# Mans father turns out to be Manson **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 28, 2009, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223 "2009-11-28T08:24:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/1 "2009-11-28T08:24:32Z")
[http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-la-disc-jockey-claims-hes-mansons-son,0,5119143.story](http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-la-disc-jockey-claims-hes-mansons-son,0,5119143.story) Okay. Interesting. This guy was adopted and found out Charles Manson was his biological father. What would your reaction be? Me, I am much different than my parents and wouldn’t take it to be a horrible thing, hopefully, he considers the man who raised him as his real father. Being a murderer is not passed on genetically. ---
**Author:** ![EpicNonsense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@EpicNonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EpicNonsense)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/2 "2009-11-28T08:38:39Z")
I’m guessing this guy has a ton of new friends now… ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/3 "2009-11-28T09:26:25Z")
It’s always nice to find out you have an extended family. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/4 "2009-11-28T10:21:06Z")
It would make me all stabby. I hear Hell is lovely this time of year. ---
**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:** [November 28, 2009, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/5 "2009-11-28T13:26:13Z")
> [@](#): > > “I’m a peaceful person – trapped in the face of a monster,” Roberts told The Sun. Is the guy a dead ringer (heh) for Manson? Otherwise, this seems like a rather odd reaction. I think I’d insist on a DNA test. I’m not sure I’d trust the word of a convicted mass murderer whose modus operandi included fucking with people’s minds. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/6 "2009-11-28T14:45:25Z")
Also, why would the biological mother be able to so clearly identify her rapist? I think there’s all kinds of ways this story could be BS. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/7 "2009-11-28T14:57:16Z")
Um… well, Manson does have a distinctive tattoo between his eyebrows. If he had it at the time of the rape, well, there ya go. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/8 "2009-11-28T15:02:21Z")
Also, it was reported by Fox ‘news’; do you need any other reason to wait for confirmation? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/9 "2009-11-28T15:04:12Z")
> [@freckafree](#): > > Is the guy a dead ringer (heh) for Manson? Otherwise, this seems like a rather odd reaction. There is a link within the link in the OP that shows Charlie’s son. I think his mom lied to him. Without the hair extensions he looks like Nathan Lane. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/10 "2009-11-28T15:10:36Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Um… well, Manson does have a distinctive tattoo between his eyebrows. If he had it at the time of the rape, well, there ya go. He didn’t. He added the tattoo during his trial. twicks, who (many, many years ago) wrote her senior paper on the Manson Family as an apocalyptic cult ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/11 "2009-11-28T15:17:50Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > There is a link within the link in the OP that shows Charlie’s son. I think his mom lied to him. Without the hair extensions he looks like Nathan Lane. Now _that_ would be newsworthy. ---
**Author:** ![Gestalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/90ced4/32.png) [@Gestalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gestalt)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/12 "2009-11-28T18:30:16Z")
Actually, the resemblance to Nathan Lane is rather startling . . . ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/13 "2009-11-28T20:51:15Z")
In this report, there are pictures of both of them, and there is a pretty clear resemblance. > **[The Sun](https://www.thesun.co.uk/)** > > The Best for News, Sport, Showbiz, Celebrities ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/14 "2009-11-28T21:07:32Z")
> [@LH75](#): > > In this report, there are pictures of both of them, and there is a pretty clear resemblance. > > [News, sport, celebrities and gossip | The Sun](http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/2740414/I-traced-my-dad-and-discovered-he-is-Charles-Manson.html) Could be [Nathan Lane](http://www.buzzine.com/media/data/albums/7/Nathan_Lane_20070720.jpg) is Charlie’s son as well. ::shrug:: ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/15 "2009-11-28T21:11:14Z")
Rockford. Not Rockfort. And I can see the resemblance. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/16 "2009-11-28T22:15:12Z")
> [@LH75](#): > > In this report, there are pictures of both of them, and there is a pretty clear resemblance. > > [News, sport, celebrities and gossip | The Sun](http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/2740414/I-traced-my-dad-and-discovered-he-is-Charles-Manson.html) I agree, they look very much alike. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/17 "2009-11-28T23:07:56Z")
> [@BigBertha](#): > > Okay. Interesting. This guy was adopted and found out Charles Manson was his biological father. What would your reaction be? I’m sure I’d find it disturbing, but more so if I found out in my teens or 20s. > [@](#): > > Being a murderer is not passed on genetically. Certain types of mental illness and personality disorders may be, but they usually manifest well before someone entered his 40s. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/18 "2009-11-29T00:01:20Z")
From the sound of the article, though, the man in question seems very much a better man than his biological father in many, many ways. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/19 "2009-11-29T01:25:38Z")
I see a lot of problems with this. I see no facial similarities other than a grim expression. Yes, they both have long, dark hair. But feature by feature: the eyes are shaped differently and the placement is off, the upper lids are different, the nose is different, the mouth is different, the cheekbones are different, the width of the face is different, the slope of the cheeks, the jaw width, the size of the chin - I see no more similarity than of any two random dark-haired grim-looking men. I look more like Manson than he does. And there’s even less resemblance in any photos of Manson at a younger age, which would be more relevant, before the face begins losing fat and collagen. I would want more than the word of my bio-mother to go on. A biological mother is supposed to want what’s best for her child. Why would one tell her son that his father is a notorious, schizophrenic, insane murderer? If I were her, and it was true, I would go to my grave with that. I think that with the likelihood that she has a screw loose, I’d want a paternity test before I believed it, if I were he. The fact that he feels more hippie-like than his 1950’s parents is not exactly conclusive evidence. And Manson has always been a self-aggrandizing, pathological liar. Manson is 5’2" tall. How tall is Roberts? Roberts chooses to believe that Manson is his father, talks to the press about it, yet doesn’t pursue a paternity test. Why not? ---
**Author:** ![Proudest\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/proudest_monkey/32/13257_2.png) [@Proudest\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Proudest_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223/20 "2009-11-29T23:40:50Z")
Here are a few possibilities I see: 1. You discover you are likely Charles Manson’s offspring and you cower in shame and fear of hell-by-proxy. 2. You discover you are likely Charles Manson’s offspring and you decide to exploit that possibility in order to increase your fame. 3. You discover you are likely Charles Manson’s offspring and you decide to come forward to help humanity (and yourself) understand all the things that might mean in a genetic and sociological framework. 4. Someone tells you you bear a resemblance to Charles Manson, and you exploit that to get mentioned on FoxNews and various internet blogs. # 1 is obviously out. Let’s see some DNA and we can evaluate #s 2, 3, & 4. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mans-father-turns-out-to-be-manson/519223.md?page=2)