No matter how famous and recognizable a celebrity is, there will always be people who either have no clue who they are, don’t find them to be recognizable, and/or don’t care. That is why I stuck in the “YMMV.”
“recognizing George Clooney” is in the news because Biden didn’t. But also, Biden actually knew the guy personally and is a politician, and politicians are good at recognizing people.
Fwiw, the photo doesn’t look at all familiar to me. But I’ve never met him, and I’m partially face blind. I’d be a terrible politician. Yes, it’s surprising (in a bad way) that Biden didn’t recognize him. Like when my MIL leaned over and whispered to me too ask who “that handsome young man” was (my son, her grandson.) Or like when my mother was delighted to meet her charming adult grandson.
I basically don’t recognize celebrities. I’ve been at the airport when the people i was traveling with were all in a buzz because they recognized a celebrity. Looked like a middle aged white guy in a suit to me.
Actually, what I was originally asking about was celebrities who, even once you know who they are, have changed so much that you see nothing familiar about them.
I remember Lynda Carter playing Wonder Woman in the 70s. I remember thinking there was something very distinctive about her smile. She did a cameo in one of the movies; that’s probably the most recent thing I’ve seen her in. She still looks great, and quite recognizable. The thing is, she could let her hair go gray, and all the other things that happen to us as we age, but as long as she still had that same smile, there’d be something familiar about her.
That’s the sort of thing I was asking about; whether other people experience something like that, and with whom. I’m not sure I’d recognize very many celebrities if I encountered them in the wild. But once someone pointed out George Clooney to me, I hope I’d recognize his voice, or his eyes, or something.
Somewhat related, and maybe worth a thread of its own, but I’m terrible at trying to describe people. Even when I recognize them, I can’t put it into words. If I ever witness a crime, and the police have me talk to a sketch artist, it would be a waste of time.
He’s in one of my favorite movies - 1776 as Rutledge, the representative from South Carolina. In later years, he’s been Mark Greene’s father on ER and Mike’s father on The Middle, and any number of other roles, but I just don’t see him as the same guy.
To be fair, DrDeth DID start his post by saying he would not recognize MOST celebs.
I wasn’t sure why he named Clooney. I hadn’t noticed him mentioned previously in this thread. Since Clooney has been a MAJOR MOVIE STAR and his face has been plastered just about everywhere in print and film for several decades, I find it curious that someone wouldn’t recognize him. He CERTAINLY is more “famous” than my suggestion - Anthony Michael Hall, and many others suggested.
But, for someone who does not recognize MOST celebs, I’ll happily accept that Clooney was just chosen off of a near infinite list.
In the gaps of knowledge area, just yesterday I was driving with my BIL - a big White Sox fan, and I shocked him that I could not name a single current Sox of Cub player. We both live in the Chicago area and I read the Chicago Trib daily. Some folk just have knowledge gaps that are surprising to others.
Okay, then I’m out i basically don’t recognize celebrities who haven’t changed their appearance. It’s unusual that i recognize an actor I’ve seen in other shows. It happens, but not so consistently that it would be weird for me to not notice.
To be fair, the Sox have had a massive amount of roster turnover in the last couple of years, have essentially zero stars left on the team, and their manager probably couldn’t name most of them.
Holling on ‘Northern Exposure’ for years - he looked much the same on his stint on ‘ER’. (he sang a bit of ‘They Call the Wind Mariah’ on an episode, it was spine-tingling good - wished there had been more).