# Celebrities/VIPs/Luminaries whose names phonetically join in the middle **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [February 16, 2018, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912 "2018-02-16T03:47:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2018, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/101 "2018-03-10T04:07:57Z")
Hans Zimmer ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2018, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/102 "2018-03-10T13:48:57Z")
Wes Studi ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2018, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/103 "2018-03-10T19:06:15Z")
Greg Grunberg ---
**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:** [March 10, 2018, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/104 "2018-03-10T23:24:29Z")
American actor Bob Balaban ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2018, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/105 "2018-03-11T01:08:22Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > American actor Bob Balaban I’m afraid that someone mentioned him back on Page One. Also mentioned on Page One: Michael Learned, who’s done well at the Emmys but has never yet been nominated for an Academy Award. Not yet mentioned: Michael Lerner, who _has_ in fact been nominated for an Academy Award. ---
**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:** [March 11, 2018, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/106 "2018-03-11T20:41:28Z")
Clark Kent of _The Daily Planet_ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2018, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/107 "2018-03-12T15:55:36Z")
Y’know, the fact that Clark lost a fictional fight to Muhammad Ali brings to mind how Ali lost a real-life fight, and the heavyweight championship, to Ken Norton. ---
**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:** [March 12, 2018, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/108 "2018-03-12T18:36:33Z")
Hanna Andersson, the fictional namesake of the children’s clothing company ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2018, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/109 "2018-03-12T21:11:47Z")
Well, look, if we’re going to do fictional characters as well as real people, how about someone who was effectively _both,_ by dint of his pro-wrestling persona? _The Million Dollar Man: Ted DiBiase!_ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/110 "2018-03-13T10:48:17Z")
Dominic Cooper ---
**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:** [March 13, 2018, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/111 "2018-03-13T13:06:50Z")
Miles Standish Spencer Reid (yes, he’s a character) ---
**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:** [March 13, 2018, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/112 "2018-03-13T14:29:02Z")
Klan leader and political wannabe David Duke ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/113 "2018-03-13T15:05:37Z")
Cambodian dictator Lon Nol, who also gets the Palindrome Prize. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/114 "2018-03-13T17:02:45Z")
I think Mark Kram, an award-winning writer, is also a palindrome worth a mention. ---
**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:** [March 13, 2018, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/115 "2018-03-13T19:53:36Z")
Reginald Duke, before he became Elton John ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/116 "2018-03-13T21:40:29Z")
Jose Ramón Gil Samaniego, after he became Ramón Novarro ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/117 "2018-03-13T23:26:52Z")
Well colour me Dave Hartman - like, _plum_ forgot about this.:o So’s, then - > [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Cy Young. Unfortunately, the long “i” sound at the end of Cy doesn’t do the cha-cha with the consonantal “y” beginning of Young. > [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > (…I’m now realising that a ‘y’ connection will be a near-impossible phonetic one, given that the long ‘e’ vowel ending of Maury doesn’t meld with the consonontal ‘y’ beginning of Yeston.) So yeah, might as well bypass that non-connection. > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Wait, does Richard Dean Anderson count? It would be cool to avoid names that are normally known to have a middle name, but because the San Marino judges have deemed this borderline, then: > [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > One cheating macguffin allowed. for you. > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Well, look, if we’re going to do fictional characters as well as real people…\* Fictional people? ::with that annoying body-twisting _“wellllllllllllllllllll”_ with one foot on its toe “still thinking about it”:: _Oh alright!_ (gruffly barked) > [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Reginald Duke, before he became Elton John That would be Reginald Dwight\*. \*Small world - reminding me of an oral presentation back in gr. 5 that a classmate decided to give on Elton John. She was extremely nervous, and called him Reggie Delight, which elicited a chorus of jeers from us understanding kids, as she stormed out of the class, and then became a taunting catchphrase for her. This thread will become an interesting memory exercise, to avoid repeats. Otis Skinner - American stage actor form 20’s, 30’s, 40s. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/118 "2018-03-13T23:34:47Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Otis Skinner - American stage actor form 20’s, 30’s, 40s. Back when American movie star Robert Taylor was headlining tons of pictures! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2018, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/119 "2018-03-14T01:24:23Z")
On _The Tonight Show_ in a couple of hours: Chris Sullivan, from _This Is Us_. ---
**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:** [March 14, 2018, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912/120 "2018-03-14T14:12:33Z")
Wakanda bad guy Erik Killmonger. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-vips-luminaries-whose-names-phonetically-join-in-the-middle/808912.md?page=7)