# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/121 "2011-06-20T14:21:11Z")
> [@CrimeThink](#): > > I’d be surprised if Morgan Freeman turned out to be an A-hole. You might want to sit down for this … ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/122 "2011-06-20T14:29:08Z")
Peyton Manning, for reasons I can’t coherently verbalize/type. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/123 "2011-06-20T15:36:56Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > On the obverse, I would be disappointed to learn that Jack Nicholson is a really nice, quiet guy and that the public persona is all an act. > [@Sparky812](#): > > I’m sorry to disappoint you but I met him once while he was shopping at a market in New York, and he was a really nice, quiet guy in person. A co-worker of mine had a Nicholson encounter a few years ago when he was in town shooting _About Schmidt_. From her description, I wouldn’t call him a \*bad \*guy, but he was pure Jack. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/124 "2011-06-20T15:52:45Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > 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. I had a similar conversation. He’s a good guy, but a little detatched–he doesn’t have the “always on” personality common to most career politicians I know. When he realizes you’re somewhat serious, he’s great. Otherwise, he kind of defaults to “blow-off” mode. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear people call him a jerk. They’d be wrong, but I wouldn’t be surprised. ---
**Author:** ![Cheryl44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@Cheryl44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheryl44)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/125 "2011-06-20T16:03:49Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > What? WHAT???:eek: Ellen DeGeneris is evil. I don’t know why people don’t know that. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/126 "2011-06-20T17:29:08Z")
> [@Cheryl44](#): > > Ellen DeGeneris is evil. I don’t know why people don’t know that. Ok, I may regret this but I’ll bite. Your comment is based on what?!?!? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/127 "2011-06-20T18:06:39Z")
> [@Suil\_Dubh](#): > > \ > > Ewan McGregor (who always seems like an affable guy)\ I would agree with this. A guy who spends all his time between movies driving motorcycles around the world does not seem like a huge diva. > [@Maiira](#): > > Mike Holmes, of the renovation show Holmes on Holmes. Yes, he bitches about bad home design, but other than that he seems like a swell guy, at least to homeowners. If he were bossy and demanding to his construction crew that wouldn’t surprise me, but if he was an asshole to other people…well, I just don’t wanna know. I agree on this, too - he practically starts crying when an older lady gives him a hug for fixing her bunged-up house. We saw him give a presentation here a couple of years ago, and I’d say proper home repair is his passion - that’s not put on. > [@StusBlues](#): > > A co-worker of mine had a Nicholson encounter a few years ago when he was in town shooting _About Schmidt_. > > From her description, I wouldn’t call him a \*bad \*guy, but he was pure Jack. I don’t think Jack Nicholson qualifies for this thread, because you’re kind of expecting some salty behaviour from him. My additions would be Craig Ferguson and Keanu Reeves. Craig would surprise and sadden me because he’s done so much work to get his life on track, and Keanu because he seems to be just a regular guy who makes movies. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/128 "2011-06-20T18:23:37Z")
> [@Cheryl44](#): > > Ellen DeGeneris is evil. I don’t know why people don’t know that. Not sure if I can find a cite, but I’ve heard she’s quite a diva behind the scenes and a pain in the ass to work with, starkly contrasted with her happy-go-lucky stage persona. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/129 "2011-06-20T19:00:27Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Not sure if I can find a cite, but I’ve heard she’s quite a diva behind the scenes and a pain in the ass to work with, starkly contrasted with her happy-go-lucky stage persona. Ellen has never sat right with me ever since the Anne Heche affair/breakup. She seems like she could be rather cruel and heartless, her warm exterior belies a cold hard butch lesbian on the inside. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/130 "2011-06-20T19:25:03Z")
Maybe, but let’s not jump to conclusions until the autopsy is complete. ---
**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:** [June 20, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/131 "2011-06-20T19:25:05Z")
I might as well chime in and say she’s never set right with me either. Her personality seems phony and contrived for effect. I recall seeing her and her mother on some profile piece checking into a cheap motel prior to a gig in L.A. before she hit the bigtime and she didn’t act anything like she does in the personna she’s developed since. She was irritable, depressed and depressing and seemed like somebody who hated her life. I thought “This woman is a _comedian_?”. Plus I’ve read (no cite) that her underlings on her show are forbidden to look at her (cameraman excepted, I suppose :D), and things like that don’t set well either. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/132 "2011-06-20T19:26:31Z")
Huh? Didn’t Heche go nutty or something? Are you suggesting De Generes made her go nutty and run away from home? I’ve heard Nathan Lane can be quite the diva himself, but, you know, he _is_ Nathan Lane. Same with Paul McCartney. He _should_ have an ego – he’s _Paul McCartney!_ ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/133 "2011-06-20T19:49:19Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > See my previous comment in this thread about Eric Idle - he’s very cutthroat showbiz in his outlook. Funny but not genuinely nice at all. Maybe he’s nice [half the time](http://www.ibras.dk/montypython/episode18.htm#8)? ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/134 "2011-06-20T23:21:06Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > FWIW, I’ve heard lots of stories of Gates being insulting and abusive with people at Microsoft. Same with Steve Jobs. Oddly, they seem able to get the most out of their employees that way. Well I’d talked to him as an employee a few dozen times since 1992. He wasn’t abusive per se - he just didn’t suffer fools. He knew what he was talking about and if you hadn’t achieved deadline on your deliverables you’d better have been able to explain exactly why you hadn’t. He was no more or less insulting or abusive than any number of lower-level managers I’ve had. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/135 "2011-06-21T00:56:58Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > . Same with Paul McCartney. He _should_ have an ego – he’s _Paul McCartney!_ He’s _earned_ the right to that ego! ---
**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:** [June 21, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/136 "2011-06-21T01:07:57Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > Well I’d talked to him as an employee a few dozen times since 1992. He wasn’t abusive per se - he just didn’t suffer fools. He knew what he was talking about and if you hadn’t achieved deadline on your deliverables you’d better have been able to explain exactly why you hadn’t. He was no more or less insulting or abusive than any number of lower-level managers I’ve had. He didn’t tell people in meetings that their ideas were the stupidest thing he’d ever heard, and things like that? ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/137 "2011-06-21T01:20:51Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > He didn’t tell people in meetings that their ideas were the stupidest thing he’d ever heard, and things like that? I’m not sure about Bill Gates’s personal life, but in a work context I might give him a pass. E.g., I’m sure R. Lee Ermey has always been a gentleman outside of Parris Island, but when he’s worked as a DI then shouting at maggots was part of his job. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/138 "2011-06-21T01:24:41Z")
If either [John Clarke](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Clarke_(satirist)) or [John Doyle](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Doyle_(comedian)) proved to be even just run-of-the mill assholes I’d be so buggered I don’t reckon I could throw a gumboot through the window of the Lithgow Shamrocks Clubhouse. You don’t know how lucky we are, Trev. ---
**Author:** ![YaraMateo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/58f4c7/32.png) [@YaraMateo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaraMateo)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/139 "2011-06-21T01:45:29Z")
Paul Rudd. If he was secretly an asshole or a womanizer, I would cry. He just so CUTE. If you turned a LOLCAT into a person, that person would be Paul Rudd. I’ve liked him since 1995. As much as I like him and find him to be a good actor (and funny), I don’t think I would like him anymore if he wasn’t nice. ---
**Author:** ![YaraMateo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/58f4c7/32.png) [@YaraMateo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaraMateo)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644/140 "2011-06-21T01:55:08Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Never heard a thing, good or bad, about Steve Buscemi’s personal life, but I imagine him to be a really nice guy and I would be disappointed to hear differently. > > No one’s mentioned either Andy or Opie? Ron Howard and Andy Griffith – I’ve never heard an angry word directed to or from either of them. Hope that stays true. I don’t know much about him, but always thought he was cool. On his IMDB board, they say he’s a really devote family man. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-celebrity-is-revealed-to-be-an-asshole-who-surprises-saddens-you-most/585644.md?page=8)