# Name an arrogant celeb. Then tell why... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 22, 2005, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360 "2005-02-22T16:44:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![THespos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@THespos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/THespos)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/81 "2005-02-27T12:34:24Z")
Someone I used to work with told me she encountered Martha Stewart in a store in CT and Stewart quite deliberately cut the line and made it known to everyone standing there that she thought she was entitled to do so. \ When I was a kid, my Dad used to run a lawn sprinkler installation and service business in the Hamptons, and I worked there every summer from the time I was 11 until after I graduated college. We had quite a few celebrity encounters over the years, including some celebrity customers. I can’t remember an instance of any one of them ever being arrogant. Quite the opposite. In many cases, I was surprised at how down-to-earth many of them were. In fact, when I was part-timing with my Dad and simultaneously holding down a job at an ad agency, one celeb publisher/founder of a well-known magazine conglomerate invited me into his home so he could pick my brain on some ideas for web marketing. We fixed his sprinkler system, took our boots off and came inside to sit down at his computer, where he showed me the mock-ups for his new website and asked me questions about how I would cross-promote it. Here I am in my dirty t-shirt and sweat shorts, being invited into a celeb’s luxurious home for an impromptu brainstorming. That was pretty cool.\ ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/82 "2005-02-27T12:43:32Z")
> [@Starving Artist](#): > > Now, in regard to the wishes of the OP I will bow out of expressing further thoughts on the matter as they don’t address arrogance on the part of a specific celebrity. My apologies for the hijack, inadvertant though it was. Didn’t mean to step on anyone’s toes there–just trying to find out if people actually have sound reasons for finding celebs arrogant. No need not to post semi-hijacks, rants, celeb-bashes, etc. though. They’re just not what I was hoping to get, that’s all. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/83 "2005-02-27T13:13:48Z")
Pro wrestler Sean Waltman, one time boyfriend to man-woman Chyna, posted on his website about how she came to his house drunk and assaulted him in front of his kids. In the commentary that followed, one poster enjoyed a moment of schadenfreud. He said he was handicapped and in a wheelchair, and once tried to get Waltman to sign an autograph for him. Waltman told him “Fuck off, I’m on the phone,” but there was no phone in sight. The poster went on to rejoice at Waltman’s misfortunes. I’d provide a link, but I think Waltman deleted the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/84 "2005-02-27T15:10:08Z")
Someone said Bill Murray…he used to own part of the St. Paul Saints while we had season tickets. He was always polite when he came to games. We didn’t bother him (I’m of the “celebrities have a life, I don’t get much from shaking his hand” school) but we saw him treat all autograph seekers politely (he’d move to the booth to watch the game - otherwise the ball players didn’t get any attention - as well as, I suspect, to get a break). He apparently also tips well, I know two Twin Cities waitresses who were tipped very well by him and had nothing but good things to say. On the other hand, one of my girlfriends has known Garrison Keillor since she was little - he is a friend of her parents and she even dated his son. When they bump into each other, he doesn’t acknowledge her. (To give him credit, this may be arrogence, or it may be shyness or obliviousness - even she isn’t sure). ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/85 "2005-02-27T15:16:01Z")
Oh, I’ll add a funny one…Steve Brust, the SF writer. I formerly travelled in circles that would have me seeing him once or twice a year. Every time he met me he tried to pick me up and I’d turn him down. It wouldn’t strike me as arrogant except he seemed to have no recollection he’d ever seen me before, and I got the feeling that even if he’d slept with me he’d have little recollection of seeing me before. The same girlfriend just saw him and told him this story. Described me. He said something along the lines of “oh yeah, I think I remember her. I was kind of a jerk.” He seems to have hit a more reflective stage of his life. ---
**Author:** ![graceland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ec9cab/32.png) [@graceland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/graceland)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/86 "2005-02-27T16:30:57Z")
Barbra Streisand. When she did arena tours in the early 90’s, her contract rider demanded that the arena carpet every square inch of flooring, regardless of whether her precious feet would come anywhere nearby. Further, when she played Las Vegas, upon entering her hotel room, she demanded that her $5,000/night suite be redecorated and repainted. First runner up: Barry Manilow. When he played the arena where I worked, he insisted that the catering people avert their eyes when sliding his 6 oz. chicken breast across the table to him. All arena personnel were told that should they be in the tunnel when Mr. Manilow was walking to the stage, they were to turn and face the wall. Usually we allowed performers to park their limos in the fire lane by the star entrance and the fire marshall looked the other way. On the night of Mr. Manilow’s concert; however, we towed his ride. What an ass. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/87 "2005-02-27T18:45:39Z")
> [@pseudotriton ruber ruber](#): > > Didn’t mean to step on anyone’s toes there–just trying to find out if people actually have sound reasons for finding celebs arrogant. No need not to post semi-hijacks, rants, celeb-bashes, etc. though. They’re just not what I was hoping to get, that’s all. Sure, I understand. No problem at all. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![easy\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb8c5e/32.png) [@easy\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/easy_e)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/88 "2005-02-27T19:27:55Z")
Bono–I know he does charity work and all, but the thing with the sunglasses drives me nuts. I see it two different ways–one is that he needs to have some barrier between him and the rest of the world. The second–“Oh, your powerful earth sun is too strong for my sensitive humanitarian musician eyes!” Billy Crudup–left his pregnant wife to hook up with Claire Danes. 'Nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/89 "2005-02-27T22:01:48Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Nonsense. > > I’m not asking you to shed any tears for Hugh Jackman or any other celebrity. I merely note that YOU have undoubtedly been surly or obnoxious to a waitress or cashier at one time or another. I know I have. We’re human! Sometimes we have headaches, or it’s just been a hellacious day, and we take it out on innocent bystanders who happen to be handy. > > If and when I’ve been rude to a waitress or cashier, she’s undoubtedly annoyed, probably curses me under her breath and flips me the bird behind my back, and then she pretty much forgets about me. A month later, if she remembers me at all, it’s as one of a hundred nameless, faceless jerks she’s had to deal with. It’s safe to say that no one I’ve mistreated, or who saw me mistreating someone, is still writing about it on the SDMB. > > I’m generally a patient, pleasant person, but once in a while I lose my cool, just as most people do. MAYBE Hugh Jackman is a genuine asshole. It’s possible. I don’t know him, and don’t pretend to. But the casual observations of a guy who saw him once on an airplane don’t prove that (any more than my brother’s casual observations prove that Jackman is a sweetheart). > > I’m pretty sure YOU wouldn’t want to be judged by your isolated moments of impatience or bad manners. Is it so much to ask that we not judge celebrities we don’t know and have never met by second-hand accounts of isolated incidents of unpleasantness? All very true, **astorian**. My experience with Hugh Jackman is limited to that single encounter on the Sydney-Brisbane flight. Perhaps he is indeed a prince among men and I just struck him on an “off” day. But the OP asked for concrete examples of celebrities’ arrogance, and the one I saw was a first-rate example. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/90 "2005-02-27T22:23:19Z")
> [@easy e](#): > > Billy Crudup–left his pregnant wife to hook up with Claire Danes. 'Nuff said. Actually, not quite 'nuff. How is this “arrogance,” exactly? It’s self-centered, probably, or selfish. It shows a lack of forethought. It demonstrates fickleness. I can find lots of character flaws that this exemplifies before I’d pin it on “arrogance.” Couldn’t a humble man do this? Now if he bragged “None of society’s standards of behavior apply to me. I’m simply above them,” THAT would be arrogant, whether or not he left his wife for Claire Danes. If he’d left his pregnant wife for Claire Fanes, who’s kind of short and fat and has bad skin, would that be arrogant? Or is he left his p.w. for Claire Hanes, with whom he’d been in love since kindergarten, to care for her brood of six through a series of drunken affairs with irresponsible strangers, would that not mitigate some of his arrogance here? My point is, yeah, you’re plenty pissed at Crudup for bad behavior, but how does this behavior display arrogance, please? ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/91 "2005-02-27T22:45:41Z")
In the “Unpleasant Celebrity Encounters” thread I mentioned my experience with “Dr.” Ralph Stanley. The first time I saw him, he spent half the show talking about awards he had won, and the special banjo Deering (or somebody) had designed for him, and just how generally awesome he was. He’s serious about the “Dr.” business–he was given an honorary doctorate by some college a long time ago, and he uses the title like it means something. I know a lot of people in the Bluegrass world, and every one of them has a story about Dr. Ralph being an arrogant prick. (It stands out because it’s such a glaring exception in the field. The only other bluegrass musician I can think of who is anything but universally pleasant and humble is Ricky Skaggs, who can be a real ass.) > [@](#): > > Billy Crudup–left his pregnant wife to hook up with Claire Danes. 'Nuff said. Maybe so, but I had a chance to chat with Billy for a few minutes after a screening of _Jesus’s Son_ at Roger Ebert’s film festival, and he came across as anything but arrogant. I’d say that his leaving his wife for Claire Danes makes him more of an asshole than anything, but then again there may be more to the story. ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/92 "2005-02-27T23:51:48Z")
> [@graceland](#): > > Barbra Streisand. When she did arena tours in the early 90’s, her contract rider demanded that the arena carpet every square inch of flooring, regardless of whether her precious feet would come anywhere nearby. Further, when she played Las Vegas, upon entering her hotel room, she demanded that her $5,000/night suite be redecorated and repainted. > > First runner up: Barry Manilow. When he played the arena where I worked, he insisted that the catering people avert their eyes when sliding his 6 oz. chicken breast across the table to him. All arena personnel were told that should they be in the tunnel when Mr. Manilow was walking to the stage, they were to turn and face the wall. > > Usually we allowed performers to park their limos in the fire lane by the star entrance and the fire marshall looked the other way. On the night of Mr. Manilow’s concert; however, we towed his ride. What an ass. Manilow just sounds neurotic as hell, not necessarily arrogant except in the sense that he can make his ridiculous (and rather sad) demands and get them met. Streisand, on the other hand, pretty much qualifies. Of course, if I were the hotel, I’d happily redecorate a room if someone were willing to pay $5000/night for it. You’d amortize the cost in a single night. ---
**Author:** ![easy\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb8c5e/32.png) [@easy\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/easy_e)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/93 "2005-02-28T00:54:50Z")
> [@pseudotriton ruber ruber](#): > > If he’d left his pregnant wife for Claire Fanes, who’s kind of short and fat and has bad skin, would that be arrogant? Or is he left his p.w. for Claire Hanes, with whom he’d been in love since kindergarten, to care for her brood of six through a series of drunken affairs with irresponsible strangers, would that not mitigate some of his arrogance here? Okay not arrogance, but pure assholery. I don’t care who he shacked up with after leaving his wife–if you’re going to separate from from your spouse, you shouldn’t be dating anyone for a year or so. His wife would’ve been an equal asshole if she had left him and shacked up with someone else. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/94 "2005-02-28T02:25:58Z")
> [@kka](#): > > I was on the set for Friday Night Lights (my nephew was an extra) and Thornton seemed very cool. It was strange. The kids that played the football players seemed more stuck-up and I wouldn’t have known most of them from the extras. I’m glad to hear he seems nicer in person, I realize I’m on a bit of a one woman “But who will speak for the komodo dragon?” campaign. 😉 Maybe he was joking about the komodo dragons and it just didn’t come through in print for me. ---
**Author:** ![MidnightRadio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@MidnightRadio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MidnightRadio)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/95 "2005-02-28T03:52:12Z")
> [@AveDementia](#): > > Mel Gibson > > According to a direct quote by him in US Weekly, he thought it was a hilarious to secretly put eggs in Joaquim Phoenix’s vegan milkshake. Phoenix has been vegan since he was a small child. He also says his wife is going to hell for not being the right kind of Catholic (or something). Great guy. ---
**Author:** ![midget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@midget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/midget)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/96 "2005-02-28T04:12:59Z")
> [@MidnightRadio](#): > > He also says his wife is going to hell for not being the right kind of Catholic (or something). Great guy. Yeah, I don’t think I could ever watch another one of his movies after that one. He sounded so casual when he said it, and pretty much stated ‘oh well, it’s just one of those things’ Just plain sick… ---
**Author:** ![midget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@midget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/midget)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/97 "2005-02-28T04:15:26Z")
Here’s a link to the quote, btw: [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4224452/](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4224452/) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/98 "2005-02-28T04:58:25Z")
But of course, he’s the one who cheated on her for how many years with how many women? (According to rumors). ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/99 "2005-02-28T04:59:51Z")
But of course, he’s the one who cheated on her for how many years with how many women? (According to rumors). Not to mention that was NEVER church teaching. Even before Vatican II. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360/100 "2005-02-28T14:47:51Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Mary Steenburgen stayed in a hotel where I worked and even though many bigger stars were working on the same project she arrived with a babushka like scarf around her head, dark sunglasses (inside at night) and insisted that she did not wish to be accosted for autographs by any of “the help” (she actually said “the help”). Frankly she could have walked down any street in town wearing nothing but a sandwich board that said “HI I’M MARY STEENBURGEN- ACADEMY AWARD WINNER FOR MELVIN & HOWARD AND WIFE OF TED DANSON” and I doubt anybody would have approached her- nobody recognized her or gave a damn. (Cool moment: I got to deliver a fax to her from Roddy McDowell in which he absolutely and bitchily trashed her performance in a play in L.A. due to her request to “tell me what you think- be honest”.) This reminds me of the time Diane Keaton came into the shop I worked at. She was in a trench coat (it was really warm out), a hat and BIG sunglasses. I swear to you that when she first walked in, our first impression was ‘shop lifter’. As she shopped, we realized who she was. She had this huge additude as if she were trying to hide and “I vant to be alone”. She would have gotten way less attention if she just dressed normally and went about her business (as other stars that came to the shop did). Her behavior and dress seemed like a ploy for attention. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-an-arrogant-celeb-then-tell-why/291360.md?page=6)