# Any famous people you were astonished to learn had a Ph. D ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 3, 2002, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161 "2002-07-03T04:39:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/1 "2002-07-03T04:39:05Z")
Are there any well known folks you’re aware of who hold a Ph. D.? Preferably folks not known for being brainy. Someone most people would be VERY surprised to learn had done advanced graduate studies. ---
**Author:** ![Ruffian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@Ruffian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruffian)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/2 "2002-07-03T05:29:20Z")
Well, not a Ph.D., but the same idea–I was shocked to learn this fellow was as precociously brilliant as he was: **Weird Al Yankovic** was the straight-A valedictorian of his high school graduating class–at age 16. He went to California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo and got a degree in architecture (!) which he’s obviously not needed to use. ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/3 "2002-07-03T06:07:06Z")
Greg Graffin, lead singer and founder of the punk band Bad Religion. Although he has not yet published his thesis, he is a doctoral candidate in biology at Cornell. The band also sponsored a contest in 1998 which resulted in a $4,000 research grant for a U. Mich. biology grad student. ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/4 "2002-07-03T09:10:19Z")
**Dolph Lundgren** has a MSc. in Chemical Engineering, his chosen profession before becoming an actor. Should this be in GQ?? ---
**Author:** ![ObiWan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e47774/32.png) [@ObiWan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ObiWan)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/5 "2002-07-03T10:35:34Z")
Brian May of Queen got a BSc honours degree in Physics and Maths at Imperial College, London (a very prestigious university). He also started a PhD in astronomy, but never completed his thesis. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/6 "2002-07-03T12:55:40Z")
Graham Chapman, of Monty Python fame, did not have a Phd. He was an **M.D.** , but chose the nobler field of sketch comedy. I believe John Cleese has a law degree. Put this in Cafe Society and you’ll get a ton of repsponses… ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/7 "2002-07-03T13:09:20Z")
Dr. Laura actually has, much to the chagrin of educated people everywhere, a doctorate. In physiology. I distinctly remember not believing it when I first learned that Bill Cosby has a Ph.D. In education, I believe, but I’m not sure. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/8 "2002-07-03T13:15:03Z")
I just checked, and it is a doctorate in education, which I believe is an Ed.D., not a Ph.D. Whoops. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/9 "2002-07-03T13:37:49Z")
Off to MPSIMS. ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/10 "2002-07-03T14:02:15Z")
I’m ofthe understanding, however, that Bill Cosby’s degree is honorary. His wife Camille, meanwhile, does have an unquestionably earned M.Ed. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/11 "2002-07-03T14:20:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Bill Cosby’s degree is honorary Yes, that was what I originally thought as well. This paragraph from [biography.com](http://search.biography.com/print_record.pl?id=21348) cleared it up for me, though: > [@](#): > > Though his successful career as an entertainer made a college degree unnecessary, Cosby spent much of the 1970s earning advanced degrees in education at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. The university allowed him to substitute life experience for his uncompleted bachelor’s degree and his work in prisons and on the children’s television program The Electric Company for its teaching requirement. Cosby wrote a 242-page dissertation called “An Integration of the Visual Media via Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids into the Elementary School Curriculum as a Teaching Aid and Vehicle to Achieve Increased Learning,” and in May of 1977, he was awarded a doctorate of education. So while his doctoral program may have been somewhat unconventional, it appears that he does hold a full-fledged degree. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/12 "2002-07-03T14:39:08Z")
[Tom Magliozzi](http://cartalk.cars.com/About/tom-bio.html) got his PhD from Boston University, and his brother, [Ray](http://cartalk.cars.com/About/ray-bio.html), has a bachelor’s from MIT. Who knew? They’re mechanics, for God’s sakes! Robin ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/13 "2002-07-03T14:44:04Z")
Carrol O’Connor has one or maybe just a masters. Also I believe the guy that played Artimis in the original Wild Wild West TV series was a PhD. My father, who was ranked next to last in his high school graduating class, eventually earned a PhD in theology and published his dissertation. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/14 "2002-07-03T14:46:34Z")
> [@](#): > > Graham Chapman, of Monty Python fame, did not have a Phd. He was an M.D., but chose the nobler field of sketch comedy. It was my understanding that he was actually a licensed physician, although he didn’t make his living practising medicine. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Wrong\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b782af/32.png) [@The\_Wrong\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Wrong_Girl)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/15 "2002-07-03T15:08:59Z")
Dexter Holland, the lead singer of the band The Offspring, is one credit shy of getting his Ph.D in microbiology at USC, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Wrong\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b782af/32.png) [@The\_Wrong\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Wrong_Girl)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/16 "2002-07-03T15:14:28Z")
Shoot! I forget.–Also, on the subject of Monty Python, Terry Jones is a renowned Chaucer expert. He’s written a book called “Chaucer’s night” and is speaking at a Chaucer conference in Colorado that my English teacher is attending this summer. Those Monty Python dudes are pretty smart, yo. ---
**Author:** ![refusal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@refusal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/refusal)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/17 "2002-07-03T16:45:02Z")
Graham Chapman was indeed a licensed physician on the General Medical Register, able to prescribe drugs, etc, as described in his rather fine autobiography, “A Liar’s Autobiography”. Although I don’t believe he ever practiced medicine in a paid capacity once he had completed his training. A number of British politicians have the title Dr. Lord Owen is a medical doctor, rather than a PhD. Brian Mawhinney, Conservative N Ireland Secretary, had a PhD in the biological effects of radiation. There are claims the Rev Dr Ian Paisley’s doctorate is less than kosher. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/18 "2002-07-03T16:49:36Z")
**Greg Graffin** , lead singer of Bad Religion, has a PhD in astrophysics, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/19 "2002-07-03T16:49:44Z")
I can’t believe I forgot about Tommy, **MsRobyn**. I was probably more surprised about that one than Cos and Dr. LaLa put together! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161/20 "2002-07-03T17:32:21Z")
refusal > [@](#): > > There are claims the Rev Dr Ian Paisley’s doctorate is less than kosher. It was an honourary degree awarded to him by none other than Bob Jones University , that bastion of education (providing your W.A.S.P. ). Its as kosher as a nine bob note. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-famous-people-you-were-astonished-to-learn-had-a-ph-d/117161.md?page=2)