TIPS & ADVICE FOR FANS
DISCLAIMER:
This is advice for fans when interacting with celebrities, influencers, or anyone in the public-eye professionally.
(However, every public-figure will have their own preferences with fan interactions)
I personally do not make myself available for private messages online unless it is for professional purposes.
With fan interactions, I am only available for public convention appearances, streams, or paid Cameo videos and fan-meetups.
(so no private messages will be seen by me on any social media platform)
General Behavior
#1⬥ Boundaries:
Public-figures get A LOT of private message requests, even when we ask people to refrain from doing so. This can often make it feel that our boundaries are being disregarded or even completely disrespected. To one fan, it might not seem like a big deal to people on the outside looking in, but imagine receiving multiple messages from strangers every day. It's overwhelming and would be time-consuming to answer each of them. Additionally, we do not owe them our time. They are not entitled to a reply, and it is rude for anyone to demand that of someone, especially a stranger. Fans "it would make my day to have just one reply from [INSERT CELEBRITY NAME HERE]", but there is no guarantee that the fan's messages would actually stop there. Some fans will either purposefully or unknowingly push those boundaries and try to keep a consistent conversation going, blowing up the celebrity's notifications. This issue can also extend to public tags, replies, or quote-tweets online from fans spamming messages of "hi" or asking us to wish them a happy birthday. Again, public-figures do not owe people a response to random messages, neither public nor private. This concept might seem foreign to people who have never been in a public-figure type of position before, but even if you don't understand it, please respect when a celebrity puts boundaries in place. ~ I personally decided to turn off my messages after one incident in particular where a fan messaged me very sweetly, but once I responded to thank them for their kind words, they suddenly turned the conversation into a request for inappropriate images... One person can sometimes ruin a good thing for everyone...
#2⬥ Social Levels:
There is a difference between friends, acquaintances, and strangers. In regards to famous public-figures, it's best to imagine them as your favorite coffee shop barista. They are a person doing their job and are typically required to be friendly with the people they interact with. They might be completely genuine in their kindness, but they still don't owe you anything more than what they're paid to do as their job. Kindness is not an invitation of friendship, so it shouldn't be assumed. In addition to this, there is no way of knowing the true age of someone online, so it is safer to avoid private conversations with strangers altogether. (If I were to compare social levels: Friends are the people I am close with in relationship. We know each other in-person, hang out when available, and stay in-touch via texts and phone calls. In comparison, I label acquaintances as people who I know in-person but am not as close with in relationship. That could include coworkers who I interact with but don't typically hang out with regularly. Then there are strangers, of which I have either met only in passing, or have not met at all).
#3⬥ Avoid Trauma Dumping:
When you get the chance to talk with public-figures, it is best to avoid talking too deeply about your personal troubles, especially if that conversation lingers on for too long. While it can be nice to vent and possibly receive advice or well-wishes, a stranger does not owe anyone that, and they may not even know how to respond, which can make for an awkward encounter.
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In-Person Behavior
#1⬥ Time Management:
When a public-figure starts communicating with you, it is important to not linger in that moment for too long. You don't want to unknowingly make them feel uncomfortable by "overstaying your welcome," no matter how nice that person may be. If you're talking with an actor at their autograph table, even if there is nobody waiting behind you in line, that is not an invitation to linger for more than 10 minutes. After talking with fans for possibly hours each day of an event, we like to take the time to rest our voices when we get the chance. Even small-talk can be draining when it happens often enough. Keep the conversations short, and also make sure to be aware of other people getting behind you and waiting, because you don't want to hold up the line.
#2⬥ Unsolicited Performances:
While at conventions, people will often approach the voice actor guests and ask if they can show off their own vocal impression skills or some form of live performance, usually in an attempt to market their own voice-over abilities in hopes of being scouted. But fan-conventions are not usually the place for that, unless there happens to be a panel or contest that involves that. The autograph table is not typically a place for attendees to showcase their own abilities. If you want to pursue the performing arts and get feedback or advice, I recommend seeking a coach for training.
#3⬥ Quotes:
Some times actors are asked to quote phrases from shows or games they worked on, but please remember that some of the projects we work on were recorded or filmed YEARS ago, so most of the time we don't remember full quotes. If we're going to quote something for you, you will more than likely need to supply the quote for us.
I wish you all the best! ❤️
