Simon Cowell Super Fan Rushes Him During Birthday, and His Reaction Is Perfect

Simon Cowell had a sweet reaction this week when he ran into a super-fan on his birthday. The reality show judge was out having dinner in honor of his 60th birthday on Monday night when a big fan approached him. Unfazed, Cowell was a perfect gentleman.

Cowell was making his way through a crowd of paparazzi on Monday night outside of Nobu Malibu, where he had a presumably extravagant birthday dinner. Near the end of the crowd, Cowell encountered a woman who loves his on-screen persona, and badly needed a boost. The whole thing was caught on video by TMZ.

The woman asked Cowell for a handshake, and when that went well, a hug. She quickly explained that she had just been suspended from work and had a very bad day. Looking for solace, she went searching for Cowell in the hopes of saying hi.

See the video here.

The whole exchange was admittedly awkward, as meetings with strangers tend to be, but Cowell was uncharacteristically kind. He joked with the woman for a while before making his way home, trading British slang and asking her about her life. She told him that she watched a lot of BBC programming, and called him a “good lad,” which he took in stride.

Cowell thanked the assembled crowd for hanging around and for all the well-wishes. One person had apparently given him a bottle of wine, which he brandished as well. In his other hand, he held packs of cigarettes and a lighter.

Cowell wore a white dress shirt unbuttoned nearly to his navel as well. The reality star was looking dapper, and was flanked by two bodyguards. They held the crowd at bay, though they let the super-fan in close to hug Cowell. As they were leaving she called out “Take care of him! Get him home safe!”

In the video, Cowell joked that his is now 51 years old, though he is actually 60. His birthday was a huge affair, with plenty of other stars in attendance. According to a report by Radar Online, Terry Crews, Howie Mandell and Cowell’s girlfriend, Lauren were all there. Cowell 5-year-old son, Eric and Lauren’s son were there as well.

Cowell recently said that he is on a health kick, hoping to stay fit enough to keep up with Eric. He told Ellen DeGeneres that he was sticking to a strict diet, while still allowing himself to smoke and drink.

“I went to see this doctor in London. We did some tests. And then a month later he said, ‘You have the worst diet I’ve ever met from any patient,’” he revealed. “So I went, ‘Okay, out of the smoking, the drinking, and diet, what do I have to drop?’ And he said, ‘The diet.’ So I said, ‘I’m in! It was easier than I thought, and part of the reason I did it was because of Eric. I realized if I didn’t sort myself out physically, I wouldn’t be able to catch up with him.”