i think I have met most of them. I like them as people, with obvious and differing philosophies. I am not the same. But… I see them as friends nonetheless, i don’t think all must perfectly align. if they are looking for adulation, sadly, I must speak my mind.
If I got the chance to meet Stephen King, I would definitely have to take it. How could I live with myself if I passed it up?
On the other hand, I’m glad it’s not likely to ever happen because I’d have no idea what to say. I hear he’s a really great guy…do you think he’d mind if I just held his hand and stared at him for a while? Like this: :eek:
It happened several years ago when I met Samuel R. Delany at a convention. Chip is quite friendly and accessible, and even as he’s dazzling you with his insights, you never get the impression he’s trying to show off. He also is attentive and appreciative to your side of the conversation.
I did have a nervous moment when I did a reading and saw him in the audience, but he was gracious about the story afterwards.
The only star I’ve ever seen in person was Jack Elam. He and I were both alone, eating breakfast at a hotel in Studio City California.
We made eye contact and shared a smile, but that was it. I figured he would not want to be bothered, but in thinking about it later, I wish I’d have approached him with a quiet word. Just to say that I had enjoyed his work. Had he been more popular at the time, I’d never have considered it.
Which of course, does not answer the question posed in the op. So, I think mostly no. It would be awkward or I’d be bothering them or I’d make a complete and total fool of myself trying to dry hump Eddie Vedder. (sorry for that visual, I can’t help myself.) Really, I cant.
What do you say? I’d be a fool, too. They’ve heard it all, whatever you had to say.
Not as easy as it sounds.
Just say “Thank you.” They never get enough of that, and it is always welcome.
Indeed.
My favorite author is P.D. James: I’d love to meet her in theory, but really would not know what to say aside from “thank you” and the story about how I started reading her books (which isn’t very interesting). I’d hate to take up her time just for something like that.
Stephen King is a close second, and I like to think that I’d do better with him if I had the chance to meet him: we have the same birthday (which is also Carrie’s birthday), plus I could tell him about the paper I wrote in grad school that argued for his inclusion in the American literature canon.
Four days ago Matthew Perry tweeted about coming to DC, so I replied and said that we should do lunch while he was in town. Just because it amused me to invite Matthew Perry to lunch. 
(He’s not my favorite actor, but he’s up there.) It got me to wondering what I’d say if he lost his damn mind and agreed to meet me, and I think the “small talk with a stranger” angle is how I would go. I’ve never met a celeb, but I’m usually able to gather my wits when I’m around people who impress/intimidate me and talk to them like anyone else. That said, I might have to start with a fangirl question about this thing he did many, many years ago – before the height of his Friends fame – because I can’t remember what it was for or who the other guy was. So, in reality I’d probably just come across like the dork that I am. 
I have too many favorite singers to imagine exactly who I’d meet, but I like to think that I’d jump at the chance and would be able to think of something useful to say. 
Oh, man, **Equipoise **reminded me of one more I’d like to meet, and I thought of a few more just now. Can’t believe I forgot them!
Peter Gabriel - Oh, yes. I think he would be easy to talk to, and I’d love to spend a few minutes with him. I think it would have been harder back in the 80s, because I had a raging crush on him at the time, but as we’ve both gotten older it’s mellowed into just loving his music (though I still think he’s hot–just not as much as back in the 80s when he had hair. :))
Alice Cooper - I would like to spend the day with Alice Cooper if I could! Culminating with front row seats at a nice long concert! From everything I’ve heard or read about him, he’s a great guy, nothing like his stage persona (which is great too, but in a different way) and loves meeting fans. So yeah, Alice would be fun.
Hugh Laurie: Yeah, I’d like to meet him. He too seems like a nice guy with a wicked sense of humor, and I think it would be fun to spend a few minutes talking with him.
Alan Rickman: Mmm. “Please, Mr. Rickman, would you just read this phone book for me?”
Every time I hear “Alice Cooper” I think of this: http://movieclips.com/NFeL-waynes-world-movie-alices-history-lesson/ and what a good sport he is. Also, does he still own one of the letters of the Hollywood sign?
::googles::
Why yes! The last “O”! Neat.
I’d like to spend the day with him too–maybe he could finally teach me how to play golf, or at least have a giggle at me trying to properly hit golf balls on the driving range. Without killing someone with a flying club or ball, that is!
I would never walk up to a celebrity and start talking to them is I just happened to encounter one on the street. I like my own personal space, and I don’t want to feel like I’m invading someone else’s.
But if I could encounter one on other circumstances – a book signing, some kind of reception, or something – sure, if I felt they were inviting the contact. But once I was at a reception for a Gary Larsen exhibit, and he was there, and there were also signs posted that asked people not to approach or talk to him. He was apparently very painfully shy, and didn’t really want to attend at all, and the signs were put up as a compromise to get him to agree to show up. So I never said a word to him, even though I was working at the event and had a perfectly legitimate reason for doing so.
i have no desire to meet famous people …but for some reason they seem to be attracted to me …
I might take advantage of a signing session, and I’ve taken part in round tables, but I would never go up to someone who’s just walking down the street and start ohmygod-ing.
The first ones are part of their job; the other case is during their time off.
Very true, it is way different meeting someone at a con or signing at a book store, and someone free range in a restaurant or on the street.
I think that is why I like cons - people are expecting to be in contact with their fans. I love attending panels and single artist lectures. Sitting in and listening to several of your favorite authors discussing how they go about the process of writing is fascinating. Last Balticon [38] I went to had Jack Chalker in one of his last public appearances just hanging out in a room of us fans discussing his books and answering questions - more of a dialog with lots of participants.
Though at cons, I do try not ambushing the talent in the halls or bathrooms.
Have met a few of my favorite singers… Roger Clyne, Jim Dalton, Johnny Hickman.
Would prolly be ok meeting sentimental favorite author Stephen King though it might get ugly when he learns I am a Yankees fan. Emile Zola and Thomas Hardy are dead, so the circumstances of meeting either of the two of them would be… unpleasant.
I have heard conflicting things about Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro, so not sure how they would be in real life vs. their celebrity personas.
I met Richard Dreyfuss a couple years ago. He’s not my favorite, but I of course admire him. I was in the quandary about what to say to him — and now I can’t really remember what I did say! But I think it was along the lines of introducing myself and telling him it was nice to meet him. He took my hand and bowed. It was very nice. But I guess the point I’m trying to make is if you want to talk to a celebrity, go ahead and try! Chances are they’ve had embarrassing people say things to them before; they’ll live through it. And equally possible is that you’ll say something that they truly appreciate. Everyone likes to be admired and told they do a good job.
That said, I was rather tongue-tied when I met Barbara Kingsolver at a book signing. She makes me feel like I have no business calling myself a writer, at all. She was very nice, though, as I stammered through my “I’m in awe of you” speech.
Which is really fun to do. That’s why I treasure my lunches with Ray Bradbury and my coffee with George R.R. Martin. Although those were in much smaller groups, maybe 7 people or so.
So, here’s a story: my friend was a singer in a band that had been built around an Italian guitar player/producer - he’d produced a bunch of hit records in Italy/Europe, but did a lot of guitar session work in the States in the 80’s.
At this point (mid 80’s), the guitarist/producer is, once again, out of the states, making some money producing a record while he and my friend are trying to make something happen with the band. My friend got a call from their lawyer about a potential record deal - it ultimately fell through, but you can imagine at the time that it was a BIG deal.
So my friend is trying to reach the guitarist and calls the number he was given in the UK. A guy answers the phone and very nicely talks with my friend - and says that the guitarist is in studio right now and can’t be disturbed. My friend - the easiest going guy you can imagine - is vibrating with urgency because the guitarist needs to clarify an issue with the lawyer, so he blurts out how important the call is and how it has to do with a record deal - not with an attitude, but clearly desperate to talk. “oh” the guy on the other end says, “I didn’t realize - that makes perfect sense. I apologize, let me go interrupt him.”
You can see where this is going - after 5+ minutes, the guitarist picks up the line and says “hey - what’s up? Peter says it was really important!”
Yep - the call was to Bath, England, to Peter Gabriel’s studio and Peter had picked up. My friend was, like, the hugest PG fan around, so was just gobsmacked that things had played out that way…