Have you met a celebrity villain?

[pawsies]

Someone that is controversial in the media or comes across unpleasant on TV or whatever?

What were they like in real life?

AIBU to think there might be some surprises and some of them will be a persona on TV or whatever?

Rolf Harris drew me popeye when I was nine! He was opening a local shop. My mum thought he was weird.
I met Levi Bellfield years ago, he had dead eyes and a very squeaky voice, his then partner was visibly terrified of him. Two years later he was arrested.

@baroqueandblue

How convenient that after this week's revelations and tantrums we have a thread populated by lots of people saying how vile MM is and how saintly PM is - sometimes in the same post Oh, and how genuinely lovely members of the RF with form for racism are in 'real life'.

You can call me paranoid, I don't care. People can manipulate the internet and convince you of anything. Like, Savile and West and other dangerous, criminal psychopaths can sit neatly next to opportunities to sanctify PM and denigrate MM. I ask you

I agree!!!! Who takes clothes off the rack and throws them on the ground?? So not believable

@Doggitydog

So I have met Piers Morgan through work and I have always found him to be tidy, nice enough and friendly. I have an opposite of that who is Lenny Henry, rude rude rude. Would totally ignore you if he could. Princess Anne is soooo lovely and down to earth. And tiny!

I met Lenny Henry in a supermarket, I was in the queue behind him, some of his shopping fell and he joked with me about it trying to escape. He was lovely.

Opposite here - everyone's favourite Cilla Black - not very pleasant in real life and although she still had a faint scouse accent it is very much put on for her public persona

I’ve got a Gary Glitter anecdote.
My DB and his GF at the time went to a Gary Glitter concert. They were standing near the front and Gary G noticed DB’s stunning GF (about 17 at the time so possibly a little old for him, 😟). A roady approached GF and said Gary wanted her to go backstage after the concert, she refused and the roady got pretty nasty towards her - telling them to get away from the front of the stage as it was misleading and annoying for the band.
Yuk!

I helped Jeremy Beadle carry out a prank for a local charity event. Not for the telly, just a group doing this as a surprise for someone who’d volunteered with them for years. I was covering it for the local paper, but they needed some help for the “set up” , me pretending to interview the bloke before Jeremy in disguise did something stupid, can’t remember what exactly, and caused havoc. Gradually the bloke realised it was Beadle’s About etc etc. Anyway, Beadle was a right laugh and really lovely and enthusiastic.

I also had a cup of tea with Brian Clough and his wife in their house. He was lovely!

Everyone’s favourite Cilla Black.

You’ve not been on MN that long, I take it?

Who takes clothes off the rack and throws them on the ground?? So not believable Judging by the state of my local Primark at the end of the day I'd say it is a hobby for some. Not that I imagine MM shops in Primark.

@Hobnobswantshernameback nice bit of light touch gaslighting from you there.

If you lived in Gloucester around the time I did and knew the Wests they were "local" celebrities to people. Everyone knew them and their children. But more disturbingly press intervention made them "celebrities" internationally. But the Wests before being discovered weren't what they were portrayed as being AFTER they were exposed

God yes. We didn't live in Gloucester but in the countryside and my parents had Fred West do some work at our house. I remember him being strange but didn't know why and my older sister said she found him very creepy. I also remember that my mother - never the most caring or maternal if women - wouldn't let my sister and I be alone with him. My father also lurked around more as well. They heard rumours, thought he was strange, but neither had any inkling of the truth (obviously).

All made sense eventually.

Not a villian but I've met Nicola Roberts who always comes across as very shy and sweet. I just found her very very rude and dismissive to people who served her in a shop.

@Kapalika

Nasty Nick doesn’t count then?😁 Well just to say I’ve met him a few times through work - super polite, very softly spoken, unassuming, , generous at harvest time and shorter than me.

Generous at harvest time? Was this in the 17th century?

I went to school with a girl who used to go on fancy cruises where Jimmy Saville seemed to be a regular. She always used to boast about 'Uncle Jimmy' - I dread to think what was actually going on.

Andrew Lancel. Something off about him.
Just because someone is found not guilty, doesn’t mean they’re not.

@MsAurore

I met Megan Markle when I was working in retail when she'd just moved to the UK (a couple of weeks before the engagement was announced). She was HORRENDOUS.

We were all very excited about her coming in (and used to dealing with celebrities) but from the minute she walked in she turned her nose up at everything, was incredibly rude, took items of racks and then dumped them on the floor instead of just hanging them back up and refused to engage with us. I'm not convinced she even looked at any of us in the eye! It was like we were dirt on her shoes. She also said some very unpleasant things about a younger member of staff's appearance to her friend (later revealed to be Jessica Mulroney) and everyone could hear her. The poor girl was so humiliated and upset I sent her home.

I never thought I would be on the side of Piers Morgan but I don't believe 99% of what she's said. I've had other dealings with senior royals over the years and they've always been amazingly nice - even the ones who don't have the best rep!

Always look at how people treat their staff. That will tell you the most about what they're really like.

This should be publicised everywhere. I knew my spidey senses were right about that one.

We walked behind Steve McFadden, coming through arrivals at Gatwick a few years ago. He was shouting at his wife, Phil Mitchell style and was very red in the face.

I met Jim Davison when I worked in a London bar. He was as disgusting as you imagine and trying it on with all of the teenage barmaids. Kept doing the ‘do you know I am’ thing too ( we were all too young to give a shit about him)
Horrible human being

I met Piers Morgan at an event in the early 90s (I think he was the sun showbiz editor then) and I thought he was really nice. He said what he thought, but he also seemed to respect people would have a difference of opinion. He seemed loyal to the people around him.

His recent behaviour with Meghan and Harry has been obscene, so I don't know what has happened, and such a shame as some of his opinions during the pandemic have been spot on, but to say you think someone is lying about being suicidal is never OK.

I met Jimmy Saville at Stoke Mandeville hospital in the 80s. He made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I knew he was "off". The revelations after his death came as no surprise.

@ReverendRicketyCricket

I've met Nigel Farage. As disgusting in real life as he comes across in the media. Also - deathbreath. Vile individual.

Omg. Every time I see Farage - and especially when he grins and you can see those discoloured gum edges etc - all I can think of is that he's a smoker and I immediately think 'I bet you absolutely stink and your breath is RANK.'

!!!

I once saw Mad Frankie Fraser in an M&S 'eight items or less' queue. He had at least 10 items in his basket but for some reason nobody commented!

Best reason EVER to be a fucking gangster!

@baroqueandblue

How convenient that after this week's revelations and tantrums we have a thread populated by lots of people saying how vile MM is and how saintly PM is - sometimes in the same post Oh, and how genuinely lovely members of the RF with form for racism are in 'real life'.

You can call me paranoid, I don't care. People can manipulate the internet and convince you of anything. Like, Savile and West and other dangerous, criminal psychopaths can sit neatly next to opportunities to sanctify PM and denigrate MM. I ask you

Yes!!!! I thought that - so obvious

I met Kerry katina a few times who gets a bad press but I have to say she was lovely- very pleasant, chatty and polite.
Denise Van Outen on the other hand was a real horror

Place mark!

@Ccccchanges

I have met a number of senior politicians from both parties - most of them are absolutely lovely incl. Michael Gove and some who have the worst reps in the media.

A certain one who shares a surname with a film was incredibly pleasant to me, but has form for being v rude, and ones purposely shut a door in my OH’s face...

That's interesting. Someone i know worked with Michael Gove and said he was really lovely and seemed to genuinely care about education. I found it hard to believe.