# Have you known anyone with a famous name? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 2, 2006, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971 "2006-08-02T03:54:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/21 "2006-08-02T12:25:51Z")
In high school I knew a Jim Garner. My cousin is Jeff Hostetler. In my previous job, I worked with a research scientist named Steve Miller. Lots of jokes about his prodigious work in control systems since leaving the band… ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/22 "2006-08-02T12:30:02Z")
Oh, and in a previous job several years ago, I knew a guy named Mike Hanks who had a little boy named Tom. Mike’s BiL is a radio personality in Indianapolis, and one day interviewed (3 y. o.) Tom Hanks on the air… ---
**Author:** ![DaddyTimesTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@DaddyTimesTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaddyTimesTwo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/23 "2006-08-02T13:05:06Z")
Went to high school with John Lennon. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/24 "2006-08-02T13:12:08Z")
I went to college with Richie Cunningham. Yes, he insisted on going by “Richie,” but got really mad when anybody said, “Where’s Potsie?” Dude, you’re kind of asking for it . . . ---
**Author:** ![Autumn\_Almanac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d26b3c/32.png) [@Autumn\_Almanac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autumn_Almanac)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/25 "2006-08-02T13:14:43Z")
My wife went to high school with a Michael Jackson (one of _many_, judging by this thread). ---
**Author:** ![Martiju](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@Martiju](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martiju)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/26 "2006-08-02T13:15:10Z")
Have a student here called Samuel Johnson, studying English too. I expect he’ll get a first! Also know of a solicitors nearby called William Hague Solicitors. Probably only makes sense to UK dopers, that one! ---
**Author:** ![StuffLikeThatThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@StuffLikeThatThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StuffLikeThatThere)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/27 "2006-08-02T13:16:09Z")
Mr. Stuff works with Jerry Springer. 😃 He’s actually older than the famous one, though, so it isn’t his parents’ fault. He has heard so many jokes that he is completely immune to them, although he has a remarkable talent for turning them into free beer. He’s a hoot. ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/28 "2006-08-02T13:22:32Z")
I once dated John Paul Jones. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Il_Palazzo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/29 "2006-08-02T13:25:22Z")
I went to high school with a guy named Kenneth Lay. Much younger than the famous one and (last I heard) still alive. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/30 "2006-08-02T13:26:19Z")
My sister went to high school with George Harrison and Elizabeth Taylor; I went to camp with Drew Pearson; and there’s a TV reporter here in the NY area named Vivien Li, which I find hilarious. “And here’s Vivien Li with the traffic report!” ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/31 "2006-08-02T13:33:18Z")
I’m an Eddie Murphy (as is Dad, and his father was one as well). The best man at my wedding was Matthew LeBlanc. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/32 "2006-08-02T13:39:36Z")
I work with a Clarence Thomas. My girlfriend married Bill Murray. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/33 "2006-08-02T13:41:34Z")
I knew a Michael Bolton and a Chris Robinson (from the Black Crowes). ---
**Author:** ![Ludy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/34 "2006-08-02T13:46:54Z")
In college, Scott Wolfe had a huge crush on me. It got kind of creepy when he kept sending me “secret admirer” gifts. I ended up breaking the poor guy’s heart. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/35 "2006-08-02T13:49:41Z")
I once worked with a Scottish guy called Ronald McDonald. I’m surprised that that the burger company didn’t sue him for using their trademark . He would be in his thirties now, so I don’t know if he was born and christened before the clown character was invented. ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/36 "2006-08-02T14:10:17Z")
I used to know a guy named Andy Taylor. I have a co-worker named John Holmes. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/37 "2006-08-02T14:15:36Z")
I took a work seminar from a Chinese guy named Bruce Lee. He was really young too, so it had to have been homage or obliviousness. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/38 "2006-08-02T14:21:20Z")
Oh yeah, my brother has played music for something like 15 years with an upright bassist named Ron McDonald. He doesn’t like to go by Ronald, but I don’t think that stops anybody from making jokes. Maybe that explains his demeanor. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/39 "2006-08-02T14:41:12Z")
I think we all knew a Jim Davis in high school. I also know a Grace Kelly. She had no idea who the other one was until the car accident. After a while, she took to introducing herself as “Grace Kelly, who is not dead.” I went to college with a Sarah Connor. She _freaked out_ when she saw Terminator. Gave her nightmares for months. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971/40 "2006-08-02T14:44:32Z")
I also worked with a Michael Jackson (he preferred Mike). I have phone conversations regularly with Kenny Rogers (a sales rep for the company where I work). My brother-in-law’s brother is Matthew Brady, although the Civil War-era photographer spelled it with only one “T”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-known-anyone-with-a-famous-name/366971.md?page=3)