# Have you ever been mistaken for someone famous? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 25, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418 "2010-08-25T16:44:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/1 "2010-08-25T16:44:52Z")
…or rich? last night we went to a new italian restaurant. It’s small, and a bit pricy. We don’t overdo often, but once in a while… We have a 10 year old, Corvette. It’s paid for. We keep it nice, it has less than 80k miles on it. So, we parked on the street in front of the place, which is mostly outdoor seating. It was a beautiful evening. We were seated in the prime spot on the deck. It seemed we were our waiter’s only customers. The owner came by to welcome us and ask if we would mind if the camera crew that was filming a commercial, included us. The waiter offered us a wine from the owners private reserve, compliments of the owner. We had a wonderful dinner. We were then escorted to the door by the waiter, and the owner, who extracted promises to come again, soon. We went to the car with them waving like cruise ship revellers. We then realized it was the CAR, not our scintillating company, that had caused all the attention.:smack: ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/2 "2010-08-25T16:52:49Z")
Is it a Z06 or Lingenfelter or something? The C5 is a nice car, of course, but it doesn’t really make me think “celebrity” or “tycoon.” ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/3 "2010-08-25T16:59:56Z")
> [@ReticulatingSplines](#): > > Is it a Z06 or Lingenfelter or something? The C5 is a nice car, of course, but it doesn’t really make me think “celebrity” or “tycoon.” Me either! There aren’t many in Seattle, I guess. [Here it is](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v483/picunurse/vette13106.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/4 "2010-08-25T17:01:07Z")
Donny Osmond. Really. I look a _lot_ like him in my wedding photos. He’s aged a bit better than I, however. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/5 "2010-08-25T17:16:19Z")
Paul Szep, formerly in charge of Editorial Cartoons at the Boston Globe (and an editorial cartoonist himself). My wife saw him at a First Night celebration and thought he was me. Many years earlier, he was the subject of one of those “Dewar’s Profiles” ads on the back of a magazine, and one of my co-workers cut it out, cut the name off, and posted it on my door. People kept coming up to me and seriously asking how I got into a whiskey ad. In all fairness, his chin is a bit more Leno-esque, but even _I_ am struck by how similar we loooked (I’m not sure if we still look the same) [http://harvardsquarelibrary.org/cfs2/paul\_szep.php](http://harvardsquarelibrary.org/cfs2/paul_szep.php) ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/6 "2010-08-25T17:43:03Z")
This is more akin to **picunurse** ’s story. I have a work colleague whose daughter used to work for an internationally-known artist. When a nearby museum was hosting a large exhibition of the artist’s work and I mentioned to my colleague that I wanted to see it, he said, “I’ll let my daughter know. She can arrange for you to get a personal tour.” Let me tell you, the day I showed up for my personal tour, the museum staff were obviously DYING to know who the hell I was that I rated a phone call from the one of the artist’s people and tried in various subtle ways to get it out of me. Since it wasn’t going to do them any good to find out anyway (since I am just a poor art-loving schlub, not some well-connected rich person), I played coy the entire time. It sure was fun to be fawned over, though. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/7 "2010-08-25T17:52:13Z")
I can’t give too many details or my anonymity will be void - suffice it to say that I share names with a rather famous/champion of a sport that I also used to play - when I entered into a local tournemant, the entire area was quite a flutter that 'oh my god - he’s here? really? hope I get partnered with him" - while I was good, I was never _that_ good - and the collective let down of the crowd when they realized it was not him was quite humourous in a sad sort of way. ---
**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:** [August 25, 2010, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/8 "2010-08-25T17:57:19Z")
Not mistaken for, but I’ve been told I look like one of the Los Lonely Boys. Apparently one of them is far cuter than the others and I look like him. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/9 "2010-08-25T18:34:30Z")
When I was 18, some old dude stopped me in Dillard’s and asked if I was John Daly. He was on the [cover of Sports Illustrated that week](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/cover/featured/9290/index.htm), and I admit my haircut and physique were a lot like his, and our faces are even sorta similar. Still, I was about 10 years too young, so the old guy was disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![smaje1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@smaje1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smaje1)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/10 "2010-08-25T22:44:24Z")
Not me personally, but my dad was often mistaken for Chicago food critic James Ward. We’d get seated immediately in crowded restaurants and more than a few times, our server told us that the manager had taken care of the bill. My dad completely played this up, to my horror. I just googled James Ward and found his obituary. I hope my dad doesn’t try to use his little scheme again: [http://www.suntimes.com/news/obituaries/1452778,james-ward-dies-channel-7-food-critic-022709.article](http://www.suntimes.com/news/obituaries/1452778,james-ward-dies-channel-7-food-critic-022709.article) And yeah, looking at the photo of Ward on that link, he did look a LOT like my dad. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/11 "2010-08-25T23:13:40Z")
This guard kind of followed me around the Picasso Museum in Paris in '98. I didn’t feel harassed by though because he looked kind of friendly, etc. Finally, he came over and told me he had thought I was Eddie Murphy. I look nothing like Eddie Murphy, by the way. And, no, I don’t think he was just trying to use that as a line to pick me up. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/12 "2010-08-25T23:19:27Z")
Lots of people say I look like Richard Dreyfus, and I occasionally get someone who thinks I’m John McCain. My photo is on the Doper photo board [here](http://www.nouilles.info/sdpix/14540.html). ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/13 "2010-08-25T23:29:10Z")
I’ve been mistaken for former pro wrestler Michael Hayes a couple of times. Similar hairstyle, size, general appearance. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/14 "2010-08-26T00:11:45Z")
I was walking in a hotel lobby by LAX in 1998. I was wearing a Dallas Cowboys hat. A woman approached and seriously asked if my friend and I were famous. Just to see what she would say, with a straight face I said, “I’m Troy Aikman of the Dallas Cowboys.” She flipped out and started getting all excited. I told her I was just kidding, and I kept walking. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/15 "2010-08-26T01:31:13Z")
Not for anyone specific, but it did happen to me when I visited Los Angeles. I actually wrote a short essay about it, back when I thought I was going to go back to school for writing. Rather than tell the whole story or repost the essay, I’ll just link to it for anyone who might be interested in reading it. 🙂 [Link](http://www.angelfire.com/music2/bsturiale/myfifteenminutes.html) ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/16 "2010-08-26T01:43:40Z")
At a bar I frequent in Los Angeles, it is often commented upon that I look like Matt Damon (which I don’t see, but I get it on the street a good bit as well, so I just go with it). It got so bad around the time “The Bourne Supremacy” was released that I answered to “Supremacy” for about six months. Anyway, there’s this one old drunk at the bar who actually thinks I AM Matt Damon, and that the whole laughing it off when people call me by “my” name is my way of keeping it secret. He’s promised me on a number of occasions that he won’t tell anyone. On one such occasion, I was flirting with a fine-looking young woman. I told her my actual name, we talked a while, she got up to use the bathroom, and old drunk gives me a big wink like he and I sure are putting one over on this girl. Not for nothing old-timer, but if I were Matt Damon, my pickup line would be, “Hi. I’M MATT DAMON.” :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/17 "2010-08-26T01:58:19Z")
This happens to me waaay too much. What I don’t get, is folks can’t even agree on who I am. I’m either [this guy](http://mythbustersresults.com/photos/adam-savage-mythbusters.jpg), [this guy](http://static.reelmovienews.com/images/gallery/paul-giamatti.jpg), or [this guy](http://images.q4music.com/content/mojo/news/Gibby200.jpg). Seriously, I was accused of being all three in less than an hour last time I was up in Corpus. What really sucks, is I’m much sexier than _any_ of them. At least that’s what my wife says. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/18 "2010-08-26T04:01:09Z")
> [@Darth\_Nader](#): > > This happens to me waaay too much. What I don’t get, is folks can’t even agree on who I am. > > I’m either [this guy](http://mythbustersresults.com/photos/adam-savage-mythbusters.jpg), [this guy](http://static.reelmovienews.com/images/gallery/paul-giamatti.jpg), or [this guy](http://images.q4music.com/content/mojo/news/Gibby200.jpg). Seriously, I was accused of being all three in less than an hour last time I was up in Corpus. What really sucks, is I’m much sexier than _any_ of them. > At least that’s what my wife says. Gibby Haynes?!? That’s an odd one. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/19 "2010-08-26T05:17:04Z")
Check yer email. ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418/20 "2010-08-26T05:20:40Z")
Although I have no Asian blood, I’ve been mistaken for Filipino actor [Aga Muhlach](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=aga+muhlach) on a number of times. Go figure. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-mistaken-for-someone-famous/551418.md?page=2)