Have you met a celebrity that changed how you saw/felt about them?

I haven’t, but I don’t think a celebrity’s image is real. Your fitness person is made up to look her best on camera. Her images might be photoshopped to take out any wobbly bits and I’m sure any unattractive shots are edited out.

The people we see in the media are presenting an image. They put forward the personality they want you to see. They only have to maintain that image while in the public eye. I’m sure there are some lovely, genuine people who are famous, but I doubt what we see is a totally authentic view.

Like Dr. Phil says, “those stars on billboards, in magazines, and on TV, don’t really look like that.” Growing up we would spot stars in the street and I met more than one when I was young, and so I guess I knew from a young age they are just people and often shorter than I expect. Lol.

My experience with the actors I have met is they are nicer than I expected.

A girlfriend of mine who works on TV met Jenny McCarthy for some publicity thing and even she went on about how much make-up McCarthy had on, and remember my friend is on TV herself. So, you’re not the only one to be taken back by that.

I once saw Mr Rogers in the Philadelphia airport. He was surrounded by an undercover security detail worthy of the President. Awesome!

I didn’t get the chance to ask him to be my neighbor.

@LuckyGuy That’s very surprising! I wonder if he had been threatened or stalked? When I’m in NY I see celebrities just shopping, at a restaurant, or walking down the street, just like any average person.

@JLeslie I have no idea why. I figured his popularity and approachability made it difficult for him to travel in public. He was so nice you just know he couldn’t refuse a cute kid asking to talk to him. He’d never catch a plane.

By the way… he looked just like himself! I love the guy!

Maybe it was important he never said no to a child for his image, and better to have some handler guy keep the kids back.

Still, I find it surprising.

@LuckyGuy Maybe Eddie Murphy’s SNL skit wasn’t far off and they were protecting the public from him.~
I’ve met or been around a lot of celebrities and most of them are regular peeps just doing a job that puts them out there. I know they don’t always enjoy the public attention. Some suck it up like a drug but most aren’t that way I think.

@Adirondackwannabe Don’t worry. I saw the ~ in your comment.
I’ve read some info about him and apparently he was as nice in real life as he was on the show. I’d have been honored to be his neighbor.

Eddie Murphy’s take was genius.

What’s surprised me is how much some of them dislike the celebrity status and just want to be treated as regular people at times.
I knew you’d get it. Laughs.

I ran into Robin Williams after a private screening of a Pixar movie. He was very quiet and subdued, and as gracious as anyone I ever met. I certainly thought better of him after.

Arnold Schwartzenegger is a LOT shorter than I expected him to be! Homunculus’ aren’t as impressive. He is very nice though.

I met Sir Edmund Hilary. Even more awestruck after I met him. I met Dennis Connor the yahtsman . A spoiled, sad drunk.

I sat a table away from Richard Gere in a restaurant in California for two hours. Beautiful voice and he looked great; just a bit shorter than I had pictured.

@janbb They always are. They always are….

Oh, I forgot to mention I had a lovely dinner in Cannes, South of France with Rolv Wesenlund. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolv_Wesenlund
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleksnes_Fataliteter He is a HUGE star and author here in Norway.

He was charming and engaging but seemed to think he had to entertain and be the center of the conversation the whole time. I had never heard of him before, so I had little preconceived notions.

@cazzie How could I not GA you for Edmund Hillary : ^)

@LuckyGuy I had never heard of Mister Rogers so I investigated and just watched a handful of YouTube videos. What an extraordinarily gorgeous (inside) human being, and from what I watched he seemed entirely genuine, lovely programme for younger children.

@Adagio He was wonderful. My kids watched him for a bit until they outgrew him (~age 4?). I loved the way he spoke to children about feelings, imagination, and treating others with respect. Wonderful guy.
It is a stark contrast to the Go! Go! Go!, short attention span of Sesame Street and the violent cartoons on commercial TV.

Of course he took flack for being such a pansy, wimp, weak, limp wristed..(insert insult here) but I truly believe the world would be a better place if more young children learned his message rather than being plopped in front of Transformers or Mutant Ninja Turtle or Sponge Bob disposable garbage.
Some of the best times in my life were those spent sitting on the couch, relaxing with my kids curled up beside me with their blankets while Mr Rogers talked about what people do for a living or how they should treat each other. Priceless.