Rep. Jackson disses Thai Queen, big time

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[Unbelievably rude under any circs.]

'Queen' to Queen

• Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.) -- whose alleged demands for royal treatment have received much media attention -- has ruffled the feathers of Houston's social elite with her behavior at a fancy dinner hosted by Queen Sirikit of Thailand.

In yesterday's Houston Chronicle, social columnist Shelby Hodge scorched Lee for a variety of faux pas: showing up nearly an hour late Monday night to Her Majesty's black-tie fete for 250 at the St. Regis Hotel (requiring panicked dinner organizers to quickly fill the empty seat at the queen's table where Lee had been invited to sit); causing the wife of Thailand's lord chamberlain, who had already eaten her soup, to vacate her seat so that Lee could dine; approaching the queen while she ate, a protocol felony, and prodding her to stand up and pose for a picture; and "wearing business attire rather than the 'long evening dress' that was called for in the queen's invitation."

Hodge went on: "Thai generosity of spirit prevailed even as the rules of protocol...were smashed like so many fragile tea cups." Yesterday the columnist told us: "There was a great deal of eye-rolling at my table. I was so embarrassed I could barely eat." At one point research oncologist Frederick Becker, a longtime friend of the Thai royals, got up to scold Lee and socialite Lynn Wyatt, who were standing behind the queen while she attempted to eat. "Please sit down," Hodge quoted Becker as telling the women. "You are being very rude."

Yesterday Becker sent word through a spokeswoman that he supported Hodge's account, and Lee -- who was once famously quoted as telling an aide, "I am a queen and I demand to be treated like a queen" -- didn't return our calls.

-- Anonymous, October 17, 2002

Answers

I think somebody isn't going to be on any more guest lists.

What a snot.

-- Anonymous, October 17, 2002


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