# Embarrassingly famous pop culture that has passed you by... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 14, 2008, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244 "2008-05-14T03:37:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Buckler\_of\_Swashing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Buckler\_of\_Swashing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buckler_of_Swashing)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/21 "2008-05-14T08:23:31Z")
I’m 23 and not only did the Facebook/MySpace/other social networking sites pass me by, when I finally did find out what it was all about - I thought it was among the most stupid and pointless wastes of time I had ever heard of. This is despite my love of most things internet. I mean, seriously, Facebook? Come on. ‘Look at me, I’m on the interweb!’ It just seems to be there for the sake of being there. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/22 "2008-05-14T09:03:43Z")
I’ve yet to watch Lost, although I probably will at some point. I had a facebook account for about three months but consistently failed to be convinced that it had a point so shut it down ( **Buckler of Swashing** - you said it). Never had a myspace account either. Never watched Buffy, despite legions of her fans telling me that I must. Never seen the Godfather trilogy. I’m 28 ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/23 "2008-05-14T09:06:59Z")
[QUOTE=kaylasdad99] The _My Humps_ Fergie is the same Fergie that I know as the Duchess of York, right? [/QUOTE] No, she isn’t the same person. [Fergie](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fergie_%28singer%29). [Duchess of York](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah%2C_Duchess_of_York). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/24 "2008-05-14T09:20:42Z")
[QUOTE=Zabali\_Clawbane] No, she isn’t the same person. [Fergie](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fergie_%28singer%29). [Duchess of York](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah%2C_Duchess_of_York). 🙂 [/QUOTE] But it would have been hilarious if she was. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/25 "2008-05-14T10:40:44Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] I’ve not only never seen any of the Mission Impossible movies (was there also a tv show?) but I don’t even know what they’re about. What’s more, I don’t even really know what genre they are, though I suspect it’s… action? [/quote] The movies are forgettable. The old TV show from the 60’s and 70’s was pretty darn good though (and had pretty much no relation to the movies other than the title.) The movies are action films, the first including a dash of “heist film.” The TV series was…sort of genre-less. It was its own genre. I suppose you could say that it was a heist TV show, but they aren’t usually robbing anything. They might be assigned to extract a person from the depths of the USSR, make a terrorist give up information on the location of a bomb, or frame some guy so that his own government inprisons him. But whatever they do, they do it with con-artistry, cunning, and patience and never use torture or guns or violent means to achieve their goal. They have a lead planner, a front-man who’s an expert of disguise and impersonations, a front-woman who’s an expert of seduction and con-artistry, a mechanic/roboticist, and a strong-man. In the TV show, all of these characters is indispensible and only a part of the team. In the movies, there largely is no crew and it’s all just a one-man show of Tom Cruise and his ego, and all cleverness has been thrown to the wind. Not to say that the TV show would be your thing, but it is quality work and quite enjoyable if you are the sort for it–and there’s nothing else out there that fills the same gap. ---
**Author:** ![Lillith\_Fair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@Lillith\_Fair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lillith_Fair)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/26 "2008-05-14T11:41:49Z")
Most “reality” shows. (Kind of watched a couple of the PBS ones.) Lost. 24. Idol. Dancing. Buffy. 90210. Sat through all LOTRs with Mr. Lillith and thought I was going to die. But here’s the embarrassing one: U2 I know they are wonderful–they have done great things in the world. But I have not a clue what even one of their songs sounds like. I’m sure I’ve heard them but I don’t identify them at all. And I seriously hate Bono’s glasses. They all have the same style and I HATE THEM ALL. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/27 "2008-05-14T12:37:23Z")
[QUOTE=Lillith Fair] But here’s the embarrassing one: U2 I know they are wonderful–they have done great things in the world. But I have not a clue what even one of their songs sounds like. I’m sure I’ve heard them but I don’t identify them at all. And I seriously hate Bono’s glasses. They all have the same style and I HATE THEM ALL. [/QUOTE] If South Park hasn’t completely passed you by, there is an episode that explains how Bono can do such wonderful things yet people think he’s a giant turd. He actualy IS a giant turd come to life and raised from birth as a human. ---
**Author:** ![Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/28 "2008-05-14T12:56:46Z")
I’ve never seen any reality shows except _Dateline: To Catch a Predator_. Partially as a consequence I no longer use any social networking websites. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/29 "2008-05-14T13:08:41Z")
[QUOTE=msmith537] If South Park hasn’t completely passed you by… [/QUOTE] That’s one of the many that I’ve missed, but I haven’t missed it much. I deal with enough smarty pants, potty mouth kids who are my relatives, so I don’t need to see the show. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/30 "2008-05-14T13:25:48Z")
I’ve never seen a single episode of _South Park_. Likewise for _American Idol_. And I gave up on MTV when they apparently forgot what the ‘M’ was supposed to stand for. I’m not against cartoons, 'cause I’ve seen lots of _The Simpsons_, _King of the Hill_, _Family Guy_ and so on; I’m not against ‘reality’ TV, 'cause I love _Mythbusters_ and _Dancing with the Stars_… ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/31 "2008-05-14T13:42:05Z")
I’ve never seen a single episode of American Idol, or Friends. I’ve never sat through an entire Seinfeld because it isn’t actually very funny. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/32 "2008-05-14T13:50:06Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia] I’ve never seen a single episode of American Idol, or Friends. I’ve never sat through an entire Seinfeld because it isn’t actually very funny. [/QUOTE] You missed out the words “in my opinion” between “because” and “it”. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/33 "2008-05-14T14:21:31Z")
I like TV and movies, but I’m very picky. Never seen Survivor, or 99.5% of reality TV. No ER. No Gray’s Anatomy or Lost. No Deal or No Deal. No Mission Impossible movies. Somehow, never heard “My Humps” either. I’ve barely heard a Mariah Carey song, ever. Tons more, if I had time… Joe ---
**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:** [May 14, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/34 "2008-05-14T14:22:23Z")
I’ve never seen _Family Guy._ I’d probably love it given the descriptions and catchphrases, but it’s just too trendy right now. I hate having large crowds milling around in my head while I’m trying to be entertained (I waited till 2 years after _Cheers_ went off before I started watching the reruns). I could give a ratsass about _any_ reality show. I once watched _24_ but only because I had a thing for Mary Lynn Rajskub. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/35 "2008-05-14T14:33:14Z")
I’m getting to be of an age where the things “kids these days” are into are escaping my notice. I assume from the large amount of folders and pencil packs and cereal boxes and whatnot that _High School Musical_ was A Big Thing? I vaguely realize that someone \*\*DiosaBellisima \*\*(I think I spelled that wrong, sorry **Diosa**!) went to high school with is now a big star because of it, but that FOAF thing is seriously the only connection I have to it. I’m at the point where I’m having to ask my kid if the band on Smallville this week is a real band or a fictional one. And what’s worse, I don’t really care. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/36 "2008-05-14T14:38:48Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] I’ve never seen _Family Guy._ I’d probably love it given the descriptions and catchphrases, but it’s just too trendy right now. I hate having large crowds milling around in my head while I’m trying to be entertained (I waited till 2 years after _Cheers_ went off before I started watching the reruns). [/QUOTE] I don’t understand this - how does the popularity of something stop you enjoying it? Or are you telepathically linked to everyone watching a show at the same time as you? ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/37 "2008-05-14T14:56:41Z")
I’ve never played nor seen anyone play any of the following games: Any of the Grand Theft Auto series Any of The Sims series Any of the World of Warcraft games Any of the Halo games I’ve never seen any of the hit HBO or Showtime shows from the past 18 years; Deadwood, Sopranos, The Wire, Six Feet Under, Rome, Entourage, etc. I’ve actually never had HBO or Showtime. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/38 "2008-05-14T14:57:33Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] Texting is the most useful thing ever. There are plenty of situations where someone wouldn’t be able to take a phone call but would be able to glance down, read a few words, and punch a few words back. [/QUOTE] I tried to start texting 10 years ago, because I was often in a meeting or classroom then, and you can’t take a phone call in that situation. I tried to get my colleagues to text me, but they had little concept of what it was. The problem was that, not only did they not understand it, but quite a few didn’t even have cell phones. Now, it’s the students who are texting me, so much so that it’s sometimes annoying. Something that has “passed me by” is boba tea. I just don’t like those things at the bottom of the cup. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/39 "2008-05-14T14:57:45Z")
Never watched American Idol or any other talent show. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244/40 "2008-05-14T15:00:32Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] I’ve never seen _Family Guy._ I’d probably love it given the descriptions and catchphrases, but it’s just too trendy right now. I hate having large crowds milling around in my head while I’m trying to be entertained (I waited till 2 years after _Cheers_ went off before I started watching the reruns). [/QUOTE] I have the same habit with most popular shows that I never watch them until they go into syndication and have been off the air. Cheers, MASH, Seinfeld, Everyone Loves Raymond, King of Queens, etc. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassingly-famous-pop-culture-that-has-passed-you-by/449244.md?page=3)