Writing to famous people / people you admire

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I wrote to Jona Lewie once. I was 29. Old enough to know better, you might think. I felt a bit silly doing it, and I attempted to pitch the letter in such a way that it didn't look like excessive, irrational zeal. I kept to the facts. "Will you playing soon near me?" His letter in reply was very gracious and I got a signed photo. Who has done it, here? To whom did you write? How did you approach it? Did they reply? Were you happy with their reply? How did it make you feel? Have you ever written cynically to someone whose fame is fading, or with incipient fame, not because they are your idol, but simply because you know you're more likely to get a reply from them over an A list? Or did you write out of compassion, because you wanted them to feel good? If they did reply, and there reply answered your query on every level leaving no real room to follow up, do you nevertheless feel compelled to write back, and feel just awful if your subsequent missive is ignored?

― Brig Harbinger, Monday, 17 October 2005 08:55 (twenty years ago)

IM RITE TO DAKOTA
http://www.angelpoet.com/autographs/1autographdakotafanning.jpg

― howell huser (chaki), Monday, 17 October 2005 09:00 (twenty years ago)

I asked Adam Hart-Dav1s for a job once, and he promptly wrote back a very helpful and friendly letter. No job, but he was a real gentleman.

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 17 October 2005 09:11 (twenty years ago)

When a friend of mine's six year old daughter was about to take a ballet exam, I wrote to Darcy Bussell on her behalf asking for a signed photo. By return post, she sent the loveliest hand-written letter to the little girl, wishing her lots of luck and recalling how nervous she herself had been in her early grade exams. I thought it was really sweet of her to have taken the time.

― C J (C J), Monday, 17 October 2005 09:28 (twenty years ago)

people I've written to:

Lance Percival: no reply
David Bowie: no reply
John Peel: no reply

Maybe I should try Darcy Bussell next.

― Hs, Monday, 17 October 2005 09:29 (twenty years ago)

i wrote to anna kournikova once.

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 17 October 2005 09:29 (twenty years ago)

A few years ago I compiled a charity recipe book to raise money for the local branch of the NSPCC. I wrote to various celebs who live in Oxfordshire - the likes of Rowan Atkinson, Michael Caine, Ronnie Barker, Richard Branson etc - and they all wrote back to me with recipes for inclusion in my book.

― C J (C J), Monday, 17 October 2005 09:34 (twenty years ago)

At age 12 I wrote president Richard Nixon a letter, asking him to end the Vietnam War. Got a form letter back saying in so many words "be patient."

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Monday, 17 October 2005 09:39 (twenty years ago)

Did he call you 'grasshopper' as well?

― C J (C J), Monday, 17 October 2005 09:42 (twenty years ago)

I wrote to Robert Fisk once. He wrote back and gave me his phone number.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Monday, 17 October 2005 10:52 (twenty years ago)

I wrote to Jon Ronson around the time of his first book, he was very polite and replied back saying he was very busy but then remembered how disllusioned he was when he wrote to writers and never recieved a reply.

He talked about the book for a while, and the few things I asked, and then said to come along to a talk he was giving on it in Galway and say hello.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 17 October 2005 11:01 (twenty years ago)

how do you find these people's addresses. i was under the impression rowan atkinson was v reclusive etc.

― N_RQ, Monday, 17 October 2005 11:11 (twenty years ago)

i wrote to the ocean blue once when i was 17, i got a handwritten letter back from the bass player along with a bumper sticker.

― bingo (Chris V), Monday, 17 October 2005 11:16 (twenty years ago)

John Peel: no reply
he's not being rude, he's being dead.

― not-goodwin (not-goodwin), Monday, 17 October 2005 11:18 (twenty years ago)

Another Jon Ronson story! What a world. RJG to thread.

I cannot remember writing to anyone particularly famous (asking bands from far away to play my club doesn't count) however I did once turn up at Mark Hateley's house. I didn't want to. My friend made me.

― Ally C (Ally C), Monday, 17 October 2005 11:19 (twenty years ago)

I wrote to Tele Santana, the Brazil Manager, in 1982, asking how I could buy a Brazil shirt. He never replied. I have been down on the sultans of samba EVER SINCE.

― Dave B (daveb), Monday, 17 October 2005 11:25 (twenty years ago)

I have never done this. The very thought makes me squirm with embarrassment. But my life may be poorer as a result, I don't know.

I did write (age 7) to a Seaford hotel demanding in the strongest terms that they reconsider their decision to close, as I used to go there with my gran for lunch and regarded it as my 'local'. Strange child.

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 17 October 2005 11:28 (twenty years ago)

What's RJG's Ronson story?

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 17 October 2005 11:39 (twenty years ago)

I wrote to Saint Etienne, as a whole, in 1991, to thank them for making Foxbase Alpha and thus making my life immeasurably happier - oh, and to see if they had anything approaching a fan club.

To my astonishment, I got a handwritten letter back from Sarah Cracknell! She said the ran the fanclub herself, enclosed a copy of their (completely brilliant and hilarious) fanzine, Clenbuterol, and signed it off with a jaunty "tinkerty-tonk, Sarah x". I was in awe.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Monday, 17 October 2005 11:44 (twenty years ago)

Dave Sim. I'm in Collected Letters 2004 as a result.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Monday, 17 October 2005 11:52 (twenty years ago)

>"tinkerty-tonk, Sarah x"

Hah! Brilliant.

My mum wrote to David Icke on behalf of my younger brother who was 3 at the time because for some reason he was really keen on him when he was on BBC Breakfast Time all those years ago. Not only did he send back a hand written letter but he also bought a Ladybird ABC book which he also signed. Rather lovely of him I thought. Who knew the strangeness that lay ahead...

― mms (mms), Monday, 17 October 2005 12:11 (twenty years ago)

cathy likes JR a lot and her birthday was coming up and I sent him a polite e-mail, telling him about cathy and that she was a fan and, for some reason, that she was going to live in spain, for a year, soon, and stuff. I said I was sure he was a very busy man and everything but could he possibly send me an autographed photo or something that I could frame and give her, for her birthday

he replied the same day and said he would "rustle up something very nice" and "it would would be a pleasure". I may have made "rustle" up, I'm not sure

I thought I should wait a couple of days, so as not to bombard him with e-mail. the morning after the following day, a package arrived. I opened it, to find an inscribed, spanish edition of his first book. I was very impressed and glad I had told him a bunch of stuff, in my e-mail. a lovely inscription, saying he hoped she would have a nice time in spain and perhaps she could use the book for some practice and that it was the first spanish edition he had ever signed

I sent him a thank you e-mail, to tell him how thoughtful he'd been and how grateful I was and how surprised cathy would be. he replied, again, saying it really was a pleasure and that the post office was on the way to work and thank you for my lovely e-mails

well, cathy was very surprised and said it was the best present she had ever received. I think she may have sent JR an e-mail, too, after her birthday, to thank him, and he never replied!!!

still, I was very impressed and, as a result, read his columns and articles and stuff with extra enthusiasm, I think

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 17 October 2005 12:12 (twenty years ago)

I always make a point of reading Jon Ronson's column now, because of what he did for Cathy.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Monday, 17 October 2005 12:18 (twenty years ago)

I would vote for him, if he ran for president now.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 17 October 2005 12:21 (twenty years ago)

though you don't have a president in Britain, of course.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 17 October 2005 12:22 (twenty years ago)

wow, that's awesome

― N_RQ, Monday, 17 October 2005 12:26 (twenty years ago)

i wrote to anderson cooper, asking him to my senior prom. he called to say he couldn't make it, but we had a fairly long chat. very nice guy.

― colette (a2lette), Monday, 17 October 2005 12:27 (twenty years ago)

That just makes me have an even greater amount of respect for Jon Ronson than I already did.

― Paranoid Spice (kate), Monday, 17 October 2005 12:30 (twenty years ago)

When I was seven Brian Clough sent me a hand-written reply to note asking if Nottingham Forest could kick-off their televised midweek games a bit earlier so I didn't have to go to bed before the end.

He called me "young man" and said it was an excellent idea and one that he would ask the FA to look into.

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Monday, 17 October 2005 12:49 (twenty years ago)

Who is Anderson Cooper, Colette?

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 17 October 2005 13:05 (twenty years ago)

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=anderson+cooper

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 17 October 2005 13:08 (twenty years ago)

Sounds like an estate agent. I wonder if they have any studios in Herne Hill or Crystal Palace.

― Paranoid Spice (kate), Monday, 17 October 2005 13:09 (twenty years ago)

anderson cooper is a news reporter. when i asked him to prom, he was the 'serious' reporter for channel one (news piped into schools), but now he has his own show on CNN. he's kinda dreamy.

― colette (a2lette), Monday, 17 October 2005 13:20 (twenty years ago)

I also sent an e-mail to Claudia Gonson once... she wrote back saying "thanks", which is code for "Take me, I'm yours".

― DV (dirtyvicar), Monday, 17 October 2005 13:27 (twenty years ago)

I emailed Dan Fante and he mailed me back. Pretty cool.

― Lion-O (nordicskilla), Monday, 17 October 2005 13:52 (twenty years ago)

i used to date a girl who had a signed headshot of anderson cooper in her living room

― mark p (Mark P), Monday, 17 October 2005 13:55 (twenty years ago)

anderson cooper probably had to decline because he'd already taken a girl to his own prom, and one bearded prom was quite enough. that said, i do enjoy him immensely.

― cooperphile, Monday, 17 October 2005 14:09 (twenty years ago)

In high school, my friend Randall and I had a contest to see who get get responses back from the most bizarre/unlikely "celebrities".
He mostly went through the Dischord catalogue, and got replies. I went after Love Boat cast members and didn't.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Monday, 17 October 2005 14:12 (twenty years ago)

I wrote a letter to Morrissey when I was 15 but I didn't send it.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 17 October 2005 14:24 (twenty years ago)

My wife wrote to FRED SAVAGE when she was about 13. She even sent a picture of herself (tasteful, artistic) believing that they were destined to be married.

IN YOUR FACE, Fred Savage.

― Munki (nordicskilla), Monday, 17 October 2005 14:25 (twenty years ago)

I wrote to quite a few asking them to come and speak at my school. People who said yes included Trevor McDonald, Jeremy Paxman and Max Clifford. People who never replied included Pete Townshend, unaccountably.

― beanz (beanz), Monday, 17 October 2005 14:32 (twenty years ago)

That is funny, Adam.

I have just remembered that I did cave once and write to Joey MacIntyre. Just a birthday card I think.

I've written to a few famous-ish people about festival appearances, but I don't think that counts.

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 17 October 2005 14:34 (twenty years ago)

He thought it only teenage wasteland.

Oh, you guys reminded me of the time I got the bass player from Stump to 'pop in' on a thread here.

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 17 October 2005 14:36 (twenty years ago)

I was unaccountably happy when I entered into email chat with B1lly Bra99 about him doing an appearance at one of our conferences.

― Dave B (daveb), Monday, 17 October 2005 14:37 (twenty years ago)

And I was dead chuffed when Polly Toynbee replied to an email I sent her agreeing with something she'd written.

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Monday, 17 October 2005 14:52 (twenty years ago)

No, I have never sent letters to famous people, however famous people do frequently send me letters, and I always reply, remembering what it was like when I was a famous person sending letters to me receiving them.

― Owen, Monday, 17 October 2005 16:54 (twenty years ago)

I wrote to one of my favorite writers, G@ry Lutz, in 2001 - and he actually wrote back! We ended up sort of becoming e-mail pals. I haven't heard from him in a while, though.

― Homosexual II (Homosexual II), Monday, 17 October 2005 17:05 (twenty years ago)

I sent Peter Bagge a compendium of some of my comics, and he wrote back a very encouraging postcard that I kept tacked over my desk for a decade. The coolest thing was seeing his famous handwriting "in person", if that makes a lick of any damned sense.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Monday, 17 October 2005 17:15 (twenty years ago)

I wrote to Isobel Sollenberger of Bardo Pond once, and she wrote back and sent me a poster signed by the band, with the additional "Love, Isobel" on it. I loved that poster, and wish I knew were it was now. I got to meet her on a couple of occasions too, and she always seemed to remember me by that letter.

― Jena (JenaP), Monday, 17 October 2005 17:26 (twenty years ago)

I sent an email to Momus, years ago - 1997, I think - because the recording studio I'd been working in had flooded in a freak storm and I'd lost most of my music and kit. I'm not sure why I wanted to ask his advice: I'd never spoken to him before.

I don't have his reply, but I he did write back and said something about listening to Music Hall.

― angle of d... (tingo), Monday, 17 October 2005 17:27 (twenty years ago)

I sent a letter to Barry Davies once telling him how much I'd love to be a football commentator and asking him how he got to where he was. He never replied. :( I also wrote to Jim'll Fix It but that's a bit different.

― Cracks (Crackity), Monday, 17 October 2005 17:50 (twenty years ago)

Dan Clowes: reply
Jonathan Taylor Thomas: no reply

― emilys. (emilys.), Monday, 17 October 2005 21:57 (twenty years ago)

I wrote a general email to the operator of Ultravox's official site back in 1998 and received soon thereafter an unprompted email from an actual bonafide member of Ultravox. It was either Warren Cann or Chris Cross, and it was really sweet and nice. I also somehow ended up having a brief email correspondence with the lead guitarist of The Waitresses (of "Christmas Wrapping" and "I Know What Boys Like" fame) later that very same year. I've pestered Amanda De Cadenet on instant messenger before, after finding out what her username was. This would've been ca. 1997, right when I was first getting onto the Internet at home. And I've chatted (via instant messenger) before with Warren Cuccurullo's mother, but the last time I did that was right around the beginning of 1998.

― This Field Left Blank (Dee the Lurker), Monday, 17 October 2005 23:10 (twenty years ago)

four years pass...

i wrote to anderson cooper, asking him to my senior prom. he called to say he couldn't make it, but we had a fairly long chat. very nice guy.

― colette (a2lette), Monday, October 17, 2005 8:27 AM (4 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

coop-a-loop

― johnny crunch, Saturday, 24 July 2010 04:38 (fifteen years ago)

I wrote an e-mail to Mark Lanegan thanking him for his beautiful voice and he, to my utter, total surprise, write me a long-ish e-mail back, a good portion of it complaining about the alimony payments he has to make.

― thirdalternative, Saturday, 24 July 2010 16:53 (fifteen years ago)

I wrote to Bill Watterson at age 12, and never got a reply, but I think it's because my letter was asking him where I could buy a Calvin & Hobbes shirt.

― Warum habt Ihr mich totgefüttert? (Abbott), Saturday, 24 July 2010 17:05 (fifteen years ago)

i wrote to E.T. when i was 5 and got a reply on pretty pink paper.

― just1n3, Saturday, 24 July 2010 17:12 (fifteen years ago)

Traded some letters with Mamet in my early 20s.

― gato busca pleitos (Eazy), Saturday, 24 July 2010 17:16 (fifteen years ago)

ive thought about writing to mark hollis, should i do it?? y/n

― ▲ＮＧＥＬＳ＆ ▲ＩＲＷＡ▼ＥＳ (LOLK), Saturday, 24 July 2010 17:26 (fifteen years ago)

Chatted a bit with Paul Lansky via email a few years back.

― fidel castro clone (corey), Saturday, 24 July 2010 17:29 (fifteen years ago)

one easter i wrote a letter to the easter bunny with a drawing on it and he left a note thanking me

― booby girl trap (latebloomer), Saturday, 24 July 2010 18:17 (fifteen years ago)

Christopher Hitchens, late one night, and he responded by mid-morning... incredibly kind.
Also asked Richard Thompson a question on his website and he gave a long, kind response.

― jeevves, Sunday, 25 July 2010 14:34 (fifteen years ago)

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