Meeting a Celebrity at a Meet and Greet
Learn about them ahead of time. If you aren’t the celebrity's number one fan and don’t know much about them, learn about them before the meet and greet. Maybe you won the meet and greet tickets on the radio, but don't know their work or you love the celebrity but you don’t know much about them. If this is the case look up information about who they are. Watch their movies and TV shows, or listen to their music before the meet and greet so you are prepared. You might find out information about them that you can relate to (such as where they grew up or that you both love dogs) to help create a natural conversation.
Remember to introduce yourself. You can tell them your name and a little bit about yourself. Celebrities are likely to want to feel like they are having an opportunity to meet and get to know someone too. Make sure to tell them your name and a little bit about yourself when you meet them. For example, “Hi! I am Lisa. I am from Wisconsin and am a junior in high school! I have been a big fan of your music since I was 11.”
Take photos with them. If you are at a meet and greet, it is usually expected that you can take photos with the celebrity. You can politely ask them for a photo on your phone. They also might have photographers at the meet and greet. Be confident and polite when you ask for the photo. Say something like, “Can we please take a photo?” Make sure to say thank you for the photograph.
Get their autograph. If you know you are going to meet a celebrity, you can bring something for them to autograph. Don’t bring too much stuff, otherwise that might be overwhelming for them. Bring something that is merchandise of theirs, such as a poster or shirt, for them to sign. They will likely have a pen for autographs, but just in case they don’t, bring a pen or marker with you. You can simply ask them: “Can you please sign my poster?”
Think of conversation topics ahead of time. Before you get to the meet and greet, think about what you want to talk to the celebrity about. You can tell them how much you love their music or acting. You can ask them insightful questions about how they come up with songwriting ideas or what it was like playing a certain role.
Try not to stress about it. They might seem divine to you, but remember they are just another human. Try not to stress about meeting them and treat it like you are meeting any other person. The celebrity will probably appreciate it if you treat them like anyone else and not like someone special.
Bring them a gift. Many celebrities appreciate the thought of a gift from a fan. Don’t get a celebrity something strange like a personal item of yours, but you can get them something thoughtful. Some celebrities love gifts from fans; for instance, Taylor Swift posted a sweater a fan knitted for her on Instagram. If you are a big fan of the celebrity and are worried you are going to get tongue tied when you meet them, then write them a short note. You can tell them how much of a fan you are and appreciate their work, just don’t go overboard.
Seeing a Celebrity in Public
Stay calm. If you are walking down the street and realize a celebrity just walked past you, stay calm. Don’t scream their name and draw attention to them. You can politely approach them, if it seems appropriate, but don’t freak out so much that everyone else in the area runs after them.
Tell them who you are. If you are running into a celebrity by random luck, you might not have a lot of time to fully introduce yourself. If you think it is okay to approach the celebrity, make sure to at least tell them your name so they know who they are meeting too! You can say something like: “Hi, I am [your name]! I am sorry to bother you, but I just wanted to say hello and tell you I am a huge fan of your music.”
Don’t take photos without their permission. Taking photos without the celebrity’s permission is disrespectful. Most people would not like it if they were followed by crowds of people photographing them. They get enough unauthorized photos from the paparazzi. Instead, if it seems appropriate to approach the celebrity, you can politely ask them for a photograph. Say something like, “Hi, I am [your name]! I love your music. I was wondering if you would mind taking a quick photo with me.” If they say no, respect their wishes.
Respect their privacy. You don’t need to announce to the world that a celebrity is at a certain place or doing something. You can post on social media that you ran into them, but don’t post every detail about it online. Don’t call everyone you know and tell them to hurry down to the restaurant they are eating at. Celebrities are people too; let them have their personal lives.
Don’t touch them. You might want to run up to the celebrity and go for a hug, but be respectful of their personal space. If you are trying to get their attention, don’t touch their shoulder. If they touch you (such as they put their arm around you for a photo), then you can reciprocate the touching if it seems appropriate.
Treat them like regular people. Celebrities are people too. You don’t need to act like they are above everyone else. Be polite and casual with them. Try not to freak out and act differently around them. Celebrities will likely appreciate being treated like regular people. You can compliment their work and tell them you are a huge fan, but try not to go overboard (like scream and cry) when you talk to them.
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