Lewis Hamilton winning friends and influencing people in Vegas

Lewis Hamilton celebrated his birthday in Las Vegas lest week at a club called Light.   CES in full swing, Will. i. am in the DJ booth, Nicole and entourage by his side the 2014 F1 Champ was called out on stage, his name in blazing lights.

A good opportunity to make some new fans, especially since we are told not many in the crowd seemed to know who Lewis is.   Hamilton is trying to figure out how to jumpstart his music career amidst rumors he's being mentored by Drake.

Sounds like a fun evening except not for one F1 fan who did recognize him when Hamilton and his entourage were standing next to his table.   The fan asked one of Hamilton's "people" if he could say hello and congratulate him on his win but was told "Lewis is not talking to anyone tonight".

This person snapped a few pictures and tried to explain he was a big fan at which point, according to him, someone from the group slapped the phone out of his hand.  A large bodyguard then threatened to "put him to sleep" if he did not leave the club, something he refused to do since he was at a paid table.  His phone was confiscated by Hamilton's people and only returned twenty minutes later.
Hamilton, at arm's length away during all this,  never seem to acknowledge what happened.

So the owner of phone sent us the pictures and the story.  Later I spoke to him on the phone and he did not strike me as some psycho fan, just a guy who's followed F1 for many years.

It's hard in these cases, Hamilton is a celebrity, though in Vegas that night there were few people who knew who he was.   Celebrities and sports figures are certainly entitled to their privacy though perhaps hanging in the middle of a packed club is bound to invite interactions with people.    Pros who are good at it, know how to make fans happy with a smile and a few words,  others don't want to be bothered.

Most likely Hamilton could care less he lost a fan on his birthday.

When you are content to simply be yourself and don't compare or compete, you will be respected. #TeamLH pic.twitter.com/BUwG6rixeY
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) January 10, 2015