# Discussion thread for the "Polls only" thread (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 16, 2024, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636 "2024-02-16T02:56:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 418
**Author:** ![Bayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bayaker/32/3454_2.png) [@Bayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2025, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8342 "2025-09-07T14:36:45Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Am disappointed that a certain female gothic post-punker got zero recognition tho. Heh. After voting, I googled all the names I didn’t know. Her stage name is as unknown to me as her real name. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2025, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8343 "2025-09-07T14:55:35Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Am disappointed that a certain female gothic post-punker got zero recognition tho. That’s no reflection on the artist or her fans. My two favorite bands are X and the Cramps and I have no clue what the birth names of John Doe, Billy Zoom, Poison Ivy, and Lux Interior are (but for some reason I know DJ Bonebrake is a real name - his parents must have known he’d be a drummer.) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2025, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8344 "2025-09-07T15:26:36Z")
In @Mean_Mr.Mustard’s recent musicians poll, I did check the names I knew thanks to @psychonaut’s earlier poll, but not the ones I didn’t know but could probably guess. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2025, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8345 "2025-09-07T15:38:53Z")
Because I know who Paul David Hewson is, I also know who his bandmate, David Howell Evans (not in the poll) is: The Edge. Also, trivia on Gary Lee Weinrib: his parents were Polish Holocaust survivors, who emigrated to Canada. His mother had a thick Polish accent, and when she said Gary’s name, it sounded like Geddy; his high school friends gave that to him as a nickname. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2025, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8346 "2025-09-07T17:07:42Z")
> [@colinfred](#): > > I’d say all 3 discredited witnesses were recklessly endangering the defendants by testifying to something they couldn’t have seen, only grits guy can be given much benefit of the doubt. The sheriff at best is wilfully oblivious to context and the auto expert should have been able to spot the discrepancy himself. They’re not evil but they’re not great. The witnesses testified to what they believed they saw. The defense has the job to find fault with the testimony. The likelihood of two similar looking 30 year old cars with exactly the same rare color being at the same liquor store is astronomically low. But it’s not impossible so in the context of the movie it works. The sheriff was amused by Vinny. He didn’t interfere and even went out of his way to help the defense when he wasn’t obligated to. George Wibur was brought in as a tire expert not an expert in general automotive knowledge. His testimony was truthful and correct. The only photo that showed something different was the one shitty photo taken by Vinny. Since Wilbur was only testifying about the tires he most likely wouldn’t have even seen Vinny’s photo until he was brought back up on the stand. When presented further information he again testified truthfully and correctly even though it helped the defense. This leads to the one problem I do have with the movie. The scene the movie is most remembered for is the testimony of Mona Lisa. The scene won her the Oscar. We are made to believe that she has an encyclopedic savant level knowledge of cars. It goes much further than just knowing a lot about cars. It’s much more than what a normal person picks up working in a garage. The problem is for any of this to work Vinny also needs to be a car savant. He glances at the photo and immediately realizes everything he’s going to ask Mona about. He knows to look for a Tempest because he tells the sheriff before Mona even testifies. It wouldn’t have been as dramatic but he could have gotten the same testimony in by recalling George Wilbur. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2025, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8347 "2025-09-07T17:14:15Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > The only photo that showed something different was the one shitty photo taken by Vinny. I believe that Mona Lisa took all the pics. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2025, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8348 "2025-09-07T17:27:57Z")
I knew nine of mmm’s musicians. Guessed correctly on a handful more, but that’s not the same as knowing so I didn’t click those. The most obscure one (based on current poll results) that I knew was Tony Bennett at 15%. I was surprised that wasn’t higher. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2025, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8349 "2025-09-07T19:08:47Z")
IMHO, the name they go by is their name, not a birth name they do not use. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2025, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8350 "2025-09-07T19:10:44Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > IMHO, the name they go by is their name, not a birth name they do not use In a few cases from these lists (such as Elton John and Geddy Lee), the people in question have actually legally changed their names to what they’d been using as “stage names” for years. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2025, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8351 "2025-09-07T19:11:48Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > In a few cases from these lists (such as Elton John and Geddy Lee), the people in question have actually legally changed their names to what they’d been using as “stage names” for years. I thought many of them have? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2025, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8352 "2025-09-07T19:25:58Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I thought many of them have? Looking specifically at the ones in the poll which I knew: Have legally changed their names to reflect their professional names: - Robert Zimmerman Bob Dylan - Farrokh Bulsara Freddie Mercury - Gary Weinrib Geddy Lee - Reginald Dwight Elton John Have _not_ legally changed their names, as far as I can tell: - Richard Starkey Ringo Starr - Gordon Sumner Sting - Declan MacManus Elvis Costello - George O’Dowd Boy George - Paul Hewson Bono - Peter Thorkelson Peter Tork Other: - Chaim Witz Gene Simmons (his name was legally changed when he was a child; he adopted the same first name as what became his stage name, but has apparently not ever legally adopted his “stage surname”) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2025, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8353 "2025-09-07T19:38:12Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > > > In a few cases from these lists (such as Elton John and Geddy Lee), the people in question have actually legally changed their names to what they’d been using as “stage names” for years. > > I thought many of them have? Depends on your personal definition of “many.” I made a thread about which celebrities kept their real names and which didn’t. It’s a mixed bag and each has their own personal reasons for their decision. I guess we are doing spoilers for those who didn’t take the poll yet. Michael Caine was knighted as Sir Maurice Micklewhite. He had always lived under his real name. At age 83 he legally changed his name because he said people recognizing him as Michael Caine but holding a passport with the name Maurice Micklewhite caused too many delays in airports. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2025, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8354 "2025-09-07T20:35:50Z")
Still waiting on @Mean_Mr.Mustard (and @psychonaut if he is still game) to reveal who they all are (so we don’t have to go to Wikipedia and doing a bunch of searches). I got 3 note. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2025, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8355 "2025-09-07T21:44:51Z")
Birth names of musicians: Annie Mae Bullock - Tina Turner Anthony Benedetto - Tony Bennett Arnold George Dorsey - Englebert Humperdinck Brenda Gail Webb - Crystal Gayle Chaim Witz - Gene Simmons Clara Ann Fowler - Patti Page David Van Cortland - David Crosby Declan Patrick McManus - Elvis Costello Diane Ernestine Earle - Diana Ross Ellen Naomi Cohen - Cass Elliot Eric Patrick Clapp - Eric Clapton (edit: it now appears this may not be true) Ernest Evans - Chubby Checker Evangelos Papathanassiou - Vangelis Farouk Bulsara - Freddie Mercury Gary Lee Weinrib - Geddy Lee George Alan O’Dowd - Boy George Gordon Matthew Sumner - Sting Herbert Buckingham Khaury - Tiny Tim Hugh Anthony Cregg III - Huey Lewis Ingram Cecil Conner II - Gram Parsons James Jewell Osterberg, Jr. - Iggy Pop Jeanine Deckers - The Singing Nun Jiles Perry Richardson - The Big Bopper John Simon Ritchie - Sid Vicious Joseph Fidler - Joe Walsh Kris Carson - Kris Kristofferson Malcolm John Rebennack - Dr. John Mary O’Brien - Dusty Springfield McKinley Morganfield - Muddy Waters Otha Ellas Bates McDaniel - Bo Diddley Paul David Hewson - Bono Peter Halston Thorkelson - Peter Tork Richard Starkey - Ringo Starr Richard Wayne Penniman - Little Richard Robert Allen Zimmerman - Bob Dylan Roberta Joan Anderson - Joni Mitchell Steven Demetre Georgion - Cat Stevens Steven Victor Tallarico - Steven Tyler Virginia Patterson Hensley - Patsy Cline William Michael Albert Broad - Billy Idol ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2025, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8356 "2025-09-07T21:59:57Z")
> Declan Patrick McManus - Elvis Costello > Gordon Matthew Sumner - Sting > James Jewell Osterberg, Jr. - Iggy Pop > Malcolm John Rebennack - Dr. John > McKinley Morganfield - Muddy Waters > Paul David Hewson - Bono > Richard Starkey - Ringo Starr > Richard Wayne Penniman - Little Richard > Robert Allen Zimmerman - Bob Dylan I only checked it if I was 100% sure, so I didn’t get a ton of them. ---
**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:** [September 8, 2025, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8357 "2025-09-08T15:05:44Z")
I don’t have a ‘work wife’ as the phrase is commonly meant, but my wife and I work together. My ex-wife and I worked together too. It’s a family trait, apparently. My Dad worked with his wife. My maternal grandparents worked together. My uncle and aunt. My sister and her husband. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2025, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8358 "2025-09-08T15:59:37Z")
I got a pretty good percentage of the actors correct. A lot fewer of the musicians but I still think I did pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2025, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8359 "2025-09-08T16:04:29Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I don’t have a ‘work wife’ as the phrase is commonly meant, but my wife and I work together. My ex-wife and I worked together too. > > It’s a family trait, apparently. My Dad worked with his wife. My maternal grandparents worked together. My uncle and aunt. My sister and her husband. I met my ex-wife at work. She was never my “work wife” since we kept the relationship secret for most of when I worked there. I don’t think the term existed then. Other than that my two main careers were very male dominated. In the Army I was almost exclusively in all male units that didn’t start getting women until I was retired. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2025, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8360 "2025-09-08T16:55:47Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Still waiting on @Mean_Mr.Mustard (and @psychonaut if he is still game) to reveal who they all are (so we don’t have to go to Wikipedia and doing a bunch of searches). I got 3 note. Here are the solutions to [my quiz on birth names of famous people](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polls-only-no-discussion/953642/6201): - Agnes Bojaxhiu: Mother Teresa - Archibald Alec Leach: Cary Grant - Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr.: Snoop Dogg - Caryn Johnson: Whoopi Goldberg - Chaim Witz: Gene Simmons - Cheryl Sarkisian: Cher - Eric Arthur Blair: George Orwell - Farrokh Bulsara: Freddie Mercury - Garik Kimovich Weinstein: Garry Kasparov - Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr.: John Denver - Ioseb Dzhugashvili: Joseph Stalin - Issur Danielovitch: Kirk Douglas - Jay Scott Greenspan: Jason Alexander - Krishna Pandit Bhanji: Ben Kingsley - María Rosario Pilar Martínez Molina Baeza: Charo - Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, Jr.: Michael Caine - Reginald Kenneth Dwight: Elton John - Steven Demetre Georgiou: Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam - Terry Gene Bollea: Hulk Hogan - Vincent Damon Furnier: Alice Cooper ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2025, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/8361 "2025-09-08T17:03:54Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > IMHO, the name they go by is their name, not a birth name they do not use. Agreed, and I tried to make the wording of my poll neutral enough to be compatible with this perspective. (I mentioned only that the people had a “birth name” and “another name” under which they became known, without any judgement as to which one, if either, should be considered their real, default, or actual name.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636.md?page=417) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636.md?page=419)