Everybody has experienced the thrill of exhilaration when they glimpse a star, don’t they? After a brief conversation and a quick selfie, you want to continue with your day. What occurs, then, when that enthusiasm goes too far? That’s precisely what transpired when Simone Biles was put in an unpleasant and awkward scenario following a flight from the Kentucky Derby. We are all forced to consider where the boundary is between fan appreciation and downright harassment when what should have been a straightforward moment devolved into a major invasion of her privacy. Here is what transpired. Darin Zoccali, a CDI employee and owner of Thoroughbred racehorses with @thoroughcrowd, talked about his experience on X being on the same flight as Simone.
Following a little discussion regarding the “Rider’s Up” call, everything appeared to be going perfectly. Biles took part in the event by giving the customary “Riders Up” call, which is a pre-race ceremonial declaration. Usually given to a well-known person, this role has been played by celebrities including Martha Stewart and Patrick Mahomes. However, Newark Airport was where the real drama began. Zoccali saw a family essentially harass Simone for autographs while she was at baggage claim. They wanted her to customize things, like her famous Sports Illustrated cover, rather than just sign them quickly. “It resembled her Sports Illustrated magazine cover and something else,” he said. How they knew which plane she would be on is beyond me on? Scary.”
Why was it worse? How this family knew which flight Simone was on was beyond Zoccali’s comprehension. They had located her, which goes beyond simple fandom and verges on stalking. Here is the crucial query, then: When does appreciation for a celebrity escalate into a full-fledged invasion of privacy? When a star is spotted, everyone is thrilled, but there comes a time when invasively requesting autographs gets awkward.
