Talk to Celebrities
Picture this: You're walking down the street and suddenly you see your favourite celebrity walking by! How do you behave around a celebrity? How do you behave like a normal fan? How do you ask them for an autograph? Simply read on!
Note: this page assumes that you are meeting a random celebrity randomly, not at a planned event like a meet-and-greet or convention.
Steps
- Nonchalantly approach him or her. Stay composed. Don't start freaking out and start screaming. You might scare the person away. Just because they're celebrities doesn't mean they enjoy hearing fans scream in their face. Try not to act too suspicious either.
- Try to make eye contact and smile. Doing this will give you confidence and you will be able to hold your nerves. It will acknowledge your presence and let them know, "Hey! I'm here and interested!" Remember to smile; it will make you seem friendly and approachable. Try not to smile so long that it creeps them out, though.
- Wait for your cue. If s/he acknowledges it with a similar nonverbal gesture, it's your cue to say, "Hey there. How are you?" or something along those lines. If s/he ignores you, give it up and walk away. S/he probably does not want to be bothered. If they reply, start your conversation.
- Talk about regular stuff. Try to talk about ordinary everyday things, things you would talk about to any other person. Ensure that the conversation has a significant purpose and you're not just chitchatting. Don't bother asking them about the weather or something boring.
- Keep it brief. They don't have all the time in the world, and as much as they love their fans, they'd most likely rather not hear your life story. Talk for a couple minutes and then end the conversation. You may want to think of a backup thing to say before you ever meet a celebrity, therefore you won't panic, and will already know what to say. If you really idolize this person, keep the conversation short, but never boring. Try to make it something they remember, considering they probably see hundreds of other fans a day.
- Make sure that you close the conversation, not her/him. Don't talk for a long time if she/he doesn't seem interested. Example: "It was really nice talking to you, but I have to go. Would you mind signing this little sheet of paper for me?"
- Remember to thank them. If she/he obliges, say "Thank you" and walk away with a little wave.
- Don't get mad if they won't give your their autograph. If she/he refuses, say "Oh well, that's okay. I still enjoyed meeting you. Have a nice day." A graceful ending is always best.
- Don't ask for a phone number or address. They will most likely deny. They may feel like it is an invasion of privacy, and it will make the situation feel awkward.
Tips
- Be polite and respectful.
- Treat him like you would treat any other person you meet in public. We are all human.
- Remember: as much as we know their names and a bunch of other trivial information about them, we do not know them! Don't expect him to act upon your own expectations and impression of him, judging only from public information which may not be accurate at all.
- Some people don't like talking about their work unless it's something to be proud of, so be generic in your conversation.
- If you're wondering where to go to possibly talk to a celebrity or two, (Maybe if you're lucky, more!) go to sites like Stickam, MySpace, or search online and check to see if the celebrity is going anywhere for an interview on a show, a signing, or anything along the lines. Also, you could listen to the radio to see if the celebrity is at a concert if he or she is a singer because some radio stations have contests where you can meet celebrities.
- If she/he compliments you, say "thank you." Don't be brash or conceited about yourself, because they don't know us either.
- Don't talk like a journalist. Talk as if you are talking to your
- friend. They don't want to be interrogated. If you're a journalist, do not write about your casual, nonchalant conversation to the public. It's not your job to transcribe random meet-ups.
- Get to know him or her, but don't be a stalker. Try to talk to them about their career. Ask general questions like "How did you become such a professional?" or tell them how much you like her/him.
- Don't be creepy.
- Do not act over excited and always stay composed.
- Don't think they are any more important of a person than you are.
- Be natural, don't be too obvious and too plastic, just treat them normally.
- Maintain your composure. They'll appreciate it.
- Act normal, as if you are with a friend or a family member.
- Never approach a celebrity if they are with family or are with other people, like at a restaurant or any other place with other people. It would be rude, as they are enjoying private time possibly with family or friends. Only approach them in a public place, when they are not around lots of other people.
- Sometimes they are very busy and need to be handed a pen. In this case, walk right up to them and politely ask for a picture or autograph!
Warnings
- Don't scream.
- Remember the Golden Rule. Treat others how you want to be treated.
- Don't go calling up a bunch of your friends to come and meet the celebrity; it will just make him/her uncomfortable.
- Don't follow him/her.
- Never approach a celebrity in a restaurant or bar while he's eating, especially if he's with someone special.
- If they are busy, it is probably better just to let them go and thank them for their time. Many people have celebrities they want to meet, but only a few get to accomplish that goal!
- Don't discuss gossip and rumors.
- Be aware of posers who pretend to be a celebrity. Look for things that say it's an official page of the celebrity. Most official pages have a mark that says it's official. They'd have pictures of photos that aren't photos you'd find easily on the internet, and video and/or audio of them.
- Never question his personal life.
- Lose the camera. It's not a photo shoot. How would you feel if someone constantly flashed photos at you for no apparent reason?
- You also have to watch for which city you're in, too. In some countries, when a celebrity is in a big city, they can still be seen in public with no huge reactions, even if you're Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, or Justin Bieber. So in those cases, a normal conversation like you would with your friend would suffice, and it those cities, it is hard to draw big crowds; but in smaller towns, then you can be quite warm and draw more interest from others. The opposite can happen, too, so adjust accordingly. You can even have stars that are treated like royalty with a lot of fans in Europe, but is an unknown in Australia or vice versa, too. Then in that case, just talk to him naturally.
Things You'll Need
- Notepad (for autograph)
- Pen
- A Smile to set the mood
Related Articles
- Ask a Celebrity for an Autograph or Photo
- Act Like a Celebrity
- Know when to Talk to a Celebrity
- Meet and Greet Royalty
- Act Around a Celebrity
- Talk to a Celebrity Via the Internet
- Attend a Book Signing
