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Original poster

Rudest encounter with a celeb I've ever experienced

1000 replies

chattp · 30/08/2022 11:17

Not that I've had many!

But Christian Bale was in London 'itsu' a few months back.

He was buying something but I'd just picked it out of the chilled section. I saw he went to reach out for it at the same time so offered it to him, as I liked something else anyway

His response? 'You've touched it. Why would I want it now?'

I was really shocked at how rude he was!

OP posts:
lllllllllll · 30/08/2022 19:31

No-one can convince me otherwise that Dr May is lovely

I've never met Brian May but a close friend has - and said he was absolutely lovely.

AncientMariner · 30/08/2022 19:32

NGKfiver · 30/08/2022 15:33

My H is kind of in the public eye and (for different reasons) a couple of my friends are also well-known, and in one case, very famous.

Having spent time in public with them, I can honestly say it’s really shit and kind of a headfuck to be constantly accosted/interrupted/yelled at by people. For each of those people doing the approaching, it’s just the once but over the course of an afternoon, it’s, say, fifty people. I know they won’t get much sympathy but it is a strange situation. I think if it’s a real fan that’s one thing but often it’s just someone either wanting to shout their name at them or maybe have a photo. I can hardly believe how often people genuinely say “I’m not really a fan but I thought I should get a photo anyway!”. Also, because it is constant and often difficult - the fiftieth person might not get the dazzling smiles and charming chitchat that the first few people got.

I don’t buy the idea that it’s all their fault because they’re public property now or they “chased fame”. Lots of famous people happen to be famous because of a talent or a skill, and I’m glad they do what they do - it’s nice to have musicians or good sportspeople representing your team or to watch a good film with believable actors.

It’s a weird punitive pact to insist that because someone is a successful athlete or singer they be available to the public at all times, be perfect and polite, and always willing to ignore their friends/family/phone call if a stranger demands it, and then if they have one incident of not being bountiful then people can legitimately label them as a bitch or a diva or a nasty piece of work.

This.

Dartsplayer · 30/08/2022 19:32

Went to the races for a 40th birthday celebration. My friends and I (all in our 40s) saw Frankie Dettori and asked for a photo with him to which he haughtily replied I haven't got time I'm busy then spent the next 10 minutes having his photos taken with a group of beautiful young 20 somethings. Arrogant idiot

Completelyovernonsense · 30/08/2022 19:32

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at poster's request

saraclara · 30/08/2022 19:32

Onebreathmore · 30/08/2022 19:19

Imagine the egotism of thinking your one brief encounter with someone defines them as a person.

Yep. I've been thinking that.

Also some people are probably super charming in public, and horrible at home!

I'm uselessly unobservant though. I'm the person who walks straight past famous people while my companions go "did you see who that WAS?!" when it's too late!

My daughter and DGD got smiles and a nod from Victoria Coren and David Mitchell as they walked towards us. I missed them completely. Then a couple of weeks ago I was annoyed by a group of four or five people blocking the pavement while chatting. I was busy trying to find a gap through, so didn't notice that one of them was Jeremy Corbyn. And my friend said nothing until a minute later, assuming that I must have seen him.

The only famous person I've actually noticed in a public place recently was only noticeable because of his loping and unusual walk as he bounced along the concourse at St Pancras. It was Russell Brand.

MrsLargeEmbodied · 30/08/2022 19:37

Roger Daltry was lovely
Spike Milligan was funny

ReneBumsWombats · 30/08/2022 19:38

ImpartialMongoose · 30/08/2022 19:29

Oh, really? Why do you think that? I always thought he seemed rather lovely.

Show quote history

I've met him a few times. Pompous and up himself.

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 30/08/2022 19:41

MomwasCasual · 30/08/2022 12:34

Are you sure it wasn't just a Jet 2 flight Grin

Greggggg Wallace spent a few days at my workplace. So yeah. Universally loathed.

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Oh, bloody hell - me too with Greg Wallace at my workplace. He came to do one of his factory shows, and was a misogynistic twat. The footage was really really heavily edited and you could still feel the thinly veiled hatred from the staff Grin

Saw Amy Winehouse at Glasto, she was pissed / high and just shouted abuse at the crowd. They turned off her mic and her band played wonderful instrumental music, they were fab.

Other side of the coin, I met Paul Simon at a book signing and he was lovely.

CountryMouse22 · 30/08/2022 19:41

a) what about the person who put it in the freezer in the first place?
b) I don't think I'd recognise the man in question if I fell over him!

AchatAVendre · 30/08/2022 19:41

ImpartialMongoose · 30/08/2022 19:25

I was listening to a podcast with Stephen Fry being interviewed recently. He said it was such a strain to be in public for this reason. If he had an off day and was offhand with a fan, it could define him as a rude arrogant twat (not his exact words). So he has to force a fake nice persona in public. I can't think of anything worse.

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But anyone with a job has to be nice at work and often outwith work too (especially if they work in a public facing role) and even online, otherwise they risk losing their job...

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 30/08/2022 19:41

lllllllllll · 30/08/2022 19:31

No-one can convince me otherwise that Dr May is lovely

I've never met Brian May but a close friend has - and said he was absolutely lovely.

See I can feel it in my spleen that he's lovely .

Though if someone told me that Freddie , John and Roger were little nightmares I would believe them Grin

NanaNelly · 30/08/2022 19:42

Threebutterflies · 30/08/2022 15:50

If you already had the item and he wanted the same thing , why would you offer him yours if there was another one on the shelf ? If it wasn’t the last one I’d think it abit odd Someone offering me theres ?

It’s just politeness.

ChocolatemilkBertie · 30/08/2022 19:42

Len Goodman only lives a few miles from me and we met in a fish and chip shop. Only two customers in there.

He wasn’t rude. There was a moment where I clearly did a double take, realising who he was. He smiled and kind of lifted his hand as acknowledgement that I had recognised him. The smile, nod and hand lift combined politely made it clear “you know who I am but please leave me be”, which was fair enough. He was friendly and polite ordering his food, I ordered mine, he received his first, said thank you and again acknowledged me with a nod and said “have a good evening” and off he went.

Off duty celebrity, I was happy with that.

ImpartialMongoose · 30/08/2022 19:42

ReneBumsWombats · 30/08/2022 19:38

I've met him a few times. Pompous and up himself.

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There's just no knowing, is there. People's public personas are in no way a reflection of their real selves. Good or bad.

Antarcticant · 30/08/2022 19:43

Imagine the egotism of thinking your one brief encounter with someone defines them as a person.

But I think most people do do that, even if the person they've met isn't a celebrity. If a stranger is rude to you, you come away thinking they are a twat. If a stranger is kind to you, you come away thinking 'what a lovely woman/man'. You might, where they've been spectacularly rude, think charitably that perhaps they were having a bad day, but they'll be filed in your memory bank as 'that rude man in the stripy shirt in Sainsburys'.

TheGander · 30/08/2022 19:44

ImpartialMongoose · 30/08/2022 18:33

Funnily enough, the exact same thing happened to me with Jo Brand. She came to our university, all the students were milling about chatting. I was the first to notice her get on stage. I went to stand at the front on my own and she looked at me exactly as you describe. I was very skinny and wearing leggings which obviously emphasised it. I wanted to crawl away, I felt so ashamed. I used to get a lot of women have go at me for being so skinny, I couldn't help it and hated it. I just couldn't put on weight until I was in my twenties. I loved Jo Brand at the time but this really put me off her as it seemed so mean.

I once saw Jo Brand at my fave comedy pub in the 90s. As I arrived late the only spot left was in front of the stage. I was sweating buckets in case she asked me the usual “ what’s your name and what do you do”. I’m a state registered Dietitian.

ArabellaScott · 30/08/2022 19:44

John Peel. Served him in a cafe. An utterly rude, obnoxious arsehole.

ilovesushi · 30/08/2022 19:45

I've met some lovely celebs - Craig David and David Hasslehoff stand out as gorgeous human beings.

CountryMouse22 · 30/08/2022 19:45

I saw Alan Rickman in Harrods Book Department on Xmas Eve in the late 90s. Nobody seemed to have noticed him. I bought a paperback expressly so he could sign it for me! (MR James ghost stories). He was charming but I made sure I was very polite and apologised for intruding! Wished me a Happy Xmas!

Clarinet1 · 30/08/2022 19:45

BraveGoldie · 30/08/2022 14:50

Roger Federer- knocked on my (male) friend's hotel room door, when my friend was practising for a concert. He complimented him on his beautiful clarinet playing, said he'd been enjoying it, then walked away without even introducing himself. Smile

Obviously I need to know who you’re clarinet-playing friend is - could be a celebrity to me (see user name)!

Same1977 · 30/08/2022 19:46

Florence from Florence and the machine was so rude.I worked in a store and she bought some stuff then as walking out told me to hold l her bags (not jus front our store ).Came back hours later.The whole air around her was ' I'm so very special '.
Rowan Atkinson was so sweet.Very down to earth.

Daisychainsandglitter · 30/08/2022 19:47

Really disappointed to hear that Dexter Holland was so rude! I always thought (hoped) he would be nice.

ilovesushi · 30/08/2022 19:47

I met Jo Brand in a lift and she was nice. I said hi thinking I knew her and she said hi back.

ImpartialMongoose · 30/08/2022 19:48

TheGander · 30/08/2022 19:44

I once saw Jo Brand at my fave comedy pub in the 90s. As I arrived late the only spot left was in front of the stage. I was sweating buckets in case she asked me the usual “ what’s your name and what do you do”. I’m a state registered Dietitian.

Show quote history

😂yeah, you would have been served up on a platter to the audience

DumpedByText · 30/08/2022 19:49

I went to watch Strictly Come Dancing at Blackpool Tower Ballroom. Take That were performing and Gary Barlow forgot the words to his new song, he was such an arse about it. He also walked on and didn't look at anyone and stropped off afterwards, Mark Owen was lovely though, waving and saying hi to everyone. We waited outside in the day for all the dancers and stars to arrive and they were all so lovely, posing for photos and chatting, except Stacey Dooley, she wasn't interested in interacting with anyone!

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