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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Barbara Windsor

924 replies

Patriciathestripper1 · 14/07/2017 18:08

Apparently the whole country is waiting to celebrate her birthday (according to ITV)
Well Dh certainly isn't!
He was a big fan when he was a lad, and went to see her in a pantomime.
Waiting at the stage door after the show for an autograph with other star struck youngsters, she came out and told them all to Piss Off and clear off home Shock
He said she was the most horrible, rude person and that he never watched her in anything again.
Which celebs have you met that didn't match up to the pedestal you had them on?

OP posts:
ToastMarketingBoard · 16/07/2017 02:11

My sister had a "Do you know who I am?" encounter with Peter Andre back in the 90s. It sounds like he's mellowed since!

One hotel I worked at in Leeds often accommodated acts for the City Varieties, generally older tv personalities- think Nicholas Parsons, Roy Walker etc. They were usually very pleasant, the main exception being Isla St Clair, who flounced out in a diva fit refusing to stay. A lot of encounters are coloured by the attitude and expectations of the non-celeb. I remember being surprised by how dour and grumpy Daniel O'Donnell was- he wasn't particularly rude or anything, but I think I was expecting a twinkly Irish elf! One day I mentioned to a colleague that I'd just checked in Keith Harris. She said that when she'd checked him in at a different hotel, he'd told her to fuck off. I expressed my surprise as he'd been lovely with me- she replied, "Well, I did ask him if he wanted a cot for Orville." Grin

ToastMarketingBoard · 16/07/2017 02:22

Oh, and I'm another person with an unpleasant Jimmy Savile encounter. He'd been speaking at a dinner, and as he left through the hotel reception, I said goodnight as a courtesy. He stopped, came back in and over to me, reached behind the desk and grabbed my hand to kiss it. It was all completely unnecessary- we'd barely interacted- and he acted like he'd bestowed some great favour on me. My hand reeked of cigars, it was absolutely disgusting.

K1092902 · 16/07/2017 02:53

I honestly don't blame celebrities for berating people for photos sometimes. Everyone is entitled to a day off and some privacy.

I remember once taking DSD and some friends bowling for her birthday and a premier league footballer was there with his kids. Wouldn't let any of them bother him for a selfie and he threw me a thankful look.

aquashiv · 16/07/2017 08:16

Mary Berry comment is utter rubbish. She is a business woman yes and how is that bad ??? She is a very kind generous woman that quietly without promotion helps vulnerable members in her local community. Definitely smart and very astute.

zukiecat · 16/07/2017 09:30

Toast
My auntie and uncle owned and ran a small hotel in the 70/80's in Aberdeen

Isla St Clair was a friend of the family and she used to take my brother and me out for tea

I always remember her as being very nice and kind!

INeedABiggerBoat · 16/07/2017 09:34

Danny John Jules - very nice guy but suspect he had a bit too much of a good time when he was younger IYKWIM.

Kris Marshall - very polite and affable but a teensy bit pretentious. Desperate to be accepted as a 'serious actor'.

Andy Serkis - charming and funny but head totally in the clouds.

Princess Di - unfortunately can corroborate a PP's post - very aware of her image but a total diva behind the scenes.

Ben Whishaw - very shy but also very intelligent and interested in others. Doesn't suffer fools gladly though.

hippadoppaloppagorillapig · 16/07/2017 09:35

Graham Norton was a twat at Birmingham Pride a good few years ago. He was in one of the nightclubs, not in a VIP area or anything, so of course people were going to go up to him. He was extremely rude to everyone. Don't go in the main area if you don't want to be bothered!!

stonecircle · 16/07/2017 09:46

Mary Berry comment is utter rubbish. She is a business woman yes and how is that bad ??? She is a very kind generous woman that quietly without promotion helps vulnerable members in her local community. Definitely smart and very astute.

Aqua - but what does that matter if she doesn't smile, chat with complete strangers and pose for selfies with them? Does she not know she belongs to the people who made her famous so it is her duty to perform 24/7?

SueMacartney · 16/07/2017 09:52

It's a bit patronising and one-dimensional to expect Mary Berry to just be this cuddly old lady.

SueMacartney · 16/07/2017 09:53

(Not a response to you stone!)

BoysofMelody · 16/07/2017 10:06

Oh, a friend works in the National Gallery of Scotland. Tracey Emin is utterly wonderful by all accounts. Visits relatively infrequently, but remembers gallery attendants by name and what they're up to. Chats happily away to all and sundry and is genuinely interested in what other people have to say.

Spottytop1 · 16/07/2017 10:21

Peter Andre - met several times and he is very lovely, polite and chatty each time.

John Barrowman - equally as nice and chatty.

Joe Pasquali - very funny & down to earth.

VB - quiet but polite.

Peter Schmeichel - very rude to my young ( football mad) son who just ran up in excitement and said hi! Looked at him in disgust and turned his back on him without saying hi back.

Joan Collins - very rude and arrogant - I was with a group of disabled children attending a special pantomime show, all
Other celebs stopped afterwards to say hello. She got her security to walk her past the children up the aisle but refused to look, smile or wave at them. Why bother coming front of stage?

Original poster
Patriciathestripper1 · 16/07/2017 11:16

Oooo I always wondered about Joan Collins! She seems nice on the surface but always gives off an air of 'I'm better than you'

OP posts:
Sandyfeet101 · 16/07/2017 11:20

Rik Mayall, David Walliams and Matt Lucas. All delightful.

Frizzcat · 16/07/2017 11:30

Love a sleb thread.

Cilla Black always comes up on these ones, but no one ever says what's she's done and I do so want to know. SO FESS UP. What did Noel Edmonds do that can't be mentioned. Why was Cilla so bad? Where are Alan Shearer's children?

MyheartbelongstoG · 16/07/2017 11:36

Mariah Carey, what a let down.

Would like to add I have met Jon Bongiovi on a couple of occasions and him and the others in the band were lovely.

Original poster
Patriciathestripper1 · 16/07/2017 12:14

I used to love John bonjovie and love their music until I read an interview done on him is a magazine.
The way the he interviewed was really sleazy and he kept making reference to shagging the interviewer. Sort of went off him a bit after that!

OP posts:
BabychamSocialist · 16/07/2017 12:40

My DB works in the TV industry and won't have a bad word said against Mel and Sue, David Tennant, Claudia Winkleman, Jimmy Carr, Richard Ayoade, Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe, Fiona Bruce, Kirsty Young, Alex Brooker or Sarah Millican - he said they're all absolutely lovely and very nice to crews!

DB said he found Kirstie Allsopp very off.

MandateMandy · 16/07/2017 12:42

Michelle Gomez was lovely. Got chatting about motherhood and kids and she was crackin.

Anthea Turner was a bit of a cold fish.

Martin O'Neill really really humble and polite.

Russ Abbot very kind and smiley.

Toyah Wilcoz - totally unassuming and gorgeous.

SueMacartney · 16/07/2017 12:58

Babycham that is good to hear as I like a lot of those people mentioned.

dragonsandfairies · 16/07/2017 13:32

Didnt chat to her but caroline quentin was at the same petrol station as us once when we were on the way to cornwall. It was early hours and my 5 month old son was crying. I was comforting him and she just looked at me and went 'aww' i didnt recognise her until my mother in law told me who it was.
Lean headey has supposedly moved into a village next to me. Not seen her yet but shes been seen in the local pub

LucyTheLocalBike · 16/07/2017 14:47

We met Sarah Millican after one of her shows on an early tour. Absolutely lovely and had time for an autograph and photo even though she was rushing off to her next show.
Idina Menzel saw everybody who had waited for an hour after a show (pre Frozen)
Russell Grant is actually quite lovely, he is very much a luvvie but quite funny about it. He always remembers DDs birthday after working with her for just one month many years ago.
Sam Lupton was charming both times we met him after seeing him in Avenue Q and later Wicked.
On the other hand Mark King of Level 42 has lost a lifelong fan here. seen them many times but after the last show we waited at the stage
door along with a couple of other fans. We met all the other members who were lovely but after 2 hours still no sign of Mark. Finally we were told he had already left. We turned the corner and saw him drinking a large glass of red wine by the bus but jumped on board and hid when he saw us coming. Arrogant shit

Wishfulmakeupping · 16/07/2017 15:25

Still working my way through thread-
DH met Chris Rea said he was pleasant enough, and Frank Williams very nice.
Met Shane Richie as a child pre- eastenders nice bloke very orange and showbiz hands.
Me and mum went to see an 80's night concern went for a few drinks before the show and Tony Hadley walks in (the sole reason we were at said show my dm adores him) went over and he could not have been nicer- he was with friends and his wife/gf but made time to have a conversation with my mum and brought us a drink- top bloke 👍

prettybird · 16/07/2017 15:49

Tim Vine is absolutely lovely: a gentle modest giant. Took time to talk to fans after his show at the Edinburgh Festival when we went to see him 4 years ago. Was lovely with ds (12 at the time - just old enough to see the show) and took time to pose for photos. He was genuinely "Awww shucks Blush" when dh and I told him we'd enjoyed his show much more than Eddie Izzard's much more expensive show which we'd seen a few months earlier.

nina2b · 16/07/2017 16:27

aquashiv

Ricky Gervais is nothing like the alter ego. Someone who would stop to save a bumble bee.

Awwww. What a lovely way to describe him. I think he is great and very funny.