to think this is not nice of Richard E Grant

[StripesZigZags]

and can't be swept aside as "just a joke".

Interview with him in the Times Style magazine today. He tells the interviewer (Vassi Chamberlain) that he writes a diary every night as if he is writing to his wife. She asks him what the entry about today and their interview would say and this is the end of the article. For context earlier in the article she says that after she asked him a question when he'd finished answering he'd "fire the same" quesiton back at her which is probably how he had the additional information.

Here is the quote:

"What will tonight’s account say, I ask. He bursts out laughing.

He sits up and clears his throat as if he’s about to perform at the Old Vic.

“Astonishingly,” he begins, “the journalist was 4ft 11in.” I stop him right there. I’m 5ft 1in. “She’s 5ft 1in. Her face looks like a roadmap because she had head and neck cancer 14 years ago, which she luckily survived, but because of it she’s not allowed to have plastic surgery. All her girlfriends now look 40 years old but her jawline is hanging around her knees and in ten years she will tie a bow with her dyed hair around her chin in a tight knot and she’ll look like the Queen at Balmoral.”

Ouch."

I read that and thought "what a bitch of a man". I've never really liked him - his Instagram videos where he's constantly smiling with a fake smile that never reaches his eyes always seem ultra insincere as he pontificates about how wonderful the day or the tree or the park is. This really exposes the heart of a person.

I guess everyone him included will try to justify it as a joke but it's very nasty - making the point that her short height is 'astonishing' like some circus freak, her face looking like a road map. I think her finishing 'ouch' was really very understated and kind.

Yep. And all those points would still be there if it were worse. I had to swerve the Russell Brand thread the other day cause I wasn't in the right headspace to see them.

I'm also 5' 1" and not only is it a shitty thing to say, it's so, so, so, so very dull as it's generally mentioned at least once a week by some smart-arse who think they've somehow discovered the key to my whole personality.

The interviewer in this article said he was doing this to her to - firing back the same question.

It's quite an odd thing to do. I haven't heard the Davina McCall podcast but even without hearing it, it seems quite strangely intended to disturb or unsettle the interviewer.

If you are anyone (writer, politician, actor, musician, businessman) being interviewed, you know you are there for a reason -it is part of your job, to promote or sell your schtick or angle whatever that is. You are there to talk to the journalist for that purpose - its the only reason you are there and they are there. Your job is to answer the questions. Their job is to ask the questions and write up an article about whatever it is.

Immediately asking the same questions back repeatedly is very strange in those circumstances - more so if you are asked to stop. I mean once or twice might fly as part of a natural conversation flow but repeatedly, after every question and with different journalists. Strange and not in a good way.

It's quite an odd thing to do. I haven't heard the Davina McCall podcast but even without hearing it, it seems quite strangely intended to disturb or unsettle the interviewer

Yep- but you can bet if his film work suddenly dried up and he had to resort to doing stannah stair lift commercials suddenly he'd be more amenable to interviews. Its gross the way these people suddenly think they're better than everyone else when they get to a certain level of fame.

How despicable and utterly cruel.

vile man.

imagine someone saying this to your face, a stranger, after battling cancer? I’d go home and cry.

disgusting prick.

Think more context is needed here.

He never came across as cruel in his shows (watched him on that hotel thing he did, plus seen him in interviews).

He is a witty man.

Lol! God yes, of course I mean Clarkson . Sorry @ Jeremy Paxman!

I know people in the team that cared for his late wife. They said the whole family was lovely and that he was very kind and appreciative. He is well known and liked locally.

I've always thought there was something off about him. A sort of nastiness that came across even when acting. I'm not surprised by what he said really.

And a level of arrogance his career does not warrant. Spice world not included.

Yes it didnt sound like they gelled did it, I mean before the comment at the end. She asks him a question and he asks her one back.

They seem spiky with each other. However, he would never know that stuff about her not being able to have plastic surgery if she had t told him so is he playing her words back to her? He does say about having his own face commented on negatively. It’s her “ouch” at the end that seems to infer he’s being a horrible rather than joking. But then again don’t ask for feedback if you don’t want it. But like the photo posts on here, the how old do I look ones.

I obviously don’t know this man, but what I see of him, his rictus grin, his over confidence, his superiority makes me exit the screen, page whatever he’s on. What is it about him that gives me the absolute dislike of him?

teo or three posters have said don’t ask questions/feedback if you don’t want it.

she didn’t ask please describe my face, she asked for a diary entry, any normal none twat person, who is at an interview to advertise themselves and his most recent movie would be like blah blah I talked to a wonderful journalist about my new movie/book/whatever he’s hawking, it’s great it’s about x and y and it’s out on this date

Yeah, I dont get those posts either- she did not say "hey Richard, what do you think of my face- is it attractive to you?" she asked him for a diary entry he would make when talking to his wife which he apparently does every day. WTF has her face and the fact she's had cancer got to do with his diary to his wife?

It was a horrible thing to say.

I went to a Q&A with him. He was completely lovely

I know several people who have dealt with REG over the years and have never had anything but praise for him, and they have all said how utterly lovely he his.

In the article he describes some of the uncomplimentary reviews he has had about his looks over the years, so it's not all one way for a start.

I know nothing about this woman's work, but we only have her word about this, and I wouldn't take it as gospel.

Oh. My. God.

He's not the man that I thought he was.

So you admit you know nothing about “this woman’s” work and have never met REG yourself but you choose to single her out as the one whose word we shouldn’t take as gospel. Another example of our celebrity obsessed culture 🙄.

Also, how does the fact that REG talked about receiving uncomplimentary comments about his looks, makes it not one way?! Your comment would only make sense if the journalist had actually made a derogatory comment herself also which she did not. And as a journalist with a reputation to uphold, why on earth would she even want to? But why let common sense get in the way huh?

Not great. I met him once and found him very charming. But apparently not. He’s estranged from his brother because they have ‘nothing in common’. 🙄 Says a lot.

I know nothing about this woman's work, but we only have her word about this, and I wouldn't take it as gospel.

I presume she recorded the interview to write up later and that REG would've been fully aware of that rather than she sat there rubbing her hands together with glee at fabricating this to make him look bad, not least because he could sue the arse off her.

And god forbid we take a woman's comments as gospel. Whatever next!

I'm a bit surprised at all the comments who can't believe he can be a dick because they've met him or only heard nice things. It's not like most people don't have multiple sides to them. And an professional actor even more so.

Is the Queen at Balmoral comment a reference to the silly photo he’s taken for the article?

I saw him live at his Fane shows and he came across as lovely and kind and extremely self-deprecating. I also read his book, which made me cry when he talked about his wife dying. I too read the article today and was shocked by that part. He doesn’t come across well in the interview at all. What a shame.

Photo here

I’ve always wanted to like him but something stops me.

I now have a very good reason to believe he’s a prick.