Chris Pratt Wants to Live in the Moment and Encourages Fans to do the Same
Chris Pratt is in the media spotlight right now as press interviews are in full swing before Guardians of the Galaxy 2 hits the big screen. His life is being heavily documented by paparazzi and fans as he travels the world. He’s also the focus of wife, Anna Farris’ social media accounts as she travels through this press tour with him and their son. Chris thanked her for being there for him in a sweet Instagram post lately but it’s hardly a chore. She’s also familiar with the entertainment industry and the way they love one another helps them get through the parts of the ‘job’ that aren’t fun or relaxing.
Now, more than ever, Chris’ time is very important to him – and with his growing success, it’s likely that he’ll stay in a high demand status. He’s not just an actor, nor is anyone in Hollywood, he’s a person with a family – and he’s trying to savor the small moments.
As a fan of a celebrity, or anyone in general, we all know how special it is to have those random ‘I ran into ___ at the coffee shop’ moments. However, as people, we know that even we don’t always want to say hello to the people that we know when we run into them out in public. It’s not a celebrities job to be doing fan service 24/7. In fact, their career path has given them a public platform, but it’s not what the epitome of their existence is based on.
Chris Pratt told Cigar Aficionado in a recent interview that he has been ‘pretty go with the flow’ when it comes to stopping for photos with fans. That is, until lately.
“…but now I have to be economical with my time. If I go out and want to do normal things, I have to be comfortable disappointing people.”
He goes on to bring up something important, and while he was kind when he said it, people need to be aware that it happens and that it’s not okay.
“That’s not about enjoying the moment; it’s about stealing the moment to brag about later. So, I say, ‘Would you settle for a handshake?’ And then they take the picture anyway.”
They take the picture anyway.
If this isn’t a radical statement, we don’t know what is. It’s one thing to see a celeb and tell them hi, it’s another thing to invade their personal space and THEN to go against their wishes when they turn down a photo opportunity.
If you ask your parents or grandparents if they ever met someone famous; odds are, you’ll hear a pretty cool story. They ran into ___ and had a conversation, asked a question, told a joke, or otherwise had an interaction that meant something. If you look at people meeting celebrities today, ti’s all about a photo and a social media post. It’s about that recognition. If this weren’t the case, there would be more lines of respect drawn.
So next time you’re out and about, take Chris’ advice and enjoy the little moments. If you do run into a celebrity, smile at them – tell them hi, but try not to be invasive. Isn’t it better to have a memory that makes you smile – even if it’s not documented – than to have a photo with someone where a line of comfort was obliterated?
‘…but I knew him’
