Barry Humphries defends Angela Lansbury after a "fan" wrote a letter saying she was rude to him

[Will42]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 3:09pm

Barry Humphries says fans 'can be like fighting off mosquitoes'


SHOWBIZ legend Barry Humphries has leapt to the defence of his friend Angela Lansbury following a reported run-in between Lansbury and a fan on King William St.

"As a friend of Angela Lansbury, I entirely sympathise with what happened to her," Humphries said in an unsolicited phone call to The Advertiser yesterday.

A fan, who asked not to be named, wrote to Confidential earlier in the week saying Lansbury was apparently rude when she approached the star for a photo outside her city hotel.

It's a situation Humphries knows about all too well as "everyone has an iPhone or a mini camera".

"There are times when you are wandering with your own thoughts and they stop you for an autograph or a photo and it can be like fighting off mosquitos," Humphries said.

"She might have been slightly abrupt, but I think she did the right thing."

Humphries said a very different Lansbury was present when he went to see Driving Miss Daisy at Her Majesty's Theatre on Wednesday night.

"When I saw her the other night in Adelaide, it was the second time I had been to the show. She stopped the car to sign autographs at the stage door and made everyone very happy," he said.

"I'm not calling to take you to task for what you wrote, but I do think someone needs to defend Angela. It is not always a welcome intrusion and is not always a reflection on the subject of a fans' desire. I've had people stop me in the street for a photo and then ask `Who are you again?' "

For the record, Confidential did give Driving Miss Daisy publicity staff two days to defend its star - but no response had been provided by late yesterday.

Confidential also acknowledges that this may have been a one-off incident and that plenty of people have written to The Advertiser about their pleasant exchanges with Lansbury. Confidential has been eager to publish these as well.

"She is, in fact, the most courteous woman I have ever had the pleasure of knowing," Humphries said.

Driving Miss Daisy wraps up its Adelaide season tomorrow.


http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/barry-humphries-says-fans-can-be-like-fighting-off-mosquitoes/story-e6frees3-1226654825126


I can not believe this so-called 'fan' actually has wrote a complaint letter after Ms. Lansbury refused to take a photo with him outside her hotel.

She came to Australia for a 6 months tour to play the lead role 8 times per week in 5 different cities at the age of 87. People should be grateful that they got to see such extraordinary talent at the top of her game (her home country didn't for example), but instead they are complaining she refused to pose for a photo when they bother her outside theater. And that particular person was so offended by it that he actually wrote a letter in newspaper. Amazing.

By the way, Ms. Lansbury has a reputation of being one of the nicest and down to earth people in the business and from what I know she has been stopping quite often in Adelaide at the stage door to sign and take photo with her fans.

I don't think Ms. Lansbury needed to defend herself in this situation or someone else to do it for her, but it's nice to know she has such a good friend like Mr. Humphries.

[followspot]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 3:30pm

This Lansbury woman needs to learn the importance of fan relations. With behavior like this, she may not have much of a career.

Updated On: 5/31/13 at 03:30 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 3:38pm

This reminds me of when I saw The Dinner Party and met Henry Winkler. This schmuck nearby kept yelling at him to do "The Fonz" and say, "AYYYYYY" with his thumbs up and everything. He just kept demanding it over and over again, getting louder and more obnoxious each time while Winkler tried to ignore him. Finally, Winkler said, "I haven't played that character in decades and I'm not your trained monkey". The moron kept egging him on and then started heckling him, but the rest of the crowd finally ran him off.

Some people just don't get that celebrities are people and not at their beck and call to comply with every request. I can understand politely asking for an autograph or even a photograph from being all starstruck, but unless it's a stagedoor or promotional event, you're probably interrupting them and they may feel the need to get on with their lives.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 3:51pm

Angela belongs to the people.

Barry who?

Isn't James-Earl supposed to be looking out for Miss Angela or did he go off in the woods to make water?

Updated On: 5/31/13 at 03:51 PM

[Will42]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 3:56pm

Barry Humphries aka Dame Edna Everage. He's pretty well-known.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 4:03pm

He may be well-known, but he sure isn't pretty.

[dexter3]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 4:27pm

I've met Angela and had a photo taken with her and she was beyond nice, even offering to take my photo with another person...

[lovebwy]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 4:53pm

I worked very briefly one night with Miss Lansbury back in 1999 at a museum function. She was the most gracious and kindest celebrity I ever met, and believe me, she had reason to be angry with us due to a mix up on our part.

If you want to ask for a picture fine, but don't be put off if the person can't oblige every single time.


Updated On: 5/31/13 at 04:53 PM

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 5:08pm

Asking for signatures and photos when at an event is different from asking at a restaurant or outside the hotel. I don't think she was rude at all.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 5:11pm

She was awfully nice outside the "Deuce" stagedoor. Lovely woman. from RC in Austin, Texas (visiting New York City next week!!! June 7-10, 2013) P.S. Oh I just realized it was exactly 6 years ago that I saw "Deuce". I can't believe that much time has elapsed.

Updated On: 5/31/13 at 05:11 PM

[Will42]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 5:12pm

Thank you dexter3, thank you lovebwy!

What amazes me the most is that the person was so offended by not getting a photo that he wrote a letter to the editor like if Ms. Lansbury ran him over or worse.

[JarqueLemos]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 5:22pm

followspot, I seriously hope you are joking, Angela has five tony awards and is 87 its amazing she is even in Australia.I do think people should stop demanding so much of our actors and actresses. I am surprised she is not knighted

[Will42]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 5:32pm

Well, it would be problematic for Ms. Lansbury to get knighted since she's a woman, but a Dame title is indeed long overdue.

You can nominate Ms. Lansbury for that honor via UK government official page: https://www.gov.uk/honours/nominate-abroad

[JarqueLemos]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 5:56pm

A dame title I thought is knighted

[Will42]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 6:08pm

Nope, they are just given the medal.

[Tink2]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 6:14pm

JarqueLemos, I do believe that followspot was being facetious....precisely because of the reasons you posted. : ) Yes! it's past time for Dame Angela Lansbury! First Broadway show I ever saw, actually on Broadway, was Sweeney Todd. Love Angela Lansbury!

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 6:15pm

Yeah, Lansbury has a reputation of frankly being one of the nicest people to ever grace showbiz.

But, y'know...nice try, Anonymous Who Wrote To The Confidential.

[JarqueLemos]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 6:27pm

but why not ask for you name to be in print when they did it in the first place. Idiots they are

[followspot]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 6:48pm

Thanks, Tink. Yes, followspot was being facetious. (I've added a wink to my post for the sarcasm impaired.) It's hilarious to me that Angela Lansbury has been graciously dealing with fans for nearly 70 years, and suddenly her character is being debated because life didn't go perfectly for some twit in Adelaide with a sense of entitlement. What was the purpose of the letter? To teach Angela Lansbury a lesson in humility? What a fool.

Thanks, Barry, but Angie doesn't need defending.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 7:53pm

Granted it was a few decades back, but I spent at least six weeks working with Angie and never saw her be even slightly rude to cast, crew or fans. A friend of mine wrote her a fan letter and received a reply (a sort of "Advice to a Young Actor") that ran several, fascinating pages.

After I moved to New York, some friends thought it would be amusing to invite Angie and her husband, Peter, to a birthday party they were throwing for me. She responded with a handwritten note of regret, explaining that rehearsals for SWEENEY TODD were so strenuous she was unable to accept invitations to social events.

I don't believe for a moment that she was deliberately rude to a fan. If she declined to take a photo, she had a good reason and graciously declined.

ETA I don't know Mr. Humphries, but this incident shows him to be equally gracious.

Updated On: 5/31/13 at 07:53 PM

[Marianne2]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 8:07pm

I think part of the problem was the person asking outside the hotel. Granted, I know some people wouldn't be bothered by that, but I definitely would never try to meet someone that way. I guess I just feel like it's semi stalkerish, even if it was just coincidental to see them there.

[binau]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 8:13pm

I know someone who went to where she exits the theatre in Sydney in an underground car park, twice on two separate nights. I personally am a bit uncomfortable with that. So I don't blame her for feeling this way.

[lovebwy]

Posted: 5/31/13 at 11:46pm

Let's face it. Angela Lansbury is a great lady. A GRAND lady. I have not met too many of those in my life. The fact that any paper would print such a letter is the height of absurdity.

[ABB2357]

Posted: 6/1/13 at 1:56am

I met her several years ago after a benefit reading. It was in a small 50-seat theater, and she took time after the performance to personally greet every audience member and thank them for coming when there was no obligation to do so. The epitome of professionalism and class.

[Jay94]

Posted: 6/1/13 at 2:00am

What did she say to the fan?