Rude "famous people"

[acornfed]

We have a famous designer at my kid's school, born to a very wealthy family. Her kids are nice
She can be very unfriendly but inconsistently so - will often blank people one day and be friendly the next. Acts quite haughtily with the teachers. At times very abrupt.
She doesn't have to be friends with us civilians - that I fully understand. But what's with the rude behaviour? What's going on there? The school mums are a pretty innocuous bunch and I'd like to think we are friendly and welcoming.

The parent who is a famous designer is probably worried that other mums would start a thread about them on a popular parenting website, gossiping about her.

I'm mean, how silly!

I used to work at Holland and barret in a posh Surrey town.
Eamon and Ruth walked in one day ,he was fairly ok but she was such a nasty bitch it was unbelievable.
Mick Hucknall on the other hand would chat for ages like he had known you for years such a lovely man.

@notHarris when my mum was little she loved Enid Blyton books so her dad took her to see her house 'green hedges' she heard her shouting at her gardener and was shocked and it ruined her perception of this nice lady who wrote such lovely cosy books !!

So not surprised about Laura Whitmore she seems awful !!

Peter Kay, rude, arrogant, obnoxious but Johnny Vegas is absolutely lovely! Served them both when I worked for an electrical retailer.

Michael Buble has a potty mouth but is generous with the Haribo (according to my DH anyway!)

Steve Redgrave.
I worked in a travel agency in Marlow. 1988 Seoul Olympics we booked the rowing team out there. He was really obnoxious. I was serving a customer and he kept clicking his fingers at me to try and get my attention to leave what I was doing and attend to him. I was only young and didn't really know who he was so I wasn't impressed. If it had been John Taylor from Duran Duran (my crush at the time) it would have been a different story

I met Matt Lucas and David Williams in their Little Britain heyday so very famous. David was fine, got the job done but no extra warm or that personality he has onscreen.
Matt on the other hand spoke to so many people he didn’t have to, was so warm and friendly and smiling at everyone.

@Ohhelppp

Love these threads! Shamelessly placemarking!

Just 'Watch' the thread

@saraclara

I'm so glad I'm not famous. I'm relatively shy and private, and have resting bitch face even when I'm perfectly content.

It must be really tough if your face is well known but you haven't actively sought out fame, and aren't particularly extraverted. Everyone would put me down as grumpy and unfriendly too, even though I'm not.

An ex is famous but not hugely well known, despite that people would approach him as though he was a close friend, very annoying at times, especially the person who felt it appropriate to ask for a selfie and a signature at his Grandmas funeral. Its as though certain people think basic manners and social etiquette aren’t required if the stranger you’re approaching is in the public eye.

@Livebythecoast

Steve Redgrave. I worked in a travel agency in Marlow. 1988 Seoul Olympics we booked the rowing team out there. He was really obnoxious. I was serving a customer and he kept clicking his fingers at me to try and get my attention to leave what I was doing and attend to him. I was only young and didn't really know who he was so I wasn't impressed. If it had been John Taylor from Duran Duran (my crush at the time) it would have been a different story

A friend bumped into a familiar looking guy at a golf tournament, and the guy commented that it had been hard work on the course that day. Friend laughed back and basically said 'you need to train harder and get fitter mate'. Later in the day the familiar face - who turned out to be Steve Redgrave - was awarded a prize, winning after doing a marathon a couple of days before. He gave my friend a wry smile as he walked past after the presentation. But was perfectly pleasant.

Personally I hate the assumption that because they’re well known we should all know who they are
Famous footballer did the ‘don’t you know who I am ?’ Routine once

I genuinely had no idea He was very cross

Well yes and I've heard others say he's a pleasant man. Maybe he was having an off day and I was only a lowly YTS trainee at the time

Sorry, that was for @ajandjjmum

@simitra

Not everyone wants to "make friends".

Some of us are just very private and busy people who have our own agenda of things we need to get through in a day. We dont want to chat to neighbours over the garden fence, take in parcels, or get involved in day to day trivia.

So we dont answer the door when our ring doorbell shows its a time waster like a sales person, collector or whingy neighbour. We cultivate a "busy busy must get on" air and a clipped "morning" tone when we do pass you in the street.

Its not that we hate you, just that you dont merit space in or add value to our particular social world.

You don't answer the door to a salesperson, take in parcels or be pleasant to acquaintances because you want to "make friends", why do you think that Having? Having no social skills or understanding isn't a substitute for a personality.

Also, you've no time for trivia, nobody merits space in your world, but you're on Mumsnet?

@TatianaBis, Margaret Atwood is consistently rude, superior and talks down to everyone. Did you see her brief, hatchet-faced cameo in The Handmaid's Tale as an Aunt? I don't think she knew she was being filmed, I think they just caught a candid shot of her being her normal self and knew they wouldn't get a better take than that.

@Yaya26

Nothing to add as I don't know anyone famous. I hold my breath reading threads about rude famous people.

I think Id cry if Mary Berry was mentioned. My faith in humanity would be shattered! I want Mary to adopt me.

Someone I know has a family member who bought MB's house. She said that MB was a delight. She apparently hosted a neighbourhood get together for the purchasers before they moved in so they could get to know people.

Cliff Richard is absolutely horrible.

Don't imagine that will be news to anyone though!

@ohthestruggles

Apparently Alison Hammond is really up herself and demanding. A friend met her whilst on holiday once.

I met her before she was famous ( holiday rep in Tunisia). She was really friendly and lovely. Just shows how fame changes people

I was at an event with Hugh Bonneville and he was lovely.

My friend is a TV producer (non-scripted TV). He says the rudest he's worked with are Gok Wan and Judge Rinder. Nicest were Gordon Ramsey and Jamie Oliver.

We have two moderately famous dads at our school. The sucking up to them has to be seen to be believed. I had no idea who either of them were (both in the music world which I know nothing about). I once told off one of them as he was being a bit of an arse at a parents day (moving things around and putting them in different places for a 'joke') and he seemed to strangely appreciate that and he is always very friendly to me.

We also have a couple of people with titles and they are also sucked up to. It's embarrassing to watch.

I often struggle with interactions at the school gate. I'm quite shy and I try to just be very smiley really to cover it up. But I dind it hard to make small talk.

Richard E Grant is a top bloke according to my friend. Very polite and friendly.
I have met Cherie Blair and she was great.

Got a few family members in film/TV. Rarely do they say actors etc are not nice. They're just people, doing their job. Outside of work it must get wearing.

Loads are really delightful (I'm talking A Listers baking for crew etc)

However, can confirm Richard Madeley is an arse.

Bob Geldof is awful. Won't even make eye contact with you while barking orders and will throw a hissy fit if you ask for clarification.

Reese Witherspoon is terrifying! She's incredibly rude in a eye rolling, sighing, foot-stomping Hollywood way. She's also tiny so it's actually quite impressive to see her send grown men running for cover.

Kanye West is belligerent and full or himself, although a lot of that could be attributed to mental health issues.

Madonna doesn't let servers look at her or catch her eye. You have to look at the floor when in her presence.

Simon Cowell tries to be rude but it's very much an act. If you catch him alone without the team of flunkies he's quite pleasant.

Coolio is a twat.

I met a few high profile people through my former job.

Ewan McGregor was just wonderful, it was a pleasure to meet him. He made the effort to do little things which enhanced the day of those working with him. Similarly, Su Pollard - she was fab. Funny, warm, exciting, charismatic and generous. She later took the time to send a nice note about me to my employers. Alan Rickman was rather serious, and extremely polite. Christian Slater was fun, rather flirty, very down to earth. Damon Albarn was so rude to my lovely young colleague, he left her in tears.

I have had the Don't you know who I am? routine in my line of work. I had never seen a photo of him, though when he told me his name I knew immediately. He was an arrogant and pretentious idiot. The trouble was he dropped out of my mind and the next time we went through the same rigmarole. Twice.