Celebrity jerks?

MooCriket said:
Wilford Brimley: Poor guy, did not seem to know where he was. He was talkative, but I cant really remember what he was saying. Sad to say this, but all I kept hearing in my head while he was talking to me was from his old commercial...diabeetus! Yes, I spelled it like he said it in the commercial and how I heard it over and over in my head.
Click to expand...

Reminds me a lot of my experience with James Doohan (Scotty) in either 2001 or 2003 - either way, just a few years before he died. Completely out of it, unfocused, almost completely uncommunicative, and his handler had to hold James’ hand while he tried to scrawl a signature. James obviously had no idea where he was and only the barest idea of what he was doing – I actually felt horrible even asking for his autograph but I was already right in front of him before I realized his condition. It was just awful that he even had to be there – whether it was because he did it because he needed the money, or because other people wanted to keep trotting him out to keep the money coming in while they could.

M
 
Last edited:
MooCriket said:
Monster Mania was a blast.

Rose McGowen: Bat**** Crazy. Really. Not sure what was going on with her, but acting, very...very odd. She has a buzz cut now, and fortunately she has dyed what little hair she has black, as Ive seen some earlier pics of her with pretty much a shaved head with a lot of grey/white specks of hair.
Click to expand...

She's been a complete whack-job for a long while. Just Google her and read the whole first page of results :lol
 
I really, for the most part, don't share any of my times, or storys, with the TOS cast over the net, but I can tell you this, Jimmy LOVED being with the people, I won't say fans.

He was a great raconteur and an amazing man, and loved going to Cons

I miss him so so much :(



mkstewartesq said:
Reminds me a lot of my experience with James Doohan (Scotty) in either 2001 or 2003 - either way, just a few years before he died. Completely out of it, unfocused, almost completely uncommunicative, and his handler had to hold James’ hand while he tried to scrawl a signature. James obviously had no idea where he was and only the barest idea of what he was doing – I actually felt horrible even asking for his autograph but I was already right in front of him before I realized his condition. It was just awful that he even had to be there – whether it was because he did it because he needed the money, or because other people wanted to keep trotting him out to keep the money coming in while they could.

M
Click to expand...
 
When I met Christopher Lloyd (Doc Brown!) it was really disappointing. I paid £50 for his autograph (wanted to get my hoverboard signed), got in line, he was sat at a desk with a lady next to him. When I got to the front of the line the lady took my hoverboard from me, I looked directly at Christopher Lloyd, smiled and said hello, he looked at me, then looked away, signed my hoverboard and the lady gave me back to me, he didn't even acknowledge me. I didn't expect a long conversation with him, but he could have said hello, smiled, or even just acknowledged I was there, but he just seemed like a miserable old man. It seemed he just wasn't bothered at all, but was happy to take my money! Completely ruined the experience of meeting him.
 
razorsharp192, wow. That really sucks. I've seen it and have had that same thing happen multiple times. Such a buzz kill when someone who's work you admire shows so little appreciation and professionalism...especially when taking someone's hard earned money.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
What really sucks is how fan/celebrity interaction happens these days, that you get in a long line and shell out a bunch of money for some bored celebrity to spend 30 seconds signing something and then you're gone. The old days were so much better, these were people who used to just walk around and anyone could walk up to them and talk to them and it wasn't regimented like it is today. I mean, a friend and I hung out with DeForest Kelley for a long time at a convention and took him out to lunch, just the three of us one time. You could never do that today.
 
Cephus said:
What really sucks is how fan/celebrity interaction happens these days, that you get in a long line and shell out a bunch of money for some bored celebrity to spend 30 seconds signing something and then you're gone. The old days were so much better, these were people who used to just walk around and anyone could walk up to them and talk to them and it wasn't regimented like it is today. I mean, a friend and I hung out with DeForest Kelley for a long time at a convention and took him out to lunch, just the three of us one time. You could never do that today.
Click to expand...

The fandom was also MUCH smaller, and the events microscopic compared to today. There's a price to scifi and fantasy fandoms becoming more mainstream.
 
firesprite said:
The fandom was also MUCH smaller, and the events microscopic compared to today. There's a price to scifi and fantasy fandoms becoming more mainstream.
Click to expand...

It's a price not worth paying IMO. It's great for the creators who have a much wider audience to sell to, not so great for the audience who now has mostly mediocre or less material to choose from. This is one area where I'd rather go back to the good old days.
 
razorsharp192 said:
When I met Christopher Lloyd (Doc Brown!) it was really disappointing.
...
When I got to the front of the line the lady took my hoverboard from me, I looked directly at Christopher Lloyd, smiled and said hello, he looked at me, then looked away, signed my hoverboard and the lady gave me back to me, he didn't even acknowledge me. I didn't expect a long conversation with him, but he could have said hello, smiled, or even just acknowledged I was there, but he just seemed like a miserable old man. It seemed he just wasn't bothered at all, but was happy to take my money! ...
Click to expand...
I saw him at a convention Q&A today. It was announced that it was his 79th birthday -- at which the audience unasked started singing Happy Birthday, which was a nice moment.

He did indeed seem a bit old and tired. It was as if he couldn't get the right words out at times.
Other posts about him in this thread indicate that he would be quite a shy person who would not often initiate a conversation himself and that is the impression I got too. He did not sell himself by joking and telling anecdotes but also did not shy away from telling his own opinions and thoughts.

I did not get an autograph myself today but he did seem polite and talkative with many others when I observed him.
 
Last edited:
I started doing conventions a few years ago, mostly horror, and most of the celebs I've met were very pleasant, enthusiastic, and friendly. I found Chris Sarandon, David Prowse, Tyler Mane, and Tom Savini perhaps somewhat aloof, but the poor guys had been signing all weekend by the time I got to them, and everyone has an off day, so no biggie. I've yet to have anyone be actively rude to me. Of the 20 autographs I've gathered at cons, having 20% of the celebs seeming a little tired/grouchy/bored, but still polite, seems ok. If one was a jerk, I wouldn't buy their sig! I've heard horror stories from my buddies. Still, I'd rather die than sit at a table making small talk with strangers for two or three days straight, so the convention guests have my sympathies.
 
razorsharp192 said:
When I met Christopher Lloyd (Doc Brown!) it was really disappointing. I paid £50 for his autograph (wanted to get my hoverboard signed), got in line, he was sat at a desk with a lady next to him. When I got to the front of the line the lady took my hoverboard from me, I looked directly at Christopher Lloyd, smiled and said hello, he looked at me, then looked away, signed my hoverboard and the lady gave me back to me, he didn't even acknowledge me. I didn't expect a long conversation with him, but he could have said hello, smiled, or even just acknowledged I was there, but he just seemed like a miserable old man. It seemed he just wasn't bothered at all, but was happy to take my money! Completely ruined the experience of meeting him.
Click to expand...

Lloyd is known to be shy. Tom Wilson's song about Back to the future said he was "kind of quiet." I met him to and I got that impression. He shook my hand and said "I remember you" when I got a photo with him later that day.
 
A couple years back my daughter went to a convention specifically to meet William Shatner. She’s a HUGE Star Trek fan (even though I raised her on Star Wars) She saved $85 to get a picture with him. She was one of the first in line to meet him. She was taken in the room and she said she told him how ‘happy she was to get to meet him’. He didn’t say two words to her or acknowledge her. She was sooo disappointed. She said he smelt like ‘old man and alcohol ‘.... but she has this wonderful photo to remember him by! Lol...
She calls it ‘Meeting William Shartner’
3389E547-7BBF-4B43-B564-152794C2F3CC.jpeg
 
She should consider herself lucky!

At least she did'nt get stiffed on the bar tab AND tip like Rob did one time! :lol


MasterEdi said:
A couple years back my daughter went to a convention specifically to meet William Shatner. She’s a HUGE Star Trek fan (even though I raised her on Star Wars) She saved $85 to get a picture with him. She was one of the first in line to meet him. She was taken in the room and she said she told him how ‘happy she was to get to meet him’. He didn’t say two words to her or acknowledge her. She was sooo disappointed. She said he smelt like ‘old man and alcohol ‘.... but she has this wonderful photo to remember him by! Lol...
She calls it ‘Meeting William Shartner’
View attachment 771589
Click to expand...
 
What is it like to meet Val Kilmer? Please share your experiences. :)

I haven't met a celebrity in my life and I'm preparing myself for the reality of the celebrity zoo at various conventions.
 
BTTFSpencer said:
What is it like to meet Val Kilmer?
Click to expand...
Don't know how he is these days, but on the commentary track for Willow Warwick Davis tells of the first time he met Val Kilmer (flying to New Zealand for winter filming). Val saw the cheep, knock-off sunglasses young Warwick was wearing to look cool, asked to see them and then snapped them in half. Just as Warwick is about to get upset, Val pulls out a pair of genuine Ray Bans and gives them to him. So, take what you want from that :)
 
They're all jerks. (just kiddin')

I know a girl who paid $250 to meet Norman Reedus. He was cool she said, he admitted being hungover and had just gotten off a plane from LA. Must've been partying all night. He looked in desperate need of a shower, greasy and pale in the pic. I'll never pay that to meet anyone. I remember when autos were $20. Boy I'm sounding old.


I'd pay not to meet Rose McGowen, she scares me.
 
I think you got to cut some slack to some of these. Imagine if you were in a cool thing 30 years ago, but haven’t booked a job in over a decade and now your life is going from convention to convention and having to be “on” for literally hours to make everyone that thinks you’re something your not happy for their fifteen seconds with you.

It’s not easy. Some actors love it— I’ve seen Mathew Lillard do 4 hours on the floor, host a panel, then go back to the floor and never stop smiling and hug everyone who asks.

But some, like Trek actors who can only book cons and fan films for 30 years? That’s brutal as hell.

Also, sometimes they are having a day. Who among us hasn’t had a crap day and snapped at somebody. Now imagine you snap at somebody and every tabloid blog talks about how terrible you are.

I’ve met my fair share over the years...

Cool: Josh Duhamel, Nikki Sixx, Speiberg, Morgan Freeman, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Levar Burton, Mike Tyson, Kristen Bell, Terry Crews, Rob Zombie, Ozzie Osbourne, JR Bourne, Elyse Levesque, Don Cheadle

Jerk: Mark Whalberg, Ryan Seacrest, James Caan, Tom Morello, Gerard Butler, Steve Harvey, Whoopi Goldberg
 
It should also go without saying that a lot of actors are nothing like the characters they portray, just because they're Mr. Nice Guy or Gal on TV or in the movies, it doesn't mean that they're nice people in real life. I've often noticed that it's the people you see constantly play the big, evil villains or the nasty jerks that are the nicest people in real life while, on the other hand, the ones that always the play the guy/gal in the white hat, the Dudley Do Good characters that are often the jerks in real life.
 

Your message may be considered spam for the following reasons:

If you wish to reply despite these issues, check the box below before replying.
Be aware that malicious compliance may result in more severe penalties.

Similar threads

Funky
How bad is your day going to suck when you hear your favorite celebrity dies?
2 3
Replies
59
Views
2,858
Mottrex
Mottrex
Father
Celebrity dream encounter
2
Replies
24
Views
2,523
oddo
oddo
James Kenobi 1138
Your Celebrity Top 10 'Dating' List
2
Replies
38
Views
4,376
The Mad Professor
The Mad Professor
W
Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Replies
5
Views
1,636
Wes R
W
Zlurpo
Pumpkin Celebrity Sculpt
Replies
13
Views
3,553
johndee
johndee
Back
Top