My brother works as a set dresser in the TV and movie business. He’s therefore gotten to meet a lot of celebrities over the years. He rarely gushes about any of them- he’s found that the great majority of them are generally pleasant and professional. There are a handful he’s gone out of his way to rave about- among them are Tina Fey, Nicolas Cage, Paul Giamatti, Michael J. Fox, Hugh Jackman, Skipp Sudduth and Ken Howard.
That said, I’ve read some very negative things about quite a few people on that list. Many stories make Nicolas Cage sound like a violent loony. So, what am I to believe? That my brother is lying? That the people who claim to have had bad experiences with those stars are lying? Maybe those stars are generally nice people who had a bad day and did regrettable things. Or maybe they’re generally jerks who caught my brother on a good day!
Or maybe one can be a perfect gentleman and professional on the set and then turn into a morose loner the moment the cameras are off (I’ve heard Dean Martin was like this). Or maybe some celebs are introverts who are cold or even hostile to fans and media but can be a joy to know once they let down their guard.
My brother has told me some great stories that make Paul Giamatti sound like a truly wonderful guy. But will that convince an autograph seeker he once rebuffed? Or an ex-girlfriend who had a nasty breakup with him? Of course not.
I’m just glad I don’t have people coming up to me all the time demanding time, attention, signatures and pictures and then going back and reporting on my attitude, demeanor, smell, geniality and so on all the time.
My wife was watching the Downton Abbey Pre-Season 5 show last night, hosted by Ms. Peters, and was surprised to see BP’s breasts are much smaller than in times past. She/they still look fine, in our opinion, not that it matters.
We assume she must have had breast cancer, but wonder if anyone here knows. Just curious because we’ve always liked her.
I’ve heard many a sweet story about Kiefer Sutherland from pros and civilians, and nary a bad one except for Freddie Prinz, Jr. One second-hand one was a waitress in a small town where he was filming. She was shy about new braces; he got her to smile and told her she looked beautiful. He later overheard her telling other waitresses and commenting that it was worth going deeply in debt just for the compliment. That night, and every single night for the rest of his time there, he tipped her a hundred dollars.
My wife was Neil Gaiman’s designated gopher for a day (he was doing an appearance/signing at the huge downtown library). She said he was extremely nice, made sure to remember and call her by her (fairly unusual) name, and didn’t like Earl Grey tea.
There’s a framed photo of them together on our bookshelf. And that’s OK.
A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter is NOT a nice person.
It does make me wonder, though, how many famous people got a bad rep because they had a lot of interactions on bad days. I mean, I’m a nice guy…but there have been days…
I’m really amused by all the comments that suggest, “Just because he ACTS like a nice guy doesn’t mean he IS a nice guy.” Really? I suppose we all need to be psychic to determine who’s nice and who’s not.
Well, yeah, actually, that’s about the size of it.
Tom Hanks SEEMS like a swell guy. Almost everyone in Hollywood thinks so. I have absolutely no good reason to say he isn’t. But I’ve been wrong before, many times. Mel Gibson seemed like a nice guy. Bill Cosby seemed like a nice guy. Joe Paterno seemed like a man of high morals and principles. So, what do I know?
Never mind celebrities. Have there been people I’ve KNOWN pretty well who’ve done some horrible things? Yep.
I had a cousin who seems like a very nice guy. He did time at Leavenworth for drug dealing!
The owner of my favorite local pizza joint turned out to be a killer with close ties to the Mob. He seemed like a nice guy, too! I talked to him regularly, and he seemed like a warm, friendly guy.
If I didn’t see that coming, if I couldn’t accurately read my own cousin’s personality, if I couldn’t tell that I guy I actually KNEW was a killer, how can I possibly judge Tom Hanks?
Ozzy Osbourne
When Ozzy was in town one year, my friend Mike wanted to get in the autograph line and have him sign his album The Ultimate Sin. Unfortunately, Mike contracted bone cancer in his hips and had to stay in the hospital during Ozzy’s appearance. So, he got his sister to take his place. When she got up to Ozzy, she told him about Mike. Ozzy wound up calling Mike at the hospital and wishing him well.
James Doohan
Several friends of mine went to a Star Trek convention in Atlanta. James Doohan was one of the guests. My friends left the convention to eat lunch at a Wendy’s downtown. After they started eating, Doohan himself came into Wendy’s. He saw them at their table with their convention badges, sat down with them and started talking. My friends just shot the breeze with him and didn’t say a word about Star Trek.
MANY people take issue with his beliefs, but I’ve heard lots of positive stories about Tom Cruise.
Apparently, he’s very much like a politician in that he makes a point of learning everyone’s name, their children’s names, important dates etc. And he puts all of his attention on the person he’s speaking to. Plus, he’s very professional, always on time, respecting everyone’s job, etc.
From everything I’ve heard, David Tennant, Matt Smith, and Peter Capaldi (the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Doctors) are all sweet guys who love interacting with fans. Ditto John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness).
I know for a fact that Alan Parsons is kind, charming, and witty. I’ve met him on several occasions, but I was especially convinced when, at a concert where the Alan Parsons Project was opening for Yes and they printed the wrong start time on the tickets so we fans all showed up late and missed APP’s set, he personally went out to the ticket people, talked to them, got us all refunds (I think there were 5 or 6 fan-club folks there) and invited us all to hang out backstage with him and the band during the Yes concert.
I’ve never heard anything but praise for Alice Cooper and what a nice, funny guy he is. I got to meet him recently during a meet-and-greet, and he was a sweetheart.
I’ve never met Geddy Lee or Alex Lifeson of Rush, but fans have said they’re nice guys too. Neil Peart doesn’t like to hang out with fans since he’s a very private guy who isn’t comfortable being “on” with strangers, but he still seems like a good guy to those who don’t try to take advantage of him.
If you listen to Jay Mohr’s podcast he has nothing but great things to say about Cruise and their time on Jerry Maguire. It is kind of Cruise’s thing. He feels very strongly about not losing sight of who is working hard on a movie to make it work and make him look good. It may seem calculated but the way Mohr explains it he seems to genuinely care and want to take care of those around him on the set. And he is very quick to give that advice to other actors. Don’t be an asshole, don’t get a swelled head because your name is above the title, nothing gets done without everyone on the movie doing their job. Mohr will say that was the best experience he had on a movie. The worst: Jennifer Aniston.
Well, I suppose you can do plenty of heroic things and still be an asshole, but Mark Harmon saved some people’s lives when they got in a car wreck near his house - broke a window and pulled them out of a burning car. (I’ve also always heard he’s very, very nice to fans, at least, and that people like working with him.)
