Caught in the act of being in Hello Dolly back in 1983—yes, that’s me, Dave Boreanaz, Dolly, and Mr. Jackson, all on stage. Hindsight’s 20/20 with celebrity spotting back then, but it’s all the rage now for Holy Child alumni news!
Why Celebrity Spotting Makes Us Question Everything About Ourselves
I know you’ve been there. You’re out to dinner with friends, reconnecting, and enjoying yourself, when suddenly, your friend starts talking like a CIA agent. Accidental celebrity spotting is a serious mission, after all.
“Four o’clock. Don’t look now, but it’s your friend. The one you were in that play with in 8th Grade. Remember Buffy and the Vampire Slayer?”
“I had never been a fan.” It’s somehow important that I point that out. Plus, I’m still trying to figure out where 4 o’clock is. Could we stop speaking in code?
If you’re not finding this a good enough example, fill in your own famous person of choice.
Typically, I consider myself indifferent to celebrities, which is so not true. If I’m going to be honest, it brings out the awkward school girl in me—that time of life I thought I’d outgrown. Apparently not.
The Awkward CIA Moment of Celebrity Spotting
So I say, “I’m not going to look. It’ll be too obvious.” Oh, heck. Failing miserably as this CIA agent, I roughly look over my shoulder and see him. Yup. That’s Dave Boreanaz.
This makes me wonder: How do you even know if you’re famous? Here’s one way to tell—when you’re all dressed up, do you go to the front or the back of the line? You know where I’ll be seeing you.
I quickly make the bold decision to stay exactly where I am. Only, I see his parents join him, and now I have to say hi. I love his parents.
I forcefully put my napkin over the armchair and scooch myself out of my chair. “That’s it. I’m going over.”
Why didn’t my CIA partner tell me to abort the mission? “Abort mission. I repeat.”
Overthinking a Celebrity Spotting Encounter
I definitely had no time to think this through. Acting spontaneously may not work in your favor if you’re feeling the slightest bit insecure.
If you can find their entire resume on Wikipedia, no matter who it is, you’re probably starting to feel sorry for yourself right about now.
Where’s my Wikipedia page?
And once you go there, you will not act like a civilized adult from this point on. I give you fair warning. It happens to the best intentioned of us.
The Accidental Fangirl in a Celebrity Spotting Moment
Gulping down your pride that you don’t have a similar acting career to boast about, you will most likely come across as that accidental fangirl—flustered, awkward, and utterly out of place—especially when you aren’t even a fan to begin with.
He will definitely not know who you are when you go over to him and re-introduce yourself by your married name. He didn’t actually catch that when you were in 8th Grade, did he?
Finally, he makes the connection. Well, his dad does. “Remember, she was in Hello Dolly with you?”
And I’m thinking, How can he fail to remember the only time I ever sang, acted, and danced? Oh, right. I might have said part of that out loud.
Just because he made a career of acting, shouldn’t he remember his first musical? “What’s wrong with him?” I’m thinking. So instead, I say, “I’m not a fan.” It’s important he knows I’m not a fangirl, for goodness sake.
I fail to mention this is a common celebrity spotting mistake for those of us without a Wikipedia page of our own. We think just because we spent two years of middle school together, or were in our first play together, or we sat two tables down from them once that we’re BFF’s and they’ll remember us. It’s so obvious to us and the rest of the world, but they probably haven’t thought about middle school since they graduated and moved on.
Finding Meaning in a Celebrity Spotting Story
Oh, yes, I should never have come over. Something is wrong with him. Just throw in any strange encounter you’ve ever had into the mix. Any time you ever made a fool of yourself, or had a crush on somebody and couldn’t talk, or even didn’t know the answer when a teacher called on you.
When you’re reassuring yourself that he’s the cocky one, and this moment is all about him and has nothing to do with you, there’s suddenly that unexpected connection. Memories start flooding back, for him, but I’m too busy talking to his parents and the other members at the table to care.
I return to my table and can’t find my napkin. So I ask the waiter for another one, saying, “Don’t ask me how I lost it.” He laughed. Meanwhile, I’m thinking, Did I go over there and leave my napkin on their table? That would only make matters worse.
Feeling like it really was a covert CIA mission by way of Steve Martin in The Pink Panther. I can see the new scene now. Steve Martin nabbed the wrong suspect, lost his napkin in the struggle, and proudly returns to his own table, only where did he put that napkin?
Embracing the Celebrity Within
But then there’s the unexpected connection. We’re finished our meal, and said celebrity comes over to my table. This time, there’s a bit of a role reversal. Who’s the Pink Panther now? This time I make the introductions.
He says to me, “I’ve been flooded with memories from 8th Grade.” And he said to the table at large, “We went to Quebec for three days.” I recall the story of getting so scared on the gondola ride I couldn’t make it up. A kind stranger put me in the middle of the car and told me to close my eyes and not look out.
Then he turned to me, “And there’s the play, I can’t remember but what role did you play?”
In all the career moves he’s made, he can’t remember where it all started? “I was Mrs. Malloy,” I blurted out. As if he’s supposed to remember the year of my personal fame in 8th Grade.
But that’s what fame does to you. It makes what would have been a perfectly normal encounter between two middle school friends aWkWaRd.
Finding Meaning in the Moment
And so we get to the heart of what this muse is all about: those celebrity-spotting moments that make us question ourselves. When the spotlight suddenly comes back on us, we don’t look so flattering. We squirm and make bumbling fools of ourselves. We start to see the disconnection between who we are versus who we want to be.
These starstruck moments reflect our hidden desires to be great and our insecurities that we’re merely a forgotten second lead for one show in 8th Grade at best.
Maybe it’s time we redefine a celebrity spotting. Does it have to be that moment that makes us feel sorry for ourselves? That moment to look at every way we failed in life? Or can it be that moment to uplift us? We are our own “celebrity,” and it’s time we embrace it.
We are all legacy makers. Each of us has a story that deserves the spotlight, a narrative that highlights the celebrity within. Let’s own our fame; don’t shy away from the spotlight thinking we’re second best.
And if you’re still not getting it, don’t make me tell you the story about what a fool I made of myself meeting Rob Lowe. Although that’s a celebrity spotting encounter you won’t forget.
Your Turn
Now that I’ve shared my own awkward celebrity spotting moment, it’s your turn! Have you ever found yourself in a “CIA agent” situation, trying to act cool but secretly fangirling on the inside? Or maybe you’ve had an encounter that made you question your own path and where you fit in? Drop a comment below and share your celebrity stories—because, hey, we’re all living our own unique, star-studded stories. And remember, no matter who we spot, we’re all worthy of our own spotlight.
Still feeling starry-eyed? Here’s some more fun reads
This One’s For Hugh! (Jackman, Of Course)
All The World’s A Mamma Mia Stage
Stephanie,
Let me be the first to soften the blow of your overly critical self-assessment of the interaction you had with your 8th grade castmate and now TV celebrity to applaud you for being some calm and confident around David’s equally famous father – Channel 6 Action News longtime popular weatherman, Dave Roberts!
And in the game of, “Is it providence or is it coincidence?” where do you place the fact that your only acting role carried my surname – Malloy – 41 years before we met? 🙂 🙂
Also, I can only imagine how many family outings were interrupted by fawning fans of all ages who stuttered and stammered approaching your dad. And I know your empathetic spirit undoubtedly felt sorry for them. So go easy on yourself. 🙂
And my awkward celebrity moment was a role reversal where I was the one hounded for an autograph, having been mistaken for the head coach of the 76ers after a regular season night game (can you see the resemblance in that team/office staff photo?? 🙂 )
As I walked out of the Blue Line Club at the Spectrum a fan yelled, “Great game, Billy! Can you sign my program?” I hunched my shoulders, flipped up my collar and kept walking to my car. The fan groaned, “Aw c’mon coach, don’t be like that…” I stopped, reversed my steps and took the program and pen from the young man. Standing inches apart the fan says, “Thanks…You know you look shorter up close,” to which I replied, “the TV camera adds 4 inches to you.” I handed the fellow his worthless piece of memorabilia and as I pivoted up the steps, I heard him say, “but this was a HOME game…”
Awkwardness – one size fits all.
Tim
You’re my legend!!! To speak to your comment about Dave’s Dad, when Dave came in 7th Grade the kids got in a debate, whose Dad was more famous. I was too shy to participate (plus I inherently believed my Dad wasn’t famous—he was my Dad). But somehow it boiled down to what would you rather watch the weather or the Sixers? So somehow that made my Dad have a heads up on the whole thing. 😂 But then, to have that providence/coincidence moment 41 years ago with us sharing the same last name—now that’s fun! 😀 But nothing gets finer than your own brush with fame—only you were the bunt of it! Now that’s a classic!!! It’s a scene straight from a movie—your own acting debut. The only thing you’ve got wrong—that would be the most valuable piece of memorabilia out there. It’s one of a kind.,And it all does circle back to the point, we are all legend makers—making our own legends!! xoxo
I remember the Rob Lowe meeting. My awkward celebrity moment came at your wedding and involved Dr. J. He was very gracious and obviously very used to dealing with awkward people. 😂
You know my Rob Lowe story is my claim to fame!!! I played the star-crossed fangirl role to the tee. And I always loved your story about meeting Dr J. Did we have some great laughs over that!!! We knew how to have our awkward moments with style back then!!! Such fond memories!! Love and hugs!! xoxo
Dear Steph…What a fantastic, star-studded story and reminder of where legends come from. They are often born from humble beginnings in middle school that end up flooding our hearts with memories forever.
Funny that your humility goes so far that you don’t consider yourself a good celebrity. But I agree because good ones inspire themselves and great ones inspire others. That’s the kind of celebrity you are – a great one!
For my awkward moment, I’m loving this flashback game that takes me back to the old Miami Arena days!! While celebs frequently graced the house seats, I too was not that impressed. But I do remember a “bumbling fool” moment from the ‘76ers game at Miami in ’92.
After a long workday, I was walking through the tunnel heading to my seat and Charles Barkley steps out of the line-up heading to the court to follow me with a playful smile asking…” how you doin?” It was Charles being Charles and while I was flattered, I ran like a terrified, awkward schoolgirl remembering our team Code of Conduct – “we’re not allowed to speak with players.” I smiled and moved on.
But you’re on to something about the celebrity within. Charles’ nonsense must have been uplifting if I still remember it which means, we can ALL be Charles. Thank you for allowing us to be celebs and legends through our stories. It means we can also be life healers – we just have to remember! Felicidades!!! xoxo
I don’t think I could love anything more than writing these muses, but then I get your heartfelt response and I’m over the moon! 🌙 You get it! And your story is so adorable! There’s nothing like the CODE OF CONDUCT to forbid us from being ourselves and enjoying that moment with Charles! If only you had gotten fired over that—imagine those headlines!”Non-Gushing Fangirl Fired For Talking.” That would have been a fun story to write !!! And now you have the hindsight to laugh and to see it all clearly! We are all so much more than that flub up, we are all destined for our own greatness. We are all beautiful!! It’s time we believe it!! I bow to the legend in you!!! 🌙 🏀💕