# Artists with a weird persona who are suprisingly normal **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 6, 2009, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130 "2009-07-06T21:25:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/21 "2009-07-07T06:36:26Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > In interviews, Iggy Pop comes across as a very intelligent, yet down to earth guy, whose remarks hit the nail on the head. In fact, I would love to hear a longer interview with him. I’m not sure who wrote this contract, but if you haven’t read it, you should. [http://www.thesmokinggun.com/backstagetour/iggypop/iggypop1.html](http://www.thesmokinggun.com/backstagetour/iggypop/iggypop1.html) ---
**Author:** ![Linty\_Fresh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Linty\_Fresh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linty_Fresh)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/22 "2009-07-07T10:53:08Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Which Treehouse of Horror segment? Actually, now that I read it more closely, it was a **Treehouse of Horror** comic strip, not a TV episode. According to Wikipedia, it’s the one where Bart Simpson is Jason from Friday the 13th. It came out in a special Monsters of Rock issue. Still pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/23 "2009-07-07T11:29:20Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Frank Zappa looked about as drugged up as could be, but in fact he was contemptuous of drug usage. He didn’t even drink. This is true but other than that I would say that Frank Zappa is about as far away from a ‘normal personality’ as is humanly possible. While (IMHO) a brilliant musician, everything in his [biography](http://www.amazon.com/Zappa-Biography-Barry-Miles/dp/080214215X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246965895&sr=8-1)(which is very nice and readable actually) suggests that he was a very, very difficult person to live with and to work with. He consistently treated the musicians he worked with like crap, he refused to stay in the same hotel as them and he scammed his fellow ‘mothers of invention’ out of a whole bunch of money. All of this, however, pales in comparison to some of the heart-wrenching stories of the childhoods of his children, Dweezil, Ahmet and Moon Unit. Still, great, great artist. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/24 "2009-07-07T11:29:22Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > In interviews, Iggy Pop comes across as a very intelligent, yet down to earth guy, whose remarks hit the nail on the head. In fact, I would love to hear a longer interview with him. My grandmother actually tangentially worked with Iggy Pop (his mom was in the nursing home she supervised) and said he was a really wonderful, down-to-earth guy and very pleasant to the entire staff during his frequent visits there. She said that nobody would ever guess his personality judging from his looks. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/25 "2009-07-07T11:35:58Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > I’m not sure who wrote this contract, but if you haven’t read it, you should. [http://www.thesmokinggun.com/backstagetour/iggypop/iggypop1.html](http://www.thesmokinggun.com/backstagetour/iggypop/iggypop1.html) That is absolutely legendary! If only they were all written like that, I think the Entertainment world would be a much, much better place. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/26 "2009-07-07T12:19:11Z")
Rob Zombie sounds pretty normal in interviews. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/27 "2009-07-07T13:29:09Z")
I know the Rev. Al Sharpton, and it is all an act. He is entirely normal, and his wife is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/28 "2009-07-07T13:47:38Z")
> [@Linty\_Fresh](#): > > I’ve read that Alice Cooper is nothing like his stage persona. Quite laid back, actually. He kicked alcohol and now works with rock musicians with substance abuse issues, which really makes me want to listen to his music on general principle in and of itself, but all that pales beside the fact that he’s an avowed Simpsons fan and even wrote a story line for one of the \*\*Treehouse of Horror \*\* specials. This reminds me of the scene in “Wayne’s World” where the guys go backstage after one of his concerts and he’s sitting there talking about the history of Milwaukee and being the stereotypical egghead. I have to admit that I was a bit afraid the time I talked to George Carlin. I was expecting the foul-mouthed curmudgeon that you saw in his act. He was actually very polite. ---
**Author:** ![VanillaGorilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@VanillaGorilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VanillaGorilla)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/29 "2009-07-07T14:03:44Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > While Manson is not the Satan-worshipping space alien of his stage show, everything I’ve read about him (a lot of it from his own autobiography) tells me that he’s still a little nutty. Perhaps. Though I think we should remember that his stage persona is what pays his bills, so it’s no wonder if he tries to emphasize all the weirdness, or even make some up, just to make his act seem more real to his fans. I remember there were quite a few things in his autobiography that I seriously think are outright lies, fabricated to make him seem more of a freak. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/30 "2009-07-07T14:21:24Z")
When Marilyn Manson played a concert here a few years ago (back when he was at his terrorizing height), the head of security at the concert venue was unimpressed, and spoke to him and referred to him in print, as “Brian”. (he said other than being somewhat self-important, MM, or Brian Warner, was normal, cooperative, and intelligent and never once drank human blood from a crystal goblet.) ---
**Author:** ![FalconFinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@FalconFinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FalconFinder)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/31 "2009-07-07T16:27:02Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Aww. I always thought of Weird Al as a cool guy. ☹ I know someone who’s met Al several times and has said he’s always been a really cool guy. Maybe the other incident was a bad day? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/32 "2009-07-07T16:38:37Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > My grandmother actually tangentially worked with Iggy Pop (his mom was in the nursing home she supervised) and said he was a really wonderful, down-to-earth guy and very pleasant to the entire staff during his frequent visits there. She said that nobody would ever guess his personality judging from his looks. My daughter acted with him. My wife was on the set (it was in a school) at the time, and says he is a polite gentleman. who liked to hang out with the crew. She saw someone ask him not to smoke inside the school, and he was terribly embarrassed. In our house he is known as “that nice man.” Adam West, on the other hand, is a complete asshole, but I guess he doesn’t have a rep and so doesn’t count for this thread. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/33 "2009-07-07T16:56:59Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > MM, or Brian Warner, was normal, cooperative, and intelligent and never once drank human blood from a crystal goblet. Well, of course not. For blood, you use pewter. Crystal is for transparent bodily fluids. ---
**Author:** ![Gam\_Zeh\_Yaavor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3e96dc/32.png) [@Gam\_Zeh\_Yaavor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gam_Zeh_Yaavor)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/34 "2009-07-07T20:27:44Z")
I’ve heard that David Lynch is surprisingly human-like in person, although that was before he got into Transcendental Meditation, so who knows if he’s still outwardly sane. ---
**Author:** ![mshar253](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@mshar253](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mshar253)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/35 "2009-07-07T21:18:20Z")
> [@FalconFinder](#): > > I know someone who’s met Al several times and has said he’s always been a really cool guy. > > Maybe the other incident was a bad day? It was probably a bad hair day. ---
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/36 "2009-07-07T21:31:26Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > John Waters is by all accounts a very normal, and actually pretty down to earth guy. My sister got to interview him for a magazine article once, and while I was not there, I got to hear the audio tapes of the discussion. A lot of his answers were very reasonable and not at all what you might expect. > > One point in particular I remember was his opinions about federally funding controversial art. (These interviews were not too long after the Robert Mapplethorpe/Jessie Helms brouhaha in the late 80s.) Although he was unabashedly liberal on most topics, on this he actually was opposed to federal funding. “Nobody ever gave me money to get my pictures made, I raised all the money myself, and STILL got them made” he said. “You can’t take federal grant money and claim that you’re a rebel outsider.” I will second that. I was in the Baltimore Arts scene at that time, and John Waters was quite the regular at certain local watering holes. Also had the occasion to visit his apartment for a party one time. Looked pretty normal, except that the chair in the foyer was an electric chair used as a prop in Female Trouble, and the book cases were lined extensively with True Crime books. Now that I am involved with film financing for indie directors, I wish I had made better friends with him at the time when I had the chance, because he is a true success story and I wish I knew more of the details. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/37 "2009-07-07T21:54:53Z")
A few weeks ago I caught his one-man… ummm… show? on Showtime. John Waters: Dirty Filthy World. It was an odd mix of stand up and college speech. He seemed like a really cool guy. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/38 "2009-07-08T14:36:58Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I know the Rev. Al Sharpton, and it is all an act. He is entirely normal, and his wife is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. This may be a little off-topic, but can you say why he chooses to go with a public persona that alienates at least half of the country’s population? Wouldn’t he be a more effective activist if he was the normal guy you describe him as? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/39 "2009-07-08T14:46:14Z")
> [@Sean\_Factotum](#): > > Wouldn’t he be a more effective activist if he was the normal guy you describe him as? I can’t answer for **Annie** , but I’m willing to bet that “not wanting to appear to be a sell-out [read: Uncle Tom]” figures prominently in that reasoning. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130/40 "2009-07-08T15:21:25Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > I can’t answer for **Annie** , but I’m willing to bet that “not wanting to appear to be a sell-out [read: Uncle Tom]” figures prominently in that reasoning. Obama seems like a pretty normal guy, yet, as far as I know, no one in the black community is calling him a “sell out.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-with-a-weird-persona-who-are-suprisingly-normal/502130.md?page=3)