My brush with asshole celebrity.

[arbusto_baboso]

Living in SoCal the way I do, I've had many encounters with the famous, somewhat-famous, and only-obscurely-famous. Most of the individuals involved have been gracious, and genuinely pleased to be recognized. Sometimes, though, they're jerks.

My most notable "asshole celebrity" encounter was years ago. I had stopped at a gas station along PCH, and noticed that a swanky corvette had pulled up to a pump nearby. In it was Pierce Brosnan. He had his stereo turned up so EVERYONE could hear, and was talking on his cell phone at the time (one of the huge, primitive models - which gives you an idea of when this was). When he was finished gassing up, he peeled out and onto the road. My only thought was, "What an attention-seeking jackhole that guy is!"

In retrospect, I realize this was when his first wife was dying from cancer, so I'm inclined to cut him some slack now. But still, kind of a jerky way to act.

[Initech]

1. I met Tyra Banks once.

I was at this TV show taping for "Just Shoot Me" and so they announce Tyra is going to be the guest star. And the way that they shoot TV shows - they don't do it in a logical beginning to end sequence. Instead they shoot scenes in what's called a "set order" - where they shoot all the scenes in one set then they bring out the next and so on and so forth.

So in between the set order they bring out Tyra. And this dude sitting next to me starts going fucking nuts. Like seriously you'd think this guy was stalking her in a creepy Phil Spector meets Charles Manson way. So while this guy is yelling at Tyra she starts looking up at my direction . Like she's giving me the evil eye. So I'm like a deer in car headlights. I'm like "No I'm not affiliated with this guy." And she just looks at me like "Yeah sure whatever."

Needless to say I got the hell out of there as fast as I could, and since I went with a group (which this guy was a part of) it was an awkward bus ride back.

[Symarip]

3. She's scared of dolphins

Which has got to be the lamest phobia of all time.

[SacredCow]

4. For real?

Dolphins? I call :wtf: on that.

[Symarip]

8. She's had whole segments on her bullshit talk show about it

They play it on Stern every now and again.

She even has one segment where she starts to cry because people don't take her dolphin-phobia seriously. Aw, poor little princess.

[SacredCow]

9. I guess I shouldn't laugh... Phobias are real and all.... But Dolphins?

Why would anybody be scared of Flipper? And if you ARE scared of them... Relatively speaking, I think it's pretty easy to stay away from them. I mean, they're not going to hop up on land to chase you down or anything...

Edited to add: This post is now safe from Tyra Banks' prying eyes...

[arbusto_baboso]

10. Huh, that's what you think!

We already know there are land-narwhals. It's only a matter of time before land-dolphins evolve, too!

[Symarip]

11. JIVE ASS DOLPHINS ARE TOO STUPID TO FUCKING EVOLVE

FUCK YEAH!!!1

[KamaAina]

45. THEY NEED TO GLUE HORNS ON THEIR HEADS

No way is Tyra afraid of NARWHALS!!1! FUCK YEAH!!1!

[SacredCow]

12. Evolution isn't real.... I learned that on the 700 Club the other night....

The creator didn't see the need for any land dolphins, so he/she didn't make them!

:crazy:

[abq e streeter]

26. hey if you really learned from the 700 club, you know its a he--old white guy specifically

[Initech]

19. I'll remember to wear a dolphin shirt next time.

:evilgrin:

[dixiegrrrrl]

38. I think I have this Dolphin thing figured out.

Did she specify the mammal or did she perhaps mean

The team????



Lotta possibilities here....

:evilgrin: :evilgrin:

[Initech]

5. That has to be the lamest phobia I've ever heard of.

I think my fear of needles is second though.

[Bucky]

43. Dood, dolphins are wild animals with huge teeth and are known to get sexually agressive with humans

And they're like 99% pure muscle. Dolphins have been known to rescue drowning humans, carry them to withing 20 feet of the shore, and then use their massive tails to pummel the confused shipwreck survivors to death, their last thoughts dwelling on the horrible cackle of their evil dolphin laughter. And that's just the dolphins, porpoises are even bigger assholes.

[JVS]

63. We must destroy them. Bring back the old style tuna nets!

[lildreamer316]

29. Sorry, but we in my industry do NOT like her.

She is always and forever having strippers on her show, sometimes very succesful and intelligent ones, and pulling a Bill O'Rielly on them. She had a show where she (supposedly) got on stage to actually go strip, and chickend out at the last minuite. If you're going to criticize what we do, at least do it from the perspective of our platform heels.


But yanno, we don't need any more idealistic or desparate 18 year olds joining our already bloated and now very ignorant workforce, so sometimes I say more power to her. Very few get what this job is really about anyway.

[arbusto_baboso]

32. I totally respect your business and think pole-dancing should be an olympic sport.

That stuff would be tough enough to do when properly kitted-out; it's got to be complete murder in those shoes!

[Initech]

54. Pole dancing SHOULD be an olympic sport. I'd sit through all the crap they had to watch.

:popcorn:

[Initech]

53. I have to say my encounter with Tyra wasn't that pleasant.

But you're a stripper? That is bad ass.

[SacredCow]

2. I think my worst would be a toss-up between...

John Larroquette and Jeanne Tripplehorn. I saw the former on the streets in NOLA, and he gave an absolutely vicious barrage of expletives to a pre-teen girl who asked for an autograph. This was in the "Night Court" days, so I guess he doesn't have to worry about THAT anymore.

As for the latter... A friend of mine's dad had a bit part in a film that was shot in the area, so we hung out in the area for the day. She just appeared to be an insufferable prima donna.

[Initech]

7. My parents went to a taping of the John Larroquette Show.

They pretty much said the same thing that he's a real douchebag in real life.

[Z_I_Peevey]

34. Hate to hear that about

Jeanne Tripplehorn.

[LynneSin]

6. "Mr. White will not be signing autographs today"

My friends and I use to hang out at the player's gate at Vet Stadium after the Eagles games. You were always guarenteed to get a few autographs and pictures as the players left the stadium.

Every player that ever left there was always friendly and would take the time to sign a few autographs. But everytime Reggie White would leave, he'd have a couple of his goons with him who would push people aside saying "Mr White will not be signing autographs today". THing is, he did this EVERY time we went there.

[theNotoriousP.I.G.]

13. Back in college I worked at an Organic/Natural food store

as a checker and I had two "celebrities" come through my line. The first was Sam Elliot and his wife Katherine Ross and their teenage daughter. Katherine and the daughter put all their groceries on the conveyor belt and I scanned everything and then she said "my husband is over in the deli getting some soup." She seemed pretty embarassed since there was a line behind her. I gave him about a minute and then I got on the overhead intercom and said "deli, I need a price check on...." He scurried over with his soup. He was NOT a happy camper with me. Ha ha.

David Ogden Stiers came through my line a few times with his boyfriend. He was kind of stand offish.

Never acknowledged that I knew who any of them were even though everybody else in the store were busy asking for their autographs and shit.

edit for grammatical error.

[DarkTirade]

25. I met David Ogden Stiers once too.

'bout the same reaction. Seemed like a nice guy, but didn't get to really talk to him or anything. I also met Levar Burton in the same way. Both times it was when my high school had been selected to sing at Disney's Candlelight Processional at EPCOT. (Big christmas even with a choir, orchestra, and a famous person narrating) They were both narrators at one time or another when I was in the choir.

[cherish44]

14. I have a friend who went to midnight AA meetings in Hollywood

As you can guess he ran into a few celebrities there...no joke. He wouldn't tell me which ones, they're very big on confidentiality.

[arbusto_baboso]

15. I think a lot of celebs in Hollywood AA meetings aren't even alcoholics.

There was a joke awhile back that they attended AA and NA meetings just to "network".

[Javaman]

16. back in early 90's, was so poor I was selling flowers on a street corner in Hollywood.

Crescent Heights and Sunset Blvd. it sucked.

I was homeless, doing the best I can to keep it together and trying the best I could to make a buck.

up pulls a camaro and in it was Sam Kinison. Yeah, that Sam Kinison. But at this point in my life, I really didn't give a shit, I wanted food. But I was pleasant and professional.

So he asks me my prices. I rattle off the amounts and smile.

Now this is where he turns into asshole #1.

I'm standing their patient and because I didn't fawn all over him he says, "you know who I am, right?"

up to that point, I really liked his humor and would listen to him when he was on Howard Stern.

I responded, "yes, I do". He takes out a roll of bills that could choke a horse, peels off a 5 dollar bill to pay for the flowers (the cheapest I sold) and says to me, "you blew your tip".

As I'm giving him the flowers, I said to him, "you used to be a preacher right?" He nods, "well, I don't worship false idols. I'm just hungry".

He swipes the flowers out of my hands and peels out.

He was dead not long after that.

[SacredCow]

20. That karma is a bitch....

"blew your tip" because you didn't fawn over him... :eyes:

[peacefreak]

17. When I was working in my bookstore

we were having a signing with a very prominent politician. Granted he was tired, granted he wanted a sandwich, but when he was introduced to me he literally waved me off. I have never received the back of the hand from anyone before & I had been doing signings for years. I still respect the work that he does internationally, but I am happy I would never have to vote for him again.

[LostInAnomie]

18. I have a friend that works for a pretty well rated, late night talk show (I won't say which one)...

... and his job is to deal with the celebrities once they are there. He says that the funny thing about them is how unremarkable 99% of them are in real life. They are just normal people that got lucky in some way. The thing is though, only about 50% of them realize it. The other 50% are dicks that think they deserve the world.

[arbusto_baboso]

21. I just remembered another: Danny DeVito.

I actually ran into him in Park City, Utah during Sundance. I was visiting the in-laws and made the mistake of venturing into Park City while the festival was on.

DeVito AND his wife are both colossal, loudmouthed assholes, and according to the service personnel, they leave lousy, small, cheap-ass tips, too.

[SacredCow]

22. Kind of sad to hear that....

Oh well... The sun will still rise tomorrow!

[JVS]

23. "DeVito AND his wife are both colossal, loudmouthed assholes" Yeah, isn't that their schtick?

[arbusto_baboso]

24. It ain't a schtick.

It's just type-casting, apparently.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

27. I once sat next to him

at a charity dinner.

He was well-mannered, very nice, chatty, and unbelievably stupid.

I had to fight back laughter every time he opened his mouth......................

[Aristus]

28. I've met a number of celebrities. Here's one disappointment, one pleasant surprise:

I met Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a few years ago when he came to town to deliver a lecture on environmental protection. It was a very interesting lecture, although I disagreed with him on his assertion that vaccines cause autism. (That's a very dangerous myth that is causing some people to go without vaccinating their kids...)

Afterward, I went to the table where he was signing autographs. You ever see how some celebrities sign autographs? Sign hurriedly and skid it across the table to the requester. Sign, skid, sign, skid, sign, skid. Well, I asked him to sign my program, and told him how much I admired his family, and he just did the sign, skid thing without a word. I know he's busy and has a lot on his mind, but still...

I also met Richard "John-Boy Walton" Thomas a couple of years ago when he was appearing in "Twelve Angry Men" at the Paramount in Seattle. My wife and I met him at the stage door for an autograph after the show, and he was just the nicest person you'd ever want to meet. You'd think we were the first people to ever tell him how much we enjoyed his performance, or asked him for an autograph. Very warm and personable.

[crispini]

36. I met Al Gore at one of those autograph signing thingys.

He was SO DAMN NICE to everyone in the line! :loveya:

[LibDemAlways]

49. I hate signings where the signer acts like he or she is doing you

a big favor. You've already made a commitment in terms of time and dollars, stood in a long line, and are asking for nothing more than a couple of seconds of their time. The least a celebrity can do in that situation is to be gracious.

When my daughter was two, my husband and I took her to a Jimmy Carter book signing. It was raining and cold that day, but we stood in a long line nonetheless. He couldn't have been nicer. He touched my daughter's arm and told me she was beautiful.

Also had a very positive experience at an Al and Tipper Gore signing. Tipper asked my daughter her name and they were both kind and polite.

Now that my daughter is a teenager she tries to meet as many guys in rock bands as she can. Currently she's a big Green Day fan. At a recent signing the guys in that group could not have been nicer. They agreed to a photo with her even though cameras had specifically been prohibited. (Maybe it had something to do with me, a middle-aged mom, doing the asking on her behalf. She was too star struck to say anything!)

[marzipanni]

30. My brush with classy celebrity

Autumn, '74, I was in NYC with my mom and her cousin, who had flown there with her husband because he had business meetings to attend. There was an omelette restaurant owned by a Russian chef that mom's cousin had heard was good, so we went there for lunch.
It was two narrow rooms extending back from the front door. We sat on the right side of the room where tables were next to the the wall, I was facing the back of the restaurant. While we were eating our omelettes, Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, and a female friend came from the back dining room.
I leaned forward and whispered, "Don't look now, but Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward are here!" My mom's cousin said, "What?!Where?!"and started turning her head like an owl. I sank down in my chair and grimaced, but they just slowly walked out, and their friend stopped to use a pay phone in the foyer, so we got to surrepticiously peek at them for a couple of minutes. PN and JW were rather more petite than I had imagined.
~~~PN...RIP~~~

[SoxFan]

31. I've had mostly positive experiences

I met Grammy winner Steve Earle after a show in Manchester. He came out from backstage and hung out with about ten of us, talking music, politics, and baseball. An absolutely wonderful guy.

At the Manchester Baseball Dinner (a charity event for a pediatric hospital) I found the players to be terrific. Most of them were either young guys just hitting the spotlight (Blue Jays pitcher Jesse Litsch stuck around and signed hundreds of autographs) or local cult heroes like Bernie Carbo, Rich Gedman, and, for some reason, Celtics announcer/former player Cedric Maxwell.

In the early 1990s, there was a hot prospect playing for the Milwaukee brewers farm club in new Orleans. He rarely signed autographs and had an aloof, superstar wannabe air. A few years later, it was clear that he was going to be a good but not superstar caliber major league player, and he apparently had mellowed considerably.

[Puglover]

33. I was at a dinner party

with William Hurt. Which was fine except we were instructed we could'nt allude to the fact that he was an actor or famous. Which made for a rather stilted evening. He was pleasant enough I guess. Seemed odd to be telling him about my fascinating career when all I wanted to do was ask him what Katheleen Turner was like.

[Auggie]

35. I met an extra who worked with Brosnan on "Mrs. Doubtfire."

It is confirmed. He IS a celebrity asshole.

Sally Field, on the other hand, is quite gracious.

[oregonjen]

41. Sad to hear about Brosnan

I had a crush on him during the "Remington Steele" days.

[northernlights]

37. Possible brush with Richard Gere

He *looked* exactly like him. It was at a bagel shop near Camden, Maine, where he has sponsored performances by a group of Tibetan monks that he is involved with.

I'm not sure it was him, but it sure as shootin' looked like him. More gorgeous, irl, if possible. The same shock of gray-white hair over blue, blue, blue eyes with serious twinkle, and major charisma.

After he greeted me and left, I asked the young women behind the counter who that was. She said the owner. I said he looked exactly like Richard Gere. She looked a little uncomfortable, mumbled something like, "Um, yeah, guess so..." and ran back into the kitchen and didn't come back out again.

I was like, Richard Gere owner of bagel shop? But they do invest their money in various enterprises, so it's not impossible.

I go back there every once in a while, hoping to run into him. Maybe he'll discover me. I'm not sure discover me doing what. Certainly not being beauoootiful or talented. But something... Or other.

[northernlights]

39. oh yeah, I just remembered I met Colin Powell at his book signing

in Bahstin. This was before he turned rw chump, while the press was all full of speculation. I stood in line for hours trying to think of something to say when it was my turn.

While I was rounding the last bend, he looked up and our eyes met across the room. There was a *lot* of energy there, and he quickly looked away.

Then, minutes later, my turn came. There was a little entourage around him. I handed him my books. He signed them and looked up when he handed them back to me.

I realized it was my last chance to talk to him, and possibly my only chance to influence history. I burst out with, "DON'T SELL OUT TO THE REPUBLICANS!!!!"

His entourage burst out laughing. :blush: He gave me a quizzical smile, and turned to the next person.

I slipped away, confident that I somehow had blown my opportunity. And the rest, as we all sadly know, is history.

[Kali]

50. did you really say that?

:yourock:

[northernlights]

55. I sure did!

3 hours in line, and I knew sortof what I wanted to say, but couldn't figure out how to put it. Came up with numerous long-winded and likely pompous speeches.

But when the pressure was on...out it came. :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Thanks! :D

[JVS]

60. Words that haunt him to this day!

[elehhhhna]

40. Warren Beatty thinks he's hot. He ain't..

[Richardo]

62. He probably thinks this post is about him

:D

[Tikki]

42. Early 70's...Hal Linden was mean to me...

(SoCal waitress) when I waited his table once...
On the other hand..Michael Parks

was so nice to the waitresses, every time, it was like having a good friend stop by and visit...


Tikki

[EndersDame]

44. When my boyfriend was six, he met Christopher Lloyd .

Lloyd was very rude to him and made him cry when all he wanted to do was meet the professor from Back to the Future. I can see how celebrities would get tired of fans but it is another to be a complete dick to a child. We still both enjoy all the Back to the Future movies.

[mentalsolstice]

46. My brush was with George Cloonry

It was Thanksgiving Day, his family lives s couple of towns over from my grandma. The town, Augusta, is known for its beautiful homes on the Ohio River, and that's why we were taking a drive through there after a dinner in Maysville.

It turns out the Clooneys live in a more modest neighborhood several blocks from the river. George and his dad were out passing a baseball. We immediately knew who it was. However, all we did was ride around the block 5 times, no pictures or getting out and asking for autographs. We were within 10 feet of him. All I can say is, he's better looking in real life than on the screen. He's taller and lankier than he how appears on the screen.

Oddly enough while my mom and I were salivating over George, my grandma was gaga over seeing Nick Clooney.

[midnight armadillo]

47. The famous Alec Guinness story

I don't know what y'all expect. Celebrities are famous for some particular thing they do, typically, i.e. acting, sports etc, not for their all around wit, charm, or willingness to be interrupted in their personal lives by starstruck fawning twits. There is no prerequisite of great humanity required before someone wins an Oscar or something. Sheesh. Anyway, here's the story, as told by AG himself:

A refurbished Star Wars is on somewhere or everywhere. I have no intention of revisiting any galaxy. I shrivel inside each time it is mentioned. Twenty years ago, when the film was first shown, it had a freshness, also a sense of moral good and fun. Then I began to be uneasy at the influence it might be having. The bad penny first dropped in San Francisco when a sweet-faced boy of twelve told me proudly that he had seen Star Wars over a hundred times. His elegant mother nodded with approval. Looking into the boy's eyes I thought I detected little star-shells of madness beginning to form and I guessed that one day they would explode.

`I would love you to do something for me,' I said.

`Anything! Anything!' the boy said rapturously.

`You won't like what I'm going to ask you to do,' I said.

`Anything, sir, anything!'

`Well,' I said, `do you think you could promise never to see Star Wars again?'

He burst into tears. His mother drew herself up to an immense height. `What a dreadful thing to say to a child!' she barked, and dragged the poor kid away. Maybe she was right but I just hope the lad, now in his thirties, is not living in a fantasy world of secondhand, childish banalities.

[omega minimo]

48. Maybe the volume of the music was a fan-deterrent

[kwassa]

51. My encounter was funny.

I was in an office building in Hollywood waiting for the up elevator. The down elevator came and the door opened, and the man inside was trying very hard to avoid eye contact with me, looking at the floors, ceilings, and walls. I was idly looking at him, thinking he looked vaguely familiar, and said to myself "David Brenner. Comedian. Not very funny." Finally, finally the door closed and he went away.

I had the opposite problem with Sally Fields (who I like). She was staring very hard at me in Musso and Franks Grill, as if she thought she knew me. I should have spoken up, but I didn't. I was at a table eating with friends, and she was in line for the ladies room. How elegant is that?

I've seen lots of people, too, and never bother them. Never had a true jerk.

Robin Williams was an exception, because he ran at the same track that I did. After seeing him a few times I chatted with him a little. He was very nice.

You live in LA, you see people.

[JTG of the PRB]

52. I came within ten feet of Sinbad once.

I was in Las Vegas for the first time with some friends, and we were heading out of the Mirage on our way up the strip. Then, there he was, smiling and taking pictures with some people. I was star-struck for just long enough to not to be able to ask him to take a picture with us.

He's taller in person, too. He seemed like a very nice, guy though. Smiling and chatting with the people he was taking pictures with.

[MorningGlow]

56. I saw Adam Sandler and Tim Meadows on a plane

It was really odd, because celebrities don't usually travel to or through our area. Anyway, this was when Sandler and Meadows were both glorified background scenery on SNL (just before Sandler made a name for himself), so they were DYING to be recognized. The flight was a commuter flight to Boston (the USAir 10:40 weekday--I knew it well from spending two years in grad school in Boston), so the plane was filled with suits-and-ties-and-10 lb.-laptops (this was in the mid-90s when having a laptop was a sign of corporate excess), so my friend and I, both young, casually dressed women, stuck out like a sore thumbs--and naturally these goofy guys who were new to the world of celebrity decided that if anybody was going to recognize them, it would be us. Getting off the plane--kept looking at us. Nope, we decided, we're not giving 'em the satisfaction. Walking through the USAir gates hallway--kept looking at us. Nope. We were resolute. Going down the escalator to baggage claim, they kept looking back at us. NO WAY.

Aw. We lost 'em at baggage claim. After that we regretted it--it would have been fun to talk to a couple of SNL guys. And then when Sandler became hugely famous I was all :banghead:
:rofl:

[Blue_Tires]

57. he drove a Corvette? I love him already!

[frogmarch]

58. Tom Smothers

When I was 17 (1960s) and visiting relatives in NY state, my aunt and I were in the airport in Albany NY to buy me a plane ticket back to western Nebraska, where I lived. Tom and Dick Smothers were at the airport, and Tom kept smiling and winking at me from across the lobby. I was unsophisticated and shy, and I'm sure I blushed and looked down at my feet a lot. Still smiling, Tom began walking toward my aunt and me. My aunt, who'd noticed him winking at me, was incensed and took me by the arm and whisked me away. As we left the airport in her Cadillac, the headlights on the car right behind us were flashing on and off. When I turned my head to see why the headlights were flashing, I saw Tom Smothers in the passenger seat, waving, smiling and blowing kisses at me. :-)

[LibertyLover]

59. I sort of met William Shatner in 1977

I was in grad school at the time. Bill Shatner was in a play on the summer stock theater circuit. Elke Summer was in it too. He played a psychologist trying to turn a Russian spy, if I remember correctly. Anyway, the play came to a theater in a mall near where I lived and a friend of mine and I went to see it. The play was interesting and he was actually a good stage actor, not surprising given his start in acting when you think about it. Anyway, after the play was over my friend needed to get some cigarettes and we wound up in a book store for a few minutes too. As we were walking back to my car, my friend asked me how my master's thesis on art during the Amarna period of ancient Egyptian history was going. I started telling her about it and was really getting into the descriptions of the pieces I was working with, the history, etc. There were 2 people ahead of us walking towards a car not too far away from where I was parked and I noticed that as I started to talk, they slowed down considerably. My friend and I stood at my car for a few minutes talking before getting in and I noticed that they were sort of hanging around their car too. We got in, and I started the car and looked over toward the other car. That's when I realized that it was Bill Shatner and Elke Summer. They had been listening to me talking about my thesis. It was one of those "oh darn" moments. So, I did the only thing I could think of - I gave them a friendly wave as I drove off. They waved back and drove off in the other direction.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

61. Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe

are two of the most famous people I never met
who might have been mean to me if I had, or not.