A few months ago, a good friend of mine got a flight attendant position with an airline. The following text (unedited) is from an 'in-house' newsletter between flight attendants - the comments posted below are on run-ins that flight attendants have had with celebrities.
The Slim Shady dude, one of the biggest a**wipe! He began cursing because he had "hurt" his shoulder, and I wouldn't carry his bag down to the aircraft for him. Slight problem since his bag was BIGGER than me!
Donald Sutherland- absolutely gracious and funny, if excentric, one of my favorites
Pia Zadora- on her own planet:she meditated in the lotus position with a blanket on her head the whole flight (LAX-YYZ)
Gary Sinise-very polite, understated, a true gentleman
Jonathan Frakes (Number One, Star Trek)- a riot! Very funny and personnable: he got on begging me not to show the movie he had seen about 10 times that month (some lame tearjearker, My dog Skip or something like that)
The GooGoo Dolls- weird, very weird...we exchanged beauty tips on nailpolish
Recently from ORD-LGA, had Rev. Sharpton on my flight. We were all glad that he fell asleep when he got on the plane and didn't wake up until we got there, because we weren't sure if any of us could serve him without having to perform foot removal surgery!
We usually always get them between LAX-JFK:
Betty White ("Rose" on The Golden Girls)...The NICEST passenger EVER! Pure sweetheart.
Regis Philbin (Pre-"Who Wants to be a Millionaire)...Arrogant fellow.
Gary Coleman...Annoyingly talkative. Almost reminds you of an inquisitive 13 yr. old (and not because of his small size either). But ok acting otherwise.
Glen Close...Stuck up, ugly woman. Acted as if we were about to beg and plead for her tired autograph.
Rob Reiner (with kids, wife and maid) ...They took up the entire First Class on that 767. ok attitude, but VERY messy. Left trash everywhere on that flight.
Calista Flockhart...Sweetheart. Absolutely polite & easy-going.
Barbara Walters...Very snobby chick. Would cut her eyes at ya if you even looked her way. Very snobby-acting woman.
Robin Givens...A little tipsy and silly
Jennifer Lopez from LAX-MIA. Boy is her A$$ big, but not as big as her head. She scolded me when I refused to leave the aircraft and purchase some magazines for her. Guess she's to frugal to have an assistant travel with her.
In J. Lo's defense, one of my co-workers has had her twice, his roommate, once. They declared her delightful and down-to-earth. Maybe she has bad days just like we do!
I hear Dolly Parton is the best! Her niece is a F/A for AA. Dolly apparently wanted to be a F/A (so did Grace Jones!!!) They hang out in the galley with the F/As. Dolly served the cookies on a friend of mine's flight and they sang songs from "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" in the galley! I would have paid money to work that flight!
Bobby Bonilla (MLB Baseball Player)...Nice, easy-going guy.
Now for the less memorable, Joan Collins... should be made to check her Ego in before boarding the plane. Prince Andrew... blows hot and cold. One minute can appear nice enough, the next, treats you like a moron. Ertha Kitt... a bit bonkers I think.
Golda Meir (Prime Minister of Israel): This was during our bicentennial. She was boarded with her secret security as well as a detail of secret security from the US. We were going from LGA to BOS. On final approach one of her secret security guards got up and stood next to her f/c chair. I got off the jump seat and went over and asked him to take his seat. He told me he was "standing here for landing." I told him that was not allowed and told him to please take his seat. When he told me "no," the Prime Minister turned to him and said, "Do what she tells you." He took his seat and if looks could kill, I would have come off that flight on a gurney.
I don't see celebs in-flight too often, but I've checked in plenty of them!
Keanu Reeves (actor) - ASS!
Jewel (singer) - needs to get over herself.
Nedra Carroll (Jewel's mom & manager) - very, very sweet lady!
Joe (singer) - SEXY! Oh yeah - nice, too!
Ivory (WWF wrestler) - she is such a doll! Actually made friends w/her and now we send each other holiday wishes and she sends me WWF tickets whenever we're going to be in the same city!
Catherine Harris (Florida Secretary of State) - this lady is incredibly sharp, pleasant, and rather nice.
Gov. Howard Dean (Vermont) - what a pussy! Always travels with one bodyguard and one assistant. Demands to be preboarded. Gets off the aircraft if the temperature doesn't meet his fancy.
Senator James Jeffords (Vermont party jumper) - AWESOME guy! Wish he was my long-lost uncle!
Congressman Bernie Sanders (Vermont) - bumped him off his flights and called security on him for being a dick on September 13, 2001.
Yves Couette (CEO of Ben & Jerry's) - very cool guy who gave out free ice- cream coupons to all the staff!
Jamie Lee Curtis (actress) - she has got to be the world's biggest bitch. I think she may have been the original creator of the phrase "Do you know who I am?".
Jack Nicklaus (professional golfer) - ASS. ASS.
Bill Clinton (former U.S. president) - very pleasant. Hard to think ill thoughts about him when he's in your presence, despite what you hear on the tube.
Sandra Bullock (actress) - very nice!
B.B. King (Blues guitar god) - nice, nice, nice!
Bill Cosby (actor/comedian) - has his own plane, but I worked at an FBO that he parked in. Nice guy. Even nicer plane!
Miss America 1999 - WAY TOO MUCH BAGGAGE! Didn't say 2 words to any of the airline staff.
Jean-Jacques Cousteau (oceanographer) - very nice guy despite cancelled flights.
Chris Isaak (singer/actor/songwriter/my future husband) - very nice guy, stunning eyes. Someday he'll come out.
Ernie Kent (UO Men's Basketball coach) - nice guy. Very serious.
Kevin Johnson (NBA Player) - very annoying.
Harry Connick + Wife (kind of an ass)
Jermaine Jackson (nice, but so gay that I couldn't get to close because the flames might have scorched me!)
Fergie (what a luv!)
JFK JR + Caroline Bissette (sat in coach, and declined an upgrade, he said "the people in first aren't getting to LA any quicker")
Eartha Kitt (an icon who has gone round the bend!)
William + Steven Baldwin (indifferent)
Carson Daly + Tara Ried (pigs, I tell you. Pigs!)
Jules Asner (very nice, has a nose ring!)
Britney Spears (very polite and very quiet)
Ivana Trump (words cannot express the nastiness of this woman)
Macaulay Culkan (came in the coach galley trying to find his seat....3A)
Emma Samms (sat in coach with her kids, while her nanny sat in first...and so stunning in person)
Jennifer Lopez (I CANNOT STAND THIS WOMAN)...she yelled at me because I couldn't make her a double espresso, and then told me that my shoes looked cheap!!!!!! can you believe it!? so I replied "well at least they match YOUR bag!"
Mariah Carey (pre breakdown, and not very nice)
Richard Gere (he used to be a FA for AirCal....nice, nice nice)
Tony Danza (very nice)
Robbie Williams (wanted to lick him from head to toe)
Oprah Winfrey (one of the nicest, contrary to popular opinion)
Judge Judy (what a tiny little thing)
George Clooney (wanted to bust out with the lap dance and blow job service!)
Ben Stein - Just like on TV...whine, whine, whine
Lou Rawls - Very nice...I've served him on 5 flts in 2 yrs.
Pink - quiet, was asleep before the gear came up.
David Spade - nice, but likes to draw attention to himself
Charlton Heston - very polite and cordial
Phyllis Diller - just as funny in person as on the screen
Mia Hamm (Women's US Soccer) - friendly yet reserved
Matt LeBlanc - good natured and humorous
Sigourney Weaver - intelligent, quiet and polite
Former PM Margaret Thatcher - polite but likes her privacy
Adam Corolla and Jimmy Kimmel - partiers and good humored
Reese Witherspoon - delightful
Debbie Allen ("Fame") - very reserved but nice
Jerry Lewis! Complete and utter idiot! Rude, crude.I now change channels whenever he's on. Ditto for comedian Alan King.
I just had Richard Simmons on my flight (he is a weight loss /excercize guru) and he was just a HOOT! He made everyone cheery, he just brightened my whole year. The whole flight was like a big party ! He is such a sweetheart and a rascal too! If you have him on smile! I was eating a mouth full of ice cream (that the captain bought us) when he came on... very very no no... I ran fast to the bathroom...
Ed Marinaro (Hill Street Blues): Had Ed and is gorgeous brother, Richard, on from MIA to LGA. Due to weather all over the east coast our non-stop (2hr and 40 minute) flight turned into a 12 leg where we diverted 5 times. At first Ed and Richard just wanted to keep a low profile and be left alone. I was working first class and I had to beat the female passengers off with a stick. After sitting on the ground in PHL for a couple of hours, the Captain announced that we were going to take off for LGA. He also informed the passengers that the crew as going to go illegal soon. Ed told me that if we ended up having to spend the night in PHL he and Richard had decided that the 3 of us were going to share a room. I didn?t miss a beat?.I said?..?I can handle it? Had a few celebs in my time (not in the biblical sense of course) Probably the nicest was Shania Twain. Very polite, please and thankyou with a smile, basicly very unstarry. She even Had Wayne Gretzki's manager/agent. Tried to be upgraded. He told me who he was in no uncertain terms. I told him that I was sorry but I didn't follow football all that much! He must have thought I lived on a desert island but, it did the trick! He went back to Y with his tail between his legs!
Boris Becker-at door to f/a on boarding: "I don't want to be disturbed. I don't give autographs. I'll let you know if I want something!" F/a:"Certainly Sir! What's your name and seat number?"
A#$hole who wrote "Tuesdays with Morrie." Indignant. Didn't speak to the hired help. Challenged every last crew direction. Sat in first class, refused to turn off his computer and cell phone, indignant about bringing his seatback and tray table up prior to landing, very pokey about restowing his carry-on luggage prior to landing. Should have had security meet the flight. Wanted to tell him that his book sucked!
I did not work this particular flight, but I heard about Dick Van Patten, the father on television's "Eight is Enough." Sitting in first class. Ate his breakfast. Obviously still hungry after eating. Demanded another first class breakfast. FA said there was not another fc breakfast. He got nasty. She then suggested that he demand a breakfast from another first class passenger. He
could even pick the passenger. Good move on her part for it shut him up.
Senator McCain (UGH!!! He wouldn't respond to me until I addressed him as "Senator McCain" then he would smirk. He never asked for anything. He just wanted to be left alone. I guess it was a good thing I never asked him why he had a bandaid on his forehead!)
My favorite ever though has been - Leah Thompson from Caroline in the City. This past year was in the musical "Cabaret" in the lead role, which I happened to see on Friday night. On Sunday morning, she's right there in 3D from ATL to HOU. She stood up in the forward galley drinking Budweiser for the entire flight. When she left the aircraft, I stepped on to the jetbridge, and said "Goodbye Sally Bowles!" (her character's name in Cabaret), and in her most dramatic and british accent, she turned, through her arms in the air, waved, and yelled "GOODBYE DAHLING, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU!" It made my friends who had seen the show jealous for a month.
George Clooney ?! ! He da MAN ! ! He is as pleasant and polite as he is good looking. And his voice!?to die for!
Tina Turner: When I told her that my brother-in-law's birthday was coming up and asked if she would mind signing an autograph so I could give it to him as a present, she wrote him a 1/2 page letter. Nice lady.
Jerry Stiller: Played George Costanza's father on Seinfeld. Is the real life father of Ben Stiller. Stayed in the galley and talked to us for the longest time.
Bill Cosby: He was seated in F/C but after the meal service he decided to hang out in the back of the coach cabin where it was almost empty. Very personable man. He invited all of us out to dinner, but we weren't staying in NYC over night so we couldn't.
Boy George and Culture Club: Remember them? Their hits include "Karma Chameleon" and "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me." I really liked him. We traded make-up tips. When I told him that my teenage (at the time) niece would love to have his autograph, he sent me back to their manager to get an 8x10 glossy for him to sign.
Marie Osmond: Very nice. She came to the galley to talk for a while. The only unpleasant thing was that there was some man in F/C that kept making unkind remarks about her, and celebrities in general, loud enough to make sure he was heard. Why do some people feel the need to do that??!!
Mohammad Ali: This was before he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. He strolled through the coach cabin, stopping to talk with passengers. Very unassuming.
Hulk Hogan: Wrestler (and sometimes actor). Laugh if you want to, but he is one nice man, well spoken, and HUGE.
Jay Leno: Very nice and funny. He's really an attractive man in person.
Tammy Faye Baker (In FULL make-up)?She seemed nervous and very child like. She was traveling with her second husband Roe Messner.
Sandra Bullock-Very nice, complimented my service.
Claudia Schiffer-Pleasant, but kind of demanding. (Slept almost entire flight and then woke up 45 minutes prior to landing and wanted entire dinner service at once.)
Regis Philbin-Was very nice to me, and to other passengers who engaged him in conversations.
John Lithgow-Very nice and eager to talk.
Tom Brokaw-Nice enough guy.
Joan Rivers-Very classy, friendly lady.
D.L. Hughley-Probably the most unfriendly of them all. But after I made it clear that I'm not easily star-struck we had an understanding, and he was OK after that.
Goldie Hawn-My favorite celebrity ever. She looked awesome, was so nice, and even chatted with me like I was a friend. I love her!! Super-nice lady.
Let's see....In the 'nice' category: Martin Short (very down to earth), Wynton Marsalis (terrified of flying - a doll), Wayne Gretzky (ditto), WWF including Hulk Hogan (a pussycat), Sam Neill (very sexy), Tim Conway (a hoot), Mary Wilson (the Supremes), Julianne Moore (a great Mom), Kim Alexis (ditto), Celine Dion (very sweet, but completely and creepily dependant on her
husband) and recently Bryan Adams (very nice considering our airline #**$#* him royally on his ticket and vegan meal).
On the 'not so nice' category: Rosie Perez, Cher and Mark Wahlberg
Kevin Bacon (needed a shower and shampoo)
Coery Hart (Sunglasses at Night singer, weird, played with his food and brought large carry on bag full of junk food)
OK.....hmmmm let's see:
Ivana Trump (I-vanna-hurl) Horrible woman (would say lady but...well, woman is the nicest word I can find) Very self obsessed. Always sits in 5A (front left seat in A zone on 747-400) Have seen her a few times, last time she sat there reading Hello about HERSELF!!????? Puleeeeeeeeaaaaaasssssse. UUURGH.(LHR-LAX
and LHR-JFK)
David Bowie - Really nice guy. Looked a little hippy/trampey but all the same. Nice chap.
Hulk Hogan (Professional wrestler): What a jerk! Screamed a 6-year-old little boy that wanted his autograph. Acted like an animal.
the turkish minister of tourism from frankfurt to osaka: low-lifer
some american gospel band from frankfurt to tokyo. i forgot the name. very nice and very, very gay.
Barbara Bush, iah - can't remember Very gracious woman, didn't speak with her much though.
Spike Lee ewr-lax, nice guy, cuter in person than on TV...the lady next to him was upgraded from coach at the last minute, she had absolutely no idea who he was and I think he liked it that way.
George Michael, he was a complete prat on my flight. The late Michael Hutchence was quiet and morose and looked frighteningly unhealthy. President Clinton, regardless of your opinion of him, was charming and posed with each crew member for a photo despite his apparent exhaustion. Rod Stewart was a delight (going back a few years) he changed his childs diaper saying that he wanted to let the nanny sleep! Never thought I would see him with a diaper bag slung over his shoulder. Prince Andrew does run hot and cold. Iman was charming and even more beautiful in person than in photographs.
