our own way and in our or someone else's world. Affection and humour can go a long way, and people who have these qualities tend to go far too.
Load More Replies... How nice to know that celebrities remember where they come from and that their fans are one of the reasons for their success! They do still have to work hard for their money and deserve their privacy.
I’ve met Bruce Campbell twice during his book tours, the first time in November 2001 and the second time on June 22, 2005, which also happened to be his 47th birthday. The staff had brought him a cake and Bruce offered me the first piece. Super awesome guy!!!
In the 90s we were on a flight back from Cancun. I woke up to find my aunt talking with Jim Belushi. He stood in the aisle for 20 more minutes and only went back to his seat because we were getting ready to land. Wish I'd been older to join the conversation. Ever since then I watched my aunt like a hawk to learn how to converse with anyone anywhere-very useful skill.
When I was a young child, my Nan took me to a local corner shop and Noel Edmonds was there. She turned around to find him chatting with me in my pushchair. I didn't really know who he was but he was just a nice, down-to-Earth man
Part 2 con't "Did I get you the right color? I was a little worried you weren't going to like it". "I loved it! Purple is my favorite!" "Santa's" wife came over to me with her cell phone & showed me a photo. "This is my actual husband at his retirement job" she said. It was a photo of Santa Claus in traditional Red Santa outfit, at a mall display, with a child on his lap, posing for pix. It's the closest I ever came to meeting someone really famous!!!
My roommate and I went to a convention and met Colin Baker, who played the Sixth Doctor in Doctor Who. His Doctor gets a bad wrap for being pretty crappy and narcissistic, however Colin Baker was anything but. The person in front of us presented him with fan art of his Doctor with a character only known in the radio dramas the BBC started putting out, and he got slightly emotional over it. The actress who played the character had recently passed and he said he wished he could show it to her. When it was our turn I gave him a cat shaped lapel pin (the only things Mr. Baker was allowed to choose for his nightmare of a costume WERE the cat lapel pins he wore, all from his personal collection) and he told me "I shall wear it with pride", in a very sincere way.
I was on a trolley tour into Sabino Canyon Park, Tucson, Arizona with my 4 year old granddaughter. She saw a fellow visitor sitting with his spouse. The man was about 70 years old, wearing full "hiking mode" clothes. He was Caucasian, had Snow White, curly hair past his shoulders, full beard to mid-chest, & wore wire-rimmed glasses. "Grandma, I'm pretty sure that man is Santa Claus! Do you think it would be ok to go talk to him? He's not REALLY a stranger", she said. "Go ahead", I replied. When the trolley stopped & folks were disembarking, She approached the man with total confidence & said, "Hello Santa! I just wanted to thank you for the two-wheeler bike you gave me last Christmas." "Santa" got down to her eye-level & said, "Did ""Did
My dad used to work at a hotel as a chef. He told us that he met James Conner and showed us a photo from his phone. It was actually real.
I am normally SO non-aggressive, especially when I was younger. Literally the ONLY time I ever shoved someone for running into me ("What's your PROBLEM, Buddy?"), or really EVER did anything other than de-escalate a physical confrontation, it turned out to be Corey Feldman. I then realized he was literally running away from screaming fans.
Met Tom Skerritt in an airport lounge (not a VIP lounge). He shared his newspaper with me. I had just watched the first episode of Bothers and Sisters and said it was a drag that they killed off his character in the very first episode. He shrugged and said that's just the way things go. The airline hostess came to ask him if he'd rather move to the VIP lounge (she likely thought I was bugging him even though I just sat reading the paper with him). He said he was fine where he was. Very chill guy.
How can there be such horror stories from Hollywood, yet there can be such utterly wholesome stories from actors as kind and genuine as those in this post??
When I was in high school (Catholic) we had a field trip to the Bayview Playhouse in Toronto to see the musical "Godspell".This was 1973. At one point in the "intermission" the audience was invited up on stage to share juice and cookies with the cast. Mind you, this was part of the play, but the wonderful reputations these people have decades later speaks volumes. Juice and cookies with Gilda Radner, Martin Short and Eugene Levy. I look back and have to pinch myself that I had that wonderful opportunity. RIP Gilda Radner. Even after all these years, such a loss.
i met Cowboy Kenny on my 6th birthday in Montgomery, AL at a country music festival. according to my mom, a few of the artists loved me. she also said that they picked me up, held me, and i think one or two gave me a kiss on the cheek (not in a weird way). it was really fun
At one of the big New York Star Trek conventions, I got hugged by Nichelle Nicols. I was waiting in line at her table, to get an autograph and buy her record (a little45, remember those?) As she walked by me I was struck by her beauty and blurted out, without thinking about it, "You're so beautiful!" She smiled and laughed a bit, said "Thank you1" and stepped forward and hugged me. Her security detail was pissed, tho. She was beautiful on the inside as well as the outside. How many decades ago was that? I don't even recall.
Somehow I ended up driving the van for Michael Dukakis (as a young kid with no real political clout and connections) and he jumped in and introduced himself and asked me questions like I was the most astute political analyst on the planet. I offered pretty little really, but he was incredibly down to earth and sensitive and really made me feel valued. He was an engaging and thoughtful leader.
why am I at my desk on Monday morning crying? Damn you, feel good lists!
I met Kiefer Sutherland outside of one of his concerts in 2016. He stopped to indulge this fangirl, and when I told him Behind The Red Door was my favorite of his films he said that was a great choice. He was also very patient while my mother fumbled with the camera on my phone because she was nervous knowing I was standing side by side with one of my favorite celebrities. Mark Sheppard recognised me from one convention to the next, several months apart. That meant a lot considering how many people he must meet. Also met Ben Platt after one of his shows in 2019. I asked him for a hug, and he embraced me like we were old friends.
I was at a party in Athens, Georgia in the very early 90's. There was a guy standing alone at the party. He looked awkward and wasn't talking to anyone. I looked at my boyfriend and we both realized it was Michael Stipe from REM. We walked over to him and we ended up just shooting the breeze about anything and everything for about an hour. He was really down to earth. You could tell he was a little shy but he was happy to hang out with us. I've been a huge fan of REM since I was 15 and meeting him was one of the coolest things I'd ever experienced.
One thing I've always thought is, regardless of whether or not I agree with some of these people, whether it be with politics, religion, or even just film/television opinions, I'd happily still meet some of them and get to know them and their personality, see if they're kind or not. Just because you don't agree somewhere doesn't mean you can't find a common ground and agree there and relate to that.
I was at the Burbank Airport one afternoon waiting to fly to Seattle. I was amazed to see a sign for Zimbabwe or Zambezi or somewhere in Africa. I was sitting on a set of bleachers which I thought was weird at an airport, when I was suddenly surround by all these people. When I mentioned my surprise at the podunk airport flying to Africa they all started laughing and told me they were filming The Worlds Greatest Athlete. They asked me to be part of the airport crowd in the movie and we talked until my flight was announced. Disney studios is located in the same area and I had run ins with people who once were involved in animating the classic fils or colorizing the black and white films that was popular in the 80's. Coming home I accidentally booked my flight into LAX instead of Burbank. Spent the time waiting for my ride sitting next to a guy with a 4 foot long machete. I miss those days where traveling was such an adventure. And no one wore bombs in their tighty whiteys.
I worked at an ad agency and one of the local sports caster/news guys came walking down the hall. I was the Creative Secretary for the groups of Art Directors and Production people. One of the Art Directors was a huge fan of this guy walking down the hall. So I stopped him and said "Edward talks about you all the time. Can I get your autograph for him?" So this guy relies "Who the hell is Edward?" I had him write that. I had worked with Edward at a place that was mostly women. I'll never forget the day he returned to the break room with about 10 boxes of feminine products and one huge bottle of ketchup. I just had to ask if anyone looked at him kind of weird and I guess he hadn't noticed with all the other crap he restocked. The autograph was a going away present as he was going to LA to pursue his advertising talents.
I got to meet smudge the cat in Ontario once. He was sweet and as soft as you would think.
