Just sat right in front of Alan Moore on train..chickened out of speaking to him

[doobie]

I just (hour ago) caught a quiet, half empty train from London to Northampton UK, and I rushed on and sat down. When the train pulled in to Northampton I stood up, and I saw, getting up from a seat directly behind me, Mr Alan Moore. I had to look a couple of times to be sure, but it was him.

He had the same messy hair and beard as always, very tall and thin, he was wearing a brown hoodie and black jeans. He was holding a walking stick carved in a snake-skin texture, and had spikey rings on his fingers.

As the train stopped, he saw me looking at him, and gave me a kind of little nod as if he acknowledged that I knew who he was. I wanted to go up and say something, but what? Anyway, as we left the train, we ended up walking in a line with me directly behind him, and I kept wanting to say excuse me thanks for writing top ten or something. I kept thinking I'd impress him being a fan of his ABC books, but my mind just was racing and I couldn't think of anything.

Also, he seemed in a hurry, like he was striding along really purposefully. I think he sped up when he saw me looking at him.

Then he went to the exit of the station and disappeared into Northampton town, and I just watched him go and then went back to my platform to carry on to Cov.

I can't believe I spent a whole 20 minute train journey with Alan Moore directly behind me, and didn't even speak to him or know he was there

He was in a hurry once he left, but the train was so quiet and he wasn't reading or anything, I'm sure he wouldn't have minded a quick hello. Missed chance. But to get to see him

 

[DarkSentinel]

Coulda been worse...it coulda been Summer Glau


Cookie to whoever gets the reference.

 

[Eddie Dean]

Doobie will look up and shout "You're Alan Moore" and I'll whisper no.

 

[Project862006]

so you saw the beard

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

Coulda been worse...it coulda been Summer Glau


Cookie to whoever gets the reference.

sweet choc chip please


and how do you know it wasnt some other crazy breaded old guy.

 

[GENERAL RAAM582]

Shoulda asked him if he liked Synder's Watchmen. trolololololo

 

[doobie]

It was him, I've seen him on TV tons of times and he had the same rings on and same distinctive face. If I did speak to him about the Watchmen movie I would offer him my sympathies.

His hair wasn't all swept out like that, it was hanging down normally. He was really tall and hunched over, he looked older and more gray than in the photo.

 

[jonathancrane]

Interesting.

Outside of events, I have not met celebrities in the public (the closest I have had was finding out that Robert Downey Jr. worked out at my gym.)

 

[doobie]

thanks everyone. I just keep wondering did he somehow sense a real fan was on the train with his occult powers. I mean, I read all his 2000ad stuff.

 

[chaseter]

Alan Moore looks homeless so it could have been a homeless guy.

 

[Nell2ThaIzzay]

Coulda been worse...it coulda been Summer Glau


Cookie to whoever gets the reference.

I too would like chocolate chip

I had a similar "wtf do I say???" moment when I met my favorite rap group about 6 years ago.

 

[DarkSovereignty]

It's probably for the best that you didn't say anything, he might have harvested your soul to feed his beard if you had.

 

[TheDreamMaster]

When I read the title, I swore this was a braincrusher thread. I was wrong.
Although I was attending a convention I ran into Sid Haig Just in the hotel but I was too scared to go up and say hi.

 

[Ultimatehero]

I always see it as it's better to just let celebrities go about their day and to treat them just like you would treat anyone else. It's when people start seeing them as chances for autographs or gods that it starts becoming overdone. Just judge the situation, judge how they are, and respect their space. There's a time and there's not a time. In this case, it seems like this was the right and polite decision. It's also when you stop viewing them so highly and just as people that when those situations do come about, it is very easy to just carry on a casual conversation with them.

One example, I have social anxiety disorder. One time a bunch of interns were sitting around looking into another room seeing John Doe (a big, big name celebrity). He sees us and casually walks over to use with his hand out to introduce himself. He then proceeded to ask us questions. The thing is, no other intern was able to get a word in because they were too taken that John Doe was here and he was talking to them. Ironically, I was the only of the group who was able to carry on a conversation. And as said, I have social anxiety disorder lol - so I should have been the worst at that. But, since I just saw him as everyone else I was able to casually keep it going.

Reduce who these guys are in your mind and it will be much easier to talk to them casually when the time presents itself. This, as said, doesn't seem to have been the right time. So, I wouldn't call it chickening out. You just respected his space depending on what the situation was like.

 

[Nell2ThaIzzay]

I always see it as it's better to just let celebrities go about their day and to treat them just like you would treat anyone else. It's when people start seeing them as chances for autographs or gods that it starts becoming overdone. Just judge the situation, judge how they are, and respect their space. There's a time and there's not a time. In this case, it seems like this was the right and polite decision. It's also when you stop viewing them so highly and just as people that when those situations do come about, it is very easy to just carry on a casual conversation with them.

One example, I have social anxiety disorder. One time a bunch of interns were sitting around looking into another room seeing John Doe (a big, big name celebrity). He sees us and casually walks over to use with his hand out to introduce himself. He then proceeded to ask us questions. The thing is, no other intern was able to get a word in because they were too taken that John Doe was here and he was talking to them. Ironically, I was the only of the group who was able to carry on a conversation. And as said, I have social anxiety disorder lol - so I should have been the worst at that. But, since I just saw him as everyone else I was able to casually keep it going.

Reduce who these guys are in your mind and it will be much easier to talk to them casually when the time presents itself. This, as said, doesn't seem to have been the right time. So, I wouldn't call it chickening out. You just respected his space depending on what the situation was like.

Sure, not every encounter with a celebrity is an appropriate time for fawning and autographs, but I don't see anything wrong with a casual "hello" to a celebrity you recognize.

 

[Ultimatehero]

Sure, not every encounter with a celebrity is an appropriate time for fawning and autographs, but I don't see anything wrong with a casual "hello" to a celebrity you recognize.

As said, depends on the time and place. Just having lived in LA, I've seen many a person go overboard lol. So, that's my philosophy.

 

[MMMMM...Pancakes]

He was probably in a rush to get back to Hogwarts.

 

[bullets]

I do get to meet some celebrities at my work , but I always have to be professional. It's kind of a blessing because it keeps me from embarrassing myself. I feel that most don't want to be bothered anyway.

 

[Darthphere]

**** Alan Moore.

 

[chamber-music]

Once you have seen Alan Moore you will die in 7 days. Moore will crawl out of your television and kill you!

You should of walked up to him and said "what is up Gandalf?"

 

[Destructus86]

You should have stared at him intensely while sweating a great deal. That's always fun.

 

[doobie]

lol..right now he is sitting there trying to eat having flashbacks to my creepy face, like the dr after meeting roarsharch...

 

[terry78]

See, the trick is to treat your favorite celeb like they're a nobody. They ain't used to that. When Kevin Smith was doing a book signing here he walked past me and I was just like, "what up, man?" and left it at that.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Did you chicken out of talking to him.... Orrrrr..... did he chicken out of talking to YOU?


But seriously, celebrities have no interest in talking to you. None. They're just normal people outside of their jobs and you're a stranger. Ask for an iphoto pic if you want (and accept his answer if he declines), but don't pester the guy with inane questions about Watchmen or his problems with DC, etc. Because then Alan Moore will know you as "that annoying sod who wouldn't leave him alone on the bloody tube."

 

[terry78]

^LOL, it's funny because that's how they talk over there.