History Main / AccidentalCelebrity

* ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone'': [[BigBad Lord Voldemort]] attempts to kill Harry Potter as a baby, but the killing Curse had backfired. He unintentionally made Harry a celebrity in the Wizarding World for surviving the killing Curse.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': "Green Isn't Your Color" sees Fluttershy gain the attention of fashion photographer Photo Finish when the former models Rarity's gowns. Soon after Fluttershy is hired as a full-time model, Rarity grows jealous of her fame, yet tries to keep her feelings a secret because she had encouraged her out of politeness. Likewise, Fluttershy doesn't enjoy the fame and paparazzi but continues modeling because she doesn't want to disappoint Rarity. At the end of the episode, both come clean about their feelings about the arrangement and Fluttershy decides to quit her modeling job.

* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': Heinz Doofenshmirtz manages to pull this a few times.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS5E12BartGetsFamous Bart Gets Famous]]", Bart sneaks out of the ClassTrip to the Box factory to the Channel 6 studio. During [[ShowWithinTheShow the Krusty the Klown Show]], he accidentally knocks down the set and says, "I didn't do it." The audience laughs and Bart becomes a celebrity. He and his catchphrase reached massive levels of popularity until everybody got sick of it by the end of the episode.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePatrickStarShow'': In "[[Recap/ThePatrickStarShowS1E25WhichWitchIsWhichGetOffMyLawnie Get Off My Lawnie]]", Granny Tentacles calls out Patrick for his annoying show, right on stage. [[CannotTellFictionFromReality The audience thinks]] it's AllPartOfTheShow and Granny Tentacles is just a new character, and they just her "act". She is unable to get rid of them and becomes a sensation, down to having her own FanCommunityNickname and a "Critics Love Granny!" banner decorating a bus. But when she does embrace her fame and start her own show, everyone has already gotten bored of it.

* ''Series/ServantOfThePeople'' begins when, unbeknownst to him, a student captures Vasiliy Goloborodko going on a trade against the Ukrainian Government and puts it on Website/{{Youtube}}. The video ends up a hit and it begins a chain of events that allows Vasily to become the President of Ukraine.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Outlawed}}'', a Marvel event in 2020, [[Characters/MarvelComicsKamalaKhan Kamala Khan]] saves an activist while not wearing her Ms. Marvel costume, but ends up in a coma due to a building collapsing onto them, caused by a dragon her team the [[ComicBook/Champions2016 Champions]] were fighting. By the time she wakes up, the government has put into force an anti-child superhero law, referred to as Kamala's Law, named after her. Naturally she's not happy with this sudden fame, especially since she is in fact one of the teenage superheroes they just [[TitleDrop outlawed]]. It gets the attention of corrupt corporation Roxxon, who were actually responsible for that dragon and influenced the creation of that law. They want Kamala (not knowing she's Ms. Marvel and she's already sent two of her teammates in) to join them as an intern. She does but uses the position to expose them and get the law repealed.

* ''Fanfic/MakeAWish'': Harry Potter just wanted a vacation, and because he was famous he decided to take the alias "Mr. Black" to go incognito. One summer later, "Mr. Black" is an InUniverse MemeticBadass with a MysteriousPast who makes Death Eaters drop dead left and right via equally mysterious means, and is always aware of ''everything''. Harry is completely oblivious to his AccidentalHero status, and everything was the result of ContrivedCoincidence.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Outlawed}}'', a Marvel event in 2020, ComicBook/KamalaKhan saves an activist while not wearing her Ms. Marvel costume, but ends up in a coma due to a building collapsing onto them, caused by a dragon her team the [[ComicBook/Champions2016 Champions]] were fighting. By the time she wakes up, the government has put into force an anti-child superhero law, referred to as Kamala's Law, named after her. Naturally she's not happy with this sudden fame, especially since she is in fact one of the teenage superheroes they just [[TitleDrop outlawed]]. It gets the attention of corrupt corporation Roxxon, who were actually responsible for that dragon and influenced the creation of that law. They want Kamala (not knowing she's Ms. Marvel and she's already sent two of her teammates in) to join them as an intern. She does but uses the position to expose them and get the law repealed.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'': While filming a commercial for WesternAnimation/SpeedyGonzales' new restaurant, Pizzarriba, WesternAnimation/BugsBunny flatly states, "I like it." The line is used in the commercial, and this tagline becomes Bugs' memetic {{Catchphrase}}. It grows to the point where firefighters, arriving to extinguish a fire at Bugs' residence, stop to ask him to repeat the tagline for their amusement.

However, most of us are ordinary people, hardly getting noticed in the background... Until you suddenly decide to date a celebrity. Or somebody makes a funny edit of a random picture of yours. Or a news crew catches you off-guard and you mumble the first thing that comes to mind. Or the mysterious BlackBox that is the social media algorythm decides that your newest clip will be the hottest thing online.

* ''Anime/YuGiOhVRAINS'': Playmaker prefers to hunt the Knights of Hanoi in the shadows, but by the time the series starts, he has a reputation for being a mysterious invincible duelist. Unfortunately for him, a large-scale attack forces him to fight the Knights of Hanoi on live television, which creates a ton of problems down the road. Gore - who had NOTHING to do with him - becomes a GreenEyedMonster and is [[spoiler:slowly DrivenToMadness]], the Knights of Hanoi start targetting innocents based on what type of duel disk he wears, and the local EvilInc decides to focus on tracking him down because of his activities, while before they dismissed him.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rango}}'': A socially stunted housepet chameleon tumbles out of the family car, and finds himself lost in the southwest desert. A redtail hawk tries to make a meal of him but perishes in the effort. The hawk had been terrorizing the FunnyAnimal residents of the town of Dirt, who hail the chameleon as a hero. The chameleon is no hero, not by any measure, but seeing a chance to be a somebody, he adopts a kind of ''Film/PaleRider'' persona, dubbing himself "Rango."

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'': While filming a commercial for Speedy Gonzalez's new restaurant, Pizzarriba, Bugs Bunny flatly states, "I like it." The line is used in the commercial, and this tagline becomes Bugs's memetic CatchPhrase. It grew to the point where firefighters, arriving to extinguish a fire at Bugs's residence, stop to ask him to repeat the tagline for their amusement.

** Doubles as AccidentalHero in "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbVoyageToTheBottomOfBuford Voyage To The Bottom Of Buford]]". Heinz tripped when he got out of the shop and the cat fall right into his paper bag. It gets on camera and [[FunWithAcronyms O.W.C.A.]] even decided that he made a HeelFaceTurn. To his chagrin. Then the usual gadget and EvilPlan to re-establish himself as a villain.
** In "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbTipOfTheDay Tip Of The Day]]", he managed to become an Internet star because someone put an embarrassing video ([[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext Heinz in underwear on roller skates goes into the toilet and failing into toilet head first]]) online. He created a gadget to [[InvokedTrope invoke]] LaserGuidedAmnesia.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS5E12BartGetsFamous Bart gets Famous]]", Bart sneaks out of the ClassTrip to the Box factory to the Channel 6 studio. During [[ShowWithinTheShow the Krusty the Klown Show]], he accidentally knocks down the set and says, "I didn't do it." The audience laughs and Bart becomes a celebrity. He and his catchphrase reached massive levels of popularity until everybody got sick of it by the end of the episode.

This trope is TruthInTelevision. Subtrope of FamedInStory. Frequently overlaps with MemeticMutation, FifteenMinutesOfFame, OnceDoneNeverForgotten, InstantHumiliationJustAddYoutube, YouAreTheNewTrend, and AccidentalHero. May also overlap with CelebrityIsOverrated. The inversion is ICouldaBeenAContender, which is when someone attempts to become famous but fails, usually due to an accident.

* ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheSorcerersStone'': [[BigBad Lord Voldemort]] attempts to kill Harry Potter as a baby, but the killing Curse had backfired. He unintentionally made Harry a celebrity in the Wizarding World for surviving the killing Curse.

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!!Indexes: AccidentalIndex, FameAndReputationTropes

Frequently in this trope, this person becomes famous overnight, and only finds out when their family, friends or acquaintances decide to point it out. They may question why is everyone looking at them weird or suddenly knows who they are. Expect this character to react with disbelief and, depending on their personality, anger, glee, or embarrassment.

This trope is TruthInTelevision. Subtrope of FamedInStory. Frequently overlaps with MemeticMutation, FifteenMinutesOfFame, OnceDoneNeverForgotten, InstantHumiliationJustAddYoutube, YouAreTheNewTrend and AccidentalHero. May also overlap with CelebrityIsOverrated. The inversion is ICouldaBeenAContender, which is when someone attempts to become famous but fails, usually due to an accident.

* ''Manga/HunterXHunter'': The Hunter chairman election arc has two side by side plot lines. First is the titular election, wherein every Hunter is both a voter and a canidate. Second is Gon's friends [[spoiler: trying to heal him after he was left in critical condition]]. When a press conference is held regarding the election Leorio uses the opportunity to talk to Ging, Gon's father and a famous hunter. Leorio asks if he knows about Gon's situation and asks him to go to him, when Ging says that he does know and refuses to go Leorio sends him flying with an uppercut... in front of a live audience and dozens of cameras. Overnight Leorio goes from a little known rookie hunter to one of the leading candidates despite having no interest in the election.

* ''Literature/LogHorizon'': The members of the Debauchery Tea Party were just a bunch of friends having fun gaming together and taking on challenging content. However, word of mouth spread about them, and they became known as the invincible party with the incredibly talented members who are winning against impossible odds without being affiliated with a guild. Their reputation reaches such lengths that all members are treated as {{Living Legend}}s by other players (especially protagonist Shiroe, who as TheStrategist is cited as the person mostly responsible for the victories), and some characters like William admit to have considered joining the party a gaming goal before it was disbanded.

** The "Can't You See" kid, a random bystander who encouraged everyone to support Endeavor on live TV while he was fighting the High End Nomu, is mentioned to become an internet sensation immedietely afterwards.
* ''Anime/YuGiOhVRAINS'': Playmaker prefers to hunt the Knights of Hanoi in the shadows, but by the time the series starts, he has a reputation of being a mysterious invincible duelist. Unfortunately for him, a large scale attack forces him to fight the Knights of Hanoi in live television, which creates a ton of problems down the road. Gore - who had NOTHING to do with him - becomes a GreenEyedMonster and is [[spoiler:slowly DrivenToMadness]], the Knights of Hanoi start targetting innocents based on what type of duel disk he wears, and the local EvilInc decides to focus on tracking him down because of his activities, while before they dismissed him.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Outlawed}}'', a Marvel event in 2020, ComicBook/KamalaKhan saves an activist while not wearing her Ms. Marvel costume, but ends up in a coma due to a building collapsing onto them, caused by a dragon her team the [[ComicBook/Champions2016 Champions]] were fighting. By the time she wakes up, the government has put into force an anti-child superhero law, referred to as Kamala's Law, named after her. Naturally she's not happy with this sudden fame, especially since she is in fact one of the teenage superheroes they just [[TitleDrop outlawed]]. It gets the attention of corrupt corporation Roxxon, who were actually responsible for that dragon and influenced the creation of that law. They want Kamala (not knowing she's Ms. Marvel and she's already sent two of her teammates in) to join them as an intern. She does, but uses the position to expose them and get the law repealed.

* ''Fanfic/AnnouncerAU'': The plot starts when Izuku gets separated from his mom while attending the UA Sports Festival as a spectator. While he's trying to find her, a series of accidents lead to President Mic, who is announcing the Festival, offer him a seat in the announcer booth so he can wait out the chaos safely. Of course, Izuku being Izuku, he starts [[CombatCommentator commenting on the students' quirks]]... and then Present Mic points out that [[IsThisThingStillOn the mic is turned on]]. Cue agencies from all over Japan wanting to take Izuku for an internship, and the internet trying to figure out who he is for a long time afterwards.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rango}}'': A socially stunted housepet chameleon tumbles out of the family car, and finds himself lost in the southwest desert. A redtail hawk tries to make a meal of him, but perishes in the effort. The hawk had been terrorizing the FunnyAnimal residents of the town of Dirt, who hail the chameleon as a hero. The chameleon is no hero, not by any measure, but seeing a chance to be a somebody, he adopts a kind of ''Film/PaleRider'' persona, dubbing himself "Rango."
* ''WesternAnimation/SharkTale'': Workaday drudge Oscar runs up a debt to the shark mob, and Frankie pursues him to collect either cash or blood. Purely by chance, an anchor falls on Frankie, killing him. Oscar is hailed as "The Sharkslayer" that dared to opposed the shark mafia, but he's really a FakeUltimateHero.

* ''Film/NottingHill'': Will Thacker owns a small, barely-visited travel book store in Notting Hill, London. When Hollywood starlet Anna Scott enters the store to buy a book, and they soon fall in love, seeing each other in secret as Anna is still technically involved with her distant movie star boyfriend. They fall out of touch for months, until Anna returns to Will's house to hide from some bad publicity over her very public breakup, and they sleep together. But due to an accidental tip-off from Will's flatmate, Will wakes up to find the press swarming his flat, taking pictures of him in his pajamas. Downplayed, since Will's fame doesn't seem to last very long after the encounter with the paparazzi causes them to have a ThirdActMisunderstanding.

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTriForceHeroes'': The reason Link is in Hytopia in the first place is because he is trying to escape his fame for rescuing Princess Zelda after ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds''.
* ''VideoGame/Persona2'': In ''Innocent Sin'', the party is extremely shocked when a group of strangers surround Lisa asking her when her "debut" is going to be and why is she keeping it a secret. The whole party is confounded, but soon they find out that Lisa's other friends have spread a poster advertising their idol debuts, and the picture they used was group shot which included Lisa, edited so she only appears as a silluete. Lisa asked for exactly none of it, triggering the effects of the next dungeon, much to her anger. The whole incident brings forth her trust issues in full force, especially since her assigned song segment is in English, as her friends assumed she would have no issue singing it as the TokenWhite ([[spoiler:even though she doesn't know any English]].)

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'': In "[[Recap/ArthurS2E6BusterBaxterCatSaverPlayItAgainDW Buster Baxter Cat Saver]]", Buster had rescued a CatUpATree, which is actually his fish stick ice cream that brought it down, his mother writes a headline about him and became a celebrity. The fame had turned Buster into a snob. His friends try to prove that he isn't a cat saver by putting a robot cat in a tree. Buster saves his friends from a runaway piano and instantly becaming a celebrity, [[HereWeGoAgain starting the conflict all over again]].
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Beetlejuice}}'': In one episode, Beetlejuice got chased by a baby {{Sandworm}}. Lydia summons Beetlejuice to the real world while yelling out his name along with the baby sandworm. Everyone thinks that he's great at defeating the sandworm and pharsed him as a hero.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'': While filming a commercial for Speedy Gonzalez's new restaurant, Pizzarriba, Bugs Bunny flatly states, "I like it." The line is used in the commercial, and this tag line becomes Bugs's memetic CatchPhrase. It grew to the point where firefighters, arriving to extinguish a fire at Bugs's residence, stop to ask him to repeat the tag line for their amusement.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': "Green Isn't Your Color" sees Fluttershy gain the attention of fashion photographer Photo Finish when the former models Rarity's gowns. Soon after Fluttershy is hired as a full-time model, Rarity grows jealous of her fame, yet tries to keep her feelings a secret because she had encouraged her out of politeness. Likewise, Fluttershy doesn't enjoy the fame and paparazzi, but continues modeling because she doesn't want to disappoint Rarity. At the end of the episode, both come clean about their feelings about the arrangement and Fluttershy decides to quit her modeling job.

** Doubles as AccidentalHero in "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbVoyageToTheBottomOfBuford Voyage To The Bottom Of Buford]]". Heinz tripped when he got out from the shop and the cat fall right into his paper bag. It gets on camera and [[FunWithAcronyms O.W.C.A.]] even decided that he made a HeelFaceTurn. To his chagrin. Then the usual gadget and EvilPlan to re-establish himself as a villain.
** In "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbTipOfTheDay Tip Of The Day]]", he managed to become an Internet star because someone put an embarrasing video ([[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext Heinz in underwear on roller skates goes into toilet and failing into toilet head first]]) online. He created a gadget to [[InvokedTrope invoke]] LaserGuidedAmnesia.

* ''WesternAnimation/VivaPinata'': In the episode "Hero", Franklin Fizzlybear becomes a hero when he saves the life of famous celebrity Hudson Horstachio. Naturally, this garners him a lot of fame and Hudson even tries to help Franklin adjust to the glitz and glamour. However, neither pi?ata is happy about the new arrangement, with Franklin ever shirking from the limelight and Hudson ''craving'' for that limelight. The [[StatusQuoIsGod status quo returns to normal]] when Hudson saves Franklin's life and becomes famous again.