An Open Letter to Famous People

Dear Famous People,

Stop being jerks when meeting fans. There. I said it. 

You're not special snowflakes - for every one of you whose names we know, there are a couple hundred struggling actors/singers/writers just as talented - if not moreso - who we don't even know exist. Maybe they just haven't gotten that Big Break. Maybe they were just never encouraged to pursue their dreams. 

Either way, you're no better than them.  

Yes, what you do is hard - acting, writing, singing - these are all demanding careers. But, understand something - what you do is not harder than getting shot at in Afghanistan. It's not harder than teaching kids in the inner city. It's not harder than pulling a mother and three children from a burning building. It's not harder than performing a delicate operation to save a life. 

You're not a God - no matter what your fans tell you. 

Here's a little scenario for you:

This guy watches your movies for years. Loves them all. Maybe he even buys some movie related merchandise. He thinks you're the next best thing since sliced bread. One day, he gets a chance to see you at a convention. He's saved up money most of the year to be able to attend. The time comes, and he walks up to your table. 

This is the moment in time when you have to realize something - this moment will mean nothing to you. To you, he's one in a line of a thousand. A faceless blur you'll never see again. 

For him, this is the most important moment of his entire life. He's more excited and nervous now than he was on his wedding day. He'll remember the next few minutes for the rest of his life. 

Make. Them. Count.