# What celebrities are known for being jerks(that are not named Chevy Chase)?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 4, 2020, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839 "2020-09-04T19:52:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 21

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**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/401 "2025-01-29T14:18:28Z")

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> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#):
>
> Likewise Billy Bob Thornton and his sullen, non-responsive appearance on CBC Radio’s “Studio Q”:

Which reminds me, the interviewer in that case, Jian Ghomeshi, was quite a jerk ([of the rough sex, rapey kind](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jian_Ghomeshi#Criminal_charges_and_trial)) himself.

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**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/402 "2025-01-29T14:30:26Z")

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> [@Alessan](#):
>
> I think Lorne has a bunch of guys - Hanks, Alec Baldwin, John Goodman, Christopher Walken, a few others - that he knows he can call on Friday to come save his show,.

Dana Carvey is close with Lorne-- he even lived with Lorne for a while. He has a lot of good Lorne stories he tells on his ‘Fly on the Wall’ podcast. Like how Lorne would often casually name-drop stuff like “I invited Paul over for dinner tonight”. And Carvey would wonder “Paul Simon? Paul McCartney?” Either was equally likely.

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**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/403 "2025-01-29T15:02:22Z")

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> [@solost](#):
>
> Like how Lorne would often casually name-drop stuff like “I invited Paul over for dinner tonight”. And Carvey would wonder “Paul Simon? Paul McCartney?” Either was equally likely

They did a joke about that on the 40th Anniversary show. Both Pauls came on and sang “I’ve Just Seen a Face” together.

Speaking of the thread topic, Paul Simon. As much as I love his music, he has a reputation for being… prickly. The Los Lobos thing is overblown but doesn’t help the perception.

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**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/404 "2025-01-29T16:04:17Z")

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> [@garygnu](#):
>
> Speaking of the thread topic, Paul Simon.

Speaking if the SNL hijack, he wasn’t that great of a host. It was a pretty dull 90 minutes. Still, to be fair, it was only the second episode.

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**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/405 "2025-01-29T16:06:30Z")

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[Sir Henry Irving](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Irving), one of 19th-Century Britain’s most famous actors. Today, in the United States, he is remembered for being the employer of Bram Stoker, author of _Dracula_.

from the wikipedia page:

> Irving, however, “… was a self-absorbed and profoundly manipulative man. He enjoyed cultivating rivalries between his followers, and to remain in his circle required constant, careful courting of his notoriously fickle affections.”[[17]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Irving#cite_note-Warren2002-18) When Stoker began writing _[Dracula](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracula)_, Irving was the chief inspiration for the [title character](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count_Dracula).[[17]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Irving#cite_note-Warren2002-18)

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**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/406 "2025-01-29T16:07:53Z")

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> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#):
>
> It was a pretty dull 90 minutes.

His one on one with Connie Hawkins was a classic, though.

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**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/407 "2025-01-29T16:11:42Z")

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He’s hosted four times and got better. (He’s in the five-timers club due to his 14 appearances as musical guest.)

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**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/408 "2025-01-29T16:13:37Z")

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"and to remain in his circle required constant, careful courting of his notoriously fickle affections.”

I used to have a best friend like that. He isn’t (and wasn’t) famous, but that pretty much describes it. I wasn’t careful enough I guess. 🙂

> [@garygnu](#):
>
> [Paul Simon]’s hosted four times and got better.

Good to hear. The entire first season was them finding their way, and they tended to get lost quite often. 🙂  
And yes, Connie Hawkins and him was fun.

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**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/409 "2025-01-29T16:54:32Z")

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> [@garygnu](#):
>
> As much as I love his music, he has a reputation for being… prickly.

Here he is cutting off the unbridled joy of a child:

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/G1dlWmrRstc/maxresdefault.jpg "Sesame Street: Paul Simon Sings Me & Julio") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1dlWmrRstc)

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**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:** [January 29, 2025, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/410 "2025-01-29T20:31:52Z")

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> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#):
>
> Likewise Billy Bob Thornton and his sullen, non-responsive appearance on CBC Radio’s “Studio Q”:
> 
> [https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-most-painful-interview-of-billy-bob-thorntons-life/](https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-most-painful-interview-of-billy-bob-thorntons-life/)

I don’t think Billy Bob is a jerk. He’s an eccentric artist. From what I remember they were going around promoting an album. He actually started off trying to be a successful musician and fell into acting. Before the interview was booked it was made clear it was to be about the band and not acting. BBT thought it would be disrespectful of the other members of the band to sit there and listen to questions about acting. If the interviewer thought no one would be interested in an interview about the band he was free to not agree to the interview. I remember seeing interviews with BBT about that other interview and he was very open about it. He’s usually a good and entertaining interview even if he’s dressed like a pirate who is down on his luck.

> [@solost](#):
>
> > [@Alessan](#):
> >
> > I think Lorne has a bunch of guys - Hanks, Alec Baldwin, John Goodman, Christopher Walken, a few others - that he knows he can call on Friday to come save his show,.
> 
> Dana Carvey is close with Lorne-- he even lived with Lorne for a while. He has a lot of good Lorne stories he tells on his ‘Fly on the Wall’ podcast. Like how Lorne would often casually name-drop stuff like “I invited Paul over for dinner tonight”. And Carvey would wonder “Paul Simon? Paul McCartney?” Either was equally likely.

Lorne and Paul Simon have adjoining apartments on the Upper West Side. Lorne certainly knows a lot big names and can call in favors but I think it’s safe to say Paul Simon is his best friend.

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**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/411 "2025-01-29T20:56:50Z")

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As a single counter-point, I have a video of Simon visiting a dying fan in the hospital and playing “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” for her. The fan was my friend’s cousin and someone reached out to him and he showed up. So, not all bad.

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**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/412 "2025-01-29T20:59:16Z")

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> [@jnglmassiv](#):
>
> Here he is cutting off the unbridled joy of a child:

I mean, in Simon’s defense she has no idea what the lyrics are and her ability to keep the beat is atrocious.

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**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/413 "2025-01-29T21:16:04Z")

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Any seasoned performer knows you avoid working with kids and animals like the plague. They never hit the right marks or the right notes, and they are little attention sponges sucking up all the oxygen in the room.

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**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/414 "2025-01-29T21:19:55Z")

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There’s a cute video of Simon inviting a fan onstage to play “Duncan” on his guitar after she shouted out she learned to play guitar using that song.

It’s almost as if, just like nice celebrities can have jerk moments, unfriendly ones can be occasionally magnanimous.

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**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/415 "2025-01-29T21:52:00Z")

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How about John Wilkes Booth?

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**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/416 "2025-01-29T23:23:55Z")

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> [@XOldiesJock](#):
>
> But has there ever been a case in which they realized by Wednesday or Thursday that the guest host was going to stink, gave them their walking papers and filled with someone else?

In one of the SNL books, I think Marci Klein, one of the producers, said no guest had ever backed out during the week they prep the show. Some have had to cancel only days before they were set to arrive which forced the show to scramble to find a replacement host, but no one had ever just walked out after they got there.

That info might be out of date by now, dunno.

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**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/417 "2025-01-29T23:43:41Z")

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> [@Crafter\_Man](#):
>
> I’ve heard John Lydon (Johnny Rotten) is not the nicest guy.

Maybe he’s still pissed at himself for [dropping £10,000 on iPad in-app game purchases](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/sex-pistols-singer-johnny-rotten-750653/) and is just taking it out on everyone else.

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**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/418 "2025-01-30T00:14:20Z")

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> [@Crafter\_Man](#):
>
> I’ve heard John Lydon (Johnny Rotten) is not the nicest guy.

Funny, on Conan - JR and Greg Allman weren’t quite seeing eye to eye (in green room), where it escalated to the point where Johnny had to immediately high-tail it after his i-view to avoid Alllman, who wanted to tear him from limb to limb. I think I have that story right.

> [@Loach](#):
>
> BBT thought it would be disrespectful of the other members of the band to sit there and listen to questions about acting. If the interviewer thought no one would be interested in an interview about the band he was free to not agree to the interview. I remember seeing interviews with BBT about that other interview and he was very open about it.

Thank-you. Sure, a flinty guy (maybe not screenwriter Paul Shrader ridiculously flinty), but, whatevs. Standing up for mates like that - noble.

I wonder if Chevy has stumbled across this thread. Just to read the title. (good enough for me)  
Ha, and then he’d _post!_ What, exactly?

“Ok, guys. Just fuck-off, ok? None of you will EVER have any grasp of what I do for a fucking living, and you all just sit there, namby-pambying behind your keyboards thinking ‘Oh aren’t we culturally superior. Chevy’s the bad guy! WAAAAAAA!’ Apart from maybe Olivier and Streep, there’s not too many pros out there, ok? So just go whine into your cappucinos.”

His Spock’s mental breakdown in SNL’s Star Trek riff was one of the funniest moments, ever, on televsion, for me. And then, _that’s it_. Completely it. Oh wait - the uvula ad. And really - THAT is IT. Stick a fork in him.

Has Milton Berle been mentioned?

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**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/419 "2025-01-30T00:51:27Z")

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> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#):
>
> Has Milton Berle been mentioned?

No, what was the other thing?

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**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:** [January 30, 2025, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-celebrities-are-known-for-being-jerks-that-are-not-named-chevy-chase/919839/420 "2025-01-30T01:29:07Z")

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> [@P-man](#):
>
> How about John Wilkes Booth?

Really just another murderer, not a jerk in the sense of Chevy Chase or others like that.

What John Wilkes Booth that much of a celebrity? I mean, before he killed Lincoln?

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