Not talking about a dangerous looking dog, but certain celebrities...Howard Stern, Ellen DeGeneres, Tom Cruise, several others...supposedly go nuts if low-level staff or workers make eye contact with them.
How real is this
Don’t know about Stern but I could definitely believe it about Ellen. Her warmth towards celebrities always had an air of disingenuousness about it to me.
I’m not a fan of Cruise, but I think that seems unlikely for him. All his co-stars speak of how generous he is to everyone on set. I know he’s lost it at crew members from time to time, but I think that’s more about his perfectionism than him being superior or self-important.
I heard Faye Dunaway was like this in her later years, and it seems to be a common theme for Hollywood Divas in general. I was curious as to why they'd care so much if people were looking at them, and I read that it's usually for two reasons:
1.) It's a way for A-lister stars to assert power over those who have none.
2.) Some stars claim they are introverts that get overwhelmed when too many eyes are on them in one place too long.
In some ways, reason #1 comes off as really sad and petty, all things considered. There's a reason Hollywood Divas, even the talented ones, eventually stop getting work. They make life almost impossible on set because of all their stupid demands and bratty behavior.
I find reason #2 somewhat dubious, because most introverts out there are camera-shy, and aren't fans of being the center of attention all the time. But yeah, some introverts, particularly the empathic ones, have issues with being surrounded by people all the time, and having all the attention on them for too long truly is overwhelming. One reason I don't buy Ellen's similar reasoning is because she's as much an attention whore as she is a diva. I think she really just wanted a certain kind of people's eyes on her, not the lowly people working behind the scenes that she considers beneath her. You don't star on two different shows, do work in several movies, represent makeup companies, smear your face all over the tv and social media, and then claim to be an introvert. Doesn't really pass the smell test.
" I think she really just wanted a certain kind of people's eyes on her, not the lowly people working behind the scenes that she considers beneath her."
^This
That's a common thing when ego and narcissism take hold in a person who's become famous. They see themselves as living a real-life video game, where they work their way up the levels, and want nothing to do with people they see as "far too low in level" to bother with, despite working with such people on a daily basis. The A-listers (particularly in Hollywood and the political realm) only want attention from other A-listers, people who are above them on the food chain, and specific audiences that are fans of theirs; not lowly roadies and set workers.
share"Be nice to people on your way up, because you'll meet them on your way down"
shareOh boy is that very true, particularly in Hollywood where you don't have job security. Only reason people like Ellen can get away with it is they can retire wealthy and do whatever they want, but they will have to deal with fading into obscurity and not being famous anymore, even with a rich legacy left behind.
shareIf there are star struck people on set who are staring at them constantly, I can see how that would get to be unnerving.
To take to it to a point where you want people fired if they dare to look you in the eye at any time has nothing to do with being in introvert. Like you said, they are fine with some people looking them in the eye, they want that, it's only when it's people like crew members that its a problem. I mean, it's normal to look at someone in certain situations, nothing to do with them being wealthy or a celebrity.
Heard it also about Stallone. Fuck 'em all, let Satan sort them out.
shareI HAVE A FRIEND NAMED VINCE THAT INSISTS ON THAT FROM ALL HIS DATES.
shareI've heard that Michael Myers has been known to fire people over this from a few sources. I never heard that about Cruise or Stern, though.
share