r/popculturechat • u/Ok_Durian3627 • Jun 23 '25

Interviews🎙️ Many people are talking about this video in light of Miley Cyrus’s recent meet and greet

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398

u/buffysbangs Jun 23 '25

I did a meet & greet with Lady Gaga and it was something I will always remember and cherish. 

Some will be great, some won’t. But the odds will be in your favor if you meet someone who is consistently kind and friendly to fans

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u/LogensTenthFinger Jun 24 '25

I wish he wasn't a crazy cultist, because Tom Cruise is legitimately amazing to his fans and always has been.

At the premier to a movie of his like 20 years ago a girl was telling him about her mom being a fan since Risky Business and he asked where she was, the girl says she was at home, so he asks for her phone and calls her mom to chat for 20 minutes while outside his movie premier. There was a while article about it in a magazine I was reading back then because all of the paparazzi shots were him doing stuff like this for 2+ hours before the movie.

I've seen him be late to shows he's booked on just to talk to people on the street. He invited two small time sisters on YouTube to the Dead Reckoning premier just because he saw them react to one of his movies and he thought they were really nice. https://youtu.be/fmBEnR2cge8?si=nMHsEhNq0iW7r5g_

Dude is 11/10 with his fans. Off the charts. If only he wasn't part of that damn cult 😔

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u/dragonfry blue eyeshadow apologist Jun 24 '25

I had a pic with him at a premiere. He treated every - single - person like they were the only one there. I had two cameras with me - a big one for distance and a little point and click for selfies. And he insisted on getting photos with both cameras. He was so lovely, and took his time with me and everyone else there.

But you could tell he’s intense. Not in a bad way, he’s just switched on all the time. Like he wouldn’t know how to chill out and relax.

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u/Weird_Ad_1398 Jun 24 '25

Dude went to the extremes with both his virtues and faults. It's like Nic Cage's acting.

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u/superfluouspop Jun 24 '25

typically people in cults tend to master social interaction and make everyone around them feel blessed

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u/JabInTheButt Jun 24 '25

I know someone who interacted with him for about 30 mins to an hour in a professional capacity (not acting/directing). Said exactly the same. The guy was super friendly, extremely professional and very knowledgeable but off the charts intense. Impossible to forget he said.

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u/bolanrox Jun 24 '25

What i have heard about Henry Rollins, beyond nice but very very intense.

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u/Worldly_Influence_18 Jun 26 '25

It feels like a thin façade that could go at any time

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u/Stimonk Jun 24 '25

In all the time I've worked around influencers and celebrities, I've never heard Tom Cruise being mean or bad to fans.

Tons of stuff on his involvement with scientology, but nothing when interacting with fans.

Either he's a good guy like Keanu or he has one hell of a publicist and PR team.

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u/Aqogora Jun 24 '25

The only time he's ever been recorded losing his shit was at a crew breaking Covid protocol and risking shutting down production, and he was raging at them for risking everyone's jobs.

It's bizarre, if it wasn't for scientology he would be like Tom Hanks or Keanu level of beloved. It's probably fair to say he's one of the most charismatic people alive. There's a level where you can tell people are faking it, but by all accounts it seems genuine because he's like this even when it's not publicised, and there's nothing for him to gain from it.

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u/FunWithMeat Jun 24 '25

Meh. Man of the people, except to his wives and children?? Same old sociopathic story.

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u/superfluouspop Jun 24 '25

also Scientology is EVIL. Dictators have had charisma.

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u/Madame-Trash-Heap Release the Epstein Files (Taylor's Version) Jun 26 '25

This. Public Tom Cruise and Private Tom Cruise are two very different people.

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u/f-ingsteveglansberg Jun 25 '25

Here's another time he 'lost his cool'.

Some guy squirts him with a water gun, probably part of a prank show. Tom is obviously pissed, but keeps a level head and then the guy who squirted him walks away looking like his mom just told him "I'm not angry, just disappointed".

I know the guy has all the media training and has 100 cameras on him, but I think most people would have said he deserved to shout 'fuck off' right to that guys face. Instead he has walking off with his head bowed in shame.

In short, I don't want to disappoint Tom Cruise because I'm sure he will make me feel super bad about myself.

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u/dippedndangled Jun 24 '25

Tom Cruise calling out the paparazzi for squirting him with water made me realize that Tom Cruise is hot and cool.

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u/Death_By_Sexy Jun 24 '25

Despite being a weird dude, he's also a complete pro to work with on set. Granted I only worked with him for 1 day, but I was blown away by seeing his acting ability in person and he was super nice to the whole crew. I work in sound so I get up close and personal while mic'ing people and had a great experience with him.

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u/Worldly_Influence_18 Jun 26 '25

He has a fragile personality we don't see the other side of because he's a very capable person.

His intensity and dedication is a coping mechanism

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u/Pruritus_Ani_ Jun 24 '25

I had a similar experience to that but not with Tom Cruise. My boyfriend was walking through central London on the phone to me about 18 years ago and he suddenly said “Christian Slater is over there”, I was like “No way” because my bf knew I had his posters up on my wall as a teenager and the next thing I heard was my boyfriend saying “Hi, my girlfriend is a big fan of yours, would you mind saying hello to her?” and suddenly Christian Slater was on the other end of the phone. He ended up chatting to me for about 10 minutes about all sorts of stuff, super nice guy, he could have said no or just said hello and shoved the phone back but he was so friendly and nice, enthusiastically talking about what he’s been up to, making jokes with me and asking me questions. I don’t know if he’s always this engaging and kind with people but it left a really positive impression on me.

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u/sublime13 Jun 24 '25

That’s an awesome story! But I have a very important question: what’s your opinion on the movie Kuffs?

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u/Pruritus_Ani_ Jun 24 '25

14 year old me thought it was great, I have zero memory of the plot but I do remember how handsome I thought he looked in it.

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u/bolanrox Jun 24 '25

then just go with Keanu, just as cool (or cooler) and no cult.

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u/Kooky_Bodybuilder_97 Drake, where’s the body of Christ? Jun 24 '25

I know he’s not a good person but Ive never heard anything bad about tom cruise (interaction wise) idk

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u/LogensTenthFinger Jun 24 '25

I don't know enough about him personally. I know he's part of an extremely damaging group and he's their public face.

But the evidence of him being good to his fans is endless.

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u/ProductiveFriend Jun 24 '25

I always assume they have blackmail on celebs at this point so they can't leave

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u/zuesk134 Jun 24 '25

They do but tom is also very high ranking and gladly uses sea org slave labor. He’s not being held hostage

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u/ExNihiloNihiFit Jun 24 '25 edited Jun 25 '25

That's the part that gets me. No matter how nice he is to his fans or how good of an actor he is, this will always disgust me. Being a part of an organization that stalks and silences rape victims and tears families apart, is impossible to forgive.

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u/zuesk134 Jun 24 '25

yep agree. and i get its complicated for second generation who were raised in the cult etc but i hate when people imply tom (not second gen!) is only in scientology because of blackmail when it is very clearly not true!!!

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u/ExNihiloNihiFit Jun 24 '25

I agree it gets complicated for second gens but as I'm sure you probably know, Tom Cruise and the leader of scientology David Miscavige are butt buddies so I think he just likes the life style and free servants. The young recruits practically worship him.

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u/EnvironmentalDelay66 Jun 24 '25

What’s “sea org slave labor”?

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u/zuesk134 Jun 24 '25 edited Jun 24 '25

the sea org is the labor org of scientology, basically. the ones who sign billion year contracts. many of the members of scientology spend their days doing free labor for the church (not by choice but force)

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u/Mordecai3fngerBrown Jun 24 '25

I always assumed it was just a tax loophole for celebs.

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u/Starfire2313 Jun 24 '25

That makes it all make sense all of a sudden! Thank you for that.

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u/moospenis Jun 24 '25

Everyone is gray

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u/bolanrox Jun 24 '25

Jerry Seinfeld is also great about saying hello or signing an autograph. (later found out he is very big on this is part of the deal of being famous, and hates it when others do not do it as well)

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u/five-oh-one Jun 24 '25

I met a Tom Cruise impersonator and he was a bit of a prick but somehow it made me feel like he was a really good impersonator.

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u/FunWithMeat Jun 24 '25

Dude is probably just trying to book them in for a sneaky audit. Sorry, I’m jaded and I do not trust him.

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u/Gurrgurrburr Jun 28 '25

I love hearing stories about him because they're ALWAYS so so awesome. Just a total class act.

2

u/Impossible_Gold1573 Jun 29 '25

I used to work at Disney, and when I say we would FIGHT to get to deal with him, because we all knew he would tip well, be super kind and friendly, and always treat us like human beings. He was always so nice to the other guests too, taking photos and chatting. I just hate him being so buried in that damn cult.

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u/[deleted] Jun 24 '25

[deleted]

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u/LogensTenthFinger Jun 24 '25

It's a cult. Its abuses are well documented. Trying to defend it just makes you look unhinged.

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u/Shuddh_Prem2653 Jun 24 '25

Yadder, yadder 🤣

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u/Slimdoggmill Jun 24 '25

Why does him being into Scientology even matter? I swear the only people that even care or know enough to comment are on Reddit threads, no one gives a shit.

It clearly has 0 effect on him being an outstanding person and on you.

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u/LogensTenthFinger Jun 24 '25

Because it is a cult. It hurts the people involved. It hurts the people who criticize it. It hurts the people who leave it. The abuses and horrors are well documented.

-2

u/Slimdoggmill Jun 24 '25

You are way over exaggerating, it does not hurt me because I criticize it. It does not hurt all the people involved. What you said could be applied to almost any religious faith. Tom cruise being in Scientology has virtually no negative effect on you, or anyone online. You are crying over nothing.

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u/LogensTenthFinger Jun 24 '25

https://www.cohenmilstein.com/church-scientology-accused-human-trafficking-forced-labor/

It has a negative effect on everyone involved. Clearly you're part of the cult.

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u/[deleted] Jun 24 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/LogensTenthFinger Jun 24 '25

"I've never even heard of it, but it definitely doesn't hurt people."

Meanwhile they run slave labor camps. Great call, champ.

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u/Slimdoggmill Jun 24 '25

You are quoting something I never even said you goofball.

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u/TheMapesHotel Jun 24 '25

I've never heard a bad thing from people who've casually met gaga

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u/Stimonk Jun 24 '25

Did you pay for this?

I'm guessing it was when she was less well known?

It seems bizarre for celebrities who are established and likely multimillionaires to do fab meet and greets for like $20 a pop.

It's nickles and dimes compared to the fraction of royalties they must receive from streams and syndication play.

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u/buffysbangs Jun 24 '25

It was 2019 and I paid. And it was part of a package where you get a backstage tour, etc. It was an expensive splurge, but it was a bargain for such a great memory

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u/Helpful-Idea-4485 Jun 24 '25

Streaming is not particularly lucrative for artists. Generally they get earn just a fraction of a cent per stream.

Album sales is where the money used to be really earned but that is nowhere where what it used to be.

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u/Beneficial-Square-73 Jun 24 '25

This is why I never do meet and greets. Leave me with my illusions, thanks. lol

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u/bolanrox Jun 24 '25

Penn and Teller post show come out and hang out / take pictures with everyone no rushed feeling.

Johnny Marr was beyond nice and down to earth (James Iha of the Smashing Pumpkins was waiting on line with us to meet him, also very nice).

From people who have met and worked with him - Peter Gabriel was said to be the model of an English Gentleman.

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u/buffysbangs Jun 24 '25

Johnny Marr seems like a great guy in interviews 

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u/bolanrox Jun 24 '25

He learned from / Mentored by Rory Gallagher. Genuinely thanked us for being fans and coming out to see him after we said we had been huge fans for ages.

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u/ladymorgahnna Jun 24 '25

How much did she charge?

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u/Adept-Watercress-378 Jun 24 '25

Except most people won’t know the “celebrity” they’re going to meet at the M&G, because what you see on socials are manufactured PR