[Misc] Celebrity - Lovely or Shit

[One Teddy Maybank]

I did a Q and A with Teddy at the Hove Sporting Club last year, I previously had also had some negative experiences with him, but when I heard his entire story including the cortisone injections that effectively f***** his knee, his career and in turn his life, it’s clear he‘s had some issues. The 21st century Ted, is in a good place, and a genuinely nice person, I hope you get the chance to have a Guinness with him at some point old boy

When I was in hospital in traction, he sent me a letter…..
(Obviously was my favourite player).

 

[vegster]

What did Cilla do on a BA flight?

Usually a couple of bottles of Champfers.

 

[Is it PotG?]

Had the honour of meeting Suzi Quatro at a black tie thingie at The Grand. She sang, we talked, she was gorgeous and a lovely person.

 

[raymondo]

Years ago I had a chat with John Simpson on a Eurostar returning from Paris. Lovely chap, we talked about living in Paris (think he had a French wife?), France in general vs UK. I didn't let on that I knew who he was, and he dropped zero hints about it.

 

[raymondo]

I can sort of cover Brucie. I used to collect autographs as a kid. I sent him a nice handwritten fan letter along with the sleeve from the hardback copy of his autobiography for him to sign. This was post Generation Game but pre-Strictly come back.

A few weeks later I got a lovely signed letter back from Sir Bruce, along with the book cover signed and dedicated in the SAE I provided.

Still have it

Damn good job you enclosed the SAE

 

[Durlston]

Lovely - Chris Tarrant.

Applied to be on WWTBAM, received a succesful phone call to get to Elstree and and got on to the fastest finger first (failed miserably through nerves). Tarrant had time for absolutely everyone and gave me a hug when I broke down in tears afterwards through the pressure of it all. He was so kind and was talking about a variety of interesting subjects including knowledgeable snooker. He also bought me a drink. Been confirmed by a couple of other members of the general public I've met that he's always a jolly nice chap. Great to see him looking very well (but a bit older) about a month ago on BBC Breakfast.

Shit - Stephen Hendry.

What a miserable, obnoxious, spoilt, sweatie git. Left his wife for a girl nearly 20 years younger than him. Couldn't wait to get into his car after losing a match (past his best by this time) and didn't sign autographs or pose for photos. Glad Ronnie O'Sullivan equalled his seven world titles (something which has irked him in the last 18 months) and heard he makes special silly demands like an extra cushion when on commentary duties. Does a lot for YouTube in which he is quite entertaining but found him to be the only rudest snooker player, and I've met a lot of them over the years. Alan McManus the nicest by a mile.

 

[Is it PotG?]

Shit - Stephen Hendry.

What a miserable, obnoxious, spoilt, sweatie git. Left his wife for a girl nearly 20 years younger than him. Couldn't wait to get into his car after losing a match (past his best by this time) and didn't sign autographs or pose for photos. Glad Ronnie O'Sullivan equalled his seven world titles (something which has irked him in the last 18 months) and heard he makes special silly demands like an extra cushion when on commentary duties. Does a lot for YouTube in which he is quite entertaining but found him to be the only rudest snooker player, and I've met a lot of them over the years. Alan McManus the nicest by a mile.

From the outside, Hendry always worried me.

Best match player the game has ever seen, but always came across as a bit of a c##t.

 

[Berty23]

Lovely - Chris Tarrant.

Applied to be on WWTBAM, received a succesful phone call to get to Elstree and and got on to the fastest finger first (failed miserably through nerves). Tarrant had time for absolutely everyone and gave me a hug when I broke down in tears afterwards through the pressure of it all. He was so kind and was talking about a variety of interesting subjects including knowledgeable snooker. He also bought me a drink. Been confirmed by a couple of other members of the general public I've met that he's always a jolly nice chap. Great to see him looking very well (but a bit older) about a month ago on BBC Breakfast.

Shit - Stephen Hendry.

What a miserable, obnoxious, spoilt, sweatie git. Left his wife for a girl nearly 20 years younger than him. Couldn't wait to get into his car after losing a match (past his best by this time) and didn't sign autographs or pose for photos. Glad Ronnie O'Sullivan equalled his seven world titles (something which has irked him in the last 18 months) and heard he makes special silly demands like an extra cushion when on commentary duties. Does a lot for YouTube in which he is quite entertaining but found him to be the only rudest snooker player, and I've met a lot of them over the years. Alan McManus the nicest by a mile.

Ray reardon is a lovely bloke. He was a member at my golf club when I was a kid and he was one of the few adult members who always had time for the juniors. In fact when we had a match vs a Swedish side we spent an evening at a snooker hall and he came along and did a demo for everyone. He was obviously getting on a bit by 1995 but it was mind blowing just how good he was. He is still there as life president.

 

[Durlston]

Ray reardon is a lovely bloke. He was a member at my golf club when I was a kid and he was one of the few adult members who always had time for the juniors. In fact when we had a match vs a Swedish side we spent an evening at a snooker hall and he came along and did a demo for everyone. He was obviously getting on a bit by 1995 but it was mind blowing just how good he was. He is still there as life president.

Yes, Ray is into his nineties now and still talks a good game when the Welsh Open is played in early March on BBC Wales. Another player (like Steve Davis) who is never mentioned as one of the GOAT's. A real gentleman by everyone who has met him - he even got on well with Alex Higgins! Good old Dracula!

 

[Horses Arse]

What did Cilla do on a BA flight?

A lovely celebrity shit?

 

[raymondo]

Years back I was selling travel clothes to a guy in a shop in Bath. He was off to Western Africa to check on some charity project.
"I often wonder what percentage of donations really get to work for the locals" I offered (wracking my brains for who this chap was...).
"I was involved in a big fundraiser years ago, and I assure you most of the money was well used for the people in need".
"Good to hear!" I said (who is this guy?? ).
He wrote his details on a product guarantee slip, said a friendly cheerio and left.
I checked his signature. Midge Ure.

Nice guy

 

[crodonilson]

Yes, Ray is into his nineties now and still talks a good game when the Welsh Open is played in early March on BBC Wales. Another player (like Steve Davis) who is never mentioned as one of the GOAT's. A real gentleman by everyone who has met him - he even got on well with Alex Higgins! Good old Dracula!

Lovely - Chris Tarrant.

Applied to be on WWTBAM, received a succesful phone call to get to Elstree and and got on to the fastest finger first (failed miserably through nerves). Tarrant had time for absolutely everyone and gave me a hug when I broke down in tears afterwards through the pressure of it all. He was so kind and was talking about a variety of interesting subjects including knowledgeable snooker. He also bought me a drink. Been confirmed by a couple of other members of the general public I've met that he's always a jolly nice chap. Great to see him looking very well (but a bit older) about a month ago on BBC Breakfast.

Shit - Stephen Hendry.

What a miserable, obnoxious, spoilt, sweatie git. Left his wife for a girl nearly 20 years younger than him. Couldn't wait to get into his car after losing a match (past his best by this time) and didn't sign autographs or pose for photos. Glad Ronnie O'Sullivan equalled his seven world titles (something which has irked him in the last 18 months) and heard he makes special silly demands like an extra cushion when on commentary duties. Does a lot for YouTube in which he is quite entertaining but found him to be the only rudest snooker player, and I've met a lot of them over the years. Alan McManus the nicest by a mile.

I had a friend who passed away a few years ago who used to travel around the UK and Europe watching all the snooker in the mid-late nineties. He also said McManus was a smashing bloke and had time for everyone. He also said James Wattana was an absolute gentleman. He didn't have a lot of time for 00147 Nigel Bond who described as an 'absolutely miserable ****'.

 

[crodonilson]

I played at UKsport golf day about 18 months ago.

Kriss akubussi - lovely bloke. Time for everyone. I was lucky enough to hit a good shot while he was stood next to me and got a fist bump. I was 12 in 1991 when he won world champs so that little kid inside me was leaping for joy.

Not saying a bad person but I was shocked…

Someone in Denise lewis’ four ball won the long drive contest but someone I was playing with saw them put the flag in the fairway when the ball was actually in the rough. Who cheats at a charity gold day?!

I'm shocked, always had a lot of time for Denise comes across really well on the telly but cheating in charity golf really is the lowest of the low, can't believe they did that, my opinion of them has really dropped.

Surprised there has been no mention of Greg 'The Veg' Wallace on this thread to date....

 

[Durlston]

I had a friend who passed away a few years ago who used to travel around the UK and Europe watching all the snooker in the mid-late nineties. He also said McManus was a smashing bloke and had time for everyone. He also said James Wattana was an absolute gentleman. He didn't have a lot of time for 00147 Nigel Bond who described as an 'absolutely miserable ****'.

It's funny you should say that as Nigel Bond was described as "a real wanker" under his breath by John Spencer, live on Grandstand in 1996 for the World Championship first round draw! I couldn't believe he had said it and Steve Rider carried on as normal as if nothing had been said!

 

[A1X]

Talking of sportsmen, went to an Ashes test at the Oval in 2013 where it had rained all day, wandered round to the players entrance where loads of kids (denied sporting action) had gathered for autographs / selfies. All the Aussies walked straight through, which I wasn’t surprised about as obviously already beaten away from home, but the English were who the fans wanted. I will base my good / shit judgements entirely on who stopped for the kids and who didn’t.

Good - Stuart Broad, Joe Root, Matt Prior, Jonathan Trott, Alastair Cook, Chris Woakes
Shit - James Anderson, Graeme Swann, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell

 

[AmexRuislip]

I'll let you work it out.

 

[Weststander]

Shit …. Virginia Wade. Family of mine were leaving a country restaurant in East Sussex, this would’ve been mid 90’s, the place had just closed after lunch. Wade and her entourage arrived, plenty of the belligerent “don’t you know who I am?” After initially saying no, the restaurant gave in and reopened.

 

[Zeberdi]

Shit …. Virginia Wade. Family of mine were leaving a country restaurant in East Sussex, this would’ve been mid 90’s, the place had just closed after lunch. Wade and her entourage arrived, plenty of the belligerent “don’t you know who I am?” After initially saying no, the restaurant gave in and reopened.

Another alternative experience - I used to be very keen on tennis as a young kid (and ended up playing competitive tennis throughout my school years) - while staying at a Hotel in Torquay many many years ago - (which we did a few times throughout my youth because of the tennis partly) once, about the age of 5 or 6, my parents lost me - I was sitting in the top seats of the covered courts courts in the hotel grounds (which had open access to a public road) for several hours completely absorbed in watching the practices of all those competing in the Open Lawn Tennis tournament in Torquay, many of whom were staying at the hotel for the duration of the tournament. Virginia Wade, who was competing that year, had spotted me while she had been practicing and after her practice, came up to the stand where I was sitting. She left an enduring impression on me growing up as an incredibly kind and a gentle lady who had taken me by hand back to the hotel where she met Stan Smith - who had then carried me up in the lift to the split level ground floor where my parents had been standing at the hotel reception coordinating a search party.

The 25th Open Tennis Tournament at the Palace Hotel, Torquay. Miss...

The 25th Open Tennis Tournament at the Palace Hotel, Torquay. Miss Virginia Wade in action. November 1969.

www.gettyimages.no

 

[Eeyore]

I can only really talk cricket:

Gehan Mendis: Top bloke when we were kids. Spent ages talking to us and we must have annoyed him by the amount of time we spent chatting to him, yet he put up with it.
Graeme Wood and Trevor Chappell- Who let me bowl to them in the nets for half an hour at Sussex when I sneaked through the gap. I've probably only told you that about a hundred times. (I didn't bowl underarm to Trevor...)

Not so nice:

The occasional England cricketer who told me I could have his autograph if I walked his heavy cricket coffin to his car.

 

[sparkie]

In general, the whole concept of "Celebrity" ( and the fawning that can go with it ) is in the OP's words "shit".