Who hasn’t embarrassed themselves in front of someone they admire? If you have, then you’re in good company because Robin Thede is no different.
The host of The Rundown with Robin Thede stopped by ESSENCE to chat about her late night show and the topics she tackles, also revealing her awkward first encounter with TV titan Shonda Rhimes.
Thede met Rhimes while working on The Nightly Show, when the showrunner stopped by to promote her best-selling book Year of Yes.
“She comes off stage and I’m waiting there, mind you, I have dressed up as Olivia Pope,” Thede told ESSENCE. “I am in all white and a caramel fur vest and a hat. I am dressed as Olivia Pope and I was like, ‘Oh bitch, you going to notice me.'”
The late night host says she was pretty pumped to meet Rhimes, who had started following her on social media. “She comes off stage and her security is whisking her away, she’s on this big press tour, and I reach out my hand and go, ‘Hi, I’m Robin Thede.’ And she goes, ‘Oh, I love your show.’ So that’s all good. Right? That’s a great interaction.”
But, things got slightly awkward as Thede continued, “So then she goes, ‘I love your show.’ Then, I go, ‘I love all your shows.’ And, my voice cracks like a pubescent boy. I’m shaking her hand and I don’t let it go. I’m still shaking it and she has to remove my hand with her other hand. And then she goes, ‘Okay?'”
Thede adds that she just kind of stood there with her mouth open, shocked that she’d met Rhimes. When the television guru finally walked away the entire crew burst into laughter. “Everyone around me, the whole crew, is on the floor. They’re like, ‘Oh, you’re an idiot. Oh, you’re stupid. Boy, are you dumb.'”
“I’ve seen her since and she’s been lovely, but it’s always still a little like, I know she thinks I’m ridiculous.”