Terrible Celebrity Behavior: The Worst of the Worst
It's easy to see the great things celebrities do, but what happens when the cameras are turned off? Let's take a peek at the worst behavior of some of the best-known celebs.
Astrophysicist and cosmologist Neil deGrasse Tyson visited the university of one Redditor, after the club she belonged to raised $85,000 for him to come give a talk. According to the student, deGrasse Tyson gave a disappointing and less- than-inspiring speech. She said, "The small lecture was him bragging about how famous he was....The main event was a terribly boring lecture consisting of fart jokes and fan service." Keep reading for more un-becoming celebrity stories!
Ben Stiller
While hilarious on screen, Ben Stiller isn't prone to get a lot of laughs from people behind the scenes on his sets. Stiller supposedly fired a worker for not making his coffee sweet enough. According to an extra on the set of Zoolander, Stiller was obnoxious in person, as "all he did was whine.
And complain. And throw temper tantrums." Ouch. Mickey Boardman, the editor of Paper Magazine, said that during a photo shoot, Stiller (who was standing just feet away from Boardman) was not happy with the set. "'At one point he said to his publicist, ‘Can you call Mickey and say the air conditioning’s not cold enough?’ And I’m like, ‘I heard him because he was standing right next to me," recalls Boardman. Stiller was apparently too important to relay this information himself.
Faye Dunaway
Actress Faye Dunaway isn't just rude to waiters and flight attendants, she's also notoriously rude to journalists. She doesn't like surprise questions, once freaking out on a reporter who asked her too many details about her film Mommie Dearest. Her co-workers say that she's downright frightening to work with.
She also once supposedly threw a cup of urine in Roman Polanski's face, although she doesn't take well to questions about that incident, either. Dunaway is even known to have pulled out a scale to measure her food's caloric content during an AIDS charity benefit dinner.
Prince
Prince, while known for his inspiring music and iconic style, was rumored to be rude and unpleasant in person occasionally. Pop star Pink says that she met him backstage and found him to be stuck-up.
She called him rude to his face after she asked to work with him, and he replied by telling her to call him when she owned her masters. He never was one to shy away from saying what was on his mind. In fact, the Warner Bros. head of publicity once recalled that in the middle of a promotional interview with Record World, Prince interrupted the female journalist to ask “Does your pubic hair go up to your navel?”
Gary Busey
Gary Busey is known for his offbeat behavior and incoherent rants. Some of his bizarre antics were broadcast during his stint of Celebrity Big Brother whenhe tried to flirt shamelessly, and awkwardly, with the presenter. Busey also once did a controlled substance off his dog after accidentally spilling a bag of it on his poor pet.
He told Access Hollywood, "I went in like a cropduster with my nose flying first and snorted the [substance] off the dog." He's since recovered from his addiction.
Lucille Ball
Lucille Ball, while charming and hilarious on screen, was notoriously rude to people in the service industry. On one such occasion, a flight attendant recalls asking Ms. Ball if she'd like a beverage on a flight.
Ball ignored her, and the flight attendant was told, "I'm sorry, Ms. Ball doesn't speak to the help," by Lucille's assistant. She also refused to sign any autographs for fans, and was known to hold up her hand and firmly announce "NO AUTOGRAPHS" when approached for one.
William Shatner
William Shatner is known for his pretentious nature, once charging a child $100 for his autograph. Many fans have seen Shatner acting in rude or ungracious ways, regularly charging fans for his signature, blasting his Star Trek co-stars, and making inappropriate, offensive jokes.
Trek co-star George Takei even opened up to Howard Stern about Shatner's boorish behavior, saying that Shatner refused to attend fellow co-star James Doohan's 2004 farewell convention. Doohan, who played Scotty on the sci-fi series, had Alzheimer's and was in a wheelchair by this point. One convention organizer claims that when approached about the event, Shatner replied "I don’t want to do this and I really don’t want to deal with all this Alzheimer’s crap."
Bryan Adams
Canadian singer Bryan Adams is known for his successful music career, but for one Redditor, is also known for his sense of entitlement.
According to the user, Adams "treated me like a total pack mule just because he could" when he was working at one of his concerts, while mocking him for it. Another fan claims to have spotted Adams snapping his fingers at the waitstaff at one restaurant.
Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato, who has spoken out about bullies, apparently used to be one herself. A girl that worked with Lovato during her Disney channel says recalls that she was often condescending and extremely difficult to work with. Lovato infamously got into a physical altercation with one of her backup dancers before checking into rehab.
And fans have reported that the singer is rude and dismissive to them. Prior to the 2016 Olympics, Lovato was slammed by critics for posting a video of her mother saying "Everybody down in Rio gonna get the Zika virus." Lovato could be heard laughing in the background.
Chevy Chase
Chevy Chase, while known for some of his family-friendly roles, such as in the Vacation series, supposedly isn't very nice in person. One former employee of Chases's called him a "womanizer," recalling Chase telling a writer to give him a hand job. He's feuded with multiple co-stars and co-collaborators.
During the early days of Saturday Night Live, Chase notoriously started a backstage fistfight with cast member Bill Murray after he compared Murray's skin to the surface of the moon. Also during his time at SNL, Chase was overheard berating an intern who had spilled some Coca Cola, saying "Why don't you just piss in it?"
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan, while a hero to many people, is also reported to be a huge a*hole. A fan recalls seeing Jordan's unfavorable interaction with a small, older Asian woman who sought out Jordan during a trip to Vegas. The woman approached Jordan while he was talking to attractive, young women, and Jordan snubbed her.
According to the fan, he even put his hand over the woman's face and pushed her away. He's also been known to back-stab people who think he's a buddy. According to one account, after playing golf with and purchasing expensive earrings for Charles Barkley, Jordan said "what's $20,000 to me? Charles thinks we're great friends. I hate that fat [expletive".
Katherine Heigl
Katherine Heigl, known for her rom-coms and work on Grey's Anatomy, is notoriously difficult to work with. Many of the directors (such as Judd Apatow -- Knocked Up!), casting agents, and actors she has publicly feuded with simply choose to not work with Heigl rather than put up with her antics.
Her last couple of movies have not done well financially, but it's not yet clear whether she has permanently damaged her reputation.
Buzz Aldrin
The second man on the moon, Buzz Aldrin, is supposedly really full of himself. Well, at least that's the perception of one fan. A Redditor talked about meeting Aldrin in person, citing him as his childhood hero.
The fan was disappointed to find that Aldrin seemed to be a total narcissist. Another fan brought a Buzz Lightyear book to a meet-and-greet with Aldrin, hoping the legend would sign it for his four-year-old twins. Aldrin flat-out refused with a big "NO."
Rihanna
Rihanna has some pretty strong words in her songs, but also, on Twitter. Rihanna is known for her mean tweets, specifically, a series of tweets bullying a fan who tried to replicate an outfit Rihanna wore on the red carpet. After the girl posted a photo of herself paying tribute to the star, Ri Ri responded, making fun of her outfit. Harsh.
And in a 2013 visit to NYC, she passed a group of gaga-eyed fans. Instead of a friendly greeting, Rihanna held up her hand and said “Back it the [expletive] up." The week before, she shoved a fan who tried to follow her to the hotel where she was staying.
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez is already known for being a diva, with reports of high maintenance behavior. One fan who met Lopez in person during the filming of Monster In Law remembers being completely ignored by the star.
While Lopez pretended like she didn't hear the fan greet her, her co-star and seasoned actress Jane Fonda was extremely nice and friendly. Another time, J-Lo allegedly got a hotel housekeeper fired for asking for an autograph.
Shaun White
Shaun White seems like a cool guy, but maybe that's just for the cameras. A man who used to work at The Burton Academy recalls how White would shut down the entire park for his private use. On one occasion, White was apparently supposed to appear for an event where he'd snowboard with children from Make-A-Wish.
White showed up, but cut the time in half to go snowboard by himself. And his former drummer (he was in a band called Bad Things) sued White, claiming that he harassed her on multiple occasions. One of these times, he allegedly told her "Don’t forget to suck his balls!" about her then-boyfriend.
Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton may have been charming and romantic in his lyrics, but behind the scenes, he was kind of a cad. Clapton cheated on his wife, who could never reveal his indiscretions because of a gag order and reportedly was the victim of his constant womanizing, drug abuse, and infidelities.
In more recent times, he's angered fans by storming off stage when a performance isn't going well.
Gene Simmons
To be fair, Gene Simmons doesn't seem that nice on stage or screen, so it's not a surprise that he's a dick IRL. One KISS fan who met Simmons backstage remembers how the star complimented him as he played the guitar, but then laughed that the guy would never make it in the music industry.
Simmons is not known for holding his feelings back and frequently makes inflammatory statements about everything from drug abuse to mental illness to politics. He drew fire for these 2014 comments about addiction: "Drug addicts and alcoholics are always, 'The world is a harsh place'... And for a putz, 20-year-old kid to say, 'I'm depressed, I live in Seattle.' [Expletive] you, then kill yourself." Simmons also called Prince's death, which was drug-related, "pathetic."
Madonna
Madonna isn't known for her warmth, with many fans calling her out on her diva-like behavior. One Redditor observed the pop star berating her then-assistant over an error she made on some paperwork. When another fan approached Madonna and asked her to sign a piece of paper during this time, the pop star supposedly signed it only with an obscenity before going back to yelling at her employee.
Madge is also notoriously late for her performances. After showing up an hour after the scheduled time for a 2015 Manchester, UK show, she yelled at the crowd: "all you [expletive] who keep complaining about it can shut the [expletive] up."
Ja Rule
Ja Rule's attitude apparently matches his lyrics. One former MTV employee recalls Ja being confrontational to a production assistant for not bringing him bottled water. According to the employee, Ja Rule was allegedly on an illegal substance when he acted threatening and rude during a visit to Seaside Heights MTV Beach House.
Zooey Deschanel
Zooey Deschanel may play the part of the positive, happy and friendly Jessica Day on FOX's New Girl, but according to extras on the show, she's anything but. Extras and other staff say that Deschanel is difficult to work with and a little full of herself, often coming off as moody and controlling.
One insider says that Dechanel "always delays production but throws a huge tantrum if anyone else causes shooting to run behind schedule.”
Quentin Tarantino
Director Quentin Tarantino, aside from being quirky, is reportedly also a brat in person. Though he's admired by many for his incredible talent, Tarantino supposedly is extremely immature and unapproachable. Other fans, however, cite times they've gone up to Tarantino and he's been perfectly normal and nice.
Guess it depends on the day! During one notorious interview, however, Tarantino lost it on a reporter who asked him about his preference for making violent films. The director was not interested in that line of discussion and went off: “I refuse your question. I’m not your slave and you’re not my master. You can’t make me dance to your tune. I'm not a monkey."
Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis is known for her incredible range, but that's also apparently the case off-camera. Curtis is reportedly rude to anyone she perceives as being beneath her, often ignoring staff, crew members, and fans completely.
Once she was spotted screaming at a friend during a lunch in Venice Beach, and onlookers say the friend was left in tears.
Hugh Grant
Hugh Grant can turn on the charm on in his films, but isn't known for his good behavior off screen. He frequently makes disparaging comments about being an actor, often complaining about his fame and expressing disdain for the entire industry.
Jon Stewart says that Grant was his least favorite guest ever and was a huge "pain in the [expletive]" when he appeared on Stewart's Daily Show. On air, Stewart ran a clip of the film Grant was there to promote. Grant had a mini-meltdown, asking, "What is that clip? It’s a terrible clip." Stewart's response? "Well, then make a better [expletive] movie."
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi, who's appeared on many TV shows playing a friendly version of himself, isn't that great IRL. A fan on Reddit remembers Bon Jovi as a jerk, once seeing him at a burger place in their town. According to a woman who worked there, Bon Jovi was a regular, but never interacted with fans and didn't tip well.
Bette Midler
Bette Midler is known for her sass, but apparently, it's not always as funny as it looks. One fan remembers seeing Midler tell off a Sundance Film Festival employee, chastising her for not recognizing how famous Midler was. Midler was demanding tickets to a performance, and the worker was trying to explain she didn't have enough to accommodate everyone in Midler's large party.
Another source was working security on the set of Midler's Jinxed! and says that the star glared at him when she noticed him looking at her. Midler then sent an assistant over, who told the guard “Please don’t disturb the artists."
Jeremy Piven
Jeremy Piven is known for being a jerkhole both on and off screen. He's not nice to fans, and often acts out during shoots and filming. While Piven jokes about his reputation, it doesn't stop him from living up to it. In fact, Piven once ripped the sleeves off a $350 shirt at a photo shoot after complaining that the shoot was "mediocre." One of his ex-girlfriends recounted an incident to The Sun about a fan interaction.
A man asked Piven for an autograph. After the fan had walked away, Piven turned to his girlfriend and said "That man was too fat to be in my personal space.” This source also says that Piven is terribly rude to waiters and once left an Entourage DVD in lieu of a tip.
Mickey Rourke
Mickey Rourke is another actor with a reputation for being a cad, with co-stars frequently calling him difficult and disrespectful. One Redditor talked about their mother working on set with Rourke, saying that he was "the biggest jackass she ever worked with."
And in a 2006 interview with Time Out magazine, Rourke was quoted as saying "If I wanna say [derogatory term for gay men], I’m gonna [expletive] say it. And if somebody has a problem with that, they can kiss my [expletive] fuckin’ butt!"
Regis Philbin
Philbin, known for his warm personality on shows such as Regis and Kelly, as well as Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, isn't actually so warm and fuzzy in person. One fan describes her disheartening experience with Philbin during childhood, when she approached him in a restaurant to ask for his autograph.
He told her to scram and went back to drinking his coffee. Another "fan" claims that he was once paid to clean Philbin's pool and that the star asked if he was thirsty, before yelling "WELL YOU CAN’T HAVE MY LEMONADE!" to the poor guy. He then allegedly drank his lemonade while watching the pool cleaner toil away.
Billy Dee Williams
One fan remembers an experience with Billy Dee Williams that was less than pleasant. At a Bonefish Grill in Florida, the fan found herself back to back with the star. Through the fan's meal, Williams would back his chair up into hers, pushing her against the table.
When asked if he'd stop, Williams ignored the question and instead listened to a pep talk from his agent which allegedly went like this: "You are billy-[expletive]-dee-[expletive]-williams & they are [expletive] lucky to have you, man."
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash was a great performer and musician, but not so much of a Mr. Nice Guy. He famously cheated on his wife and mother of their children, eventually leaving her to marry June Carter. But that's not the worst thing Cash ever did.
Cash infamously left his burning car on the side of the road after a highway incident, which sparked a fire that killed half of the California condor population. Of his many notorious drunken rages, he once said "Sometimes I am two people. Johnny is the nice one. Cash causes all the trouble."
Vince Vaughn
Vince Vaughn has a few bad fan experiences under his belt, including telling a fan who didn't even speak to him to "F off". In another rotten encounter with a fan, in this case a severely disabled 13-year old boy who asked for a photo before a Chicago Blackhawks game, Vaugn responded "Not now, I’m concentrating on warm-ups." He also had an altercation while filming in Wilmington, North Carolina during an outing with co-star Steve Buscemi.
Vaughn got into a fight with a guy who claimed the actor was flirting with his girlfriend, and Vaughn supposedly punched the kid in the face. The situation escalated, with Vaughn getting maced and Buscemi being stabbed in the neck.
Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds, while on camera, always seems to be warm to fans. But apparently he puts on a show when he knows he's being recorded. Fans report that off camera, Reynolds is cold and dismissive, with one fan recalling a time that he literally threw his pen on the ground after signing an autograph.
He also allegedly accused a fan of harassing him when she tried to snap a quick pic while they were on the same plan, saying "UMM....EXCUSE ME??" to the mortified girl.
Dennis Rodman - All Around Bad Guy
Retired basketball star Dennis Rodman isn't just a jerk because of his poor attitude. Rodman is notoriously close to North Korean Dictator Kim Jong Un, and flaunts the relationship.
One night, Rodman made a scene at a bar when he started to rant about the dictator's manifesto, carrying on about what a great guy he was. He also headbutted a referee in a 1996 game and kicked a photographer in the crotch the following year.
Miley Cyrus Hotel Tatrum
Is the “Wrecking Ball” singer a jerk in real life? According to reports from staff at a Philadelphia hotel, Miley and her entourage were behaving raucously and even smoking pot in the lobby after one of her concerts.
But when employees politely asked the group to tone things down after several guests complained, Miley allegedly went on a rampage, screaming that the hotel should be “glad to have her” because she had “spent so much money.” Nice.
Jerry Seinfeld Just Wanted Some Privacy
Jerry Seinfeld might be all laughs and smiles on screen, but for one Redditor, he was a nightmare. The individual was working at a theater when Seinfeld did a show there. He brought Jerry some concessions, to which Seinfeld instructed him to put down in his dressing room, and without even looking at him, instructed him to leave.
Sean Penn Wished Rectal Cancer On People
It's no secret that Sean Penn can be a jerk. But in addition to being a snob, Penn has also been violent and unpredictable at times. He frequently argued and fought with his ex, Madonna.
And when a missionary trip he took to Haiti after a massive earthquake devastated the island in 2010 was seen as a publicity stunt, Penn reacted in his typical adversarial manner. He was interviewed on CBS Sunday Morning and gave this memorable quote about his critics: “Do I hope that those people die screaming of rectal cancer? Yeah, you know, but I’m not going to spend a lot of energy on it.”
Dr. Dre - It Ain't No Big Thing
Dr. Dre infamously got into a physical altercation with a female reporter in 1991, becoming violent because of an article she wrote about him. "It ain’t no big thing—I just threw her through a door," Dre later said, callously brushing off the incident as just payback. The reporter, Dee Barnes, ran into a bathroom to get away from Dre, who followed her in to continue the fight.
Alec Baldwin Is A Repeat Offender
Alec Baldwin was the jerk heard around the world, literally, when he was recorded yelling at his daughter over the phone. Baldwin told Ireland she was mindless, and called her "a rude, thoughtless little pig" because she didn't answer when he called her from New York. He later apologized for the incident.
He's been known to throw tantrums, including on an American Airlines flight when he refused to turn off his cellular device because he was in the middle of playing "Words With Friends." After that incident, Baldwin said that flying has become “a Greyhound bus experience.”
Ariana Grande's Bakery Bust
Ariana Grande's jerk ways were put on full display when she was shown licking a tray of donuts in a bakery. As she committed the disgusting deed, which was caught on camera, she said “What the [expletive] is that? I hate Americans. I hate America” to her boyfriend.
Grande also famously makes her staff carry her around when she doesn't feel like walking and generally has a reputation for being difficult to work with.
Leave Steve Harvey Alone
Most stars rely on teams of employees to take care of all the important behind-the-scenes tasks. But television host Steve Harvey apparently doesn’t like dealing with his staffers, as indicated in this memo distributed on the set of his show May 11, 2017.
It read, in part: “Do not come to my dressing room unless invited. Do not open my dressing room door. IF YOU OPEN MY DOOR, EXPECT TO BE REMOVED. My security team will stop everyone from standing at my door who have the intent to see or speak to me. . . . Do not wait in any hallway to speak to me.” When asked about the memo by Entertainment Tonight, Harvey didn’t apologize but did acknowledge that he probably could have handled the situation a little better.
