I accidentally made friends with someone very famous, now what?

[CornflakeShark]

I feel a bit of a dork here but hear me out. I met Peter* at one of my regular fav haunts. It's a quiet, out-of-the-way place used by those who share a common pass-time. Peter & I must have similar schedules because we often rock-up at the same time. Over a period, we've progressed from a smile & nod at a distance, to polite small-talk, to sharing a space to do our hobby side-by-side - with the accompanying chit-chat that goes with it. I felt like we were right on the cusp of becoming quite pally. I don't have a tv & seldom read the news online apart from a quick scan of the headlines, I'm a bit out of touch really. Then a week ago I suddenly saw his pic in the news & thought 'Oh fuck'. I was shocked. I know Peter's just a bloke like any other person underneath it. He doesn't court the press like some do but now I feel a bit funny about the next time we meet up. He's never told me who he is other than first names & I suspect he likes the quiet friendship. I feel funny about it now. Do I say something? If I don't I feel a bit awkward. Wwyd?

Leather craft with Rod Stewart

Omg is it ceramics with Johnny Vegas? I saw him on that BBC pottery challenge thing.

Lace making or needle point with Jeremy Clarkson?

OP isn't coming back clearly. I can't see the point of this thread anymore.

I can’t help having this mental image of you in a sun bed with Peter Andre. Please tell me it’s not him.

@SinkGirl

OMG!!!

I think it's shooting range with Tom Hardy

Jazzercise with Ian Hislop.

OP isn't coming back clearly. I can't see the point of this thread anymore
OP did come back

People watching with Eamon Holmes!

It's quite niche?

Is it knitting little hats for innocent smoothie bottles with Paul Hollywood?

Is it Quilling with Wolf from Gladiators?

Topiary with Daniel Craig?

As someone who qualifies as a celebrity in a small way (I host a morning show in a city in the United States and have done so for over 20 years, so in that city I am pretty well known) I will offer the following advice.

1. Every celebrity is different. They are people and they are as different as all people are. That said, they often have similar life situations now because of their celebrity.

1. I believe most of them would prefer honestly over game playing. If I were in the celebrity's shoes, I'd prefer you be honest and tell me you didn't recognize me at first, but that you realized who I am. I can't speak for the insanely "Michael Jackson level of famous" but I have friends who I have met who aren't famous and I think nothing of it. I am a normal person like they are.

1. All celebs are different, but MOST of them are celebs because - on some level - they like being recognized and treated special. Only the oddest and most annoying celebrities (probably not someone you would have made friends with) enjoy being recognized and told that you know who they are - they just don't like knowing that is the only reason you are hanging out with them. Since you met unaware of his celebrity, that shouldn't affect things unless you change drastically.

1. If you take my advice and are honest with this person, please don't start making comments about it all the time. For instance, the worst thing someone could do with me is to start asking for concert tickets all the time and saying things like, "With you being the big radio star, you wouldn't know what that is like," or "You can do that because you are such a big celeb!" That gets old fast. Just be a normal friend.

1. Many celebs are suspicious of people who claim to not know they are a celeb. That is because it is our personal experience over time, that people who say that are lying. In my experience, people who claim not to listen to our show often end up being the biggest stalker/stans/loons vs people who come right out and say, "I've been listening every morning for years and love your show."

Most normal people get over the celebrity status quickly and treat you as a friend. It is the people who seem confused on how to treat you, or treat you like a money supply or (in my case) concert ticket handout machine that we avoid.

Finally, DO NOT ASK for anything from the celeb. If they volunteer it, feel free to accept. But don't ask, that's a sure-fire sign that the person isn't going to be friend material.

Good luck. It seems like you have handled it well so far, I'd keep being honest and enjoy the new friendship.

www.hawkandtom.com

Argh, I can't seem to edit this.. I meant to write on number 3...

Only the oddest and most annoying celebrities (probably not someone you would have made friends with) DON'T enjoy being recognized and told that you know who they are -

But the op didn't say they are a celebrity she said they were famous. You can be famous without being a celebrity. A notorious criminal may be famous but isn't a celebrity, ditto politicians, inventors, scientists, artists historians etc. They may become a celebrity but they are famous bef that.

Last guess now, pokemon go'ing with Dion Dublin?

@tsteele937 did you just register here for this post on how to treat famous people?!

Geocaching with Little Jimmy Krankie?

Niche hobby you can do side by side quietly. Others recognised him but you didn't because you don't watch TV and you spotted him in a news story eventually.
Is it Graham Norton doing kumihimo braiding?

He's in the news, eh? Are you in the TA with Mark Francois?

Ooh, I know - it's photographing manhole covers with Jeremy Corbyn (as that is his actual hobby IRL)

Tsteele937 how kind of you to advise us how to treat celebrities such as yourself. You do realise MN is a huge forum with lots and lots of members who might actually be quite famous themselves, or have famous friends or families or even work in those industries? But how good of you to give us the benefit of your experience I'm not clicking on that address in your post btw.

We all know the MNers who are truly famous would never be so crass as to even hint of their celebrity status on here

Pottery with Jeremy Vine?

Toilet Doily Doll knitting with Bear Grylls

My dad used to work in the film industry and some times he took my mum to watch filming behind the scenes, he took her to the set of "goodbye mr chips " and it was the iconic scene where he is shouting at a class full of children, but in fact he was just shouting at my mum when they took a break my mum carried on sitting there and this woman came over and demanded the seat, my mum told her to go find her own seat as she was there first, the woman explained it was her seat and she was petula Clark.
Another time it was the end of filming party after where eagles dare and my mum got chatting to liz Taylor mum obviously didn't know who she was and mum commented on her huge engagement ring and asked to try in on, liz let her but mum said it didn't even go over her knuckle as she had very small fingers.
I have a few more but very outgoing, where would you sell unpublished photos of celebs as my dad has loads? Oops going off topic there.

My guess is
Scrapbooking with Craig charles