At the 70s, Patti Smith reduced waitress to tears over bread

[Teletubby 144,926]

New York City restaurateur Keith McNally has claimed that singer Patti Smith was “incredibly rude” to his waitstaff.

McNally owns a number of famous food spots in the city, including Balthazar, Pastis, and Minetta Tavern.
He also made headlines in 2022 when he briefly banned James Corden from Balthazar after the actor was allegedly “abusive” to the restaurant’s staff.

In an excerpt of his forthcoming memoir, I Regret Almost Everything: A Memoir, McNally remembers working at the One Fifth restaurant in the Seventies. 
He recalled that Smith dined at the eatery with her ex-boyfriend, Robert Mapplethorpe, and art curator Sam Wagstaff "a few times a week."

According to McNally, the then-famous couple were not the easiest customers. He made multiple claims about the “Gloria” singer’s unkind behaviour at the restaurant.

“Smith and Mapplethorpe could be very difficult to wait on,” the restaurant owner writes in the memoir. “Smith, unfortunately, was incredibly rude to the servers. It’s impossible for me to listen to a Patti Smith song today without remembering her reducing a waitress to tears because she forgot to put bread on the table.”

McNally notes that Mapplethorpe, meanwhile, “never tried to belittle” his waitstaff.
source

[djBuffoon 12,100]

That doesn’t sound very punk-rock of her. 

[Guillaume Hamon 6,312]

If true that's disappointing af.

[Addison Rae 16,067]

not balthazar omg…i’m not surprised tho 

[HotLikeMexico 5,080]

Disappointed in Miss Patti. 

[Helix 1,459]

Didn't Ed Sheerhan or someone also get cancelled for being rude at Balthazar 

[Teletubby 144,926]

5 minutes ago, Helix said:

Didn't Ed Sheerhan or someone also get cancelled for being rude at Balthazar 

McNally briefly banned James Corden from Balthazar after the actor was allegedly “abusive” to the restaurant’s staff.

 

[SlaeUrAnus 15,901]

I just wish these people would stick up for themselves.

Fed up of celebrities who think they can talk to normal minimum wage staff like rubbish. 

[edennaught 2]

The article mentions this occurred in the 70s, though. People can change after 50 years.

[homomo 23,883]

This was in the 70s you guys. 
FIFTY YEARS AGO. The internet is truly something else. 

Edit: I get that bad behaviour from celebs shouldn’t be excused, but I also think there needs to be some level of perspective here. This allegedly happened in the 70s. LITERALLY 50 years ago. And we know people can grow, change, and regret things over time. I think it’s important to talk about these stories without immediately flattening someone’s entire legacy into one moment. Especially when it’s decades old, secondhand, and written for a memoir.

Edited April 17 by homomo

[Guest]

this was 50 years ago.... Pedos r safe from jails after like what 15 years from the facts ??? 

i'll put that on the youth and the drug abuse idk.... Low key disapointing. Just Kids is the dream book for me. At least my fav musician's book ever read. It's just so good. 

[freebit 6,221]

I read Debbie Harry's memoir, and Patti was weird and mean to her, I can't remember the specifics, just bitchy everytime they interacted from what I recall. I think Debbie figured Patti didn't take her or their band seriously. Too cool for school indie acts are often like that IMO.

[SimonBaetens 8,192]

People have the power…… TO BRING ME MY DAMN BREAD ALREADY 

[Kayi 2,562]

22 minutes ago, freebit said:

I read Debbie Harry's memoir, and Patti was weird and mean to her, I can't remember the specifics, just bitchy everytime they interacted from what I recall. I think Debbie figured Patti didn't take her or their band seriously. Too cool for school indie acts are often like that IMO.

Yep, I remember it, she saw her as a rival.

I like Patti and Mapplethorpe as artists, but Patti always have been a bit haughty... 

[Flareon Voyager 233]

Yall saying this happened 50 years ago but Patti was still 30…