I definitely go along with ideas that:
A) Celebs or public figures should be able to go about their daily business (i.e. 'off duty') without being harassed or asked for autographs, especially if they are shopping, having a meal out, etc. They are not public property. If, however, their body language suggests they are open to being approached and they seem relaxed and friendly, there's no harm in asking for a chat. They can have 'off days'. Unless it's something really striking or nasty, it's not really fair to decide what kind of a person they really 'are' on the basis of a one off meeting. Some people think nothing of badgering them and winding them up only to get offended when they don't get the response they are looking for. I also think that some of these celebs might be genuinely shy- not like their on-screen personas- and this can sometimes be mistaken for being offhand.
However:
I have no time for celebs who play the 'Do you know who I am?' card and expect special allowances to be made for them while they are out and about, especially if they are trying to blag discounts and freebies on the basis of who they are (as we know some of them do!). If they want to be respected as ordinary human beings, they should behave accordingly.
Nor can I stand those who act with an air of dismissiveness or superiority to people making polite conversation. They are no better than anyone else because they are in the public eye. From this thread and others, certain names keep cropping up which suggest that some of them think they are (*cough* Cilla Black, Anthony Cotton *cough*). Without an audience, they would be 'nobody' and they wouldn't have enjoyed the level of income they have done over the years and a little genuine humility costs nowt.
I don't know if anyone else has mentioned it, but this thread makes me think of the episode of Father Ted where he meets Richard Wilson and shouts "I DON'T BELIEVE IT" at him, which subsequently shows Wilson attacking him
I've met a few celebs, mainly at conventions, and Robert Englund is among the nicest. He had a lot time for his fans and really gets into the spirit of his 'Freddy Krueger' persona.
The rudest celeb by far was Pete Burns. He was in a London nightclub and was just so stand-offish and venomous.
I don't know if anyone else has mentioned it, but this thread makes me think of the episode of Father Ted where he meets Richard Wilson and shouts "I DON'T BELIEVE IT" at him, which subsequently shows Wilson attacking him
I've met a few celebs, mainly at conventions, and Robert Englund is among the nicest. He had a lot time for his fans and really gets into the spirit of his 'Freddy Krueger' persona.
The rudest celeb by far was Pete Burns. He was in a London nightclub and was just so stand-offish and venomous.
I LOVED that scene. Think RW will actually only say it now if a large donation is made to charity each time he does.
Pete Burns...why am I not surprised? Good to hear about Robert Englund. I remember him when he played a 'goodie' in the original 'V'.
A few years ago my friend's brother in law was putting in a phone for the late Natasha Richardson and said she was very nice and normal and even made him a sandwich.
Her death was so sad. She was a beautiful woman and a lovely actress. I love her in The Parent Trap remake.
I don't know if anyone else has mentioned it, but this thread makes me think of the episode of Father Ted where he meets Richard Wilson and shouts "I DON'T BELIEVE IT" at him, which subsequently shows Wilson attacking him
I've met a few celebs, mainly at conventions, and Robert Englund is among the nicest. He had a lot time for his fans and really gets into the spirit of his 'Freddy Krueger' persona.
The rudest celeb by far was Pete Burns. He was in a London nightclub and was just so stand-offish and venomous.
Yeah, he was pretty nasty when in Celebrity Big Brother in 2006. He was vile in that.
I don't know if anyone else has mentioned it, but this thread makes me think of the episode of Father Ted where he meets Richard Wilson and shouts "I DON'T BELIEVE IT" at him, which subsequently shows Wilson attacking him
I've met a few celebs, mainly at conventions, and Robert Englund is among the nicest. He had a lot time for his fans and really gets into the spirit of his 'Freddy Krueger' persona.
The rudest celeb by far was Pete Burns. He was in a London nightclub and was just so stand-offish and venomous.
Ditto for Pete Burns very rude and demanding to wait staff.
A friend of mine years back worked on an Adidas commercial which had David Beckham and Steven Gerrard. He said Steven Gerrard was 'one of the biggest tossers you'd ever met.' It was an outside shoot, bit miserable outside and cold, but Gerrard never once talked to the crew. Also during the day a bunch of kids were hanging by the fence, because of course they wanted a glimpse of Beckham and Gerrard. Gerrard wouldn't even acknowledge them and straight after the shoot had finished he drove straight off.
I used to work at a football stadium where Liverpool played years ago when Benitez was still in charge.
Gerrard left a horrible impression on the hospitality staff, he was approached by someone who wanted a champions league poster signed for their kid, to which he just got up and walked away. He was labeled a 'miserable git' by everyone who met him. Mind you Crouch was apparently very nice/intelligent, considering home fans had been verbally abusing him with 'Freak' chants.
Creepy one - Dean Gaffney, was frequenting a well known SW London nightclub 4 years ago or so, (probably still is) and trying his best to get people to notice him.
I was out with a friend when she said she recognised him, without thinking (and in an inebriated sense) she shouted 'Omg it's Robbieeee!'
So he came over to her, chatted and he flat out asked for her phone number, nevermind the fact this was in front of her boyfriend.
About 6 months ago I got a facebook request from him, looked at his page and he was adding women everywhere trying to chat some up... disgusting, and yes this was really him.
Helen Rollason...(Grandstand presenter) Utter vile woman, dont mean to speak ill of the dead, but i worked in Dixons Brentwood and she was the rudest woman i have ever served. The manager asked her to leave.
Ross Kemp (in Dixons again) Was a pleasure.....sold him a playstation, demonstrated it with him, he bought it, then came back an hour later with tickets to his rugby game for all the staff.
Frank Bruno....again in Dixons, was in there to buy a camcorder after Franklin jr was born....phone rang and he picked it up saying "Dixons Romford...Frank Bruno speaking" then did his trademark laugh. Whoever was on the other end hung up. haha!
I LOVED that scene. Think RW will actually only say it now if a large donation is made to charity each time he does.
Pete Burns...why am I not surprised? Good to hear about Robert Englund. I remember him when he played a 'goodie' in the original 'V'.
Really like your username, btw!
I didn't know about the charity donation thing, but that seems quite reasonable
Pete Burns was so rude and I hope I never have the displeasure of seeing him again. I realise that when I meet famous people at conventions I'm paying for the privilege, but they have always been pleasant and I have a signed photo/item to keep forever.
And thank you for liking the name. I'm fond of cats and I liked the sound of the latin name for them
I used to work as a regular extra on Home and Away. I can confirm that Ray Meagher is absolutely lovely and was always very friendly. He would always say a cheery hello and would chat. Cornelia Frances was friendly enough though very posh. Loved her.
I once shared a dressing room with Chris Hemsworth when he played Kim on the soap. He went on to star in Thor. He struck up a conversation with me and was very very friendly and asked me about the UK and we talked about the Aussie actors who go over there to do panto.
Lyn Collingwood and Lynne McGranger are also very friendly and come across much like their characters.
I worked on several shows and Home and Away was always the most fun to work on. Everyone would chat to us humble extras unlike others shows and there was nobody I disliked. I found Kate Ritchie very shy but that is hardly a criticism. I miss it.
I don't actually believe it happened to be honest.
I never said it was funny, just thought I'd bring it up. I kind of exaggerated the story, it was a friend of a friend, but yes it did actually happen. I am unaware what happened to him afterwards.
During the filming of The Magnificent Seven, Steve McQueen made a point of winding up Mr Brynner. His antics included fiddling with props whenever Brynner was talking to distract from Brynner and, when he noticed that Brynner would build little piles of earth to stand on so he would appear taller, McQueen would kick them down.
I used to work as a regular extra on Home and Away. I can confirm that Ray Meagher is absolutely lovely and was always very friendly. He would always say a cheery hello and would chat. Cornelia Frances was friendly enough though very posh. Loved her.
I once shared a dressing room with Chris Hemsworth when he played Kim on the soap. He went on to star in Thor. He struck up a conversation with me and was very very friendly and asked me about the UK and we talked about the Aussie actors who go over there to do panto.
Lyn Collingwood and Lynne McGranger are also very friendly and come across much like their characters.
I worked on several shows and Home and Away was always the most fun to work on. Everyone would chat to us humble extras unlike others shows and there was nobody I disliked. I found Kate Ritchie very shy but that is hardly a criticism. I miss it.
Ooh well done you. That was quite dramatic. Looks like fun!
It was a good laugh. I remember they took a while to get the scene right and as authentic as they could before one of the crew said out loud "It's only Home and Away for goodness sake." Happy days.
A blast from the 1970s. One of the friendliest show biz people I met was around the late 1990s. I went with my mum to see Opportunity Knocks winner and pianist Bobby Crush perform at the Cafe Royale in London. I enjoyed the concert so much I wrote to him via his agent. Bobby wrote a lovely letter back to me and sent me a signed CD. I wrote back to him to thank him and he sent me back another signed CD.
Then out of the blue he phoned me at home and we talked for about half and hour and he invited me out to dinner. We had a lovely dinner together at Joe Allen's Bar in London West End. Everyone in there seemed to know him. We are still in touch and have caught up a couple of times since. A lovely man
I haven't met any rude celebs, thankfully. Ones I have met:
- Cerys Matthews: really lovely, signed autographs for us after one of her gigs even though she had her baby son with her, and I chatted to her a bit about the gig. Her keyboard player gave us crisps.
- Space: met them a few times and they're a great bunch of guys, really friendly and willing to talk to fans, and not at all up themselves - quite the opposite. I'm so happy they got back together. And Tommy Scott is tiny in real life!
- Simon Rimmer (TV chef) is a good mate of my uncle's and was best man at his wedding. He was a nice guy but I think they've lost touch and the celebrity might have gone to his head.
Paul Heaton out of the Housemartins / Beautiful South lives in my area and I've seen him around a couple of times, but didn't want to approach him cos first time he looked miserable and second time, he was with his wife and kids. My mum sold him a cake at the Didsbury Festival once.
My brother's met the Zutons - apparently the singer's an arse, but the rest of them are nice - Lenny Henry when he was really little, Ian Brown (got an autograph off him - he jokingly asked for 50p), Stewart Lee (and he's on the front of his new book!), Lee Mavers from the La's, the Mighty Boosh (they're lovely, apparently), and he got onto some rock band's tourbus - I think it was the Icarus Line, but not sure.
My mum's met quite a few celebs in her time cos she worked for the Daily Telegraph, and cos my dad was a civil servant and got involved with the Labour party. Elton John was one of them, though I can't remember what she said about him. Timmy Mallett went to the same uni, as her, and apparently he was an obnoxious little git and a sleaze back then and asked her out. Fortunately, she knocked him back. And she met Stuart Maconie at Latitude and said he was a nice guy, although her boyfriend doesn't like his professional Northerner shtik.
An old friend of mine went to school with Jennifer Ellison off Brookside and said she was horrible, really up herself.
Also, I can't hate Tony Blair cos he knew my dad and he sent us a nice letter after my dad died. Apparently he used to get our number confused with Gordon Brown's and accidentally ring us!
Haven't met him myself (unfortunately) but my brother in law drives for a well known food delivery firm and says that Professor Brian Cox is a really lovely bloke. Always takes his stuff in himself (when he's there), is very chatty and always offers a glass of water or cup of tea.
Hi- this is my first post.
I met Christopher Eccleston after a play at The Lowry and he was just lovely- bit embarrassed by the attention but really patient and sweet.
Machine Head- at a record signing, really spaced out but sweet guys.
This makes me happy as Christopher Eccleston is my favourite Doctor next to Jon Pertwee (and I read a really lovely story about him in another thread, apparently he was a nice bloke in real life, as is Colin Baker), and I'm a Machine Head fan. I'm a bit nervous about meeting my favourite bands as some of them are apparently knobends, but it's good when you meet a band and they turn out to be lovely. Like I said, I was a bit nervous about meeting Cerys, because I was worried she might be a bitch, but she isn't at all.
I'm guessing you live in Manchester? One of my mates worked in Schuh, on Market Street, and she said Corrie actresses were always coming in, and the girl who played Rosie Webster is really obnoxious in real life.
The Cilla stories don't surprise me. She is very hated in Liverpool.
And I've just remembered that I met Lottie - she's a DJ - at Glastonbury when I was checking tickets. Her brother did some work on our house and I recognised her real name. Not into that sort of music myself, but she seemed friendly enough.
Comments
A) Celebs or public figures should be able to go about their daily business (i.e. 'off duty') without being harassed or asked for autographs, especially if they are shopping, having a meal out, etc. They are not public property. If, however, their body language suggests they are open to being approached and they seem relaxed and friendly, there's no harm in asking for a chat.
However:
I have no time for celebs who play the 'Do you know who I am?' card and expect special allowances to be made for them while they are out and about, especially if they are trying to blag discounts and freebies on the basis of who they are (as we know some of them do!). If they want to be respected as ordinary human beings, they should behave accordingly.
Nor can I stand those who act with an air of dismissiveness or superiority to people making polite conversation. They are no better than anyone else because they are in the public eye. From this thread and others, certain names keep cropping up which suggest that some of them think they are (*cough* Cilla Black, Anthony Cotton *cough*). Without an audience, they would be 'nobody' and they wouldn't have enjoyed the level of income they have done over the years and a little genuine humility costs nowt.
I've met a few celebs, mainly at conventions, and Robert Englund is among the nicest. He had a lot time for his fans and really gets into the spirit of his 'Freddy Krueger' persona.
The rudest celeb by far was Pete Burns. He was in a London nightclub and was just so stand-offish and venomous.
I LOVED that scene. Think RW will actually only say it now if a large donation is made to charity each time he does.
Pete Burns...why am I not surprised? Good to hear about Robert Englund. I remember him when he played a 'goodie' in the original 'V'.
Really like your username, btw!
Her death was so sad. She was a beautiful woman and a lovely actress. I love her in The Parent Trap remake.
Yeah, he was pretty nasty when in Celebrity Big Brother in 2006. He was vile in that.
I used to work at a football stadium where Liverpool played years ago when Benitez was still in charge.
Gerrard left a horrible impression on the hospitality staff, he was approached by someone who wanted a champions league poster signed for their kid, to which he just got up and walked away. He was labeled a 'miserable git' by everyone who met him. Mind you Crouch was apparently very nice/intelligent, considering home fans had been verbally abusing him with 'Freak' chants.
Creepy one - Dean Gaffney, was frequenting a well known SW London nightclub 4 years ago or so, (probably still is) and trying his best to get people to notice him.
I was out with a friend when she said she recognised him, without thinking (and in an inebriated sense) she shouted 'Omg it's Robbieeee!'
So he came over to her, chatted and he flat out asked for her phone number, nevermind the fact this was in front of her boyfriend.
About 6 months ago I got a facebook request from him, looked at his page and he was adding women everywhere trying to chat some up... disgusting, and yes this was really him.
Don't think that's very funny, if Biggins had offered no provocation. Didn't your friend get into trouble for an unprovoked assault?
I don't actually believe it happened to be honest.
Ross Kemp (in Dixons again) Was a pleasure.....sold him a playstation, demonstrated it with him, he bought it, then came back an hour later with tickets to his rugby game for all the staff.
Frank Bruno....again in Dixons, was in there to buy a camcorder after Franklin jr was born....phone rang and he picked it up saying "Dixons Romford...Frank Bruno speaking" then did his trademark laugh. Whoever was on the other end hung up. haha!
Steve Davis (snooker) horrible man
I didn't know about the charity donation thing, but that seems quite reasonable
Pete Burns was so rude and I hope I never have the displeasure of seeing him again. I realise that when I meet famous people at conventions I'm paying for the privilege, but they have always been pleasant and I have a signed photo/item to keep forever.
And thank you for liking the name. I'm fond of cats and I liked the sound of the latin name for them
Lynsey dePaul - very nice and chatty and very pretty.
Siobhan Fahey - brilliant. Came out after the gig and had a drink and cigarette with everyone. Very down to earth.
Lynda Belligham - Lovely and extremely personable
Charlie Brooks - Very funny.
Steve Coogan - Gutted as he was absolutely miserable.
Ben Whishaw - Very shy.
I once shared a dressing room with Chris Hemsworth when he played Kim on the soap. He went on to star in Thor. He struck up a conversation with me and was very very friendly and asked me about the UK and we talked about the Aussie actors who go over there to do panto.
Lyn Collingwood and Lynne McGranger are also very friendly and come across much like their characters.
I worked on several shows and Home and Away was always the most fun to work on. Everyone would chat to us humble extras unlike others shows and there was nobody I disliked. I found Kate Ritchie very shy but that is hardly a criticism. I miss it.
Below is my first "starring" role as an extra on the show playing a patient with severe burns.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6iw41jOipM
I never said it was funny, just thought I'd bring it up. I kind of exaggerated the story, it was a friend of a friend, but yes it did actually happen. I am unaware what happened to him afterwards.
Shame that - I met Pete Burns when You Spin Me Right Round was in the charts, and he was really nice!
Quality!
Ooh well done you. That was quite dramatic. Looks like fun!
It was a good laugh. I remember they took a while to get the scene right and as authentic as they could before one of the crew said out loud "It's only Home and Away for goodness sake." Happy days.
Then out of the blue he phoned me at home and we talked for about half and hour and he invited me out to dinner. We had a lovely dinner together at Joe Allen's Bar in London West End. Everyone in there seemed to know him. We are still in touch and have caught up a couple of times since. A lovely man
- Cerys Matthews: really lovely, signed autographs for us after one of her gigs even though she had her baby son with her, and I chatted to her a bit about the gig. Her keyboard player gave us crisps.
- Space: met them a few times and they're a great bunch of guys, really friendly and willing to talk to fans, and not at all up themselves - quite the opposite. I'm so happy they got back together. And Tommy Scott is tiny in real life!
- Simon Rimmer (TV chef) is a good mate of my uncle's and was best man at his wedding. He was a nice guy but I think they've lost touch and the celebrity might have gone to his head.
Paul Heaton out of the Housemartins / Beautiful South lives in my area and I've seen him around a couple of times, but didn't want to approach him cos first time he looked miserable and second time, he was with his wife and kids. My mum sold him a cake at the Didsbury Festival once.
My brother's met the Zutons - apparently the singer's an arse, but the rest of them are nice - Lenny Henry when he was really little, Ian Brown (got an autograph off him - he jokingly asked for 50p), Stewart Lee (and he's on the front of his new book!), Lee Mavers from the La's, the Mighty Boosh (they're lovely, apparently), and he got onto some rock band's tourbus - I think it was the Icarus Line, but not sure.
My mum's met quite a few celebs in her time cos she worked for the Daily Telegraph, and cos my dad was a civil servant and got involved with the Labour party. Elton John was one of them, though I can't remember what she said about him. Timmy Mallett went to the same uni, as her, and apparently he was an obnoxious little git and a sleaze back then and asked her out. Fortunately, she knocked him back. And she met Stuart Maconie at Latitude and said he was a nice guy, although her boyfriend doesn't like his professional Northerner shtik.
An old friend of mine went to school with Jennifer Ellison off Brookside and said she was horrible, really up herself.
Also, I can't hate Tony Blair cos he knew my dad and he sent us a nice letter after my dad died. Apparently he used to get our number confused with Gordon Brown's and accidentally ring us!
I'm guessing you live in Manchester? One of my mates worked in Schuh, on Market Street, and she said Corrie actresses were always coming in, and the girl who played Rosie Webster is really obnoxious in real life.
The Cilla stories don't surprise me. She is very hated in Liverpool.
And I've just remembered that I met Lottie - she's a DJ - at Glastonbury when I was checking tickets. Her brother did some work on our house and I recognised her real name. Not into that sort of music myself, but she seemed friendly enough.