# Stars Who Had No Friends? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 5, 2021, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947 "2021-10-05T20:45:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2021, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/1 "2021-10-05T20:45:19Z")
Movies, comedy, music, but someone who’s a star, well known. I used “had” because someone living can still change, and make friends. If you can only think of living people, try to pick the oldest, since chances are someone isn’t going to suddenly start becoming social at the age of 80. It could be a loner, or it could be someone who has a spouse and children and prefers being a homebody when they’re not on the road or in the studio. Artists tend to be introspective, but I heard from one that being famous is very lonely. It could be someone who might have wanted friends, but being a star might have made it difficult to hanging out with guys you went to school with, or even going out in general to have the chance to meet new people. It could be the nicest star, too. But it could be something related to something like agoraphobia, too. I just didn’t want the title to automatically give the idea that a certain star has a personality defect - but it could be. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2021, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/2 "2021-10-05T21:24:18Z")
Hard to define what really qualifies as a “friend” to someone who is famous. I’m sure they’re always surrounded by those in their line of work, those who work for them, fans, etc. but it would be hard to tell who they would consider a real friend. I’m sure Michael Jackson always had people around but I don’t know of many outside of maybe Macaulay Caulkin or Corey Feldman who would have said “yeah, Michael Jackson was a really close friend of mine.” Donald Trump has his family and plenty of business and political acquaintances that attend his gatherings but do you really think he has any close friends? ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2021, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/3 "2021-10-05T21:47:37Z")
Buddy Rich? ---
**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 5, 2021, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/4 "2021-10-05T22:01:52Z")
The classic example here is Johnny Carson, who had lots of acquaintances, many business partners, four wives, but no close friends. In an interview [Ed McMahon said Carson would literally raise his hand when people invaded his space.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiGASt0pR2I). Descriptions I’ve heard make me think it was more shyness or outright introversion than Carson actually being unfriendly, although Wayne Newton actually called Carson [“a mean-spirited human being.”](https://doyouremember.com/36401/secrets-never-knew-johnny-carson-show) ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2021, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/5 "2021-10-05T22:31:32Z")
I have a hard time picturing **William Shatner** having friends. I saw a [documentary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beware_of_Mr._Baker) on drummer **Ginger Baker**. The director/producer tried to befriend him, and Ginger smashed him in the face with a steel cane. > [@MortSahlFan](#): > > Movies, comedy, music, but someone who’s a star, well known. Not an entertainer, but when I think of “famous people with no friends,” the first person that comes to mind is **Isaac Newton**. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2021, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/6 "2021-10-05T22:36:31Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > I’m sure Michael Jackson always had people around but I don’t know of many outside of maybe Macaulay Caulkin or Corey Feldman who would have said “yeah, Michael Jackson was a really close friend of mine.” Liz Taylor seems to have been a good friend, insofar as any of us who only know what we read in the popular press can tell. I suspect it’s hard to know if someone famous has friends or not, unless it’s well documented that they were peculiarly reclusive - Howard Hughes comes to mind, though he doesn’t fit your other criteria. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2021, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/7 "2021-10-05T22:47:00Z")
Layne Staley was a music star and for the final years of his life, he was alone most of the time. He had a drug dealer and that was about it. He died alone, I believe. It was noticed that he was dead because no money had been withdrawn from his accounts in two weeks. Staley’s final years were _really_ bad. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2021, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/8 "2021-10-05T23:07:28Z")
Rudy Vallee, despite his huge fan base, apparently had no personal friends, mostly due to being a huge asshole ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2021, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/9 "2021-10-05T23:10:46Z")
Benny Hill may qualify. Tremendously famous in the UK in his time, he lived a quiet and frugal life. He rarely socialized. Wikipedia says he liked to travel to France, where he could move anonymously in the crowds, and chat up folks. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2021, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/10 "2021-10-05T23:38:13Z")
> [@MortSahlFan](#): > > Artists tend to be introspective, but I heard from one that being famous is very lonely… … Mort Sahl? ---
**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 6, 2021, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/11 "2021-10-06T00:54:48Z")
Jack Lord. Someone who holds a Christmas party for those on his show and threatens to fire anyone who didn’t attend probably has no friends. ---
**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 6, 2021, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/12 "2021-10-06T00:59:48Z")
Joe E. Ross of _Car 54 Where Are You?_ was an obnoxious slob. > **[King of Slobs: The Life of Joe E. Ross by Kliph Nesteroff](https://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2011/01/king-of-slobs.html)** > > "I guess he was funny in his own way. I don't think he had a very good nightclub act." - Ronnie Schell, comedian "His life centered around dating strippers." - Steve Rossi, comedy straight man Joe E. Ross was the... ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2021, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/13 "2021-10-06T01:00:06Z")
Elvis. Those guys he hung out with were leeches. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2021, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/14 "2021-10-06T02:14:28Z")
Joe E. Ross was who I was trying to think of from Kliph Nesteroff‘s book. That’s also where I read about what an asshole Rudy Vallee was. ---
**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 6, 2021, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/15 "2021-10-06T02:17:35Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I have a hard time picturing **William Shatner** having friends. > > I saw a [documentary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beware_of_Mr._Baker) on drummer **Ginger Baker**. The director/producer tried to befriend him, and Ginger smashed him in the face with a steel cane. > > > [@MortSahlFan](#): > > > > Movies, comedy, music, but someone who’s a star, well known. > > Not an entertainer, but when I think of “famous people with no friends,” the first person that comes to mind is **Isaac Newton**. I immediately thought of Beware of Mr Baker. ---
**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 6, 2021, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/16 "2021-10-06T02:18:46Z")
> **[The Tragic Last Days of Jack Lord (Steve McGarrett of Hawaii Five-0) - The...](https://thelifeandtimesofhollywood.com/the-tragic-last-days-of-jack-lord-steve-mcgarrett-of-hawaii-five-0/)** > > For seven years, starting in 1991, the rugged Jack Lord, known as the rugged Steve McGarret on Hawaii 5-0 was basically non-responsive. His… Apparently no one visited him when he was dying from Alzheimers disease. He loved poetry and the arts. At the end of his life he could enjoy neither. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2021, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/17 "2021-10-06T02:23:03Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > I suspect it’s hard to know if someone famous has friends or not, unless it’s well documented that they were peculiarly reclusive Part of the culture of Hollywood is to refer to anyone with whom you’ve had even a passing association as a friend. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2021, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/18 "2021-10-06T03:08:17Z")
One wonders if that was also the case for Kevin DuBrow, who was believed to have been dead for about a week, also from an overdose, before anyone noticed he was missing. Kevin was the singer for Quiet Riot, and his brother is a well-known plastic surgeon who does a reality show called “Botched.” I’ve always heard that Gene Simmons has gone through life with lots of girlfriends and sex partners, but no other friends. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2021, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/19 "2021-10-06T03:27:43Z")
Alan Ladd was not at all abrasive or snooty. My grandmother, a bit player without even an IMDB listing, was gifted his wire recorder to mail back and forth to my dad in military school (postage being cheaper than long distance phone). But Ladd would hide out alone on dark patios at Hollywood parties, unable to make small talk or find friends. Maybe it was the sense of isolation after his mother committed suicide by eating ant paste. ---
**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 6, 2021, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947/20 "2021-10-06T03:57:26Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I’ve always heard that Gene Simmons has gone through life with lots of girlfriends and sex partners, but no other friends. Simmons has been married to Shannon Tweed for years. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-who-had-no-friends/951947.md?page=2)