If you haven’t read part 1, here it is.
So you’ve reflected and weighed the pros and cons. After a healthy amount of deliberation, you’ve decided that you still want to pursue this.
Hopefully what I’m about to say will get your foot in the door.
I’m going to focus this on meeting celebrities in general and not a specific type of celebrity (like athletes or musicians). If you continuously go to the types of places I mention in hopes of meeting a celeb you’re bound to run into the rich and wealthy any way just by association…two birds, one stone.
High end gyms (especially if you’re want to be around athletes)
Upscale Restaurants (start with steakhouses)
High end malls (Lenox Mall, The Shops in Buckhead and Phipps Plaza)
Stay in Buckhead. Period.
I’m not mentioning a specific place because Lord knows they change frequently. The trendiest restaurant in January could be closed by July.
Now if you noticed, I didn’t mention clubs. Personally, I don’t like networking in clubs for a multitude of reasons. However, not everyone is like me nor do they share my opinion about this so I will give you a few tips about freestyling at clubs:
Only go if you can get into VIP. Don’t think that Mr. or Miss Celebrity will spot you in a crowd and part the red ropes for you and let you inside of VIP. Has it happened before? Yes. But you increase your chances dramatically if you’re already inside of VIP.
Make friends with the bartenders and the doormen. The same rule applies when you’re at the lounges. They know what’s up. They know why you’re there. You don’t have to spell it out for them. A few subtle words and wink and a nod will do. If you become a regular and a good tipper, they’ll keep you in the loop. They’ll let you know who goes where and when you need to go. Be good to the bartenders and they’ll be good to you.
Don’t go with all of your friends. Unless you all look like Victoria’s Secret models. I’m not joking. For starters going with a lot of girls makes you unapproachable. Secondly, there is a chance that all of you may not be able to get into VIP (for various reasons) - that’s going to cause a problem. And Mr. Celebrity may have the cash, but that doesn’t mean he wants to buy you and all of your friends drinks for the rest of the night. Pick one girl that’s like minded and go with her. That’s it.
And only go during the weekday. Why? Cause everyone and their momma is at the club on the weekend trying to do the same thing you’re trying to do. Including the fake ballers. It’s too much of a hassle. You’re more likely to meet a celebrity or the wealthy during the week.
If you need help finding events, start with the magazines Simply Buckhead, Jezebel (NOT jezebel.com. I’m talking about the local magazine from Atlanta. Their website is modernluxury.com/jezebel) and the Atlanta Tribune. Read the e-magazine/digital edition of these magazines. Don’t worry about the website itself. The magazine is where all of the information about the local events will be. Also, in some of the local/socialite-esque magazines, they will include pictures of previous events. (or you can always google to find the pictures) take note and save the date for the next one if the event looks promising.
I’m sure there’s more “high society” magazines in Atlanta but hopefully that will get you started. If you need more you can Google.
And speaking of the search engine, You’re going to be using it a lot. Get on Yelp as well and begin creating a list of places in each category I named. Read the reviews (and check out the pics to see if there are any of celebrities) to see if the place is worth a visit.
Get organized and create a list of places that you’re going to attend. Keep notes and make memos of which places are keepers and which ones are not worth your time. This may seem a bit overwhelming at first, but eventually you’ll create a rhythm and get the hang of it.
Do not act like a groupie, let me repeat that: do not act like a groupie. That includes acting like one in person and on social media (especially on Instagram.) Don’t act like you’re desperate for fame or a crazed fan. People can smell desperation a mile away and will avoid you like the plague. The most you’ll get for being a crazed fan is a picture. And if you act like a groupie, you will be treated like one.
And since we’re on the subject of crazy fans, don’t do the opposite either which is to act as if you’ve never heard of them. “No, Idris, I’m not familiar with any of your movies….” Please. You’re not fooling anyone with that. If you know who they are, then you know. Treat them like a normal person. Compliment them and their talent “Yes, I like your latest song, the melody is so soulful”. And then leave it at that and talk about something else. And if you’re pursuing male celebrities remember at the end of the day, he’s just a man.
If you’re trying to be around a particular type of celebrity (i.e. such as an actor or athletes in general) don’t be afraid to do some google stalking. This increases your chances of finding them (or another celebrity). Don’t leave shit to chance.
Find out where they like to hang out and what they like to do when they’re not filming, scoring touchdowns, making music, whatever. This is where sites like TMZ come in handy. If you read a story or see a picture that says Chris Evans likes to eat at Chops when he’s filming the Avengers in ATL, then you know that you need to add that place to your rotation. If he likes to eat there, chances are other celebs like to eat there as well. So on the days you go,even if you don’t meet Chris Evans you may run into Anthony Mackie.
Go to charity events. One more time for the folks in the back. Go to the charity events. I don’t know why everyone keeps sleeping on charity events. Most of these celebs have at least one charity and a lot of them actually go to the events, galas and fundraisers. The money that’s spent to go to the club would be better spent on a ticket to the celebrity charity event where you just increased your chances exponentially that you will not only meet a celeb, but also get to have a conversation with them because you’re in a more personal, intimate setting.
And network. If you find yourself at an event without any promising prospects don’t declare it a waste. Be friendly, introduce yourself to people. You never know who knows who.
Celebrities (at least the ones that you want to hang around) go to the hottest, trendiest places. Find out those places with Google and Yelp (Only choose $$$$ and $$$). Be sure to look at the pictures.
Start going to these places.
Begin to sort which places have the best potential and become a regular. (This may take a little trial and error.)
Always be on the lookout for the upcoming places (your local socialite/high society magazines will help with this).
That’s it. That’s the magic code.
And lastly, a personal piece of advice: get something out of this. Even the most lowkey celeb will be attached to some kind of drama or craziness simply because they’re in the spotlight. It comes with the territory.
I’m not going to tell you what you should get out of this, I’m just telling you to get something. Even if your only goal is to say you hang out with celebs, that’s fine, there’s nothing wrong with that. But you need to be at a point that by the time you “retire” from this lifestyle you can at least write a series of books on how to meet celebrities for business, friendship and romance so you can cut a check on the backend if you want. You may not feel that way now, but when this is all said and done and the ride is over, you’re going to want something out of this.
Oh, and I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t recommend at least once book. How to Marry The Rich by Ginie Sayles. Even if you don’t plan on marrying someone rich, her book contains a lot of good tips on how to surround yourself with the wealthy.
Good luck my darling. Remember that this is a marathon not a sprint, and as always, you can message me or send another ask.
