Meeting Your Idols and Being Disappointed

[strawberrisc]

Today I almost met somebody who has been a big figure in my life. It took ages to pluck up the courage to speak to them and I was totally dismissed. I wasn’t being a “gushing fan” and it was a setting that was laid back. Everyone else was lovely. Have tou ever met someone you admire and wish you hadn’t?

I met David Attenborough about 25 years ago. I've loved him all my life so I was very tongue tied. He was lovely and so engaging. He sat at our table and chatted for a while - DH chatted back, I mainly just laughed and nodded. When he left the building we weren't far behind him and he held the door open for me (I did manage to squeak 'thankyou').

About 5 years ago Nick Park (Wallace and Grommit) was on my flight back from Geneva. I've never approached anyone for an autograph, but I was stood next to him in the baggage claim hall, and as our eldest DC idolises him and was doing a degree in character creation and model making (partly due to her love of Aardman Animation) I started chatting to him and asked for an autograph. He was so sweet and humble. He was (or seemed) genuinely interested in the course DC was on. I found an envelope and was searching for a pen, and he laughed and produced several artists pens from his jacket. He drew a picture of Grommit and personalised it for our daughter (she has it framed on her wall).

Not an idol but saw Craig from BB1 at a busy nightspot in Birmingham.

I didn't approach him as I know it can be too much, but I just said to my friends "look it's...." and he gave me the angriest filthiest look like I'd sworn or threatened him. It was bizarre as it was a very busy place and he was not surrounded or being hassled at all.

Everyone says what a lovely person he was which made it more surprising.

I'm ridiculously pleased to read that Stanley Tucci is lovely, given that he's going to be my next husband.

Benedict Cumberbatch was lovely, even though he was a bit busy he couldn’t have been nicer. And I wasn’t exactly cool and laidback

Noel Fielding was also really lovely and chatty - just how he appears on tv and the boosh.

Don’t think I’ve met anyone who’s been an arsehole thankfully!

Met David Baddiel who was actually lovely but Omid Djalili was a bit of an arse and a bit lecherous towards one young female at the event.

Cristiano Ronaldo seemed like an arrogant brat.

There were just 3 people waiting for him to come off the Man Utd coach, one was a dad with a young son about 8 years old. Ronaldo stomps off the coach last, this dad who has been waiting in the rain shouts "Ronaldo". He has a huge poster of CR and pen.

Ronaldo looks straight at them and just struts on. The kid looks crestfallen. It was brutal.

This was before the Real move hope he might be more considerate to kids feelings nowadays.

@Opheliasgoldenwine

Oh do tell please! Currently watching All Stars 2 with a poorly toddler asleep in my lap..

@polySaccharide Odd. My SIL was in the same year as Alesha Dixon at school and really liked her.

Always Dixon did, however, turn up at a shop I used to work in and try to haggle for extra money off!

Talking of celebrities I saw Eddie Izzard on my commute home. Didn't look like he wanted company so I didn't stop and say hello

Two people have asked so I'll share okay, so:

It was a show in the U.K. in a gay club with a performance on by Jinkx Monsoon and support acts. We have VIP tickets and were promised Jinkx would meet us and photos before standard meet and greet. I was pregnant at the time. Jinkx sang (or lip synced) and did comedy etc. All good and fun. Then she leaves and goes to get changed for meet and greets etc. A member of the team comes up and says she's doing standard meet and greets first and will be an hour, about 11pm by that point. We said are you sure it'll only be an hour, they knew I was pregnant etc and they assured an hour 15 mins max so we said that's fine, there was music on and we were friendly with some of the other VIP's so we danced etc (only 10 altogether) on the platform. All fine. Fast forward to 1am. We start asking when she'll be there, any minute now, last train home at 3am and we'd need to get a taxi there. We waited until 1:30 and said we can't wait anymore and they said she's just coming literally now. About 10 minutes later she stumbles in smashed off her face. The producers were looking worried as she was so drunk. Apparently loads of people bought her drinks and she drank them and plus some VIP's bought her shots which she downed. She then started making out with this male VIP and her manager went mad at her. Then she takes photos etc. I asked if I could hug her and she said no but was hugging everyone else so I don't know what was wrong with me 😂 she then goes to leave but I asked her for a photo (a photographer was there and I was the last one) and she agreed but stood quite a gap away. I promised I didn't smell so I have no idea what was the problem with me but she was then sick outside the door. She was lovely to DH though We miss the last train home and have an £80 taxi fair. Lesson learnt, sometimes you just need to leave as I was pregnant, felt like shit at 3am and just underwhelmed by it all. I loved loved loved her on the show and thought she'd be lovely but hey ho, I won't spend more money to meet her, will do for som other queens though

I have met Max Boyce and he was absolutely lovely.

Louis Smith, Olympic gymnast, and Sir Steve Redgrave.

I am a massive Olympic fan, and have been since I was tiny. I've met them both a couple of times and they're both absolute arrogant, rude bastards. I was most gutted about Redgrave!

@Opheliasgoldenwine Nooooo! What a shame. I LOVE jinxx. Her Little Edie was one of my all time favourite Snatch Game characters

Slightly off track but Ringo Starr stayed in a boutique hotel in Liverpool and after check out the Bose sound system was missing. He was contacted and said he’d believed it was a gift! Anyway we know he turned out to be an arse. As John Lennon said when asked if Ringo was the best drummer in the world...”he’s not the best drummer in the Beatles” . Many people recounted meeting Macca during the James Corden piece and said he is truly Fab.

Aleesha Dixon was the school bully. Doubt she's changed. Sly Stallone was lovely - just put his kids into a normal ski school class, asked for no kind of special attention, waited in line like everyone else etc.

Jean Paul Gaultier - absolutely lovely. Teddy bear of a man, I just wanted to take him home.

Martin Clunes - Lovely, down to earth, no airs or graces.

Ace of Base - up their own arse. You're not Abba love, learn some humility.

Prince - didn't meet him but stood near to him. Very short and petite as you would expect but smelt wonderful and was incredibly beautiful.

Met Kenneth Branagh years ago and he couldn’t have been more gracious and kind to a star struck teenager.

My architect met the Cumberbatches when they were choosing an architect for their new house. He didn’t get the job but said they were both absolutely lovely.

Chaka Khan used to live very near us in London and apparently she was a great neighbour and at Halloween used to dress up as a witch and give all the kids sweets.

I met Geoff Boycott at work and didn’t recognise him! Also spent an entire lunch sitting at the next table to Peter Mandelson and failed to notice.....

@opheliasgoldenwine that shady bitch

I met Cristiano Ronaldo at a work do, no idea who he was so asked what he did for a living. He was incredibly nice and very amused.

Staying in a hotel a few years ago and eating dinner. Samantha Womack was at the next table, leant over and asked what the main course was I was eating as it looked nice. Would I recommend it. Very nice and assuming person.

Another hotel stay with my Mum, commotion downstairs, loud singing and shouting one evening. Much screaming of Oggy Oggy Oi. Next day breakfast waitress has a face like a smacked bottom and we wonder if we have done something wrong. Troop of blokes with hangovers stagger in including Max Boyce and with much muttering she goes off to serve them. Mum is checking out when Max Boyce’s manager comes over to chat to me. Apologises for the noise the night before, said what noise hadn’t heard a thing. Conversation continues with manager telling me what a sort Max is. Me showing no interest at all, in desperation asks if I would like to meet Max. Mum signals to me check out is complete so say no thanks and walk off. We drove off watched by the manager and Max Boyce who had joined him. The latter puce with rage.

My idol is Rachaele Hambleton (PTWM on Facebook) she does amazing work for domestic abuse. I met her and she was absolutely amazing in real so funny and swears like a sailor lol. She's tiny too

I was introduced to the Portsmouth football team in the VIP area of a nightclub when they were still in the Premiership. I was deeply underwhelmed. Arrogant arses. And all short.

Since we're talking about Rammstein, if anyone has 3 spare tickets to the Berlin gig in June 2019, I'm desperate! 😉

Belle Sylvester Stallone was staying in a posh hotel close to a homeless shelter I used to do some work in. A few of the residents got wind of this and went along to the hotel - I don't know how they managed it but they got Sly to sit with them for a bit in the foyer and he chatted away to them. He made them feel so happy and special.

Patrice Evra, met him at Old Trafford and he couldn't have been nicer. He made time for photos with everyone who wanted one and he's one of my favourite ever Man Utd players so I have a really brilliant photo of me and Patrice grinning away.

Just thought about Justin Hawkins as well. Happened to mention my disappointment at being at an after show party some years ago and he didn't turn up. He laughed and said 'Oh no! We don't go to those things'

Lovely man, the whole band are brilliant.

Definitely not an idol of mine but for those that want to know I can confirm Frankie Dettori is a Grade-A knob. I work in racing and I don’t know a single person who has a nice thing to say about him.

DH might possibly be getting the chance to meet Angelina Jolie later this week so I will report back on what he thinks of her!