Speaking of politicians, I notice Harriet Harman was in Carlisle the other day. I wonder how she coped with being among the hoi polloi as from all accounts she's arrogant and for all she drones on about equality, is uncomfortable among working class people and is unpleasant to work for.
Nice:
Mark Gatiss - incredibly nice!
Steve Pemberton
Reece Shearsmith
Victoria Wood - again, incredibly nice!
Mark Williams
Paul Whitehouse
Simon Day
Charlie Higson
Steven Fry
Michael Eavis - very nice, down to earth and chatty
Alan Duncan, a few weeks ago, at a friend's birthday bash. Apparently he is a close friend of my friend (well, of her husband, strictly speaking).
I've always thought he came across as preening and self-important and was predisposed to dislike him immediately, but he turned out to be very nice and chatty, and absolutely no airs or graces whatsoever. Just a normal (if fabulously rich) bloke, really. I was almost disappointed.
I remember Scott Mills talking about her on his radio show after they appeared on 'Let's Dance for Comic/Sport Relief' together and she didn't come across too well.
David Hasslehoff was appearing in Scott's performance (which he was doing with Olly Murs) but was late in arriving to the studio so had to rehearse the performance at the very last minute. Scott said that another contestant (later confirmed in the same conversation to be Weir) complained that Scott & Olly had an extra rehearsal and they demanded one too. Then, when Scott and Olly never got through, she went up to them and said something along the lines of "Well, it goes to show that tweets don't equal votes".
I remember Scott Mills talking about her on his radio show after they appeared on 'Let's Dance for Comic/Sport Relief' together and she didn't come across too well.
She came across as a bit of an ar$ehole on Loose Women too!
When Bill Clinton came to Birmingham in 1998, I believe there were billboards around saying "Get hair done Granny, Bill Clinton's coming to town". It wouldn't surprise me if he was a totally charming and charismatic person to meet. I know he had a drink with a couple at the James Brindley and the Secret Service took away the glass he'd drank from and smashed it up. I saw Air Force One on the runway as I had to drive past Birmingham Airport to go to work in Solihull. I also heard Concorde take from the airport when it had picked up the US Ryder Cup Team after playing at the Belfry. Oh the memories!!
Is this true, comedian Jasper Carrott in one of his stand up shows mentions it was the height of the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal, when Bill Clinton made the visit to Birmingham, one Hairdresing business on the main road from Birmingham International Airport to the City Centre was called Monica's so the local council got the owner to change the name, which was changed to Cut & Blow.:D
Speaking of politicians, I notice Harriet Harman was in Carlisle the other day. I wonder how she coped with being among the hoi polloi as from all accounts she's arrogant and for all she drones on about equality, is uncomfortable among working class people and is unpleasant to work for.
In the 80s when she was a Southwark councillor and I was a journalist, I went to a conference which she also was attending and during the buffet lunch break, by mistake I sat at a table reserved for councillors. She totally blanked me. She could have pointed out in a friendly way that I was at the wrong table.
Tessa Jowell, who was a Camden councillor at the time, was the opposite. She was always friendly and chatty and polite to me.
Shame about JM's political leanings though. I'd like him more. (Mind you, there was a recent comment attributed to him refering to him meeting a political adversary with the words 'I thought you were dead!)
My parents have met JM and have said the same thing apparently he's quite good looking in real life too. I'm a leftie BTW although my parents aren't.
I also met John Major when he was a junior whip and found him far more animated, approachable and attractive than his grey man image when he was PM. The remark to an opponent that he thought he was dead was an off-the-cuff remark at a Parliamentary lunch which was a light hearted occasion and I'm sure it wasn't meant to be taken seriously.
Other politicians I've met and have left an impression include:
Dame Shirley Porter (formerly leader of Westminster Council) Ghastly, totally ghastly.
Ken Clarke: rude and pugnacious
David Mellor: ditto. (a friend of my mother remembers driving him when he was a schoolboy to visit his mother in hospital and throughout the 40 minute drive each way he spent the whole time going on about how wonderful he was).
Nice politicians
Frank Field: always courteous
Tony Newton: (now deceased, former Conservative leader of the House). Polite and gentlemanly.
Sir George Young: Charming and courteous.
Got a few more:
Around 2007 Shayne Ward was in Belfast switching on the Christmas Lights at City Hall. Afterwards he was in the hotel bar and my dad asked him if he would take a picture with me. He politely declined, but to be fair to him he was exhausted.
Then a few weeks later Chico came to my hometown to switch on the lights, and he was so so lovely. I accidentally bumped into him (literally) and he dropped some of his autographs. I apologised and helped him pick them up, and he told me not to worry about it. Absolute gentleman in my eyes.
I never really mentioned this before because I didn't think it was relevant or that anyone would be interested.
I've wondered this too. On his new show he seems ultra snarky and diva-ish from the off and if he were that bad would he get his own show? I'm sure some of it must be an act.
My former flat-mate had some mutual friends with CJ and met him a couple of times. He said he's quite personable away from the cameras and quite funny too. The only thing my friend didn't like was that CJ was a bit self-righteous about being vegetarian (or possibly vegan I can't remember) but then again my friend doesn't understand non-meat eaters in general so he may not have been that bad.
I was talking to my friend Richard from Sheffield, and he has met the Human League on a couple of occasions and said they're totally down to earth and happy to talk to fans. They never struck me as being as self centred as Duran Duran.
Then a few weeks later Chico came to my hometown to switch on the lights, and he was so so lovely. I accidentally bumped into him (literally) and he dropped some of his autographs. I apologised and helped him pick them up, and he told me not to worry about it. Absolute gentleman in my eyes.
I also met Chico a few years ago, he was doing the re-opening of a shop in my town (very small town, probably the only celeb they could get to do it!). I happened to be walking past it and he was walking past the doors. I just stopped in my tracks to do a double take, he stopped because he saw me stop, gave me a big grin and said 'Hi!' so I said hi back and he gave me a big hug! He then told me he liked my hair, which I'd actually just been and had cut, so that was quite nice and observant of him! He was really friendly but I was so surprised to see anyone remotely famous in my town that I didn't even think to get a picture or autograph! He also had some very nice aftershave on hehe
I also saw Gok Wan in Specsavers, he was there promoting his glasses range, didn't speak to him but he seemed very cheery and enthusiastic. My optician kept getting distracted from my eye test though as she knew he was due in!
I used to work in hospital radio and the secretary once met Jimmy Savile. He said Savile was totally up himself and a bighead. It seems apart from the ghastly revelations about him 2 years ago, Savile wasn't pleasant in other respects.
On a nicer note, I met Mike Neville twice in the eighties when he worked on Look North. He was really pleasant and talkative.
Steven Mulhern from all accounts is a prized idiot. Years ago, whilst staying at the Hilton hotel, down the road from the Maidstone studios he refused to sign an autograph for my brother-in-law on behalf of my girlfriend. Then in Canterbury the other year, after leaving a pantomime, my Mum said to my disabled sister, "look love it's the man from BGT", to which he sneered and walked away.
I saw him myself as a kid in pantomime one year and grew up thinking he was as friendly as the screen persona may imply.
Steven Mulhern from all accounts is a prized idiot. Years ago, whilst staying at the Hilton hotel, down the road from the Maidstone studios he refused to sign an autograph for my brother-in-law on behalf of my girlfriend. Then in Canterbury the other year, after leaving a pantomime, my Mum said to my disabled sister, "look love it's the man from BGT", to which he sneered and walked away.
I saw him myself as a kid in pantomime one year and grew up thinking he was as friendly as the screen persona may imply.
Celebreties don't have to sign autographs. it doesnt make them bad or anything, just some celebs are 'nicer' in that category and always sign when they have a chance
surprised to read this anyway but its not a huge loss to you
not like he's some big star lol
I've never met a celeb but i almost met an x factor contestant who i think was called johnny robinson?
I was in town and he was doing a signing around an xmas time so i watched as he was doing it and felt sorry for him. It got bad publicity in the area because he was late starting (not his fault) so only saw about 1/8 of the people waiting. His security were pretty horrible dragging him off the stage and shoving people out of the way to bundle him in a car to get him away as soon as his finishing time struck.
He was trying to sign autographs for disabled people who had a seperate queue because they couldnt get onto the stage but the security people just shoved him away from them! He looked pretty upset that these people had been waiting the longest but he wasnt allowed to even have a few minutes with them. Of course it wasnt his fault but it reflected badly on him that he was late and left a lot of people annoyed.
My Dad was playing golf recently in the grounds of a (now council-owned) manor house and filming was taking place nearby.
Dad said a shortish man, one of the actors dressed in his period costume, walked by a couple of times, stopping each time engaging in a pleasant conversation with my Dad and his friend.
Dad hadn't a clue who this man was, turns out it was Michael Kitchen filming 'Foyle's War' on location a thoroughly nice man by the sounds of it.
Met Maureen Lipman once at a booksigning. I loved her books and waited with several others, most of them women who were older than me. She walked in, very loudly said, "Oh, is this it?!" and when she signed was so rude to everyone. One woman asked after her health and got a very brusque answer. I remember vividly how nastily she looked at everyone - me included - and was clearly hating every moment of people turning up to buy her book. Such a shame as everyone else was very polite and quiet!
Met Maureen Lipman once at a booksigning. I loved her books and waited with several others, most of them women who were older than me. She walked in, very loudly said, "Oh, is this it?!" and when she signed was so rude to everyone. One woman asked after her health and got a very brusque answer. I remember vividly how nastily she looked at everyone - me included - and was clearly hating every moment of people turning up to buy her book. Such a shame as everyone else was very polite and quiet!
She has always given off a nasty vibe so I am not surprised about that. She has a very superior air about her, thinks she is a bigger star than she is.
Met Maureen Lipman once at a booksigning. I loved her books and waited with several others, most of them women who were older than me. She walked in, very loudly said, "Oh, is this it?!" and when she signed was so rude to everyone. One woman asked after her health and got a very brusque answer. I remember vividly how nastily she looked at everyone - me included - and was clearly hating every moment of people turning up to buy her book. Such a shame as everyone else was very polite and quiet!
Yeah, I've never thought she has come across well when being interviewed.
The story is (and I don't know how true this is) that Bolam's refusal was based solely, or principally, on the fact that Bewes really needed the money that a repeat would bring in.
I saw an interview with RB and it's all, according to Bewes, that he mentioned that JB's wife was pregnant with their first child. Whether Bolam wanted to break the happy news or he didn't want the publicity i don't know. That's why they fell out.
Comments
really wow
never expected that
Nice:
Mark Gatiss - incredibly nice!
Steve Pemberton
Reece Shearsmith
Victoria Wood - again, incredibly nice!
Mark Williams
Paul Whitehouse
Simon Day
Charlie Higson
Steven Fry
Michael Eavis - very nice, down to earth and chatty
Not nice:
Arabella Weir
Alan Duncan, a few weeks ago, at a friend's birthday bash. Apparently he is a close friend of my friend (well, of her husband, strictly speaking).
I've always thought he came across as preening and self-important and was predisposed to dislike him immediately, but he turned out to be very nice and chatty, and absolutely no airs or graces whatsoever. Just a normal (if fabulously rich) bloke, really. I was almost disappointed.
I remember Scott Mills talking about her on his radio show after they appeared on 'Let's Dance for Comic/Sport Relief' together and she didn't come across too well.
David Hasslehoff was appearing in Scott's performance (which he was doing with Olly Murs) but was late in arriving to the studio so had to rehearse the performance at the very last minute. Scott said that another contestant (later confirmed in the same conversation to be Weir) complained that Scott & Olly had an extra rehearsal and they demanded one too. Then, when Scott and Olly never got through, she went up to them and said something along the lines of "Well, it goes to show that tweets don't equal votes".
She came across as a bit of an ar$ehole on Loose Women too!
Is this true, comedian Jasper Carrott in one of his stand up shows mentions it was the height of the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal, when Bill Clinton made the visit to Birmingham, one Hairdresing business on the main road from Birmingham International Airport to the City Centre was called Monica's so the local council got the owner to change the name, which was changed to Cut & Blow.:D
In the 80s when she was a Southwark councillor and I was a journalist, I went to a conference which she also was attending and during the buffet lunch break, by mistake I sat at a table reserved for councillors. She totally blanked me. She could have pointed out in a friendly way that I was at the wrong table.
Tessa Jowell, who was a Camden councillor at the time, was the opposite. She was always friendly and chatty and polite to me.
My parents have met JM and have said the same thing apparently he's quite good looking in real life too. I'm a leftie BTW although my parents aren't.
Other politicians I've met and have left an impression include:
Dame Shirley Porter (formerly leader of Westminster Council) Ghastly, totally ghastly.
Ken Clarke: rude and pugnacious
David Mellor: ditto. (a friend of my mother remembers driving him when he was a schoolboy to visit his mother in hospital and throughout the 40 minute drive each way he spent the whole time going on about how wonderful he was).
Nice politicians
Frank Field: always courteous
Tony Newton: (now deceased, former Conservative leader of the House). Polite and gentlemanly.
Sir George Young: Charming and courteous.
Around 2007 Shayne Ward was in Belfast switching on the Christmas Lights at City Hall. Afterwards he was in the hotel bar and my dad asked him if he would take a picture with me. He politely declined, but to be fair to him he was exhausted.
Then a few weeks later Chico came to my hometown to switch on the lights, and he was so so lovely. I accidentally bumped into him (literally) and he dropped some of his autographs. I apologised and helped him pick them up, and he told me not to worry about it. Absolute gentleman in my eyes.
I never really mentioned this before because I didn't think it was relevant or that anyone would be interested.
My former flat-mate had some mutual friends with CJ and met him a couple of times. He said he's quite personable away from the cameras and quite funny too. The only thing my friend didn't like was that CJ was a bit self-righteous about being vegetarian (or possibly vegan I can't remember) but then again my friend doesn't understand non-meat eaters in general so he may not have been that bad.
I also met Chico a few years ago, he was doing the re-opening of a shop in my town (very small town, probably the only celeb they could get to do it!). I happened to be walking past it and he was walking past the doors. I just stopped in my tracks to do a double take, he stopped because he saw me stop, gave me a big grin and said 'Hi!' so I said hi back and he gave me a big hug! He then told me he liked my hair, which I'd actually just been and had cut, so that was quite nice and observant of him! He was really friendly but I was so surprised to see anyone remotely famous in my town that I didn't even think to get a picture or autograph! He also had some very nice aftershave on hehe
I also saw Gok Wan in Specsavers, he was there promoting his glasses range, didn't speak to him but he seemed very cheery and enthusiastic. My optician kept getting distracted from my eye test though as she knew he was due in!
On a nicer note, I met Mike Neville twice in the eighties when he worked on Look North. He was really pleasant and talkative.
I saw him myself as a kid in pantomime one year and grew up thinking he was as friendly as the screen persona may imply.
Celebreties don't have to sign autographs. it doesnt make them bad or anything, just some celebs are 'nicer' in that category and always sign when they have a chance
surprised to read this anyway but its not a huge loss to you
not like he's some big star lol
Now that would be fun, especially if it's some dotty old lady trying to remember!
I was in town and he was doing a signing around an xmas time so i watched as he was doing it and felt sorry for him. It got bad publicity in the area because he was late starting (not his fault) so only saw about 1/8 of the people waiting. His security were pretty horrible dragging him off the stage and shoving people out of the way to bundle him in a car to get him away as soon as his finishing time struck.
He was trying to sign autographs for disabled people who had a seperate queue because they couldnt get onto the stage but the security people just shoved him away from them! He looked pretty upset that these people had been waiting the longest but he wasnt allowed to even have a few minutes with them. Of course it wasnt his fault but it reflected badly on him that he was late and left a lot of people annoyed.
Dad said a shortish man, one of the actors dressed in his period costume, walked by a couple of times, stopping each time engaging in a pleasant conversation with my Dad and his friend.
Dad hadn't a clue who this man was, turns out it was Michael Kitchen filming 'Foyle's War' on location
She has always given off a nasty vibe so I am not surprised about that. She has a very superior air about her, thinks she is a bigger star than she is.
Yeah, I've never thought she has come across well when being interviewed.
I saw an interview with RB and it's all, according to Bewes, that he mentioned that JB's wife was pregnant with their first child. Whether Bolam wanted to break the happy news or he didn't want the publicity i don't know. That's why they fell out.