# 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:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**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, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/61 "2015-10-22T18:12:03Z")
Mary Livingstone, Jack Benny’s wife, was not liked by contemporaries George Burns, Gracie Allen or Lucille. Her adopted daughter Joan argued with her a lot and says she can’t understand with all she had going for her, she couldn’t enjoy life more. > **[Mary Livingstone | Personal life](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Livingstone#Personal_life)** > > Livingstone's brother, Hilliard Marks, was a radio and television producer who worked primarily for his brother-in-law, Jack Benny. > > Benny and Livingstone adopted a two-week old girl in 1934, whom they named Joanie. In Sunday Nights at Seven (1990), her father's unfinished memoir that she completed with her own recollections, Joan Benny revealed she rarely felt close to her mother, and the two often argued: ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/62 "2015-10-22T20:24:09Z")
Nobody from the original cast / crew of Saturday Night Live ever had anything nice to say about Chevy Chase. ---
**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, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/63 "2015-10-22T20:27:47Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > Nobody from the original cast / crew of Saturday Night Live ever had anything nice to say about Chevy Chase. And he also got sued by Cary Grant for making homophobic jokes about him when Tom Snyder commented that Chase may be the new Cary Grant. People said some strange things in 1980. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/64 "2015-10-22T20:40:34Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > Tom Arnold, of course > John Lennon, sadly > Not many fond testimonials of Al Capp, Sid Vicious or Larry Flynt > Tina Louise I’ve heard Tom Arnold on a bunch of podcasts over the last few years. His fellow comedians seem to like him quite a bit. Back in the Roseanne days he was out of control because of his substance abuse and being married to Roseanne. Since then he has mellowed out considerably. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/65 "2015-10-22T22:44:02Z")
Buddy Rich was apparently a first-class asshole. ---
**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 22, 2015, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/66 "2015-10-22T22:58:56Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Buddy Rich was apparently a first-class asshole. Yeah. He was so abusive toward his band members that one of them secretly recorded some of his rants to make a case with the musicians’ union. [Here they are](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omID1prJHFo). ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/67 "2015-10-22T23:35:39Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > Because Rodney turned it down after reading the script. I know that, but wtf _Jackie Mason???_ Like every other comic in existence suddenly said “Hell no, I don’t want to be associated with a franchise that resurrected Rodney Dangerfield!”? ---
**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 23, 2015, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/68 "2015-10-23T01:33:00Z")
A lot of his baseball teammates found Doyle Alexander to be a miserable person. Alexander also negotiated his own contracts and had a habit of getting long term deals that looked good initially but quickly became underpaying. Alexander was left to complain about how many other players were making more. And then there is Mel Hall, currently doing 45 years for sexual assault of 12 and 14 year old girls. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/69 "2015-10-23T02:11:04Z")
Most people who worked with Jackie Gleason seemed to regard him as a tyrant and an egomaniac. Neil Simon supposedly said he became a playwright so that he’d never have to work for Gleason or anyone like him again. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/70 "2015-10-23T03:13:08Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I’ve heard Tom Arnold on a bunch of podcasts over the last few years. His fellow comedians seem to like him quite a bit. Back in the Roseanne days he was out of control because of his substance abuse and being married to Roseanne. Since then he has mellowed out considerably. That’s what I was going to write. He seems like the type of person who would literally give you the shirt off his back. And for that matter, I don’t think I know of anyone saying anything bad about him. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/71 "2015-10-23T14:37:33Z")
I don’t know that I’ve ever heard of Andy Griffith as being ‘despised.’ There’s pretty good consensus that he was not a social person on the set to cast and crew, and when the cameras weren’t rolling he pretty much kept to himself, but ‘despised’ is a little harsh. I’ve also heard the same thing about Redd Foxx on “Sanford and Son,” too. For all his humor, he pretty much kept to himself on the set. And completely unlike Tim Moore (Kingfish on "Amos ‘n’ Andy). His co-workers said that the stuff he said when the cameras weren’t rolling was funnier than his scripted lines. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/72 "2015-10-23T15:43:43Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I don’t know if it goes to the level of “universally despised” but I’ve heard Natalie Portman can be difficult to be around. “Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!” ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/73 "2015-10-23T16:12:46Z")
Re: Joan Crawford, the other day I saw this quote– > [@](#): > > "I can no longer apologize to Joan, I hope my apology will mean something to those of you who love her most. Some of you will know me or of me… I was one of Christina’s closest friends over 25 years. I blindly went along with her nonsense, without question, or thought, or regard for what she did to defame one of the most talented actresses in the world, who worked her whole life to entertain people, and make them happy. I am no longer speaking to Christina, partly because of the person she has become. I honestly believe that Joan was at her wits end with what to do with this horrible, stubborn, ungrateful adopted child. I´m at my wits end with what to do with this horrible, stubborn, ungrateful 75 year old woman. Except that I can walk away. Joan couldn’t. My Mother [Patti Andrews] was very famous too. She died last year, and though my life was not all sunshine and lolly pops either - I could have written a book - I chose to consider every show, song or movie that she did, as a badge of honor, and pride, that I was lucky enough to be part of. I would no more write a book full of crap, and “poor me-s” now that she is dead, and deprive the world from knowing her as the legend that she and her sisters were. that is the chicken shit way. So Miss Joan Crawford - I have always loved your acting. I am sorry that I participated in Christina’s hateful attempt to destroy your legacy. And more than anything, I am sorry that your good deed caused so much pain. Ive Bernice (Christina´s birth Mom I tracked down for her about 20 years ago- pre Computer) dodged a bullet. I´m sorry Miss Crawford that you didn’t. > — Pam DuBois (daughter of Patti Andrews, the youngest of the Andrew Sisters) ---
**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 23, 2015, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/74 "2015-10-23T23:24:04Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Most people who worked with Jackie Gleason seemed to regard him as a tyrant and an egomaniac. From what I’ve read and heard, Gleason was simultaneously a control freak (“Entire production supervised by Jackie Gleason”) and a huge party animal. He may have aggravated a lot of people, but you can bet they all had fun at the same time. I remember one story where he was throwing a big bash that went into the wee hours. Audrey Meadows (“Alice” on _ **The Honeymooners** _) showed up and was immediately assigned to kitchen duty, basting an ovenful of chickens! Another time, Jackie and his entourage were traveling across the country by train, and there was unlimited booze and a hired band to provide music on demand. Gleason’s partying often put the show behind its production schedule, but the cast was so good at improvising you would never know it. Whenever you saw Ralph Kramden pat his stomach, it was the signal that Gleason had forgotten his lines. At least one entire episode was filmed without a script; they went into it after discussing only the basic premise (Art Carney: “You come home and start arguing about something with Alice, I’ll come in after a few minutes and help you settle it!”). And one of Alice’s best lines ever, “You get any bigger, Gasbag, and you’ll float away!” was made up on the spot. ---
**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 24, 2015, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357/75 "2015-10-24T00:35:39Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > I know that, but wtf _Jackie Mason???_ > > Like every other comic in existence suddenly said “Hell no, I don’t want to be associated with a franchise that resurrected Rodney Dangerfield!”? Mason was a hot property back then. He had a comeback with his Broadway show “The World According to Me” with all kinds of stories about the “finger-pointing” incident on Ed Sullivan. Then again a lot of people associated with the first turned it down (Dangerfield, Murray), later wished they had (Chase) or were dead (Knight). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebritites-who-are-were-universally-despised-by-their-peers/735357.md?page=3)