Archives for December 2020

Talk Show Hosts who are shy as mice

Talk show hosts are usually known for their gift of gab and most are considered outgoing. At the same time, some of the most famous talk show hosts have been or are shy. Often shyness propels these hosts to go the extra mile in preparing their shows and perfecting their craft. Below is a list of some of the most well-known shy talk show hosts.

1. Barbara Walters

Barbara Walters is a famous newscaster known for her deft handling of interviews with public figures. Barbara made history a couple of times during her career, both for becoming the first female anchorwoman on network television and for commanding a million dollar a year salary when similar male counterparts made less. In 1974, Barbara was named cohost of the “Today Show”.

Despite her flair for asking the right questions, some of those she has interviewed have said that her nervousness distracted them. It is also reported that Barbara grew up a shy and lonely child with only her mentally handicapped sister for a playmate, due to her father’s frequent business moves.

2. David Letterman

David Letterman is the host of the television talk show, “The Late Show with David Letterman”. Despite Letterman’s outgoing persona that he’s famous for, he is known for being shy, having only a few friends, and staying away from social gatherings. He is also known for planning out every detail of his show in an effort to combat his own anxiety and shyness about being in the public eye.

3. Garrison Keillor

Garrison Keillor is a noted author, comedian, radio show host, and newspaper columnist; and also shy. Keillor discusses shyness as a personality trait that should be accepted and welcomed rather than the subject of scrutiny and desire to change. He argues that shy people are misunderstood and bullied about changing the way that they interact with the world. He believes that shyness is not a disability to be overcome and that shy people should be proud of who they are.

4. Johnny Carson

Johnny Carson was the host of the television talk show, “The Tonight Show”; a post he held for 30 years before his death on January 23rd, 2005. Carson’s fame was celebrated several times over with six wins at the Emmy awards. Despite being a comfortable and exceptional talk show host and performer, Carson was known for being reclusive and shy in his personal life. Carson talks about how he is more comfortable in front of an audience because he is in control:

“I can remember when I was in high school, if I pulled out my old high school annual book and read some of the things, people might say, ‘Oh, he’s conceited, he’s aloof.’ Actually, that was more shy. See, when I’m in front of an audience, you see, it’s a different thing. If I’m in front of an audience, I can feel comfortable.”

Actors who are shy as mice

Actors who are shy often report taking up the craft as a way of coping with shyness or learning to better express themselves. It is therefore no wonder that many well-known Hollywood actors are shy. Although few of these actors suffer with extreme social anxiety, many of them feel nervous or anxious about the social demands of the acting profession.

1. Alexis Bledel

Alexis Bledel is an American actress who began her career in modelling, attended New York University for film. She later went on to debut on the television series Gilmore Girls. Bledel’s parents enrolled her in community theater programs at age 8 in an effort to help her overcome childhood shyness. She admits to still being shy, but is able to rise to the occasion when necessary for her career.

2. Ann-Margret

Swedish-born Ann-Margret Olsson moved to the United States at the age of 5. She was discovered by George Burns in Las Vegas and later landed an RCA record deal and film contract with 20th Century Fox. Ann-Margret has since become a cultural icon, appearing in such films as Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas and Grumpy Old Men. She describes herself as a shy and different person than you see on screen. She also reports not watching her own movies because it makes her nervous and uncomfortable.

3. Annie Oakley

Annie Oakley was a star and exhibition sharpshooter in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West, a traveling roadshow in the late 1800’s. Though Oakley was bold in public and when performing, she was shy and retiring in her private life. Oakley was known for looking at the top of people’s heads when talking to them because she did not want to look them in the eye.

4. Barbra Streisand

Barbra Streisand is an American actress and singer who appeared in such films as Hello Dolly!, Yentl and Meet the Fockers. Streisand forgot the words to a song during a 1967 performance in New York’s Central Park and did not perform in public afterward for nearly three decades. She has talked publicly about her problems with stage fright and performance anxiety, and how she received both medication and therapy as part of her recovery.

5. Blake Lively

Blake Lively is an American actress known for her roles in the film Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and the television series Gossip Girl. Born into a family of actors, Lively credits the acting craft with building her confidence and helping her overcome shyness. She reports sometimes feeling shy even during situations that require outward confidence, such as at red carpet appearances.

6. Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt is one of the richest actors and film producer in the world, known for his roles in such films as Thelma & Louise, Legends of the Fall, 12 Monkeys and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Pitt was married to actress Jennifer Aniston for five years before starting a relationship with Mr. and Mrs. Smith co-star Angelina Jolie. He has been described as a man of few words and someone who likes to play outgoing characters to break away from his natural shyness.

7. Carol Burnett

Carol Burnett is an American comedian and actress best known for her variety show that featured music, dance and comedy sketches from 1967 to 1978. A shy person in her private life, Burnett reports only being able to perform when in character. She gets nervous around people she holds in high regard.

8. Cathy Rigby

Cathy Rigby is an Olympic gymnast, entertainer and motivational speaker and was the first American female medal-winner at the World Gymnastics Competition. Rigby retired from gymnastics at the age of 20 and went on to a career in theater and television despite being shy. She and her husband formed a touring-theater company best known for its production of Peter Pan. “I was still very shy until I made a life change and met my current husband,” Rigby said.

9. Cher Bono

Cher Bono is an American actress and singer. Cher and husband Sonny Bono became famous for their music and variety show The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. Cher starred in films such as Mask and Moonstruck and is one of only two women to have won an Academy Award for best actress and also have a No. 1 hit song on the Billboard charts (Barbra Streisand is the other). Cher described herself as shy and ugly during childhood; she also suffered with undiagnosed dyslexia, which may have contributed to feelings of inadequacy.

10. Courtney Cox Arquette

Courteney Cox is an American actress best known for her role as Monica Geller in the television sitcom Friends. Cox started her career as a model with the Ford Modelling Agency and had her first big break with a part in the Bruce Springsteen video Dancing in the Dark. She later went on to play Michael J. Fox’s girlfriend on Family Ties. Cox feels that her shyness has stopped her from pursuing more of a career on the big screen, as she does not have the confidence to audition.

11. Donny Osmond

Donny Osmond is an American singer, musician and actor. Donny grew up performing with his family and experienced stage fright for the first time at age 6. Later during a stage production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Osmond experienced a panic attack while onstage. His anxiety soon seeped into his everyday life, making him afraid to go out in public. Osmond has been open about his program of treatment, which included medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy.

12. Eddie Murphy

Eddie Murphy is an American actor who started his career doing stand-up comedy and Saturday Night Live sketches. His most well-known films include 48 Hours, Coming to America, Beverly Hills Cop III and The Nutty Professor. Murphy is a skilled comedic actor who describes himself as more introverted than shy; he does not feel uncomfortable around people but prefers to observe in new situations.

13. Evan Rachel Wood

Evan Rachel Wood is an American actress who has appeared in films such as Practical Magic, Simone and Thirteen. Wood describes herself as shy and private and someone who does not enjoy show business mingling. She recalls being so shy at one point in her life that she could not even order a pizza.

14. Gene Hackman

Gene Hackman is an American actor who began his career after the age of 30. Hackman started doing off Broadway plays in New York and eventually began doing feature films such as The French Connection and Unforgiven (both of which landed him an Academy Award). Hackman has been described by others as shy and introverted and an actor who sees a bit of himself in every role that he plays.

15. Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford is an American actor with famous roles in such films as Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Raiders of the Lost ArkWitness and The Fugitive. Ford has been described as shy and guarded in person.

16. Henry Fonda

Henry Fonda is an American actor whose career has spanned from Broadway theater to Hollywood films. His most noted roles were in The Grapes of Wrath and On Golden Pond; he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for the latter. This Hollywood legend has been described as quiet and shy in his personal life.

17. Ingrid Bergman

Ingrid Bergman is a Swedish actress who became a Hollywood star. Her most famous films include Casablanca, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Gaslight and Murder on the Orient Express. Bergman was married three times and is mother to actress Isabella Rossellini. Bergman has been described as a shy and lonely as a child, after the loss of her mother at age 2 and father at age 12.

18. Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp is an American actor best known for his roles in films such as Edward Scissorhands, and Pirates of the Caribbean. Depp dropped out of school at age 15 and was working as a pen salesman when he met Nicolas Cage in Los Angeles and was advised to try acting. Depp is drawn to unusual film characters and refers to himself as shy and someone who dislikes fame.

19. Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey is a Canadian comedian and actor who started his career at the Yuk Yuk’s comedy club in Toronto. Carrey is best known for his roles in such films as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Dumb and Dumber and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Carrey describes himself as painfully shy during childhood; he used his comedic skills to win friends and cope with his insecurities.

20. Kim Basinger

Kim Basinger is an American actress who has appeared in such films as 9 1/2 weeks and Batman. When she took the podium during the 1997 Oscars to accept the award for Best Supporting Actress for L.A. Confidential she could not find the words to speak. Kim has publicly discussed her struggles with panic disorder, agoraphobia and social anxiety. Although she has been treated with psychological therapy she still remains shy and anxious in public.

21. Kristin Davis

Kristin Davis is an American actress best known for her appearances on the television series Sex and the City and subsequent movie adaptations as the character Charlotte York. Davis has talked publicly about using alcohol to cope with shyness. She discusses how alcohol freed her to come out of her shell and express herself in a way that did not come naturally.

22. Kristin Stewart

Kristen Stewart is an American actress best known for her role in the saga Twilight opposite actor Robert Pattinson. Prior to this role she also appeared in such films as Panic Room and Cold Creek Manor. Stewart has been described as cold and distant in interviews, but the actress argues that she is actually shy and nervous. She reports having difficulty talking about herself and worrying too much about other people’s perceptions of her.

23. Lucille Ball

Lucille Ball is an American actress best known for her role as Lucy Ricardo in the television sitcom I Love Lucy. In the show she played the scatter-brained wife of her real-life husband Desi Arnaz. Lucille was told during drama school in New York that she was too shy. She also reports being shy early in her career but that she eventually overcame those feelings.

24. Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe was an American actress best known for films such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and The Seven Year Itch. Monroe was married to baseball great Joe Dimaggio and playwright Arthur Miller. Despite her sexpot image, she was described as a nervous and shy actress.

25. Melanie Lynskey

Melanie Lynskey is a New Zealand native who caught the acting bug at a young age. Since moving to Los Angeles she has been in numerous television and film productions. She is best known for her role as Rose on Two and a Half Men. Lynskey describes herself as awkward and shy in real life. Although she enjoys acting as a way to escape, she is also uncomfortable with some of the social aspects of celebrity, such as attending parties and selling herself as an actress.

26. Michelle Pfeiffer

Michelle Pfeiffer is an American actress best known for her roles in the films The Fabulous Baker Boys, Scarface, Batman Returns and Dangerous Liaisons. Michelle has talked publicly about being shy and fearful of small talk and how she has grown: “I was the kind of person who entered a room, found the nearest corner and hoped no one noticed me before it was time to go home. Now I’m better at socializing.”

27. Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams is an American actress who began her career on the television series Dawson’s Creek. She later went on to appear in such films as Brokeback Mountain, Blue Valentine and My Week With Marilyn, for which she received academy-award nominations. Michelle has been described as guarded in interviews, but reports feeling less shy, nervous and self-conscious since turning 30. She reports that she is more confident and is not afraid to express her ideas.

28. Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman is an Australian actress who is best known for her roles in the films Dead Calm, To Die For and two films with former husband Tom Cruise: Days of Thunder and Eyes Wide Shut. Kidman has described herself as very shy with a stutter during childhood. She reports regressing into shyness at times and feeling afraid of things, such as walking alone into a crowded restaurant or attending a party alone.

29. Rene Russo

Rene Russo is an American actress and model. Russo was discovered at a Rolling Stones concert and later signed with Ford Modeling. She took up acting after age 30 and has appeared in such films as Lethal Weapon 3, Tin Cup and Ransom. Rene was a tall teenager with scoliosis and teased by other kids. She went to high school with director Ron Howard, who said that she was shy and walked around with her head down.

30. Richard Gere

Richard Gere is an American actor best known for his roles in American Gigolo, An Officer and a Gentleman and Pretty Woman. Gere is also a humanitarian, pianist and music composer. He describes being painfully shy as a child, to the point that his parents were unsure if he could speak at all. He credits acting with helping him learn to express himself better.

31. Robert DeNiro

Robert De Niro is an American actor, director and producer best known for his roles in such film as The Godfather, Taxi Driver and Raging Bull. Although touted as one of the greatest actors of his time, DeNiro is known for being shy, awkward and a man of few words.

32. Robin Williams

Robin Williams is an American actor and comedian who got his start on the television series Mork and Mindy. Williams has starred in numerous features films and won an Academy Award for best supporting actor for Goodwill Hunting in 1997. The actor admits to shyness during childhood and says that he used his own imagination to entertain himself.

33. Robert Pattinson

Robert Pattinson is an English actor best known for his role as Edward Cullen in the Twilight vampire films. He describes his teenage years as difficult due to his shyness and lack of self-esteem. Pattinson says that he is particularly shy around women.

34. Roy Rogers

Roy Rogers was an American musician and actor who made almost 100 films. He was also known for his television series The Roy Rogers Show, which aired between 1951 and 1957. Rogers was married to actress Dale Evans, who described him as quite shy in his personal life.

35. Rupert Grint

Rupert Grint is an English actor best known for his character Ronald Weasley in the Harry Potter films. Grint is described as understated, quiet, shy and vulnerable in his personal life.

36. Sally Field

Sally Field is an American actress known for her roles in films such as Steel Magnolias, Mrs. Doubtfire and Forrest Gump. Field started her career on television with the series Gidget and later The Flying Nun. She describes herself as once suffering from a crippling shyness that acting helped her overcome.

37. Sigourney Weaver

Sigourney Weaver is an American actress best known for her roles in the films Alien, Gorillas in the Mist and Working Girl. Tall as a teenager and from a family that moved around a lot, Weaver was teased by other children and grew up very shy. She describes still being shy in her personal life.

38. Sir Alec Guinness

Sir Alec Guinness was a British actor best known for his roles in the films Great Expectations, Star Wars (in which he played Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi) and The Bridge Over the River Kwai. Guinness was described by others as very retiring and shy.

39. Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise is one of the highest-paid and most sought after actors in Hollywood. He has starred in a never-ending series of hit movies, including Top Gun, The Color of Money, Rain Man, War of the Worlds and Jerry Maguire. Cruise’s family moved a lot when he was young and the actor also suffered with dyslexia. He has been described as shy but compassionate, and is well-liked in the acting community.

40. Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks is an American actor and producer with a huge list of acting credits to his name, including Sleepless in Seattle, Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, Saving Private Ryan, You’ve Got Mail, The Green Mile and Castaway. Tom grew up in a fractured family that moved around a lot. He described himself as painfully and terribly shy as a child but also the class clown at times.

41. Vanessa Anne Hudgens

Vanessa Anne Hudgens is an American singer and actress best known for her role in the Disney Channel television movie High School Musical. Hudgens began her career in musical theater; although she loves acting, she does not like the other social aspects of her career. Hudgens reported being very shy as a child and still feels anxious before attending social events.

Musicians who are shy as mice

Although being a musician is a very public career, surprisingly many musicians are shy. Often the most outlandish or those with the most bizarre stage personas are actually the most shy; they find it easier to transform themselves into someone other than themselves. Here is a list of shy musicians and how they have dealt with their shyness.

1. Adele

Adele is a grammy-award winning British singer who landed her first record deal right after finishing school. Her first and second albums were named for her ages at the time of recording (19 and 21). Adele has discussed her fears about performing and how she just pushes through:

“I’m scared of audiences,” she confessed. “One show in Amsterdam I was so nervous I escaped out the fire exit. I’ve thrown up a couple of times. Once in Brussels I projectile vomited on someone. I just gotta bear it. But I don’t like touring. I have anxiety attacks a lot.”

2. Barbra Streisand

Barbra Streisand is an American singer and actress known for her music and popular films such as Hello Dolly!, Yentl and Meet the Fockers. Streisand developed a case of stage fright after forgetting the words to a song during her 1967 performance in Central Park. After the incident she disappeared from the spotlight for almost three decades. The singer has discussed how she recovered from her anxiety and stage fright with the help of therapy and medication.

3. Bob Dylan

Popular folk/rock musician Bob Dylan has been performing for decades and is known for songs such as Mr. Tambourine Man and Like a Rolling Stone. Musicians such as Johnny Cash and Gary Moore have commented on Dylan’s shyness. Johnny Cash said:

“I think Bob Dylan was scared or even a little embarrassed. He’s a very shy person. I can really appreciate that. When we went out to rehearse they had an old shack hanging from wires behind him to try to give it a backwoods look. He came offstage upset. He said, I’m gonna be the laughing stock of the business! My fans are gonna laugh in my face over that thing!”

Thin Lizzy guitarist Gary Moore had the following to say about meeting Bob Dylan:

“I remember Bob had soft, squidgy, little hands and was really shy – he hardly said two words.”

4. Britney Spears

Britney Spears is an American singer who started her career as a Mouseketeer along with other future stars such as Justin Timberlake. Spears’ debut album, “Baby One More Time” was an international success selling 13 million copies. Although most people think of Britney as an outgoing performer, she considers herself shy and nervous in certain situations:

“It’s weird because I think people think because of what I do I’m like, ‘Da-na’, but at heart I’m very shy… When I’m in front of the camera I know what to do, but I get in a room, stuck with four guys, and I’m like the shyest girl in there.”

5. Carly Simon

Carly Simon is an American singer known for hit songs such as You’re So Vain. Carly was known for her stage fright, to the point that during a concert in 1981 she passed out and collapsed. Carly talks about her fears:

“I’m an anxiety prone person and I’m prone to attacks. I can wig out. I can wig out in a department store or in a social situation, at a dinner party, or in a restaurant. The stage isn’t only place I can do it, but that has some adverse conditions, you can’t get off. I’ve only done about 75 concerts.”

6. Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood competed in and won the fourth season of the reality television show American Idol. Carrie went on to become a multi-platinum recording artist and songwriter and has received numerous music awards for her work as a country singer. Despite being a performer, Carrie describes herself as shy, nervous, and socially awkward.

7. Cher Bono

Cher Bono is an American singer and actress who became famous with her husband Sonny during the popularity of their music and variety show The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. Cher suffered with undiagnosed dyslexia during childhood which may have caused some of her feelings of inadequacy; she describes herself as ugly and shy during childhood.

8. David Bowie

David Bowie is a British singer and actor known for his flamboyant onstage presence. Bowie has had numerous successful albums over the course of his career and has also appeared on Broadway and with small parts onscreen. Like many singers and actors, his performing persona was a cover-up for his shyness:

“I’m not particularly a gregarious person. I had an unbearable shyness; it was much easier for me to keep on with the Ziggy thing, off stage as well as on. Who was David Bowie and who was Ziggy Stardust? It was motivated by shyness.”

9. Donny Osmond

Donny Osmond is an American musician and actor. Donny first experienced stage fright when he was a young boy performing with his family. He went on to endure a panic attack while onstage during a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Eventually Donny became afraid to even go out in public. He has discussed openly how he overcame his fears with treatment that included cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and medication.

10. Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald was a renowned jazz singer known for hits such as “A-tisket a-tasket” and “I found a yellow basket.” During the course of her career she recorded more than 200 albums and 2000 songs and became known as the “First Lady of Jazz.” Ella talks about being shy in real life and how she coped as a performer:

“I’m very shy, and I shy away from people. But the moment I hit the stage, it’s a different feeling. I get nerve from somewhere; maybe it’s because it’s something I love to do.”

She died on June 15th, 1996.

11. Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley was a singer and actor who played a large part in the establishment of early rock and roll music; he was also a teen heart throb and known for his unusual moves onstage. Despite his public image, privately Elvis was shy and remembers how he felt as a teenager:

“I took the guitar, and I watched people, and I learned to play a little bit. But I would never sing in public. I was very shy about it.”

Others have commented that in his younger years Elvis was too shy to perform openly and would sometimes stutter in certain social situations.

12. George Harrison

George Harrison was known as the “Quiet Beatle” for his introspective nature. Despite being overshadowed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, some of the songs that he wrote became the most popular, such as “Here Comes the Sun” and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”. After the breakup of the Beatles he went on to become a successful solo artist and later a film producer. Harrison died on November 29th, 2001. He is quoted as saying:

“I never asked to be famous, I just wanted to be successful.”

13. Gloria Estefan

Gloria Estefan is a native of Havana, Cuba. She got her start singing in a band with Emilio Estevez during high school; the two later went on to marry and the band “Miami Sound Machine” became wildly successful with it’s blend of cuban rhythms and English lyrics. Gloria suffered a broken back during a car accident mid-way through her solo career but recovered quickly. As a young performer she suffered with shyness; an obstacle that husband Emilio helped her to overcome.

14. Jarvis Cocker

Jarvis Cocker is a singer with the British band Pulp. A shy and gangly kid, Cocker was bullied in school and dreamed of becoming famous. He talks about how he thought fame would help him out of his shyness:

“I found it difficult – I still find it difficult now – to go up and start talking to somebody. I always think I’m imposing on them, getting on their nerves. I thought: if I’m famous, people will come and talk to me; once that’s out of the way, it’ll be OK.”

15. Jessica Simpson

Jessica Simpson grew up as the daughter of a youth minister; her church singing eventually led to a record contract and later stardom as an international performer. She was also the star of the hit reality television show about her (now failed) marriage to actor Nick Lachey. Jessica describes herself as shy:

“I am a very shy person, but I do believe that God has blessed me with a gift that I need to share.”

16. Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix was a rock musician known for his genius onstage and problematic drug use. He played with the group “The Experience,” and was a performer at legendary Woodstock. Despite his onstage persona, he was described as shy and retiring offstage. He died at the young age of 27 on September 17th, 1970 due to complications after taking sleeping pills.

17. Jonathan Davis

Jonathan Davis the lead singer for the band Korn; together the group has released multiple studio albums. Davis as been described as nervous, shy and anxious in person. He himself talks about his anxiety attacks:

“When I have these attacks, my heart starts to palpitate and freak out and…. sh*t, I dunno what it is, but I just have to go with it. It feels like I’m going to f*cking die…You can’t think, you don’t know what’s happening.”

18. Jonathan Knight

Jonathan Knight is a member of the band New Kids on the Block (NKOTB) along with his younger brother Jordan. His first problems with anxiety began during childhood, and as a member of NKOTB he dealt with severe performance anxiety as well as fear of other social sitations. He eventually sought professional help for his anxiety after leaving the band and becoming reclusive. Jonathan talks about how he felt during the popularity of NKOTB:

“The whole New Kids thing was crazy. The more it grew, the more I just felt like I was trapped. I just always had this feeling inside me of always being nervous and afraid of situations. The hardest thing for me was doing interviews, doing talk shows, photo sessions, being in the studio, just because you’re with so many different people. You’re shaky, your heart just starts pounding, and you have a dry mouth. The easiest thing for me was to just avoid situations.”

19. Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake got his start in the entertainment world on the Mickey Mouse Club alongside future stars Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. He later went on to become a member of the popular boy band NYSNC and followed up as a solo artist. Justin describes how performing changed him from a shy kid into an attention-getter:

“I was very shy as a kid. But when I found out I could perform and have people’s attention, everything changed. My mom likes to joke that until I was eight or nine I only knew what my sneakers looked like because I constantly walked around with my head down. But all of a sudden, the stage made sense and that’s what brought me out of my shell and a monster was created.”

20. Kurt Cobain

Kurt Cobain was the lead singer for the band Nirvana, known for several popular albums including “Nevermind.” Kurt had difficulty with success and eventually committed suicide; his body was found on April 8th, 1994. He was described as someone with a certain confidence but who was definitely shy around people.

21. Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga is an internationally-successful singer and songwriter whose love of music began at an early age; she learned to play the piano at age 4. She was also granted early admission at the age of 17 to New York Unviersity’s Tisch School of the Arts; an honor bestowed on very few students. Lady Gaga is known for her outlandish stage costumes and performances which are in direct contrast to her offstage personality. She talks about her own struggles with shyness:

“I don’t really meet that many other artists because I’m actually kinda shy. I might not be shy with people that I know but with people that I don’t know I am very shy. I generally really keep to myself and I am focused on my music. But when I do meet people that I have lots in common with it goes really well. I always feel shy in the Hollywood scene. I feel a bit like I did in high school, like I don’t really fit in.”

22. Margo Timmins

Margo Timmins is the lead singer of the Canadian band “Cowboy Junkies.” The band is composed of three family members: Margo and her two brothers. When Margo began singing she would only sing with her back to the audience because of stage fright. Margo discusses her fears:

“In those early days, I wouldn’t turn around to face the audience. But nobody forced me and I slowly turned around and I slowly opened my eyes and I slowly began to say hello. And now they can’t shut me up!”

She also talks about her pre-performance rituals:

“I do two things. One is, I iron my dress and I post the set list on the wall and stare at it to get a sense of the flow of the songs. After that, I arrange my flowers. I always have flowers on stage. Once they’re arranged, I hand them to my crew guy to put on stage and that’s the cue that we’re about to start.

Arranging my flowers is my meditation. I focus on the flowers and think about nothing. I have no problems being on the stage nowadays. But it’s still difficult for me to get from the side of the stage to the microphone. Just that initial walking out is hard. I have my tea. I always bring my tea out with me because I think it’s an anchor, it’s something to carry, something to do with my hands. I stand on the side of the stage drinking my tea before I go out. That’s my nervous time.

I go out, I say hi, and we go into a song. Within that song, I calm down, catch my breath and relax. Then it’s like, Yeah, I like it up here. I forgot how much I like it up here.”

23. Marilyn Manson

Marilyn Manson (whose real name is Brian Warner) is a controversial musician due to the anti-Christian message of his songs. Although Manson is known for outlandish onstage behavior, like other musicians with extreme stage personas, he claims that he is actually shy:

“I’m kind of shy, and I think that I take that out by performing in front of a lot of people. That’s how I get out my shyness.”

24. Martha Argerich

Martha Argerich is a famous pianist who began playing the piano at an early age. A native of Buenos Aires, Argerich is best known for her recordings of the Piano Concerto No. 1 of Tchikovsky, Messiaen’s Visions de l’Amen, and the third concertos of Prokofiev and Rachmaninov. Martha talks about her shyness and stage fright growing up:

“I was extremely shy and didn’t enjoy performing. I hated coming out for bows and would rather have just run off the stage.”

25. Paul Potts

Paul Potts won the 2007 edition of the reality television show “Britain’s Got Talent”. Potts is an operatic tenor whose album “One Chance” was released after his television victory. He describes himself as a nervous performer and admits that he was shaking while auditioning for Simon Cowell.

26. Rivers Cuomo

Rivers Cuomo is the guitarist and lead singer for the band “Weezer”. Known for being shy, Rivers talks about the hardships of his childhood that may have caused his shyness:

“We got the crap beaten out of us. I think it made me very shy.”

27. Trent Reznor

Trent Reznor is the lead singer for the band “Nine Inch Nails.” He talks about how his shyness is misunderstood:

“I become irritated when I am being written off as aloof or stand-offish when I’m shy and don’t know what to say.”

Famous Recluses

A recluse is someone who lives away from society. People become recluses for a variety of reasons, including religious beliefs, survivalist goals, mental illness, and a desire for privacy. There are as many types of recluses as there are reasons for people to retire from society. Celebrities sometimes also become reclusive, either from the public eye, or from society in general. Below is a list of famous celebrity recluses.

1. Bill Watterson

Bill Watterson is known for his comic strip “Calvin and Hobbes” that he created until 1995. The strip, about a 6-year-old boy and a stuffed tiger, was beloved by fans and won Watterson the Reuben Award (the National Cartoonist Society’s highest honor) three times. Watterson retired out of frustration with daily deadlines and has since escaped the public eye. He is known for refusing interviews and turning down requests for autographs. He also never wanted to merchandise his characters as he felt it would detract from their value.

2. Dave Chappelle

Dave Chappelle left his successful television show with Comedy Central in 2005 in the middle of the third season after signing a multimillion dollar deal only a year earlier. Chappelle flew to visit a friend in South Africa for several weeks amid rumors of drug problems and mental instability. He currently lives with his family on a 65-acre estate in Ohio. Although he never brought back the Dave Chappelle Show, Netflix reportedly paid him $60 million for three hour-long specials. It is believed that creative differences with the network and a distaste for celebrity life led him to leave the spotlight.

3. Emily Bronte

Emily Bronte is the author of the literary classic “Wuthering Heights.” A private and shy woman, she lived in a fantasy world and had little contact with the outside world, other than to listen in on the gossip of others. Her mother and two eldest sisters passed away when she was a child, but she grew up with two other sisters and a brother. Bronte died on December 19, 1948.

4. Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson wrote nearly 1,800 poems, but fewer than a dozen were published while she was alive. She spent the last two decades of her life never leaving the family property, and was known for refusing visitors and shouting to people out of windows. It is speculated that she may have suffered from social anxiety disorder or agoraphobia. Although she lived a solitary life, she corresponded with numerous literary figures, and was believed to have had an affair (by correspondence only) with Judge Otis P. Lord of the Massachusetts Supreme Court. Dickinson died May 15, 1886, at the age of 55 of Bright’s disease.

5. Glenn Gould

Glenn Gould was a noted Canadian pianist who began composing music at the young age of five. Although described by some as a hermit and recluse, others argued that Gould lived a solitary existence but shared himself with others through his compositions. Friends described him as warm and charming. Gould died of a stroke in Toronto, Canada on October 4, 1982.

6. Greta Garbo

Greta Garbo was a Swedish actress who made 28 films during her acting career. She retired to New York City in 1941 where she lived a solitary existence the rest of her life. Garbo was known for refusing interviews, not attending awards shows, and generally not giving time to the paparazzi. She died of natural causes at age 84 on April 15, 1990.

7. Harper Lee

Harper Lee is known for her successful 1960 novel “To Kill a Mockingbird.” More private person than true recluse or hermit, Lee simply had no interest in fame, shunning requests for interviews on television and in magazines and newspapers.

8. Howard Hughes

Howard Hughes was a film producer and director, aviator, and at one point one of the richest men in the world. Hughes became reclusive later in life and spent much of his time living in penthouses in his own hotels in Las Vegas and other cities. It is believed that he may have suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Hughes died on April 5, 1976.

9. J.D. Salinger

J.D. Salinger is best known for his 1951 novel “The Catcher in the Rye.” Born in New York City, Salinger lived out his life in the small town of Cornish, New Hampshire, where the local townsfolk respected his privacy and refused to disclose his home address to reporters. Salinger was considered reclusive from the public eye, never speaking to reporters and keeping his life private. Salinger died on January 27, 2010, at the age of 91.

10. John Hughes

John Hughes was a director, producer, and screenwriter known for popular 80s and 90s movies such as “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “Sixteen Candles,” “Pretty in Pink” and “Home Alone” and its sequels. Hughes is said to have moved his family away from Hollywood and Los Angeles because of his distaste for the lifestyle and desire to have his children grow up elsewhere. Hughes died of a heart attack on August 6, 2009.

11. Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill is known as the former singer/songwriter for the band “The Fugees” and for the success of her debut album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” in 1998. A mother of five, Lauryn won five Grammys before largely disappearing from the public eye. Although she has since talked to reporters about the reason for her departure, there has been no clear explanation for her seclusion.

12. Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson was an iconic musician who never failed to leave fans speculating about his odd behaviors. Jackson was known for wearing masks, sunglasses and diguises when he went out in public. He built himself an amusement park called “Neverland Ranch” where he could sequester himself from the world. Many believed that he was trying to recreate the childhood he had never experienced. Jackson died of a presciption drug overdose on June 25th, 2009.

13. Moe Norman

Moe Norman was a Canadian professional golfer reknowned for his ability to strike a ball accurately. He had an unconventional golfing style and was completely self-taught. It is believed that Norman may have been an autistic savant, though he would never see a doctor in order to be diagnosed. Norman was so afraid of strangers and talking in public that he once hid on a river bank rather than accept an award for winning a golf tournament. He died of congestive heart failure on September 4, 2004.

14. Stanley Kubrick

Stanley Kubrick was a famous director known best for the films “A Clockwork Orange” and “The Shining”. Kubrick was an eccentric director who was reluctant to talk publicly about his work and remained out of the public eye. An American, Kubrick moved to England in 1962 and never left. He died on March 7th, 1999, of a heart attack.

15. Syd Barrett

Syd Barrett was a founding member of the music group “Pink Floyd” and the band’s leader in the early years. Barrett left the band after two albums, and eventually retired to a life of seclusion, mental illness, and the after-effects of massive doses of the drug LSD. Barrett was known as the most famous recluse in rock, refusing to even maintain contact with his former bandmates. He died of pancreatic cancer on July 7th, 2006.

Reality TV Stars who are shy as mice

Reality television stars are usually not shy. Shows like Survivor, Big Brother, the Bachelor and American Idol tend to attract more outgoing personalities. However, there have been some reality television contestants who have been shy. Here is a list of some shy reality TV stars.

1. Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood was a contestant and the winner of the fourth season of American Idol in 2005. A country singer-songwriter, she has gone on to become a multi-platinum selling recording artist. Underwood has received multiple awards for her work, including several Grammy’s, American Music Awards, and Academy of Country Music Female Vocalist Awards. Despite her success, Underwood has a shy side, describing herself as a nervous and socially awkward person.

2. Jamie Blyth

Jamie Blyth was a contestant on the first season of the reality television show “The Bachelorette” starring Trista Rehn. One of his reasons for going on the show was to push himself beyond the anxiety that had held him captive for many years. Panic attacks and social anxiety were a way of life for Jamie through his college years, but through determination and self-help strategies he has gone on to conquer his illness and work in the entertainment industry. He also wrote a book about his experiences called “Fear is No Longer My Reality.”

3. Paul Potts

Paul Potts was the winner of the reality television show “Britain’s Got Talent” in 2007. A self-described nervous performer who shook during his audition for Simon Cowell, Potts is an operatic tenor who went on to record the album “One Chance.” Cowell recalls expecting little from the shy former mobile phone salesman, but that his feelings quickly changed after hearing Potts sing.

Comedians who are shy as mice

Shy comedians are few and far between but they do exist. Most comedians who are shy come to use humor as a way of coping with uncomfortable feelings in social and performance situations. Joking about yourself is one way to both cover shyness and connect with others. Here is a list of comedians who have at some point considered themselves to be shy.

1. Carol Burnett

Carol Burnett is an American actress and comedian who became famous for her variety show that aired from 1967 to 1978 featuring comedy sketches, music and dance. Burnett describes herself as a shy person who is able to perform only when in character and who gets nervous when meeting people that she holds in high regard.

2. Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey is a Canadian actor who became one of the most successful comedians of all time. He began his career doing stand-up comedy at Yuk Yuk’s in Toronto. He went on to open for Rodney Dangerfield, play a role on “In Living Color” with Damon Wayans, and star in major films such as “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” “Dumb and Dumber,” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” Carrey admits to being painfully shy as a child, and becoming the class clown in freshman year of high school to deal with his shyness and make friends.

3. Johnny Carson

Johnny Carson was an American comedian and host of the late night television talk show, “The Tonight Show” for 30 years. Over the course of his career he was the winner of six Emmy awards. Although Carson was comfortable being in control onstage as a performer, he was shy and reclusive in his private life. Carson died at age 79 on January 23, 2005.

4. David Letterman

David Letterman is an American comedian and host of the late night television talk show, “The Late Show with David Letterman.” Although Letterman appears relaxed and outgoing, he is known for carefully planning and orchestrating his show as a way of coping with his own shyness. He also has a small circle of friends and is not known for attending social functions.

5. Don Rickles

Don Rickles is an American comedian and actor, best known for his work as an insult comic. Rickles admits to being very shy as a child, and credits acting and comedy for bringing him out of his shell.

6. Joan Rivers

Joan Rivers is an American comedian, actress and television personality. Known for her brash personality and outlandish comic style, it is hard to believe that this New Yorker is shy in her personal life. Rivers describes being fearful after her husband’s death because of the social obligations that she would have to face such as going out and talking to people one-on-one.

7. Robin Williams

Robin Williams was an American comedian and actor. He started out in the television series “Mork and Mindy,” and later went on to star in numerous feature films, winning multiple awards including an Academy Award for best supporting actor. Williams admits to being a shy child who entertained himself with his own imagination.