# Fictional characters from real businesses/colleges near you

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-characters-from-real-businesses-colleges-near-you/257264>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [July 28, 2004, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-characters-from-real-businesses-colleges-near-you/257264 "2004-07-28T12:37:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2004, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-characters-from-real-businesses-colleges-near-you/257264/1 "2004-07-28T12:37:02Z")

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I was watching an old rerun of **Law and Order: SVU** last night, and discovered that Det. Olivia Benson graduated from Siena College, where I work.

Anyone else find this sort of thing: a fictional character who turns out to have a connection with your work or school?

One rule: leave out police departments or government agencies. Too easy. 🙂

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**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2004, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-characters-from-real-businesses-colleges-near-you/257264/2 "2004-07-28T15:11:43Z")

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Dr. Ian Malcolm (of _Jurassic Park_ fame) is a professor at the University of Texas, my alma mater…

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**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2004, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-characters-from-real-businesses-colleges-near-you/257264/3 "2004-07-28T15:29:19Z")

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Pres. Bartlett of \*\*The West Wing \*\* is a fellow alum.

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**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2004, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-characters-from-real-businesses-colleges-near-you/257264/4 "2004-07-28T16:46:18Z")

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It seems like that always trot out U.C. Berkeley since it’s easy shorthand for hippie/leftie/intellectual/curio.

The only instance I specifically remember, though, were the two female leads who were roommates in _Basic Instinct_ (I’m not counting movies that were shot on the campus).

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**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2004, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-characters-from-real-businesses-colleges-near-you/257264/5 "2004-07-28T16:46:28Z")

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Siena, huh, **RealityChuck**? Let’s see how they fare against our Niagara Purple Eagles this year in the Battle of Our Employers.

It wasn’t the greatest of shows, and I’m not even sure if it was actually mentioned during the course of the program, but the character of [Eric Olczyk](http://espn.go.com/eoe/playmakers/olczyk_roster.html) on ESPN’s “Playmakers” was from my first alma mater, Penn State.