# Celebritites who are/were universally despised by their peers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 21, 2015, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357 "2015-10-21T14:48:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/41 "2015-10-21T21:31:40Z")
In the world of stand-up comedy, Jackie Mason, from what I’ve heard, exemplifies this type. Kliph Nesteroff’s new book _The Comedians_, which is a survey of the history of North American comedians and the comedy business, contains multiple quotes from Mason’s peers suggesting he is generally held in just about the lowest possible regard as a person. Nesteroff concludes, “In a business where charm is often essential, it’s amazing that Mason’s career has endured.” ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/42 "2015-10-21T21:33:49Z")
> [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](#): > > In the world of stand-up comedy, Jackie Mason, from what I’ve heard, exemplifies this type. Kliph Nesteroff’s new book _The Comedians_, which is a survey of the history of North American comedians and the comedy business, contains multiple quotes from Mason’s peers suggesting he is generally held in just about the lowest possible regard as a person. Nesteroff concludes, “In a business where charm is often essential, it’s amazing that Mason’s career has endured.” I could never understand how that guy got picked for Caddyshack II. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/43 "2015-10-21T21:56:28Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > Joan Crawford was not universally despised. She had real friends in Hollywood, including Myrna Loy, Van Johnson and Marlene Dietrich. She had a reputation of being professional and hard-working. > > I miss Eve. . . Do you honestly believe that anyone mentioned in this thread didnt have some real friends in Hollywood? ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/44 "2015-10-21T22:21:29Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Do you honestly believe that anyone mentioned in this thread didn’t have some real friends in Hollywood? My point isn’t just that she had some friends. She was well-liked and respected by many people. It’s only when the book “Mommie Dearest” came out that her reputation declined. That book has always been controversial - two of Christina Crawford’s siblings disputed the picture painted by the book, while a third defended the book. Joan Crawford was a complex, flawed person, but it’s just not accurate to say she was widely (or universally) despised. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/45 "2015-10-21T22:26:09Z")
> [@pinkfreud](#): > > Ed Sullivan was widely disliked. Joe E. Lewis once said that Sullivan could brighten a room simply by leaving it. Sullivan was at his most despicable was the way he treated Canada Lee (best known today for his role in Hitchcock’s **Lifeboat** ). Lee was a major Broadway star – one of the first Black actors to be so – and his career was built up by Sullivan. They became close friends. Then Lee got caught in the communist witch hunts and Sullivan turned on him viciously. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/46 "2015-10-21T22:28:47Z")
[QUOTE=terentii] Surprised no one has mentioned Joe E Ross, who was featured in an accompanying thread. [/QUOTE] He was so hated that Charlotte Rae speaking in an interview many years after he died still referred to him as “that dreadful man”. Andy Kaufman attended some of his stand-ups and he became one of the inspirations for Tony Clifton. Speaking of guys named Ross, every single cast member of _Steel Magnolias_ hated its director, Herbert Ross. Even years after he died they don’t speak well of him. Apparently Dolly and Shirley both went Madea on him one day, and it wasn’t because of his treatment of them but the way he treated newcomers Julia Roberts and Darryl Hannah. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/47 "2015-10-21T22:29:04Z")
Liza Minnelli seems to be a piece of work. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/48 "2015-10-21T22:36:09Z")
> [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](#): > > In the world of stand-up comedy, Jackie Mason, from what I’ve heard, exemplifies this type. Kliph Nesteroff’s new book _The Comedians_, which is a survey of the history of North American comedians and the comedy business, contains multiple quotes from Mason’s peers suggesting he is generally held in just about the lowest possible regard as a person. Nesteroff concludes, “In a business where charm is often essential, it’s amazing that Mason’s career has endured.” His treatment of his daughter (his only child) is enough to convince me of this. At first he denied she was his (even though as a baby and as now [she looks exactly like him](https://a4-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/73/c633001d23ca545283b94f1e4fa5b0f9/full.jpg)), then he paid support only when ordered to by the court and stopped the month she turned 18 (no help for college or anything like). He had absolutely no contact with her in spite of living blocks away until she was grown and became a comedienne and he stopped her in the street to tell her to stop mentioning him in her act or he’d sue. (He never did because he probably can’t, but, just total bastardy imo.) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/49 "2015-10-21T22:50:23Z")
Mentioned recently in another thread: Topol of _Fiddler on the Roof_ fame is apparently a first order horse’s ass. In younger days he got into fist fights with co-stars and directors. Vicky Lawrence is supposedly as disliked as Carol Burnett is beloved. She and Carol did not speak for years over something to do with Burnett’s ex-husband producing Mama’s Family, but I’m not sure what the specifics were.) From the little I read of Lawrence’s memoir she comes across as completely self absorbed and whining (i.e. constantly poor mouthing about how underpaid and broke she was and still is while talking about traveling the world and owning a place in Hawaii, etc.). Steve Allen was despised in large part for his egomania, including by Johnny Carson and Jack Paar who would not let him on The Tonight Show.a Gene Wilder has a very bad rep as well. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/50 "2015-10-21T23:39:12Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Steve Allen was despised in large part for his egomania, including by Johnny Carson and Jack Paar who would not let him on The Tonight Show. Interesting. I clearly remember Johnny being a guest on Steve’s syndicated show back in the late '60s. They made some Funny Fone Calls together. I also seem to remember Steve and his wife Jayne Meadows on the _ **Tonight Show** _ around the same time. Steve had a mustache then, and Jayne said he looked like Juan Valdez. Steve addressed the audience and said (to the best of my recollection) “Those of you who live in parts of the country where they don’t show that commercial have no idea what we’re talking about!” 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/51 "2015-10-22T00:23:53Z")
> [@pinkfreud](#): > > Ed Sullivan was widely disliked. Joe E. Lewis once said that Sullivan could brighten a room simply by leaving it. A personality so negative that, when he walked into a room, people would wonder who had left? ---
**Author:** ![Greekfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@Greekfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greekfreak)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/52 "2015-10-22T01:20:21Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Mentioned recently in another thread: Topol of _Fiddler on the Roof_ fame is apparently a first order horse’s ass. In younger days he got into fist fights with co-stars and directors. > > Vicky Lawrence is supposedly as disliked as Carol Burnett is beloved. She and Carol did not speak for years over something to do with Burnett’s ex-husband producing Mama’s Family, but I’m not sure what the specifics were.) From the little I read of Lawrence’s memoir she comes across as completely self absorbed and whining (i.e. constantly poor mouthing about how underpaid and broke she was and still is while talking about traveling the world and owning a place in Hawaii, etc.). > > Steve Allen was despised in large part for his egomania, including by Johnny Carson and Jack Paar who would not let him on The Tonight Show.a > > Gene Wilder has a very bad rep as well. I’ve never liked Lawrence’s attitude in either interviews or as an actress–something about her just always struck me as a bit c\*\*\*y. I’m curious what dirt you have on Gene Wilder–I read his book “Kiss Me Like A Stranger” and though he got some flack for portraying Gilda as less than wonderful, I found it a fascinating read. One person I would nominate is **Howard Stern**. Since alienating his core audience by becoming a Hollywood suckass, he’s tried his best to ingratiate the stars he once mocked for ratings, and I doubt any of them see through it or his brainless, talentless wife’s pathetic attempts for attention. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/53 "2015-10-22T01:48:13Z")
For every point[Danny Kaye](http://classicshowbiz.blogspot.com/2012/09/an-interview-with-stanley-dean-part-two.html) deserved for his humanitarian efforts, he lost two for how he treated people. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/54 "2015-10-22T02:42:35Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Sullivan was at his most despicable was the way he treated Canada Lee (best known today for his role in Hitchcock’s **Lifeboat** ). Lee was a major Broadway star – one of the first Black actors to be so – and his career was built up by Sullivan. They became close friends. Then Lee got caught in the communist witch hunts and Sullivan turned on him viciously. ``` On the other hand, Sullivan was in favor of allowing Bob Dylan sing "Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues" on his rilly big shew. It was the CBS people who said no, so Dylan didn't go on, got favorable publicity and re-did the album leaving the song and several others off. ``` > **[Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talkin%27_John_Birch_Paranoid_Blues)** > > "Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues", also known as "Talkin' John Birch Society Blues" and "Talkin' John Birch Blues", is a protest song and talking blues song written by singer-songwriter Bob Dylan in 1962. It is a satirical song, in which a paranoid narrator is convinced that communists, or "Reds" as he calls them, are infiltrating the country. He joins the John Birch Society, an anti-communist group, and begins searching for Reds everywhere. The narrator decries Betsy Ross as a communist and... ``` Sullivan admitted he had a temper and would pop lose it easily. He had a lot of feuds on his show with some guests and other writers. He was also desperate to make it show business, even as a host. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/55 "2015-10-22T02:53:19Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Wasn’t there something odd about Fred MacMurray and My Three Sons? ``` In a 2011 interview, Stanley Livinstone (Chip) speaks highly of Fred MacMurray and also of William Frawley who usually had a W C Fields antipathy towards kids. ``` > **[StockExaminer - AI-Powered Stock Chatbot](https://examiner.com)** > > Discover Stock Examiner, the AI-powered chatbot delivering instant, interactive stock charts, real-time financials, breaking news, stock screeners, and more—all in one seamless experience. I’ve heard some talk about MacMurray being very frugal…would bring Easter eggs to the set and eat them for lunch. Of course, there are plenty of stories about MacMurray being very wealthy. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/56 "2015-10-22T03:22:19Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > In a 2011 interview, Stanley Livinstone (Chip) speaks highly of Fred MacMurray and also of William Frawley who usually had a W C Fields antipathy towards kids. > > [Examiner is back - Examiner.com](http://www.examiner.com/article/classic-tv-a-chat-with-chip-stanley-livingston-of-my-three-sons) > > I’ve heard some talk about MacMurray being very frugal…would bring Easter eggs to the set and eat them for lunch. Of course, there are plenty of stories about MacMurray being very wealthy. He is a Scot 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/57 "2015-10-22T04:22:18Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > He is a Scot 😛 Reminds me of a story another Scot, Jackie Stewart, tells. Porsche was talking to him about driving at Le Mans. Stewart is interested and asks how much they will pay him. Porsche says, why nothing, the honor of driving for Porsche is payment enough. Stewart replies that to a Scot being paid is an honor. I don’t think there are too many of baseball players who speak highly of Charlie Dressen, who managed a bunch of ball clubs. Smart guy and apparently very good at telling stories while cooking for reporters (a hobby of his). But he genuinely thought that he was responsible for a team winning and players were at fault when he lost. When he refused to sign a one year contract with the Dodgers in 1953 and ended up with the lowly Senators, people who didn’t like him would rip him. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/58 "2015-10-22T04:46:16Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > I could never understand how that guy [Jackie Mason] guy got picked for Caddyshack II. Because Rodney turned it down after reading the script. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/59 "2015-10-22T04:51:47Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Gene Wilder has a very bad rep as well. > [@Greekfreak](#): > > I’m curious what dirt you have on Gene Wilder–I read his book “Kiss Me Like A Stranger” and though he got some flack for portraying Gilda as less than wonderful, I found it a fascinating read. I’m curious too. I know next to nothing about him, but am surprised to see his name in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/60 "2015-10-22T04:55:10Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > Tom Arnold, of course > John Lennon, sadly > Not many fond testimonials of Al Capp, Sid Vicious or Larry Flynt > Tina Louise But the power trio Al Sid and Larry had was the balls! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357.md?page=4)