That's fascinating.
The actual trick for their type is looking like they could never get to know you.
Often it's snobbery by them, often it's a valid defense mechanism, most of the time every external person which wishes to interact with them, actually wants something from them.
People outside the circle make the "familiarity, approachability" error, which instantly eliminates them.
As a employee one is in a much better and more entertaining position, because when positve things happen, then they really are great.
But obviously your experience is one, one can possibly laugh about later, much later.