You turn on the television and they are there – beautiful people, with perfect makeup and clothes, saying clever things at just the right time – celebrities.

Movie stars and even our national newscasters seem so out of reach, so otherworldly sometimes. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to say hello, to see them in person, maybe even shake their hand?

Well, it’s possible, my friend – and sometimes it’s easier than you think. Here are a few tips that have helped me satisfy my need for a brush with fame.

Getting started

• Focus: start with a targeted group of celebrities. When they gather, you’ll have a better chance at hitting one of them. For instance, NASCAR drivers or ballet dancers.
• Patience is a virtue: Especially if you have a major celebrity in mind, you may have to wait a long time for the right opportunity, and a long line may be in your future. Accept this fact and wait for the right moment.
• Manners make the man: Realize that if a celebrity has opened that door to a wall of fans dying to meet them, they are being very brave and patient, and they are hoping that each fan is not a psycho. Don’t be that psycho.
• Know your celebrity: What is your idol up to? Are they on a speaking tour for their favorite charity, selling an autobiography or helping a politician they like get elected? Keep informed.
• Out of their element, in with you: When rock stars are writing children’s books, or comedians are giving ’serious’ presentations, they are out of their element. This means the crowd around them is not as large, only true fans or business partners have come to see them, and they are much more grateful for the attention they are getting. This is a golden opportunity to get your photo or an autograph.
• Accept your mission: Autographs? Photos with you and the band? In most cases you will have a split second with the celeb, and no re-takes, so decide ahead of time. Actually, decide now. The band may walk into the restaurant any minute now. However: when they say NO, it’s usually best to accept that. In more cases photos are OK and autographs are not, because celebs know the value of their scribbles.
• How much is your celebrity worth? Yes, you might have to spend some money. Some stars charge for an autograph, whether it’s on a piece of paper or on an 8″ x 10″ glossy photo they are selling you. Or you may have to buy a ticket to a book signing, and even buy their book (again!) Why? Signing 200 photos at $20 each might be this week’s income. Hey, it’s a living.

Places stars hang out

• Charity auctions/benefits
• Book signings
• Film screenings/premieres
• eBay
• Product launches – for their signature perfume, clothing line, sneakers etc.
• Fan conventions – comic book conventions, horror conventions, Star Trek conventions, etcetera. Don’t be surprised if the stars in the autograph tent extend beyond the main theme of the convention, and be prepared at these events to pay for an autograph and/or a glossy photo of your favorite star.
• University campuses. If you graduated from somewhere, put that alumni card to use! If not, poke your nose into the local campus and get on their mailing list.
• Fan newsletters, sports team websites etc. If you are the fan you say you are, suck up every piece of info you can. Buy tickets to any special-access event the day they become available, and get your butt out there and be first in line!
• THEIR WEBSITE – many celebrities are only stars to a small group of people. Try writing an e-mail or the treasured hand-written note. You would be surprised how many people will return the favor.
• Twitter – there are as many real celebs on Twitter as there are fake ones. And there are dozens of lists of “Celebrities on Twitter” to help you decipher the difference. Use those tools before you find yourself following an impostor.

Good luck meeting your idol. And remember, be polite!

(I previously published part of this article on Squidoo.)

We lost some big names in entertainment this year, I just wanted the chance to say one last goodbye to some of my favorites.

• Actor Patrick Swayze, 57 – I really enjoyed Dirty Dancing and many more of his movies.
• Director John Hughes, 59 – His films were some of the first that I rented from video stores and watched over and over again.
• Actress Farrah Fawcett, 62 – What a courageous documentary she made at the end of her life.
• Actor Dom DeLuise, 75 – Always made me laugh.
• Actor Ricardo Montalban, 88 – I still want to visit Fantasy Island.
• George Michael, sports broadcaster, 70 – I watched his ‘Sports Machine’ show for years in DC.
• Vic Chesnutt, singer/songwriter, 45 – Just an amazing talent.
• Actress Brittany Murphy, 32 – I loved her voice work for King of the Hill.
• Ed McMahon, 86 – I’ll remember him from Star Search, way before American Idol.
• Pitchman Billy Mays, 50 – He could sell me the shoes on my feet, what a guy.
• Walter Cronkite, 92 – Sad to see him go, but that’s the way it is.

There were many more notable deaths, as The New York Times notes in their annual review.

I was recently asked to define celebrity service. Donna Cutting is writing a book on Celebrity Service.  Hmm, what makes me feel like a celebrity ?

Outside of immaculate cleanliness, perfumed tissues, and beverages offered at no extra charge for the full extent of my stay, what are we really talking about here?

I think it gets down to a definition I included in my last post: gracious …

I have been to upscale establishments where the staff are aware that they are supposed to be providing 5-star service to me, but I don’t quite look like the 5-star customer, so they provide a reluctant, snobbish version of the service. They are meeting all the minimum requirements, but not with the enthusiasm they would for, say, a rock star.

What a shame. I found myself surprised this weekend. I was at a rock concert this past weekend that happened to offer table service. We had a table for two next to a group of 3 girls and a guy. I overheard the ladies talking about how the guy might be able to get them backstage passes, and I didn’t really think anything of it. Imagine my surprise when the show started and he was on stage, playing the bass!

Our server may well have known who he was, but we had no idea. Cheers to our server, who provided excellent service to both tables. Also — remember that all so-called ‘important’ people do NOT go around with neon signs on their foreheads, whether the people that are important to you are rock stars, CEOs or journalists.

Elements of celebrity service ( in my opinion)

• Eagerness to please
• The customer is always, always, right
• Extra touches: in packaging, purchasing assistance, follow-up
• Listening vs. telling: giving your customer the floor and following through with their requests

Of course you walk a fine line: especially if you are a consultant, like myself. You need to be able to listen to a client and be able to tell them if they are steering themselves wrong. That’s not easy, but it can be done tactfully. Or should I say, gracefully?

Check out the book: The Celebrity Experience: Insider Secrets to Delivering Red Carpet Customer Service

Check it out – the New York Times finally took notice of Squidoo. If you can’t figure out how Squidoo fits into the internet puzzle, this is a good breakdown.
NY Times story

And don’t forget to check out my Squidoo pages, starting with my hottest one, How to Meet a Celebrity