# Any geniuses in Hollywood? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 5, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955 "2009-01-05T16:52:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/21 "2009-01-05T18:50:36Z")
And David Duchovny has a masters in English Literature from Yale. ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/22 "2009-01-05T19:01:38Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > The deceased [Hedy Lamar](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedy_Lamarr) co-invented spread-spectrum communications. From that link: > [@wikipedia](#): > > She later related that even though (her husband) Mandl was part-Jewish, he was consorting with Nazi industrialists which infuriated her. In 1937, she convinced Mandl to allow her to attend a party wearing all her expensive jewelry, later drugged him with the help of her maid, and made her escape out of the country with the jewelry. Damn, Hedy Lamarr was _awesome!_ Doesn’t make him a genius, but porn star Ron Jeremy has a master’s degree in Special Education, which (being in special ed myself) I think is quite cool. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/23 "2009-01-05T19:04:33Z")
I don’t know where this “Celebrity Cowboy” outfit gets its info, but it’s BS. James Woods is not a member of Mensa, nor Quentin Tarantino, Steve Martin, or Sharon Stone. I have no doubt that any of them qualifies, but that is not the same thing as being a member. Geena Davis is a member. You have to either pass the test or send in evidence that you have taken another test that qualifies you, and then pay your fargin’ dues. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/24 "2009-01-05T19:06:34Z")
Some interesting linkages here: [Erdős–Bacon number - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacon_erdos_number) Natalie Portman, mentioned in **Gangster Octopus** ’s link, has published papers on psychology and is, by all accounts, quite smart. No dumb actress she. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/25 "2009-01-05T19:14:50Z")
Whoopie Goldberg has a PhD in English. Not really “Hollywood,” but the singer from the Offspring has a PhD in physics. Also, appropo of nothing, I just want to obeserve that in addition to being a math nerd, Danika McKellar also grew up to be smoking hot (just do a Google image search). Smoking hot + math nerd is pretty much an unbeatable combination. ---
**Author:** ![Xan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ac8455/32.png) [@Xan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/26 "2009-01-05T19:31:42Z")
> [@Cluricaun](#): > > Not Hollywood per se, but in the entertainment world Brian “Dexter” Holland, lead singer of the Offspring has a bachelors in biology and a masters in molecutlar biology as well as being a PhD candidate in molecular bio at one time at USC. Not too shabby for a punk rocker. Greg Graffin from Bad Religion has a PhD in zoology. ---
**Author:** ![Xan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ac8455/32.png) [@Xan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/27 "2009-01-05T19:35:04Z")
> [@Xan](#): > > Greg Graffin from Bad Religion has a PhD in zoology. and Queen Bruin beat me to it. In my defense I didn’t read the whole thread. ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/28 "2009-01-05T19:45:14Z")
Since we’ve opened up the discussion to include musicians, **Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter** , lead guitarist know for his work with Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers, is a self-taught expert on missile defense. (From the Wiki article) he has formally served as a U.S. defense consultant and chairs the Congressional Advisory Board on missile defense. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/29 "2009-01-05T19:50:47Z")
Glenne Headly and Alan Rachins are Mensans. So is Asia Carrera, although I don’t see her listed here: [http://www.us.mensa.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Search§ion=Media\_Kit1&template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentFileID=21614](http://www.us.mensa.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Search§ion=Media_Kit1&template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentFileID=21614) ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/30 "2009-01-05T19:52:02Z")
Robert Vaughn has a PhD in communications from USC. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/31 "2009-01-05T19:54:50Z")
> [@Xan](#): > > In my defense I didn’t read the whole thread. It’s OK, neither did **DtC**. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![MrPeabody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@MrPeabody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrPeabody)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/32 "2009-01-05T19:57:35Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I came in to say Charlie Chaplin. Maybe the Marx Brothers and W. C. Fields. D. W. Griffith and John Ford. > > But a math degree? A Ph.D.? Mensa? They let anybody who can spell their own name into Mensa. Genius means a hell of a lot more than graduating college. Have you been out in the real world? Cite on the Mensa slam? Sounds like someone who did not get in. You never said what real world criteria you would use. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/33 "2009-01-05T19:58:34Z")
Not sure if this qualifies as, but I believe that Alice Cooper is a Juilliard graduate. No small feat in itself. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/34 "2009-01-05T19:59:00Z")
I haven’t the slightest as to his IQ, but obviously Steven Spielberg is a “Hollywood genius”. To quote Rob Cohen, a Universal executive in the 1970s, “He’s a master at choreographing the elements of the business. He didn’t get to be ‘Steven Spielberg’ just by being a good director.” He’s likely not what you’re asking, since you’re looking for people with IQ’s above a certain number, but as has been mentioned, there is more to being a true genius than by achieving certain scores on certain tests in favored subjects. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/35 "2009-01-05T20:51:06Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > Not sure if this qualifies as, but I believe that Alice Cooper is a Juilliard graduate. No small feat in itself. I don’t know if that’s the case, I can’t find any reference to back that up anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/36 "2009-01-05T21:34:18Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > the singer from the Offspring has a PhD in physics. From wikipedia: Holland was the class valedictorian at Pacifica High School in Garden Grove, California and was a Ph.D. candidate in Molecular Biology from the University of Southern California; however, he abandoned his Ph.D. in favor of focusing on The Offspring. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Master’s degree in Molecular Biology, both from the University of Southern California. Holland is also a licensed Airline Transport Pilot and has made a solo trip around the world in 10 days ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/37 "2009-01-05T21:38:54Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > It should be pointed out that majoring in physics does not mean intelligent. In fact a PhD in physics does not mean intelligent although it does mean a willingness work hard to acheive a goal and a basic understanding of science. A “basic” understanding of science? That seems somewhat at odds with the need to produce a doctoral thesis, no? I mean, unless you’re attending Rubber Stamp U, or bribe the thesis committee or something. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/38 "2009-01-05T22:19:26Z")
Jodie Foster graduated magna cum laude from Yale, and is fluent in German and French. She has to have some serious brain power. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/39 "2009-01-05T22:25:01Z")
> [@Cardinal](#): > > From wikipedia: > > Holland was the class valedictorian at Pacifica High School in Garden Grove, California and was a Ph.D. candidate in Molecular Biology from the University of Southern California; however, he abandoned his Ph.D. in favor of focusing on The Offspring. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Master’s degree in Molecular Biology, both from the University of Southern California. > > Holland is also a licensed Airline Transport Pilot and has made a solo trip around the world in 10 days I don’t know when that entry is dated, but I heard him in a radio interview a couple of years ago saying he’d gone back and finished his PhD. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955/40 "2009-01-05T22:27:19Z")
Besides being one of the most beautiful (and underappreciated) actresses in the industry, Alicia Witt has an IQ of 180. She also has a degree in piano, and once performed professionally. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-geniuses-in-hollywood/479955.md?page=3)