Celebrity Worship

[Revolver]

This topic was inspired by a friend of mine who said he'd like to travel to New York to have a chance to meet his hero, Woody Allen. This got a few of us arguing back and forth about celebrities. There were those of us who thought the idea of going out of your way to meet a celebrity was a little crazy. And a couple of people who were all about any chance to meet someone famous.

Don't get me wrong. There are famous people it would be kind of cool to meet. But I honestly can't think of anyone I admire enough that I would want to travel a great distance to meet. Nor do I think any particular celebrity would make me freak out if I met them. If anything, I'd prefer to meet a celebrity I didn't care for so I could bring them down to earth a bit (if I met Carlos Mencia, I'd tap him on the shoulder and say, "Sorry to bother you. You must get this all the time, but has anyone ever told you that you look like that guy who isn't funny from Comedy Central?").

So where do you fall in this debate? Are any celebrities worth getting that excited about or do you think people should shy away from worshiping someone just because they won an Oscar? Have you met any celebrities and did it freak you out or would it hypothetically?

 

[Lindsey McDonald]

If there was a celebrity who interested me intellectually, or because they'd written/filmed something that I was inspired by then I'd be much more inclined to meet them than, say, an actor whose work I enjoyed, or a singer. I could talk to them, ask about canon, hear their views on their work. With another kind of celebrity, it wouldn't be nearly as interesting.

 

[Harm]

I worship Anna Nicole Smith and I don't think there is anything wrong with that whatsoever.

 

[Joyce Summers]

Celebrity isn't something that impresses me, but rather the talent that got them that celebrity. I think Meryl Streep is an amazing, versatile actress and ever meeting her would be quite an awesome thing, but the awe wouldn't go beyond the fact I think she's a great actress. I wouldn't be all 'Oh my gosh, you're Meryl Streep' etc etc. I don't really do star-struck which is probably why, despite the fact I think it is great when people on here get to meet the stars of the shows, I've never really be interested in doing that myself.

Anybody I'm a fan of, I never look beyond their work I will admit. Their private life is their...well, private life, and has no relevance for me- I'm not even sure of basic Buffy-Stars-Fan information like SMG's birthdate.

So no, I don't think I would go out of my way to meet someone famous, just to meet a celebrity. It's just never been my thing- I think that's due to my Mother's Only-Impressed-By-Intelligence attitude I've know all my life and growing up in Los Angeles. I've become a cynic to all things celebrity. Haha.

 

[Washburne]

I can se myself kind of wanting to go to a convention or something for the fun of it. But it´s not more than that. I doubt it´ll ever happen since I have so many things that are way more important. Or should I say "actually is important". If you´d asked me when I was a teen it would have been something completely different. It can be "fun" to see a celebrity in real life (living in a place like this it doesn´t happen too often 😉) but it wouldn´t be more than the feeling of "Did you see who that was?" I wouldn´t talk to them or ask for an autograph or anything. Even if I in general don´t mind autographs at all. But to just disturb someone just to get one isn´t my thing. Actually going to a convention and get one would be something different obviously. For example, getting the dvd cover from Firefly signed by the cast and Joss would probably get me more excited (but not show it) than I´d like to admit.

 

[anyatara]

There are a lot of people I'd kill to meet. I would meet someone just because they're famous, or because everyone thinks they're cool, only people who I really have a desire to meet. I would travel the world and back if it meant meeting one of my favourite actors/actresses. Call me crazy, but I would.

 

[Ulrikke]

I agree with Joyce; it's the talent that got them their celebrity that impresses me. I don't really care about a person's level of celebrity, but rather what they've "done" for me. Going out of my way to meet them? That's not really my thing. For example I'm flying to London in May to see James Marsters in concert, but that's because I love his music, not because I want to be close to him or whatever. I do love and admire what I've seen of him as a person but that makes me want to hang out with him, be his friend and get to know him better - not have a 30 second meeting with him just so I can tell myself and everybody who'll listen that I've met James Marsters.

 

[Faith]

I've crewed at some signing events and met the actors from it both from working with them and from the parties. I only got into it because a lot of my friends were doing it so it became our thing and we all had a laugh with each others, if the actors were there then we would chat to them but we didn't go with the sole purpose of getting to meet them or spend time with them.

It can backfire, I was a big fan of a certain Buffyverse actor until I met them and it really did ruin it for me. I won't say who because I don't want to ruin it for others.

Harm's Way agrees: awww come on! plus, one expirience doesn't define the person!

It was not one experience, but several from myself and my friends over a period of a few years

 

[Aly Fan]

I think there's only one person that i would travel all the way around the world a hundred times to meet and that is Alyson Hannigan,...i get super jealous of people on the boards who've met her...I just think she's really funny and quite down to earth! She's the only one..not saying i wouldn't go see others if they were a bit closer to home though 😀

 

[itsxpaperdoll]

I think I'm a bit in love with Noel Fielding, along with about a million other girls (and guys?) I guess. I don't know how I'd react if I met him, but when I saw him quite nearby, on stage with the rest of the Mighty Boosh (has anyone ever paid attention to Mike Fielding's arms? 😱) I, surprisingly, didn't feel the need to scream extremely loud and behave like a crazy fangirl. Mine is a true love, and he knows it (^^). Why I love him? Because he's funny, intelligent, and, also very important, good looking.
Those are the most important factors that influence whether I like or dislike a celibrity, really. I mean, Noel Fielding, Johnny Depp, Till Lindemann (singer of Rammstein, and the rest of Rammstein, too for that matter) and Dita von Teese (to name but a few) are of course all very attractive, but what makes me like them more than just, say, Jude Law, is that they're also intelligent, humourous people who know what they're doing and don't take themselves too seriously.

I think that also explains why I tend to crush on comedians. What, with Fielding's looks, it's not so strange (and to be fair, and I don't want to sound extremely condescending and all, but I think that at least half of his fangirls' love is but skin deep), but if Julian Barrat,t Micheal McIntyre, Tim Minchin, Russell Howard (allright, he's also kinda cute, physically speaking), Dara O'Briain, Jonathan Ross, Jon Stewart, that guy from SNL whose name I always forget (with the darkish hair), hell, even Dawn French or Jo Brand (no woman can make me laugh like she does) would make a move on me, I can't guarantee I wouldn't a) faint, b) scream, c) end up having breakfast with him/her (in no particular order)

 

[Kean]

I actively don't want to meet anyone famous...ever. When I say that, I mean that I would never go out of my way to do it. It holds no attraction to me at all. There are several famous people I admire but never in a million years will I try to meet them, in fact if I saw one these celbrities walking towards me on the street I would try and get out of dodge. It's almost like a celebrity-phobia. I just really do not want to meet them.

 

[Mesektet Ra]

Mmmm...celebrity worship. Interesting.

When I was younger I defined 'crazy fangirl'. I LOOOOOOVED SO AND SO OMG SO MUCH THEY ARE SO AWESOME YAY. Yea, I think I got over that. The idea of celebrity itself doesn't impress me at all - you can be famous for doing absolutely nothing. Fame in and of itself means nothing. It's the art that's produced, and the people who produce it.

I joke a lot and giddily fangirl over Wes Borland, but it's really only a joke. I sincerely think Wes is one of the most creative people out there - every piece of music he creates touches me, his paintings are haunting and funny and surreal. As a person he has an off the wall sense of humor and he never takes himself too seriously, but his art is all he is. There's something to be admired about someone who lives and breathes so much creativity.

I DID act like a shy little five-year-old when I met him...I can't exactly say why. I think part of it was my desire not to say or do anything I'd regret later, because I like to leave people with a decent impression that I'm NOT a moron. I really wasn't after OMFG WES BORLAND'S SIGNATURE or OMG WES BORLAND'S HUG just because he's Wes, but because he's someone I admire greatly. The autograph and hug were both sidenotes, if that makes any sense. Granted, there was massive excitement and fangirling, but it was mostly just for fun. I don't aspire to be him, but I do aspire for that level of creativity. And I don't see a problem with seeing qualities in people, be they celebrity or not, that you want to aspire towards. It gives us goals, something to work towards - as long as these goals aren't unreasonable or harmful.

I'm not entirely sure I made sense here, and if I didn't, blame it on the mono. 😀

 

[RazzTheKid]

Errr I've waited a couple of hours after gigs to meet my favourite bands (which unfortunatley none of the members came out haha) but I think that's about as fas as I'd go. I don't really want to meet any actors, but would love to meet members of my favourite bands.

 

[Aleris]

I wouldn't go out of my way to find celebrities, but if I ever saw DB or Johnny Depp I may just drool on their shoes and abduct them.

Who knows ... they might be into that sort of thing (sw)

 

[IdiotJed]

I think it depends on the type of celebrity. I mean, sure, if I had the chance to meet a great actor or writer or, if they're any, politician, then yeah, absolutely. But in this day and age when a celebrity can be based on how well your show on MTv does, I'd pass. Today anyone can be a celebrity and more times than not, they've really never contributed anything to society. I hate those people.

 

[Tsquared]

Haha, I'd walk a thousand miles.. if I could just... MEET you. 😵

Lol. Well, I'm kinda on the fence with this booger. I mean I'd love to meet Eliza, Milo, or many other famously famous celebrities that I will not name to avoid shaming myself... BUT, like seriously. I don't want the image of my celebrity gods (and how I have them conceived), to be shattered. I mean, a relative and prime example is Faith and her encounter. I'd rather keep them as-is, but hey.. if I see them walking down the street. WATCH OUT. 😀

*Warning: Anthony is not responsible for any injury related to or pertaining to his over-excitement and knocking-people-into-a-well because of his witness of a famous celebrity*

 

[yellowcrayon]

There are definitely folks I'd like to meet because I want to talk with them because I'm interested. For instance, I really, really respect Felicia Day and would love to get together over drinks and have a down-to-earth conversation about what she does, how she does it, etc.

On the other hand, if I were to see Patrick Stewart or Christopher Lee, as much as I would absolutely adore to have an intellectual conversation with them (I think I might kill for that, actually...), I'd also be fighting not to drop into a pool of a an awe-struck mess. 😉 Funny, thinking about it... the only people I really think of like that are British. Must be the accent that leaves me weak in the knees. 😉

Anyway, I have meet a celebrity. 😛 Jamie Farr (Corporal Klinger in M*A*S*H). I go to church with him. I shook his hand and said hi after church on my way to Coffee Hour. That was the extent of our meeting. Sure, I'd love to sit down and talk with him. I'm a little nervous because I don't wanna gush about my adoration of M*A*S*H (it's not quite adoration anyway), but I don't want to offend him (although rationally speaking, I *highly* doubt I would, considering the sort of person he seems to be, both from personal observation and friends' anecdotes), and I'm shy in general and need a push to get me started in a conversation. 😉

I've also seen the guy who was the head of the "rebellion" deal in "Equilibrium." He goes to my church, too. 😉 Haven't met him yet. 'course, I'm also not sold on the idea of church as being the place to meet and greet celebrities. 😉

*thinks she rambled way too much and decides to shut up*

 

[Sweetescape]

I follow the celbrity magazines and gossip sites, yes i know i'm sad 😛 but i'm not an obsessive celeb fangirl i read it mostly to pass the time. I wouldn't want to meet any of them really i mean what would you say apart from "i liked/disliked you in this..or when you did that".
If i saw say someone from BTVS or ATS in the street i wouldn't go up to them or anything i'd probably just gawp at them for a few minuets, i think there entitled to a bit of privacy when there not working. I still not sure whether i'd like to go to a convention meeting the cast just seems a little weird and I'm not sure why!

 

[sibby]

I love elijah wood! hes an amazing actor! i own nearly all his dvds. I would love him as my best friend

 

[JCC]

If Tom Waits happened to be leaving the store as I was entering, I might stop him and say "Hey, Tom, you've changed my life and I think you're a pretty cool guy, thanks", but I'm really not that bothered about celebrities. I'm more interested in the effect that their creations have upon me than the celebrity themself, call me self-involved.

Is "I don't want to grow up" a Tom Waits song?

Yeah, that's a Tom Waits song. It's one of his more fun songs, especially in comparison to the rest of the stuff on the 'Bone Machine' album, but it's still genius, because Tom Waits wrote it.