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While we might sometimes think of them as this strange other breed, celebrities do still walk among us. Some use disguises, others are just out there, buying milk and coffee. Because, at the end of the day, you can be a massive superstar and an "average citizen” still might not recognize you.
Someone asked people online to share their stories of meeting famous people without actually knowing who they were. From folks who simply did not care to just pure, unintentional ignorance, netizens shared their best examples, so get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote the best examples and be sure to add your own in the comments section below.
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#1
For a few years, I worked at Goorin Brothers in North Beach (in San Francisco) and one day this guy came in with a bunch of his friends. They were obviously a bit toasted from drinks they were having in the neighborhood but all very friendly, funny guys.
They kept calling one gentleman “Geri” and I immediately hit it off with Geri. He was telling me about how he recently went surfing in Half Moon Bay and simply loved the Bay Area. As a lifelong Bay Area native, I appreciated his enthusiasm and encouraged him to move here, telling him he would absolutely love it, even if he just got a small apartment, despite the rising rent costs in the Bay Area. We really did get along very swimmingly, as me and my co-worker helped him & his friends to pick out some hats.
At one point, he stepped outside.
My co-worker asked: “Um, you know who that is right?”
I replied: “uh…no?”
Co-worker: “That’s Gerard Butler.”
Me: “Um…I’m not sure who that is.”
Co-worker: “Have you ever seen 300?”
Me: “….wait. The lead guy?”
Co-worker: “Yes!”
Me: “But…that guy has black hair in that movie…”
Co-worker: “Oh my GOD he’s an actor and he dyed his hair!”
Me: “….oh.”
So when he came back, with this knowledge, I still tried to be courteous to him and it seemed to be to a benefit because he later invited both of us to a screening of his new movie in downtown SF. My co-worker couldn’t make it so I took my boyfriend at the time to the theater.
Well, as we walked up, security intensely walked over to us and said “excuse me, what are you here for?” and before I could finish, I heard someone go “MOOOONIIIIIIQUUUEEE!”
It was Gerard Butler. He came running up to me at full speed, picked me up and twirled me around with a full hug. The look of defeat on my boyfriends face is a look I will never forget.
Anyway, he was happy to see me and lead us into the theater where he announced his new film “Machine Gun Preacher.”
He was a very friendly guy and this is one of my favorite stories. I hope you are doing well today, Geri!
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#2
I was working at Blockbuster, and a guy came in wearing a long trench coat and acting kind of shady. Head down, grabbing a bunch of Blu-Rays, etc. I kept watching him in the mirror because I thought he may be trying to steal them. He gets to the counter with a stack of LOTR movies. I knew he looked familiar, but I didn't get it until he handed me his credit card... It was Viggo Mortensen. I know he doesn't like a big fuss made, so I did the opposite and acted like I had no clue. He was on the swim team with my dad in high school, looking back I wish I had mentioned that! My mom saw him getting groceries for his mother once too. Seems like a nice guy, was very quiet and polite!
Miranda Veracruz de la Joya Cardenal 6 hours ago
Why would he had a lot of Lotr movies? There's only 3 and I wonder if actors rent their own movies I'm high and paranoid
#3
In the eighties, my old man had a fight with mum and f****d off for the night. Anyhoo, he goes to Fremantle and ends up getting drunk with some long red haired male with a bandanna and some security detail. Doesn't think much of it.
About 5 years ago, he sees a Guns n Roses filmclip (November Rain) and proceeds to tell me he got drunk with that guy. So, it was only Axel Rose. If only my brother knew!
Robert Beveridge 6 hours ago
Well, how would you recognize him if he weren't at least two and a half hours late?
#4
My brother once was in a restaurant, making small talk with a guy sitting at the bar. Toward the end of their conversation the bartender comes up to the guy and politely asks if he could get an autograph. My brother says, "What, you think you're famous or something?"
The dude laughs and says yeah and leaves. He found out from the bartender it was David Byrne of the Talking Heads.
#5
I was about 8 years old with my family in a canteen at the BBC head quarters, as I was passing, an older lady asked me to return her empty tray for her. When I got back to my table, having returned the tray, my mum was very excited as the older lady was none other than Dame Judy Dench.
Me..... completely oblivious!
#6
I moved from Canada to London in 2004 and worked for a while in one of Gordon Ramsay's restaurant. One night, David Beckham came in and he entered through the kitchen not to cause havoc... knowing nothing about soccer, I had no idea who he was. I only learned later who he was when my flatmates couldn't believe I didn't know of him.
#7
I colleague took me to lunch at a private club in Hong Kong in early 1995. As he was settling the bill I started walking out the door to his car. A friendly-looking guy walked past me, smiled and asked me how I was. I smiled and said "Fine, and you?" He said "Good, thanks" and walked into the club. My colleague, having watched the exchange, rushed up and excitedly asked what was said. I told him and he smiled and told me that it was Jackie Chan. I had seen a couple of his movies, but he wasn't the international star that he is today. Still, I thought he was friendly and polite.
#8
Not me but my dad - before Bruce Willis was famous, he used to bartend in Wildwood, NJ. My parents went to the bar where he worked all the time and said he was super nice.
#9
2004 or so, waiting in line at LAX, taking forever. Got bored, checked out the tiny bald chick in front of me. Poor girl, is it cancer maybe? She looked underweight. So I imagined what she’d look like with hair... and it hit me: Natalie Portman.
#10
My job sent me to E3. Lots of b-list celebs, video game actors, that kind of thing. I'm in the bathroom and the sink is really nice, pretty sure it's some kind of real polished stone, not synthetic. I put my hand under the faucet and as it turns on and I'm really digging the whole design I go "wow, this is so cool". The guy next to me says "yeah, It's really me".
I still don't know who he was.
Little My 6 hours ago (edited)
Wow the narcissism is strong with that one. Do you imagine assuming any uttered praise or excitement is solely aimed at your presence. That said , I have on at least two occasions enthusiastically waved back at a stranger who I thought was waving at me, and they were in actual fact not waving at me but at the person behind. That’s always fun.
#11
I was working at Gap in London in the late 90’s. A gorgeous brunette came in and had a browse. She looked very familiar to me, but I wasn’t sure exactly who she was. She eventually chose a few thing and came up to the counter to pay. The name on her credit card was Angelina Jolie. She was so friendly, nice and stunning close up!
#12
Pizza place called Mellow Mushroom in Herndon, VA. Out with my girlfriend and i see some guy in sweats and a weekend beard walk by with his kid. I had been watching Agents of SHIELD at the time and said,"haha, that guy looks just like Patton Oswalt." 15 minutes later my girlfriend is staring over my shoulder at a crowd formed around this guys table. Turns out it was Patton Oswalt. I didn't know he lived in the area.
#13
Went to pick up season tickets for work for the Arizona Cardinals, at the office at the training facility. Met 3 huge dudes in the parking lot, all getting into black SUVs. They stopped me, and asked who my favorite Cardinal was. I, being the awkward genius that I am, just stuttered and said "idk I'm an Eagles fan, these are not for me". Got in the car and went OH F**K ME THEY WERE PLAYERS. Still haunts me to this day around 5 years later.
#14
When I was in Australia, I met/had a photo taken with Margot Robbie (from Wolf of Wall Street). She used to be in an Australian soap opera called Neighbours. I had no idea who she was at the time, just wanted a photo with her because she was gorgeous. Four years later I saw the film and still didn't realise. It was only when I saw her on the front cover of a magazine with the title 'formerly from Neighbours' did it click.
#15
When I was younger, my dad got tickets to a movie premiere and decided to take my 12-year-old brother and I (11 years old). After the movie (which was pretty bad), we were exiting into the lobby and my brother missed a step and essentially fell down 5 steps into an older man who made a nice, loud yelp. Charlton Heston turned around and helped my brother up asking if he was ok or something. I didn't actually know who he was then so it didn't mean much to me. I just thought it was funny my brother fell down a bunch of steps.
#16
I was at a training a few years ago and sat in a small session with a guy that seemed familiar. I thought maybe we had just been to trainings together before. We reached the door at the same time and were chatting when I happened to glance at his name tag and realize...my husband had just bought this guy's latest album. It was Todd Pipes, who was the lead singer for Deep Blue Something ("Breakfast at Tiffany's").
#17
I already posted here once but this one was kinda cool of my dad though. I was technically there, just sorta, uh, in development. Anyway my dad was at an alumni event with the family at his old frat. Purdue university's phi delta theta. (Some of you already know where this is going). He was talking to a buddy of his while my mom was with my older sister, talking to another wife. Eventually my dad turns around, and thinks for a second and he realizes that isnt just any old wife, thats Mrs. Armstrong, Neil Armstrong's wife. Taken aback for a moment, until Neil Armstrong himself walks up and starts speaking with my mother too. My dad instantly comes up and asks for some pictures with them all. Thats pretty cool to me.
#18
My wife and I were doing henna body art at a sci fi convention in Minneapoils. I noticed a fellow standing off to the side all by himself. I went to get something to eat and on the way back I said hello and mentioned how excited I was about the Fellowship of the Rings movie that was coming out soon, he was standing next to the poster. Then this oddly dressed man started to talk and talk and talk. Then he sort of followed me back to our table and just sort of hung out. Honestly it sort of made me a tad uncomfortable because we also had our two young kids with us. A bit later I had to go to the bathroom and started to follow me. “Oh great the weird guy is following me to the bathroom”. Thankfully he didn't follow me in but stopped in mid sentence of what he was saying only to resume it when I came back out. Well to make the long story short he sort of “stalked”e the entire weekend. I have to say he was a nice and very intelligent man, this was also the around the time that Douglas Adams died, and apparently this fellow knew him and told some stories about Douglas. I spent the weekend trying to keep him away from the kids and besides he was sort of keeping people away from my booth. The weekend got done and afterbi said farewell to my strange new friend some of the other vendors and attendees came up to me to ask what it was like hanging out “with HIM”? I replied nice guy, kind of strange. And asked who was that anyway. From the looks from those standing there I must have asked the most stupid question of all time. A guy said “dude that was Gary Gygax, he created Dungeons and Dragons”
#19
When I was a kid I met Bobby Orr at a hockey game. He was talking to my mom and I ran right past him yelling "where is he?!" all excited.
He thought it was pretty funny and joked about his age making it hard for people to recognize him. He took a moment to sign a few things for us, and continued talking to mom for a while while I ran off to do super important kid stuff.
#21
I sorta knew but really knew after his album was released.
In 1977 or 1978 at the Pioneer Inn in Nederland Co I was checking out with my SO and Dan Fogelberg was paying ahead of me. I thought I knew him but didn't so I said Hi Dan and he smiled back and said Hi Man.
#22
Friend of mine (for 50 years since we were 11) is very successful in his field but a bit otherworldly shall we say - he is a scientist and engineer, spends most of his time out of the UK in strange places and is not really aware of modern culture. Anyway, he gets invited to a big dinner event and thinks ‘what the hell I’ll go’. So he walks in, sits at his seat between a couple of guys and starts talking to the guy on his right. He is aware that the guy on his left is getting a lot of attention but is having a good time. When everyone settles down as the food arrives he thinks he had better be polite, so he turns to the black guy on his left and says Hi I’m Paul114ks-mate, and guy gives him a big smile and says ‘Hi I’m Will Smith’, and my mate says oh hi, what do you do??.
He had no idea.
#23
I was ran sound at a venue in Portland OR, Mississippi Studios, for many years. I’m pretty used to meeting famous musicians in this business (sigh) but this night was different... I was helping a band setup their soundcheck. I thought they were great, really terrific music and the players were friendly. The band was Blake Mills. He is a faily well known guitarist & Producer. He is relatively “famous” but for me this was just another night. Late into their soundcheck I was asked by their tech to set up a mic for Fiona. I was probably “busy” staring at Instagram or Facebook, I looked up and said “sure.” I set up a mic for their vocalist. I kinda said “hello, here you go, ok.” Later after soundcheck I was having a convo with their tech about artists we have both worked with... he mentioned that Fiona is probably the most famous person he has ever worked with. I was like... wait.. “that person I just set up a mic for?” And he said “yeah... that’s was Fiona Apple!” I laughed so hard. I had just set up a mic for my favorite artist! I quickly messaged my girlfriend and the owner of the club and told them that Fiona Apple was about to do a surprise “sit-in” with Blake Mills and you should probably get down here.
That night was magical. Blake’s music was amazing. In the middle of the set he announced to the audience that they have a special guest vocalist.. Fiona walks on and people poop their pants. There was only about 100 people there (the venue holds 300+). She and Blake did 3 songs together. It was amazing. I ended up meeting her properly later in the evening as we watched the rest of the set together from the sound board. Nice lady. Anyways that’s the simple story about how I accidentally met Fiona Apple.
TLDR
I casually worked for a band that had Fiona Apple sit in. When I was introduced to Fiona I didn’t realize who she was. Even though I’m a huge fan, I didn’t expect to meet her - especially this night or ever. Turns out she was doing a surprise guest appearance and it was a secret. Later I learned that I had met Fiona Apple.
#24
The rock was at my school filming something once. This was back before he was bald and humongous. I didn't know it was him but everyone was saying how the "pebble" was here at the school. Apparently he wasn't as big as everyone imagined.
#25
I was at an a garbage anime convention. I say s****y, that's not the con's fault, I just don't like cons anymore. Anyway, I was walking down this big a*s atrium the place had when I get f*****g steam rolled by a guy. He says "Sorry, I'm so sorry" but he's f*****g booking it. Voice was slightly familiarish but I didn't recognize it.
A dude in full Naruto gear books up and was like "DID YOU KNOW WHO YOU RAN INTO?!"
"Nope!"
"That was [Vic Mignogna] a voice actor famous for Edward Elric of Full Metal Alchemist, amongst others. The dude booked after him and I realized why he was running so fast he didn't see me.
#26
Yup. I spent about 20 minutes talking to Sean Penn when he was filming a movie in my home town. He was hanging out, waiting for his part to be filmed and was in the alley across the street. I only found out who he was when I saw the movie.
Katie Allen 4 hours ago
I walked past a bar he was coming out of and walked right by him. I recognized him but he looked like he was really mad so I didn't say anything to him.
#27
Buddy of mine went to england, was at a pub and sitting next to a total stranger. They got talking and eventually the guy tells my friend he actually has been in a couple of episodes of game of thrones. My friend hadnt seen it at the time and then the 2 of them went around town, hitting different places and generally hanging out. They eventually parted ways, and when he came back to the states, we tried to figure out who he was. We had a picture of him with my friend, and we were lineing the faces up because my friend forgot his name. Eventually figured it out. It was the man without a name. The assassin dude.
#28
I was front desk manager at a hotel years back, and I came to the desk while a guest was getting checked in. When we locked eyes I immediately felt a recognition, but it didn’t register how I knew this person, just that I knew them, so I said “Oh hey! How’s it going?” Super happy and all friendly, like we were friends. This guest looked at me kinda confused, said “Hey, goood?” and I just kept walking. Immediately after, I was trying my hardest to remember who this person was and how I knew them.
At the time I was on a 30 Rock binge for the second or third time in a year and turns out it was Michael Sheen. I didn’t realize it was him until I looked up his reservation, but I legit was thinking in my brain at the time “Oh look, here’s my friend. Suuuuup” He spent the rest of his two week stay looking at me funny. I was hoping he’d come talk to me so I could save a bit of face, but clearly he felt it was best to keep his distance.
#29
I met the actor who was Barney (the guy in the dinosaur suit). He was sitting at the bar giving away pictures to everyone. Of course I had no idea who it was, because costume and all.
#30
The first time I met Danny Glover, I didn't know it was him. My uncle owns a gas station that I use to work at, and any time Mr. Glover was on town, he would come in (he later told my mom that ours was the only station he would come to when he was in town). That first time, he was in a hurry and accidentally bumped into my mom. He said his apologies and went off to pump his gas that he prepaid. My cousin, who was working at the time, was the one who told us who it was.
#31
I saw the Ball brothers play in high school. Guy sitting right behind me was Lavar Ball and I thought he was just some annoying fan. He was very loud the whole game right then he was telling the coach what to do so I went home and looked him up and saw he is the father.
#32
I’ve met Michelle Kwan while working at an ice skating show once. It was before the event started and she came up to me asked where the changing room was and I pointed it out to her not knowing who she was. It was only after my aunt came up to me and said I just talked to Michelle Kwan. Probably should have showed more courtesy...
#33
I used to be an usher at a theatre, the upside is we often could get comps to shows. I was in theatre school at the time and there was a play by the New York experimental company the Wooster group, so I got my then-girlfriend, who was also in theatre school, a ticket. I also do a podcast where we rewatch old movies from the 80's and 90's, so I'm sort of immersed in actors and pop-culture.
Anyway, after the show I was on duty, but chatting to my girlfriend when this dude comes up, he says he'd like to know how he can speak to one of the company members, Elizabeth. Thinking this was just an audience member wanting to rub elbows with fancy New York actors, I told him he couldn't really do that. I really just wanted to get back to talking to my girlfriend. But this guy persisted, and eventually it comes out that he knows this woman, who is the director of the company, and went to theatre school with this person. Obviously he won my sympathies with the theatre school thing, and also he could have been somebody nominally important in the experimental scene, who knows. So I told him I could try to get his name to the person to ask if they have can see him, so what is his name?
"Bill. Bill Paxton".
And I get a flash of recognition so strong it nearly knocks me on my a*s. I later figured out he was in town promoting the re-release of Titanic, then like the biggest movie of all time. Of course I wanted to say something about how much I appreciated his work, because I do, but this was around the time that the Bill Paxton/Bill Pullman which is which joke was happening, and honestly in the moment could only think of movies that Bill Pullman was in, so I just said, "Right, of course" with a little snap- gun-finger motion, and then very sheepishly found a supervisor to go backstage and find his friend.
I can't believe I forgot about Aliens! Game over man!
Also RIP Bill.
#34
Not me, but my friend Chuck (though I was there).
The week after we finished some Army training in Texas, and both heading to the east coast, we decided to stop off in my hometown for some stress relief—my hometown has a legendary party scene associated with a major university campus.
As we were walking out of the bar toward our car, two young men, one of whom was considerably taller than my 6’6”, were getting into the vehicle next to ours. I recognized him as an accomplished athlete who I had seen around the quad when I attended the school and whose abilities I had admired (having played the same position in high school). I was also aware of rumours that he was giving up his final year of eligibility to enter the draft.
I called out to him and we approached and spoke with him for a minute or two while he graciously listened to my drunken expressions of admiration and confirmed the rumours of his early departure were true. He shook my and then Chuck’s hand and we parted ways.
As we sat in the car, Chuck asked, “who was that.” “That was Shaq,” I replied. “OK, who’s Shaq,” Chuck asked. I explained that he was likely the next #1 pick for the NBA draft (spoiler alert: he was). “Oh, cool. Some of my buddies like basketball. I’ll have to tell them I met him.”
About eight years later I found myself living in Baltimore which was Chuck’s hometown and tracked him down to catch up. During the course of our visit, I asked him if he remembered that night and the basketball player we’d run into. He recounted the fun we’d had and then asked, “yeah, who was that again?” I told him and after about five seconds of stunned silence, he exclaimed , “are you f—in’ kidding me?!?” By 2000, I’m pretty sure there wasn’t a person in the entire country who didn’t know of Shaquille O’Neal.
#35
Around five years ago, my wife and I were living in Hawaii. Our town had its share of celebrity visitors, not just because of the beautiful beaches, but because they could escape into normalcy and go relatively unnoticed….with the exception of President Obama.
It was a daily occurrence for my wife and I to walk to our local Whole Foods. This Whole Foods is different; it’s absent of pretentiousness and the parking lot is far from aggressive. It has a community feel where we gathered with friends almost nightly for dinner and beers. Small-talk with strangers is welcomed.
My first move every time I entered the store was to go directly to the lilikois (passion fruit). The sweet slimy crack inside was highly addictive; I was always chasing that first hit. I’d buy a couple pounds a week, and I was always scoping the latest crop.
One time I arrived at the new batch, and I was met by a girl in a baseball cap approximately my age inquisitively eyeing the tiny fruit she held in her hand. I stood directly next to her and rapidly loaded my basket with the week’s fix. I sensed her uncertainty as to which fruit to choose, so I offered up my months of lilikoi expertise. “The bigger the better, you can’t go wrong.” She looked up, smiled, and at that point I saw that she was strikingly attractive. There was a seemingly long pause, and then she replied, “Oh, they don’t have to be wrinkly” (yes, this was the actual conversation).
Reflecting back, I feel like she paused because she was unsure if I was approaching her because she’s a celebrity, or that it was in fact just making small talk with a complete stranger.
The whole time my wife stood off to the side but eventually locked eyes with the attractive shopper. As awkwardly as imaginable, my wife muttered, “Lilikois are awesome”, and then we slowly departed the interaction.
When it was just the two of us, out of sight from the girl, I asked my wife why she was acting so weird. She couldn’t believe I had been unknowingly talking to Rachel McAdams who was on the island filming the movie “Aloha”.
Months later, at a pizza place in the same plaza, I unknowingly sat next to Alanis Morrissette. Once again, my wife realized the celebrity sighting, and I quickly confirmed it by googling a picture of her arm tattoo. We never spoke, she was enjoying a family member’s birthday.
highwaycrossingfrog 6 hours ago
Today I learned that the words sweet, slimy, and crack should never be grouped together
#36
I ran into Mark Chestnut (formerly big country singer) at a Sportsman’s and had a good 30-40 minute conversation with him without realizing who he was till one of the cashiers brought it up. Seems like a cool story in hindsight.
#37
I worked for Disney for about 6 years and back in 2010 I was working the Grad Nights which is when local Florida high schools take over the parks. Anyway my job that night was to escort some special guests through the park so they weren’t bothered by the kids. Now I’m from Virginia so I really only knew country and old rock music at this point in my life so I had no idea who this girl I was walking around the park with. Turns out she was Hayley Williams and was one of the nicest celebrities I had the privilege of meeting while at Disney.
#38
Not me but somebody I know once spent an evening in a pub watching football and chatting with this guy. When the guy left he bought them a bottle of champagne. The barman came over handed them the bottle and said this is from Sean Bean. They didnt realise it was him the whole night, but said he was really down to earth.
#39
I was working front desk at the power house gym in STL and a couple of really tall and big guys walk in, they weren’t members so they asked me what was de fee. They paid and walked in.
3 seconds later my coworker comes running and asks me. Do you know who they are? Me: no…
it was Great Khali and another wrestler. They were in town for a WWE show…
When they were leaving I took a pic with them
#40
My husband used to work for a large car dealership and he won a trip for two to a resort in Mexico. On the flight home, we happened to be seated in the front of coach class immediately behind the first class area. We noticed that some passengers seemed to be making a big deal about a young blond woman in first class. I saw one person ask her to sign a magazine before they were ushered back to coach by the flight attendant. I asked my husband if he thought that perhaps she was a model, and I remember him saying that he thought her nose was too big to be a model. From our vantage point we could see that she was with a rather scruffy looking guy in a tee-shirt, faded jeans, and a backwards baseball cap. I remember thinking they seemed like an oddly matched pair. When we landed in the US, of course first class were allowed to get off the plane first, and we were the first after them and followed them all the way to baggage claim. They had a small entourage with them. When we finally got home I happened to turn on the TV and called to my husband “you are not going to believe who is on the television! The couple on the plane!” It was Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey when they had that show called Newlyweds. I had heard of Jessica Simpson, but obviously did not know her by sight.
#41
Two friends and I, (male, female), took a spur of the moment trip to Las Vegas. We were supposed to go water skiing for a couple days, but a storm blew in, cancelling our plans. Since we had all scheduled a couple weekdays off of work for this, we shifted gears and decided to fly to Las Vegas instead. I had been there once before, and my friends had never been. This was back when Southwest Airlines ran a promotion called “Friends Fly Free”, which was the motivator; cheap airfare. We had no hotel reservations, figuring we would probably party all night, and then find a hotel pool to lounge at the next day.
We arrived in LV at about 9pm, and went straight to the main strip. Walked through some of the big casinos pulling a few slots along the way, and asked around about which nightclubs were the best. We ended up at one which didn't disappoint, and danced and drank until the night sky started to lighten. We left and stumbled through a nearby casino at about 5am. It was actually eerily quiet at that time, with some gamers around, but mostly workers. My friends and I were all pretty buzzed as we wandered past some blackjack tables. Most were empty, but there was one table with a few players, and 2 open seats. I said to my friends that I needed to sit down, so I was going to go play black jack. My feet were k*lling me, from hours of walking and dancing in high heels, and I needed to give them a rest. I asked my friend Ted to come with me, but for some reason he wouldn't approach the table with me. I was confused, but went ahead. My two friends stayed back, standing there watching me.
I went and plopped down next to an African-American man with bleach blonde hair. This was a low-minimum table, so in my not-exactly-clear-headed state I was able to play a few rounds without losing a bunch of money. I clearly had no idea what I was doing, so the guy next to me started offering advice. Other than a few uttered tips, the table and people were mostly silent. I sat there rubbing my feet, (had kicked off my shoes), played cards for only about 10-15 minutes when my friends came over to get me. They wanted to leave to find a hotel to crash at. Sleepiness was creeping up on us now that we had slowed down. I got up, thanked my bleach blonde neighbor and off we went.
When we got outside, my friend Ted asked, "Do you know who that was?" "What do you mean? Just some random people pulling an all nighter at a blackjack table", I responded. He then shared that I had been sitting with Dennis Rodman. I'd had NO IDEA. Mind you, this was in about 1996, at the height of his crazy notoriety and success with the Chicago Bulls and a couple years before he married Carmen Electra.
#42
Yep… and got roasted for it by my colleagues!
Wednesday night, mid-November, more than a few years ago (geez, like 17?). I was working the evening shift (4:00pm - close) at the concierge desk at the CN Tower in Toronto. It was about 20 minutes to close (11:00pm), the front cashiers had been closed, so I was pretty much the only person on the entrance floor.
My Hosting Lead (the floor manager for the ‘tourist’ parts of the tower) calls down to tell me that SkyPod, the upper small deck, is closed; that there’s about a dozen people upstairs and about 20 more in the restaurant, and that we should be done soon after 11. I figure it’s pretty dead, so I pull out my history notes for the test the next day.
Front doors slide open, and in walk five young guys in jackets and jeans. One of them comes up and says “Is the Tower still open?”.
I say “Yes, but we’re closing in about 20 minutes, and SkyPod is closed”.
He says, “We just want to go up and jump on that glass floor!”.
Ok, sure, no fuss. I sell them five tickets, radio the Hosting Lead to tell them there’s incoming, and go back to the effects of deflation on the Weimar Republic.
About five minutes later, my radio crackles and security says “Code 99, code 99 (everyone listen up), please be advised ’N Sync is in the house!”.
Whups. Apparently I should have paid more attention who I was selling tickets to.
In my defense, I didn’t expect the what was pretty much the biggest selling group at the time to wander in at close to 11 on a Wednesday night. And I’m not sure I would have recognized them if I had been expecting them; they looked like five college guys.
Still. I got razzed for about 6 months for being clueless - although I can say that they were tremendously polite, apparently treated everyone well, and when they came down they all stopped to say thanks and good night. Way politer than many celebs I’ve had interactions with!
#43
Well, I didn't actually “meet” the guy, but I rode in an elevator together with Barack Obama without realizing who he was... :-P
Back in 2007, my husband (who was my fiancé at the time) & I were b-school students at The University of Chicago. We lived in the Regents Park apartments, where many of the grad students lived.
One day we decided to head out and got into the elevator to travel down to the lobby. The elevator stopped at another floor, and a tall black man dressed in a nice suit stepped in flanked by 2 other large black men also dressed in nice suits. The tall man looked at me & my fiancé, nodded his head in greeting, and then the 3 men turned around to face the elevator door.
All the while as the 5 of us rode down together, I was chatting animatedly at my fiancé about I-can't-remember-what, and I kept up my chatterbox flow the entire way down.
When we followed the 3 men out of the apartment building, a large, black Escalade SUV sat waiting curbside and the 3 men climbed into the car. I went bug-eyed as I stared at the huge vehicle and turned to look at my fiancé.
“That was Obama,” he said to me calmly.
“Wait, what?!?!!” I shrieked. “You mean to tell me that we just rode the elevator together with Obama, and I didn't even realize who he was the entire time?!”
“Yep!” he smirked at me.
Well, now. Don't I feel like an idiot…! :-) At any rate, I can now tell you what the back of President Obama’s head (and his ears) looks like up close! Lol!!!
#44
I got in an elevator with a guy at San Diego Comic Con. No idea who he was. The door opened on a floor and some guy obviously knows who he was.
“Oh wow man! I love your work!”
“Thanks.”
“Enjoy the con!”
“Thanks, you too.”
The doors shut and I stand there awkwardly for a moment as the elevator keeps going up. I break the silence.
“Is it bad that I don’t recognize you?”
“I’ve just been drawing for a few years...”
He didn’t tell me his name. I felt awful. I tried to describe him to friends and google him and had absolutely no luck.
Older man. Bigger nose. White guy with kind of a ruddy complexion. White hair back in a pony tail. I think he had glasses but I may be mistaken. This was San Diego Comic-Con 2017.
#46
There was filipina actor known for her teen romance films, she was eating pizza with her younger brothers and people were just taking a picture of her then leaving.
I thought the pizza must be pretty good for them to take pictures.
#47
At SDCC in the mid-aughts, I mistook Lou Ferrigno for one of the vendors at Mile High Comics' booth in the exhibit hall... He shot me a death stare when I asked him how much a comic cost. I was a freshman in high school at the time, I think.
#48
I photobombed Ninja Brian of the Game Grumps once, not knowing it was him until it came back around on Twitter.
#49
I met mike pence in DC when I was 8. Now he’s the VP 😂.
Wendy Miller 11 minutes ago
Living here in Indiana, when he was governor, my husband met Mike Pence's son and some of his staff. He's known to be a very nice man. I've met his brother, Greg, and let's just say, I'm not impressed by him.
#50
Ron Jaworski came into my work and bought his wife a purse. I had no idea who he was until my co-worker told me after he left.
#51
Twice: Richard Marx came to visit me in the hospital when I was 6. (I dont even remember this)
I met a center for the Tampa Bay Lightning and we talked hockey for several minutes, then he excused himself, came back with a bunch of hats, and introduced himself to my team. I felt really dumb.
#52
Helped Pat Mcafee when he was buying concessions at my MovieTheater. Wasn’t until he walked away and everyone around me was freaking out that I was like what? And they told me, and I was like oh cool.
#53
I don’t know that he was particular famous. He played for the Rams (a few years back) but lived out here. I met him at the gym. We went out and he was a sleazebag.
#54
Idk if this counts but my family has known Frankie Edgar the UFC fighter since he was born lol
Side note Kevin O'Leary from Shark Tank was on my flight from Ft Lauderdale to Newark a couple days ago.
What do you think ?
R Dennis 6 hours ago
When I was in my late teens, my boss had me as his right-hand man. He knew everyone, everywhere. There was a new club opening up downtown and he took me with him because his restaurant was going to cater a VIP event. While he's walking and talking, I meet three girls who looked about my age were hanging out by the stage. They said they were performing there and had an album and were going around to do publicity for it. They were really excited and friendly. We talked for about 5-10 minutes and they were really nice. I didn't get their names or know who they were. I saw them in the local weekly entertainment magazine - it was TLC.
Panda McPandaface 3 hours ago
I don't especially mind but if US citizens don't recognise minor US 'celebrities', then most of the time, even if they give us the name in the end, the rest of the world still has no idea who they are - a few obvious exceptions for big movie stars and the like. A lot of these may as well be 'know who that was?', 'no idea'. 'it's that woman that works in the pharmacy on a Wednesday.' I'm glad the OPs have some good memories but they really mean nothing whatever to most anyone else.
Darth Kittius 14 minutes ago
There's a singer named Addison Grace who has a smaller fan base but is very talented. I saw Em Beihold in concert and he was sitting in the seat in front of me without my knowledge. I literally tapped on his shoulder to ask if I could store my coat under his seat and he was super chill
Rae Reyn 1 hour ago
My kid, at 6 months old, was at C.S Mott hospital in Ann Arbor for heart surgery. They lost him... (apparently he surgeon had an emergency and my kids surgery was just delayed) but hey didn't have any news about him for two hours. I got on the elevator, sobbing, to go sit in the garden. Someone asked if I needed a hug. I did. This guy had the warmest, nicest hug I ever received. It was John Cena.
Marnie 3 hours ago (edited)
My only encounter like this is pretty lame, but I'll relay it. I was at a Sci Fi convention. My niece was there, too. I ran across her standing in a group, talking to a slim guy in a top hat. I was introduced to him, shook his hand. We walked away and my niece said excitedly that he was on her list of stars that she was allowed to have sex with. (This was a brief thing from Friends where couples would create a list of famous people they were "allowed" to have sex with, should the situation arise.) She told me he was one of the main actors from Babylon Five, a show I had never watched. Well, I had encountered that guy (whose name I don't know) earlier in the day. This was a very tall building, and as such, the elevator rides were long and cramped. In one ride, he was there and made cracks the whole way up - like a stand up comedian. He was HILARIOUS.
Khavrinen 5 hours ago
I felt particularly stupid for not recognizing her, because I had gone to the event specifically to hear her speak. I had gotten to an author reading at Powell's Books too late to get a seat, so I was standing at the back next to the aisle, when a woman stepped up next to me, and I complimented her on the lovely brooch she was wearing. Just then the host stepped up to introduce "our guest for the evening, Ann Rule", and she walked on up the aisle to the podium to do her reading. ( I knew her story, that she became a true-crime writer because she'd worked next to Ted Bundy for some time, and wanted to go to the reading because I had just found out someone I had known was a serial killer as well [ Westley Allan Dodd ] -- but I'd never seen her picture. )
Warren Peece 6 hours ago
If you didn't recognize the person, then why would you consider that person to be famous?
R Dennis 6 hours ago
When I was in my late teens, my boss had me as his right-hand man. He knew everyone, everywhere. There was a new club opening up downtown and he took me with him because his restaurant was going to cater a VIP event. While he's walking and talking, I meet three girls who looked about my age were hanging out by the stage. They said they were performing there and had an album and were going around to do publicity for it. They were really excited and friendly. We talked for about 5-10 minutes and they were really nice. I didn't get their names or know who they were. I saw them in the local weekly entertainment magazine - it was TLC.
Panda McPandaface 3 hours ago
I don't especially mind but if US citizens don't recognise minor US 'celebrities', then most of the time, even if they give us the name in the end, the rest of the world still has no idea who they are - a few obvious exceptions for big movie stars and the like. A lot of these may as well be 'know who that was?', 'no idea'. 'it's that woman that works in the pharmacy on a Wednesday.' I'm glad the OPs have some good memories but they really mean nothing whatever to most anyone else.
Darth Kittius 14 minutes ago
There's a singer named Addison Grace who has a smaller fan base but is very talented. I saw Em Beihold in concert and he was sitting in the seat in front of me without my knowledge. I literally tapped on his shoulder to ask if I could store my coat under his seat and he was super chill
Rae Reyn 1 hour ago
My kid, at 6 months old, was at C.S Mott hospital in Ann Arbor for heart surgery. They lost him... (apparently he surgeon had an emergency and my kids surgery was just delayed) but hey didn't have any news about him for two hours. I got on the elevator, sobbing, to go sit in the garden. Someone asked if I needed a hug. I did. This guy had the warmest, nicest hug I ever received. It was John Cena.
Marnie 3 hours ago (edited)
My only encounter like this is pretty lame, but I'll relay it. I was at a Sci Fi convention. My niece was there, too. I ran across her standing in a group, talking to a slim guy in a top hat. I was introduced to him, shook his hand. We walked away and my niece said excitedly that he was on her list of stars that she was allowed to have sex with. (This was a brief thing from Friends where couples would create a list of famous people they were "allowed" to have sex with, should the situation arise.) She told me he was one of the main actors from Babylon Five, a show I had never watched. Well, I had encountered that guy (whose name I don't know) earlier in the day. This was a very tall building, and as such, the elevator rides were long and cramped. In one ride, he was there and made cracks the whole way up - like a stand up comedian. He was HILARIOUS.
Khavrinen 5 hours ago
I felt particularly stupid for not recognizing her, because I had gone to the event specifically to hear her speak. I had gotten to an author reading at Powell's Books too late to get a seat, so I was standing at the back next to the aisle, when a woman stepped up next to me, and I complimented her on the lovely brooch she was wearing. Just then the host stepped up to introduce "our guest for the evening, Ann Rule", and she walked on up the aisle to the podium to do her reading. ( I knew her story, that she became a true-crime writer because she'd worked next to Ted Bundy for some time, and wanted to go to the reading because I had just found out someone I had known was a serial killer as well [ Westley Allan Dodd ] -- but I'd never seen her picture. )
Warren Peece 6 hours ago
If you didn't recognize the person, then why would you consider that person to be famous?
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