Can you believe this? When Chip Gaines and his wife, Joanna Gaines, crossed paths with their ultimate icon, Martha Stewart, at the Time 100 Gala on April 23, it turned out she had no idea who they were. Imagine that—meeting your hero, and they don’t even know you exist. Talk about awkward!

Chip Gaines Spills the Tea on the Encounter

Chip, 44, opened up to Page Six about the unexpected moment. “We were so excited to meet Martha Stewart, but she didn’t have the faintest idea who we are—not a single clue,” he joked. But here’s the thing: they weren’t too upset about it. In fact, they handled it with grace and humor. Since Joanna, 41, and Chip had someone there who could clue Martha in on their popularity, things smoothed out quickly. “Joanna was thrilled to meet her, so we asked someone to introduce us,” Chip explained.

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First Impressions Matter

Chip assured everyone that they weren’t bothered by the initial confusion. “We don’t mind at all,” he said. “Joanna was so excited to meet Martha, so we asked someone to introduce us.” Once the introductions were made, Chip and Joanna realized Martha was everything they hoped she’d be. “Martha was very gracious and supportive. It was such a wonderful moment for us to meet her,” Chip gushed. “And my goodness, doesn’t she look amazing?”

Martha’s Take on the Meeting

On the other side of the encounter, Martha admitted to Page Six that while she didn’t know much about Chip and Joanna, she had a vague idea of their work. “I had never met Chip and Joanna at all before, but their Magnolia magazine is published by my publisher, Meredith, and I know they have a lovely family and a TV station,” she shared. Imagine the pressure of meeting someone who’s practically royalty in the world of lifestyle and home design, and not knowing who they are!

What About the Fans?

Hopefully, Martha took some time to learn more about Chip and Joanna after the gala. After all, the couple has some seriously high-profile fans. Singers Jennifer Lopez and Cher have both admitted to being huge admirers of the Gaines duo. J. Lo, 49, recalled her excitement during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. “It really blew me away,” she said about FaceTiming Joanna one day. Meanwhile, Cher, 72, admitted via Twitter that she likes to check in with the couple from time to time. “Once in a while, I like to see what’s happening with Chip, Joanna, and the kids,” she tweeted.