When A Céline Dion Fan Jumped Up On Stage, The Crowd Wasn't Ready For Her Reaction

The fan — who’d clearly enjoyed a few too many drinks at the Caesars Palace bar — leaped up and got close to the star. After throwing her arms around Dion, the woman proceeded to rub up against the singer, even grabbing the microphone from her. But what the hit-maker did next astonished the crowd.

You’d never have expected Dion to react the way she did. After all, the “My Heart Will Go On” singer’s a legend. Her Celine residency at the Caesars Palace Colosseum was so popular that it ran for an astounding eight years, during which she performed over 1,000 shows to in excess of two million adoring fans — including the one who wreaked havoc on stage.

The residency was one of the highest-grossing in Las Vegas history, taking in over $100 million in the first two years alone. That’s a figure rivaled only by Elvis Presley. Wow! All of which follows a long and glittering career, of course, one that’s seen Dion rank among the biggest-selling singers in history. It’s no wonder some fans are a little obsessed!

The French-Canadian songstress has multiple awards under her belt — including five Grammys — and has racked up global sales of over 200 million. Jeepers! Dion’s also the undisputed queen of the power ballad, with chart-toppers such as “The Power of Love,” “Think Twice,” and “Because You Loved Me” among her lung-busting repertoire — all of which the star likely played on the night the fan made it up on stage.

Who hasn’t come over all teary-eyed while listening to Dion’s chart-topper “My Heart Will Go On?” The singer’s signature track was of course the theme for James Cameron’s 1997 epic, Titanic. And while the movie became one of the highest-grossing ever, Dion’s song made history, too, as it now ranks among the most successful singles.

So it’s fair to say that she’s a big star. Little wonder, then, that her legions of fans lose their minds in her presence — or at the prospect of meeting her. After all, the incident at the diva’s Vegas show was far from the only time that a Dion-devotee has gotten a bit too enthusiastic in expressing their adoration for her.

A fan’s story went viral after he explained on Facebook how he’d legally changed his name to Celine Dion while, erm, under the influence. On Christmas Eve 2020, a Brit named — at the time — Thomas Dodd and a friend decided to celebrate the holidays by sharing a large bottle of Champagne. Dodd woke up on Christmas Day “feeling fuzzy” and without much recollection of the previous night.

It wasn’t until a few days later, Dodd explained to British newspaper Metro, that he realized he’d forgotten something pretty huge. The Dion fan recalled, “So when I first received eight copies of a deed poll claiming that my name was no longer Thomas Dodd and was, in fact, the same as the ‘My Heart Will Go On’ singer, I was more than a bit taken aback.”

“I honestly thought it was a joke — until I checked my bank account,” Dodd/Dion continued. “It showed clear as day what I’d got up to on Christmas Eve.” So how did “Celine Dion” — to give the fan his legally correct moniker — come to re-name himself after the superstar? And do so while the worse for wear?

“I’ve always been a huge fan of hers,” Dion explained. “A few years ago, I went to see her in Birmingham, where I splashed out on VIP tickets and caused a bit of a security alert when I threw my friend’s bra on stage — I was just so excited!” He added, “Her music is also what has seen me through lockdown.”

Dion added, “Watching her concerts has been my go-to activity when there’s been nothing else to do. Maybe it’s a bigger surprise this didn’t happen sooner!” So how did the fan feel after the realization of what he’d done sank in? “I would say I got used to being Celine very quickly. I knew it was pretty funny, and I wanted to make others laugh, so I took to Facebook.”

The post went viral, and soon the fan had reporters contacting him to ask about his story. “It’s still all a bit surreal,” Dion told Metro. “I woke up to paparazzi on my doorstep on New Year’s Day. It’s bizarre to have people recognize me now.”

“I was on the escalator in [a store] a few weeks ago and someone shouted ‘Celine!’” Dion added. “I turned around and waved back as if it was completely normal.” And his fame hasn’t ended there. He was invited onto The Ellen Show, where he was handed $10,000 towards the cost of training to be a paramedic.

“I decided to use the money I had already saved up to give back to the community instead,” Dion explained. “I put together 20 home-learning packs to support children and young people through home-schooling, including books, stationery, and tablets pre-loaded with educational apps.” Clearly, sharing a name with a superstar has its advantages!

“Life as Celine Dion has been great so far,” Dion added, “Of course, I worry about some of the downsides that may come from sharing a name with one of the world’s most famous singers. I hurt my shoulder a few weeks ago, and I didn’t want to go to hospital for fear they would think I’d hit my head.”

The Brit continued, “But I have no desire to change it again — I’m 100 percent committed. That is, until I next have a bit too much to drink.” This just goes to show the kind of love that fans have for Dion — the original, that is! As well as her own Team Celine fansite, the star has almost five million followers on Instagram.

Another Dion super-fan by the name of Brittany Hellmeister had her dream come true when Oprah Winfrey gave the college student the chance to meet the singer. It was back in 2007 that Hellmeister, from the U.S., was invited on to Winfrey’s TV show after being taken aback by a special video message from Dion.

In a preview to the encounter, the fan was filmed — unaware of what was about to happen — gathered with her college friends for a dorm movie night. Hellmeister’s face was a picture as Dion suddenly popped up on the television screen, starting her video message with the greeting, “Hey students at North Georgia College. I’m looking for a very special girl.”

As Hellmeister’s jaw dropped in amazement and excited screams erupted around her, Dion continued. “Hi Brittany,” she said. “It’s Celine Dion. I have big news for you. Pack your bags and I’ll see you in Chicago, girl. Can’t wait to meet you. See you.” After blowing a kiss, the star’s message ended, leaving Hellmeister and her friends to celebrate some more.

The super-fan then showed the camera crew her dorm room, which a pal had described as “a shrine” to the singer. Indeed, the room was bedecked with Dion posters and filled with merchandise. Hellmeister told the crew, “My heart’s pounding, I’m so excited! It’s the best night of my entire life, because this is what I’ve dreamed of since forever.”

Cutting back to the TV show, Winfrey summoned Hellmeister from the studio audience, saying, “Brittany, come on up here. Come on up here, there’s somebody you have to hug.” As the auburn-haired fan rushed on to the stage and embraced her idol, Dion gave up her seat for Hellmeister and told her, “You are the hottest redhead ever! Very nice to meet you. You look so beautiful.”

As that encounter proves, the “Think Twice” singer’s full of warmth and respect towards her fans. And this was also demonstrated by the way she responded to another Dion-devotee. Freida Soloman decided to serenade the star with one of her songs during an encounter in New York. The moment was filmed and ended up going viral after Soloman shared it on Instagram.

As Dion was in her car preparing to drive off, the young fan launched into a rendition of “I Surrender.” Now, the hit-maker is likely to be pretty accustomed to fans singing her songs at her. And most superstars would’ve probably just ignored it and driven away. But not Dion. Instead, she told her driver to wait while she listened to the girl sing.

In another post about the encounter on Twitter, Soloman wrote, “Got to sing to @celinedion today and she was gracious enough to listen until the very end. She was so incredibly kind & beautiful.” The fan also admitted on Instagram, “I was very scared and nervous. But it was such a surreal moment.”

As these things often do on social media, the “My Heart Will Go On” singer’s unsmiling expression — which to some appeared bored behind her big sunglasses — was turned into a variety of amusing memes. But the reality was, Dion was just listening intently and rewarded the girl with a smile and a fist bump before she rolled up her window and left.

Clearly, for Soloman, that moment meant the world. “I'm really happy I did it,” the fan wrote. “She was amazing. I definitely was shaking. But it was a dream… I'm still in shock.” Yet there’s nothing shocking about this encounter really, as in truth, the superstar’s known for being far from a diva.

Yes, you only have to take a look on YouTube to find several clips of Dion meeting fans of hers. And every time, the singer’s full of warmth and kindness as she greets them with smiles and hugs. So it isn’t altogether surprising that when that inebriated fan crashed her stage in Las Vegas, the star reacted with her usual grace and compassion — despite the fan’s behavior being really rather shocking.

For many top celebrities, a fan clinging to them and, erm, dry humping them, would’ve been a cause for instant removal by security staff. But not for “The Power of Love” singer. Other than feigning shock when the intoxicated lady started bumping and grinding against her, Dion remained calm and in control. And her words were even more surprising.

“Let me tell you something; I’m glad you came up on stage tonight,” the singer said. “I’m glad you just wanted to come closer to me.” As two burly bodyguards approached and the fan became visibly agitated, Dion kept her calm. Speaking to one of the guards, she added, “Okay Olivier, you can leave her here with me, but stay with her because she’ll need help.”

Resisting her arm being taken, the woman growled into the star’s microphone, “Don’t touch me!” To which Dion tentatively responded, “Can I touch you? Okay, come with me.” Then, noticing the fan’s continued annoyance, she calmly reassured her, “It’s okay. Oh no, they’re my friends.” And like the consummate professional she is, Dion tried to distract the agitated woman.

“Look at me,” Dion told her. “Look me in the eyes. Do you see my heart?” This approach didn’t work perfectly, though, as the worse-for-wear fan chose that moment to spontaneously burst into song! But Dion kept up her calm positivity, telling the woman, “That’s what I want to hear.”

“You know what? We’re going to pray,” the star continued. “This is 2018. We’re gonna make a change. For your baby. You know what? We’ve got something in common. We’ve got babies that we love, and we’re going to fight for them. And we’re wearing gold. That’s a sign.”

To whoops from the crowd — and a little dance by the stage-crashing fan — Dion asked, “Are you ready to party with me tonight?” And as the fan reached out to her again, the hit-maker responded by giving her another warm hug, while the crowd cheered and applauded. But the awkward encounter wasn’t over yet.

Dion’s bodyguards returned to the stage and began attempting to remove the woman once more — but she was having none of it. Still patiently trying to keep the fan calm, the singer reassured her, “No, they just want to help you out.” But sensing the woman’s rising annoyance again, Dion pretended to shoo away the guards, playfully telling them to “get out!”

The pop icon clearly has the patience of a saint! Taking the fan’s hand, she said, “I’m going to help you. Come. I love you, come on.” In response, the woman said something inaudible to Dion, to which the singer responded, “I love you the most.” And then the fan spoke into the mic again, slurring, “I love you mostest!”

As the star continued to gently lead the woman off the stage, she offered more reassuring words. “Thank you so much,” Dion said. “You promise me you’ll be careful?” And with the return of her burly security men, the star repeated her assurances, “It’s okay. He’s my brother, he’s good.”

Even as the intoxicated fan finally allowed the men to support her off the stage, Dion kept up her calming address. “Be careful, don’t hurt yourself. Oh, she’s good. She’s good.” With the woman finally gone, the superstar concluded the incredible exchange with a comical faux-faint on the stage. A member of the crowd, meanwhile, could be heard shouting, “Celine, you’re amazing!”

Still, ever the professional, Dion chuckled as one of her staff returned to give her a helping hand. The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, while the star — ignoring her own part in resolving the tricky situation — gestured her gratitude and thanks towards the departing security guards.

A moment like that could certainly have tested even the most seasoned performer. But Dion’s grace and professionalism in the way she handled it prove what a legend she is. Other stars have thrown full-on tantrums and stormed off stage for less. But not the “My Heart Will Go On” singer. After what the star has been through, though, you can see why one rowdy fan wouldn’t be enough to phase her. She can handle anything — even the spread of rumors about her love life.

Dion has been a widow for some years now. After losing her husband René Angélil, she has gradually been getting her life back together. And of course, it’s natural that most people would expect her to find love again. So when she started to be seen with her younger friend Pepe Muñoz, rumors started to fly.

At first, Dion and Muñoz bonded over their shared love of fashion. But as paparazzi photos of the singer and her good-looking pal raised eyebrows, the connection between them grew deeper. It seems he's brought some laughter back into her life. And Dion even said she admires and loves Muñoz.

In the year after Angélil's passing, the gossip mill swung into full gear. Some even went as far as labeling Muñoz a “boy toy.” But up until that point, the nature of their relationship wasn't exactly clear. See, the Spanish illustrator, 36, and Dion, 53, were the topic of much speculation — though she'd faced far worse in her iconic career.

Dion has come a long way from her beginning as the youngest of 14 kids in Québec, Canada, where she had a drawer for her bed. But even as a child, Dion showed enormous talent as a singer. She was also a budding songwriter, penning her first song at the age of 12. After that, her star only continued to rise.

And it was that song that provided the breakthrough Dion needed. Her mom sent a copy to the man who would become her manager, and later, her husband — René Angélil. He liked what he heard enough to give the youngster an audition. It’s fair to say she blew him away, and he would guide her career for the next few decades.

With René by her side, Dion took the industry by storm. She swept the Eurovision competition and followed up with a smash hit album. Then, with the world at attention, Céline scored two Oscar-winning songs, the first, from Beauty and the Beast, the second, Titanic’s “My Heart Will Go On.” She rounded her impeccable career out with a coveted Las Vegas residency, but then her dreams suddenly shattered.

But in 2016 at the height of the diva’s powers, she was robbed of her companion. Husband René passed away from cancer. The story of Dion and her manager is truly one for the ages. She was devoted to him from the moment they met, so much so that he remains, so she says, the only man she has ever kissed.

The pair had gotten hitched in 1994 during a spectacular ceremony at Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal. Canada’s viewing public joined in the celebration through their TVs. The couple demonstrated that an age gap is not a barrier to great love, with Angélil being double Dion’s 26 years.

Their union was blessed with three boys. Dion attempted to achieve her longstanding ambition to have a child in 2001 with fertility treatment. René-Charles was the result. Then in 2010 she underwent in vitro fertilization successfully, with a twin bounty, Eddy and Nelson. But their happy family was rocked by Angélil’s demise a few years later.

It would have been understandable if Dion had given up on performing. Because Angélil had been the guiding light of her career. But that hadn’t been what her husband had wanted for her, urging her to continue to tread the boards. In 2019 that led her to go on a tour of the world with a show she called Courage.

When Dion was asked by U.K. tabloid The Sun in 2017 how she was coping with widowhood, she said, “I think I will probably grieve for the rest of my life.” And she confirmed that it was far too early to think about dating. She added, “I am definitely (still) in love with him, married to him.”

So Dion’s love for her late husband had not diminished one iota. “He’s the love of my life. It’s very difficult for me to see myself with another person,” she said. “The love that I have for him, I live it every day. And as a woman, we do have emotions and feelings that come and go. And it’s always with him.”

It was tough on Dion to be widowed with her twins still very young, but she found comfort with them. She told The Sun, “I organize myself to not feel lonely. So I got myself a huge, huge, huge bed, and I sleep with my twins. They are comforting me a lot. I need them. I need them close.”

The superstar added, “We kiss him (Angélil) every night. We have a little ritual where we say good night to him with a little picture.” This was not the only ritual that the family had adopted, she explained, “Then the kids talk to him. And they write words, put them in balloons, and we send the balloons to the sky.”

In 2019 Dion explained to Extra TV that she had called her tour Courage because she had demonstrated the virtue by going back to performing. She said, “It was a challenge to go back onstage. I didn’t know if I was going to have the strength and the courage to sing again because René always sang with me. René was my second half.”

And it was not surprising that Dion was facing up to loneliness as she took on life as a single mom. She said, “Raising the three boys, I was afraid that they were going to ask me about ‘where’s dad?’ every day. I was afraid a little bit to not be cuddled at night. I was afraid to not have a partner to make me laugh…”

But the diva did have some laughter in her life. It was being provided, at least in part, by Muñoz. The two of them were often seen enjoying each other’s company. And inevitably perhaps, the rumor mill started up, with the talk being that the two of them were an item.

In 2017 the couple were seen out and about in the capital of romance, Paris. They enjoyed the fashions of Giambattista Valli, on show in the French city. And Muñoz had seated himself near Dion as he sketched some of the models who showed off Valli’s clothing. This was definitely fuel for the flames of rumor.

The couple may have been drawn together, as it turns out, by a mutual love of fashion. Dion had certainly been noted as an icon of the fashion world, decking herself in creations by the likes of Alexandre Vauthier and Valentino. Perhaps her shift into clothes had something to do with her friendship with Muñoz?

Well, certainly the world of celebrity gossip doesn’t need much of an excuse to get going. Plus Muñoz and Dion didn’t mind being seen together. They were often pictured at fashion shows in the two years after 2017. Indeed, it seemed undeniable that they were something of an item. But there was more to it than that.

Muñoz had become creative director for Dion, and in that role, the talk was, he’d helped ship out some of her image team. In July 2019 a story came out that he’d isolated her from her “inner circle.” A little bird whispered to the Page Six website, “Pepe is like [Dion’s] boy toy who is really trying to take over.”

Among the casualties of Muñoz’s influence was, it was alleged, stylist Law Roach. He was, the source noted, replaced by a new stylist. And the new person, along with a hairdresser and Muñoz, made up the totality of Dion’s new team. But how did he gain this reported power over the celebrity?

Well, the source didn’t have any doubt how, explaining to Page Six, “He’s isolating her, and people are feeling it. She’s in love with this guy and listens to everything he’s saying. People go to him when they have questions. He’s fully taken over.” And this wasn’t the only person who told this story.

Because another person claiming to be in the know told the website that Muñoz’s influence was strong. They said, “People are freaked out by it. He has this clique that he keeps very small. It’s Céline, himself, a hair person and the stylist. That’s the group – even management goes to him when they need something.”

Yet not everyone agreed. Another person claiming to be close to the singer explained to Page Six, “He’s an amazing inspiration for her. He’s inspiring her to take risks. It’s not a bad thing. He’s not managing her. People change their teams. She’s smart and at the helm of her career. She’s calling the shots now.”

With the rumors flying back and forth, the stage was set for Dion to confirm or deny that she had a new lover. And she found an interesting way to have her say. She posted a statement from her actual “inner circle” to clarify the situation about Muñoz once and for all.

Yes, Dion posted to Instagram, “Dear Pepe, as the real members of Céline’s ‘inner circle’, we are saddened and disappointed by an untruthful story that surfaced on Monday, quoting multiple sources who claim they are part of the inner circle and that you have too much influence over Céline. These ‘sources’ have nothing better to do. Don’t let it get you down… and keep up the great work.” 

No doubt that Dion was very fond of Muñoz, but there was nothing romantic going on. And she made one of the reasons clear to Extra TV in April 2019, saying, “At first, I felt for him quite a bit… Pepe is gay, and at first I think some people did not know that.”

Dion explained more of what kind of positive relationship the two had built, saying, “The thing is that he’s my best friend, and we dance together, and he did so much for me and even just holding my hand… it’s something that I haven’t had for a long time… A hug from a 6’ 3” man, it was wonderful.”

The singer added to Extra TV, “And people really thought there was a romance going on.” But the closeness that the two had built was not born of a love affair at all. She went on, “He did so much for me, for my mental health, my spirituality, my strength… my inner strength.”

Muñoz himself explained what working for Dion was like when he spoke to fashion magazine Vogue in 2017, having been hired as a dancer. He said, “She’s the kind of person [for whom] the day has no schedule, no time, no nothing, so whenever she feels the creativity coming, that’s what happens.”

The dancer-cum-illustrator continued, “She makes you feel welcome, like you belong to the family, and like you’re part of the group. She’s absolutely fearless with her style, her dancing, her performing, and as a person in her clothes.” So it’s clear that the admiration that Dion felt for him had been reciprocated from day one.

Plus when Andy Cohen spoke to Dion in November 2019 on his show Watch What Happens Live!, she confirmed that she had not found romance. She said, “I don’t date. I don’t have a boyfriend, and you know, it doesn’t mean that I will not find someone in my life. If I do, that would be great. If I don’t, that would be great.”

And when the singer appeared on the TV program Today in May 2021, nothing had changed. She confirmed that she had “no idea” when the time would be right for dating. For Dion, “Right this second, love is so big right now in my life, with my kids, with life itself, I’m not thinking about a relationship and falling in love again.”

The Canadian superstar continued, “Do I have to say that it will never happen anymore? I don’t know.” But she added, “I see my kids. I look at them – we live with him ((Angélil)). We still live with him. He’s part of our lives every day, so I have to say that I feel very, very strong.”