Celebrity jerks?

[jarroth]

ok, i nice one than for a change.

was in NY NY in summer of 2000. i got hungry and went to a small restaurant to get me something to eat. was sitting down waiting for my food when a family came in. since im a bruce springsteen fan i recognised the man as little steven and his wife and kids. I said: hi Mr Van zandt and steven looked at me and said: might as well could have worn my bandana. even without it fans recognise me. had a short chat and after few minutes he turned around to his family.

i ate my food and didnt bother much more about Steve. they where done before me and when they stood up Steve came to me and said: thank you for letting us eat and not getting all excited and jumping up and down to see a celeb and asked me to wait for a bit. about 20 minutes later a man came to me and gave me 2 tickets for the bruce springsteen concert later that week.

 

[poormansjb]

Not in the movie industry but hes a celebrity.

Jeff Gordon- NASCAR Driver

I was in the pit area/infield at Martinsville Speedway about 6 years ago. I was working on a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Team and the (at the time) Nextel Cup Series guys were there. Jeff Gordon has been my favorite racer since I could remember. I FINALLY got a chance to meet him (or so I thought) after SO LONG. I waited outside his hauler for almost an hour, waiting for him to come out just so I could say hi and maybe get his autograph. It was just me. Well he finally comes out and he sees me standing there and just walks right on by me. I was so taken aback that I was speechless. Hes still my favorite driver but I think a little differently about him now adays.

Most Jeff Gordon stories, it seems, are not warm and fuzzy.

 

[skiffy]

That's really nice, Jarroth!

I have some nice ones from a Stargate convention in Blackpool, UK a long time ago. J. R. Bourne was taking questions from the audience at a Q and A session. I stood up in the aisle to get a picture - he broke off from speaking, posed for me and asked 'Did you get it OK?' Later in the signing line he recognised me and after a short chat wrote a special message for my wife (a big fan) since she couldn't attend.

At the same con, I waited in line to speak to Marshall Teague (google him - it's worth it). I didn't have anything for him to sign so he signed the tac vest I was wearing. Nice bloke.

Then Dougie Arthurs bought my friends and I drinks at the disco that night.

That was at a Wolf359 con - overall it was a great experience.

 

[poormansjb]

Dear Celebrity,
I am very sorry you do not think your action figure looks anything like you. However, I consider that to be a problem between you and your publicist for not getting right of refusal on the sculpt.
The issue at the moment is whether you're taking my $40 to sign the effing thing. Your opinion is causing me to seriously reconsider the transaction. Personally, I think you should shut the eff up.
Signed,
The Fan Who Already Overspent on the Fig

Above is directed to no one specifically but has happened enough times now that I've decided it's completely unnecessary.

 

[jarroth]

That's really nice, Jarroth!

thank you. i was more surprised to see Steven in a normal restaurant than seeing them at all. with the tickets was a small note he wrote saying that he just liked my reaction to them. not like fans would normaly do and go totaly bonkers and beg for autograph but just Hi Mr van zandt, how you doing? i was wearing a bruce springsteen shirt so he saw right away i was a fan. the whole family liked it that after the short chat about how they where doing and how nice the weather was that day i basicly ignored them and did my own things.

i was just raised that way: be nice and people will be nice to you too.

ps, the second ticket i gave as tip to the waitress. had free meals for a week while i stayed in NY. she said Steve had been there quite some times but she never dared to ask anything other than the order.

 

[jrenemtz321]

Ric Flair was at my local con a little over a month ago. He didn't acknowledge me as I waited for a photo and instead focused his attention on a woman who was next in line, calling her sexy and saying he could've gotten her into the con for free. He seemed drunk or high; it was a let down.

 

[Treadwell]

^hot chicks are always going to be more important to other men than you are, welcome to life.

 

[jlee562]

You're surprised that Flair was drunk or high?

 

[jrenemtz321]

^hot chicks are always going to be more important to other men than you are, welcome to life.

Actually, the woman wasn't very attractive, which made Flair's comments all the more surprising.


And I wasn't not really shocked he was drunk or high. I actually figured it might be a way of dealing with any pain he might be in.

 

[gusw666]

I worked with William Shatner in a convention in Argenina in the 90s...when I met him I asked him if he could sign a Time magazine I had with him and picard on the cover, and he refused, two days after I asked again, and he said I dont sign autographs (yeah right) and the last day, I was at his chill room with him...and everybody left, and we were both there alone....and I pulled my magazine out for the 3rd time....and said..."captain, can you please sign this for me..." he looked at me like...okay, this time you win, and he signed it, no to, no nothing...but anyway, even if he didnt, just by meeting him and beeing able to hear him tell stories I was happy enough.

By the way, that was arround the time when we was switching back to wanting to be capt kirk.

Also, I was at SDCC...and met Levar Burton (very nice) Marina Sirtis (Ultra nice...she even kissed me) and then Brent Spiner....I paid him 40 bucks for his signature, and after he gave it to me...I extended my hand to shake his, and he said, "dont get mad" but I just touchced a guy with Ebola....and he threw a fist bump on me.

Thats about it...the rest, all cool and happy to shake hands and take photos with nerds... I mean, fans like me

Cya


Gus

 

[99x]

Yes! Thank you! I can vouch for anyone else that had a bad experience with her.

My brother and I went to Mechacon X last year in New Orleans and met all the voice actors for Teen Titans Go! and two voice actors for the English dub of Neon Genesis Evangelion, plus the legendary voice director Andrea Romaro. All of them except Tara Strong were an enjoyable experience.

After doing some research online I've found at least four or five other jerk stories about Tara Strong on the internet. So since I'm not alone I'll share mine.

My brother and I met her at her booth over 15 minutes before all the voice actor booths close.

Tara seemed to be in a grouchy mood if not stuckup for some reason or another. The more I interacted with her, the more she got agitated. One moment she even gritted her teeth at me! 0.0 I never asked her any personal questions annoying questions etc except mentioning that Greg Cipes plays piano and guitar and Scott Menville plays bass. She replied and said she plays piano. She looked ticked off when I playfully asked her if she played any "Elton John." She would not acknowledge the other things I said to her such as "Thank you for coming to my state and doing Teen Titans Go!" and she was trying to talk back and forth to her handlers as if I wasn't even there. When she got finished she yawned in my face without covering her mouth while I was still browsing for a picture to autograph.

Her handlers were VERY rude and unprofessional . "It's twenty dollars for this and twenty dollars for that. That'll be twenty dollars. etc." They were probably Tara's flunkies.

I noticed a few peculiar things at her booth. She had only pictures of her pinups and pictures of her characters, not one picture of the Teen Titans as a group. Also she had a large stack of high markup merchandise from her failed Taralicious charity such as markers, girly notebooks and $200 CDs for voice-over lessons. So much for being generous.

My brother asked her about Mark Hamill since she voice's Harley Quinn, and she half-assed gave him answer back about the Joker. That turned him off from wanting an autograph.

I recorded her talking in Raven's voice which she flubbed maybe deliberately. I didn't ask her for another take, didn't want to hear her handlers harass me for yet another 20 bucks. They already bitched at me for a photo and autograph.

I asked her about sending her a fangift in the mail along with the other Titan voice actors, and she just rolled her eyes at me and smirked. "I guess."

It may have been possible she gave us the cold treatment since we were the last ones in line and she wanted along with her handlers to leave back to their rooms early. But really folks the "Brony Queen" was such a jerk that day contrast to what you see her act on TV during interviews. Sorry but everything about her screams fake from her personality to her boobjob. When I was speaking to her, I could feel some shallow vibes coming from her and her eyes were pretty cold. Of course her fans are going to defend her to the death. A number of her fans seem to be a glutton of punishment because I saw one of her one-person panels and she was snotty and full of her self, which of course they ate it up. Sometimes I wonder if My Little Pony and Powerpuff Girls and her other famous shows morphed her into the snob and self-absorbed person she is. I also noticed that she puts on a nice person act when the cameras are running. When my brother and I were there, nobody else was around so I guess I got to see her true colors. Meeting Tara Strong: 60 bucks and treated like a peasant by the Brony Queen.

 

[SmilingOtter]

I took a friend's daughters to their first Dragon*Con last weekend. The younger one is a huge BSG fan, and the first person she saw in the Walk of Fame was Michael Trucco (Anders.) She went up and spoke to him, and asked if she could get a picture with him. He agreed, but his handler explained that it would be $20. She wasn't ready to spend that much for a picture that early in the day, but Trucco told her to come back later.

Fast forward to late in the afternoon, we're sitting down taking a break near, as it turns out, the private exit to the Walk of Fame. The door opens, and there's Trucco. He spots us, and walks over. He tells the girl to "pretend that we're talking about your phone" and she's quickly able to get their picture together.

Nicely done, sir!

 

[firesprite]

I took a friend's daughters to their first Dragon*Con last weekend. The younger one is a huge BSG fan, and the first person she saw in the Walk of Fame was Michael Trucco (Anders.) She went up and spoke to him, and asked if she could get a picture with him. He agreed, but his handler explained that it would be $20. She wasn't ready to spend that much for a picture that early in the day, but Trucco told her to come back later.

Fast forward to late in the afternoon, we're sitting down taking a break near, as it turns out, the private exit to the Walk of Fame. The door opens, and there's Trucco. He spots us, and walks over. He tells the girl to "pretend that we're talking about your phone" and she's quickly able to get their picture together.

Nicely done, sir!

I got to meet Trucco during the Find Chief pub crawl Aaron Douglas did here in Seattle. I only got to talk to him briefly and was profoundly disappointed that we were wiped out from being out and about all day because we would've liked to hang out and chat with him and his beautiful wife more. He was SUPER sweet and a really good sport when Douglas conned him and his wife into singing a REALLY dirty version of Summer Lovin' from Grease.

 

[Treadwell]

I have no idea about Tara Strong and she may very well have been rude or whatever, but I'm going to use 99x's post to throw out a general reality check concerning autograph tables (don't feel picked on, 99x, it's just an example! )...

1. This is a business transaction. They are there to sell autographs and photos. The photos they're selling were ordered by themselves or their agent. There aren't going to be other people in them. Their agent is going to have photos made of their client! Why would they spend money on stills of the entire cast of a show?

The guest is there to make a little scratch. They might also have a genuine interest in connecting with fans....or they might not. That is not to be expected as a given. It is a plus. Not an entitlement.

2. Their arrangement with the con organizers is probably long these lines: they have a guarantee of $X. The handler with them is probably with the con...not them. The handler hopes to make enough to cover the guarantee...and then have a shared profit after. It is not in the interest of the con to let you snap your own pictures for free. Or to take up the guest's time. If they allow too much of that, the con will not profit, and there won't be one next year. The handler is not there to stomp on your fun. But they do have a job to do, and the job is a necessary evil for having the guest there in the first place. The guest is walking out ahead of the game either way....the con might not.

3. IT IS ALSO A BUSINESS TRANSACTION FOR THE GUEST. Not just with the con. With YOU. It's an emotional experience for you, but with rare exceptions, it is NOT for them. Be realistic, it's not. You do not stand out among the 5,000 other fans who greeted them today. Sorry, you don't. That doesn't mean they can't be warm and gracious, of course. But be realistic. A fan expecting a connection with the guest is like a John falling in love with a prostitute.

4. By and large, I'd like to think the guest appreciates the love. But they really don't care that your brother loves the show but couldn't be there. They don't care who turned you on to the program. They don't care that you and your daughter have a ritual when you watch. They don't care what your favorite episode is. They don't care that you do a good impression of a character. They do not want to have to find a way to stuff into their carry-on luggage an eight pound 13x18 plaque granting them an honorary membership in your club. They do not really think the drawing you did of them in art class is beautiful.

How can they have a personal emotional connection to a single thing you're telling them or giving them? THEY DON'T KNOW YOU.

I must say again: this is a business transaction. Both parties can make it a pleasant one, but it is narcissistic to think you are the highlight of their day. Make it sweet, but make it short. Be consise. Keep moving. Make room for the next person.

If it is at the end of the day, yeah, they are tired and hungry and want to go chill and not be around people for a while! Never be the last person keeping them from that.

Full disclosure: I did gush to Nichelle Nichols once. But here's the key factor: I had what I wanted to say prepared in my head, I said it, and was gone within 30 seconds...probably less. I was out of there faster than any paying customer (I had bought an autograph from her previously). Be considerate of the time of the other fans, the guest...and yes, the handler.

 

[99x]

A few years back my brothers and I met nearly all the cast of Dukes of Hazzard except for the deceased members. Wonderful experience with all of them.

Sonny Shroyer and Rick Hurst: Enos and Cletus. Very kind and classy actors and very smart vs their goofy law enforcement personas. Charged $10 for autographs pictures and my sister got her for free. Very down to Earth people. Talked to them for a good five minutes.

Catherine Bach: just sweetest as could be. She gave everyone hugs and free autographs! Classy lady and radiates inner beauty Still had her Daisy Duke accent. Bragged about Sorrell Booke aka Boss Hogg. Loved him and Denver Pyle aka Uncle Jesse as if they were their family.

James Best: Sheriff Roscoe P Coltrane. Nice person, got an autograph for $10.

Bryon Cherry: Just as polite as the others and told wonderful stories. Gave us autographs for free!

Tom Wopat: In a very good mood, charged $20 for autographs took pictures for free. Gave my sister a free autograph.

Didn't get to meet John Schneider, line was too long and we ran out of time.

I took a friend's daughters to their first Dragon*Con last weekend. The younger one is a huge BSG fan, and the first person she saw in the Walk of Fame was Michael Trucco (Anders.) She went up and spoke to him, and asked if she could get a picture with him. He agreed, but his handler explained that it would be $20. She wasn't ready to spend that much for a picture that early in the day, but Trucco told her to come back later.

Fast forward to late in the afternoon, we're sitting down taking a break near, as it turns out, the private exit to the Walk of Fame. The door opens, and there's Trucco. He spots us, and walks over. He tells the girl to "pretend that we're talking about your phone" and she's quickly able to get their picture together.

Nicely done, sir!

 

[Radical Gordon]

I met The Aquabats after a show in Glasgow a few years ago.
I was talking to the Mc Bat Commander and he asked me if I have my ticket because he wanted to sign it. I give him the ticket and after he signed it he starts doodling on it and then starts calling for the rest of the band to come over and sign it too.

They were all such a genuine and down to earth guys.

 

[KrangPrime]

I worked with William Shatner in a convention in Argenina in the 90s...when I met him I asked him if he could sign a Time magazine I had with him and picard on the cover, and he refused, two days after I asked again, and he said I dont sign autographs (yeah right) and the last day, I was at his chill room with him...and everybody left, and we were both there alone....and I pulled my magazine out for the 3rd time....and said..."captain, can you please sign this for me..." he looked at me like...okay, this time you win, and he signed it, no to, no nothing...but anyway, even if he didnt, just by meeting him and beeing able to hear him tell stories I was happy enough.

By the way, that was arround the time when we was switching back to wanting to be capt kirk.

Also, I was at SDCC...and met Levar Burton (very nice) Marina Sirtis (Ultra nice...she even kissed me) and then Brent Spiner....I paid him 40 bucks for his signature, and after he gave it to me...I extended my hand to shake his, and he said, "dont get mad" but I just touchced a guy with Ebola....and he threw a fist bump on me.

Thats about it...the rest, all cool and happy to shake hands and take photos with nerds... I mean, fans like me

Cya


Gus

yeah, brent really doesn't like shaking hands, and I think it's because he's a fellow OCDer. I wish I'd have known about this, because I usually wave my hand shaking rule when dealing with people at cons since I don't normally eat anything while out.

I wish I wasn't with family. the guy before me told marina that he had a crush on her, and he almost got accosted ;o). in a good way! sigh. would have been one thing off the bucket list ;o)...

Yes! Thank you! I can vouch for anyone else that had a bad experience with her.

I noticed a few peculiar things at her booth. She had only pictures of her pinups and pictures of her characters, not one picture of the Teen Titans as a group. Also she had a large stack of high markup merchandise from her failed Taralicious charity such as markers, girly notebooks and $200 CDs for voice-over lessons. So much for being generous.

I've never met tara, but something about her just comes off as...not very nice. I don't know what it is.
however, I have nothing bad to say about Rob Paulsen, Maurice Lamarche or Jim Cummings. I interact with the former two on FB now and then, and considering how MANY people they interact with, Rob ALWAYS greats me by name whenever he sees me. moe was the same way. really down to earth people. It was the first time I met Jim, and I think he's still getting used to the convention circuit. he seemed a bit flustered as we where about what was going on, but he was still very nice.
voice actors are USUALLY some of the nicest people you will meet on the convention circuit. Josh Keaton (Green Lantern) was more interested in my KITT Build than he was talking about green lantern ;o)....


has anyone met bob barker? Curious if he's a jerk or not. same goes for drew carey. I've heard some of the same stories about drew that have gone on about bob over the years at price is right that both arn't really very nice.

 

[Spankuh]

has anyone met bob barker? Curious if he's a jerk or not.

I met Bob Barker in the mid 70s at the Kansas City Airport. He was with his wife, eating lunch. I was just a kid, but he was very nice to my brother and I and happily gave us an autograph.

 

[fuzzylover]

My ultimate grail completion!!! (these are my Hot Toys boxes in case nobody recognizes them)


Met both of these guys yesterday at the Rhode Island Comic Con and came away with this.


In terms of meeting the two of them...Ron was.....well, pretty darn non-interactive (he did shake my hand). The little girl in me was kinda crushed because he'll always be 'Vincent' to me. He was also surprisingly small and sort of started getting the old man 'hunched' look. Michael Rooker came running in and was screwing around with him, hugging everybody and his face lit up for about a half second and then it was back to just sitting there. He could have been tired, but after having the experience I write about below not 15 minutes earlier, it was a stark contrast.


Doug Jones, however, absolutely MADE this con experience for me. Made it. He was warm, FUNNY (even though he was dead tired), and carried on a full conversation with me. I had mentioned that I saw him in the make up chair at Spectral Motion a couple weeks back in their Facebook updates, and we talked in length about the upcoming 'dream role' he has had to play a nosferatu and is finally getting to play one (he was crazy excited). He's gonna kill it! And, while pretty much EVERY single celeb was charging separately to snap a pic, he insisted on coming out from behind his table and gave me the biggest, longest hug you can imagine and took pictures with me. I was kinda floored. He's everything you'd wished a celeb encounter would be like and enormously grateful for his fan base.


Selma Blair was there in her first con experience ever (apparently), making the Hellboy trifecta, but I gotta say......there was NOBODY at her table. (no joke). She was basically sitting there, humoring a pimply faced teenager who was a con volunteer. I was a bit embarassed for her.




I also met Scott Wilson (Hershel, WD) and he was extremely pleasant. Gave me a big hug, asked me where I was from and then high fived me. John Bernthal (Shane) was nice enough- my friend was there to get his autograph, but I got to meet him and shake his hand too and he was gracious and thanked us for our support. He is TINY!!!! (I'm always curious to see what people look like in person vs. the screen and he seems so much bigger on screen).

Saw a ton of people yesterday, but the other warm interaction was Henry Winkler. He had an enormous line (and my friend wanted his autograph), so we were stuck in it FOREVER. Henry came around and walked straight at me and gave me a hug and then proceeded to shake hands and hug others, loudly thanking everyone for taking the time to wait to meet him. Once we rounded the corner I could see why. He was pretty much having full conversations with each and every person who met him, particularly kids. I swear he was moving around and gesturing so much at one point he looked like he was putting on a skit. Can't fault him a bit for being THAT attentive to fans. A class act.

 

[agliarept]

I've been fortunate enough to meet Ron Perlman twice last year. The first an a small intimate book singing event in NY. The experience couldn't have been better, aside from joking with us and talking for length about movies etc, we each got to meet him for a few minutes 1 on 1. My own personal experience was amazing, when i showed him my motorcycle jacket with a custom BPRD logo on the sleeve, his face lit up and started saying how "F'n" cool that was and wanted me to shake his hand and pound his fist. Couldn't have been happier

my 2nd was at last years NYCC, definitely a different vibe. He had been signing for over 4 hours and you could physically tell he was tired and wanted some sleep. knowing that going in, i simply said hi and left. didn't wanna sully the encounter so i was happy with both! He's a great and funny guy with a straight up attitude and tells you what he thinks, i like that.

I also had the same experience with Dougie Jones at this years nycc, we chatted the first day and he gave me a really big hug and a kiss which was really nice. He was excited to see my Hellboy costume he had seen earlier on Instagram. The following day I came back to show him the finished costume and see him light up with joy. he's a really nice guy and a positive person I like to be around with.