Ethan: I blew it by turning down hit flick
by KERRI-ANN ROPER ETHAN Hawke said he has “blown it so many times” in his career by letting good film roles pass him by.
The actor, 47, revealed he read the script for 1996 science fiction blockbuster Independence Day, which starred Will Smith, but said he “mocked it because I was arrogant and thought it terrible”.
He told The Graham Norton Show: “When the movie came out I went to see it with my girlfriend expecting it to be awful and it was a massive hit. After the movie, she said, ‘You’re an idiot.’ I have blown it so many times.”
Hawke reminisced about working with the late Robin Williams on Dead Poet’s Society nearly 30 years ago, saying: “That film was ‘make or break’ for me.” by MARK McGIVERN m.mcgivern@dailyrecord.co.uk ED Sheeran fans who were ripped off by Viagogo last night went from despair to joy after the UK’s biggest-ever tout-busting scheme swung into Scotland.
The first of the star’s three gigs at Hampden went down a storm but hundreds of fans had unwittingly bought tickets from Viagogo – despite rules clearly stating briefs could not be sold on secondary sites.
However, ripped-off fans were offered the chance to buy tickets at face value – and 90 per cent grabbed the opportunity.
Sheeran’s management had put aside almost 20,000 tickets after they were illegally sold by touts on the rogue resale site.
All tickets resold were marked “invalid”, meaning Viagogo had to take legal responsibility to refund the cost – which was often several times the face value.
A special team were deployed at Hampden to check tickets and enforce the terms and conditions, which stated the original buyer of any ticket must present ID to match it at entry.
Sheeran’s management insisted on enforcing the rules.
Large queues formed at Victim of Viagogo counters at the Hampden box office – similar to those at Sheeran’s shows in London and Manchester. Staff including award-winning consumer champ Claire Turnham handed out letters detailing how exploited fans should go about getting refunds.
Viagogo were the only one of the big tout sites to defy the artist – listing the tickets without advising they would be invalid, which is in breach of the Consumer Rights Act.
Get Me In! And Seatwave – both owned by Ticketmaster – and rivals StubHub agreed not to sell Sheeran tickets.
Glasgow gran Betty Harrison, 67, spent £1176 last July on tickets with a face value of £300 after accidentally straying onto the Viagogo site – like thousands of other victims.
She decided to splash out on Christmas presents for her daughter Margaret Ann, 49, and granddaughters Caitlin, 26, and Connie, 22.
Betty, of Burnside, said: “I went online and thought I was buying from the official seller.
“There was no price on display until the end and before I knew what was happening, I had bought four tickets for £1176.
“I felt like a fool and didn’t want to tell my family because I felt so stupid.
“I later found out the tickets were not valid and felt I had been cheated all over again.”
Betty went to Hampden after reading on the Victim of Viagogo Facebook page how face-value tickets could be bought on the day. Last night, she was in line to reclaim her £1176.
She said: “Ed Sheeran and Victim of Viagogo are trying their best to help people like me.”
She added: “When I saw how many more people have been conned, just like me, I felt like crying. It has been quite emotional.”
BEtty hArriSon WHO HAD FORkED OUt £1176
Many fans ripped off by Viagogo were from overseas – including fans from China, Italy, Spain and France.
Stephen and Susie Maher, of Ardrossan in Ayrshire, ended up on Viagogo after it popped up first on a Google search.
The firm pay the search engine for a higher listing than primary sellers such as Ticketmaster and AXS.
The Mahers ended up paying £870 for four tickets to celebrate daughter Helena’s 13th birthday – along with her pal Leah Murray, 13 – after fees on the site racked up the total cost.
GlaxoSmithKline worker Stephen, 44, said: “We got a shock when we found out the tickets were no good. But getting to buy face-value tickets was better than going home.”
Helena later sent a photo from the gig, where the face-value tickets were better than the ones her dad bought.
Morrisons worker Lyndsey Collins, 34, reluctantly forked out for another ticket after hearing yesterday that her tickets were invalid.
Lyndsey, who was at Hampden with pal Linda McGeachie, said: “I’ve done worse daft things with my money in the past. Fingers crossed I get my money back.”