Hey, Answer B!tch, can you give a fresh list of some of the most pleasant and unpleasant celebrities?
—Tish, Muntinlupa, Philippines
The B!tch Replies: It would be really, really cruel to hog this answer all to myself, given the profound number of people who have had negative experiences with Jeremy Piven alone. (During an interview I did with him, I asked him to repeat something he'd just said. "Sweetheart," he barked. "Pay attention."
Hey, sweetheart. Don't do your interviews over speakerphone.But let me start with my own deep well of experience. In general, TV people are nicer than movie people. All stars are nicer on the red carpet or at press junkets—when they're expected to be on their best behavior—than at a party or a club. During one red carpet stint a few years back, Marg Helgenberger had no problem when this B!tch asked the actress to say hi to my daddy on my celly. In fact, she said hello as CSI's Catherine Willows, which is either creepy or downright fabulous.
The people who seem to have gathered the most kudos for niceness are Dave Grohl in the music category and St. George Clooney in the movie category.
A typical Clooney tale, as recounted by an Industry source of mine: "Some guy told me George brought [this guy's] brother-in-law coffee when he was working as a security guard on set."
More celebrity niceness ratings from another veteran Hollywood insider, who has worked with, yes, everyone in town:
Hugh Jackman: "The nicest and cutest man in Hollywood."
Lauren Bacall: "Just mean."
Russell Crowe: "Snarky."
Patrick Dempsey: "Sweet."
Lisa Kudrow: "A delightful girl, a good girl."
Halle Berry: "I'd rather not go there."
Cameron Diaz, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ricki Lake: "Mensches."
Paris Hilton: "Smarter than you'd think, but not mean."
Tyra Banks: "Tough."
Faye Dunaway: "Just crazy." (Supporting evidence from another source: "Faye Dunaway is the meanest. I was at the press junket for The Messenger, and she went off on someone. She also made us sit there and wait for her to finish her tea before she would answer questions.")
Will Smith: "Lovely. Just a gentleman."
David Letterman: "Weird."
Jay Leno: "As kind as Letterman is weird."
Answer B!tch: "As brilliant as Leno is kind."
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