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I am a Cher superfan - when I met her on the street she feared I was an assassin, but then gave me the best afternoon of my life

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Goddess of Pop Cher feared a superfan was an assassin after he tapped her shoulder on a Manhattan street -- then invited him to spend the afternoon with her.

The fascinating encounter was revealed in a diary entry posted online last week by Rocco Piacente, 65. 

He saw his idol walking into the Giorgio Armani store on Madison Avenue in September 1982 and approached her after she left. 

Cher screamed and was initially fearful she was about to meet the same fate as John Lennon, who was assassinated outside his Central Park West Apartment in 1981.

Rocco Piacente is pictured with Cher outside Bloomingdales in New York City in September 1982. He tapped his idol's shoulder after seeing her out shopping in Manhattan. Cher initially feared she was about to be assassinated - but invited Rocco and his then-boyfriend Bobby for an afternoon of shopping with her instead

Rocco Piacente is pictured with Cher outside Bloomingdales in New York City in September 1982. He tapped his idol's shoulder after seeing her out shopping in Manhattan. Cher initially feared she was about to be assassinated - but invited Rocco and his then-boyfriend Bobby for an afternoon of shopping with her instead 

The singer also accused Rocco of being a paparazzi photographer after spotting the 35mm camera he always carried around his neck.

But she softened and warmed up moments later on realizing Rocco and his then-boyfriend Bobby were well-meaning fans. 

Cher asked for directions to Bloomingdale’s and ended up inviting the couple for a gossip-filled shopping trip.

Rocco, who now lives in Clearwater, Florida, says the star gave him the best day of his life.

His incredible journal entry from the day is reproduced in-full below and offers a tantalizing insight into life in early 1980's NYC.

Keep reading afterwards for an exclusive chat with Rocco, who reveals more juicy nuggets of gossip and a subsequent eerie encounter involving Cher...

September 3, 1982  

Today is Friday.

After work Bobby and I were walking down Madison Avenue when we saw Cher walk into the Giorgio Armani boutique so we waited for her to come out.

Then we caught up with her at the cross walk on the corner and I tapped her on the shoulder. She saw my camera and started screaming at us.

She asked if we were Paparazzi and we said no and then asked us if we were just regular people and when we said yes she apologized and said she thought it was John Lennon time.

She asked us if we knew how to get to Bloomingdale's and we said we did and she asked us if we would walk her there so we did.

She said she bought an outfit at the Armani boutique and since they don't sell shoes there she had to go to Bloomingdale's to the Armani shoe department to get shoes to match her outfit.

She had on pink leopard pants and a white top and ballet slippers. We spent like 3 hours with her shopping.

She talked about what a great dad Sonny is and that Greg Allman was a terrible father.

She told us about the new movie she is going to be in called 'Silkwood' and then she noticed that we were both wearing safety pins in our ears. 

Hers are real gold and mine is from the dry cleaners, but she still thought it was great. 

She talked about her kids and that Chastity loves Jordache jeans. She told us that she is a vegetarian but does eat chicken and fish. 

When we got to the shoe department I told Bobby that I didn't want to hang around with her if she didn't want us around so we told her that we had to go to the bathroom.

So we left and then when we were coming down the escalator she saw us and said 'I'm over here.'

So then we felt a lot better because she wanted to hang out with us. She bought these black boots that looked like combat boots but folded over and didn't have a heel and they were 300.00 bucks.

She was wearing that gold Rolex watch with all the diamonds around the face.

I recognized it immediately because it appears on three of her albums. 

Then I helped her pick out a sweater for her boyfriend, I think Val Kilmer in the men's department. 

She picked out 3 sweaters and she asked me which one was the most bizarre and I picked out the one that was all one color but one sleeve was a different color.

When she took her Bloomingdale's card out to pay I noticed it was gray and her name wasn't updated and read Mrs. Sonny Bono.

The whole time we could hear people saying 'look that's Cher' or whispering about who we were.

When we left the store she let us take pictures of her. One is with her and me and the other one is of her and Bobby.

She is so funny and nice.  She asked us if we liked her new album and I told her I did but my favorite album she recorded is 'Stars' and she said that was the best album she has ever done.

I never told her that I had ever record she ever recorded. I didn't want to be one of those weird fans.

She said she had to thank David Geffin (sic) because he pushed her to vocals she didn't know she had. 

After she left us outside Bloomingdale's I called Kim at a pay phone to tell her and she didn't believe me so I put Bobby on the phone and then she believed us.  

Rocco says the encounter ended after Cher told them she had an ‘engagement’ to go to.

But seeing the camera Rocco always carried with him, Cher enthusiastically suggested posing for some photos before bidding her new friends farewell.

Rocco said: 'So we walked her outside Bloomingdales. That's when she said “Who’s going to be in the picture? Now we can have a picture!" She got all excited.'

'So she goes "Oh come on, come on, let’s go under the big "B" for Bloomingdales.' 

'So we went under the big B and Bobby took my picture of her and me together...

'She gave us big hugs and said she had to go and left.'

Rocco added: 'I was very overwhelmed with the whole situation. We watched her walked away and go.

It felt like a dream. It was like I can’t believe I went shopping with this woman.

'I think it was probably one of the most exciting happiest days of my entire life.' 

Asked what he’d say to Cher if she learns of his diary entry, Rocco said: 'I would just say thanks for giving me such a wonderful day. It was such a happy day.'

Cher is pictured - showing off her gold paperclip earrings - with Rocco's ex-boyfriend Bobby outside Bloomies in September 1982. Rocco's camera ran out of film as he took the photo, which meant part of Bobby's face was cut off

Cher is pictured - showing off her gold paperclip earrings - with Rocco's ex-boyfriend Bobby outside Bloomies in September 1982. Rocco's camera ran out of film as he took the photo, which meant part of Bobby's face was cut off 

Cher is pictured alongside Meryl Streep and Kurt Russell in Silkwood, which she was filming around the time she met Rocco and which won her a best supporting actress Oscar nomination

Cher is pictured alongside Meryl Streep and Kurt Russell in Silkwood, which she was filming around the time she met Rocco and which won her a best supporting actress Oscar nomination

Rocco and Bobby are pictured together in 1982. The couple later split and lost touch with one another

Rocco and Bobby are pictured together in 1982. The couple later split and lost touch with one another

Rocco as a young man in NYC. He arrived in the city from his native Syracuse in 1980 and moved to Florida in 1991 with a boyfriend who was dying of AIDS. Just two of Rocco's 70 gay friends from his youth survived the epidemic

Rocco as a young man in NYC. He arrived in the city from his native Syracuse in 1980 and moved to Florida in 1991 with a boyfriend who was dying of AIDS. Just two of Rocco's 70 gay friends from his youth survived the epidemic 

Rocco has seen the singer in concert three times since and has tried to get the photo of them together autographed, without success.

Rocco, who arrived in New York City from his native Syracuse in 1980, later split up with Bobby and the couple lost touch.

Rocco moved to Florida in 1991 with his partner Freddy, who was dying of AIDS.

Freddy tragically succumbed to the illness 17 days after arriving in the Sunshine State, aged just 29. 

Of the 70 gay friends Rocco made in NYC, 68 were killed by the disease.

Another spooky Cher encounter was to follow shortly after Freddy’s death.

Taken for a trip to MGM Studios by his mom to cheer him up, Rocco saw the same diamond-encrusted Rolex Cher had worn when he’d met her for sale in a showbiz memorabilia sale.

Rocco is pictured in a recent photo with husband Dick Reim. The couple met in 2014 and married a year later

Rocco is pictured in a recent photo with husband Dick Reim. The couple met in 2014 and married a year later 

Cher is pictured in the early 1980s with daughter Chastity, right, who transitioned to become a man called Chaz in 2009, as well as son Elijah Blue Allman. The star told Rocco of Chastity's love for Jordache jeans

Cher is pictured in the early 1980s with daughter Chastity, right, who transitioned to become a man called Chaz in 2009, as well as son Elijah Blue Allman. The star told Rocco of Chastity's love for Jordache jeans 

Cher with ex-husband Greg Allman in 1978. She told superfan Rocco Piacente that Allman was a 'terrible father'

Cher with ex-husband Greg Allman in 1978. She told superfan Rocco Piacente that Allman was a 'terrible father' 

Cher with ex-husband Sonny Bono in 1980. The pair divorced in 1975 and remained good friends. During Rocco's encounter with the star in 1982, he saw that she was still toting a Bloomingdale's store card with the name Mrs Sonny Bono embossed on it

Cher with ex-husband Sonny Bono in 1980. The pair divorced in 1975 and remained good friends. During Rocco's encounter with the star in 1982, he saw that she was still toting a Bloomingdale's store card with the name Mrs Sonny Bono embossed on it 

Rocco helped Cher buy a sweater for her then-boyfriend Val Kilmer. The former couple are pictured together in 1990

Rocco helped Cher buy a sweater for her then-boyfriend Val Kilmer. The former couple are pictured together in 1990  

A snooty ‘queen’ of a sales assistant scoffed in disbelief when Rocco told him of his afternoon with Cher, Rocco told DailyMail.com.

Rocco almost ended up buying the watch for $20,000 to spite the sales assistant, but was ordered not to by his mom and settled for a $65 shirt once owned by the singer instead.

After moving to Florida, he opened an antiques store, then an antiques detailing service. He now runs his own cleaning business.

Rocco met his husband Dick Reim in 2014 and married him in 2015. He has bought every album released by Cher to date.

Cher, now 77, remains as famous as ever. She has maintained her reputation for being down-to-earth and warm towards her fans.

The movie she mentioned to Rocco and Bobby - Silkwood - also starred Meryl Streep and became a critically-acclaimed hit, bagging Cher a best supporting actress Oscar nomination. 

A glamorous photo of Cher from 1982, the year she met Rocco Piacente and his then-boyfriend Bobby. Rocco says the fun afternoon with the star was one of the happiest days of his life

A glamorous photo of Cher from 1982, the year she met Rocco Piacente and his then-boyfriend Bobby. Rocco says the fun afternoon with the star was one of the happiest days of his life 

She ended up winning a best actress Oscar for Moonstruck in 1986.  

Chastity-the daughter referred to in her diary entry-transitioned to become a man called Chaz in 2009.

Cher was married to Sonny Bono between 1964 and 1975. The couple remained friends after they split. 

Sonny went on to become Mayor of Palm Springs and a Republican Congressman and was killed in a skiing accident in 1998 aged 62.

Greg Allman -- who Cher blasted while gossiping with Rocco -- was married to the singer between 1975 and 1979. He died in 2017. 

The couple share a son called Elijah Blue who is now 47 and who has had well-documented issues with substance abuse.

In September 2023, DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that Cher had Elijah kidnapped from LA's Chateau Marmont Hotel as part of an intervention to get him off drugs.  

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