How Stalking Dexter Made Me a Better Blogger |

September 9, 2026 blogging tips 🕑 6 minutes read

Me by Central Park in New York City with a 4 legged friend. “Dexter” and many other celebrities are often seen here in their natural habitat. I spied Kelly Ripa once. My former roommate saw JKF Jr. here before his early passing.

“It’s bloody Dexter!”

The drunk as a skunk Brit expat lady shrieked at me. She had a large boa constrictor draped around her neck, dangling in the cool breeze of Phuket.

I saw her at Nikita’s, a popular restaurant near the southern tip of the island.

Thailand sports a massive expat population.

Throngs of Westerners call the island home.

Back in 2012 we came across a woman name “Francine de Phuket”. At least her Facebook profile identified her by this name.

Francine was obsessed with snakes. She was reputed to have dozens inside of her home.

I recall her walking up to the snake-adorned woman – the boa was one of Francine’s many serpents – stating how she regularly saw cobras in her garden. Rather than being terrified of these imposing predators, she loved seeing her serpentine friends. She noted how we were big dinosaurs from a snake’s perspective. The slithering beings get the hell out of Dodge the moment one sees a big old human being.

Anyway, that British expat lady was the first person who claimed I looked almost identical to Dexter. Dexter being famous actor Michael C. Hall, the star of the Showtime series.

Dexter is a blood splatter expert who solves and commits murders. He is a serial killer of those murderers he knows to be guilty.

I wore my hair differently at the time but after looking at he and I, yeah, I did look like the famed actor.

Years later I actually stalked the guy to learn an invaluable blogging lesson.

Yeah; I semi-hunted the fictional serial murderer of murderers in Central Park during one of my many New Your City trips.

Dexter and Blogging

Many moons ago I found myself walking through Central Park in New York City.

Wouldn’t you know that I came across Michael C. Hall and a lady friend?

I noticed him at the last minute; too late to stop him and mention how my wife, readers and fellow travelers remarked that I looked shockingly similar to this star of screen and stage.

I then made a bold decision. Rather than letting the opportunity pass I overcame my fear of engaging a celebrity – and of looking like a stalker – to double around via a wide loop. I would jog around and ahead of him in a circle to see him again.

Why the hell not?

I had to at least say something to the guy.

I thought he may get a kick out of it.

So I began stalking the killer of killers.

I looped wide. I picked up the pace.

Kelli double-timed to keep up with me.

We eventually crossed paths again.

I embraced some intense discomfort. Self-consciousness triggered. I feared what he’d say or do. Some celebrities can be nice. Others dismissive. Some complete assholes. Plus he likely noticed me cruising past him 5 minutes prior. Hence the stalker reference.

I went for it.

As I approached I smiled and warmly said:

“I am a huge fan. I had to mention that my blog readers tell me that I look like you. I’d been getting this association for years. I figured if I ever came across you I had to mention it. Have a good one.”

He smiled and nodded. He did not say anything after that.

But as we walked away the woman he was with said out loud:

“Wow. He *DOES* look like you!”

I thought that was funny. Plus it confirmed my observation.

What Was the Blogging Lesson?

Most human beings deeply fear what:

successful people
famous people
accomplished people

think about non-specials, if you will.

I feared Michael C. Hall would ignore me, making me look like an asshole. I also feared that he would say something rude. Or perhaps he would scowl at me.

I also feared looking like a lame fan boy; he could have viewed me as being pathetic.

Again guys; each of these fears existed only in my mind.

How I felt about any of his reactions would be 100% about my mindset and nothing to do with him.

Conquering the blanket fear of interacting with a celebrity also dissolved an online fear. I lost the fear of engaging highly successful bloggers after this experience.

Confidently reaching out to high level pros enhanced my blogger outreach campaign. Blogging From Paradise Dot Com gained exposure at an exponential clip through the partnerships I established with seasoned pro bloggers.

I landed an interview with National Geographic although the show about tropical diseases got cancelled at the last minute. Forbes, Fox News, Entrepreneur Dot Com, Market Watch and Neil Patel Dot Com featured me.

Networking with high level bloggers put me on the radar screen in a major league way.

I had to overcome being intimated by pros to reach this point.

I figured out that every human puts on their pants one leg at a time. No one is special though the ego likes to make us believe this fallacy.

How About You?

Do you put bloggers on a pedestal?

Do you fear interacting with high level pros?

Overcome that fear today.

Reach out to a top blogger. Thank them. Give them flowers. Metaphorically speaking; no stalking allowed even if I chased down Dexter. Support them. Drop a genuine comment on their blog. Buy their online course. Buy one of their eBooks.

Interact with seasoned pros. Build relationships. You never know what types of doors that trusting pros may open for you down the road via a mutually beneficial relationship.

Leave your comfort zone.

Engage high profile bloggers.

Move into higher blogging circles.

Increase your exposure.

One Client Clued Me In

Back in the day I coached aspiring bloggers.

A prospering woman hired me to coach her around the time I met Michael C. Hall.

In an unassuming but transparent way, she mentioned living in Silicon Valley and how she “could have hired Tony Robbins to coach her if she wished but she chose me.”

Serena Williams hired Tony Robbins to coach her for $1 million a year.

I could read between the lines.

Anyway, that kind (and mega rich) client told me how much she believed in me. In her own way, she perceived me as a high level coach who empowered her to live her dreams through blogging, not highly unlike the mega watt star Tony Robbins.

For the love of God, I do not compare myself to him. Nor do I see myself in his universe. Her words. Not mine.

I love what I do. I feel like I am pretty good at what I do. That is enough for me.

My point is this: the more relationship-based fears one conquers the easier it becomes to succeed. One moves into increasingly prospering circles by reaching out to successful bloggers to connect with pros genuinely.

Never put bloggers on a pedestal. Reach out to pros. Thank pros who you admire. Support these individuals. Help them. Bond with them.

Network with blogging big dawgs.

You never know how and where mutually beneficial relationships may take you.