Actor Poses With Fan, Doesn’t Know She’s As Famous As Him

He Didn’t Recognize Her

Ed felt a shiver down his spine. The night was over and he had even taken a photo to prove he had met her. But he still didn’t have a clue who she was. He needed help from his daughter desperately.

He was aware that time was running out. They would soon have to say goodnight and he still had no idea who she was. He didn’t want her to realize that he had no idea who she was. He would be humiliated in front of the entire party.

Ed O’Neill

Everyone should know who Ed O’Neill is. He is most recognizable as Jay Pritchett in Modern Family. He’s even won three Emmys over the course of the show. But there’s more to him than his portrayal of Jay.

When Ed isn’t acting, he’s an ordinary guy that does many things that normal people do – like go to parties. But even Ed wasn’t prepared for the dilemma he would be faced with.

Sarah Hyland’s Party

Sara Hyland, one of Ed’s co-stars, had a big party with many notable guests. Ed swung by to have a good time, but there were lots of people he didn’t know.

A stranger would walk up to Ed at the party, he had no idea who she was but something gave him a funny feeling. He racked his brain but he couldn’t come up with the answer. He had met her before, but who was it?

Very Familiar

The girl was attractive and friendly, she walked up to Ed and said “Hi again, nice to see you.” It was at that moment that Ed knew that she wasn’t some random stranger, she was more important than that.

It was apparent that she liked him and his work. He was flattered, but he still couldn’t remember her. He had no idea how humiliating it would be that he had forgotten who she was.

Unaware

What Ed wasn’t aware of was that the young woman loved more than just his role in Modern Family. But she loved him in “Married… With Children” and most of his other work. It’s fair as he’s won two Golden Globes for his efforts.

Thoughts ran through Ed’s head, what would she think when she found out that her idol didn’t even recognize her? But when Ed finally realized who was at the party with him, his daughter would never let it down.

Talking To A Grammy Winner

After the girl walked away he tried to forget about his embarrassment. But he still felt like he knew her. Her face was familiar. But he had no idea how famous she actually was.

Ed knew very well that at the age of 71, sometimes it’s hard to recognize people when they aren’t on stage. But what he didn’t know, was that the young woman rivaled him with a Grammy of her own.

Enjoying The Party

Ed just wanted to wind down and have fun. It was his co-star’s party after all. Even though there were many important people at the backyard party, he still felt like he had every right to be there.

But soon the girl would enter his mind again. He knew that things weren’t finished and soon he would have to try to remember her again. He would have to try and remember this important woman who slipped his mind.

Worrying

Ed knew that he wasn’t entirely familiar with all of the “in” celebrities. At least he was confident in recognizing actors and peers that were more his age. Off stage though, it was sometimes difficult for him to remember.

Something in his mind kept clawing away. It was nagging him and making him worry. He felt out of touch, it was understandable given his age. He needed a plan to figure out who she was.

An Idea

But at that moment, Ed thought of a scheme. If he managed to pull it off, he would be vindicated and be able to figure out who the young woman was. Even though it was risky, he still had to try it.

After thinking about it for some time, he finally decided what he would do. The payoff was definitely worth the risk and it would get him out of the awkward situation. One person could help him, he knew what to do.

A Selfie

Ed knew it was time for action, he was nervous about what he was about to do, but he had to do it. He walked up to the young woman he didn’t recognize and asked her for something bold – a selfie.

He asked for a picture of the attractive woman. It was all part of his plan. He knew exactly what he was doing. The woman was more than happy to take the photo with him, and afterward, he cleverly sent the photo to his daughter and begged for help.

Pulse Racing In His Chest

Ed felt his pulse racing in his chest. The night had drawn to a close, and he had even taken a selfie with her. But he still didn’t know who the young lady was. He was still waiting on his daughter’s help.

He knew that he only had a few more moments before she would greet him for the night and leave. But then she would know that he hadn’t recognized her. He knew he would be humiliated if that happened.

Daughter To The Rescue

Just as the unknown girl got closer, he finally heard something that made him breathe a sigh of relief. He had received a message on his phone. It was from his daughter, and it was her telling him who exactly she was.

She berated him for not recognizing who she was. It turns out that she was fresh in the minds of many fans across the world. She was a very popular singer that he had failed to recognize. But we would remedy his mistake.

Taylor Swift

He managed to put his phone away just as she approached him to say goodnight. He looked at her with a confident smile as she got closer. He would no longer make a fool out of himself.

He got her attention and then courteously said, “Nice to meet you, Taylor.” She smiled and returned the gesture. It was a close call, but he was kicking himself that he didn’t remember her from all of his daughter’s interest in her. And the worst part? This wasn’t the first time.

His “Thing”

In fact, Ed O’Neill’s failure to recognize mega stars when he’s out and about has become the forgetful actor’s “thing.” But it’s not just faces he doesn’t recognize.

Once, Ed even failed to realize that he was on the phone to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson! But his next forgetful moment was even worse than that.

At The Airport

Ed was quietly sitting in an airport lounge waiting for his flight when a woman walked up to him and excitedly asked for a photo of them together.

The woman, who proclaimed to be one of his “bbiggest fans” was extremely polite and there was nothing unusual about the request, so Ed allowed her to take a photo of them together. What he didn’t know was that he was about to commit a major faux pas.

Controversy

That photo of Ed with his attractive female fan made huge waves in the entertainment world, but not for the reason you’d think.

For months the infamous photo circulated, and every time Ed saw it he felt more embarrassed. If only he had known who the woman was. Then, he wouldn’t be caught up in such controversy.

Chance Encounter

Ed had just been minding his own business, waiting for his flight. The woman had been enthusiastic but polite. Although Ed wasn’t thrilled about being recognized in the airport lounge, he had unwittingly agreed to the photo.

The fan’s fiend had snapped the picture, then she thanked him and went on her way. Of course, Ed didn’t think much of the chance encounter at the time.

Going Viral

Ed only became aware of his giant mistake when the mysterious woman who asked for a photograph uploaded the picture to all her social media accounts.

It wasn’t long before the messages began to pour into Ed’s inbox. You see, while Ed has millions of dedicated fans, the mysterious woman had millions of her own.

A Late Bloomer

Ed O’Neill got a late start to his acting career – landing his first role at the age of 40. Despite this, Ed has managed to rise to the highest levels in the entertainment world.

However, it was perhaps because of his late start that he failed to recognize one of the biggest stars in pop music.

TV Star

Ed O’Neill has graced our TV screens for more than 20 years in two of the most popular sitcoms of all time – Married… With Children and Modern Family.

So, it’s safe to assume that he gets approached by fans wanting pictures and autographs fairly often. That’s why he hadn’t paid too much attention to the female fan who approached him in the LAX airport lounge. Now, he regrets it.

A Private Man

Unlike most big TV stars, Ed O’Neill is an extremely private person. He doesn’t have social media accounts, and he definitely does not like being photographed by fans when he’s going about his day.

So, why did he agree to the photo the mysterious woman requested in the airport lounge? And why did that photo become an online sensation overnight?

Avoiding The Limelight

It turns out that Ed’s mystery fan was no stranger to the paparazzi and controversy. In fact, she deplores details of her private life being made public and goes out of her way to avoid the limelight.

That’s why the photograph of these two very elusive celebrities together created such a stir online. But Ed, embarrassingly, didn’t even know who she was.

Kindred Spirits?

Perhaps Ed subconsciously allowed the mysterious woman to take the photo because he sensed that they shared similar views about keeping their private lives private.

Or, maybe, he allowed hernto take the photo because she was attractive or polite. Whatever the case, the fact remains that the photo was one of the most talked-about pictures for months to come.

The Look On His Face

What makes Ed’s embarrassing situation even funnier is his expression in the photo. The woman next to him is positively beaming with a huge smile on her face. Ed, on the other hand, looks far less amused.

However, Ed would be caught with egg on his face once again when someone finally told him who his fan really was.

Hugely Popular

Although the photo of Ed O’Neil took mere seconds to snap, the repercussions would be felt for months – and even years – to come.

People’s reactions to the photo were overwhelmingly positive, and it was quickly shared all over social media and even appeared in news print. If Ed’s Taylor Swift mistake was bad, this one was worse.

In The Dark

The mysterious woman posted the photo with the simple caption: “Fancy running into this guy! Such a sweetheart!!”

And, while the photo was getting enormous traction online, Ed was completely oblivious. Just a few hours later, his inbox blew up with positive messages from his friends and loved ones.Of course, he had no idea what they were all talking about.

Lucky

Ed was perplexed by all the attention he was receiving. He couldn’t understand what the big deal about the airport photo was. It was only when his manager called him to explain what was going on that he finally caught on.

And it was lucky that Ed was feeling amicable that day. If he had refused the woman’s request, his rudeness would have been in all the tabloids! So, who was the mysterious fan?

Mega Pop Star

Although Ed had no idea at the time, the celebrity who posed with him was none other than mega pop star Britney Spears!

When Ed’s daughter heard about her dad’s faux pas, she jokingly called him a “moron” and was actually quite upset. Ed was so embarrassed that he called Britney’s manager to apologize! The incident wasn’t behind him yet.

Ellen’s Show

A few months after, Ed went on the Ellen DeGeneres show where they spoke about both incidents. He admitted all of his mistakes that night, forgetting who Taylor and Britney Spears were and how he had to get his daughter and manager to bail him out.

But it was met with laughter as Ellen defended him, saying that even she struggles to recognize stars when they’re away from the stage or the context of their fame. But how would they help Ed make sure this wouldn’t happen again?

The Memory Game

Ellen decided to make a game while Ed was on the show to help him remember the most popular celebrities. He managed to correctly identify Ariana Grande, Meghan Markle, and the last photo was the one that he had dreaded a few months prior.

The last photo shown to him was that fateful selfie that was he had taken and sent to his daughter begging for help. Ellen was proud that he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice and confidently identified her as Taylor Swift.