# Do you know who Freddie Mercury is/was? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 23, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718 "2012-04-23T18:08:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Damfino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Damfino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damfino)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/81 "2012-04-23T22:08:01Z")
> [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](#): > > Farroukh Bolsahri, the Parsi entertainer from Zanzabar? That Freddie Mercury? > > Big fan. I don’t remember his exact given name, but I think I’m in the ballpark. Balsara was the name I heard in my teens in India ion the 80s (where Queen is very popular). Not Googling, so may be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/82 "2012-04-23T23:13:45Z")
Farrokh Bulsara, born in Zanzibar (now part of Tanzania) to Parsi parents, i.e. Zoroastrian ethnic Persians from India. I don’t think he was ever officially “out” and was in a LTR with a woman. Most people maybe didn’t see it at the time, but it can be [more obvious in retrospect](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Bad_Guy). ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/83 "2012-04-23T23:25:56Z")
Born in 1978. My first exposure to Queen was when _Waynes World_ came out. \*I see a little silhouetto of a man, Scaramouche! Scaramouche! Will you do the Fandango?! \* Well, that and in 1992 every radio station in Pittsburgh was playing “We Are the Champions” (the Penguins had just won the Stanley Cup twice in a row) ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/84 "2012-04-23T23:45:00Z")
He was in the Village People, right? And did the theme to Buck Rogers? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/85 "2012-04-24T00:52:46Z")
I was at a housewarming, and he walked in once. Only it wasn’t him, because he’d been dead for six years at that point. Just someone who looked uncannily like him. Anyway, I have been aware of Freddie Mercury since around 1979. ---
**Author:** ![Helena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c68b51/32.png) [@Helena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/86 "2012-04-24T00:54:48Z")
I didn’t know who Freddie Mercury was till a few months ago. (Might have heard the name, but couldn’t tell you.) I’m 41. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/87 "2012-04-24T01:55:13Z")
Yes, the frontman for Queen. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/88 "2012-04-24T02:04:46Z")
Born in 1978. I knew Queen songs before he died, but his death put his name on the radar for me. I’m a Queen fan in the “Greatest Hits” sense. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/89 "2012-04-24T03:16:21Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Born in 1978. My first exposure to Queen was when _Waynes World_ came out. > > \*I see a little silhouetto of a man, > Scaramouche! Scaramouche! Will you do the > Fandango?! \* > > Well, that and in 1992 every radio station in Pittsburgh was playing “We Are the Champions” (the Penguins had just won the Stanley Cup twice in a row) Fun trivia fact: Dana Carvey, who played Garth, had never hear the song Bohemian Rhapsody before. He was reportedly displeased with the take in the movie when they were singing along to the song in the Mirthmobile, because it was obvious he was making random motions with his mouth and not actually lip-synching. > **[Wayne's World (1992) - Trivia - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105793/trivia/)** > > Wayne's World (1992) - Trivia on IMDb: Cameos, Mistakes, Spoilers and more... ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/90 "2012-04-24T03:18:44Z")
> [@Lancia](#): > > [For any of you out there who really don’t know who Freddie Mercury is](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQsM6u0a038) > > Your Welcome. I assume your life is now complete. You’re welcome. ---
**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:** [April 24, 2012, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/91 "2012-04-24T03:32:57Z")
> [@Rushgeekgirl](#): > > I swear I’ve never heard of this term “arena rock”. Is Rush considered arena rock too? I don’t think so; they’re usually considered “progressive rock”. Other bands which I’ve usually heard associated with the term include Styx, Foreigner, Journey, REO Speedwagon, and Boston. ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/92 "2012-04-24T03:34:08Z")
Young anime fans my know him from his appearance in [Cromartie High School](http://www.google.com/imgres?q=freddie+cromartie+high+school&hl=en&safe=off&client=safari&sa=X&rls=en&biw=1440&bih=720&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=0Qpm7bkbgnGNjM:&imgrefurl=http://randomtangentlm.blogspot.com/2011/07/freddie-mercury-day-seven-freddie-in.html&docid=sw03gM6KC2ZAYM&imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L-dKbYF_tB0/Tg90-w8c6RI/AAAAAAAAAJk/mI0Wh1ScQDc/s1600/1215609594_Freddie%25252BCromartie%25252BHigh%25252BSchool.jpg&w=404&h=446&ei=rx6WT8sZ6bLpAZSC8a8O&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=558&sig=106820368009389125403&page=1&tbnh=168&tbnw=154&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:69&tx=58&ty=52). ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/93 "2012-04-24T03:46:47Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > You’re welcome. Oh. Yeah. ---
**Author:** ![Lobot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@Lobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobot)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/94 "2012-04-24T03:48:24Z")
I was born in 1978, and yes, I know who Freddie Mercury is. I grew up listening to the radio when _The Game_ was big, but also knew Queen’s later (and earlier) hits. They may have finished having U.S. hits by 1984, but they cracked the Top 10 in Australia in '89 with"I Want It All", so they were still relevant here until Mercury’s death. It really stuns me how GenY, for the most part, see no relevance to anything outside their own time period… except if it can be ironically co-opted as some fashion accessory in order to impress their hipster buddies. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/95 "2012-04-24T04:47:48Z")
> [@Lobot](#): > > It really stuns me how GenY, for the most part, see no relevance to anything outside their own time period… except if it can be ironically co-opted as some fashion accessory in order to impress their hipster buddies. I never got that out of my generation, if anything we’re usually blamed for being somewhat stuck in the past. I know people who have frickin **vinyl** collections – completely unironically (okay, maybe a touch of irony, but they genuinely like having it regardless). Granted personal experiences all depend on social circles, college major, the location of the last butterfly wing flap, phase of the moon during your birth etc, so I can’t say my experiences are representative, but even the “popular kids” back in high school were all as stuck on Pink Floyd as they were the latest rap single or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/96 "2012-04-24T05:23:31Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > I think the closest I have ever come to an internet-induced stroke was watching a Queen video on youtube, and then reading the clueless comments left by young people who will be running the world while we are connected to tubes in nursing homes. I took my kids to go see Wayne’s World. At the point where the guys are singing “Bohemian Rhapsody” in the car; I started to sing along. My son looks over at me and says: “I thought you said you haven’t seen this movie before?” ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/97 "2012-04-24T06:50:34Z")
Hell, I’m 66 and I know damn well who Freddy Mercury was. Even have some of his music. Fantastic range. Who doesn’t know _We Are the Champions_ and _Somebody to Love_? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/98 "2012-04-24T06:55:30Z")
If I didn’t, my friend Carlos might pull a _bailaré sobre tu tumba_\*, get out all his Queen CDs (he’s got them all. All. Yes, the collections too), sharpen them and start trying to frisbee me to death… - No, “I’ll dance on your grave” is not by Queen, it’s by Siniestro. ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/99 "2012-04-24T07:28:04Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > I took my kids to go see Wayne’s World. At the point where the guys are singing “Bohemian Rhapsody” in the car; I started to sing along. My son looks over at me and says: “I thought you said you haven’t seen this movie before?” Bohemian Rhapsody, I know. Who’s Wayne…? 😕 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SticksAndString](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@SticksAndString](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SticksAndString)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718/100 "2012-04-24T11:00:04Z")
Not only do I know who Freddie Mercury is/was, but I read awhile back that they’re making a biopic with Sascha Baron Cohen as Freddie. I wanted to cry. I mean, c’mon…REALLY? They couldn’t find anybody better than BORAT to play Freddie Mercury? :facepalm: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-who-freddie-mercury-is-was/619718.md?page=6)