# Invite 4 current or historical people to dinner, all of whom went to your high school **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 8, 2016, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594 "2016-04-08T20:15:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2016, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/41 "2016-04-10T15:31:03Z")
Carl Bernstein Visanthe Shiancoe - TE for Giants/Vikings/Patriots/Ravens/Titans Chris T. Sullivan - founder of Outback Steakhouse Steve Francis - NBA’s “The Franchise.” He actually attended the last class reunion last Fall, but I didn’t go. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2016, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/42 "2016-04-10T16:35:29Z")
The wiki for [my high school](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serra_High_School_(San_Diego,_California)) doesn’t list any notable alumni, but one I can think of is [Lisa Durgan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Dergan_Podsednik), Playmate of the Month for July 1998, official St. Pauli Girl in 2003, sportscaster, TV host, and the only Bond Girl that isn’t fictional. She’ll do. Tony Hawk _almost_ went to my HS, but he moved away before I got there. I knew people who had middle school yearbooks with him in it. At least the neighborhood could be interesting. It was near Jack Murphy (Qualcomm) Stadium, so a lot of baseball and football players lived there. I used to see Goose Gossage at the supermarket. If I hadn’t moved from Libertyville, Illinois, I would have gone to the same HS as Marlon Brando, Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine, and Adam Jones of Tool. I guess I could crash my sister’s dinner party. ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/43 "2016-04-11T04:18:06Z")
Not sure I would want to invite this guy [00 Swango](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Swango) and he couldn’t make it, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/44 "2016-04-11T12:39:20Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > My high school has tons of doctors, lawyers, executives, scientists and professionals, but few who are famous. And the famous ones are mostly people I wouldn’t want to dine with. > > Among our famous alumni: > > Bill Condon, director of “Gods and Monsters” > Columnist Pete Hammill > Mike Walczewski, announcer at Madison Square Garden > Anthony Fauci, AIDS doctor > Lou DiBella, HBO boxing promoter > Character actor John MacGiver > Crossword editor Eugene Maleska > Federal prosecutor Pat Fitzgerald I guess I could add Gene Orza, top lawyer for the baseball players’ union. ---
**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:** [April 11, 2016, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/45 "2016-04-11T12:54:35Z")
I assume you mean _Famous_ current or historical people. Otherwise, I’d just have a bunch of fellow alumni for dinner. So I’d have a bunch of football players, an artist, and one or two authors: Football Players: Joe Theisman Drew Pearson Elmer Stout Alex Wojciechowicz Joe Susan Troy Hill “Scotty” Scarzinsky Painter: Joe Csatari, who was assistant to Norman Rockwell, and later took over his commissions (including for Boy Scout calendars) after Rockwell died Writers: Janet Evanovitch, author of the bestselling Stephanie Plum mysteries, all with numbers in the titles, along with other novels Frank Mula, who wrote for _The Simpsons_ possibly Troy Soos, another mystery writer, who wrote baseball-themed mysteries like **Murder at Fenway Park**. He says in one of his bios that he played Little League in my home town, so possibly he went to my high school, but I haven’t confirmed that. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/46 "2016-04-11T14:06:02Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Ten percent of the boys (5/45) who were in my graduating class have already committed suicide. What? Wow! Is that just a statistical quirk, or is there some link or common reason to them? Was there some reason your HS or town was really super depressing? My list is pretty sparse: Lofa Tatupu, NFL linebacker. Jeff Plympton, Former Red Sox Pitcher Jason Chandler, artist and singer (The Frustrators) Joe Johnson, Former MLB Pitcher Chandler was actually one of my closest friends - we had many classes together and even dated several of the same girls. We were in a play together where we played estranged twin brothers, even. But it’s probably a stretch to call him famous. If I were inviting _any_ four people from my school, I’d probably be able to come up with more interesting candidates. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/47 "2016-04-11T14:16:08Z")
My High School was founded in 1893. Still stands to this day, clock tower and all. Besides two of my cousins that went there and are among my closest friends, I’ll pick - Albert Mooney - '24, founder of Mooney Aircraft Company Stan Brakhage - '51, experimental film maker John L. Hall - '52, Nobel laureate (Physics) Fred Meissner - world-renowned geoscientist, professor at the Colorado School of Mines and author ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/48 "2016-04-11T15:35:36Z")
According to Wikipedia, these are the notable alumni from my high school: ``` Michael G. Comeau - member of the Maryland House of Delegates, 1997–99 Guy Guzzone - member of the Maryland House of Delegates, 2007- Dan Keplinger - artist who was featured in Oscar-winning documentary King Gimp Rusty Gerhardt - a former professional Baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres and current Texas Rangers Scout Kevin Palmer - a former NBA player for the Washington Wizards and current international player ``` I never heard of any of them. They did miss one who went on to some degree of fame - Nancy Reichart starred in the production of Oliver! done her senior year - 1969-70 (my sophomore year.) She went on to become a Rockette, and then one of Dean Martin’s Golddiggers. I think she’s had a few bit parts on TV, too. We’d never met, but I do recall that she was quite attractive. No offense to any of the above, but I wouldn’t want to dine with them. Thanks anyway. ---
**Author:** ![orderfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orderfire/32/10908_2.png) [@orderfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orderfire)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/49 "2016-04-11T16:10:00Z")
It occurs to me that I’d have a MUCH different event if I’d invited the famous alumni from the boarding school I attended for part of my HS “career”. How about this group? Chris Noth (Actor) Nicholas Guccione (Penthouse heir, porno director) Ava Fabian (Playmate of the month August '86) I actually got caught shoplifting cigs from Ames with Ava and we were both expelled. Talk about a brush with fame! ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/50 "2016-04-11T16:20:06Z")
According to wikipedia, the famous people who graduated from my high school were all professional baseball players. I didn’t know any of them. They may well all be totally swell guys, but I have no reason to want to throw any of them a dinner party. ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/51 "2016-04-11T16:43:09Z")
This is from Wikipedia. I’ve heard of the governor. Dale Burnett, former NFL running back with the New York Giants Robert Delpino, former NFL running back with the Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos Fred Hall, 33rd Governor of Kansas from 1955 to 1957 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/52 "2016-04-11T17:04:18Z")
Probably my old friend Rick, since it’s been too long since I’ve seen him. And a few more of my high school buddies. Maybe one or two of the teachers; several of them were alumni too, though I’d have to double-check which ones. Yeah, my school has produced some rich and famous graduates, too, but why should I want to have supper with a bunch of strangers, even if they are rich? ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/53 "2016-04-11T17:47:11Z")
My high school was a short-lived entity (1967-1992) used as a spillover facility during the baby boom years. It is now a middle school and has been since 1993. My classmates were a relatively undistinguished bunch. We had one Olympian - a sprinter who participated in the 2008 games, but didn’t medal. We also produced several local news and sportscasters and one guy in my graduating class played minor league baseball for couple of years. I think I’ll dine alone. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/54 "2016-04-13T20:08:59Z")
Bruce Hudson, one of the 29 victims of the “Wreck of the _Edmund Fitzgerald_” – I’d like him to hear, and react to, the Gordon Lightfoot song that commemorates his final hours [Tony Gardner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Gardner_(designer)), designer of many film and music video special effects, and a friend of one of my brothers Scott Medvin, who pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Seattle Mariners. He graduated in my sister’s class, but I doubt she remembers him. And add me to the list of **Dopers** who’ll be inviting a Playmate of the Month – Jennifer Lyn Jackson was Miss April 1989. She died in 2010, so we’ll have to bring her back from the “Great Beyond” for one glorious night. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2016, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/55 "2016-04-15T02:44:13Z")
Well, the most famous from my school are: [Will Erickson]((he doesn’t really have a web cite…)), who added fake banana flavoring to Laffy Taffy; [G.W. Holts]((she doesn’t have a web cite either)) – she makes salad bowls from tree trunks; [Randall Miggrath]((also doesn’t have a web cite)), who sniffed too much nitrous and is no longer a pediatric dentist; and [Wendell]((are you kidding? He’d be fired if he blogged this stuff)). He threw up in his Tigger costume at Disneyland but they couldn’t fire, or even suspend him, because the flu had grounded everyone else tall enough to fit the Captain Hook or Tigger costumes. Yeah, sort of like this: > [@kunilou](#): > > Believe me, I am not threadshitting when I say there aren’t four people from the entire 35-odd years my high school existed who would be worth throwing a dinner party for… ---
**Author:** ![Ignotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ignotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignotus)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2016, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/56 "2016-04-15T04:33:38Z")
I could name two without looking them up: [Albert Engström](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Engstr%C3%B6m), brilliant humorist. [Hannes Alfvén](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannes_Alfv%C3%A9n), physicist, Nobel laureate. I have to resort to Wikipedia to find two more, but to get some female company I choose: [Camilla Tilling](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camilla_Tilling) [Melanie Taylor](https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanie_Taylor) (sorry, no English wiki!) ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2016, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/57 "2016-04-15T07:50:22Z")
[Tim Berners-Lee](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Berners-Lee), of WWW fame. [NF Simpson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N.F._Simpson), writer of absurdist plays. [Michel Roux Jr](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Roux_Jr), chef and TV presenter. [Tony Judt](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Judt), historian and commentator. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2016, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/58 "2016-04-15T18:17:21Z")
There is only one notorious person from my high school, [Ana Montes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ana_Montes), convicted of spying for Cuba. Another person from my class was convicted of some sort of corporate espionage but I wouldn’t call him famous. And another guy made a bundle as the founder of a video game company, but I wouldn’t call him famous either. I was a freshman there the first year the school was open and I know of no other famous people since then. ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2016, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/59 "2016-04-15T22:15:44Z")
I think from my HS (I didn’t look it up) it’s Lyle Lovett and Sherry Stringfield. Lovett graduated I think before I even moved to Texas, but I was in HS when Sherry Stringfield was there. I even saw her in a school play. Looked it up–Sylvester Turner (mayor of Houston) went there. And so did Lee Pace. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2016, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594/60 "2016-04-15T22:55:38Z")
The only famous person from my high school is comedian Steve Byrne. (I think I had a class or two with his younger brother). Two of my classmates formed a [rap duo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Buffet) and toured with some famous bands, but I wouldn’t call them “famous”. Sorry. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invite-4-current-or-historical-people-to-dinner-all-of-whom-went-to-your-high-school/751594.md?page=4)