# Some celebrity is revealed to be an asshole. Who surprises/saddens you most? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 16, 2011, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644 "2011-06-16T01:42:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/81 "2011-06-17T19:16:01Z")
Four not yet mentioned whom I’ve very briefly met: Alton Brown, Tom Selleck, the author P.J. O’Rourke, and former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley. That said, everyone has asshole moments, and it may just be your poor luck to catch them on a day when they’re having them. I wouldn’t be surprised if any of the above went off on somebody; they just didn’t strike me as people that made a habit of doing that. Bill Bradley, to pick on him, graciously had a brief conversation with me on politics at 1:30 AM, as I was leading him to his room. This, despite my idiot front desk clerk booking his handler on the opposite end of the 400 yard long hotel… From previous experience working hospitality, most celebrities that I dealt with simply want to get through whatever task it is—checking into a hotel, asking for recommendations, wondering where the golf course was, etc—as easily and efficiently as possible. Very few of them demanded to be treated like potentates, which made life easier for me and my co-workers. Now their handlers/assistants/hangers-on, OTOH… they could frequently be unpleasant. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/82 "2011-06-17T19:28:12Z")
Alan Parsons. I’ve met him on several occasions, and he is without a doubt the nicest, coolest, most gracious guy around. If I ever heard of him being an asshole I’d wonder if something was wrong with him–I don’t think he’s capable of it. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/83 "2011-06-17T19:36:58Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > The Rock really seems like a good person, my innate sense of other peoples character would need a serious tuneup if he was not. One thing that impressed me about the Rock (or Dwayne Johnson as he apparently has gone back to being) - Maxim magazine does these short interviews with various celebrities. They do them in the characteristic frat-boy style of the magazine - they ask some ridiculous questions to throw the interview subject off their game. Some interviewees try to play if serious, others accept their role as essentially being straight man to the interviewer. But I recall two interview subjects who were able to take control of the interview. They took the interviewer’s silly questions and used them as a set-up to their comebacks - turning the interviewer into the straight man. That takes some quick thinking and a sense of humor. And Dwayne Johnson was one of those two people who was able to do it. (The other was Rebecca Romijn.) ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/84 "2011-06-17T19:47:42Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > Alan Parsons. I’ve met him on several occasions, and he is without a doubt the nicest, coolest, most gracious guy around. If I ever heard of him being an asshole I’d wonder if something was wrong with him–I don’t think he’s capable of it. I wouldn’t believe it if I _saw_ it…same for Dolly Parton. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/85 "2011-06-17T19:54:18Z")
Well, Cee Lo Green was just [a complete dipshit](http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2011/06/cee_lo_green_gay_twitter_homophobic.php) to a local writer about her review of last night’s show. > [@Cee Lo](#): > > I respect your criticism but be fair! People enjoyed last night!I’m guessing ur gay?and my masculinity offended u?well f—k U! Real classy. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/86 "2011-06-17T19:57:09Z")
> [@FoundWaldo](#): > > WTF? I read every one of her newsletters and I don’t get that sense at all. I guess that means I’m a spoiled celebrity too. I don’t have them on my work computer, but I especially remember her advice to people who didn’t have much money to just buy [insert $100 product] for everyone they knew, because said $100 product was tasteful and cheap. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/87 "2011-06-17T23:54:46Z")
Gray Ghost, what do you like about P.J. O’Rourke? He strikes me as being a very unpleasant sort. I have enjoyed a bit of his voluminous work, but I wouldn’t want to know him IRL. Aunt Bee, rather, Frances Bavier, was, like Vivian Vance, quite the diva and felt working on a TV show was several steps down from her Grand Career. I’d read about her, too, she was very difficult on the Andy Griffith show set. She called Andy Griffith before she died to apologize for her bad behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/88 "2011-06-18T04:30:34Z")
This isn’t exactly what the OP is looking for, since he’s not someone I particularly look up to, but I’ll always appreciate the massive role David Tyree played in giving the Giants the SB42 title. Too bad he’s tuning into such a [vocal shithead](http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/2011/06/16/2011-06-16_new_york_giants_super_bowl_hero_david_tyree_warns_of_anarchy_if_gay_marriage_is_.html). ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/89 "2011-06-18T04:53:10Z")
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. While there were things he did (or didn’t do) during his presidency that infuriate me when I think about them, I have always had the impression that he was a nice person who cared about people. And while I didn’t agree with many of his religious beliefs, I always thought his profession of them was what he sincerely believed rather than a political manipulation. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/90 "2011-06-18T05:20:37Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Bill Bradley, to pick on him, graciously had a brief conversation with me on politics at 1:30 AM, as I was leading him to his room. This, despite my idiot front desk clerk booking his handler on the opposite end of the 400 yard long hotel… I had dinner with Senator Bradley; in fact, we ended up splitting an entree. Great conversation and he handled my dumb questions really well. He’s dating a colleague of mine and we crossed paths a few times… Always a classy guy. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/91 "2011-06-18T06:47:28Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > Gray Ghost, what do you like about P.J. O’Rourke? He strikes me as being a very unpleasant sort. I have enjoyed a bit of his voluminous work, but I wouldn’t want to know him IRL. I agree. Even if you agree with O’Rourke and enjoy his humor, you can’t deny there’s a lot of hostility in his work. The man published a list of his “enemies” and it was 168 pages long. > [@salinqmind](#): > > Aunt Bee, rather, Frances Bavier, was, like Vivian Vance, quite the diva and felt working on a TV show was several steps down from her Grand Career. I’d read about her, too, she was very difficult on the Andy Griffith show set. She called Andy Griffith before she died to apologize for her bad behavior. From what I’ve heard, what she told Griffith in her final days was that she regretted they hadn’t gotten along better. A subtle distinction, but it means she wasn’t necessarily apologizing for her behavior or acknowledging the problem was her fault. She could just as easily have meant she wished people had treated her better. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/92 "2011-06-18T07:14:01Z")
> [@markm](#): > > I’d agree with Nathan Fillion, The Rock, and Steve Buscemi and also add Seth Rogan and Nick Searcy. From everything I’ve read, everyone in Hollywood not named Katherine Heigl loves Seth Rogan. Kevin Smith practically changed his entire lifestyle because of Rogan’s laidback attitude. Smith also goes on and on about how cool Eliza Dushku is and, in the spirit of the thread, it would very much surprise me if she turned out to be an asshole. She seems very aware that there are hundreds of actresses that could do the parts she does and how lucky she is to get them. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/93 "2011-06-18T08:09:36Z")
> [@JoseArcadio](#): > > Michael Palin. He seems like pretty much the nicest man on the planet. ANY of the Pythons, aside from John, who’s always come off as a bit of a putz, to me. I understand that the Terries tended to drive the cast nuts when doing Holy Grail, and Terry G has the same effect on other films, but it’s not ‘they’re jerks’ nuts, it’s ‘oh, for god’s sake, it’s good enough!’ nuts. And Graham, even at the height of his alcoholism, as I understand it, the only real problem people had with him was the fact that his drinking impacted his work. Agree on Neil Gaiman, Wil Wheaton, Nathan Fillion, and the Rock. While I’m resigned to the fact that John was a jerk, and Paul has rather an ego, I’d be crushed if it turned out George or Ringo were bad… ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/94 "2011-06-18T08:22:34Z")
At first, I didn’t think I there was anyone who would really shock me, but then I thought of Gene Wilder. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/95 "2011-06-18T08:50:53Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > While I’m resigned to the fact that John was a jerk, and Paul has rather an ego, I’d be crushed if it turned out George or Ringo were bad… The Tom Shales book SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE had Al Franken telling a story about a drunken George Harrison who kept playing piano in the hall at Studio 8H until Franken was moved to slam a door loudly to get him to go away. I think this story tells more about Franken’s jerkiness than Harrison’s, but there you go. ---
**Author:** ![alexandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@alexandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alexandra)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/96 "2011-06-18T11:31:57Z")
> [@Gukumatz](#): > > And Hugh Laurie. Career actor, funny, charming, very smart, jazz vocalist, best friends with Stephen Fry - and apparently happily married for over 20 years. He seems like the British equivalent of Jo Nesbø. (Albeit I can never get used to seeing him walking without a limp and talking in a British accent in interviews these days.) He cheated on his wife. I think he is probably a lovely man for the most part, though. See this interesting interview, from long before House. [Going straight | Life and style | The Guardian](http://www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/2000/may/07/features.magazine37) ---
**Author:** ![StuffLikeThatThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@StuffLikeThatThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StuffLikeThatThere)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/97 "2011-06-18T12:28:26Z")
I second Paul Newman. If he was a jerk, I really don’t want to know about it. For a less universally known person … Frank DeFord. Besides having always like his commentary on NPR, he is an adoptive parent (as am I) and he had a child with cystic fibrosis (as do I). The tenderness with which he wrote about his daughter and her death, and the work he has done in the CF community make me admire him even more. I really would be devastated to find out that he’s not a good guy. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/98 "2011-06-18T16:09:26Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > From everything I’ve read, everyone in Hollywood not named Katherine Heigl loves Seth Rogan. Kevin Smith practically changed his entire lifestyle because of Rogan’s laidback attitude. Not necessarily an entirely good thing. I’ve heard that Smith’s previously relatively casual drug use has become pretty excessive. And it appears the change began around the time Smith was hanging out with Rogan, who has a reputation for drug use. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/99 "2011-06-18T16:31:47Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > While I’m resigned to the fact that John was a jerk, and Paul has rather an ego, I’d be crushed if it turned out George or Ringo were bad… Ringo seems like a generally nice guy and the glue that held the band together. But apparently George could be a bit self-righteous about being less of an ass than John or Paul, if that makes any sense ;). Sort of egotistic in a sideways kind of way. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/100 "2011-06-18T17:14:07Z")
Henry Rollins. He was very nice to a young, angst-filled me via mail. Joe [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644.md?page=6)