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1. Liam Gallagher of Oasis: Banned from Cathay Pacific Airways
Before anger rehab was in vogue, Liam told the London Daily Mirror about the incident by saying, “I didn’t throw anything, I don’t know what they’re talking about. Some panhead told me to shut up—some panhead who needs stabbing through the head with a f***ing pick axe.” There you have it!
2. Pete Rose: Take Me Out of the Ballgame
Though he claimed he never bet against the Reds, the team he managed, Rose was banned from Baseball and from induction eligibility into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
3. Eftis Paraskevaides: Banned from eBay
Eftis, an antiquities dealer from Cambridgeshire, was banned for life from the online auction site for “shill bidding,” or artificially driving up the prices of bids. Almost too easy … er, to get caught, that is.
4. John Green: You’re Piston Me Off!
John Green ignited the infamous Pistons-Pacers Brawl when he threw a full cup at Ron Artest, who subsequently charged into the stands. Green has since be banned from all Piston home games.
5. Ben Johnson: Ben There, Banned That
This Olympian was stripped of his gold not once but twice for failing drug tests, and received a blanket ban from every sport for it.
6. Wes Scantlin: Messed with the King
The Puddle of Mud singer found himself banned from Graceland for jumping into a pool without permission, a much lamer version of …
7. The Who: Banned from Holiday Inns
A rumor perpetuated by Keith Moon himself that the band was banned for, in part, submerging a Lincoln in the hotel’s pool. Now that’s Rock ‘n Roll.
8. Tonya Harding: Go Figure
You guys know the details on this one, with Harding being banned from Figure Skating after her alleged involvement in the attack on Nancy Kerrigan. But are you as familiar with Harding’s second career?
9. Andrew Dice Clay: Too Rude for MTV?
Too much profanity and sexism in his routines lead this comedian to be the blackballed by most of the industry (it sure must take a lot to get banned form MTV, is all I’m saying)
10. Benny Villani: (you can’t make up a name like that): NY Waste Management? Fuggedaboudit.
Seemingly straight out of the Sopranos, Villani’s alleged mob connections and shady deals caused his name to be added to a long list of those banned from the city’s waste collection/removal/disposal industry.
* * * * *
If you’ve ever been banned from something (preferably, for life), add yourself to the list by leaving a comment.
I was fired [and banned for life] from the grocery store where I worked in high school. I was caught napping in the stock room when I was supposed to be rounding up the carts. The firing I understood (this happened like 4 previous times), but the “if we ever see you back here we’ll call the cops” was over the top.
I went back multiple times because I live dangerously like that. The police were never summoned.
posted by Glenn on 10-20-2008 at 3:56 pm
We were returning from a class camping trip and had stopped at McDonalds in a town between home and the national park. Everyone was STARVING for real food after being in the backwoods for 10 days. We were on the bus, laughing and joking around, waiting for some people when the manager comes onto our bus and accuses us of throwing a Big Mac out the bus window at an employee tossing out the trash. No one on that bus was going to waste food like that. He didn’t believe us and BANNED US ALL FOR LIFE! Pfft. I’ve been backed since and I bet the whole staff has been turned over a hundred times since.
posted by Laura on 10-20-2008 at 4:02 pm
When i was in 7th grade, i was banned from the beach at the lake across town. all my friends lived in that part of town, and had badges. I would sneak in. that was considered treasonous in this awful town. my (polaroid) picture was up on the lifeguard stand with the words “not a member” written below.
posted by travis on 10-20-2008 at 4:23 pm
17 years old, on a family road trip from Podunk, Nebraska, to southern California. For a joke, I flipped off the camera on the log ride at Knott’s Berry Farm. I was kicked out of the park and told never to return…Don’t worry, I haven’t. I have no plans on going back. (Is it even open anymore?)
posted by Jason on 10-20-2008 at 4:27 pm
Seriously? They put your picture up on the lifeguard stand?? That’s HILARIOUS!! Small towns can be fairly ridiculous.
If I ran Mental Floss, you would get a t-shirt for that.
ReCaptcha: Nassau unsavory
posted by Heather Dawn on 10-20-2008 at 4:32 pm
I’ve been banned from an online comic book retailer for openly distrusting their grading techniques. I sent them some books for trade, and when I asked them why one of the books was graded lower than I expected, their response boiled down to “just because”. Pressed for more detail, they cited some minor blemish I didn’t believe. Acting in my own best interest, I decided to take pictures of future trade-in merchandise. Their next response: there will be no future transactions with me, period.
I agreed and opted for the cash equivalent. It cost me about $100 in merchandise, but it’s more trouble than it’s worth to deal with them.
posted by Jeff on 10-20-2008 at 4:36 pm
I’ve been banned from giving blood!
No, not for some weird disease or anything.
We had a blood drive here at work, and I apparently got a little woozy and was looking pale. So they pulled me off the table and gave me some juice, etc. and the old lady says “maybe you shouldn’t give blood, this is probably your body talking to you.” I shrugged it off and figured maybe I just didn’t get enough to eat.
A few months later I went to a Red Cross building to give blood, and the same thing happened. And it turned out to be the same old lady working there. She goes “Have I seen you here before? Has this ever happened to you before??” I told her about the previous time at work, and she says “Don’t ever come in here again, I don’t ever want to see you in here again. Leave this for someone else to do!”
So no more blood giving for me!
posted by Dave on 10-20-2008 at 5:07 pm
Well, this one time, at banned camp…
posted by Sheldon Siegel on 10-20-2008 at 5:21 pm
LOL!!! “banned” camp… too funny
posted by Eric on 10-20-2008 at 5:33 pm
I know a guy who was banned for giving blood, but it was for different reasons. It had something to do with a technical term he didn’t understand, so he asked what it meant. When the lady told him it meant sex with an animal, he asked, as a joke, “Does a goat count?”
posted by Brittany on 10-20-2008 at 6:33 pm
Here’s a big one in my field. Look up “Ronald Dale Harris” on Wikipedia. He was working for the Nevada Gaming Control Board (GCB) and was supposed be keeping the slot machine companies honest. Instead, he started rigging the machines so he could win. He is now banned for life from playing any gaming machines. You can still see his picture on the GCB’s “List of Excluded Persons” (gaming.nv.gov, click on “Publications”, then “List of Excluded Persons”)
His name is almost a bad word in the industry.
And in the area of unfortunate coincidences, there is another slot machine company owned by a very honest and forthright man, also named Ron Harris.
posted by akaFred on 10-20-2008 at 6:45 pm
Several friends and I have been banned from a well known recipe website, a bridal forum, a soap making forum and a basket weaving craft message board for merely giving our suggestions and ideas for recipes, crafts and for creating the wedding of your dreams!
Some people have NO sense of humour! Whatever.
posted by Lolita on 10-20-2008 at 6:49 pm
Try looking up “Ronald Dale Harris” in Wikipedia.
He was one of the regulators, supposed to be keeping the casinos and slot machine makers honest. Instead, he used his inside position to alter slot machine logic and rig them to win him money. He is now banned from using any gambling machines in Nevada and New Jersey. His name is almost a dirty word in the industry.
And in the area of unfortunate coincidence, there is a perfectly honest and forthright guy who owns a slot machine company and also happens to be named Ron Harris. I wonder how often he gets asked.
posted by Harkness on 10-20-2008 at 6:52 pm
Try looking up “Ronald Dale Harris”. He’s banned for life from all gambling machines in Nevada and New Jersey. His name is practically a dirty word in the industry.
posted by Bryan on 10-20-2008 at 6:54 pm
I’ve been banned from the Jurassic Park ride at Universal Studios in California. I was there on a band trip (seriously!) and a bunch of us, including our music teacher, decided that it would be fun to flip off the camera. Well we did it, and we got caught. It was, after all, on camera. We got herded into a room by security and told that if we tried to board the ride again, we would be escorted from the park.
posted by Amy D on 10-20-2008 at 7:04 pm
While on a date in an Indian restaurant, the lady had trouble choosing something to start. I suggested we start with dessert and come up with ideas a we ate. I asked the waitress and as she went to inquire with the chef I joked about stuffing our pockets with the free tandoori bread and toppings …. then my girl’s face changed: I turned to find the owner/chef coming with a special dessert for us to share, only to ovehear my plans to steal the freebies. Banned. For life. Threatened too :P Upside: We went to a restaurant next door, decided quickly and had a drink named after our ordeal! YUM!
posted by Robert on 10-20-2008 at 7:20 pm
Well, we got kicked off the Disneyland Thunder Mountain Railroad, cuz we decided to yell out something different over the announcement: “Hang on your to hats n’ glasses!”.
Don’t you think “Hang on to your lips and asses!” sounds better?
I got banned for life from stealing chocolate bars from a grocery store when I was 13. I went back when I was 20 and it was wierd… ahh, the foolishness of youth. I don’t steal anymore. I mean, office supplies are free, right?
posted by Mare on 10-20-2008 at 8:08 pm
Wow, I wouldn’t be proud of telling anyone that I’d been banned…
posted by Valerie on 10-20-2008 at 8:30 pm
i hear “ronald dale harris” has been banned from something… ;P
posted by jerod on 10-20-2008 at 9:00 pm
The McDonald’s I used to work at banned a former employee for life. She was pissy about being fired (rude to customers) and came back later to throw smoke bombs in the bathroom ceiling. It was actually kind of funny, a customer saw the smoke and called in a fire. Fire dept came out, it was only smoke bombs and Ginger was the last person in the bathroom. Prosecuted and banned!
What about Ozzy? I thought he was banned for life from the Alamo.
I’ve never been banned from somewhere, boycotted - yes, preachers denouncing me in sermons - yes, kids not allowed to play with mine because what I did was soooo horrible and such a sin - yes!!! You just can’t run a haunted house in a small southern county (which is why I moved)
posted by Lorelei on 10-20-2008 at 9:30 pm
My mom is banned from Disneyland hotel property. She and some of her friends snuck into the underground passageways. Needless to say, they got caught and were banned for life.
posted by anonymous on 10-20-2008 at 10:47 pm
I got banned from Canada Place in Vancouver. Got caught smoking a doobie in the (locked) office towers late at night. I mean, got escorted out by security and had pictures taken and everything. They didn’t notice when I came back though so I guess it’s all good.
posted by Braden on 10-21-2008 at 12:37 am
My brother got banned from a game several years ago. I am pretty sure it was WoW.
He called his sword a negromancer and they banned him for some strange reason…
What a goon.
posted by Megan on 10-21-2008 at 12:53 am
I was banned from working at a large newspaper chain because I failed the pre-employment drug test. What happened was, the night before the test, I had a headache and my mom offered me some Tylenol. I took it, not realizing that it was prescription Tylenol 3 and contained morphine and codeine. When the lab results came back, my job offer was withdrawn, and I was banned from applying for any job, at any paper they owned. Only for a year, though.
posted by Karen on 10-21-2008 at 3:35 am
A group of friends and I were banned from Lazer-Tron (it’s a Laser Tag game, 5-7 person teams…I digress). Thing is, when young men (boys?) are in their early to mid teens, tom-foolery is all they’re after. “I don’t ever want to see you boys in here, ever again. EVER.” Said the owner of this particular location. A proud day, to be sure!
posted by Michael on 10-21-2008 at 7:26 am
My eight grade class got kicked out of Fort McHenry. One of the boys was bouncing a rubber ball off of the Fort’s walls. Did I mention I went to a private Christian school?
posted by Lawgirl on 10-21-2008 at 8:07 am
Wow, banned for napping on the job at a grocery store, harsh. Sounds like the boss had a burr up his or her butt.
posted by Robin on 10-21-2008 at 8:35 am
I was banned from Tiny Town in Colorado. My friend and I were out for a drive in the mountains and saw the exit sign. We tried to get in the front entrance but they charged $10 a piece to go in. Of course we thought it was a rip off so we left in the directions of the cars and quickly jumped the fence to go in. We were spotted by guards (guards at Tiny Town…what a shame). They took a picture of us and told us to never come back. It was an astonishing boring town. Everything was so tiny.
posted by Brendan on 10-21-2008 at 10:40 am
Wasn’t Neko Case banned for life from the Grand Ole Oprey for taking off her shirt? I think she said she was hot…..um, yes.
posted by Chris on 10-21-2008 at 10:42 am
I, and three friends, are supposedly banned from Henrico CO, VA, for life. It was a heck of a bachelor party featuring an English pub, an Applebee’s, a hotel, a hotel under construction, and the bride’s family. The sheriff deputies made it quite clear, but at least one of us has been back w/o incident (albeit 6 years later), the rest of us just haven’t made it back by chance.
posted by Jeff on 10-21-2008 at 12:17 pm
Remember BMG and Columbia House? When I was a wee lad (roughly 13), I took advantage of each company’s “13 CDs for 1 cent!” campaign. What I didn’t realize was that in order to get this offer, you eventually had to purchase at least six CDs from each company. I failed to do so and I ended up receiving nasty letters from both parties and even creditors. I eventually had to fess up to my mom, who was wondering why I received so much mail at such a young age. She called the companies, and they agreed to wipe the charges but both banned me for life. To be honest, I doubt anyone orders CDs from a catalog anymore anyway, so I would imagine I’m off the hook.
posted by Paul S. on 10-21-2008 at 12:38 pm
I got banned from University of Phoenix Stadium (Arizona Cardinals Home) because I dumpped 3 beers on the lower deck from up stairs….the people down stairs were steeler fans and I am a cards fan…… they even took me to court claiming $5000 in punitive and property dmages, the judge awarded them $100 for their laundry bill and because they made arses of themselves in court
posted by Jahooh on 10-21-2008 at 1:49 pm
I was kicked out of a 24-hour Wal-Mart in Southern CA (supposedly permanently, but like other posts, they’ve probably turned over 10X) for playing football in the aisles, and knocking over the thing that holds all those large bouncy balls.
The manager was furious, but the security guard was a brother of a friend, and we knew the polic officer that came down, so we were let go.
Fun times.
posted by Scott on 10-21-2008 at 3:14 pm
I was banned from Go Cart World. I was laying on the picnic tables they have set up for birthday parties. My friend was using her camera phone and was taking really funny pics of me doing my best mock supermodel poses. One of the employees yelled at me and escorted us both out and told me I should be ashamed of myself because children eat there and never to come back.
posted by Kelly on 10-21-2008 at 5:21 pm
I’ve been banned from every blacklist on Earth.
posted by Vitajex on 10-21-2008 at 5:37 pm
Jason - yes, Knott’s Berry Farm is still in existence. They have a restaurant there that is to die for. If you ever come back to Southern California, go to Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant (or whatever it’s called). AWESOME.
posted by CK on 10-21-2008 at 6:24 pm
Puddle of Mudd has 2 d’s
posted by emily on 10-21-2008 at 9:01 pm
Friends birthday, he sat on a wall mounted chair that came from the old Winnipeg Arena (go jets go). They banned him from the bar for life, but failed to take a name and pic…
posted by d hue on 11-12-2008 at 11:54 am
My father-in-law has been thrown out of Canada. Twice.
posted by Eowyn on 11-12-2008 at 3:17 pm
Canada! reminds me of Canadian Bacon. Was he jay walking?
posted by Allison Keene on 11-12-2008 at 3:33 pm
I was banned for life from Peggy Sampson’s house when her dad caught us having fun in the basement. That was 20 years ago and I am STILL not allowed into thier house even though I am now their son-in-law!
posted by Scott-O on 11-12-2008 at 4:41 pm
I was banned from detention.
posted by WhereWholf on 11-12-2008 at 5:53 pm
I was banned from a walmart once, I bought an air horn from them, walked around blasting it in employees faces until the manager came after me, i ran away, but he caught me…. what a dick. He should buy a go kart…. they’re way cool
posted by Rob on 11-12-2008 at 9:49 pm
the post about playing football in the isle of walmart reminds me of the time i was kicked out of a 24 hour walmart for playing “walmart tag”
that was a lot of fun
posted by supergirl on 11-19-2008 at 11:23 pm
I’m banned from Flour Bluff school property and any function they have that is not on school property for “criminal trespassing”. And to think I gave that school so many years of my life. They lied to us when they told us that the graduates are important to them. Seems I’m not.
posted by Neil on 11-29-2008 at 9:14 pm
I am banned from every Target (and whatever they own) in North America for life.
I just wanted to find out how well a cupcake burned. When soaked in rubbing alcohol. With a lighter on top.
Don’t worry, I was outside.
In the words of Jack Sparrow: “Not sure I deserved that…”
posted by thehurricane on 11-29-2008 at 11:18 pm
Was banned from my highschool, Lincoln Way-Central for doing parkour. They labeled it as unlawful trespassing even though the school was unlocked and I was on the roofs when they caught me. I cooperated with the security guy and no cops were involved.
posted by anon on 12-4-2008 at 3:17 pm
I was banned from using any electronic equipment at my previous school for “hacking”
I still don’t know how you can hack the school network with a programmable calculator, but the personnel accuses everyone of hacking who opens any other program then Internet Explorer or microsoft office
I was writing PHP in notepad (for IT class) and they accused me of hacking, DOH
because I already was punished for it I stole everyones password and hung it in the school cafeteria, EVERY TEACHER, EVERY STUDENT, EVERY PASSWORD THEY EVER HAD
posted by damasta on 12-8-2008 at 6:34 am
Yeah five of my friends and myself were banned from the 7-11 in Cheyenne. We stole so much stuff.
posted by Trist'n on 12-12-2008 at 11:43 am
I was banned from an online forum for using “RevJesseJackson” as my username. It was a KKK forum.
posted by herb on 12-12-2008 at 10:11 pm
i was banned from wal-mart for using my mobile ipod player on all of their stereos at once. o yea did i mention it was a highly explcit tupac song and they were all turned all the way up. lol good times
posted by Tshort on 12-12-2008 at 11:53 pm
I was once banned from a youth-hostel our choir from school stayed in for rehearsal. Some friends of mine and me we were sure acting like rockstars while demolishing our room. Was pretty fun actually, but next day wasn’t so funny after all. Our teacher knocked on our door and we had to clean the whole mess up, as we all had a massive hangover.
Well, long story short: We had to leave early and were accused of vandalism. Ban for life was the mildest of punishments we were about to get… but it was fun and i don’t regret anything!
posted by Freddi on 12-13-2008 at 5:49 am
I must be a goody-two-shoes after reading all of these posts! I’ve been banned from giving blood also, but because I lived in England as a child. Their reasoning is that I might have contracted Mad Cow Disease during the incident that occurred in the late 80’s, so I can’t be passing that on to others. It’s a shame because I used to donate every 10 weeks before that…
posted by Brandy on 12-13-2008 at 10:38 pm
A friend suggested that a small group of us at his apartment go for a swim at an adjacent complex’s pool after hours. So, we went over there, climbed the fence and jumped in, and shortly afterward were busted by security who wanted to see our ids, and, after discovering none of us were residents, took our names and banned all of us from stepping foot on the property for any reason. Several months after this, the same friend/instigator came to visit in Florida, at which point I found out he was banned for life from DisneyWorld for previously jumping the fence to get in, go figure!
posted by Rachel on 12-14-2008 at 7:19 pm
I was once thrown out of a Best Western in Willimantic, CT for passing out in a hallway. My friend’s parents lived down the street, we were in highschool and she threw us out- so after playing many rounds of bumper cart with shopping carts and smoking all our cigarettes, by 4am, we snuck in through an open door and grabbed some shuteye :) . Mr. “My love handles are erupting out of my pants” security guard didn’t like it too much (and felt it appropriate to bring a night stick! bit gratuitous for a rent-a-cop job i think? I doubt they issue those, so maybe he brought it from home :) ) and gave us a lecture and banned us… he could’ve just asked us to leave and we would have… but everybody’s gotta have that shining moment of justice standing up to punks like us right? haha…
posted by Sue on 12-30-2008 at 1:53 pm
I was banned last November from the Matt Roloff Forum on his website…yeah, the guy from “Little People, Big World.” I was browsing his online store when I noticed his “Roloff Farms Honey” for sale. I’ve seen every episode of the show, and never seen a beehive, never heard Matt yelling at one of the kids for not taking care of the bees. So I dared question the existence of the bee operation. I checked back within an hour of my post for comments and was greeted with this message at my attempted login: “You have been banned for life. Reason: No reason given.” I really didn’t need it spelled out for me, those little people can be as ruthless as the New York City Garbage Kingpins.
posted by Jackson on 1-4-2009 at 12:34 am