A request for people’s stories about rude celebrities ended up with lots of lovely ones instead – 23 A-list encounters to warm your cockles

We hear a lot about celebrities being impolite, entitled and just generally unpleasant to ‘civilians’, as they patronisingly like to call us mere mortals. To such an extent that Reddit user Jackytobacky felt moved to pose the following question:

Who is the rudest celeb you have met? What happened?

Of course, they received plenty of responses about famous people being belligerent, nasty and generally acting like overgrown babies, but they also got a lot of the opposite: celebrities who were surprisingly pleasant and kind. We’ve rounded up some of the most wholesome.

1.

‘My favourite celebrity encounter was making a smoothie for Gordon Ramsey. He was super nice and said he would be back later to get his friend something. The friend was David Beckham who was also super nice and they stayed and took pictures with everyone.’
–TigerLllly

2.

‘Cher was very strange but nice and posted on Twitter we were one of the best hotels she stayed at. Which I thought was ridiculous but it got us a lot of business.’
–TimetoRevolt-US

3.

‘Celine Dion. We accidentally met in the lobby of the Goring hotel in London years ago when my pearl necklace string broke and pearls went flying on my way out. Celine was walking in with shopping bags and entourage and said ‘Nobody move!’ and then got down on her hands and knees to help me collect my pearls. I adore her.’
–TemporaryKitchen6916

4.

‘Justin Bieber was one of my favourite regulars. He was always genuinely polite to the entire staff and would sometimes sing along with our live musician or play the guitar or piano and put on mini-concerts. Great guy.’
–_DirtyYoungMan_

5.

‘This happened in the early 1990’s. I handled security at a large Corporate hotel in a Canadian city. Any big name group that performed in our city, stayed at our hotel.

‘I was escorting Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers from their guest floor to the lobby for their limo one morning at 0430. I am 6’5” and when Ms Parton approached me as I stood outside of the elevator, she said, in her sweet Southern Belle voice, “Y’all sure grow ‘em big up here in Canada’. She touched my arm in a friendly manner. She was just as sweet as pie! I blushed and instantly forgot everything about my job.

‘We eventually made it to the lobby and I escorted them to the carport and their waiting limo. Kenny never even looked at me as he walked out the door and got into the car. Dolly however, stopped to chat with me for a bit, thanking me and then tipped me a $100USD bill. That was more than I made in a day back then! She did the same for the bellman who had brought their luggage down. Total Class Act!’
–LOUDCO-HD

6.

‘Nicest celebrity I ever met was Lemmy Kilmister from Motörhead. I was at a bar and he sat down beside me. I was in awe and stammered out, ‘Let me buy you a drink’.

‘He said, ‘Nah, you can’t do that’. I was a little dejected and hung my head. He immediately burst out in laughter and said, ‘Kid I’m a gawddamed rock star. Let ME buy YOU a drink’.’
–Erik_Lassiter

7.

‘Can confirm that Woody Harrelson is a good dude. I was an extra during the shoot of Now You See Me, and it was in the theater that was dilapidated and falling apart after being reopened for shooting after being closed since Katrina.

‘It was hot and stuffy from the summer heat, it reeked of mold and mildew, and at one point a rat that had dropped from the upper levels nearly caused a stampede amongst the extras. In between takes, he would stand on the stage and chat with the audience, tell amusing anecdotes, and and lead with sports chants.

Went a long way towards keeping up morale of what ended up being arduous week and a half.’
–GhostpilotZ

8.

‘Sir Paul McCartney. I delivered his dinner to him and I have zero expectations in these situations other than a guy who is hungry wants room service.

‘He answered the door and told me to come in, proceeded to have about a ten minute conversation where he couldn’t have come across more genuinely interested in my life, I felt embarrassed, which I don’t normally, but we had a quick chat. Talked about a good place to get a coffee in the morning and he shook my hand telling me it wad a pleasure. I have to believe there are thousands of stories about that man in that regard.’
–nabbyroots22

9.

‘Beyoncé was SUCH a sweetheart, true class act. Signed my book and gave me a nice conversation. Also held my baby sister just because my sister smiled at her she said ‘Now I have to hold her’. (Fun fact: my sister’s name is Ivy so it is a joke in my family that that’s where Beyoncé got the name).’
–OfferNo941

10.

‘When I was a toddler, we were staying in some fancy hotel – not a normal thing for my family, it was something to do with my Dad’s work. Seated next to us at breakfast were Judi Dench and her husband.

‘To my parents’ horror, I launched a chunk of sausage onto their table. Apparently they were extremely nice and understanding about it, and all the adults had a really friendly chat while I found some food on my plate that was more to my youthful liking.’
–Shoes__Buttback

11.

‘I was an extra in a movie starring Matthew McConaughey. He made sure every single person on and around the set ate lunch, had enough to drink, and was comfortable. After shooting, everyday, he pretty much rented out a bar/restaurant and everyone ate and drank free. He also took the time to make sure he had a conversation with everyone, no matter the importance of the role you had on set.’
–ThinAndCrispy84

12.

‘Kirsten Dunst and her husband Jesse Plemmons: just a super chill, regular as fuck couple. 10/10. No notes.’
–wifeunderthesea

13.

‘Met Prince in 1988, he was a total and absolute legend! Approached me, shook my hand. Total eye contact and was funny, charming and happy to give an autograph. Just sad selfies weren’t a thing back then as am sure he’d have been up for that.’
–Gotham10k

14.

‘Not my story, but my dad met Andre the Giant at a bar in the 80s. My dad bumped into him and spilled some beer and apologised. Andre got fake mad and then turned around and bought my dad a beer.’
–hellowhatisupdawg

15.

‘I just met Tom Hanks and he was nice! I work at a theatre, he went to see Lee, one of like three people at the showing. He took a photo with staff after, and said ‘we’re all in the movie business’. Yes, but no. Very sweet of him.’
–TheMaingler

16.

‘Willie Nelson. Played an outdoor venue very nearby a bar/restaurant I was managing. He and his band showed up after the show was over. He sits down at my bar, lights up a joint (this was 1994, so NOT legal) and asks if I’m one of those women that wants my boobs signed.

‘I declined and he said, ‘Thank God, I get tired of that’ and proceeded to hang out till we closed. He was super kind, very funny and his band was awesome and he tipped huge. I did get an autograph, just not on my tits.’
–MizzEmCee

17.

‘Robin Williams was amazing. I was graveyard shift manager in a luxury hotel in a big city and he was a guest with us. He couldn’t sleep one night so he came down to the desk and just hang out and chatted. It was quiet and beautiful at night and he was a pleasure. Talked about jazz and blues and holiday memories and old teachers that still show up in your dreams and lots of other things.’
–JackParrish

18.

‘Christopher Walken is a really nice guy. We’ve seen him a few times on one of the local ferries and he stands up on the top area with everyone else instead of just staying downstairs in his car.’
–Unndunn1

19.

‘I cannot exaggerate how sweet and cute and charming Pedro Pascal is. I’ve met him a number of times and he’s a doll.’
–Mammoth_Extension179

20.

‘Helena Bonham Carter. Came into my work with her kids. Didn’t recognise her right away without any spooky context around her. Very normal mom vibes which I guess is the point of acting.

‘One of her kids knocked over a display and she was super apologetic and rushed them out pretty quick. Only after hearing her voice did I do a double take and managed to choke out a starstruck “Not a problem, have a nice day’ before she was gone.’
–Quiet_Werewolf2110

21.

‘By far the best was Martha Stewart. She remembered everyone’s name and always tipped well she’d chat about your life and give advice. She liked to go back in the kitchen to meet the chef and ask about recipes and would even send us pictures of her trying them back home. We all loved Martha.’
–BurnCityThugz

22.

‘Alice Cooper. Saw this man in all pink golf attire in a gas station. Politely asked if he was Alice Cooper, he responded with ‘Why, yes I am’ and shook my hand. Then bought me a Dr. Pepper. Felt like something straight out of Wayne’s World.’
–StoreManagerLife

Turns out they aren’t all terrible people after all. And, while we don’t usually go in for all that Queen of Hearts business, here’s one reason why Princess Diana is still so universally adored by so many.

23.

‘Going back a long time, but in the early 1990s I had a friend in London, HIV+, who was in hospital and very, very unwell – not really thought he’d be alive for more than a month or two. Hospital staff were lovely and visiting was pretty much as and when, just as long as you were quiet if it was late.

‘I’d gone to visit him after a very long work day, and was gowned up and chatting quietly to him. It was probably around midnight and one of the nurses asked if he was up to another visitor, which he was. Princess Diana turned out to be the other visitor and she was lovely beyond belief. Absolutely beautiful, very compassionate and all on her own – one security guard who was with the nurse.

‘She stayed for around an hour and was obviously a regular. The nurses said she often came in late at night, just slipping in with no fuss or fanfare and staying several hours at a time. I met her several times before my friend finally died and she was always unfailingly kind and gentle.

‘I summoned up the courage to ask why she did this so much – in those days gay men, particularly HIV+ ones, were often sidelined and looked down on. She was quite matter of fact in that she felt she could offer something to people who didn’t have much else and it made her feel grounded in what was a very turbulent life to do it.

‘After David had died and I went to collect his belongings there was a card with a letter in it from her for me. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it and I used to get angry with people who took against her. She wasn’t perfect I’m sure, but to me she was a lovely and wonderful lady.’
–UKQuietGuy

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