How to Approach a Celebrity for an Autograph

Everybody loves spotting celebrities in public. Part of the fun of visiting a big city like Los Angeles or New York is seeing people that you recognize from TV and movies. But, remember, celebrities are people too. It's OK to approach them for an autograph, if the timing is right and it is done in an appropriate way.

Instructions

1. Be yourself when you approach a celebrity for an autograph or a quick chat. Don't act overly formal or be too gregarious. They want to be treated like a normal human being. Think about how you would approach a close friend that you hadn't seen in a while. Something along those lines would be much easier to take for a celebrity than an aggressive attack of forced formality.

2. Do not talk about how their recent work isn't as good as the stuff they used to do. No one, even a celebrity, wants to be told, even in a joking way, that their work isn't that great. Imagine someone approaching your desk at work after you just finished a long, exhausting project that you put your heart and soul into, and hearing the words, "You know, you used to do such great stuff. What happened?" Instead, bring up projects that you really like of theirs. Better yet, talk about something other than their Hollywood career. They talk about that constantly, and it might be refreshing for them to talk to someone about something other than their career.

3. Do not approach them in a restaurant while they are eating. This is a private time. Interrupting someone while they are having a meal is disrespectful. It is also disrespectful to the restaurant and the restaurant's staff. Wait until they are outside of the dining establishment, in a public space. If the opportunity permits, then you may approach them.

4. Abort mission If things get weird. It doesn't matter what you do or what they say; if the conversation starts to stutter and the pauses get too long, thank them for their time and beat a hasty retreat.