It’s important to remember that celebrities are no different from us, so it’s quite normal for them to experience moments where they may not show their true selves. That doesn’t mean we should hold them to a lower standard, but it’s okay to give them the benefit of the doubt that the few minutes of interaction maybe not even that they are in a bad mood or it is an off day. It would be unrealistic to expect them to be cheery and happy always just because they are in the public eye.
A perfect example of an overwhelmed and exhausted celebrity interaction was one where Red Hot Chili Peppers’ lead vocalist Anthony Kiedis tried to get their CD to Magic Johnson through Jack Nicholson and was met with an arguably rude response that he wasn’t expecting. However, it’s important to bear in mind everything before reaching a conclusion about a person and their character.
If you weren’t aware, Jack Nicholson might just be the number-one celebrity fan of the Lakers. The three-time Oscar winner is a die-hard fan like no other, as the actor has been attending their games since the 1970s. If you want to meet Nicholson, he is probably at a Lakers game; he’s that big of a fan. So naturally, after attending the games for so many years, he has become familiar with the players, which is why everyone assumes that he is best pals with them, which is not the case.
The rocker recalled his interaction with Nicholson in a Lakers game; in line with the general assumptions, he also thought the actor would have a connection with the basketball player, which he later found wasn’t the case at all. He intended to give their ‘Mother’s Milk’ CD with a song called ‘Magic Johnson’ so that Nicholson could give it to Johnson.
However, Anthony was severely disappointed; he recalled the story to Penthouse in 2002 and said in the interview, “Jack Nicholson was probably the biggest a**hole. But I don’t hold that against him. I approached him at a Lakers game in ’89 with the ‘Mother’s Milk’ CD because it had a song on it called ‘Magic Johnson.’ I wanted to give it to Jack to give to Magic. I was like, ‘There’s a song on it called ‘Magic…’ ‘Don’t talk to me, kid. I don’t know Magic,’ he says and waves me off. I thought, ‘F*ck, what an asshole.’”
He continued, “Later, I’d see him at the games and how people are constantly f*cking with him, and I realized, what else could he do?” Kiedis realized soon after that interaction that his initial thoughts about the actor, which were full of anger, were unnecessary. He saw how Jack Nicholson was constantly approached at games and couldn’t enjoy the game due to fans asking him to forward a message, a letter, or a gift to the players, although he didn’t have that kind of a relationship with them.
Just like Kiedis did, it’s essential to empathize with people’s situations, even if they are celebrities, and try to understand where they are coming from when they react unexpectedly. This does not mean Nicholson was right to be rude, but it is easier to understand his behavior once you observe the situation further.
