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Here’s a jolly old question from Pete in Devon:
My favourite jingle starts ‘I’m an Answer Me This! fan, I listen with my nan’.
I too want to be like Olly Mann – so answer me this Helen: is it true that you should never meet your heroes?
Perhaps you have had an encounter with someone you held in high esteem that was everything you expected it would be or was a crushing disappointment.
Well, if you should happen to meet Olly – perhaps browsing in John Lewis, or in the jacuzzi at a spa, or queuing at the local courthouse to contest a parking ticket – you definitely would not be disappointed (unless you have completely unrealistic expectations. He’s not really gold-plated, you know).
However, in all other cases, I counsel that you steer clear of these encounters. Even in the cases where your hero turns out to be just as delightful as you had hoped, you cannot escape the inequality of your situation: you know them, but they do not know you, and your only common ground for chitchat is how much you love them. This subject, by the way, will make for an awkward one-sided blithering conversation, which will make you cringe forever after – unless, of course, your celebrity crush is in fact very vain and adores talking about how amazing they are. In which case you might be able to indulge in a lengthy discourse, but it will result in the second scenario: disappointment, as you discover all too plainly that your idol is an arrogant twat.
So, in either case, you’re better off keeping your mental image of the person and not tarnishing it with horrible old reality. Our next questioneer Sophie did learn the hard way:
I recently went to a book signing, where I just quickly mumbled a question at Jarvis Cocker’s face. I now have a signed copy of his book, and a horrifically embarrassing memory to cherish.
To avoid such instances in the future, I was just wondering what is the correct etiquette for book signing events?
As aforementioned, there is no overcoming the fact that your relationship is unequal, and regardless of which well-chosen bon mots you deploy, you’re not going to emerge from the brief encounter as Jarvis Cocker’s new best friend. To minimise the awkwardness, prior preparation is essential: decide on ONE thing to praise out of Jarvis Cocker’s achievements – perhaps one of the less obvious highlights of his oeuvre? – and maybe throw in a compliment about his tie or suchlike. Give him a little guidance about what to inscribe in your book. Then LEAVE. Your dignity will thank you for eternity if you’re the one who breaks off the meeting (because you yourself are BUSY and IMPORTANT, and the world doesn’t stop turning just so everyone can worship you, JARVIS).
We will all be entertained if you, reader, would deign to share in the comments the tales of when you did not observe these guidelines and found yourself somewhere on the scale between mortified and slapped with a restraining order.
Answer Me This! Podcast 
January 3, 2012 at 12:38 pm |
I went to see Mark Kermode do a book reading and then signing a little while ago. I was getting increasingly nervous as I moved forward in the queue and was listening to people who seemed to have interesting things to ask him when they reached him. I had nothing to say. When I reached the front and handed him my copy of the book he said, “Well, you obviously haven’t read it.” I had, actually and pleaded to him that I had, but without knowing how I could prove this. “But you haven’t even creased the spine. You must barely open the book and be very careful not to damage it.” he continued. “Well, did you enjoy it?” “Yes! It was just careful enjoyment.” I felt pretty embarrassed, but happy that a conversation had actually happened and that it was probably a bit different from all of the other conversations he’d put himself through that evening.
December 22, 2011 at 1:13 pm |
I think these encounters always come off as awkward and rushed, two more memoribal meetings I’ve had were with Henry Rollins after a spoken word gig, I with a very unsteady hand mumbled something like ‘I love you man’ and he signed my ticket and I think I said ‘Thanks for bringing all these funny people to our boring town (D.C.)’ to Comedian Eugene Murman. Both times for the rest of the night I couldn’t stop thinking about how dumb I must have sounded but they weren’t really that bad, Henry hung out and drank coffee with about 6-7 of us and told more stories of travel, because he couldn’t sleep after doing two gigs. And Eugene was really nice and seemed happy I had his book (that I bought for 2$ online but he didn’t know that).