Gia Carangi took the modelling industry by storm with her fearless, androgynous look and risk-taking sensibilities. Although she is widely considered to be the first supermodel, her early exposure to substances derailed her career right at the peak of her success. Gia's story is a cautionary tale—one of heartbreak and regret—and it only ends in tragedy.
1. She Came From A Broken Family
Born January 29, 1960, Gia Carangi had it rough right from the get-go. Her home life was violent and unstable, and when she was only 11 years old, her mother walked out on the family. After that, Gia didn't see her mother for years. She spent her youth in Philadelphia, working at her father's small restaurant and trying to forget her yearning for a maternal figure.
But this sense of loss never went away.
2. She Marched To The Beat Of Her Own Drum
Gia found other meaningful connections in her friendships and was shamelessly open with her feelings. She often declared intentions of friendship with floral bouquets. No flowers for the boys though! Gia was all about the ladies. In high school, she pivoted from platonic girl crushes and began frequenting gay clubs, subverting gender norms every chance she got.
However, Gia did have time for one man, and one man only—her idol, David Bowie.
3. She Looked Up To A Legend
Gia and her friends obsessed over Bowie's glam style, bisexuality, and playful gender subversion. Taking cues from the legendary musician, Gia adopted an androgynous style. She wore men’s clothes—army pants and combat boots–and kept her hair cropped short and brightly dyed. But that wan't all. Gia was a barefaced beauty all the way through and never wore a stitch of makeup.
While out at the clubs, she definitely stood out from the crowd.
4. She Stood Out From The Crowd
Everyone noticed Gia—it was hard not to. She was a hip vision in her thrifted vintage wardrobe of men’s castoffs, and her signature style was a striking contrast to her unadorned natural beauty. Instantly captivated by Gia at a club she frequented, a local shutterbug, Maurice Tannenbaum, asked to take her photograph on the dance floor. Before long, bold, confident, and self-assured Gia began to model in local advertisements.
But that wasn't all the nightclubs had to offer.
5. She Was Gay and Proud
LGBT banner lot
Photo by Teddy O on Unsplash
When she was only 15 years old, Gia partied at the gay club DCA and set her eyes on a short and beautiful blonde girl named Sharon Beverly. She'd actually briefly dated Beverly's brother, but in the end, her overwhelming attraction to Beverly won out. However, there was one caveat—Beverly was quite a bit older than Gia and it was about to get her in a lot of trouble.
6. She Was Too Young
Although Kathleen Sperr wasn't especially close to her daughter Gia, it didn't stop her from laying down the law. After finding out about Gia's lesbian romance with Sharon, she immediately called up Sharon's parents and warned them that their daughter was far too old to be hanging out with Gia. Of course, this never stopped Gia from pursuing what she wanted—whether it be a woman or a career or a bad decision.
7. She Took A Chance
With some exposure and experience, Gia decided to see how far she could get with modelling. Like many before her, Gia’s dreams and aspirations were bigger than the confines of her hometown. The bright lights and endless possibilities of New York City drew Gia to the pulsing metropolis. Only 17, and all on her own in an unfamiliar and strange city, Gia didn’t have to wait long before being discovered.
She soon met a woman who would not only be her agent, and mentor, but also a dear friend. This was the maternal figure she had been searching for all along.
8. She Was A Hit
When Gia met Wilhelmina Cooper, one of the most successful models of the 1960s, everything changed. Although Cooper’s career had been based on her icy, aristocratic look, she immediately recognized the edgy, blue-collar Gia as a new breed of model. After signing her on, Cooper took Gia under her wing, and before long, Gia herself had become a one-name wonder.
9. She Got Her First Big Break
The first major shoot Gia booked was so chaotic and iconic it’s still talked about to this day. In it, Gia climbed and posed against a chain link fence. And then she amped up the drama. She started shrugging out of her clothes, eventually shedding them all together. When another model joined her on set, the two of them took it to the next level.
10. She Was Obsessed With Her Makeup Artist
Sandy Says Goodbye on Vimeo
vimeo.com
On the day of her infamous photoshoot, Gia had two costars. The first round of shots were taken with Lisa Vales, but for the second round, the photographer wanted to do something more personal and asked the makeup artist, Sandy Linter, to step in. That's when the magic really started happening. She and Gia had unbelievable chemistry.
11. She Bared All
Together, Gia and Vales turned up the heat, sharing steamy smouldering gazes through the wire, with only the fence between them. It was risky and fearless, and absolutely successful. The pictures are now part of fashion history and still have tongues wagging to this day. More than that, the snaps launched Gia’s career into the stratosphere.
12. She Became The First Supermodel
The photos caused a sensation, and in a short time Gia established herself within the modelling world. She began working with top fashion houses including haute couture heavyweights Versace, Armani, and Saint Laurent. But that wasn't all. She also booked coveted jobs as a cover girl for Paris and American Vogue. As Gia’s star rapidly rose, there was one person she just couldn’t get out of her head.
13. She Shot Her Shot
The day after their steamy photoshoot, Gia put the moves on Linter, and asked her if she wanted a ride in her bright red sports car. Linter went along with it and soon after, things started getting serious. After her busy work days, 19-year-old Gia didn't want to spend the rest of her night alone in an empty apartment. With Linter, she found companionship—a balm to her ever growing sense of isolation.
14. She Fell In Love
Gia and Linter loved one another deeply and while Linter has since admitted that it wasn't a "torrid love affair," these two girls certainly shared a special connection. They spent most of their time together. There were flowers, restaurants, and wild nights out at the clubs, but most importantly, there was the mutual feeling of being understood.
But this comfortable relationship was never destined for "happily ever after."
15. She Was Intensely Lonely
Kathleen Remembers GIA on Vimeo
vimeo.com
People described Gina as a loner, but those closest to her claimed the opposite was true. When it came to her relationship with Linter, Gia always wanted more—more stability, more affection, and more time. Unfortunately, Linter just wasn’t able to give her any of this, and was hesitant to put labels on their relationship. Slowly but surely, Gia's constant need for attention doused any hope of a long-term commitment.
Without Linter and with the constant pressures of the modeling industry, Gia sought out other—more dangerous—coping mechanisms.
16. She Was A Casual User
Partygoers of the decadent disco era were nose candy enthusiasts, and the powder was ubiquitous in the night club culture that Gia adored. The hotspot club Studio 54 was a notorious place for using substances, and bumping lines off the closest mirror was commonplace with the party people crowd Gia ran with. This was a slippery slope, and Gia dove down it—head first.
17. She Was Oblivious
Of course, this underworld had sinister consequences. It was almost too easy for an unsuspecting user to snort a different substance by mistake...like say, if the substance was a white powder. Gia, like many others at the time, was sorely misinformed about it and believed that you couldn't get addicted unless under certain circumstances. As she soon learned, it was far more dangerous than she ever expected.
18. She Hit Her Peak
Amid the temptations of New York's nightlife, Gia was at the top of her game. To her delight, she participated in a rite of passage for A-list models, making a guest appearance in a music video. The band was Blondie, and as a huge fan, Gia cut across the dance floor, bobbing her head to the song "Atomic." With the music video and her unparalleled success, everything was going according to plan...
...But just as she was taking off, a tragedy struck.
19. She Lost Her Mentor
When Gia learned that her mentor Wilhelmina had been diagnosed with lung cancer, she felt her world crumbling around her. This powerful woman had acted as her center—her maternal figure and guiding light. At the tragically young age of 40, Wilhelmina succumbed to her illness, leaving Gia all alone. Devastated and grieving, the young model made a terrible mistake.
20. She Couldn't Keep It Together
white blue and orange medication pill
Photo by Myriam Zilles on Unsplash
With only two years of industry experience, Gia immediately began to falter without Wilhelmina's strong guidance and encouragement. Her depression drove her to self-medicate with the many substances available to her and it wasn't long before she disappeared into the grip of addiction. Of course, this self-destructive behavior didn't bode well for her blossoming career.
21. She Was A Diva
Even before her troubles with addiction began to have an impact on her work, Gia was a total diva. Her high-maintenance behavior was part and parcel of her edgy style that made her unique. But there was only so much people were willing to tolerate. She was notoriously hard to work with. And as her use only escalated, so did her difficult antics...
22. She Lost Control
Before substances, it wasn’t uncommon for Gia to wander off and ghost a set, or cancel work over a bad haircut, but under the influence, it only got worse. While on set, she started pulling vicious temper tantrums, and sometimes, she'd even abandon a job just to seek out a score.At an extremely low point, her overwhelming exhaustion had her falling asleep in front of the cameras. But that wasn't all.
23. She Became An Addict
Gia's addiction became so bad that in one of her datebooks she made it a top priority, scrawling the words, "Get heroine." Ugh! The grim misspelling is so multilayered. Gia, instead of continuing to be the hero of her own story became hopelessly enthralled by the narcotic that would doom her. As her addiction spiralled out of control, her peers and few friends began to see that Gia was on a crash course for disaster.
24. She Didn’t Have A Lot Of Friends
During this time, one of the few friends Gia had left was her ex-girlfriend Sandy Linter. Linter herself was no stranger to using in nightclubs, and at the time, had no idea how destructive it could be. But witnessing Gia's descent into addiction changed all that. She was shocked to discover that, at the vibrant age of 20, Gia had so little energy she could barely dress herself.
But the side effects of addiction didn't end there...
25. She Had Surgery
blue plastic tube with black string
Photo by Raghavendra V. Konkathi on Unsplash
It’s fair to say that a model’s face and body is their brand and their product, and Gia certainly wasn’t careful with the merchandise. As she constantly shot up in the same spot, her habit caused an abscess and infection that damaged a vein and required her to undergo surgery. Still, the surgery didn't fix the problem, and soon, the constant injections became an even bigger issue.
26. She Had One Supporter
To her dismay, Gia's track marks soon became too noticeable to ignore. The scars and bruises marred her photos, and soon barely anybody wanted to work with her. Only one fashion photographer kept coming back to Gia. Francesco Scavullo, who had met Gia when she was just a teenager, stood by her. He had seen her potential from the get-go and supported her every step of the way.
But during a photoshoot in the Caribbean, even Scavullo couldn't deny that Gia needed some serious help.
27. She Needed Help
While shooting with Scavullo on location, Gia had a total breakdown. She couldn’t find any scores, and became tearful and unstable. Luckily, Scavullo stepped in like a guardian angel and calmed her down, forcing her to go to bed for some much-needed rest. Gia was circling the drain—rock bottom was just around the corner.
28. She Became A Terrible Client
During one of her last shoots for American Vogue, Gia’s track marks were highly noticeable. So visible, in fact, that they can be seen in the final pictures. No amount of airbrushing could conceal the unsightly scars and bruises. This damage coupled with her lax professionalism endangered her career, and Gia was steps away from being blacklisted.
29. She Jumped Ship
Wilhelmina as a company meant nothing to Gia without Cooper at the helm, and she left the agency to sign with competitor Ford Models. But her plan went horribly wrong. Ford Models dropped her almost immediately, and from there, Gia’s career quickly went downhill. But the fashion companies weren't the only ones to steer clear of Gia, and soon she found herself more alone than ever.
30. She Had Nobody
gia carangi by RedForeman https://flic.kr/p/5yJz8g | Flickr
www.flickr.com
As her work dried up, her fashion industry “friends” scattered like rats from a sinking ship, and even by some accounts her old bestie Sandy Linter wouldn’t talk to her anymore. She became so toxic that no one wanted her rep to rub off on them by association. Jobless, friendless, and completely consumed by her addiction—Gia knew it was time for a change.
31. She Upped And Left
Gia desperately needed a break to find some clarity and came up with a strategy to get her life back on track. She made a drastic decision and abandoned the temptations of New York, returning home to Philadelphia to stay with her mother and stepfather. More than anything, she wanted to get clean, and decided to try a 21-day detox program. Perhaps this was the answer to all her problems...
32. She Tried To Get Clean
After the detox program, Gia's sobriety seemed hopeful. But to everyone's dismay, the detox program didn't yield any long-lasting results. Not long after finishing the program, she relapsed...and she relapsed hard. In fact, she landed in some serious trouble. On one memorable occasion she incited a car chase with the authorities where she sped recklessly through the suburbs.
33. She Crashed And Burned
Just like her attempt at rehabilitation, her car chase antics ended in disappointment. She crashed into a fence and was taken into custody. There, they determined that she was indeed, extremely intoxicated and high as a kite. Resigned to her own dependencies, Gia tried to look for more work. But more than anything, she just wanted her old life back.
34. She Put On A Brave Face
In 1981, Gia had her first and only television appearance. Her 20/20 interview on ABC highlighted the darker side of the modelling world, but also gave Gia the chance to set the record straight. She hoped to show the world that she'd overcome her many demons, and was ready for a comeback. Nothing could be further from the truth.
35. She Lied On Television
person sitting in front bookshelf
Photo by Sam McGhee on Unsplash
Throughout the interview, Gia claimed that her life of using was over, and that she was completely clean. But her glazed look throughout the segment only proved that she was still using. Her empty claims had her lying through her teeth—so desperate was she for the industry to give her another chance. Then, later that year, something promising happened.
36. She Attempted A Comeback
In late 1981, Elite Model Management decided to give Gia the benefit of the doubt and signed her. But even then, finding work was a struggle. Because of her tarnished reputation, many companies refused to even consider working with her. No matter how hard she tried to leverage her past status, her comeback soon proved futile.
To add insult to injury, her very last photoshoot sadly mirrored the success of her first one—they were both infamous–but for very different reasons...
37. Her Photoshoot Was A Disaster
Gia's last magazine cover shoot was for Cosmopolitan in 1982. Behind the camera was none other than her tried and true friend—Francesco Scavullo. But not even his comforting presence could make this last project a success. One of Scavullo's assistants later reflected on Gia's dwindling health: "I could see the change in her beauty. There was an emptiness in her eyes."
Unsurprisingly, the photoshoot was a disaster.
38. She Hid Her Scars
The Cosmopolitan cover featured Gia with both her arms hidden by the full skirt of her dress. The awkward pose was the only solution to cover up how disfigured Gia's arms had become from her continued use of needles. After this disastrous shoot, Gia had no choice but to resort to modeling for department stores and catalogs. But even then, fate offered her another shot at redemption...
39. She Had One Last Chance
Despite her notoriously bad behavior, Gia was given one last miraculous chance. While doing mostly catalog work, she landed a gig with famed fashion photographer, Richard Avedon. But this wasn't just any gig—it was a campaign for the fashion house of Versace. For once in her life, this was one gig Gia couldn't afford to mess up.
40. She Played Hooky
aerial photo of brown concrete buildings under cloudy sky
Photo by Matthew Landers on Unsplash
After a hard night of partying, Sandy Linter remembers Gia in the morning light, sitting in the kitchen with the phone pressed to her ear. When Gia asked her whether she should go into work or not, Linter immediately responded with "Not if you feel the way I do!" In retrospect, this was a huge mistake. When she found out what it cost Gia to skip out on work, she wished she could take it all back.
41. She Missed Out
As a supermodel, missing one day of work means sacrificing a lot. When Gia took Lister's advice and played hooky, she missed out on a $5000 payoff and so much more. When she didn't show, the model Rosie Vela took her coveted position. She had effectively blown her very last chance in the modelling industry—and it was a very high price to pay.
42. She Hit Rock Bottom
After this debacle, Gia was effectively blacklisted: She was no longer able to book work with any major agency, and went at whiplash speed from a hot commodity to a pariah. Her job prospects dwindled down to nothing, and it was about to get very, very desperate. In her darkest hour, she had no choice but to scrape the very bottom of the barrel.
43. She Couldn't Keep A Job
Gia began her illustrious career posing for ads in her hometown paper, and things came full circle when she found herself doing catalog work for an obscure German mail-order company. But even that job was too much for her to manage. Gia used on set and, unwilling to tolerate this behavior, the company fired Gia and sent her home. But while this seemed like the end, the nightmare was only just beginning.
44. She Was Destitute
Gia's glamorous life in New York had come to an end, and having spent all her money, she was essentially homeless. She began dividing her time between her hometown of Philadelphia and Atlantic City, New Jersey while couch surfing among a handful of lovers, friends, and family members. After one last stab at rehab, she swallowed her pride and tried to find employment.
45. She Took A Job In The Real World
person in white shirt standing in front of food
Photo by CDC on Unsplash
Gia tried her hand at a number of jobs. First she tried retail, and when that didn't work, she became a checkout clerk. She even tried working at a nursing home cafeteria. But none of these occupations ever stuck. By 1985, Gia started using again, but this time she had no safety net—no second chances. With nowhere to go, her life took a dark and dangerous turn.
46. She Became A Night Worker
In lieu of unemployment, Gia resorted to selling more than just her image, but also her body. Compounded with her spiralling addiction, this was a recipe for disaster. In December 1985, she was admitted to a hospital in Pennsylvania. She was extremely ill and doctors diagnosed her with bilateral pneumonia. But little did Gia know, she wasn't out of the woods yet.
47. She Had A Devastating Diagnosis
A few days later, doctors revealed another, more terrifying diagnosis: Gia had AIDS-related complex. Gia was diagnosed with AIDS at a time when doctors knew very little about the disease, and there was precious little that could be done to save her. In the fall of the next year, Gia was in hospital once again—and this time, she was in much worse condition.
48. She Was One Of The First
In 1986, Gia faced a horrific ordeal—she was attacked and left out on the street. On October 18, her health took a severe nosedive, and she found herself hospitalized for the final time. With so little known about her disease, doctors treated her as though she was highly infectious. They rigorously wiped down every surface she touched, and anyone attending her wore full protective gear.
49. She Had Regrets
Although the end was near, Gia didn’t find much solace in her brief life or career path. Shortly before her passing, Gia had a casual conversation with one of her nurses. Oblivious to Gia's past, the nurse told her about a photographer who wanted to take pictures of her daughter. Gia's response was absolutely tragic: "Don't do it. Even if she wants it, don't let her do it. I used to be a model. You don't want your kid to be a model."
50. She Had A Tragic End
AIDS Awareness Ribbon | Red ribbon, the international symbol… | Flickr
www.flickr.com
On November 18, 1986, Gia Carangi passed away from AIDS-related complications. She was only 26 years old. In fact, she was one of the first famous women to ever succumb to the disease. Her family held a small service in her hometown of Philadelphia. Having been such an icon in the modelling world, one might expect Gia's funeral to be attended by a great number of old coworkers and friends...But this just wasn't the case...
51. They Forgot Her
When her long-time supporter and collaborator, Francesco Scavullo, heard the tragic news, he sent his sympathies and a Catholic Prayer card to her family. However, not one single person or any of her so-called friends from the fashion world attended the service. The world had already moved on from Gia Carangi, and her replacement was rearing to go.
52. They Replaced Her
After Gia stepped onto the modelling scene, her signature tomboy look became highly sought after. After she disappeared from the scene, agents worked quickly to find a new model to carry the torch and fill the void left in Gia's wake. Fashion experts soon shopped around a new young model and even dubbed her “Baby Gia.” Who was this young model? None other than Cindy Crawford.
53. She Has A Biopic
In 1998, Angelina Jolie starred in the HBO made-for-TV biopic, Gia. Jolie had really interesting, albeit bizarre things to say about portraying Gia. Among the least weird was, “I’d like to date Gia. I’d want to be her lover.” Which is one thing, until you remember Jolie was playing her. But no matter her comments, it's safe to say that this film keeps people coming back to Gia's story time and time again.
54. She Lives On
File:Aids Quilt.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
commons.wikimedia.org
One fitting and somber tribute to Gia is her square on the AIDS Memorial quilt. The NAMES Project created the folk-art quilt that weighs over 50 tons, and in 1989 they were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Gia’s square reads, “You know what I think? I think there’s a reason for everything. God has a big plan for me. Just not in this life.”
When we're intoxicated, or even the slightest bit tipsy from having a little too much to drink, our immediate perspective on things is hazy.
But there's nothing like a bit of alarming news or a jarring incident to snap us out of the fog and focus on the moment.
Sometimes alcohol isn't always to blame for our impairment.
It can be a state of mind, like a perpetual numbness from being complacent in life, and all it takes is one shocking moment to rattle us back to our senses.
Curious to hear from strangers online about this type of scenario, Redditor Known_Challenge_7150 asked:
"What’s one thing that sobered you up real quick?"
These individuals were witness to shocking events that sobered them up right quick.
Bleeding Out
"Got out of a taxi and found a naked man profusely bleeding from his head crawling up the driveway in my condo. Called him an ambulance completely forgot I was absolutely wasted until 45 minutes later when I'd helped him translate and in to an amublance and stepped in my front door."
"Later a few days later learned he'd slipped in the tub and literally crawled out for help. Poor dude. He was fine but I genuinely thought he was going to die there."
– DongLaiCha
Tragic News
"At a bachelor party and we got a phone call that the groom’s father had suddenly passed."
– accountnameredacted
Bottom Of The Barrel
"I went to visit my parents back in July. I was homeless and deep into fentanyl addiction so I lost a lot of weight. My folks could see it. They knew something was up. Anyway, I spent the night and I was getting ready to leave in the morning and I looked at myself in the mirror for a good long time. I finally had enough and told them everything. They took me to detox, from there I went to rehab. Graduated in August and been living with them ever since then. I have 160 days clean and sober."
– Crotch-Monster
A reality check can be enough for some people to snap out of it.
Like Father, Like Son
"Was driving a drunk friend home, he had been on a bender again and was smart enough to call me for a lift rather than try and drive. As I helped in to his house his mother came down the stairs and said 'your as drunk as your father' and went back upstairs. I haven't seen him drunk since then, he still drinks but the thought of turning into his dad scared him out of hard drinking."
– psycospaz
Busted
"Flashing blue lights."
– FiddleOfGold
"This sobered me up just thinking about it."
– redmaple_syrup
Losing Sight
"Woke up to no sight in one eye. I had cataract surgery so just thought one of the lenses had slipped and it was an easy fix. Eye doc says nope, you had a stroke. I loved soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and salty food, which caused high blood pressure, which caused retina damage. Over six months was able to get most of my eyesight back with medication, and all back within a year. Trying to navigate life with one eye was very sobering. Started taking HBP much more seriously."
– MissHibernia
Quitting The Bottle
"Looked up someone I went to highschool with who was an awesome guy. Found out he had been dead for 3 years from alcoholism, at age 33. I made an overnight change. I hadn't started drinking that night yet, 10 months ago. Haven't touched it again since."
– omgtater
These disturbing moments were enough for Redditors to immediately come to their senses.
Unplanned House Guests
"Me and a buddy Woke up in someone’s living room, realized neither one of us knew the people, they were just nice and let 2 drunk guys sleep on their living room floor. We didn’t even say goodbye."
– Oneinsevenbillion75
Serious Health Warning
"Elevated liver enzymes."
"And the knowledge that this sh** was gonna kill me and I just couldn't orphan my family over it."
"So I opted for recovery, instead."
"Clean and sober since June 5, 2009."
– Far_Meal8674
The Joyride
"Grew up in a rural area. The little town hosted dances at the hockey arena, everyone (adults and kids) went and they overserved everyone, regardless of age. I was maybe 16 or 17 and was absolutely sh*tfaced, and jumped in the back of someone's truck with about 8 other people to go back to someone's cottage for after dance drinking. The driver (still don't know who it was) started racing one of his buddies and we whipped around small dirt roads, flying around blind corners on the wrong side of the road, going god knows how fast. It was basically a disaster waiting to happen. It was crazy scary and I was sober and thankful to be alive when we finally arrived."
– foxfood9116
The human psyche is a fascinating thing, isn't it?
How we can automatically focus on something urgent at a crucial time, even after getting buzzed from drinking too much alcohol.
But as we're in the thick of the holidays, it's a good reminder to drink responsibly and stay off the roads if you drive to your celebratory destination.
Cheers. Stay safe. And happy holidays.
We've all complained or vented about something in our lives which, in the grand scheme of things, wasn't exactly a problem, or is very easily solved.
Then there are those who complain about things that others almost hope will happen to them at some point in their lives.
These are known as "first world problems", as they are problems that pretty much only the world's one percent faces.
From having to fly business class instead of first class, or being served Roederer instead of Dom Pérignon, these complaints are often met with amusement, bewilderment, or even anger.
Redditor jennimackenzie was curious to hear the most absurd "first world problems" anyone ever complained about, leading them to ask:
"What’s the most ridiculous 'first world problem' you’ve seen people get worked up over?"
"Tale As Old As Time..."
"I once knew a mom who was legitimately devastated, to the point of tears/grief, because a doctor predicted her 8 year old daughter's final height to be around 5'2","
"Which wasn't tall enough to get cast as Belle at Disney World."
"That was the child's (and her mother's) only dream in life, apparently."
"Didn't appreciate my suggestion that she could be Minnie or Mickey."
"Lol!"
"Only a face character would do!"- TravelLovingMom
"Must Be Funny, In A Rich Man's World..."
"My boss from about a decade ago was this insanely rich dude who always went to the bank to get fresh and crisp currency."
"He'd call the bank in advance to make sure they had some on hand."
"I think he was a germaphobe."
"He had a trash can that he'd throw $1 and $5 bills in that he thought was 'dirty' and regularly just donated it vs spending it."
"I asked him why he did this and he said it was too much trouble and asked if I wanted it."
"I said f*ck yeah dumped it into my bag and when I got home it was close to $400 in singles and fives.
"Another time, he wanted to upgrade all the computers in his studio, so we went to a store and bought 10 PCs."
"They all had $150 mail in rebates and he wasn't bothered to go through the trouble of mailing them in."
"3 weeks later I received $1500 after spending a whole afternoon filling out all those goddamn forms."- azninvasion2000
Money Burn GIF by nog
Giphy
Who Wore It Better?
"When I was about 19 years old, I was at my boyfriends family BBQ."
"I was wearing this pretty floral sundress."
"His cousins girlfriend showed up in the same dress and she was SO mad that she went and changed."
"I will never understand being upset when someone is wearing the same thing as you.'
"Did you really think that your shirt you bought off the rack is going to be unique to you?"
"No."- mertsey627
Seeing Red! Or Blue In This Case...
"The blue of the balloons wasn't quite the same as the bridesmaid's sashes."
"Years ago my wife and I attended a wedding."
"It was very low key."
"The dinner was in the dining hall at the university where the couple met, cinder block walls and all."
"It was a Baptist wedding - no booze and very serious."
"The dark blue balloons attempting to liven up the hall were a slightly darker shade of blue than the sashes on the bridesmaid's dresses."
"The bride lost here sh*t and absolutely raved for nearly an hour."
"I can't remember how they finally managed to talk her down."- mechant_papa
south park wedding GIF
Giphy
See You In Court!
"Rich neighbors who end up in expensive court battles because they disagree about where a tree can be planted or whether the color of a fence fits in with the street’s 'amenity'."
'These disputes get really heated and rack up huge lawyers’ bills."
"The most pathetic part is after the judgement when they are arguing about who should pay the other party’s costs."
"Lots of affidavits filed citing the 'emotional distress' they had to endure, or painting themselves as brave warriors who were forced to take a stand to fight for 'justice'."
"Also lots of pompous litigants insisting that the judge refer to them by their 'Dr' title."
"An absolutely insane dumpster fire of entitled rich people problems."- ElectrocRaisin
It's Always People With Money Who Don't Want To Pay!
"I work in a public library."
"People will get so so mad if they have to be put on a wait list for a book."
"A popular book that just came out."
"Ok our services are not only free but so are the books."
"You’re welcome, a**holes."- Switchbladekitten
A Warm Butt Is A Happy Butt!
"My own."
"We have a bidet toilet seat (Fabulous! Everyone should have one!) and not only does it wash your bum and blow dry it, but the seat's heated!"
"It's shocking how much a heated toilet seat makes the whole process more agreeable."
"Except: We had a power outage and I went to use the toilet and the seat was cold!"
"Unacceptable!"
"This shall not stand!"
"I was really upset because it didn't feel good."
"Then I stopped and thought: This is the most first-world problem anyone's ever had."
"I was really pissed because my heiny was tepid."
"I got over it."- DeathGrover
homer simpson episode 23 GIF
Giphy
Holy Matrimony!
"Weddings are a gold mine for this question."
"People get so hyped up over their 'most important day of their life'."
"They'll destroy friendships, go into debt, and have crazy expectations."
"It's not always the couple who go crazy, either."
"Sometimes, it's the parents or another family member who feels entitled to control the wedding."
"It's just a party."
"Be considerate of guests, have plenty of food and drinks, and enjoy it."- magicrowantree
When Fast Food Isn't Fast Enough...
"Having to pull off to the side to wait for a drive-thru order to be brought out to you because your food isn't ready and there's a line building up behind you."- demanbmore
In Case You Don't Think Customer Service Employees Are Undervalued...
"I was working the return desk at a Target next to a military base so I have so many stories."
"One of my favorites was a lady who had her baby shower before revealing the gender and was livid that she had received floral newborn diapers when she’s having a boy."
"It was a huge box of super expensive, all organic diapers, that we didn’t carry and therefore could not return."
"I cannot accurately express her fury and disgust."
"How dare either suggest her boy could wear feminine diapers."
"I suggested she donate them if she didn’t want to use them and she instead threw away the entire box."
"When she left we pulled it out and threw it in our donate bin."
"There have also been multiple times where mom’s order massive toys and when we bring them out to the car they get furious that they aren’t wrapped."
"We don’t offer wrapping services."
"Here’s the thing, if you don’t want your kids to see the toys you got them for Christmas or their bit to day DON'T BRING THE CHILD WHEN YOU PICK IT UP."
'I’ve had multiple women scream and curse me out that I had ruined their kids Christmas by bringing the toys they ordered out to the car like they requested."- clever-mermaid-mae
Customer Service Waiting GIF by Juno Calypso
Giphy
Happiest Place On Earth!
"I used to work for Disney."
"That in itself should tell you everything."
"However for fun I'll give you two specific stories one form our tech department and one from my wife who worked bookings."
"I specifically worked for their call center to help with technical issues with magic band and the website."
"Suddenly got worse huh?"
"A right of passage call everyone has at least one story of is the 'Dome call'."
"Basically there is a subset of Disney Guest (TM) that believes if it rains at Walt Disney world there is someone that will push a button to encapsulate the whole of Disney property in a dome to keep out the rain."
"I'm not kidding."
"If this button is not pushed they call our tech department to angrily ask why."
"My wife worked booking."
"Pretty much everything including Bibbidi Bobbidi boutique and Pirate's league."
"These two things did roughly the same thing difference being price and theme."
"BBB was expensive did more and was focused on princesses, pirates league did a bit less and focused on mermaids and pirates."
"Lady called up my wife, and got pissed about BBB being booked up (It goes FAAAAST)."
"Karen: 'Im going to give the phone to my daughter and I want you to tell her how you are ruining her vacation by not letting her do BBB'."
"Wife proceeds to explain how pirate's league is so much cooler and how she can be a mermaid or pirate and basically gets the kid to start demanding to their parents about how they want to be a mermaid instead of a princess."- trollsong
Disney World GIF
Giphy
The horror!
Being booked into a junior suite at Disney World instead of an executive suite!
It's almost as bad as having no money for groceries, or no food to feed you children...
Said absolutely no one.