Mike Myers: Hollywood's Most Hated Comedian?

Man, just one week before the release of “The Love Guru,” (which is controversially going head-to-head this Friday with another comedy, “Get Smart”; the unspoken rule is to avoid these types of show downs), Entertainment Weekly has dropped a pretty damning portrayal of Mike Myers which basically confirms what many already know and gives a good impression of the comedian’s already sour reputation.

Myers has long been rumored to be an egotistical, moody, precious, super-controlling and difficult actor to work with and the article does nothing to dispel that notion. Subtitled “Not Everyone In Hollywood Is Rooting For Him,” it appears that this is an understatement and the comics really firebombed some bridges with his perfectionist behavior.

One unnamed exec says, ”I honestly root against him.” Penelope Spheeris, director of “Wayne’s World” said sarcastically. ”I hated that bastard for years. Maybe he could open, like, a children’s hospital to clean up his rep. He’s got to do something pretty quick” (though she says she’s forgiven him based on the strength of”Austin Powers,” and reminds everyone that he’s extremely talented).

Things that have rubbed Hollywood wrong in the past? Midway through production on “Shrek,” Myers evidently decided the character should speak with a Scottish accent — a belated idea that cost DreamWorks roughly $5 million in wasted animation. After that he engendered massive amounts of Tinseltown ill-will when he pulled out of his big-screen adaptation of his SNL ‘Dieter’ character. Myers reneged because he felt the script wasn’t ready, yet shooting was only a few short weeks away. Universal sued him for breach of contract ($30 million) and branded him “selfish” and “egomaniacal.” Myers counter sued, both of them settled months later, but this final straw seemed to cement his difficult reputation in Hollywood.

Another exec: “His brilliance and also his undoing. For a lot of comedians there’s like a degree of Asperger’s syndrome. His just seems more acute.”

Ironically, the poster tag for “The Love Guru,” is “his karma is huge.” In case you feel compelled to listen to songs from “The Love Guru” soundtrack, three songs are below including Myers covering Extreme.