I understand that as a celebrity you probably get pretty used to people knowing who you are. Everywhere you go – whether you’re pumping your gas or buying tampons at the drugstore – some stranger is chatting you up, asking for your autograph. After a couple months, you probably start to assume that people just KNOW who you are. And if you’re an A or B-list celeb, that’s probably not an unreasonable assumption.

But what happens when you’re located below the C-list? Well, apparently you can embarrass the crap out of yourself, if Shannen Doherty is any example. Apparently Doherty thought the paparazzi were chasing her. And to be fair the photographers over at TMZ don’t seem to have much else to do, so it might be true. When Shannen went into a police station to complain, the cops were kinda perplexed – they had no idea why photographers would follow her. Because they had no idea who she even was.

That new “90210” show can’t come along fast enough for Shannen Doherty.

We know Shannen went to the Sheriff’s Department in Lost Hills (Malibu) to complain about paparazzi following her. The cops who talked to her were baffled … because they had no idea who she was.

The deputy at the front desk confessed he had no idea who she was. Shannen retorted that she was on TV. The deputy, in a scene reminiscent of “Take the Money and Run,” began asking others around him if they knew who she was, but none did.

We’re told Shannen then left in a huff.

[From TMZ]

Ouch. But frankly I don’t find it all that surprising. Even when she was on 90210, Shannen wasn’t that interesting looking. I think she only got so much attention for being a legendary terror to work with. Something tells me that even once the new 90210 starts up, not a lot of people are going to know who the hell is. What’s funny is that she hasn’t figured that out yet.

Here’s Shannen Doherty taking her family to dinner in Malibu on May 26th. Images thanks to Fame.