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DL Waiters = Rate Best & Worst Celebrities You've Waited On

We want to hear the stories = best and worst celebrities you have served

& we want to hear the dirt!

by Anonymousreply 600May 23, 2022 1:35 AM

Worked at Hampton’s in Burbank/Toluca Lake in the early 90s. It was a very casual burger joint basically across the street from Burbank studios and WB and just down from Disney so we had a lot of studio types and actors.

Bad: Craig T. Nelson. Kept smoking a cigar inside and acting like a big shot. The buddy from Wonder Years (I think?) was a shithead.

Kind of weird: Mel Gibson. Waited on him and his agent twice. Was cool about sitting at the worst table in the restaurant and getting up to get his food. Jokes were hard to follow but he was friendly enough. Women would practically riot when he came in.

Good: Head of the Class kids, except for the chubby guy. Robin Givens never joined them. Nerdy guy was incredibly friendly and remembered specific things I had mentioned before, and Rain Pryor was nice, too. Katie Sagal was darling but quiet. Adrienne Barbeau - same but outgoing. Kellie Martin was outgoing and super polite. Didn’t wait on them but Harrison Ford, Kathleen Kennedy and her parents came in right before closing and were super gracious. Chevy Chase was cool - I overheard him saying “cheeseburger” like the SNL skit, which warmed my heart. Johnny Grant (Google him) ate there virtually every night and we all got to know him extremely well. He was nuts in a good way and loved being spoofed. Santa Barbara writers ate there once or twice a week and were so so so cool and tipped incredibly well. Sarah Jessica Parker came with a girlfriend, picked at a salad for hours but was kind and engaging, so it was OK. Helen Hunt was really nice and talked to me about working with the apes in Project X. Ivan Reitman had a creepy vibe. Mark Knopfler came in with a large group and didn’t say a word. Bobby Vinton was very outgoing and filled with joy - sounds corny but he seemed happy to be alive. Jan Hooks smiled a lot and exuded a really positive energy. Phil Hartman and a few other people were there and he was very smiley, too. Rest his soul. It was a really fun place to work.

by Anonymousreply 1May 8, 2022 12:35 AM

Great post NPO! Thanks.

by Anonymousreply 2May 8, 2022 12:38 AM

anyone else?

by Anonymousreply 3May 9, 2022 4:52 PM

Oh god please share Sally Jessy Raphael stories!!

by Anonymousreply 4May 9, 2022 5:04 PM

Faye Dunaway was a vile cunt.

Beyonce came into an Italian restaurant and asked for fried fish.

Alan Rickman complained about the music.

Chris Kattan was a coked-out douchebag.

Bill Clinton told a joke about lesbians.

Lauren Bacall insisted I break down a table for a party of 6 so she could sit in the corner facing the dining room.

Madonna left no tip for a fully comped party of 4.

Maggie G. and Pete S. left their baby's dirty diaper under the table after a Christmas Eve dinner.

Arthur Laurents begged Mike Nichols to direct Barbra in Gypsy and he refused him.

Natasha Richardson told Mia Farrow and Stephen Sondheim her mother really won the Academy Award, not Marisa Tomei, and said the Academy gave Vanessa the Oscar and swore her to secrecy.

Charlton Heston left a 5% tip.

Roscoe Lee Brown was the sweetest, most generous, and funniest customer I'd ever had.

Uma Thurman had sex in the bathroom with some ugly guy no one recognized during a private party. While she was married to Ethan Hawke.

Lens Dunham treated the entire staff like shit.

The cooks spat into Bill O'Reilly's food.

by Anonymousreply 5May 9, 2022 5:18 PM

^^ That's hard to believe.

by Anonymousreply 6May 9, 2022 5:37 PM

What about Sally Jessy Raphael??

by Anonymousreply 7May 9, 2022 5:39 PM

R5 sounds like a fantasy.

by Anonymousreply 8May 9, 2022 5:42 PM

Do we have a Sally Jessy Raphael troll?

by Anonymousreply 9May 9, 2022 5:43 PM

Sadly, I am not surprised at the possibility of Beyoncé ordering fried fish in public.

Love her but she’s country as all get out.

by Anonymousreply 10May 9, 2022 5:46 PM

R8-Never been a waiter, have you?

by Anonymousreply 11May 9, 2022 5:49 PM

I’m country too! Country fresh!

by Anonymousreply 12May 9, 2022 5:49 PM

R11, it is just so dumb and clearly a huge lie. For instance: Natasha Richardson told Mia Farrow and Stephen Sondheim her mother really won the Academy Award, not Marisa Tomei, and said the Academy gave Vanessa the Oscar and swore her to secrecy.

It is just SO clear that its made up BS. Never mind the rest of the crap. Ya. I know celebs go to restaurants. I live in NYC and see many. And have sat at nearby tables of at least 5 that I can think of off hand. But, all of this "info" is just stupid and a lie.

by Anonymousreply 13May 9, 2022 5:52 PM

[quote] Natasha Richardson told Mia Farrow and Stephen Sondheim her mother really won the Academy Award, not Marisa Tomei, and said the Academy gave Vanessa the Oscar and swore her to secrecy

Vanessa Redgrave, God love her, probably believes this with all her heart. She gave one goofy performance in Howard’s End.

But in all seriousness, it’s nothing but a British snobbery that keeps that rumour going. Marisa gave a great, comic, super-ethnic performance in a movie that still stands up, she was a leggy actress in her 20s which is the traditional Supporting Actress winner, and she beat a bunch of older, less sexy, classically trained white ladies.

by Anonymousreply 14May 9, 2022 5:53 PM

Worst Worst Worst: Jared Leto Best Best Best: Brooke Shields

by Anonymousreply 15May 9, 2022 5:55 PM

R15, Brooke Shields is a super nice person. SUPER NICE.

by Anonymousreply 16May 9, 2022 5:55 PM

Omg Brooke Shields is won-der-ful! So sweet!

by Anonymousreply 17May 9, 2022 6:04 PM
Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 18May 9, 2022 6:21 PM

R15 R16

She definitely comes across as a solidly decent person - glad to see it confirmed.

by Anonymousreply 19May 9, 2022 6:27 PM

I can tell you who’s NOT a decent person, r19! remember once there was a flurry of whispers and activity when a tall, dark haired lady in dark glasses came in. Sat alone, didn’t respond to much going on around her, wore a grassy fragrance with base notes of carnation, it seemed like.

She tipped alright (not extravagantly.) But one of my job as the host was to bid her goodbye and also drop off a little card where she could make suggestions as to how the dining experience might be improved.

Well, she just looked at it witheringly and left it blank. Because it was Susan Dey, and she refused to comment.

by Anonymousreply 20May 9, 2022 6:33 PM

Love this thread. Great idea OP.

by Anonymousreply 21May 9, 2022 6:34 PM

We had a cater waiter post here for a while, he went by Celebrity Caterer and he worked a lot of LA parties and had the best gossip. One day he gave us a bunch of blind items and would give us hints in the thread, and some psycho claimed Celebrity Caterer was using sockpuppets to give out those hints. He wasn't, but DLers have never been a real brain trust, so they kept accusing him of being a troll so he left.

I'm still mad about it.

Here's one of his threads:

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 22May 9, 2022 6:45 PM

I don’t I think I have ever heard of a negative comment about Brooke Shields and for some reason that makes me happy.

by Anonymousreply 23May 9, 2022 7:07 PM

I was a cater waiter in NYC back in the 80s. Andy Warhol seemed to be at every single cocktail party in the city. Some people (the other catty waiters) claimed he was paid to appear. He was just as you would have expected him to be. Michael Douglas seemed to be at quite a few dreary corporate events where he was only showbiz type - I always wondered why he was there. Elizabeth Taylor glistened like the star she was when she appeared at a party somewhere outside the city, can't remember where. The only other person I've seen glisten was QEII when she passed my school party at the opening of parliament back in 1970 and smiled at us...we were told to wave our caps, which she apparently appreciated. We catered The Cosby Show cats when it first started. Bill was too grand to eat with the rest of the cast and ate in his room. Lisa Bonet made it very clear she fancied me. Nothing wrong with that. So did Calvin Klein LOL. I can't remember anyone else.

by Anonymousreply 24May 9, 2022 7:15 PM

R24, now THAT seems very believable and not a bunch of BS. Thank you.

by Anonymousreply 25May 9, 2022 7:19 PM

[quote[The Cosby Show cats when it first started.

* sorry > cast

by Anonymousreply 26May 9, 2022 7:22 PM

I remember Cynthia Nixon was very nice and discussed the book she was reading. Just ate soup. She subtly flirted with a waitress, which confused us all because Nixon wasn’t out at the time. She said Hi when we ran into each other later on the street.

Such was my exalted and glorious life.

by Anonymousreply 27May 9, 2022 7:22 PM

R1, thanks for that post about Hampton's. I think there was one on Hollywood too. That stretch was good for lunch places- Patty's and the cool Googie Bob's Big Boy are still there.

Mine, I've probably already posted, but these are all at Hamburger Hamlet Sunset. I wasn't a waiter there, but friends with one and was in three or four times a week.

Joan Collins, cheap. $3 tip on $40 checks and always a PITA. She got ground up pubic hair in her Cobb salad one night

Zsa Zsa, so grand. Her daughter would call the restaurant, and she wouldn't take her calls. Usually ordered the fried chicken wing dinner, and took some home. My friend asked if she wanted dessert, and she said wrap up that food "right avay, I don't want germs! Then I decide".

Rip Taylor, cheap. Brought in his own wine, which he mixed with Coke, lol. Would sit for hours, and not tip taking into consideration the time he was there or that he brought his own alcohol. When he was with Debbie, she always snuck at extra $20 tip.

Barbra, came in just to use the bathroom and a security guard blocked the door so no one could go in .

Peter Lawford, passed out face down in the ivy out front, after giving an interview with rhe National Enquirer about his sobriety.

Dean Martin, nice but gaga. Lost his dentures and everyone was looking through the dumpsters for them. Turned out they were wrapped in a napkin, and tucked into a fold under him.

by Anonymousreply 28May 9, 2022 11:06 PM

One waitress tells BuzzFeed

Keanu Reeves as 'so polite' and 'so humble,' and Danny DeVito as 'so sweet, so down to earth, tips super well'

Drew Barrymore — who was a 'ray of sunshine and bubbles'

Jason Segel, she said, is 'the nicest celebrity I have ever met, by far.'

Will Forte, who was 'so nice' and 'tipped well,'

Lady GaGa 'She remembered everybody's name, she always looked flawless. She's extremely nice"

Anna Faris, "the kindest, most wonderful person alive"

She had a less-than-positive experience with Darren Criss.

'Darren Criss is the guy who comes to the restaurant who doesn't understand that there is one server per table,' she said. 'He's the guy who flags down everybody he sees, even though he just asked somebody for the thing that he needs.' 'He wasn't my table, I was working in a similar section, so I got flagged down a lot by this guy, and I don't like those kinds of people.

by Anonymousreply 29May 10, 2022 12:11 AM

I love hearing the waiters’ revenge

by Anonymousreply 30May 10, 2022 12:58 AM

My grandma unknowingly waited on a hitman for John Gotti for years at a restaurant called the Corner House in CT. The staff was shocked when he was busted, he was a favorite regular tipped well and always joked around with them.

One time though he laid out lines of cocaine on the bar and she wiped it up with a barmop not knowing what it was. (Her being a naive teen in the 50s, lol.) He pounded the bar with his fists and was beside himself with rage to the point where she fled to the kitchen. The angry side made sense to her in hindsight.

by Anonymousreply 31May 10, 2022 12:59 AM

R5 what music was Alan complaining about? How did he voice his complaint? It wasn't an Italian restaurant was it...

by Anonymousreply 32May 10, 2022 6:08 AM

R28

Yes! I believe it was on Highland, just a block or two south of Hollywood. I applied there and was hired at Toluca Lake, though I could have walked to the Hollywood location. I saw Stephen Furst (Flounder in Animal House) there when I applied. The TL (I guess both, but they were always at TL) branch was owned by Ron and Ann Buck and called Hampton’s because they loved the Hamptons so much. They were allegedly friends with Paul Newman.

by Anonymousreply 33May 10, 2022 12:48 PM

R23

I feel the same way - why is that? For some reason, I feel like more is right with the world knowing that Brooke is sweet.

by Anonymousreply 34May 10, 2022 12:49 PM

R28

Used to eat there all the time! Saw Audrey and Judy Landers there, FWIW, lol!

by Anonymousreply 35May 10, 2022 12:51 PM

Love to hear from a waiter/waitress from the Ivy. Paparazzi central. The place always reminds me of that scene from Soapdish and Sally Fields character with Whoppi at a mall.

by Anonymousreply 36May 10, 2022 1:04 PM

My aunt was a server years ago and served Judge Judy. She said she was super nice and a GREAT tipper.

by Anonymousreply 37May 10, 2022 1:12 PM

I have worked with Brooke and know actor friends who have too and everyone loves her

by Anonymousreply 38May 10, 2022 1:18 PM

[quote]Roscoe Lee Brown was the sweetest, most generous, and funniest customer I'd ever had.

Sooooooo happy to read this, R5, because RLB is one of my all-time favorite actors--the kind of actor you'll see on the TV on your way to the kitchen or laundry room and say "I *must* sit and watch him/her."

by Anonymousreply 39May 10, 2022 1:24 PM

What frustrates me about these threads is the lack of detail. If Faye was a "vile cunt" - well, what exactly did she SAY?!

by Anonymousreply 40May 10, 2022 1:24 PM

R40. that person was so full of shit. How anyone can believe that proves to me how stupid and gullible ppl are. As if ALL of these ppl would not only say half that shit, but within ear shot of servers. Its incredibly stupid and clearly a farcical lie. Don't believe horse shit. Use your critical thinking skills.

by Anonymousreply 41May 10, 2022 1:29 PM

[quote]she wore a grassy fragrance with base notes of carnation, it seemed like.

Not to derail the thread, R19, but could it have been Chanel No 19?

by Anonymousreply 42May 10, 2022 1:32 PM

It pains me to say this as I loathe the guy but when I lived L.A. I met several aspiring actors/servers who all said Clooney is a great tipper. Also said he was very charming as are many sociopaths in my opinion.

by Anonymousreply 43May 10, 2022 1:34 PM

[quote]I love hearing the waiters’ revenge

I don’t. I think it’s vile to mess with people’s food.

by Anonymousreply 44May 10, 2022 1:38 PM

Kevin Bacon and Kyra were totally charming. Tina Turner was regal and polite. Alec and Hilaria were polite and very generous. The accent never stops. Paula Abdul was really sweet and posed for pictures with the busboys. Jeff Koons was nice and came back because he was looking for some hair product that he left in the men's room(?). Oprah, Bette Midler, Lily Tomlin and Patti Lupone were just fine. Steven Tyler smelled bad, snorted coke and left 5%. Geraldo Rivera is truly a douche among douches. Sunglasses all night. He would occasionally stand up in the dining room and spin very slowly around so that he would be seen, then sit down. I cannot put into words how much of an asshole Jimmy Buffet is.

by Anonymousreply 45May 10, 2022 1:41 PM

R26, I just thought you were being hip, like Sammy Davis Jr. calling people "cool cats!"

by Anonymousreply 46May 10, 2022 1:53 PM

R44 Oh yes. That sword…cuts both ways.

by Anonymousreply 47May 10, 2022 3:13 PM

bump!

by Anonymousreply 48May 10, 2022 3:17 PM

R13- As a matter of fact, NONE of it is a lie. I was there. I saw it. I heard it. So, shut the fuck up with your mealy mouthed protestations.

by Anonymousreply 49May 10, 2022 9:20 PM

[quote]I cannot put into words how much of an asshole Jimmy Buffet is.

r45, will you try? For meeeee? Pleeeeeease?

by Anonymousreply 50May 11, 2022 12:08 AM

R8 Noooo, really, you think?

by Anonymousreply 51May 11, 2022 12:11 AM

^Me too! want to hear horror stories about Jimmy Buffett!

by Anonymousreply 52May 11, 2022 1:42 AM

[Quote] I love hearing the waiters’ revenge

[Quote] I don’t. I think it’s vile to mess with people’s food.

Thanks r44, I intended on saying same. Anyone who puts ground up fucking pubes in people's food should be shot and pissed on.

by Anonymousreply 53May 11, 2022 2:06 AM

[quote]Anyone who puts ground up fucking pubes in people's food should be shot and pissed on.

I completely agree.

by Anonymousreply 54May 11, 2022 2:23 AM

[quote]R44 I think it’s vile to mess with people’s food.

Well, it is. But is it not also vile for rich celebs to intentionally screw up the laborious workdays (not to mention incomes) of worker bee waitstaff who are often underpaid already, and most likely struggling artists, themselves?

by Anonymousreply 55May 11, 2022 4:33 AM

R42, it could have been Cristalle.

by Anonymousreply 56May 11, 2022 4:42 AM

Best, Anne Hathaway. A real sweetheart.

Totally awkward ? Billy Campbell.

by Anonymousreply 57May 11, 2022 4:43 AM

I wasn’t a waiter but I slung popcorn at a fancy movie theater. Can I play? Julia Roberts bought a Diet Coke. She was very skinny and very nice. There was an old movie poster for Pretty Woman hanging in the lobby and she cracked up hysterically.

Kevin Costner bought a popcorn but didn’t come in the theater (the concession stand was half in/half out of a shopping mall, so he was on the outside in the mall part). He made sure everyone knew he was Kevin Costner. He told someone he was in Robin Hood.

Winona Ryder slipped past me when I was tearing tickets and I asked her where her ticket was. I didn’t recognize her, and she told me her friends had her ticket. She was sweet and smiled, but knowing what I know now, I assume she didn’t actually have a ticket and was movie crashing.

Director Neil Jordan sent an emissary to me to ask questions about renting one of the theaters while he stood ten feet back and stared at me. It was creepy and still haunts me.

(I didn’t see this happen but) Tom Cruise called the box office and said “Hi this is Tom Cruise. Would it be possible to hold the movie for ten minutes and let me and my wife sit in the balcony (which was closed) and the phone answerer said “Sure, and I’m Julia Roberts” and hung up on him. 20 minutes later he and Nicole Kidman showed up ten minutes late for the movie and we let them sit in the closed balcony that had broken chairs and piles of junk. They were both nice.

by Anonymousreply 58May 11, 2022 5:07 AM

[quote] Winona Ryder slipped past me when I was tearing tickets and I asked her where her ticket was. I didn’t recognize her, and she told me her friends had her ticket. She was sweet and smiled, but knowing what I know now, I assume she didn’t actually have a ticket and was movie crashing.

She's got to be a kleptomaniac.

by Anonymousreply 59May 11, 2022 5:23 AM

Trust me, Joan got of easy.

by Anonymousreply 60May 11, 2022 5:25 AM

[quote]Michael Douglas seemed to be at quite a few dreary corporate events where he was only showbiz type - I always wondered why he was there.

Douglas has been involved in all sorts of stuff for years - from co-founding a record label in the 90s to working on behalf of the UN. No doubt he has all sorts of investments as well.

by Anonymousreply 61May 11, 2022 10:27 AM

Madonna used to hang out in restos quite a bit with Chris Rock, but I heard her deny it to a waiter, who welcomed her back one night when she dropped in with husband Guy Ritchie. "Oh, I've never been here before".

Sure, bitch.

by Anonymousreply 62May 12, 2022 3:55 PM

You never say a thing about seeing a customer before, unless they bring it up- was taught that back in my waiter days. A man might have been in the week before with his girlfriend, and then with his wife.

by Anonymousreply 63May 12, 2022 4:08 PM

People talk a lot of shit about Madonna and never talk about the nice things. I know a guy who got a call from a friend. Friend said, I just met someone and you need to speak to her. The next thing he heard was “Hi Chris, this is Madonna”. A total stranger asked if he could call a friend and have her say hi to him and she did!

by Anonymousreply 64May 12, 2022 4:44 PM

That's touching. No, really...

by Anonymousreply 65May 12, 2022 5:55 PM

Matthew Morrison once came in with his then-girlfriend. After being seated, he approached me and said he had a gift card for the restaurant someone had given him as a gift, but to please not mention it in front of his girlfriend so she wouldn't think he was being cheap.

by Anonymousreply 66May 13, 2022 3:58 PM

NYC 80s cater waiter here again.

R66's post reminds me - I took a girl I knew visiting from out of town to the Lincoln Center to some classical concert. All of us waiters had been given free tickets for some reason. She couldn't work out why so many people in the rows around us seemed to know me. She thought I'd splashed out on a special treat.

by Anonymousreply 67May 13, 2022 4:13 PM

Another vote for dish on Jimmy Buffett.

by Anonymousreply 68May 13, 2022 4:17 PM

My ex boyfriend was an NYC caterwaiter in the early 90s who used to work at society functions at the temple of Dendur. in the Met. He said all the cater-waiters most loved serving Ivana Trump, of all people, and that she was incredibly fun (this was right after she had divorced Trump). One time as a prank she brought a rubber fly and complained that she had found it in her salad, but she couldn't keep a straight face when she pretended to complain and was very adorable.

I know that sounds nauseating (who wants any of the Trumps to be likeable?), but that's what he said.

by Anonymousreply 69May 13, 2022 4:22 PM

Wait. We actually let waiters post on DL now? No wonder the site has gone to shit!

by Anonymousreply 70May 13, 2022 4:24 PM

A friend of mine is a cater waiter in LA. He did a party for Steve Wynn, and Sly Stallone was there among others. After dinner, they all smoked cigars. He was kind of surprised they would be smoking with a fortune in art in the room.

by Anonymousreply 71May 13, 2022 4:26 PM

[quote]Wait. We actually let waiters post on DL now? No wonder the site has gone to shit!

Oh, aren't you funny. You obviously mean it. I was an acting student and had to do jobs that paid cash, if you really want to know.

by Anonymousreply 72May 13, 2022 4:27 PM

I meant to add "from England"... so had to do jobs that paid cash.

by Anonymousreply 73May 13, 2022 4:28 PM

If BG can post, so can waiters.

by Anonymousreply 74May 13, 2022 4:30 PM

I waited on Chuck Norris at a popular seafood restaurant in New Orleans during his Walker, Texas Ranger tv run '98/'99, he was dressed in the whole cowboy thing. He sat in the foyer waiting for someone to join him, and he looked puny in a great big rocking chair, he was so little. When the male companion arrived, they were both seated in the nearly empty dining room (2:30 pm slow time), spent about an hour there eating and talking, but Chuck was the silent type, every time I got near the table, he claimed right up. The companion was friendly and he tipped really well.

by Anonymousreply 75May 13, 2022 4:50 PM

Waiters have all the dirt, are you kidding? Real underground gossip is what the DL was made for. Nowadays we get way too many of the same regurgitated pop culture opinions as your average Midwest housewife.

by Anonymousreply 76May 13, 2022 4:51 PM

^^ clammed right up, Chuck didn't talk much whenever I approached the table...

by Anonymousreply 77May 13, 2022 4:52 PM

RDJ came into the hotel bar where I worked. Loud & rude, barking out orders before he even sat down. All-male entourage and it didn't look work-related. One of the twinks broke off from the entourage and left the table to chat up the bartender.

by Anonymousreply 78May 13, 2022 5:10 PM

I did not wait on him, but a decade or so ago I wandered into a pretty well-known barbecue place near a big expressway, to pick up a sandwich for lunch and while I was waiting for it, in came Jeff Foxworthy, along with what was obviously his elderly parents. They appeared to be waiting on some other folks in another car. It was probably the day before Thanksgiving, holiday time. He was a mean, peremptory asshole, gratuitously harsh and bossy to every person he made contact with, nothing but complaints and orders. It was really surprising. You would never in your life have believed that that man could be any kind of comedian, he had NO sense of humor about him at all.

by Anonymousreply 79May 13, 2022 5:14 PM

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 80May 13, 2022 5:17 PM

I've worked in a bunch of different places in NYC, and most of the celebs I've waited on have been really nice. Maya Roudolph totally sweet. She was wearing a too small white top. Whitney and Bobby-They came in twice in one week. Realy nice, but ghetto as fuck. They ordered a seafood tower, ate half, kept on going outside, then asked it to be wrapped. Elizabeth Wilson-kind. Didn't care she had the crappiest table in the restaurant. Rick Springfeild-really nice. I was the only person who knew who he was. When the chef found out, I had to ask him for his autograph for his wife. Bill Pullman-THE nicest guy ever. Even wrote "Thank you" on the check. Parker Posey- cute as a button. Charmimg. Called me by someone elses name, but I didn't care. When she called for a reservation she said a line from a song, and i continued the song for her. Eric Idol-he ate alone, and was very "too himself". Titus Burgess-just a regular guy. Marlee Matlin- really nice but her interperter seemed a little stuck on himself. Allie Stoker- truly one of the nicest people I've ever served. Molly Ringwald-quite, alone, read a book. Beautiful. Phylis George - suprised I knew who she was. A lovely person.

by Anonymousreply 81May 13, 2022 5:42 PM

Didn't do much eavesdropping, but this is a Hamlet Sunset story again. Was sitting at a banquet, with an empty booth next to me. In comes Bette Davis, with Robert Osborne. Everyone used to eat here- in fact Elton John had his birthday party one year.

I have never seen a restaurant buzzing like this. This was after her stroke, when Bette was wearing the button outfits. People kept coming up to the table, and finally Robert said we will sign after eating. I could see everyone watching until they were done, and maybe 25 people came lining up. Robert was very nice, but Bette was thrilled at the attention and signed for everyone. A few queens had run home for stuff they had to autograph.

I paid for their check, and told my waiter friend not to say it was me. A thrill just to see her.

by Anonymousreply 82May 13, 2022 6:26 PM

Love these stories, keep them coming! Anything on Axl Rose?

by Anonymousreply 83May 13, 2022 6:36 PM

Dame Julie Andrews once slapped the shit out of a busboy for not getting out of her way fast enough.

by Anonymousreply 84May 13, 2022 7:41 PM

The Beyonce fried fish comment makes me love her even more.

by Anonymousreply 85May 13, 2022 8:11 PM

anyone else?

by Anonymousreply 86May 15, 2022 12:58 AM

I threw lukewarm coffee at a stewardess.

Gary didn't talk me out of it.

by Anonymousreply 87May 15, 2022 5:02 AM

The recognizable performers I waited on were all pretty mellow and well behaved.

Anne Meara wanted her lamb chops “black and blue” (charred outside and raw inside) which is hard to achieve. She was never satisfied with them, but never seen them back.

Anne Jackson always ordered tea at the end of a meal, which is a pain. You have to gather a teapot, it’s lid, boiling water, the tea bag, lemon, a pitcher, milk for the pitcher, a cup, its saucer, a spoon…coffee’s easier! God damn you, Anne Jackson!

Alec Baldwin was fine. Completely mellow. I was subserviently warm and smiley but he didn’t fall for my little dance.

Genie Francis and her husband Jonathan Frakes were like little dolls, sweet and cheery. I was trying to get them a better table but they didn’t care about being shoved into a tiny table in the corner. It was busy.

I wrote about Jo Van Fleet appearing in the smoking section in her bra once. Maybe I can copy and paste it from another thread. Or someone else can. That was a crazy brunch (the shift from hell)

by Anonymousreply 88May 15, 2022 5:56 AM

Anne Meara never SENT her lamb chops back… not never SEEN them back

by Anonymousreply 89May 15, 2022 5:57 AM

Here it is. I found it in “Craziest Thing that Ever Happened to You at Work”

—————

I worked in a place around the corner from Jo Van Fleet, the Academy Award winning actress. She was quite old, not working, and an alcoholic. She would come into the restaurant after already having had drinks at her house. Or at least this day she did.

She entered a busy Sunday brunch in a fur coat and was seated. Shorty after, a new hostess came up to me and said, “What do I do? Jo is wearing a black bra.” I was confused. “Is she wearing a white shirt, or something, and it shows through?” “No. Jo is ONLY wearing a black bra.”

I looked into the smoking section (because of course Jo smoked) and saw her in her black bra, pantyhose and shoes. Her coat was thrown back over the back of the chair. She must have started drinking that morning while getting dressed, then just thrown on her coat while half in the bag and headed out.

I said, “Put the coat up over her shoulders and say you’re afraid she’s going to get cold.”

When this was done, Jo looked down at herself and said/slurred, “Oh. [italic]Oh.” [/italic]Then she shuffled out.

Poor dear.

by Anonymousreply 90May 15, 2022 6:08 AM

Flight attendant. First class passengers I waited on.

Kirk Cameron read his bible during the flight. Was quiet and shy and a little aloof.

Steve Martin was super nice.

Dixie Carter was a doll. She chatted with me while waiting for the lavatory. Sweet and down to earth.

Carrot Top was stuck up and snobby. He wouldn't speak to me and had his companion (I think it was his agent) talk to me. Acted like I was so beneath him.

Guns n Roses flew a red-eye. They were passed out and didn't pee in our galley.

by Anonymousreply 91May 15, 2022 6:13 AM

Carrot Top hit on me at the mall across from the Wynn. Not interested.

by Anonymousreply 92May 15, 2022 6:17 AM

More details on Guns n Roses, please, R91, and thank you!

by Anonymousreply 93May 15, 2022 6:29 AM

R66 oh that's just sad.

by Anonymousreply 94May 15, 2022 8:13 AM

I was a waiter for 14 years at a hotel in my city. The nicest- Ann-Margret (the best), Petula Clark. Faith Hill and Time McGraw, Dick Button, Shirley Jones (she called a friend of mine on my phone who adores her), John Denver (left me a 75% tip), Robert Wagner and Jill St. John. The worst- Diahann Carroll (horrible mean woman, made a waitress cry and I took over the table) and that stupid Watermelon smashing "comedian" Gallagher (only person who ever said to me "Don't you know who I am?"). David Crosby was easy to wait on but left only 10% tip. I can elaborate on any of them if anyone is interested.

by Anonymousreply 95May 15, 2022 11:23 AM

[quote]My grandma unknowingly waited on a hitman for John Gotti for years at a restaurant called the Corner House in CT. The staff was shocked when he was busted, he was a favorite regular tipped well and always joked around with them. One time though he laid out lines of cocaine on the bar and she wiped it up with a barmop not knowing what it was. (Her being a naive teen in the 50s, lol.) He pounded the bar with his fists and was beside himself with rage to the point where she fled to the kitchen. The angry side made sense to her in hindsight.

Your mom waited on a Gotti hitman during the 1950s? John Gotti himself would have been around 15 in 1955. Doubt Gotti was a mobster back then. John Gotti was born in 1940.

Was the hitman very elderly when he worked for John?

by Anonymousreply 96May 15, 2022 12:11 PM

R96, the OP said she waited on Gotti’s hit man, not Gotti

by Anonymousreply 97May 15, 2022 4:45 PM

^oops r96, you did say that. Damn I shouldn’t type and drink (martinis) at the same time.

by Anonymousreply 98May 15, 2022 4:53 PM

Gin or vodka, r98?

by Anonymousreply 99May 15, 2022 4:54 PM

Gin, of course, r99!

by Anonymousreply 100May 15, 2022 5:20 PM

Lemon twist or olive, r100?

by Anonymousreply 101May 15, 2022 5:30 PM

R96 I have the time jumbled but she had been working at the Corner House since the late 50s. It was probably the 60s when she actually waited on the hitman, I'd ask her but she's dead unfortunately

by Anonymousreply 102May 15, 2022 7:59 PM

Whacked, R102?

by Anonymousreply 103May 15, 2022 8:15 PM

My sister in law was a flight attendant for first class on an overnight flight in the 80’s. She said Bill Cosby asked her to sit by him and held her hand while they chatted. She thought he was sweet, but looking back on it now, it’s so creepy!

by Anonymousreply 104May 15, 2022 8:23 PM

[quote] Anne Jackson always ordered tea at the end of a meal, which is a pain. You have to gather a teapot, it’s lid, boiling water, the tea bag, lemon, a pitcher, milk for the pitcher, a cup, its saucer, a spoon…coffee’s easier! God damn you, Anne Jackson!

Tea drinkers are, indeed, a PITA.

R95, yes, I'd love for you to elaborate on your experiences with these celebrities. David Crosby with his 10% tip can shove it up his ass. I guessed that he was an asshole.

by Anonymousreply 105May 15, 2022 8:29 PM

Somebody posted about taking a cater-waiter/bartending gig at Jayne Wrightsman's Fifth Avenue apartment and stealing a small Warhol off her bathroom wall because she was such a cunt.

by Anonymousreply 106May 15, 2022 8:32 PM

How much more difficult is tea than coffee? You still have to bring a cup, cream, sugar, possibly a saucer...

by Anonymousreply 107May 15, 2022 9:32 PM

Coffee just goes in a mug

by Anonymousreply 108May 15, 2022 10:07 PM

Best -Paul Newman and Joanne Worst-Marlo Thomas

by Anonymousreply 109May 15, 2022 10:19 PM

It's odd that Marlo is so nasty. Her brother Tony and sister Terri are very nice. Even the mom, an old drunk was a sweetheart. Never met Danny.

by Anonymousreply 110May 15, 2022 11:31 PM

R110 not to mention her husband!

by Anonymousreply 111May 15, 2022 11:46 PM

Marlo ordered some clothing online for a nephew or niece in college. She sent it addressed to the dorm, no room # or name . The box was stolen by someone at the dorm. Marlo DEMANDED we send free replacements. She had additional egg on her face as it was for a birthday that was already passed when the first one arrived. She ordered late, not our fault. Her last name is Donahue on their account BTW.

by Anonymousreply 112May 15, 2022 11:59 PM

Michael Hutchence of INXS. I know he's a DL fave and had a head injury. IDGAF. He was surly, rude, and dismissive. I could hardly get an order (drinks) out of him. In fact, I think I ended up not even getting an order; otherwise, I would have remembered what he drank.

by Anonymousreply 113May 16, 2022 12:09 AM

[quote][R96], the OP said she waited on Gotti’s hit man, not Gotti

I'm quite aware what they posted, but how OLD would have Gotti's hitman be when Gotti became a known mobster? When was the man she waited on working for Gotti? It sure couldn't have been in the 1950s, Gotti was a teen in the 1950s.

If the waitress met the hit man during the 1950s, which was stated in the post, that would likely make the hit man quite old when he finally worked for Gotti.

The poster stated, when their mom waited on the hitman, she was a "naive teen in the 1950s."

READ that same post again, then, tell me it makes sense. It's very convoluted.

by Anonymousreply 114May 16, 2022 12:35 AM

I was standing with a group of coworkers against the wall, waiting for the busy part of service when I saw the host shuffling an elderly seeming man into my section. He had on what resembled a robe, now that I look back I think it was a robe, terry cloth slippers and long socks that had slumped down around his ankles. I approach the man and realize it is Christopher Walken. Now, I don’t get startstruck because I know celebrities are embarrassing and I am better than they are but this was Christopher Walken. He was there when Natalie Wood was thrown overboard, for pete sake. I instantly become flummoxed. He had a worn edition of “Interviews with Marlon Brando” on the table with him. He peered up at me, sunken and ashen. His breath smelled like he had been licking the attic floor. It was overwhelming. Bad. I felt small, for the first time. He ordered the smoked fish and ate while he read. I have waited on Ryan Gosling, Ray Liotta, Demi Moore and Marlo Thomas. Marlo was an uber cunt! Demi was a temptress. All veneers without a pore in sight.

by Anonymousreply 115May 16, 2022 12:50 AM

R113, where/when did you encounter hutchence?

Thanks

by Anonymousreply 116May 16, 2022 1:17 AM

[quote]I can elaborate on any of them if anyone is interested.

Yes, please. Diahann Carroll and Gallagher.

by Anonymousreply 117May 16, 2022 1:37 AM

[quote] which is a pain. You have to gather a teapot, it’s lid, boiling water, the tea bag, lemon, a pitcher, milk for the pitcher, a cup, its saucer, a spoon…coffee’s easier!

I hated tea drinkers, and they ALWAYS sat in my section! What’s worse, our hot water dispenser was upstairs from the main restaurant. I had to refill pots running up and down stairs. A nightmare!

by Anonymousreply 118May 16, 2022 2:30 AM

When was the Christopher Walken sighting, r113?

by Anonymousreply 119May 16, 2022 2:31 AM

The thing about all those annoying tea items is in the middle of a busy night, they might not have been restocked. (Of course Joyce is stoned again. And Clay is flirting with the new bartender.) So you’re trying to get an order out in the melee of a rush, and it’s like, “Where are the creamers?? We’re out of lemon!! I need a teapot lid!! Where are the FUCKING doilies??” You’re suddenly hunting down 6 things just for a CUP OF TEA. It can quite cramp the pace.

by Anonymousreply 120May 16, 2022 2:45 AM

^^ OMG… and then they ask for honey.

I’m having flashbacks.

by Anonymousreply 121May 16, 2022 2:46 AM

Hey, will you stop shitting on us tea drinkers, please?! Fucking waiters....

by Anonymousreply 122May 16, 2022 4:24 AM

Look, Miss Austen. Get a thermos for your precious tea. And drink it on the way HOME!

by Anonymousreply 123May 16, 2022 4:30 AM

R119 2010 ish, in Detroit, when Hollywood was getting tax breaks to film here.

by Anonymousreply 124May 16, 2022 4:40 AM

R123, I will find you and I will ORDER TEA from you!!!

by Anonymousreply 125May 16, 2022 5:04 AM

The rage over hot tea is real.

by Anonymousreply 126May 16, 2022 5:21 AM

Iced tea, fine. Go ahead and have your 10 free refills.

Pig.

by Anonymousreply 127May 16, 2022 5:39 AM

Tea people ARE annoying.

I mean, it's basically medicinal dishwater.

Ghastly.

by Anonymousreply 128May 16, 2022 5:41 AM

“What kind of tea do you have?”

(shudder)

by Anonymousreply 129May 16, 2022 5:43 AM

I thought I was the only server who hated tea and tea drinkers. The other PITAs were the late night half caf / half decaf coffee drinkers. I’d give them all decaf, hoping they’d get sleepy, pay their check, and go home. Found out that my coworker was doing the opposite, giving them all caf, no decaf.

by Anonymousreply 130May 16, 2022 5:46 AM

My mother was a tea drinker. She didn't like coffee and after a while she was not able to have caffeine. So she always wanted decaffeinated tea. The problem was she hated herbal teas. So she had to have Lipton decaf tea, which hardly any restaurant stocked. I tried to first explain to her that there were many herbal teas and that just because she didn't like one didn't mean there weren't others that were very close to what she did like, but she wouldn't hear of it. Then I tried to convince her to carry a small baggie of Lipton decaf tea bags in her purse for when she did go out and wanted tea so that it wouldn't be a problem, but she loved to do things the hard way. Actually I think she just liked to complain, and I can't fault her there.

by Anonymousreply 131May 16, 2022 5:50 AM

[quote]She thought I'd splashed out on a special treat.

R67 What does that mean?

by Anonymousreply 132May 16, 2022 6:02 AM

“ Dean Martin, nice but gaga. Lost his dentures and everyone was looking through the dumpsters for them. Turned out they were wrapped in a napkin, and tucked into a fold under him.”

I saw him there at dinner once. He had his dentures in his hands!

by Anonymousreply 133May 16, 2022 6:07 AM

Beyoncé had hot sauce in her bag.

by Anonymousreply 134May 16, 2022 6:16 AM

Wow, how I hate servers who think the customer is there for THEIR comfort! They expect us to come in, kiss their feet, tip 75% and leave ASAP. Well, honey, that's not how it works. A pot of Earl Grey for our table, and HURRY!

by Anonymousreply 135May 16, 2022 7:13 AM

Never heard such bullshit about TEA.

Boil the fucking water, then give the customers a tea bag. If it's an upscale restaurant, and not a diner, have the loose tea ready and prepare their small teapot and serve your customers. In most diners, I usually see a carafe of hot water nearby the coffee station.

What a bunch of complainers!

by Anonymousreply 136May 16, 2022 11:38 AM

The worst customers are the cheap bastards who order plain tea, then ask the server for a glass of ice cubes! Any extra water they might need to stretch out their ice tea, is usually already on the table. It's obvious, these cheapos don't want to pay more money for a glass of iced tea.

Diners and restaurants usually charge more for ice tea than regular tea. Most restaurants and diners have a choice of plain ice tea, you can add the lemon and sweetener of choice, they also serve ice tea made from a mix, which is already sweetened..

I don't know how many times I've seen customers create their own iced tea. They are usually the worst tippers.

by Anonymousreply 137May 16, 2022 11:42 AM

^As bad as the people who ask for a plate of lemons to make their own lemonade?

by Anonymousreply 138May 16, 2022 11:53 AM

A roommate of mine worked as a limo driver in the 80s and used to ferry guests and staff for two specific shows, SNL and Letterman.

He said Paul Shaffer was the biggest asshole ever - whiny, irritable and insulting every single time.

Letterman was quiet to the point of weirdness.

He dropped off RDJ at the airport after SNL a few times. The last time RDJ burst into tears halfway there and choked out "sorry" when he got out.

He had much more, but I don't remember the details.

by Anonymousreply 139May 16, 2022 12:35 PM

This cartoon, in the Australian National Gallery no less, explains why I'd hate to be a celebrity in a restaurant.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 140May 16, 2022 12:44 PM

[quote][R67] What does that mean?

One would assume, the expression "splashed out on a special treat" meant the person (guest) getting a wonderful night out on the town assumed their host had paid for everything, that the guest was treated for a special night out and the expenses were covered by their host.

I can't believe some people in this thread are this dense.

by Anonymousreply 141May 16, 2022 12:52 PM

Why do these celebrities act like they are so special and deserve to have their asses kissed? These people are merely entertainers, nothing more.

None have come up with cures for any rare diseases, let alone, helped much of society in any important ways, all they provide us with is entertainment. Not much more.

I get a huge laugh, when, in these celebrity threads, people who have interacted with celebrities, act as if it's so damn unusual for these celebs to act like normal human beings, especially when a celebrity is actually kind to others. SMDH.

by Anonymousreply 142May 16, 2022 12:57 PM

R139, omg, why did RDJ cry?

by Anonymousreply 143May 16, 2022 1:10 PM

[quote]all they provide us with is entertainment.

IF THAT, these days, gurl.

by Anonymousreply 144May 16, 2022 1:19 PM

[quote]Chevy Chase was cool

That's a shocker.

by Anonymousreply 145May 16, 2022 1:35 PM

I worked in a boutique/restaurant on Park Avenue, back in the day. It was pretty small, intimate and expensive, and thus had a certain clientele. The worst part is that the only bathroom was in the basement, down old stairs an past the dish washer. I cornered several stars down there while washing dishes.

Robert Redford. Very nice and left a big tip. I asked him, "Did you ever wash dishes before you became a star?" He said, "No, but I drove a lot of cabs". He smile and was very nice, and he washed his hands.

Angela Lansbury. Lovely, tall, quiet. She ordered a yogurt and fruit salad. Just how you would think. Light conversation and she wished me 'good luck on your career'. Average tipper.

Mary Travers. Well, she drank too much wine and was loud and rude. I engaged in conversation and told her how my brother died in Viet Nam and now I had all her records. I think I killed her buzz. Nevertheless, she had a good time and she drank my tip.

Mary Tyler Moore. She came in and bought a dress and had fittings. She didn't eat, but finally said 'hello' after I stared at her for awhile. She was in her own world and oblivious to everyone else. Seemed nice, if she knew you.

There were a few others, but these rang the bell.

by Anonymousreply 146May 16, 2022 1:47 PM

Killer Mike ordered a kale salad. No protein.

Fred from B52s asked to hook up his phone to the soundsystem so he can play some songs for his entourage. He played a few post-Diana Ross Supremes.

That twink-at-the-time that looks like Zac Efron and played that Brent Corrigan in that James Franco movie had a juicy looking booty.

The GM initially thought Dave Chappelle was a homeless person and thought that he was asking guests for money when it was guests asking for photos.

The Ronco ("set it and forget it") guy gave out a phone number to call to get a free knife sent to my house. He had a much younger Asian lady companion with him. I think he's dead now.

by Anonymousreply 147May 16, 2022 2:24 PM

[quote] Never heard such bullshit about TEA.

Excuse me? "Listen and learn! Tea is a herb that has been dried out. So, to bring it back to life, you have to infuse it... in boiling water. That is BOILING... water! Everywhere I been in this country they slap down a cup of tepid nonsense. You know, with the tea bag lying beside it... which mean I have to go through the ridiculous business of dunking it in the lukewarm piss, waiting for the slightest change of color to occur. I haven't got the time!" ~ Dame Maggie Smith

by Anonymousreply 148May 16, 2022 2:34 PM

R146, Poor Mary Tyler Moore. You stared at her until she said hello? You sound like a psycho. She's lucky that she escaped with her life.

by Anonymousreply 149May 16, 2022 2:46 PM

^^^ Well, sweetie, it's hard not to look at someone when they are trying on clothes ten feet away from you for an hour. But, never mind.

by Anonymousreply 150May 16, 2022 2:50 PM

R150, Instead of staring at MTM for hours in end and cornering celebrities just trying to go to the bathroom, didn't you have dishes to wash? You know, doing your job, hun. I hope you were fired for staring.

by Anonymousreply 151May 16, 2022 2:54 PM

R151, humorless cunt.

by Anonymousreply 152May 16, 2022 3:10 PM

R152, creepy voyeur.

by Anonymousreply 153May 16, 2022 3:14 PM

[quote]and the phone answerer said “Sure, and I’m Julia Roberts” and hung up on him.

Will Mary Richards EVER learn?

by Anonymousreply 154May 16, 2022 3:25 PM

Brendan Fraser - perfectly nice but a bit goofy

by Anonymousreply 155May 16, 2022 3:31 PM

Was Joan Collins' salad on the menu or did she have to special-order it?

by Anonymousreply 156May 16, 2022 3:32 PM

Keith Richards had dinner in the downtown restaurant where I worked. He was a pleasure. Low-key, funny, charming. After dinner, I asked if he wanted another drink. He replied "No, I think I reached my limit". I laughingly said, "I didn't know you had limits". He immediately replied, "You're right. Bring me another".

by Anonymousreply 157May 16, 2022 3:38 PM

Keanu. Exactly what you would expect and more.

by Anonymousreply 158May 16, 2022 3:45 PM

[quote]I laughingly said, "I didn't know you had limits".

How rude!

You can always tell a fake story when "laughter" is involved.

[quote]Robert Redford. Very nice and left a big tip. I asked him, "Did you ever wash dishes before you became a star?" He said, "No, but I drove a lot of cabs".

^ Another fake.

by Anonymousreply 159May 16, 2022 4:03 PM

What store/restaurant is (or was) on Park Avenue?

by Anonymousreply 160May 16, 2022 4:11 PM

It was a "boutique/restaurant" on Park Avenue, apparently

and he asked Robert Redford "Did you ever wash dishes before you became a star?"

by Anonymousreply 161May 16, 2022 4:13 PM

Why would you be washing dishes and also waiting on Robert Redford?

by Anonymousreply 162May 16, 2022 4:14 PM

"Why would you be washing dishes and also waiting on Robert Redford?"

in a boutique restaurant on Park Avenue, no less.

by Anonymousreply 163May 16, 2022 4:15 PM

[quote] I cornered several stars down there while washing dishes.

Who was washing the dishes, the stars?

by Anonymousreply 164May 16, 2022 4:18 PM

Trolls seem to be in every thread on DL, they then end up ruining so many threads.

by Anonymousreply 165May 16, 2022 4:19 PM

Agree with the Roscoe Lee Browne was a good guy sentiment. Friendly, smiling and out going.

by Anonymousreply 166May 16, 2022 4:26 PM

[quote]Angela Lansbury. Lovely, tall, quiet. She ordered a yogurt and fruit salad.

What sort of "pretty small, intimate and expensive" boutique restaurant on Park Avenue would serve a star yogurt and fruit salad?

What sort of star would order such a thing?

by Anonymousreply 167May 16, 2022 4:26 PM

[quote](I didn’t see this happen but) Tom Cruise called the box office and said “Hi this is Tom Cruise. Would it be possible to hold the movie for ten minutes and let me and my wife sit in the balcony (which was closed) and the phone answerer said “Sure, and I’m Julia Roberts” and hung up on him. 20 minutes later he and Nicole Kidman showed up ten minutes late for the movie and we let them sit in the closed balcony that had broken chairs and piles of junk. They were both nice.

That is hilarious, R58. Thanks for sharing.

by Anonymousreply 168May 16, 2022 4:43 PM

R159-FUCK YOU. I'm putting it in my next book.

by Anonymousreply 169May 16, 2022 5:19 PM

Some real crabs on this thread.

by Anonymousreply 170May 16, 2022 6:00 PM

[quote]R135 How I hate servers who think the customer is there for THEIR comfort! … Well, honey, that's not how it works. A pot of Earl Grey for our table, and HURRY! —Jane Austen

Mizz Austen:

We do not usually serve one big pot of tea to a table in the Americas. The rash of testy tea drinkers here has never reached such epidemic proportions (thank the Lord.)

So if you waltz in and order Earl Grey for your entire party, that probably means rustling up 4 individual tea pots, their 4 lids, 4 small plates for the teapot to sit on, 4 doilies for those plates, 4 tea bags, 4 little milk pitchers which must be filled (as the ones pre prepared in the cooler hold cream for coffee), 8 slices of lemon divided into 4 small ramekins, 4 cups, 4 saucers, plenty of boiling water, and 4 spoons. (Plus some honey in extra ramekins if you’re the devil, which we all know you are.) I also have to find a big tray on which to carry this burdensome mess.

This doesn’t mean I won’t do it, it just means I am spending extra time on you when in fact I have a full station of other diners who are essentially my CHILDREN for an hour. They are hungry, prickly, all on the verge of a tantrum, perhaps riot. They all need my attention and you have just sucked it all up for yourself with your precious, pretentious TEA ADDICTION.

For shame. When you order your fucking tea you are advocating child abuse.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 171May 16, 2022 6:52 PM

Well if that's how you serve tea in the Americas, Monsieur, you are a weird people, a complicated people, and above all an overly fussy people who deserve their fate. I say good bye, sir!

by Anonymousreply 172May 16, 2022 6:57 PM

The reason there are 4 teapots is the g-damn [italic]entitlement[/italic] of the wretched tea swillers, who will most likely all want a different type.

Go back to Longbourn Farm! And take your tea orders with you!

by Anonymousreply 173May 16, 2022 7:32 PM

BRING ME MY EARL GREY!!!!!

by Anonymousreply 174May 16, 2022 7:50 PM

R143, my friend had no idea. He said he felt bad dropping him off because RDJ was so upset and looked so much like a lost child that he wanted to get out of the car and give him a hug.

I gather his time at SNL was rocky and he was working on a west coast project at the same time so travel, stress, work relationships (and drugs) probably took their toll.

He had lots of other stories but I don't remember the names of the people involved.

by Anonymousreply 175May 16, 2022 8:15 PM

I love the Bette Davis story. She was a true STAR.

by Anonymousreply 176May 16, 2022 9:13 PM

[quote]Yes, please. Diahann Carroll and Gallagher.

So Diahann Carroll was staying at the hotel and happened to be singing for a benefit that was also taking place there. I brought her room service for several people and when her person opened the door, it was only the two of them. Apparently she was expecting company. She told me to just set out the meals and then bitched at every way I set them out or arranged them. She signed the bill and threw it at me. The next night was the night she made the waitress cry. She hollered at her in front of the entire restaurant about everything. It was as though we were supposed to read her mind. The next day she had a rehearsal with local musicians, most of them older men who had been around forever. She lost a bracelet (turns out it fell on the floor and under a piece of carpet) and accused the musicians of stealing it. She refused to rehearse until it was found and was screaming at them. Finally one of the older men put his violin in his case, put on his coat, and started walking out. She hollered at him about where the hell he thought he was going. He turned and said ""I don't take this shit from anybody and especially not from a bitch like you." She was dumbstruck.

Gallagher wanted something that we didn't have on the menu. I went to the kitchen and was told that we couldn't get it. It was late at night and there was no way to get whatever it is that he wanted. I went back and told him and that is when he said "Do you know who I am?" I remained polite and answered "Yes, but we still can't get that." He bitched and pissed and moaned so much that we called the GM of the hotel to come and placate that asshole.

by Anonymousreply 177May 16, 2022 9:32 PM

Whoa,R177/95, amazing stories! I'm really surprised and disappointed in Diahann. She didn't look like such a bitch to me!

by Anonymousreply 178May 16, 2022 9:46 PM

And you fags always take HER side in the burnt champagne saga!

by Anonymousreply 179May 16, 2022 9:48 PM

Probably explains why Diahann couldn't keep a man.

by Anonymousreply 180May 16, 2022 9:58 PM

Did the Jimmy Buffett troll ever expound upon his/her comment?

by Anonymousreply 181May 16, 2022 10:15 PM

R177, thanks. Disappointed in Diahann. I assume people like that are just miserable, through and through. If they act like that to strangers who are trying to help them, what are they like behind closed doors.

Gallagher, pfft. Who the fuck cares who he is.

by Anonymousreply 182May 16, 2022 10:25 PM

R177, if you have time, could you elaborate on Ann-Margret, Faith Hill & Tim McGraw, Shirley Jones, John Denver, Robert Wagner & Jill St. John?

Thanks!

by Anonymousreply 183May 16, 2022 10:27 PM

Not to defend her acting out but I do remember reading that Carroll faced a lot of harshly racist behavior early in her career. She may have just switched to Perpetual Battle mode.

Gallagher used to be a mildly funny clown. He's now a loathsome Trumper.

by Anonymousreply 184May 16, 2022 10:29 PM

I'm a tea drinker sometimes. I don't need lemon, sugar, or milk (thus no spoon, either). As far as I'm concerned, if it's the kind of place that uses teabags, you can just bring it to me already in the water. In fact, it's probably better that way because the water would have hit the tea while it was still hot enough. Am I forgiven?

by Anonymousreply 185May 16, 2022 10:40 PM

R185, you're forgiven if you state all of that when you're ordering your tea. If the server brings you a plate (to hold all this shit), a metal pot of hot water, a cup & saucer, a milk pitcher, a tea bag, a slice of lemon, a spoon, 3 kinds of sweetener and THEN you say: all I needed was a cup of hot water, that's a different story.

by Anonymousreply 186May 16, 2022 10:48 PM

R57, are you still around? I would like to hear about your “awkward” encounter with Billy Campbell. I still want him to be my husband one day, even if he doesn’t know it.

by Anonymousreply 187May 16, 2022 10:48 PM

R185: bootlicker! Join the resistance, you pussy!

by Anonymousreply 188May 16, 2022 10:48 PM

That was for R187 but we were angry^

by Anonymousreply 189May 16, 2022 10:49 PM

R177- Love that story! You have told the Carroll one here before a long time ago and I had forgotten it!

What an utter cunt.

by Anonymousreply 190May 16, 2022 10:50 PM

MOAR! I don't care if they seem "dull" I just want to get a taste (no pun intended) of these people.

by Anonymousreply 191May 16, 2022 11:06 PM

I bet Diahann Carroll orders fucking tea.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 192May 16, 2022 11:10 PM

Diahann Carroll ain't ordering anything. The bitch is D-E-A-D dead.

by Anonymousreply 193May 16, 2022 11:11 PM

r96, You are being very matter of fact. The oP said his grandma, he could have been speculating the decade.

by Anonymousreply 194May 16, 2022 11:12 PM

[quote] I bet Diahann Carroll orders fucking tea.

With honey!

by Anonymousreply 195May 16, 2022 11:14 PM

I'm not a coffee drinker, but just order iced tea with breakfast. I remember my waiter days and PITA tea drinkers.

by Anonymousreply 196May 16, 2022 11:18 PM

Everyone is free to use all the filters they want. They are also free to be seen as ridiculous.

by Anonymousreply 197May 16, 2022 11:47 PM

OK, one question. Was the Diahann Carroll shenanigans BEFORE or AFTER she appeared on *Dynasty*?

by Anonymousreply 198May 16, 2022 11:56 PM

[quote] what music was Alan Rickman complaining about?

They were playing Bruce Willis' Respect Yourself. Can you blame him?

by Anonymousreply 199May 17, 2022 12:21 AM

R156, no a Cobb Salad with substitutions (specially tossed, ha!) for Joan and like I said- $3 on $40 during Dynasty.

by Anonymousreply 200May 17, 2022 3:19 AM

R199-The Rolling Stones.

by Anonymousreply 201May 17, 2022 4:21 AM

Diahann Carroll always had a diva reputation. I was not at all surprised by that story. It was so great that the musicians told her off, at least someone had the balls to not kiss celebrity ass!

You couldn't pay me enough to work around celebrities. Most are delusional and way too entitled.

In my line of work, I have to deal with models and other fashion divas, almost all of these people are kooky, overly entitled and self-absorbed.

by Anonymousreply 202May 17, 2022 4:30 AM

R63 We were trained to always say "It's so nice to see you" because it could mean anything.

by Anonymousreply 203May 17, 2022 12:37 PM

My cousin worked in a NY cheese shop and said Brooke Shields was an absolute darling customer.

by Anonymousreply 204May 17, 2022 12:55 PM

Years ago Elton John came in with about ten people to a "gay" restaurant I worked in. We lined up so that a handler could pick out which server they would have. The token lesbian waitress was told not to approach the table. Elton only acknowledged (and fondled) his waiter. Lots of smoking while eating and drugs in the bathrooms.

by Anonymousreply 205May 17, 2022 1:12 PM

[quote] . I was an acting student and had to do jobs that paid cash, if you really want to know.

Shut the fuck up, Faye!

by Anonymousreply 206May 17, 2022 1:17 PM

What percentage should a celebrity tip so as to not be considered cheap?

I thought anything 10% or more was acceptable.

by Anonymousreply 207May 17, 2022 1:33 PM

R206 would leave NOTHING.

by Anonymousreply 208May 17, 2022 1:34 PM

R205, that’s vile if true. Remember, EJ performed for Rush Limburger-Cheese wedding. ‘Nuff said.

by Anonymousreply 209May 17, 2022 1:37 PM

R207 Anything less than 20% for good service is insulting for your average customer.

If a celebrity got good service, I would expect them to tip more than 20%.

by Anonymousreply 210May 17, 2022 1:43 PM

R209 We lined up every day like soldiers and the owners would inspect fingernails and uniforms. It wasn't that weird then.

by Anonymousreply 211May 17, 2022 2:06 PM

R209 There were gay and straight male waiters and gay and straight female waiters, and a loyal repeat clientele of all stripes. People made all kinds of requests about who served them.

by Anonymousreply 212May 17, 2022 2:11 PM

Loni Anderson drank her iced tea and smiled.

by Anonymousreply 213May 17, 2022 2:12 PM

R212 what kind of waiter did Elton choose?

by Anonymousreply 214May 17, 2022 2:16 PM

it's super creepy. Like those Nevada brothels where the girls are lined up for the client to choose from. And then an ugly fat old man like Elton gets to grope you? I think I'd hate working somewhere like that.

by Anonymousreply 215May 17, 2022 3:00 PM

I was at a party where Cedric the Entertainer, for some reason, was the "VIP guest." He came in rather grandly with a few people, swept around in a smiling-but-I'm-here-for-the-fast-job way, decided he was leaving, said his goodbyes to everyone, and proceeded to walk into a large closet rather than heading for the front door.

Oops.

People stood there waiting. His re-entry and proper exit received applause. I never saw someone with his complexion blush before.

by Anonymousreply 216May 17, 2022 3:15 PM

R214 Tall, gorgeous, hunky, hyperactive, promiscuous. Went on to become a famous and successful homosexual.

by Anonymousreply 217May 17, 2022 6:08 PM

R215 This was long ago. He was young and cocaine-thin.

I also think the rules were just different then, especially among gay men. You grabbed first and asked questions later. #metoo

I stayed because the money was insane. One good night could pay a month of rent.

by Anonymousreply 218May 17, 2022 6:14 PM

i might have slept with an early 1970s elton john. especially if he was a good tipper.

by Anonymousreply 219May 17, 2022 6:48 PM

The tip is uncut, R219. So...

by Anonymousreply 220May 17, 2022 6:50 PM

I remember a waitress spilled salad dressing or something on Maya Angelou’s skirt, and she made the restaurant pay for the cleaning bill. I thought that was shitty. Best selling authors/speakers can afford to get an item cleaned rather than getting an everyday server in trouble.

What’s silly is Angelou was there for a magazine interview. I’d love it if that detail made it into the write-up.

by Anonymousreply 221May 17, 2022 6:53 PM

Sounds kind of petty, R221, but the restaurant should have paid for that. I don't know about getting a server in trouble, though. Shit happens (spills) at a restaurant. I've spilled things on while working as a server. Never been disciplined or fired.

by Anonymousreply 222May 17, 2022 6:59 PM

Dustin Hoffman used to perform that Geraldo Rivera twirl back in the day. Ms. Lewinsky too.

by Anonymousreply 223May 17, 2022 7:10 PM

Waitstaff or ANY staff spilling something on a customer = restaurant pays for cleaning. Full stop, end of story. Nothing strange, unusual or petty about it.

by Anonymousreply 224May 17, 2022 7:16 PM

[quote]R222 Sounds kind of petty, [R221], but the restaurant should have paid for that.

Yes, they “should” have payed for it, but why did Angelou make them, risking an ordinary person’s job? The cleaning bill was probably all of $12.

by Anonymousreply 225May 17, 2022 9:23 PM

R225, maybe she was telling us who she was, the first time.

by Anonymousreply 226May 17, 2022 9:25 PM

I point that incident out only because Maya Angelou is quite rich and powerful.

I just thought it was a tacky move.

by Anonymousreply 227May 17, 2022 9:27 PM

If it was a high end restaurant, it wasn't tacky. That's HOW IT IS DONE.

If it was a Denny's or some dire suburban atrocity, then sure, it was petty.

by Anonymousreply 228May 17, 2022 10:19 PM

It was a tavern type, mid range place on the Upper West Side. Not fancy, but not cheap. Reasonable.

by Anonymousreply 229May 17, 2022 10:39 PM

If the restaurant owner has any ethics—fancy or not—they would pay for the dry cleaning of any customer.

by Anonymousreply 230May 17, 2022 10:41 PM

I’ve had tons of stuff spilled on me. I’d never expect the restaurant to pay unless they’d potentially ruined the garment.

Shouldn’t we all be regularly having our clothes cleaned, anyway?

by Anonymousreply 231May 17, 2022 10:41 PM

[quote]R230 If the restaurant owner has any ethics—fancy or not—they would pay for the dry cleaning of any customer.

Of course, and that’s what the restaurant did.

But if you were a mature, multi million dollar author famous enough to be giving an interview in a restaurant and a 20-year-old waitress spilled some salad dressing on you, would you complain to management and demand dry cleaning… or just give the girl a break and get on with your (wealthy) day?

by Anonymousreply 232May 17, 2022 10:46 PM

I’ll turn it around r232. If I were a reputable business owner and someone on my staff spilled something on a customer to the point that the clothing had to be dry cleaned, I would insist on paying for it. No matter who the customer was.

by Anonymousreply 233May 17, 2022 10:59 PM

But how would you know unless the customer told you?

by Anonymousreply 234May 17, 2022 11:02 PM

But if the customer knocks over a wine glass and it breaks, they aren’t accountable. A one-way street.

by Anonymousreply 235May 17, 2022 11:09 PM

R234, why would a customer need to tell you? Your server spilled food on them. Your server should offer on your behalf. You should train your servers to offer if they spill something. This has nothing to do with money. It’s just standard courtesy and politeness.

by Anonymousreply 236May 17, 2022 11:10 PM

R235, glasses are cheap at Golden Corral- don't sweat it, hun.

by Anonymousreply 237May 17, 2022 11:38 PM

R146: Mary Tyler Moore bought a dress but didn't eat? Where was this...at Woolworths?

by Anonymousreply 238May 17, 2022 11:55 PM

I remember reading a story on Twitter about Ellen Degeneres calling the manager after a meal to complain about the waitress having chipped fingernail polish. That's kind of psychotic if true.

by Anonymousreply 239May 17, 2022 11:57 PM

Diahann Carroll was always a conceited bitch. You can see it in every photo or interview. Just not a nice person.

by Anonymousreply 240May 18, 2022 12:01 AM

Maya Angelou was a well known cunt diva bitch.

Here she is on a local San Francisco show berating a poor teen girl for not referring to her as "Miss Angelou."

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 241May 18, 2022 12:55 AM

Uh, no, she's not being a cunt bitch.

That's called having basic manners. A shame that girl wasn't taught right by her parents.

by Anonymousreply 242May 18, 2022 1:05 AM

R242 She was a young girl and she was being nice. Fine, she should have addressed her more formally, but was it really necessary for Angelou to be total cunt to her on television and go on and on about it? Hell, no. She could have simply said, "Please, dear, call me Miss Angelou." The end.

Angelou was a cunt.

by Anonymousreply 243May 18, 2022 1:07 AM

She straight up was a cunt. If you want to talk manners, how about having manners enough not to publicly humiliate (for an extended period of time) a child who made an innocent gaffe?

by Anonymousreply 244May 18, 2022 1:14 AM

The cunty part was "you have no license to call me by my first name." She did somewhat walk it back and say that "I'm your mother, etc."

She could have been nicer, told the girl: I'm a lot older than you. When you reach my age, younger people should be calling you Miss ___. So please, when you address your elders, call them Miss ___.

by Anonymousreply 245May 18, 2022 1:22 AM

Thank you, R244.

There is simply no defense for Angelou's total Cunt of the Universe response.

by Anonymousreply 246May 18, 2022 1:22 AM

R245 No. What she should have said was simply, "Please call me Miss Angelou." Period. End of story. Her message would've been sent and received.

Maya Angelou was a cunt. I still feel bad for that poor girl when I watch that clip.

by Anonymousreply 247May 18, 2022 1:23 AM

Drew Droege: Maya Angelou is an Asshole

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 248May 18, 2022 1:25 AM

The only thing worse than Maya Angelou is another unfunny Drew Droege video posted on the DL. Drew, it' never going to happen.

by Anonymousreply 249May 18, 2022 1:27 AM

Maybe that girl grew up to be the clumsy waitress - and her “I Want to Speak to a Manager” act in the restaurant was her revenge.

by Anonymousreply 250May 18, 2022 1:46 AM

I should correct that vague post:

Maybe that little girl grew up to be the clumsy waitress - and [bold]Maya Angelou’s [/bold]”I Want to Speak to a Manager” act in the restaurant was her revenge.

by Anonymousreply 251May 18, 2022 2:12 AM

R221 are you serious ?? It’s the restaurant /server’s fault; it doesn’t matter how much $$$ the customer has.

(Just like when Jo broke Blair’s watch)

by Anonymousreply 252May 18, 2022 3:57 AM

This terrific “who’s nice and who’s not at restaurants” thread has suddenly become the “Maya Angelou was a mean old cunt” thread and that’s EXACTLY why I’m on Datalounge.

by Anonymousreply 253May 18, 2022 5:30 AM

I'm glad that Maya corrected the young lady on the correct way to address elders. She's a cunt for other reasons but that's not it. Manners are motherfucking important.

by Anonymousreply 254May 18, 2022 5:34 AM

I love DL because it's pretty much the only site where people are like "Maya Angelou? Oh, fuck that cunt!"

Nothing is sacred here.

by Anonymousreply 255May 18, 2022 5:37 AM

[quote]R252 are you serious ?? It’s the restaurant /server’s fault; it doesn’t matter how much $$$ the customer has.

Of course it’s the server’s fault. It’s just sad that Maya Angelou decided to throw her weighty cunt around, ask to speak to a manager, and get the restaurant to pay a $12 dry cleaning bill. I don’t feel bad for the restaurant, just bad for the poor waitress Angelou ratted out. That could have been the end of her job if the manager was bitchy.

It’s not like it was a wedding dress, it was a plain skirt.

[italic]Still I rise, [/italic]indeed!

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 256May 18, 2022 5:58 AM

"Beloved" by some doesn't mean beloved by all.

Yes, Maya Angelou wrote a beloved book and was a noted civil rights warrior but underneath it all, she was a simple country cunt like the rest of us, putting on her cunt pants one leg at a time like any other old bitter cunt.

by Anonymousreply 257May 18, 2022 6:27 AM

[quote]underneath it all, she was a simple country cunt like the rest of us, putting on her cunt pants one leg at a time like any other old bitter cunt.

Did you inspire Oprah Winfrey and become the guru of her life, R257? Does Valerie Bertinelli quote you in her book? Which she reads aloud on TikTok in between her manic episodes of self-pity?

Yeah, I didn't think so. I'm not "like the rest of us".

by Anonymousreply 258May 18, 2022 7:01 AM

Did Maya's pussy stink?

YES.

by Anonymousreply 259May 18, 2022 8:35 AM

Did the tricks at that Tijuana brothel call her Miss Angelou?

by Anonymousreply 260May 18, 2022 8:55 AM

Another Hamburger Hamlet story. I am not good at picking out celebrities and never noticed anyone at the restaurant until one day, sitting by the window, a Rolls Royce convertible (top down) stopped just outside and traffic began to bunch up behind it. It was Barbra Streisand and Jon Peters around the time of "A Star is Born." There began a loud argument. I couldn't hear specifics but they were really going at it. She was screaming at him and he was screaming right back. Finally, he got out of the driver's seat, slammed the door, and stormed off. She sat there flummoxed for a minute and then slid behind the wheel and drove away.

Was standing in line at an airline gate checking in and the guy in front of me said "Would you mind seating me first. I'm William Shatner." The girl said, "of course Mr. Shatner, then turned to other gate agent and asked, "Who's William Shatner?" He went over and sat down, pulled up the collar of his trench coat, pulled down his newsboy cap and raised a newspaper so it was covering his face. No one recognized or bothered him. When he was ushered onto the plane before the other passengers he sat in the first aisle seat and now, in full celeb-insecurity mode, starred at everyone who walked in after him, but nobody recognized him or if they did, didn't say anything or ask for autographs. I had a flashback to that Twilight Zone episode.

by Anonymousreply 261May 18, 2022 9:52 AM

A friend of mine was in a London restaurant years ago, seated near Paul and Linda McCartney and their children. He could hear bits of their conversation, which involved the kids taking the Concorde to meet their parents in the US at some event.

Paul and Linda were very gracious towards their waiter, and apparently left a lavish tip. That’s not something I ever expected to hear about Paul McCartney, the notorious tightfist.

by Anonymousreply 262May 18, 2022 10:09 AM

I’ll play…

Beyonce’ and Jay-Z - Very stoned, super nice, tipped well. - Their entourage though- kinda jerks.

Will Ferrell - very unassuming and friendly. Totally just a normal customer.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman - Totally normal, would often come in with his kids for lunch. Was friendly and engaging. We had no idea he was fighting addiction. You just never know someone’s private struggles.

Tammy Faye Baker - An absolute joy. So grateful to have met her.

James Franco - Nice enough but had a girl with him that he read poetry out loud to from some book until long after closing time… like chairs on the tables because we gave him an hour and a half to wrap it up closing time…

Gloria Estefan - So kind. So, normally when you have a VIP management gives you a head’s up so you aren’t surprised. Well this time that didn’t happen. At this place the policy was casual kneel down at the table and get all personal (gay bar cuteness). So I got down on their level, looked up to take an order and all I could think was, “I think that’s Gloria Estefan 12 inches away from my face.” - I forgot everything she said and had to go back and ask her to repeat it. I even said, “I’m so sorry, no one gave me a warming you were here and I forgot everything you said!” - but she was so understanding, and even gave me a hug! - btw - It was a dry vodka martini with olives. 😀

by Anonymousreply 263May 18, 2022 10:44 AM

R254 It's not like the girl was standing there chewing gum and blowing bubbles, hand on hip, saying, "Um, hey, Maya, whaddya think...?"

She was a well-behaved young girl who was obviously thrilled to be in the presence of someone she admired and was excited at the opportunity to ask her a question. Saying the name "Maya" instead of "Miss Angelou" was not some colossal faux pas or intentional sign of disrespect.

Maya Angelou was a straight up bitch, and yes, a CUNT for berating the poor girl the way she did.

I can totally see her having a conniption fit over something spilled on her dress and demanding payment. "I've lived too long and worked too hard to have someone like you, worthless restaurant server, soil my expensive clothing. I am your mother, your auntie, your teacher. You WILL pay to have my garments cleaned."

by Anonymousreply 264May 18, 2022 10:47 AM

Sweet fucking Jesus but I had almost forgotten that Maya Angelou was the mother lode, the Queen Cunt of imperiousness.

David Alan Grier on the other hand...

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 265May 18, 2022 11:00 AM

[Quote] James Franco - Nice enough but had a girl with him that he read poetry out loud to from some book until long after closing time… like chairs on the tables because we gave him an hour and a half to wrap it up closing time…

Lmao

by Anonymousreply 266May 18, 2022 11:12 AM

R265 And we can't forget her ode to Froot Loops, either.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 267May 18, 2022 11:17 AM

Politicians/Media

Lovely: Miss Lindsey, Jen Psaki

Arrogant: Bernie & Jane, Jake Tapper

Entertainers/Sports

Friendly: Debbie Harry, Dabo Sweeny

Not lovely: Ted Nugent, Jon Voight

by Anonymousreply 268May 18, 2022 11:41 AM

^Dabo Swinney

by Anonymousreply 269May 18, 2022 11:44 AM

This thread reminds me, in a fond way, of the long, engrossing DL thread when Diana Ross threw a Diva Diatribe because a restaurant would not seat her until her dining partner ( iirc, one of her daughters) showed up.

Ross took Supreme issue with that and let them know it. The restaurant politely, firmly, would not make her an exception to their operating rule policy that a customer wouldn't be seated until their entire party was present

Man, the DL rumble between posters who took sides with Ross versus posters who took the restaurant's side, was a thing to behold.

DL Good Times

by Anonymousreply 270May 18, 2022 12:02 PM

[quote]Paul and Linda were very gracious towards their waiter, and apparently left a lavish tip. That’s not something I ever expected to hear about Paul McCartney, the notorious tightfist.

I've never heard that he was tight.

by Anonymousreply 271May 18, 2022 12:15 PM

I have, R271. But I think I first read about his stinginess here on the DL, so take that with a grain of salt.

by Anonymousreply 272May 18, 2022 12:37 PM

R271 = John Lennon

by Anonymousreply 273May 18, 2022 1:23 PM

I'm not a DL waiter, but I do have a story about sitting next to Kirsten Dunst at The Abbey in WeHo back in the early 2000s.

I was on a work trip and stopped to have brunch there one morning. I was busy reading something for work, but I kept hearing this shrill female voice at the next table, bitching about this, bitching about that. I looked up and saw it was Kirsten Dunst. She was with some young twinky gay (maybe her assistant), who I don't think ever got a word in.

I couldn't hear everything she was saying, but it had something to do with a project she was working on, I think. It was non-stop complaining and moaning about this, about that, about him, about her, yada yada yada. I was getting exhausted just listening to her; I can't imagine how the twinky gay must have felt.

And when the wait staff approached her, she never even acknowledged them. She just kept on going on.

Hopefully, she's calmed down a little bit with age.

by Anonymousreply 274May 18, 2022 1:56 PM

R274-I remember when Kirsten Dunst used to date a young, twinkly gay. His name was Jake.

by Anonymousreply 275May 18, 2022 1:57 PM

KiKi is fabulous. She had a hard time, very publicly, but she's calmed down, married Jesse Plemmons, been nominated for an Oscar (both of them), and had 2 kids. She's fine.

by Anonymousreply 276May 18, 2022 2:02 PM

R275 It definitely wasn't Jake. That I'd remember.

by Anonymousreply 277May 18, 2022 2:16 PM

Kirsten and Jakey dated when he was a wee gayling.

by Anonymousreply 278May 18, 2022 3:16 PM

R270, that happened at La Scala in Beverly Hills, although I never saw that thread (unless it happened more than once, which isn't likely).

To those on Miss Ross' side, the restaurant got theirs. The owner GiGi was handing out menus that had Gavin Newsom Sucks written on them. She was mad about Covid shutdowns, and there was a big fallout on social media about it.

The place is down to 2.5 stars on Yelp. And allegedly they use the Subway supplier for the shredded lettuce on their famous chopped salad.

by Anonymousreply 279May 18, 2022 4:00 PM

Diana Ross wanted to be seated at a table and was told she had to wait in the bar until her party arrived, which is standard policy with guests. It's likely that the young waitstaff didn't even know who she was. This only happened a few years ago, and many people in their twenties wouldn't really know who Diana Ross is if they saw her in public.

by Anonymousreply 280May 18, 2022 4:03 PM

There are plenty of restaurants in LA that live to kiss up to celebrities- like Craig's and Dan Tana. Miss Ross picked the wrong restaurant.

by Anonymousreply 281May 18, 2022 4:10 PM

Elder gay here. During the 1980 Iowa caucuses, I waited on Ted Kennedy, and a couple of his kids, accompanied by Ethel Kennedy and several of her adult children. Ted was pleasant and polite - he was in campaign mode. Ethel was a shit faced, nasty drunk. Her kids that were with her were assholes.

by Anonymousreply 282May 18, 2022 4:13 PM

[quote] I remember reading a story on Twitter about Ellen Degeneres calling the manager after a meal to complain about the waitress having chipped fingernail polish. That's kind of psychotic if true.

R238 Well, if her name was Yoblasha and she had three inch broken talons, I might be concerned.

by Anonymousreply 283May 18, 2022 4:19 PM

[quote]Maya Angelou was a straight up bitch, and yes, a CUNT for berating the poor girl the way she did.

Unless I misheard the young teen girl, she didn't simply call her "Maya", she used both names, she addressed her as "Maya Angelou". Ever think the teen was nervous? After all she was on TV!

What a fake haughty bitch Maya came across as. To humiliate a young teen on a TV, certainly showed her own lack of manners!

by Anonymousreply 284May 18, 2022 4:31 PM

Did Maya's johns address her as "Miss"?

It's always quite amusing when these arrogant self-absorbed types of people forget their very humble beginnings. It's as if they want to erase their past.

by Anonymousreply 285May 18, 2022 4:32 PM

I think Miz Angelou had a few honorary doctorates, and like most black ladies who do, she wanted to ALWAYS be addressed in public as "Doctah Angelou." It's all about R-E-S-P-E-C-K. Respeck!!

by Anonymousreply 286May 18, 2022 4:35 PM

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, I worked as a waiter at a nice country inn in New England during the summers and usually over Christmas break, too. One Christmas break, Joanna Cassidy, her mother, her very hunky boyfriend and her ugly-as-fuck teenage son came to stay over Christmas. This was about a couple years after her role in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? She and her mother acted haughty and imperious. They would come down for breakfast dressed in fur coats. Her son was whiny and strange and she doted on him.

Joanna was nasty to all the waiters and waitresses. One night I was the unlucky guy who got to wait on her, although it was just her and her super hot boyfriend. Her mother and son decided on room service. Joanna got roaringly drunk. She asked for oil and vinegar for her salad. I had a tray full of food for other tables when I brought her salad out and couldn't fit the oil & vinegar holder. After delivering the hot food, I brought the salads to Joanna and her boyfriend then said I'd be right back with the oil and vinegar because it wouldn't fit on the tray. Oh my God, she lost her shit, screamed at me for being "late with it" and there was a hush in the dining room. I was stunned. Her hot boyfriend put his hand on my arm and said just go get it and I'll deal with this. He was the only one in the party who was nice.

Luckily the dining room manager, who really liked me, said she'd take the table for the rest of the night as she was tired of Joanna abusing her waitstaff. She was a bitch to the front desk people and other hotel workers, too. When she and her family left, we all had a drink together to toast their leaving. What a cunt.

Despite the above, I have to say many years later I enjoyed her character on Six Feet Under. She is a good actress.

by Anonymousreply 287May 18, 2022 4:37 PM

I had no idea who Joanna Cassidy was.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 288May 18, 2022 4:47 PM

I will never understand why people get off on being haughty and rude to waitstaff. I guess it was the way I was raised, but my dad was a generous tipper. I remember one time we had a semi-surly waitress and my dad still left a good tip, and said you never know what her situation is.

by Anonymousreply 289May 18, 2022 4:47 PM

Thank you OP, these are my favorite DL posts.

by Anonymousreply 290May 18, 2022 4:49 PM

Ethel Kennedy has always been a total cunt to waitstaff and clerks. There are many stories.

by Anonymousreply 291May 18, 2022 4:57 PM

[quote]Did Maya's johns address her as "Miss"?

That would've been the perfect comeback for that girl when Angelou berated her for no reason.

"When you were a whore, did your johns call you Miss Angelou? Did you ever do anal?"

by Anonymousreply 292May 18, 2022 5:00 PM

Jesus, that James Franco story r263. I admire the restraint of everyone involved for not screaming "Would you just take her home and fuck her already, you pretentious asshole!"

by Anonymousreply 293May 18, 2022 5:07 PM

[quote]I think Miz Angelou had a few honorary doctorates, and like most black ladies who do, she wanted to ALWAYS be addressed in public as "Doctah Angelou."

Bill Cosby also had some bullshit doctorates and insisted on being addressed as "Doctor Cosby."

A total slap in the face to people who actually did countless hours of work, research and writing to earn their doctorates.

by Anonymousreply 294May 18, 2022 5:07 PM

R294, Cosby earned a Doctor of Education (EdD) from UMass

by Anonymousreply 295May 18, 2022 5:16 PM

R287 "I'm right on top of that, CUNT!"

by Anonymousreply 296May 18, 2022 5:30 PM

R287, I saw your story in my mind as a Hallmark Christmas movie.

by Anonymousreply 297May 18, 2022 5:45 PM

Oh no, Joanna Cassidy is a CUNT!

by Anonymousreply 298May 18, 2022 5:59 PM

r295 his dissertation was about Fat Albert and his underlings did most of the work. That doctorate was BULLSHIT. A non-celebrity never would've gotten away with it.

by Anonymousreply 299May 18, 2022 6:03 PM

Oh I have a TON:

Best:

Al Pacino: Amazingly kind. I waited on him on one of my first days ever waiting tables. Nearly spilled marina sauce all over Beverly D'Angelo. Accidentally served cold coffee. It was a nightmare. I was terrible. She threw a fit and read my the riot act. Which I deserved! After I explained it was my first days waiting, Pacino couldn't have been more gracious. Told me we all have firsts weeks. And that things will get better. It was amazingly kind. His tip was ridiculous.

Anthony Hopkins: The nicest man ever. His wife was wonderful too.

Hulk Hogan: Really fun and funny. Down to earth. Never seen a man eat more.

Keanu Reeves: A delight.

Goldie Hawn: Super sweet. Hideous without makeup, but sweet.

Tom Berenger: A sad drunk, a regular, and we actually become friends for a bit outside of work. I really liked him. Glad to hear he eventually got sober.

Chris Penn: Another sad drunk who was actually bright, funny, down to earth and just lovely. Knew he wasn't long for the world with how much he drank.

Shaq: So nice. And his tipping was out of this world good.

Joan Rivers: LOVED her. A bit of a bitch, but she wore it well.

Worst:

Tim Robbins: Fuck him. I fucking hate him. I've told the story here too many times and don't feel like writing it out again. Though I don't believe in hell, I hope one exists solely so he may rot in it.

Morrissey: An asshole, but would we really want him any other way?

Bobby Brown: Arrogant, loud, trash. Whitney was always high (duh), but she was actually very nice.

by Anonymousreply 300May 18, 2022 7:31 PM

Maya Angelou - ugh. An opportunist who wrote one great sentence in her life mouthed platitudes and didn't dance that well.

Perhaps the establishment offered - insisted - on paying for the garment's cleaning. The management knew who she was and what was going on. I could understand Ms. Angelou accepting the offer graciously.

Being grand and smugly proud does not equate into being rude, does it?

by Anonymousreply 301May 18, 2022 7:33 PM

[quote] Tim Robbins: Fuck him. I fucking hate him. I've told the story here too many times and don't feel like writing it out again. Though I don't believe in hell, I hope one exists solely so he may rot in it.

R300, when you have time, could you please post / elaborate on Tim Robbins?

by Anonymousreply 302May 18, 2022 7:40 PM

Apparently it is requisite here that people posting about appalling black celebrities must include insulting renditions of stereotypical ghetto-black-speak assigned to people who did not talk like that.

No one on this thread is doing that for white celebrity assholes.

Cut the racism. At least one of the posters is a long-time DLer who has posted a lot of interesting things. Like finding out a favorite aunt has gone septic and mean. And this poster complains about other troll posters who DO go off on whites. Lord.

by Anonymousreply 303May 18, 2022 7:49 PM

[quote]R301 Perhaps the establishment offered - insisted - on paying for the garment's cleaning. The management knew who she was and what was going on. I could understand Ms. Angelou accepting the offer graciously.

That’s not how it went down. This was a slow time in the afternoon and the manager was downstairs. I don’t remember if Dr. Angelou summoned the manager, or ordered the waitress to inform him of upcoming dry cleaning bill. But Angelou was the one who instigated the dry cleaning negotiation.

If it were me and I were a multi millionaire, I believe I’d ask for soda water and a cloth napkin if the waitperson didn’t provide such. I’d then tell them not to worry about the situation further, and once home have my assistant or maid drop the item off with the ordinary dry cleaning.

It’s not like she had a bucket of pigs blood dumped on her.

by Anonymousreply 304May 18, 2022 7:58 PM

Maya Angelou is an AWFUL human being. God, what an insufferable twat.

by Anonymousreply 305May 18, 2022 8:10 PM

What white people see as Miss Angelou being cunty, I think most black people see as her sternly but not unkindly pointing out a young girl's error, so she avoids trouble later.

Black culture and white culture have some significant differences, and I think this clip is a great example of that.

by Anonymousreply 306May 18, 2022 8:13 PM

Why embarrass a young girl on TV?? If you want to correct her, do it later, not to make yourself look like some amazing bad-ass diva. Fuck Maya! Sorry, MISS ANGELOU.

by Anonymousreply 307May 18, 2022 8:15 PM

[quote] Goldie Hawn: Super sweet. Hideous without makeup, but sweet.

Classic DL .. ❤️

by Anonymousreply 308May 18, 2022 8:17 PM

“ Black culture and white culture have some significant differences, and I think this clip is a great example of that.”

An asshole is easily recognized no matter what color skin. Spare me the “cultural” differences.

by Anonymousreply 309May 18, 2022 8:26 PM

I forgot about Morey Amsterdam and another couple at Tony Roma's in Beverly Hills. I was with my dad at the next booth, and Morey and the other couple were going on endlessly when the check came. Who had extra Bbq sauce for 50 cents, blah blah.

Finally, my dad told the waiter he would pay and when they got up to leave Morey asked Did he leave a tip?

by Anonymousreply 310May 18, 2022 8:34 PM

Maya Angelou has been dead for 8 years, for those referring to her in the present tense. Sorry, *DOCTOR* Maya Angelou...

by Anonymousreply 311May 18, 2022 8:41 PM

We get it…that Black bitch (that’s what some really want to type) was a cunt that had the audacity to expect an establishment to pay for her dry cleaning when a waItress spilled something. Even though it’s standard practice for certain places to do just that, it’s unacceptable for that Black bitch to expect that same courtesy be extended to her.

Shit…some of you are tiresome and hateful.

Please more stories about the crones that are transformed into goddesses via the magic of make-up (and Vaseline smeared lenses), cheap bastards that argue over condiments (R310…seriously, what did your dad say after Morey asked about the tip?) and the mystery of the upscale boutique cum restaurant that required guests to walk by dishwashers.

by Anonymousreply 312May 18, 2022 8:50 PM

R312, the waiter said it had been taken care of.

by Anonymousreply 313May 18, 2022 8:54 PM

[quote] It was Barbra Streisand and Jon Peters around the time of "A Star is Born." There began a loud argument. I couldn't hear specifics but they were really going at it. She was screaming at him and he was screaming right back. Finally, he got out of the driver's seat, slammed the door, and stormed off.

I know the timeline is wrong but in my imagination, somebody yells “Avigdor - wait!!!” at this moment.

by Anonymousreply 314May 18, 2022 9:00 PM

[quote]r311 Fuck Maya! Sorry, MISS ANGELOU.

That’s DOCTOR Angelou to you!

by Anonymousreply 315May 18, 2022 9:12 PM

R287. For nostalgia's sake you could have Joanna Cassidy cunt you out in a Cameo vid.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 316May 18, 2022 9:12 PM

NYC 80s cater waiter here again.

Reading these stories has reminded me.

I wasn't a waiter, but a diner in this case.

I was walking up Columbus Ave in the 80s, to join a friend for lunch at Columbus's (they did a delicious Chicken Pot Pie, I seem to remember) and sitting in what in the summer is the outside section but was sort of covered over in the winter was Ali McGraw. You could see her from blocks away. She CLEARLY WANTED to be looked and recognised, sitting out there. You could see her big ALI MCGRAW face from blocks away.

I sat down and said to my friend "Did you see Ali McGraw?" She was having lunch with a dreary lookiing gurlfriend. I think they were the only ones outside in that oh so conspicuous a spot. After a while, she attracted a homeless person who came and stood at the window inches away from her and putting his face to the window, just staring in at them. Transfixed. Everyone saw this going on. Next, he moved inside the restaurant near the door and began shrieking "ALI MCGRAW... I SEE YOU.!!..I SEE YOU ALI MCGRAW!!!"

Omigosh. The drama. It was the unfamous friend who seemed to be most upset, flapping about (this often happens - the unfamous friends tend to be the most put out from unwanted attention) - although in this case, Ali DID want attention, just not the sort she got.

I can't remember what happened next I think they were moved to a table inside the restaurant.

by Anonymousreply 317May 18, 2022 9:17 PM

[quote]r316 For nostalgia's sake you could have Joanna Cassidy cunt you out in a Cameo vid.

Is it with or without her snake?

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 318May 18, 2022 9:18 PM

Max is that you ;p

by Anonymousreply 319May 18, 2022 9:19 PM

[quote]We get it…that Black bitch (that’s what some really want to type) was a cunt that had the audacity to expect an establishment to pay for her dry cleaning when a waItress spilled something. Even though it’s standard practice for certain places to do just that, it’s unacceptable for that Black bitch to expect that same courtesy be extended to her. Shit…some of you are tiresome and hateful.

But of course it's the "we" troll who posts the nastiest post, as usual, trying to project her "tiresome" and "hateful" bigotry at everyone else.

"We get it" we troll.

by Anonymousreply 320May 18, 2022 9:21 PM

In the 80s, when Adam Ant was dating Jamie Lee Curtis, they were regulars, whenever he was in town, at an Upper east Side restaurantt famous for its sports figure owner. Adam was the worst fucking tipper anyone had ever seen. Until that night our resident diva happened to wait on him. As they were leaving, gay diva got up in Ant's face and explained how American tipping worked. Adam listened quietly, then pulled out a $100 bill and stuffed it in diva's front pocket. He then kissed him full on the lips, and was a spectacular tipper every time he came in after that.

by Anonymousreply 321May 18, 2022 9:25 PM

I guess he wanted candy.

by Anonymousreply 322May 18, 2022 9:34 PM

I would have ripped the $100 bill in half, stuffed one of the halves back into Ant's pocket, kissed him back and said, "Save the other half for the next time you come back." That man was FINE!

by Anonymousreply 323May 18, 2022 9:38 PM

The rants about Maya Angelou got me thinking about people like Oprah, who makes no bones about absolutely gushing over Maya. Maybe too many people like Oprah have gushed all over Maya's pretentious ass a few too many times.

by Anonymousreply 324May 18, 2022 10:20 PM

It's interesting, that on a forum where a lot of racist cunts post... that the one celebrity misbehavior story that keeps getting referred to over and over AND OVER again, is one about a black woman!

Admittedly one with absoolutely breathtaking pretensions, and of course there's nothing that pisses off a mean old oldergay more than being outdone in piss-elegance...

by Anonymousreply 325May 18, 2022 10:23 PM

I've been on DL for a long time and remember reading that Diahann Carroll/musician story.

As I recall, the musician was the one who posted it.

(Of course, there could be more than one such story.)

The tale as I remember it, had DC rehearsing for a concert and the musician said that he was older. When he was fed up with DC's bitchy behavior, he began packing up his instrument. DC noticed and asked "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

The musician replied "I'm too old for this shit." and left.

Great story.

by Anonymousreply 326May 18, 2022 10:24 PM

[quote] The rants about Maya Angelou got me thinking about people like Oprah, who makes no bones about absolutely gushing over Maya.

Oprah has status, herself. Also, Oprah probably approached Miss Angelou in a highly deferential manner. Hence, Miss Angelou was pleased and probably treated Oprah very well in return.

by Anonymousreply 327May 18, 2022 10:25 PM

R325 It's interesting that in my time of serving celebrities, the ones that have really stood out to me were the very nicest or very meanest. It is difficult to recall some of the names now because of the fact there were just so many. Every day. I find it surprising that the nastiest of them shared similar traits. LOUD and a mean, nasty, mouth that got off on demeaning others. It was like they would arrive with the attitude of "Who can I make cry today... who can I make feel like shit?" Then there were celebs that came in during off hours and seemed to enjoy interacting with the wait staff They would come to know people by name, and actually take an interest. Or maybe just come in, be quiet, kind, and considerate and leave a decent tip. it doesn't take much of an effort to charm people. Just be a decent human being. The one thing that stands out is that the nastiest of them were never uber famous. The bad ones were always the B and C celebs, rarely the A celebs.

I've told several of my stories here over the years so I won't rehash them.

As for the spilling of food onto people, that did happen to me but only once. It was an awful oily reddish salad dressing. I dribbled some onto a celebs fur coat. I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. I remember working for owners that would have attempted to get the wait staff to pay for the cleaning themselves. Walk-outs were always a problem for him. He would try to make servers pay the check. I loved letting them know that is illegal. I should have turned the bastard in.

by Anonymousreply 328May 18, 2022 11:04 PM

Yes, R32, it's called a host/parasite, mutually advantageous, my aren't we fine relationship, of two narcissists admiring each other's success. As for the people insinuating people are racist for daring to bring Ms. - sorry, Dr. - Angelou down a peg - that's just convenient, isn't it?

by Anonymousreply 329May 18, 2022 11:18 PM

[quote]Robert Redford. Very nice and left a big tip. I asked him, "Did you ever wash dishes before you became a star?" He said, "No, but I drove a lot of cabs".

^ Another fake.

The FAKE would be our resident name dropper "charlie."

by Anonymousreply 330May 18, 2022 11:27 PM

Yes, R329, I find it interesting that some Dataloungers want to take Maya Angelou down a peg for being a pretentious twat, and not my Palo Alto homeboy James Franco, who barely rated a second mention.

I hope it's just unconscious bias.

by Anonymousreply 331May 18, 2022 11:29 PM

I took a class from Dr. Angelou in college years ago. She was wonderful and the class loved her. Maybe she was a cunt to waiters but she was a fantastic professor and I think about her often.

by Anonymousreply 332May 18, 2022 11:33 PM

[quote] I find it interesting that some Dataloungers want to take Maya Angelou down a peg for being a pretentious twat

she did rather present herself as holier than thou - so her being cunty is obviously going to gain some traction

by Anonymousreply 333May 18, 2022 11:37 PM

I was a shapely Italian American lass from New York who worked at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco in the 1970s. Well, 25 year old me took midnight room service up to the STAR who worked the nightclub in 1979, Miss Lena Horne. Lena was nice and very appreciative...then she asked me to spend the night!

by Anonymousreply 334May 18, 2022 11:44 PM

May I write your autobiography, R334? I'd like to title it "All About Gianna."

by Anonymousreply 335May 19, 2022 12:06 AM

[quote]The worst- Diahann Carroll (horrible mean woman, made a waitress cry and I took over the table)

I've heard this thing about Diahann Carroll from another former server.

She would walk in looking to start a fight and make at least one server cry.

by Anonymousreply 336May 19, 2022 12:11 AM

I've forgotten his name, but I served a guy (sort of like Ron Popeil) who was on TV quite a bit, selling a course on no-money-down (real estate). He came in with a good-looking, young wife and two small children. He ordered a decent bottle of wine, not the most expensive, but not cheap, either.

Tipping on expensive-ish bottles of wine (vs. food) is a weird area for customers. You pay $100 or whatever. The server does the whole tableside thing with the bucket of ice, wine glasses, white napkin, wine opener, presenting the cork (if it's cork), having the customer taste it, etc. Then, some balk at tipping 20% on the wine.

Anyway, I wasn't expecting much out of him, tip-wise, based on his commercials (seemed shady), but he was actually a good tipper. In retrospect, he and his whole family were quiet and easy customers.

by Anonymousreply 337May 19, 2022 12:22 AM

R336, Back in the 1970s, she appeared in concert at an outdoor venue and at one point during the performance she began berating the audience for what she perceived as a lack of appreciation with their mild applause.

According to a review of the concert in Variety, she scanned the audience and asked, "Are you all faggots?".

by Anonymousreply 338May 19, 2022 12:32 AM

the stories are getting a little farfetched now

by Anonymousreply 339May 19, 2022 12:36 AM

r338, I don't believe that for one second. I do believe Diahan Carrol may be a bitch; there are too many stories out there. But I think you just made that up.

LOL, leave it to DL for a thread like this to morph into the bashing of iconic black women. Ya'll gon let Maya be great in death.

by Anonymousreply 340May 19, 2022 12:41 AM

Your whining incessantly about Angelou wanting the dry cleaning bill to be paid is getting old, fast because it’s a whole lot of nothing.

Angelou was with her rights to request the restaurant clean her garment, it’s standard practise. Now she was a bad tempered old woman, the waitress had an accident, and accidents happen. But it is the waitress’ fault and the restaurants responsibility to have it cleaned. If she was convinced that she was going to be sacked for soiling a guest’s garment, that would be the restaurant’s fault. But it seemed she wasn’t. And it seems that she thought Angelou was being a big ol’ meanie who should have pretended it didn’t happen because she’s wealthy and the waitress was a perfect innocent snowflake. But tough titties, you want to work in hospitality, you deal with cleaning up your own messes. The world doesn’t owe you shit.

by Anonymousreply 341May 19, 2022 12:53 AM

I worked at a popular LA restaurant on Moreno in Beverly Hills, Jimmy’s. Catered to the old guard. Robert Stack, Don Rickles, the Reagans. Celebrities with $$$$, gracious and good manners. Just aloof enough to not be on this thread.

by Anonymousreply 342May 19, 2022 12:59 AM

How about some down home cookin?

Waiter in Nashville. You know who I am going to say is the nicest. Dolly. Fucking love her. Speaks to you like a human, tips 100% sometimes but is always a big ass tipper

Jason Aldeen was a complete asshole. His wife is worse. She has come in separately with the "you know who I am" attitude.

Waited on Reba and Kelly having lunch together. It was like a mother and daughter. So nice, Kelly had zero attitudes about her and Reba is Reba. 100% a star.

Kenny Chesney. Asked me if I wanted to watch him record. Two other waiters there had done that already so I know what that meant, Declined but wish I would have.

Keith Urban - Very nice. Hit on me. I was kind of shocked but other waiters there told me it was common knowledge he was gay.

TIm McGraw/Faith Hill. Came in together and both were really nice but pretty stand-offish. Faith left early and Tim suddenly became much more talkative. Winked a few times and I would swear he was hitting on me. The other waiter on staff told me probably just reading into it.

Garth Brook..bought everyone's dinner one night. He is very handsie. Big tipper. Never thought he was attractive but a charmer in person.

Brooks of Brooks and Dunn. A douche,. Tried to get a pretty sever to go home with him with the "don't you know who I am" line.

Miranda Lambert. A doll. Humble, sweet and took time from her dinner to pose with a little girl, took her name and was going to get her tickets to her show.

Toby Keith - A S S H O L E

Just a ton more but most of them are super nice, down to earth. Nashville is a small town and people talk.

by Anonymousreply 343May 19, 2022 1:02 AM

R340, It's absolutely true, as printed in an edition Variety. Not Daily Variety, the weekly version. I cut it out and saved the clipping for years, but it's been misplaced or lost over the years. It would have been in the mid-1970s.

by Anonymousreply 344May 19, 2022 1:07 AM

You’re getting your facts wrong, R341

[quote]Your whining incessantly about Angelou wanting the dry cleaning bill to be paid is getting old, fast because it’s a whole lot of nothing.

I have been answering specific replies, not “whining incessantly” (which would imply it’s unprovoked.)

[quote]If she was convinced that she was going to be sacked for soiling a guest’s garment, that would be the restaurant’s fault.

Somewhat akin to saying Germans turning hidden Jews in to the police during WWII were well within their rights - if they then were gassed, that’s on the state.

[quote]it seems that she thought Angelou was being a big ol’ meanie who should have pretended it didn’t happen because she’s wealthy, and the waitress was a perfect innocent snowflake.

The young waitress never complained. I, as her coworker, was the one aghast.

[quote]The world doesn’t owe you shit.

Perhaps. Yet [italic]noblesse oblige [/italic]is still an admirable value. Look it up.

by Anonymousreply 345May 19, 2022 1:10 AM

Everybody just STFU about Maya, let's get back to celebs acting like cunts

by Anonymousreply 346May 19, 2022 1:12 AM

[quote] Keith Urban - Very nice. Hit on me. I was kind of shocked but other waiters there told me it was common knowledge he was gay.

What? Does Miss Forehead von Wifey know? Please don’t just casually drop this little nugget without expanding. Gay? Wow, that really surprises me. Lends new insight into her other marriage.

by Anonymousreply 347May 19, 2022 1:15 AM

[quote]leave it to DL for a thread like this to morph into the bashing of iconic black women

R340, are you new here? Bashing is not reserved for white people, iconic bitchy black women a re FAIR GAME.

by Anonymousreply 348May 19, 2022 1:15 AM

Keith Urban being gay is no surprise to anyone who has a brain.

by Anonymousreply 349May 19, 2022 1:16 AM

r347 no idea if she knows. I can only relate this second hand. One of the guys on Staff is called Big John as a nick name. Welll as Big John tells it, Keith likes it on all fours getting pounded from behind and he likes his men Big and BIG.

by Anonymousreply 350May 19, 2022 1:18 AM

[quote]Angelou was with her rights to request the restaurant clean her garment, it’s standard practise. Now she was a bad tempered old woman,

Maya Angelou was a drunk, which may have explained her bad behavior.

by Anonymousreply 351May 19, 2022 1:19 AM

One of my younger brothers does a wicked Maya Angelou impression and I'm to share the Maya Angelou stories here with him. No clue as to with the kid has Maya Angelou in his repertoire of impressions btw.

R343 My wife is from Hendersonville and she is older than you I bet.

She served Conway Twitty. He had some weird ass house in Hendersonville called Twitty City but she served him at a Nashville restaurant while at Vanderbilt. She said he was nice but "knew" different female "assistants."

Loretta Lynn he did not "know" like how he "knew" his female "assistants" and she will tip like she's scared to leave money left in her wallet and would sometimes dine with Conway or her gay bff back then because she lived somewhat far from Nashville actually and I guess it was like a mini business trip to her.

She also said that Dolly Parton was genuinely lovely (as though that's shocking) one time her order got screwed up and she still ate it and said to keep a better eye out back (meaning the kitchen) after she ate her meal and physically gave my wife a huge cash tip in her hand.

Me personally? I know how to cook and bake so I've never been a waitress and am actually far to clumsy to have ever tried it.

by Anonymousreply 352May 19, 2022 1:21 AM

Not me, but my sister did a lot of high end catering in CT. She sent my mom a pic of Michael Douglas flipping her off at one party. She said CZJ was super, super sweet. Another affair she worked had Harry Connick Jr. and she said he was amazing and funny as hell. This was during his time as a judge on American Idol. She said Jill Goodacre, Harry’s wife, was a cunt and kind of kept to herself but that was right before her cancer diagnosis was made public, so that could’ve been pre occupied with that.

My dad sold a car to Harry Connick close to 30 years ago when he lived in Stamford and he was one of my dad’s favorite customers.

by Anonymousreply 353May 19, 2022 1:23 AM

[quote] Somewhat akin to saying Germans turning hidden Jews in to the police during WWII were well within their rights - if they then were gassed, that’s on the state.

*slow clap*

Well, you sure showed your hand with that little comparison,m, you racist piece of shit.

by Anonymousreply 354May 19, 2022 1:26 AM

R342, Jimmy's was one of my favorite restaurants. I used to live right around the corner in Century City.

That was one fabulous, old school restaurant.

by Anonymousreply 355May 19, 2022 1:27 AM

Can the people screaming RACISM just shut the fuck up already. This is a silly, gossipy thread. No one is being racist. If you want to blow whistles on all the evil trolls of the DL, there are so many other threads in which to do it.

Fuck off.

by Anonymousreply 356May 19, 2022 1:32 AM

It’s just the loon

by Anonymousreply 357May 19, 2022 1:32 AM

The info on Angelou's dry cleaning was useful. Thanks.

But it doesn't excuse the insulting black-speak being used by people here in a racist way. Fuck that. Don't, please. It marks you.

by Anonymousreply 358May 19, 2022 1:36 AM

Comparing a minor dust up with a cunty celeb to the Holocaust marks YOU even more.

by Anonymousreply 359May 19, 2022 1:39 AM

I give a zero shits about being lectured by a fucking WAITER who compared Maya Angelou to a Nazi for a completely normal request.

What he really wanted to say, was of course, nigger. Hard r.

by Anonymousreply 360May 19, 2022 1:41 AM

[quote] Keith likes it on all fours getting pounded from behind and he likes his men Big and BIG.

Well there have been stories about Nicole, so maybe they are both Bi and have an open marriage.

by Anonymousreply 361May 19, 2022 1:44 AM

[quote] Loretta Lynn he did not "know" like how he "knew" his female "assistants" and she will tip like she's scared to leave money left in her wallet and would sometimes dine with Conway or her gay bff back then because she lived somewhat far from Nashville actually and I guess it was like a mini business trip to her.

Well that sounds like Loretta - she has people living with her, one of them is a gay assistant who helps her with her wardrobe full time

Although she grew up dirt poor, she has no concept of money. She wrote autobiography she was once carrying $50,000 in CASH while at the airport, Her manager, who was with her, was shocked and they drove straight to the bank and he forced her to deposit the money so she wouldn't get robbed

Loretta is a smart woman about certain things, but on the other hand she is still very childlike and naïve - even at age 90. That is just her charm.

by Anonymousreply 362May 19, 2022 1:48 AM

R325, there is nothing piss elegant about meanness (both definitions) towards wait staff when an accident happens. And there is nothing racist about it in itself. It's how everything to do with a black celebrity is used as a means to display general racist bullshit.

by Anonymousreply 363May 19, 2022 1:55 AM

I was friends with a maitre d' and sommelier at a top Boston restaurant, and he said hands down his best customer was Mick Jagger, who had an encyclopedic knowledge of rare wines and cheeses, with impeccable manners.

Unrelated but once sat next to Jenna Bush at a DC restaurant (Jaleo). She and her gaggle of pals were loud but nice.

by Anonymousreply 364May 19, 2022 1:59 AM

R359, no one said anything about the Holocaust, you lunatic.

Just another racist apologist who has to snipe to reinforce your inability to read.

I loathed Maya Angelou, who always struck me as a grand charlatan wrapped in silks. I didn't mind her past or her using it. She just mostly was a self-serving glory hound in a time when ACTING grand convinced people she WAS grand. But, again, the racism here is plain and the racists have been empowered to never stifle their low hate.

No go get fucked.

by Anonymousreply 365May 19, 2022 1:59 AM

Interesting, R364. Thanks.

But of course Jagger WOULD be an expert on ancient cheeses, considering the historic nature of his smegma.

by Anonymousreply 366May 19, 2022 2:01 AM

Oh STFU r365 this is a fun thread stop shitting all over it.

I have a Bette Davis story I'll post later. It's not mine, but a friend's.

by Anonymousreply 367May 19, 2022 2:01 AM

Can we please stop with Maya? This thread is for fun gossip.

by Anonymousreply 368May 19, 2022 2:05 AM

[quote]I give a zero shits about being lectured by a fucking WAITER who compared Maya Angelou to a Nazi for a completely normal request. What he really wanted to say, was of course, nigger. Hard r.

^ ghastly post and referring to a WAITER, no less - so now we have snobs as well as racists posting.

by Anonymousreply 369May 19, 2022 2:10 AM

R88/R89, did you mean that Ann Meara never SCENT her bad black-and-blue lamb chops back?

by Anonymousreply 370May 19, 2022 2:11 AM

Angelou may have been popular with her students at Wake Forest but many fellow faculty members found her unqualified for the honorary doctorate she was given, much less the lifetime tenured professorship in Black Studies. The academic and other appropriate credentials simply weren't there. Many of them regarded her as a dilettante who had skated in on her celebrity.

by Anonymousreply 371May 19, 2022 2:12 AM

[quote] I loathed Maya Angelou, who always struck me as a grand charlatan wrapped in silks. I didn't mind her past or her using it. She just mostly was a self-serving glory hound in a time when ACTING grand convinced people she WAS grand.

Uppity, was she? 💅

by Anonymousreply 372May 19, 2022 2:17 AM

Okay, I'll rehash another one of mine from the DL archive.

A friend was at one of Bill Clinton's Renaissance Weekends and was chatting with Dr. Ruth. It was required at those things that everyone wear nametags, no matter who you were. Anyway, in walks Barbra Streisand, WITHOUT a nametag (of course) and, upon seeing Dr. Ruth, makes a beeline for her and starts gushing over her, how she admires her work, and on and on. Dr. Ruth is smiling sweetly and taking this all in while all the time covertly searching for a nametag because she doesn't know who the fuck this woman is. Finally, unable to place her, she says "Well thanks dear, and you are?"

Streisand stopped, looked at her, and said, "It's me. Barbra. Barbra Streisand!" She wasn't pissed at Dr. Ruth because who could be. My friend said Streisand was wearing something flouncy and maybe her nametag was hidden in a fold, but I doubt it.

by Anonymousreply 373May 19, 2022 2:20 AM

[quote]no one said anything about the Holocaust, you lunatic.

You are as ignorant of world history as you are of competent trolling, R365. Did Germans not gas Jews during the HOLOCAUST, you insipid twat?

[quote]Somewhat akin to saying Germans turning hidden Jews in to the police during WWII were well within their rights - if they then were gassed, that’s on the state.

by Anonymousreply 374May 19, 2022 2:26 AM

R371, sounds like her colleagues were a tad jealous.

by Anonymousreply 375May 19, 2022 2:27 AM

You guys: Keith Urban being gay ... what does that say about *Tom Cruise*? Is this Nicole Kidman's second bearding marriage? Do we finally have a foothold on Tom Cruise being gay, conclusively?

by Anonymousreply 376May 19, 2022 2:28 AM

I thought everyone knew Nicole was gay. She's a Superbeard.

by Anonymousreply 377May 19, 2022 2:33 AM

Who does Nicole date, then? I've never heard stories about her with any particular woman. She must be pretty discreet.

by Anonymousreply 378May 19, 2022 2:35 AM

Or justifiably irritated, r375.

by Anonymousreply 379May 19, 2022 2:55 AM

This is many years ago. I had a cousin who was in the closet and I was a young out gay boy. The cousin was rich and lived in a hotel that his father owned in NYC and he was maybe a little envious of his out gay cousin. He invited me to dinner with his "beard." By way, probably, of showing me that there were a lot of gay men who didn't necessarily feel the need to come out and instead fronted with beards, like he did with this woman, she related this concept by sharing a story of when Tom Jones was staying at the Park Lane hotel where she worked. She was called up to his room because of noise complaints. She knocked on the door and when it opened she said there was an orgy going on and, yes, it was all male. I remember saying something naive like "I thought he was married" and she just looked at me and smiled.

by Anonymousreply 380May 19, 2022 3:09 AM

Oops. Not exactly a best/worst celebrity story...apologies.

by Anonymousreply 381May 19, 2022 3:19 AM

That's OK, R381. There was a Tom Jones thread recently and someone referred to this story. Maybe you told the story before on DL.

by Anonymousreply 382May 19, 2022 3:23 AM

Tom must be bi if this post was true. My dad loaned second mortgages, and through a referral went to Mary Wilson's house in Studio City back in the 80s. She needed a quick 25K for a few months.Evidently, she was waiting for some deal. My dad just gave her the money, but there were pictures of Tom Jones and her all over the place.

He wondered why she didn't just borrow the money from Tom, but people are weird.

by Anonymousreply 383May 19, 2022 3:30 AM

Tom's hiding in plain sight. He got in trouble a while back for some homophobic statements about how he had to "adjust" to the face his first producer was gay. Mary Wilson's book made a big deal of her romance with Tom. Meanwhile . . . Tom loves to relate his affection for Elvis and how Elvis came in while he was showering to take a peek at the goods. There were rumors about those two as well. Elvis' girlfriend at the time, Linda Thompson, says he had a man crush on Tom, wondering if he was putting a sock down his pants. Maybe he wanted to see for himself.

"While Sir Tom is renowned as a ladies’ man, his sexuality has sometimes been a matter of conjecture, with an online poll finding that 30 percent of respondents thought he was gay, and 30 percent thought he was bisexual."

by Anonymousreply 384May 19, 2022 3:49 AM

I still want to know the Jimmy Buffett story.

by Anonymousreply 385May 19, 2022 3:53 AM

I mentioned this on here before. Princess Madeleine of Sweden when she was single and living in NYC. I didn't know who she was until a coworker told me. Unfailingly polite. She was never pretentious and didn't have a "Do you know who I am?" attitude at all. If anything, she seemed not to want to be noticed. She was an average tipper and we figured she wasn't used to it because it's not done in Sweden.

I was told she didn't mind being addressed as "Madeleine" or "Princess Madeleine", but she didn't care for being called "Princess".

by Anonymousreply 386May 19, 2022 4:06 AM

R257 Toni Morrison wrote Beloved, not Maya Angelou.

by Anonymousreply 387May 19, 2022 4:30 AM

There was a poster early in the thread who said a celeb left a very good tip in London...they don't tip in the UK!

by Anonymousreply 388May 19, 2022 5:51 AM

I have many friends who worked as bartenders and they told me a few encounters and I've previously shared them on DL in other threads.

Clive Owen- cheap. didn't leave tip.

Rod Stewart-was being comped, didn't leave tip.

Sir Alex Ferguson- was being given free food and drinks all afternoon at a sports bar, only left $10 tip for the waitress.

by Anonymousreply 389May 19, 2022 5:58 AM

Mark Cuban-very good tipper. drank vodka. bill came to about 30bucks and left like 80 bucks tip.

by Anonymousreply 390May 19, 2022 5:59 AM

Daniel Craig- very normal fella, not stuck up. very chatty with my friend who served him, he drank guinness. My friend said he his eyes were very blue and striking. Daniel went back the following week to find my friend but my friend wasn't there that night.

by Anonymousreply 391May 19, 2022 6:03 AM

Here’s a nice celeb story: my college friend was a waitress who struck up a (chatting) friendship with regular customer Vanessa Redgrave, who was in town to shoot some location scenes. When she learned my friend was a drama major, Redgrave not only got her a weeks work as an extra, but had the girl positioned behind her and slightly to the side in the courtroom scenes, so she’d definitely be seen in the finished film.

So sweet!

by Anonymousreply 392May 19, 2022 6:29 AM

R300, can you link to a thread in which you describe why you hate Tim Robbins?

by Anonymousreply 393May 19, 2022 7:04 AM

R316, jeez, those 'Cameo' things are so bizarre. Celebs have to be pretty hard up to stoop so low and film fake happy birthday greetings, etc..

And of course Cassidy sounds drunk off her ass, but does still look pretty good considering it's been 10-15 years since Six Feet Under.

by Anonymousreply 394May 19, 2022 7:23 AM

THIS IS MY ALLTIME FAVE THREAD

jodie foster was nice,, decent tipper. was dining with a man ish woman, jodie looked ruff.

by Anonymousreply 395May 19, 2022 7:36 AM

[quote]There was a poster early in the thread who said a celeb left a very good tip in London...they don't tip in the UK!

If you want to catch people out, try to get it right next time. Moron.

by Anonymousreply 396May 19, 2022 10:14 AM

What happens if waitstaff at one of these swanky places is like "oh mary, oh praise!" when a celeb walks in and gushes and asks for autograph and selfie? Is this considered acceptable?

by Anonymousreply 397May 19, 2022 10:36 AM

^Years ago, I worked at a hotel that had a celebrity clientele. I had to sign a statement upon hire that stated I would not approach the ‘special’ guests and ask for autographs and photos. We were not to ask a celebrity for a job, nor were we to gossip about our guests.

Not that it stopped anyone from gossiping.

by Anonymousreply 398May 19, 2022 12:03 PM

What gets me is…Ethel Kennedy, Maya Angelou, Tim Robbins, ect, their persona is always speaking for the down trodden, but in these situations they seem to be total dicks and cunts.

by Anonymousreply 399May 19, 2022 1:31 PM

Maria Shriver, horrid and cheap cunt. Got free food at Planet Hollywood (Arnold was an investor) and left nothing.

by Anonymousreply 400May 19, 2022 1:40 PM

most bars and restaurants will ask for pictures before the celebs leave. They then hang them up on their walls.

by Anonymousreply 401May 19, 2022 2:26 PM

It's been 20 years since Six Feet Under

by Anonymousreply 402May 19, 2022 2:36 PM

Back to Nashville -

Blake and Gwen. Pre-marriage I think. Blake is a down-to-earth person who seems hell-bent on everyone liking him. Gwen seemed amazed people knew her in Nashville. She must drink baby's blood because up close I would never clock her at 50.

Luke Bryan. I can't point to any specific reason but I get closeted gay man from him. He can be overly friendly then suddenly pulls it back when he thinks he is being too queeny.

Brad Paisley - Regular guy, very nice, great sense of humor. Tips well, Never seen him on a bad day,

Taylor Swift. This was pre-Scooter Braun, she was younger. Very sweet, very shy and still in that gee whiz I'm famous? mode. Tipped very well.

Randy Travis An odd man. He stared at me the whole time I was serving his table, even when I was not I would look over to check and he was looking at me, Just odd. but not a bad tipper.

Sam Hunt - Sam Hunt could rape me and I would say thanks. He just oozes sex and charm. I don't think he is gay but a very natural flirt with men and women. His more handsome in person.

Kacey Musgraves - LOVE HER. LOVE HER. We fight to be her server. She knows most everyone's names. Tips very well and is super easy to serve. Handled a drunk fan on her own before I saw the help me look on her face. She is just super nice.

by Anonymousreply 403May 19, 2022 2:49 PM

I remember the night Barbra had dinner with Pierre Trudeau at a then-fabulous UES restaurant. While all the patrons were gawking, the staff was trying on her sable schamata in the coatroom.

by Anonymousreply 404May 19, 2022 4:01 PM

[quote] Randy Travis An odd man

Gay and heavily closeted

by Anonymousreply 405May 19, 2022 4:11 PM

R380, that's one of the funniest made up stories I've ever read at the DL, even if it's recycled. Tom Jones is not gay or bi except here.

by Anonymousreply 406May 19, 2022 5:10 PM

[quote]r325 It's interesting... that the one celebrity misbehavior story that keeps getting referred to over and over AND OVER again, is one about a black woman!

That’s perhaps because her behavior with the $12 dry cleaning bill falls into a moral grey area - weighing the value of $12 to a multi millionaire against an ordinary worker bee perhaps losing their job.

Also, the follow up criticism of Angelou has embarrassing footage (publicly ripping a well meaning child to shreds)

I don’t harbor racial animosity toward Angelou. I just think her behavior in both instances was tacky. Of course anyone, of any race or creed, can be tacky.

by Anonymousreply 407May 19, 2022 5:12 PM

[quote][R380], that's one of the funniest made up stories I've ever read at the DL, even if it's recycled. Tom Jones is not gay or bi except here.

I totally agree.

It was like the "Burt Reynolds is gay" stories from years ago. I think people implied he also had AIDS.

Burt said, when asked about it - "I think the story was started by a few Beverly Hills hairdressers".

by Anonymousreply 408May 19, 2022 5:24 PM

Maya Angelou=cunt.

by Anonymousreply 409May 19, 2022 9:44 PM

Many of these comments are confirming many stereotypes are true, particularly regarding Jews.

by Anonymousreply 410May 19, 2022 9:49 PM

There have been many Jews on this thread? I didn't notice. Must be YOUR thing.

by Anonymousreply 411May 19, 2022 9:59 PM

I didn’t notice Jews being singled out for criticism, either.

One poster said Joan Rivers was wonderful to wait on.

by Anonymousreply 412May 19, 2022 10:02 PM

So nobody waited on Sondheim?

by Anonymousreply 413May 19, 2022 11:32 PM

R403, I loved reading that about Kacey. I adore her.

by Anonymousreply 414May 20, 2022 12:05 AM

R328: please rehash!

Those of you who have seen these celebs up close and personal, what do they look like? Do they resemble what they look like in the movies/TV? How is their skin or hair? Do they look plastic or have wrinkles and or flaws?

Are they tinier in real life or bigger? I’m curious.

by Anonymousreply 415May 20, 2022 12:49 AM

^ OH BOY

by Anonymousreply 416May 20, 2022 12:50 AM

NONE OF THESE EVER HAPPENED.

by Anonymousreply 417May 20, 2022 1:03 AM

Good Lord, you Maya cunts and Tea cunts are worse than Hitler.

by Anonymousreply 418May 20, 2022 3:35 AM

I waited on Tyler Florence at the airport once. He looked rough (it was very early), but he was still friendly and smiled. He left a 100% tip.

I saw him later in the bathroom, leaving the stall as I was waiting for it. He recognized me, and gave me 'the look,' which I reciprocated. He pulled me into the stall and had my pants down in seconds. He started to tongue my slightly hair hole, but it was cut short (I had a real steamer brewing). Next lifetime, I guess.

by Anonymousreply 419May 20, 2022 3:41 AM

I waited on Ed Sheeran once. He was with two large bodyguards, and was very friendly. He took pictures with fans, and other co-workers, while he was eating, and after, even posing for sneaky selfies from tables that weren't even close by. A lady seated next to his table asked me to propose to him that she buy his lunch in exchange for a picture. He said, "She can absolutely have a photo, but she can absolutely not buy my lunch." At the end of his meal, Shape Of You came on the satellite radio in the restaurant, and that was his cue to leave. He paid for his meal and had one of his guys give me $100 in cash. Great fella.

by Anonymousreply 420May 20, 2022 3:49 AM

I wouldn't be able to stand people coming up to me in a restaurant while I was eating and having a conversation. It's so rude that people do that.

by Anonymousreply 421May 20, 2022 3:59 AM

[quote]R418 Good Lord, you Maya cunts and Tea cunts are worse than Hitler.

Dr. Angelou dug her own grave. Like Johnny Depp.

As good Americans, we refuse to keep their secrets.

by Anonymousreply 422May 20, 2022 4:00 AM

If you ever see Al Pacino in a restaurant eating, you can go ahead and approach him, he doesn't mind. He loves his fans.

by Anonymousreply 423May 20, 2022 4:24 AM

NYC 80s cater waiter back again.

I remember now the Elizabeth Taylor "experience". All I said before was that she glistened or something. I haven't thought about it since, so I'd forgotten the circumstances - but the memory door was opened.

The party was at Malcom Forbes's house. She was dating him at the time. It was some sort of charity event, at his Long Island compound or somewhere like that. It might have been CT. Somewhere about an hour from NYC. Great big tent in the garden - there's a better word...a marquee.

There was a sort of stage at the front. People giving speeches etc after dinner and at some point E. Taylor was called up to the stage and that's when she walked in front of me to go to the stage and I saw how she glittered like I saw the Queen of England glitter when I was a kid and she went by in her carriage along The Mall in London. It was like WHOA! The charity event had nothing to do with AIDS. So she went up and Malcolm presented her with a check...for her AIDS foundation. And she announced breathlessly "It's a MILLION DOLLARS!". It was sweet. He obviously adored her. These were especially dark days for AIDS circa '87.

I remember some crabby waitress saying to me how fake she thought E. Taylor was. There was nothing fake about her that night. She was the real thing.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 424May 20, 2022 4:42 AM

Taylor bearded for Forbes in exchange for charitable donations and jewels. It was well known in the community in New York at the time but the press never outed him while he alive.

by Anonymousreply 425May 20, 2022 4:59 AM

I remember all that beard talk, but decided not to reference it.

by Anonymousreply 426May 20, 2022 5:02 AM

[quote] It was well known in the community in New York at the time but the press never outed him while he alive.

You must not have read the gay press.

by Anonymousreply 427May 20, 2022 5:24 AM

I should have specified mainstream press.

by Anonymousreply 428May 20, 2022 5:26 AM

ET was a goddess. Plus, she could spot gay from the Black Hole

by Anonymousreply 429May 20, 2022 5:31 AM

I think the mainstream press even declined to do it after he died, R428, and just the gay press went full on with it as opposed to small mentions here and there.

by Anonymousreply 430May 20, 2022 5:33 AM

"What is the catch of the day?"

by Anonymousreply 431May 20, 2022 5:36 AM

Waitstaff are not fired for spilling food on a VIP.

End off.

by Anonymousreply 432May 20, 2022 10:51 AM

R421 = Bill Holden

by Anonymousreply 433May 20, 2022 11:06 AM

I'll re-tell my Liz Taylor story but I doubt people will like what they read. This goes back to older Hollywood times. My mom was a close friend of a woman that had been Taylor's personal assistant and secretary. The one story that stands out in my memory was that Taylor was dirty to a fault. She disliked bathing and would wear her underwear until it turned a dingy yellow-brown. The assistant had the task of getting rid of underwear that had worn out. I recall her stories of picking up bras with a stick so as not to have to touch them.

by Anonymousreply 434May 20, 2022 1:07 PM

R434, Elizabeth was also known to allow her numerous pets to relieve themselves indoors. Joan Bennett visited her around the time of "Father of the Bride" and had to cut her visit short because the stench was so bad.

by Anonymousreply 435May 20, 2022 2:02 PM

My friend saw Robin Williams in a restaurant once. Robin apologized to the people seated at nearby tables for all the looky-loos that kept coming by and paid for their dinners (including my friend's).

by Anonymousreply 436May 20, 2022 2:12 PM

The stinky E. Taylor stories sound totally fake bullshit.

by Anonymousreply 437May 20, 2022 2:22 PM

[quote]R432 Waitstaff are not fired for spilling food on a VIP. End off.

They can do anything they want if there’s no union involved.

by Anonymousreply 438May 20, 2022 2:36 PM

R437, Marilyn Monroe was also said to be deficient with her personal hygiene.

by Anonymousreply 439May 20, 2022 2:43 PM

Probably, R437, but her untrained pets were legendary. Rock Hudson let Liz stay in his NYC apt when she was on Broadway in 1981 in The Little Foxes (which I saw). Her dogs soiled the entire apartment, and Rock was NOT HAPPY.

I don't know how celebrities take it when fans bother them in restaurants, though I've never seen it in NYC, maybe because New Yorkers don't usually gush over celebrities.

Louis Armstrong used to brag about how neighborhood kids in Corona, Queens would spot him and his wife Lucille eating at one of their favorite restaurants through the window, and come in to talk and get autographs. Their food was cold when they were finished. Wife Lucille knew Louis was a slave to fan attention and took it in stride...I'd be pissed!

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 440May 20, 2022 3:08 PM

[quote] Beyonce came into an Italian restaurant and asked for fried fish.

Lmao. She would do that. In addition to being overrated, she always struck me as kinda dumb, and not in a charming/adorable way like Britney.

by Anonymousreply 441May 20, 2022 3:14 PM

R440 I've seen a few celebrities in restaurants I've eaten at over the years, and I've never bothered them. I figure they have the right to enjoy a meal in peace.

A few years ago, I was on a business trip and I took my employee to Marix in WeHo, which is frequented by celebrities. We saw Jay Leno eating there, and my employee was star struck and wanted to go talk to him. I told her not to do it, so she tried to discreetly get a picture of him instead. But he saw her trying and put his napkin up over her face, so that was a clear signal to her to stop and just let him enjoy his meal.

by Anonymousreply 442May 20, 2022 3:21 PM

R434, According to her former assistant, Katie Couric would turn her dirty panties inside out and put them back on rather than put on a fresh pair.

by Anonymousreply 443May 20, 2022 3:25 PM

^Clearly a true member of the aristocracy.

by Anonymousreply 444May 20, 2022 3:27 PM

I think it's rude to approach anyone (celebrity) while they are eating at a restaurant.

My mom ran into her doctor at the CVS (both were just shopping). She asked him a question related to her treatment (nothing serious). I told her don't ever do that again.

People should be allowed time to eat, shop, etc.

by Anonymousreply 445May 20, 2022 4:33 PM

[quote]I don't know how celebrities take it when fans bother them in restaurants, though I've never seen it in NYC, maybe because New Yorkers don't usually gush over celebrities.

It's considered extremely gauche and low rent. NYers wouldn't be caught dead doing it. Also, we see celebs all the time, it's really not a big deal.

by Anonymousreply 446May 20, 2022 5:35 PM

As far as the celeb is concerned, they know it will happen when they go out. They may not always like it, but they expect it. It’s their daily life.

by Anonymousreply 447May 20, 2022 5:44 PM

I’ve always been embarrassed by people who find over celebrities. I just don’t get what that’s all about.

by Anonymousreply 448May 20, 2022 5:45 PM

Some celebrities say they request a table that has a chair facing the wall, so they won't be seen by fans

by Anonymousreply 449May 20, 2022 5:54 PM

R445 - your mom needs to find a nicer doctor. I ran into my doctor at Walgreen's and he was quite obliging when I asked for an. autograph and a selfie.

by Anonymousreply 450May 20, 2022 5:59 PM

I asked my gynecologist for a checkup right in Aisle 5!

by Anonymousreply 451May 20, 2022 6:04 PM

R449, Years ago, a friend of mine was George Hamilton's press representative when he came to New Orleans to promote "Love at First Bite".

They dined together at a popular restaurant one evening and George insisted they be seated by the front window, so people walking by could see him.

by Anonymousreply 452May 20, 2022 6:10 PM

George Hamilton and other thirsty D Listers do that kind of shit. The others don't.

by Anonymousreply 453May 20, 2022 6:18 PM

R451 = Dame Edna

by Anonymousreply 454May 20, 2022 6:21 PM

The late Danny Aiello used to frequent a restaurant in my hood back when his career was hot. He always sat in a prominent place on the patio and was loud and demonstrative… desperate to be seen, was how it came across. Maybe it was just his way.

by Anonymousreply 455May 20, 2022 6:27 PM

R455, Danny and Miss Bacall had a clashing of egos during the filming of "Ready to Wear".

by Anonymousreply 456May 20, 2022 6:51 PM

My mom was a concierge at a Manhattan hotel in the 70's and spoke of how annoyed celebs would be if nobody recognized them.

by Anonymousreply 457May 20, 2022 6:55 PM

The attraction of NYC is that celebs can be relatively anonymous, esp. if tehy are spending time away from the most tourist heavy places.

by Anonymousreply 458May 20, 2022 7:03 PM

I would say as a rule, the celebs I waited on could not begin to compare with the demanding craziness of a lot of the run-of-the-mill New Yorkers I was seated.

by Anonymousreply 459May 20, 2022 7:10 PM

R458, That is why Jackie Kennedy moved to NYC in 1964, for relative privacy. After she and the children moved into the house in Georgetown, tourists would camp outside her door, peek in the windows and even bring picnic lunches with them.

by Anonymousreply 460May 20, 2022 9:09 PM

R459 that’s because they know it’ll get reported!

by Anonymousreply 461May 20, 2022 9:12 PM

many actors are attention whores, that's why they want to be actors so they can be famous etc. They LOVE the attention.

by Anonymousreply 462May 20, 2022 9:19 PM

R317 Thank you, that was amazing. Such a good laugh!

by Anonymousreply 463May 20, 2022 9:37 PM

R306 thank you for pointing that out. I was buying into the Maya was a bitch and then read your comment and it clicked that this what was going on- that and the fact that as soon as someone pointed out only Maya's bad behavior was being scrutinized repeatedly here whereas no white people were mentioned post after post- people responded by pointing out that Dianne Carroll and Oprah both had stories too, sigh.

by Anonymousreply 464May 20, 2022 9:45 PM

All you bitches going on about tea setups - didn't you have bus boys? I never waited tables anyplace where I had to get my own teas and coffees!

by Anonymousreply 465May 20, 2022 9:57 PM

R437 You are welcome to think whatever you like. I doubt I could change your mind and that's ok. I know the story is true or I'd never have posted. The only part I left out was that she said she burned them for some reason rather than just throwing them away. The lady's name was Suzanne. Why make this up? The dog thing from another poster? I believe that story because it may have been more than the dog pee she was smelling.

by Anonymousreply 466May 20, 2022 10:23 PM

Carroll O'Connor rec'd a fan letter from JOAN CRAWFORD in the early 1970s because she was a fan of All in the Family. When he was in NYC, Joan invited him and his wife to dine with her at 21. Well! Carroll agreed but was most definitely perturbed that Joanie chose a table right up front in the restaurant so EVERYONE could see them.

Yes, this is a true story, he told it on Merv Griffin!

by Anonymousreply 467May 20, 2022 10:52 PM

R467 That is so Joan! Whether she was a fan of All in the Family or not (I rather suspect she was exaggerating her regard), it was the #1 show in America at the time, and getting a lot of attention. How better to get her own picture and name back in circulation?

by Anonymousreply 468May 21, 2022 12:09 AM

I once catered the Cosby Show cats and let me tell you, they have been eating their Friskies!

by Anonymousreply 469May 21, 2022 12:29 AM

Nashville waiter here - most country stars (male) are small. Blake is huge. Tall a big man. Chesney is tiny. Paisley is short. A lot of them use very high heel cowboy boots to ad a few inches. I once waited on that guy on Bravo in Nashville. Andy Cohen? He is super short. I was shocked. Like he might just be over 5 feet but not by much. Hit on me, hit on another waiter, then he told me he wanted us both to come to his hotel room. He had no idea who he was, other than he was on TV. I passed, he was just too spazy.

by Anonymousreply 470May 21, 2022 12:42 AM

Andy Cohen is not 5 feet. Maybe 5/6.

by Anonymousreply 471May 21, 2022 12:46 AM

my friend told me a story about Simon LeBon. He was bartending on a slow night in nyc (in the 90s) and a man came in with a model. He had sunglasses on. My friend told him he looked like Simon Lebon. He then said, yes, it's me. My friend said, yeah right. He then took off his sunglasses and his american express credit card to prove it. They were talking all night about music and sports etc.

Then a few nights later, my friend bumped into Simon again at a small music venue. Oasis was supposed to be there (this is before they made it big) but they didn't perform and was somewhere in the building. Simon was with that same model (who is not his wife), she's actually not pretty. He remembered my friend's name and he bought my friend and his date 2 drinks.

super cool guy.

by Anonymousreply 472May 21, 2022 1:06 AM

Nashville waiter, what’s the verdict on Kenny Chesney? Is he gay? Someone I knew who went to school with him said there are rumors about him in the ‘80s.

by Anonymousreply 473May 21, 2022 1:15 AM

R473 There have been rumors about him forever. And I'm pretty sure after his 30-day marriage to Renee Zellweger, those rumors were confirmed.

by Anonymousreply 474May 21, 2022 1:19 AM

R473, Is a bear Catholic? Does the Pope shit in the woods?

by Anonymousreply 475May 21, 2022 1:21 AM

[quote]she wore a grassy fragrance with base notes of carnation

If it was a carny fragrance with base notes of grass, that was Jimmy Buffett.

by Anonymousreply 476May 21, 2022 1:23 AM

[quote]Whether she (Joan Crawford) was a fan of All in the Family or not (I rather suspect she was exaggerating her regard)

Joan didn't have much to do in the 1971s except watch TV,

by Anonymousreply 477May 21, 2022 1:25 AM

[quote] Joan didn't have much to do in the 1971s except watch TV,

She watched Soap Operas 4 hours a day and would actually write fan letters to certain soap actors she found promising

by Anonymousreply 478May 21, 2022 1:34 AM

Lucky stamps were only 8 and later 10 cents, R478.

by Anonymousreply 479May 21, 2022 1:35 AM

R478 was she looking to bang them? That would go for both the men and the women.

My guess is Carroll O’Connor was “safe.” Incidentally, a hilarious story.

by Anonymousreply 480May 21, 2022 2:13 AM

I was served tea without a doily. I had the entire staff fired. The place closed down a month later. Good times.

by Anonymousreply 481May 21, 2022 2:29 AM

Harry Belafonte, Peter Boyle, Peter Jennings and Billy Joel were all amazing!

by Anonymousreply 482May 21, 2022 2:33 AM

Why is ordering hot tea in an Asian restaurant so easy and problem-free?

by Anonymousreply 483May 21, 2022 2:55 AM

Because you're drinking it out of a little cup (no saucers) and you don't put anything in it- duh.

by Anonymousreply 484May 21, 2022 3:06 AM

Yeah Asians just slam a tea cup on the table and that's it. No accessories.

by Anonymousreply 485May 21, 2022 3:08 AM

Crawford had a regular table at 21, where she was a welcomed customer for decades -- and the management always loved the publicity.

Of course, O'Connor was the type who wouldn't have figured that out.

by Anonymousreply 486May 21, 2022 3:22 AM

[quote] Yeah Asians just slam a tea cup on the table and that's it. No accessories.

In Chinese restaurants, they'll also slam a teapot down as well. Hot water and tea leaves already in the pot.

by Anonymousreply 487May 21, 2022 3:40 AM

And in most Asian restaurants, slam is the operative word.

by Anonymousreply 488May 21, 2022 4:17 AM

[quote]I point that incident out only because Maya Angelou is quite rich and powerful.

Not so much any more.

by Anonymousreply 489May 21, 2022 4:31 AM

I was in a neighborhood cafe and a waitress tripped a little while carrying a bowl of soup to another table. The soup spilled all over the right side of my jeans. It was carrot soup or some other very bright orange soup. The waitress apologized profusely, but I just said it wasn't that big of a deal and to forget it. When I got home I washed it and washed it again, and tried several methods, but I could never get all the orange out. So I ended up just throwing them away.

by Anonymousreply 490May 21, 2022 4:36 AM

I would hope the restaurant at least comped your meal, R490

by Anonymousreply 491May 21, 2022 4:39 AM

This happened before the pandemic. Ricky Gervais loves to eat outside the restaurant and people watch. He himself has said this as well. I don't know how well he tips or whatever but I think he's nice in general.

Once I walked past him, he was eating with his gf and he had stretched out his leg on the chair next to him while eating and drinking wine. no manners!

by Anonymousreply 492May 21, 2022 4:43 AM

The accoutrements aren’t as elaborate. And it’s set up for everyone. It’s often even free.

In the (western) places I’ve worked, maybe 1 in 50 customers orders tea.

by Anonymousreply 493May 21, 2022 4:46 AM

^^ intended for

[quote]R483 Why is ordering hot tea in an Asian restaurant so easy and problem-free?

by Anonymousreply 494May 21, 2022 4:49 AM

[quote]R488 And in most Asian restaurants, slam is the operative word.

You mean HEROIN ? ?

by Anonymousreply 495May 21, 2022 4:51 AM

^ Meth

by Anonymousreply 496May 21, 2022 4:51 AM

my GOD!

Well, I never in all my life - -

by Anonymousreply 497May 21, 2022 4:52 AM

I took a friend with me to see "Here Lies Love" the terrible David Byrne musical about Imelda Marcos. Byrne was there, in the audience and rather adorably singing along with the cast. After the show, we went to a nearby hip bar for a drink and my friend admitted he had no idea who David Byrne was though Talking Heads sort of rang a bell for him. (Which was odd because my friend was old enough to have been around when Talking Heads and Byrne were major pop stars).

Not long after we got our drinks, Byrne and most of the cast came into the bar and I pointed out David Byrne to my friend. Despite the fact he really didn't know who David Byrne WAS, he got all excited and wanted to go talk to him and ask for an autograph. I HATE shit like that and pointed out, "uh, dude, 15 minutes ago you didn't even know who he was and now you want to fan out over him and be a pest?"

I dropped that friend.

by Anonymousreply 498May 21, 2022 5:08 AM

Yes, I believe the owner of the cafe did comp the meals for me and my Mom. that night the soup was spilled on my pants. They had just converted from a coffeehouse to a full-service cafe, and it was the first night they tried serving full dinners. It was a hectic and crowded night. My Mom and I were regulars there for years when it was just a coffeehouse and the owner knew us well.

by Anonymousreply 499May 21, 2022 5:55 AM

I got a selfie with my oncologist whilst in the stirrups. My cootie was ready for it's close-up!

by Anonymousreply 500May 21, 2022 6:30 AM

Cooter, sweetie. Cooties are something else.

by Anonymousreply 501May 21, 2022 8:13 AM

I'm guessing that the Beyonce morons think all Italian restaurants are like Olive Garden. Some serve fried fish. Italy is all coastline.

Tea drinkers just think they're being cute and I hate them.

by Anonymousreply 502May 21, 2022 10:44 AM

OMG, I read the first twenty posts about Maya Angelou and thought they were talking about Maya RUDOLPH 🤔

by Anonymousreply 503May 21, 2022 11:20 AM

R486, Carroll O'Connor was a huge star in the 1970s on the most popular TV program. Crawford was a relic from the past compared to him. Note O'Connor (a curmudgeon in real life) did go along with Joan's agenda and only later publicly complained.

[quote]was she looking to bang them? That would go for both the men and the women.

Jesus. Crawford was in her late 60s with numerous alcohol and health problems, it's doubtful she was sexually active or interested in being sexually active.

by Anonymousreply 504May 21, 2022 1:08 PM

^Are you OUT of YOUR MIND??!!

by Anonymousreply 505May 21, 2022 1:36 PM

A bartender I know waited on Charles Barkley. He was very pleasant. Didn't demand anything. Sat at the bar and ordered a few drinks. Nothing outrageous.

When it came time for the check, he said to my friend, I'm not giving you a tip. My friend was startled and asked if he did anything wrong. Charles then started to laugh and said he was just joking because he liked him.

He left an enormous tip and told him he made excellent drinks.

Of course he's recognizable and he was very nice to anyone who came up to him to say hello.

by Anonymousreply 506May 21, 2022 1:53 PM

Maya Angelou refused to order her supper in poetry form!

by Anonymousreply 507May 21, 2022 2:22 PM

I shall refer to Maya Angelou as "MISS Cunt."

by Anonymousreply 508May 21, 2022 3:54 PM

I wish the late Lorenzo "The Rev" Robinson, longtime men's room attendant at 21 in New York City, could have told his srories in this thread.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 509May 21, 2022 4:03 PM

Correction: After studying more photos, I shall refer to Maya as "Miss One Ugly Motherfuckin' Cunt."

by Anonymousreply 510May 21, 2022 4:08 PM

The talk of Carroll O’Connor makes me remember that Charles Durning used to come into the restaurant regularly. He would quietly sit alone and be nice. He had a well mannered, adult daughter who sometimes joined him.

He’s a celeb i actually liked, because TOOTSIE is so enchanting. I also like SISTERS. So his appearance made me smile .

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 511May 21, 2022 5:34 PM

I shall say nothing about Ms. Dr. St. Angelou of Strollville.

I shall simply remark that more than once she stopped in at my wine shop and twice I realized a magnum of Champagne was missing after she left.

And she didn't even walk funny.

Unless you count walking in a proud, royal way "funny."

I didn't.

by Anonymousreply 512May 21, 2022 5:52 PM

R506 that’s nice and surprising to hear. I’ve always gotten major asshole vibes from him. He’s still looks great, though.

by Anonymousreply 513May 21, 2022 5:58 PM

R467, I remember O'Connor's appearance on Merv's show in 1978. Fellow guest Bob Thomas was on to promote his new biography on Crawford and Carroll chimed in. He said that Joan had written to both Jean Stapleton and him several times praising their performances on "All in the Family".

by Anonymousreply 514May 21, 2022 5:59 PM

R513, Barkley is reported to be very well hung.

by Anonymousreply 515May 21, 2022 6:01 PM

R515 = living cliché

by Anonymousreply 516May 21, 2022 6:08 PM

I've always gotten cool guy vibes from Charles Barkley. He's very opinionated and I don't always agree with his opinions, but his opinions are thought-out and rational for the most part.

As far as basketball players, Michael Jordan and Scottie No Tippin' Pippen are the ones known to be bad tippers.

by Anonymousreply 517May 21, 2022 6:41 PM

[quote]Cooter, sweetie. Cooties are something else.

Technically, you're correct

but in her case, same thing

by Anonymousreply 518May 21, 2022 11:57 PM

Nashville waiter here- I know three guys who all visited Kenny as an offer to sit on a recording session, except there was no one there but Kenny and the invited person. They have no reason to lie to me. Kenny like taller muscular guys to fuck him. Oddly is likes the whole cuddling, boyfriend type of sex, but turns it off almost immediately after. Re: Andy Cohen. I cannot see how he is 5'6". I am 5'11" and I towered over him. It was at least a 10 inches difference. I was kind of shocked.he was that small.

by Anonymousreply 519May 22, 2022 12:43 AM

Andy cohen is tiny. He says he's 5,6 but he's a dwarf

by Anonymousreply 520May 22, 2022 12:54 AM

I can't stand Andy, but he is not a dwarf. I've met him twice, once at a Nickleodeon event and I don't remember the other time. He is 5/6ish. I didn't look down at his shoes to see if he was wearing lifts, but no way is he 5 feet tall.

by Anonymousreply 521May 22, 2022 1:08 AM

Kenny Chesney has super gay face like Miss Lindsey Graham. Jesus. How can Miss thing be in the closet?

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 522May 22, 2022 1:33 AM

Nice - George Harrison (quiet and polite), Will Ferrell (friendly and good tipper), Carol Burnett (friendly and said hello to fans who approached her during dinner), Tiger Woods (nice and said please and thank you several times—i have heard he is not a good tipper but the person he was with paid that day so I am not sure), Ruth Pointer…there are probably more but those are the ones I remember the most fondly. I never acknowledged that I knew who they were, was just nice to them like I am to everyone else.

Weird - David Hasselhoff (seemed very shaky and speedy), Ben Affleck (drunk and “dont you know who I am?” and seemed to have low self esteem).

Rude - Football players and “reality” stars were the rudest

by Anonymousreply 523May 22, 2022 1:47 AM

David Hartman in the 1980s - very tall and RED faced. Polite because wife and kids were about to explode.

by Anonymousreply 524May 22, 2022 1:53 AM

Clint Black and Lisa Hartman. Unbelievably nice and he always left $100.

by Anonymousreply 525May 22, 2022 2:02 AM

[quote] David Hartman in the 1980s - very tall and RED faced.

His nickname by detractors was "Potato Face"

by Anonymousreply 526May 22, 2022 2:02 AM

Never waited myself (and thank the Lord for that) but every now and then I’ve gotten into convos with NYC servers and Tom Hanks came up a couple times as one of the friendliest and best tippers. I know that will disappoint many here who think he’s secretly abusive and evil.

by Anonymousreply 527May 22, 2022 2:25 AM

It is so rude and low rent to walk up to somebody's table while they're eating and bother them for a picture or autograph.

by Anonymousreply 528May 22, 2022 2:33 AM

[quote]Tom Hanks came up a couple times as one of the friendliest and best tippers. I know that will disappoint many here who think he’s secretly abusive and evil.

One thing does not automatically cancel out the other.

by Anonymousreply 529May 22, 2022 2:39 AM

r528 Oh god Yes. Nashville here. I always get other tables going "is that? oh my god I have to.." And I always tell them not to. If they want an autograph or picture I will ask for them but please do not bother them. It is 50/50. I can usually get an autograph if it gets them not to be bothered and I ask quietly so the whole restaurant does not suddenly want one. Regarding Andy Cohen. I didn't mention this was before he was famous famous. They were on a location scout for that top chef show I think so he was in normal clothes. Maybe five feet is a stretch but no bigger than 5'4" and I am being generous. . Not that I care but he was the best example of someone who is shockingly short.

by Anonymousreply 530May 22, 2022 2:41 AM

Tom Cruise's "official" height is 5'9" but there's no way. I've seen him in person on two occasions and he looks about 5'6".

by Anonymousreply 531May 22, 2022 2:50 AM

R524 - did they actually explode? I don't recall reading about that. Did it hurt the restaurant's reputation? Did they explode before or after being served? If before, I hope poor David at least got his meal!

by Anonymousreply 532May 22, 2022 3:16 AM

[quote]oh my god I have to...

I've never understood this. Probably never will. Why do you have to?

by Anonymousreply 533May 22, 2022 3:41 AM

R533 Because they'll never believe yuh back in Possum Labia that you did done sat down fer chitlins and graxy five feet away from Belinda Bighair if you don't get 'er John Hancock on yore left tit.

by Anonymousreply 534May 22, 2022 4:13 AM

You all flatter me by wanting to hear more of my server stories. Thanks!

I've told my story about Ann-Margret several times so won't tell the whole thing. She was in town touring BLWIT and stayed at the hotel. I took care of her and Roger for the two weeks they stayed. She invited me to the show, took me backstage for a tour (along with my niece and cousin), signed a bunch of memorabilia I had (I've loved her ever since I was a little gay boy). Their last night I stood in their suite and had a wonderful conversation. As I walked away, she blew me a kiss. I still get a Christmas card from her. Lovely woman.

John Denver was great. Super easy to wait on. Friendly drunk. He tipped me 75% on a $300.00 tab. He sang at the table.

Robert Wagner and Jill St. John. I wasn't aware of the rumors at the time so I didn't feel awkward mentioning his late wife. I asked him to tell their daughters that their mother was the first person that I recognized as being a movie star when I was a little kid and for that reason she was very special to me. He seemed very touched and Jill said "That is a lovely thing to say." They were in town touring with "Love Letters". Very easy to wait on them.

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill came in for a very early dinner so they were my only table at the time. He was quiet but very polite and said "Thank you" a lot. So did she. They asked questions about my city and the venue they were performing at.

Dick Button was in town for a skating competition. Nice guy. Flirted with me.

Petula Clark was touring in "Sunset Boulevard" and came in several times for lunch. She was really nice. She also invited me backstage and took photos with me when I went to the show.

Shirley Jones was really funny and a "good broad" in the best sense of the term. She was doing a Christmas show. I know I scored points with her when I asked about "Maggie Flynn" and the score to the show. A back story- I have a good friend from Bulgaria who now lives here. We spent a weekend at a nearby resort town and one night while we were getting ready for dinner, "The Partridge Family" was on tv. It was the episode where they got sprayed by a skunk and had to bathe in tomato juice. My friend thought it was the funniest thing he had ever seen and kept repeating (with his accent) "Dey hat to take bath in tomato Juuz! Hahahaaaa!" I told her the story and she laughed really hard and kept repeating it herself. I told her that my friend was home and might she be kind enough to talk to him if I called him. She said of course she would so I called him and she took the phone and had a delightful conversation with him. He was absolutely floored that she would do this. After she went up to her suite, she came back down with an autographed photo for him that said "Don't forget the tomato juice! Love, Shirley Jones". What a nice thing for her to do.

I forgot to mention Hayley Mills. I've told this story here before as well. She was so kind and sweet. It was the night after Princess Diana was killed. When she opened her door, she was on the phone and gave me a "just a minute" gesture. She got off the phone and said that she was talking to her sister and she was describing what London was like that night and how quiet it was. We chatted for several minutes about that. She seemed quite humble and was very nice to me, as well as patient, when I went on about her Disney movies. She was doing "The King and I".

by Anonymousreply 535May 22, 2022 4:48 AM

Ann-Margret is my idol. I’m jealous!

by Anonymousreply 536May 22, 2022 5:05 AM

[Quote] Ben Affleck (drunk and “dont you know who I am?” and seemed to have low self esteem).

Seem to? No wonder he went back to JLow.

by Anonymousreply 537May 22, 2022 5:51 AM

In 1977 our parents took us to dinner at Chasen's. Our mother told us to turn around and look but to stay seated. In the nearby booth was Frank Sinatra and family. Our father wanted to go say hello to Sinatra but our mother ordered us all to remain seated. We observed that Sinatra looked very hot.

by Anonymousreply 538May 22, 2022 6:16 AM

Great stories, R535

by Anonymousreply 539May 22, 2022 6:29 AM

R535, Ann-Margret is as pretentious and phony as her hyphenated name.

Always bitching about being typecast as a "sex-kitten" when, HELLO, that's what she's acted like for the last FIFTY years.

by Anonymousreply 540May 22, 2022 8:31 AM

R540, I was thinking Roger Smith's death might make her reclusive, but she's rebounded very well and is quite active and working.

by Anonymousreply 541May 22, 2022 11:38 AM

The Maya Angelou dry cleaning story is spot on!

by Anonymousreply 542May 22, 2022 1:56 PM

I have a Conway Twitty Commemorative Airplane Bank (piggy bank). I picked it up in a thrift shop because I thought it was oddly specific. Did he die in a plane crash?

by Anonymousreply 543May 22, 2022 2:01 PM

R543, Computer says no.

by Anonymousreply 544May 22, 2022 2:31 PM

As far as I have to get an autograph - I find a lot of people think famous people owe them something. I am their fan and they would not be famous without me, therefore, they owe me. The other feeling is they will never see that person again like this.

by Anonymousreply 545May 22, 2022 2:48 PM

R535, sounds like Shirley Jones had a few belts.

[quote]We observed that Sinatra looked very hot

R538, was it 1943?

by Anonymousreply 546May 22, 2022 3:00 PM

" I find a lot of people think famous people owe them something. I am their fan and they would not be famous without me, therefore, they owe me."

The sensible performers realize that this is, in fact, absolutely true!

That's why people like Dolly Parton have a policy of always being kind and accommodating to fans, no matter what kind of mood they're in or how awful their day has been. Unless people are willing to pay out their hard-earned money to see the celebrity perform their career is over, so being nice to fans is an excellent career strategy. It's just that few celebrities have the willpower to be nice 100% of the time, because they're as human as anyone.

by Anonymousreply 547May 22, 2022 3:33 PM

"We observed that Sinatra looked very hot."

Was the A/C not working?

by Anonymousreply 548May 22, 2022 4:42 PM

[quote]the upscale boutique cum restaurant

Sounds delicious!

by Anonymousreply 549May 22, 2022 4:47 PM

R545, A friend of mine and his mother were lunching in a NYC restaurant years ago. Sitting a few tables away was Loretta Swit, lunching with a couple of friends. My friend's mother was a huge fan, so after Loretta and her friends left the restaurant, my friend followed them, approached Loretta and asked for an autograph for his mother, mentioning that she was a fan. Loretta just looked at him, smiled and said "I don't do that anymore" and walked away.

by Anonymousreply 550May 22, 2022 4:51 PM

If Maya Angelou was a kleptomaniac that is too delicious. Tucking away the booze in her voluminous purse, then going home to write about how Americans should behave. OOOHHH CHILD.

by Anonymousreply 551May 22, 2022 5:09 PM

Getting an autograph from a person who also has morning breath strikes me as being pointless.

by Anonymousreply 552May 22, 2022 5:11 PM

When I was a pre-teen gayling, three actors from All My Children came to our local mall to make an appearance (but not sign autographs). I think it was a talk with a host and that's all. It was Richard Shoberg, Dorothy Lyman and someone else who I can't even remember. Afterwards, the three of them had lunch in the mall's German restaurant. (It was just like the place Ratner takes Stacy on their first date in Fast Times.) My friend and I were obsessed with Lyman both for Mama's Family and AMC and we followed them in there and decided stake her out at a nearby table, so we had to order lunch. We were afraid to go up to the table and ask for an autograph, so we stayed at our table drinking cokes for an hour.

Finally, Richard Shoberg got up and went to the bathroom, so I decided to follow him. I cornered him in there and he thought I was going to ask for an autograph, but I asked if he would mind getting Lyman's autograph for us. He looked a little annoyed at first, but was a good sport about it, took my autograph book and then about 10 min later, Lyman came by our table and said hello and gave us autographs.

I am very happy to say that I shortly grew out of the autograph phase. Once I moved to NYC and saw celebs all the time, and waited on them) and later worked with them, they became more of an annoyance than anything else. But I'll always remember that day in the men's room!

by Anonymousreply 553May 22, 2022 5:35 PM

I can see asking a celebrity to sign a photo or a program, but a napkin? That's beyond tacky!

by Anonymousreply 554May 22, 2022 5:36 PM

I have met many celebrities over the years and I’ve never once thought about getting an autograph. What’s the point of that?

by Anonymousreply 555May 22, 2022 5:38 PM

Personally, I'll go for a picture if it's a benefit, awards show or something like that and celebrities are taking pictures too. Autographs just out and about, no way.

by Anonymousreply 556May 22, 2022 5:46 PM

R553 kids are exactly the ones who CAN ask for autographs. I am glad you weren't disappointed.

by Anonymousreply 557May 22, 2022 5:49 PM

I think photos are even more ludicrous than autographs. People post photos of themselves w/ celebrities all the time on social media like it actually means something. All it means is they were kind enough to indulge you for 15 seconds. You don't actually know them. I was facebook friends with some guy who, all he would do was stalk famous people in the wild to get photos with them and post them up on his page as if he'd done something special. Never understood it.

by Anonymousreply 558May 22, 2022 5:51 PM

[quote] [R553] kids are exactly the ones who CAN ask for autographs. I am glad you weren't disappointed.

Thank you. I was thinking about the encounter again after posting and I remembered one more thing- When Lyman came to our table, she very sweetly admonished me for not asking for Shoberg's autograph, too. It was very much in a way to remind me to be courteous of other's feelings. I felt bad because it had not occurred to me and I apologized, but she was so kind about it. I was always happy to see she went on to such a lengthy career both in front of and behind the camera.

by Anonymousreply 559May 22, 2022 5:55 PM

That's a great Dorothy Lyman story. Sounds like she was a great lady. Loved her (Naomi) on Mama's Family.

by Anonymousreply 560May 22, 2022 6:09 PM

R558, because it's a nice momento of an event. Stalking people and posting on social media is trashy

by Anonymousreply 561May 22, 2022 6:13 PM

I met and got an autograph from Ricky Nelson when he performed at a theme park in the Boston area in 1962.

60 years later, I can still remember the encounter vividly, and I was 10 at the time.

by Anonymousreply 562May 22, 2022 6:31 PM

I can't believe I never noticed that the "Margret" in Ann-Margret was part of her first name. I always thought her last name was Margret.

by Anonymousreply 563May 22, 2022 7:12 PM

I thought it was Margrock!

by Anonymousreply 564May 22, 2022 7:17 PM

r553, I can't believe you dissed Shoberg like that, LOL.

And buying time at the German restaurant sipping Cokes, it sounds like you really were trying to recreate that FTARH scene.

by Anonymousreply 565May 22, 2022 7:39 PM

It’s perfectly understandable that people approach celebs in public, ask for autographs etc. We at DL may be more jaded, but ordinary people feel a bond with stars after seeing them in movies, etc. The stars are literally a part of their lives.

by Anonymousreply 566May 22, 2022 7:50 PM

[quote]I have met many celebrities over the years and I’ve never once thought about getting an autograph. What’s the point of that?

I don't get it either. First of all, it's rude and very poor manners to interrupt someone as they're eating in a restaurant or in the middle of a conversation. I don't care if they're famous, it's just rude. Second, how would anybody know that's the real autograph? I could but a magazine with Chris Evans on the cover and write "Dear Fuckface, Best Wishes, Chris Evans" and show it to people and tell them I met Chris Evans and that's his real autograph. Who would be able to tell?

by Anonymousreply 567May 22, 2022 8:24 PM

[quote] And buying time at the German restaurant sipping Cokes, it sounds like you really were trying to recreate that FTARH scene.

It was a restaurant that was down the very end of a tendril of the mall. There was an entrance to the mall and then a drugstore on one side, the restaurant on the other, and a few stores that were places that were more specialty "need" services like a bank and a shoe repair than stores in which to browse, so it was always an area that we would just rush by since there was nothing of interest there. And then at the end of that corridor, you fed into the main area. But that restaurant always looked so odd to me. You couldn't see inside because they had dark green glass and very low lighting. I hadn't seen Fast Times when we did this because I was too young. I think I watched it on cable later that year and seeing that scene totally reminded me of our mall restaurant. But I guess every mall had one back then.

by Anonymousreply 568May 22, 2022 8:34 PM

R563, are you the same one who just found out that Patty Duke was also in The Miracle Worker on STAGE?

by Anonymousreply 569May 22, 2022 8:40 PM

I've always thought Dorothy Lyman and Dianne Wiest looked so much alike they could pass for sisters.

by Anonymousreply 570May 22, 2022 8:40 PM

R570 I've always thought Dianne Wiest should play Renee Zellweger's mom in a movie.

by Anonymousreply 571May 22, 2022 8:45 PM

Thanks for that R22.

DL used to be fun, even now that was a wild read.I want to slap every nasty bitch who drove him away. I bet he has some good stuff these days.

by Anonymousreply 572May 22, 2022 8:50 PM

What on earth is BLWIT? (Re Ann-Margret story above.)

by Anonymousreply 573May 22, 2022 9:00 PM

Bleached-Locked Women’s International Tour.

by Anonymousreply 574May 22, 2022 9:01 PM

Big Ladies With Incredible Tits

by Anonymousreply 575May 22, 2022 9:14 PM

Ball Lee Why Ir Tame, a Welsh gay love story.

by Anonymousreply 576May 22, 2022 9:19 PM

Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

I wish the gaylings would remember they aren't texting on here.

by Anonymousreply 577May 22, 2022 9:25 PM

"Gaylings?" My sixtysomething parents and aunts and uncles are texting, and have been for years.

Only on DL is something as ubiquitous with all age groups as texting something that only "the kids" are doing.

Christ, you queens are so fucking out of touch.

by Anonymousreply 578May 22, 2022 9:27 PM

^SYBFSM!!!

by Anonymousreply 579May 22, 2022 9:28 PM

R388, It’s not compulsory, but of course we do.

by Anonymousreply 580May 22, 2022 9:43 PM

I'm genuinely surprised NYC servers haven't already shared a hundred CUNT Betty Buckley stories.

by Anonymousreply 581May 22, 2022 9:48 PM

R540 = Priscilla Presley

by Anonymousreply 582May 22, 2022 10:11 PM

An ex used to work for Lily Tomlin and he told me if I came out to CA he would get me in to meet her after her show in Monterrey. I love her and immediately went on eBay and bought one of her old comedy LPs. After the show we did get to go backstage and Lily was adorable and signed the record I brought by writing "One ringy dingy. Snort!" (It had a picture of her as "Ernestine' on the cover.) I was thrilled when she invited me and my friend to join her at a restaurant nearby. She was "up" from the show and told us stories for a couple of hours -- all funny! Longtime DLers have probably read this before in another thread -- she had a lot to say about Cher when they made that movie in Italy together. Burn! After the meal (which she paid for), she got in her town car alone, rolled down the window and waved and sang to us as they drove away.

by Anonymousreply 583May 22, 2022 10:13 PM

[quote]Barkley is reported to be very well hung.

!

Will he do doggy style?

by Anonymousreply 584May 22, 2022 10:14 PM

A friend was walking along the beach on Mustique when a man came out of a house and started a conversation with him, and then invited him back up to the house for drinks. Inside, they continued chatting and the guy revealed he was a singer taking a break from touring. Turns out it was Bryan Adams. My friend didn't remember who he was until later when he looked him up. I asked him if there was anyone else there and he said yes, another man. I'd heard the rumors so I asked him if Adams made a pass at him and he said no. He did say Adams was there with another guy.

by Anonymousreply 585May 22, 2022 10:40 PM

autographs can be worth a lot of money! Elon Musk's scribble goes for thousands and it's literally just a fucking scribble!

by Anonymousreply 586May 22, 2022 10:56 PM

This is what Steve Martin hands to people who ask him for his autograph:

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 587May 22, 2022 10:57 PM

My friend saw Steve Martin at a pub drinking, not sure if he was alone but my friend went up to him for a picture. He was cool about it.

by Anonymousreply 588May 22, 2022 10:59 PM

Please tell some of Lily's Cher stories. I can't get a handle on Cher. Sometimes she's the "realest person in show business" like Arthur Bell said, other times, well....

by Anonymousreply 589May 22, 2022 11:12 PM

I know Rosie O'Donnell triggers some people here, but I saw an interview with her a while back and someone asked her about being famous and people always wanting pictures or autographs.

She said that celebrities make obscene amounts of money, so if a fan who helped make you rich wants a few seconds of your time for a picture or an autograph, it's a very small price to pay.

by Anonymousreply 590May 22, 2022 11:24 PM

[quote]Please tell some of Lily's Cher stories.

Sure. I love Cher and Lily liked her too, I think, but at the time of that movie ("Tea with Mussolini") Cher was maybe a little insecure being among stars like Maggie Smith and Judy Dench. She wasn't intimidated by Lily though because Lily is, of course, wonderful. They were all staying in the same hotel and would gather in the evenings for drinks and dinner. But Cher would spend most of her time off set trying to find a villa where she could be by herself. She wouldn't stay at the hotel. Toward the end of the picture, Cher had adopted a dog in Italy and asked Lily if she would "deliver" the dog to her in California, as if Lily had nothing better to do. We thought it was surprising that Cher would ask her to do this since Lily was a big star as well. Nervy. She politely turned her down, they finished the picture, and I don't think they became close friends. Lily told this story without rancor but we were all like "Didn't Cher have an assistant?" Also, at that dinner one of Lily's legion of lesbian fans somehow found out where we were having dinner, walked in, and sat down at the table with us. When Lily asked her who she was and why she was at the table, the woman gave her a sob story about her disabled girlfriend who couldn't make it out to see the show and that she wanted to give Lily $20 for her to give to an animal rescue service she was affiliated with (ironic, in light of the story we'd just heard about Cher.) This woman would not leave even when Lily let her know (very diplomatically but firmly) that she was not welcome. Finally, someone at the restaurant realized what was going on and led the woman back outside.

by Anonymousreply 591May 23, 2022 12:04 AM

r591 that shit happens to celebs all the time - people being intrusive to them in public, and many of them are not mentally well. It must be pretty nerve-wracking.

by Anonymousreply 592May 23, 2022 12:06 AM

Imagine Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, and Lily Tomlin all staying at the same hotel and having drinks and gossiping every night and YOU'RE INVITED.

But you say "No thanks, I just want to find a place where I can be alone."

Cher must be crazy.

by Anonymousreply 593May 23, 2022 12:45 AM

R 331: you nailed it. White privilege. Franco, a known whatever being a pretentious shithead and nobody mentions it .

Yet Maya is torn six ways from Sunday in numerous posts. Sheesh!!!! We get it guys!

However , as haughty as she is, she has profound trauma ( could be unconscious ) about how horribly she was abused . The trauma doesn’t disappear no matter how many degrees pulitzers and kisses from Oprah or fucking presidents she gets .

She never forgets that for years and years she was just a fucking n word to the world .

So give it a rest and let her rest

by Anonymousreply 594May 23, 2022 12:49 AM

Maya and Diahann just let their fame and success go to their heads, and thought they were above everyone. It happens.

by Anonymousreply 595May 23, 2022 12:53 AM

If you look at this video of the premiere in 1999, at 11:00 Cher speaks to reporters about how she felt about working with Maggie and Judy (and Joan Plowright). It's hard to hear some of the questions, but you can see from her answers that Cher was insecure about her performance and being in the presence of these woman she held in high regard. She must have been under a lot of pressure with Franco Zeffirelli directing her in a big, splashy role. I thought she did well in the movie, and Lily as an out lesbian archaeologist was great. I got the feeling they understood Cher's need to concentrate on her part and didn't hold her absence against her.

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by Anonymousreply 596May 23, 2022 12:58 AM

Plus, Cher had the biggest hit of her career then and was planning a tour. This movie was squeezed into her schedule.

by Anonymousreply 597May 23, 2022 1:08 AM

I love Boy George at 20:50, stoned to the tits, strolling into the theater seconds before Prince Charles gets out of his limo.

by Anonymousreply 598May 23, 2022 1:16 AM

[quote] Plus, Cher had the biggest hit of her career then and was planning a tour. This movie was squeezed into her schedule.

Cher shot the movie well before Believe was released.

by Anonymousreply 599May 23, 2022 1:27 AM

No one started a part 2, ya cunts.

by Anonymousreply 600May 23, 2022 1:35 AM
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