Leona Helmsley, Hotel Queen, Dies at 87 Peopel said she was the Queen of mean what do you think?

Question

Mrs Leona Helmsley I"m sorry to hear she passing my Heart goes out to her families,this young lady and her husband work very hard . that what it take to be sucessful in life , I dont know her personally but sometime you have to put your foot down because if you dont people will walk all over you.I believe she was sweet and kind because mean people dont donate money to help people and she was thoughtful enought to donate money. and that was for a good cause to me when anyone die it a sad day. she problem was mean to some people we all make mistake in life no one is perfect Mrs Leona was a business woman if she was nice and kind people would problemly take the advantage of her kindness because she was a woman ... what do you think?

Answer 1

There is a difference between occasional meanness and perpetual meanness.

If you can get ahold of a 60 Minutes interview with her, she had a very condescending, demeaning attitude towards all who were "beneath' her (and, it seems everyone was)

Answer 2

The details of her will were just made public.


NEW YORK (AP) -- Leona Helmsley's dog will continue to live an opulent life, and then be buried alongside her in a mausoleum. But two of Helmsley's grandchildren got nothing from the late luxury hotelier and real estate billionaire's estate.

Helmsley left her beloved white Maltese, named Trouble, a $12 million trust fund, according to her will, which was made public Tuesday in surrogate court.

She also left millions for her brother, Alvin Rosenthal, who was named to care for Trouble in her absence, as well as two of four grandchildren from her late son Jay Panzirer -- so long as they visit their father's grave site once each calendar year.

Otherwise, she wrote, neither will get a penny of the $5 million she left for each of them.

Helmsley left nothing to two of Jay Panzirer's other children -- Craig and Meegan Panzirer -- for "reasons that are known to them," she wrote.

But no one made out better than Trouble, who once appeared in ads for the Helmsley Hotels, and lived up to her name by biting a housekeeper.

"I direct that when my dog, Trouble, dies, her remains shall be buried next to my remains in the Helmsley mausoleum," Helmsley wrote in her will.

The mausoleum, she ordered, must be "washed or steam-cleaned at least once a year." She left behind $3 million for the upkeep of her final resting place in Westchester County, where she is buried with her husband, Harry Helmsley.

She also left her chauffeur, Nicholas Celea, $100,000.

She ordered that cash from sales of the Helmsley's residences and belongings, reported to be worth billions, be sold and that the money be given to the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.

Her longtime spokesman, Howard Rubenstein, had no comment.

Helmsley died earlier this month at her Connecticut home. She became known as a symbol of 1980s greed and earned the nickname "the Queen of Mean" after her 1988 indictment and subsequent conviction for tax evasion. One employee had quoted her as snarling, "Only the little people pay taxes."

Answer 3

Well, let's review, shall we? In her will, she left 10 million dollars to her DOG. She gave money to 2 of her 4 grandchildren, claiming that the other two "know why they're getting nothing." She also left 6 million dollars to a fund that is to be used to clean and wash her mausoleum at least once each year. She left 100,000 dollars to her driver, and the rest went to a charitable foundation.

A mixed record, I would say.

Answer 4

i read the article just earlier for the first time. just like paris hilton's grandfather who won't inherite the 'everlasting fortune' to this shopping mania paris, great, leona decided not to inherite tons to ppl who she thought didn't deserve.

money becomes useless when death comes, and i guess her dog gave her more happiness than her relatives, etc. only thing is, why did she leave all the money to just one dog? if i was her, i'd donate money for animal society, too.

i bet as she got older and sick, she noticed her relatives etc. probably plotting for some fortune. im glad none got all the hard earned gold for easy cash.

i think it was refreshing. she knew her driver did honest work and appreciated the service and a friendship. very cool.

well my answer is off the topic. :p

Answer 5

I just read on the internet that she left 12 million dollars to her dog and nothing to 2 of her grandchildren. She wasnt a very nice person. You dont have to be mean to get rich.

Answer 6

this is today's ny daily news (www.nydailynews.com).

she left $12 million to her dog, Trouble, $10 million to her brother, who has to take care of the dog, $5 million to each grandchild except for 2 (she ordered her grand kids to visit their father at the mausoleum and there will be a guest book for them to sign), all must follow her instructions if they want their inheritance, her mausoleum steam cleaned each year, her jewelry auctioned off and the money to go to the Harry and Leona foundation to help any charity.

Answer 7

It was liberal media condemnation of her, mostly, in my opinion, just like with Martha Stewart. Mostly insitgated out of JEALOUSY and for reason of success.

That's because of Socialist-minded thinking that this occurs. Not that she was perfect, but who is?

Answer 8

Aggressive does not have to equal mean- you can get what you want and still be nice "to the little people".

Answer 9

You can be successful without being a total ***!!! She was mean,,,she was 87? What? Do you think she will live forever?

Answer 10

i think some people manage differently.
she probably managed through intimidation and there's nothing wrong with that, although, many people will give you nicknames, like "the queen of mean".
or she could have been misunderstood.
who knows.