and yes, it is about like you would expect. I can verify the Manning story, my son and I met him and he is a super nice guy:
Peyton Manning:
Peyton lived across the street from a diner I worked at in Knoxville when he was playing college ball and was a regular (4 or 5 day a week) customer. Never have I seen such grace and patience. I had a regular customer that had followed me from one restaurant to the next for years. I mean I KNEW this woman and her family. One morning Peyton was in for breakfast (massive applause as he walked in, had beaten a conference rival the night before) and she asked me to ask him for an autograph. I was a little uncomfortable with the prospect, after all, he had been coming in regularly for a long time and I had never asked him for anything like that. She gave me two pieces of paper, one for each of her boys, and I agreed to ask him to sign them for her. When I approached him and explained what was going on, and that she was a friend of mine (understand I waited on him rather frequently) he shoved the papers back at me and said "Tell her to come over here". I explained to him that she didn't really want to interrupt his meal, and if he didn't want to do it then she would respect that decision. He looked me dead in the eye and said "Send her over here". I of course relayed the message and she (timidly) approached the table. She was immediately invited to sit in the booth next to him and they talked for around 20 minutes. Yes, she got her autographs, each personalized with her boys' names, and a hug to boot. Peyton was always a polite customer, genuinely interested in the people around him and an overly generous tipper. But I think this one event is what cemented my respect for him. I don't have his autograph (I never asked except that once) but the memories are worth far more to me.
And now the bad:
David Keith (Lords of Discipline, bad actor with a huge ego):
I have never in my life met such an awful pompous ass. (He's not even really a celebrity, he's just a Patrick Swayze wanna be). When I worked concessions at Neyland Stadium as a student (Univ. of TN) he would walk right up between the lines of customers and demand to be served immediately. Needless to say he didn't get much in the way of service from us. We were only working that stand so the proceeds could go to charity, hard to get fired under those circumstances. He is truly an awful human being. I hope that he dies as quickly as his "career" did.
Phillip Fulmer (Head Football Coach, Univ. of TN):
I waited tables at a restaurant on "The Strip". Party central if you're a UT student. Phil came in with his wife and three kids one night and I was afforded the luxury of putting up with them. Phil is an ass, his wife is a BITCH and his kids reflect precisely the sort of people their parents are. Kids ate free at that restaurant back then so the total bill for the table (a five top) was $18.52 (this has been a few years). I received a whopping $1.50 for the tip, after kissing his ass, and hers and putting up with the brats. Y'know, Phil, you're a Head Coach for a nationally recognized football program. Your salary is published in the damn paper (working for a state institution makes your salary public domain). It's bad enough you're an idiot, and your wife is a bitch and your kids are a pain in the ass...I guess coughing up a decent tip is just too much for you. Asshole.
Peyton Manning:
Peyton lived across the street from a diner I worked at in Knoxville when he was playing college ball and was a regular (4 or 5 day a week) customer. Never have I seen such grace and patience. I had a regular customer that had followed me from one restaurant to the next for years. I mean I KNEW this woman and her family. One morning Peyton was in for breakfast (massive applause as he walked in, had beaten a conference rival the night before) and she asked me to ask him for an autograph. I was a little uncomfortable with the prospect, after all, he had been coming in regularly for a long time and I had never asked him for anything like that. She gave me two pieces of paper, one for each of her boys, and I agreed to ask him to sign them for her. When I approached him and explained what was going on, and that she was a friend of mine (understand I waited on him rather frequently) he shoved the papers back at me and said "Tell her to come over here". I explained to him that she didn't really want to interrupt his meal, and if he didn't want to do it then she would respect that decision. He looked me dead in the eye and said "Send her over here". I of course relayed the message and she (timidly) approached the table. She was immediately invited to sit in the booth next to him and they talked for around 20 minutes. Yes, she got her autographs, each personalized with her boys' names, and a hug to boot. Peyton was always a polite customer, genuinely interested in the people around him and an overly generous tipper. But I think this one event is what cemented my respect for him. I don't have his autograph (I never asked except that once) but the memories are worth far more to me.
And now the bad:
David Keith (Lords of Discipline, bad actor with a huge ego):
I have never in my life met such an awful pompous ass. (He's not even really a celebrity, he's just a Patrick Swayze wanna be). When I worked concessions at Neyland Stadium as a student (Univ. of TN) he would walk right up between the lines of customers and demand to be served immediately. Needless to say he didn't get much in the way of service from us. We were only working that stand so the proceeds could go to charity, hard to get fired under those circumstances. He is truly an awful human being. I hope that he dies as quickly as his "career" did.
Phillip Fulmer (Head Football Coach, Univ. of TN):
I waited tables at a restaurant on "The Strip". Party central if you're a UT student. Phil came in with his wife and three kids one night and I was afforded the luxury of putting up with them. Phil is an ass, his wife is a BITCH and his kids reflect precisely the sort of people their parents are. Kids ate free at that restaurant back then so the total bill for the table (a five top) was $18.52 (this has been a few years). I received a whopping $1.50 for the tip, after kissing his ass, and hers and putting up with the brats. Y'know, Phil, you're a Head Coach for a nationally recognized football program. Your salary is published in the damn paper (working for a state institution makes your salary public domain). It's bad enough you're an idiot, and your wife is a bitch and your kids are a pain in the ass...I guess coughing up a decent tip is just too much for you. Asshole.
-Edward W., Knoxville, TN
