Beyoncé banished from pyramids by 'Egypt's Indiana Jones'

Dr. Zahi Hawass—described as Egypt's Indiana Jones—was not as thankful to be in the presence of a one Queen Bey recently, when the singer showed up late to one of his tours. The gatekeeper of the pyramids banished Beyoncé, citing her lateness and refusal to apologize.

"Most people I take on tours are very nice and we become friends. But this lady…," begins Hawass, the former Minister of State for Antiquities, who lost his post during the 2011 protests and is at the centre of corruption allegations over his work for National Geographic.

"She said she would come at 3pm but she came late. I said 'You have to say I'm sorry I'm late'. But she didn't open her mouth," continued Dr Hawass, credited with modernising the management of Egypt's ancient sites and who claims to have repatriated 6,000 artefacts "stolen" by Western powers.

Before you even had the opportunity to side with Egypt's Indiana Jones, though, he went on a self-important diatribe about how important he is.

Dr Hawass, 66, visiting London to present his latest DNA examination of the pharaohs in a book, Discovering Tutankhamun, admits he has made enemies. "People attack me because I am famous. When I took President Obama to Giza, the camel driver recognised me and he asked 'But who is the friend of Hawass?' When I gave a lecture at your Dome of the Millennium 1,700 came to hear me. Bill Clinton got 700."

Oof. And here you thought that Beyoncé let all that fame go to her head. [Independent]