Melissa Gilbert, the beloved Little House on the Prairie star, recently shared a funny and slightly awkward run-in with Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’s Britani Bateman and Jared Osmond in NYC.
For Gilbert, who’s still a known name on stage and screen, the encounter became a mix of fan admiration, shyness, and a classic “Irish goodbye” that left everyone confused.
Melissa Gilbert recalls her interaction with Britani Bateman
Melissa Gilbert, 61, shared the story on Instagram, explaining that she and her husband, Timothy Busfield, were near the Plaza in New York City when they spotted Britani Bateman and Jared Osmond.
She admitted she was too shy to approach them alone, so Busfield gently grabbed her arm and guided her over. He introduced her, saying, “This is my wife, Melissa Gilbert from Little House on the Prairie,” and Gilbert followed, “Big fan. Love your show.”
Britani seemed frazzled during their NYC meet-up, which was because of a lost engagement ring. Britani did an “Irish goodbye,” disappearing into a cab, and Jared followed suit. Gilbert laughed off the awkward moment, joking that they probably had no idea who they were talking to, adding the hashtag #theresnobusinesslikeshowbusiness.
“Then Britani did an Irish Goodbye… just peaced out completely… she ran to a cab… leaving the three of us standing there while Jared continued to tell us about all the things he said that didn’t make it on the air… then Jared did a version of the same Irish Goodbye to catch up with her and poof, they were gone.”
Bateman’s rep later cleared things up, saying she meant no disrespect and is actually a “huge fan” of Gilbert. The quick exit happened because she freaked out over her lost engagement ring and had to dash back for her cabaret show at 54 Below. The rep added that they hope the two stars can catch up again sometime when it’s a bit less hectic. “She meant absolutely no disrespect and hopes to meet with Melissa in the near future. She’s a huge fan of hers,” the representative said.
