# Geniuses Who Are Currently Active **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 16, 2015, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geniuses-who-are-currently-active/717829 "2015-04-16T14:19:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mclovin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8c91f0/32.png) [@Mclovin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mclovin)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geniuses-who-are-currently-active/717829/41 "2015-04-22T20:02:35Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Well then, in popular music, Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson are still actively producing new material, even though the work that led people to consider them geniuses was mainly done back in the sixties. When I read the thread title, these two names are the ones that sprang to my mind as well. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geniuses-who-are-currently-active/717829/42 "2015-04-22T20:07:42Z")
Stephen King. He has been the creative mind behind several of the best films of the last few decades like the green mile, shawshank redemption and stand by me. Many other films based on his work are also very high quality (misery, creepshow, shining, etc) As far as comedy, Doug Stanhope. No idea for music. ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geniuses-who-are-currently-active/717829/43 "2015-04-24T09:16:40Z")
Although I’m in no place to judge, I’d put forward **Damon Albarn** as a candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geniuses-who-are-currently-active/717829/44 "2015-04-24T09:45:12Z")
> [@Waymore](#): > > I’m hesitant to nominate a comic writer, but if ever there was a genius in the employ of DC and Marvel, it’s Grant Morrison. Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman both deserve to be called geniuses as well. [Fabrice Bellard is a standout genius programmer in a field where merely having a high IQ isn’t that special.](http://bellard.org/) I can explain why he’s so amazing if anyone cares; for me, his work speaks for itself, but it’s a bit opaque to someone coming in completely cold. Donald Knuth, of course, is a demigod, but the fact he merged his amazing programming skills with strong writing and teaching skills _and_ a not-inconsiderable artistic ability is worthy of special note. Software is art if architecture is art, and if you don’t see architecture as art, you’re blind. ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geniuses-who-are-currently-active/717829/45 "2015-04-24T22:50:43Z")
Radiohead ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geniuses-who-are-currently-active/717829/46 "2015-08-04T23:05:16Z")
Trey Parker ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geniuses-who-are-currently-active/717829/47 "2015-08-04T23:50:14Z")
I’ll second Neil Gaiman and add Ani DiFranco. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geniuses-who-are-currently-active/717829/48 "2015-08-05T00:58:46Z")
Neil Gaiman is the most consistent prolific fiction writer working today that I know of. Garry Wills is the most consistent prolific nonfiction writer working today that I know of. I can’t include Tom Lehrer, I guess, since he’s no longer active, but he’s the best satirical singer/songwriter of the past century that I know of. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geniuses-who-are-currently-active/717829.md?page=2)