# People who were internationally famous and didn't know it **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 9, 2005, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280 "2005-11-09T21:11:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/21 "2005-11-10T00:28:45Z")
> [@LiveOnAPlane](#): > > Not trying to get down on Jesus, but I kinda doubt the “internationally famous” thing would have applied to Him at the time. > > Later, yes, of course. When Jesus was alive, he was just a slightly more notable than average fish in a small pond. He just started getting noticed many decades after his death. [http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/josephus.html](http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/josephus.html) A brief mention by Josephus c. 93 CE [http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/tacitus.html](http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/tacitus.html) A brief mention by Tacitus c. 115 CE Thus 85 years after the death of Jesus only 2 independent historians (outside the Xtian cult) considered him worth mentioning. Not only not famous in the ancient Roman world, but barely a blip on the radar to contemporary reporters. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/22 "2005-11-10T00:46:19Z")
The Star Wars kid knew he was famous… eventually and long after the fact. The guy on the Taster’s Choice coffee jars, unknowingly, who sued them for a couple million bucks. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/23 "2005-11-10T00:58:30Z")
Paul Cole was an American tourist visiting London with his wife. While she was inside a museum, he stepped outside to have a cigarette. He wasn’t paying much attention to the four young men who were walking across the street down the block and having their picture taken. A year later, he saw the cover of the Beatles’ _[Abbey Road](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:AbbeyRoad.jpg)_ album and realized he was on it. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/24 "2005-11-10T01:14:24Z")
> [@rfgdxm](#): > > When Jesus was alive, he was just a slightly more notable than average fish in a small pond. He just started getting noticed many decades after his death. > > [Flavius Josephus](http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/josephus.html) > > A brief mention by Josephus c. 93 CE Nitpick: this mention of Jesus was almost certainly added to the text by another author, much later on. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/25 "2005-11-10T02:30:43Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > The “Agony of Defeat” guy, the ski jumper who went off the side of the ski jump and plowed into the spectators, had no idea. It was just a bad jump, as far as he knew. The all-time bestest trivia question, ever; what was his name? Vinko Bogataj. ---
**Author:** ![PastAllReason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@PastAllReason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastAllReason)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/26 "2005-11-10T03:45:04Z")
I think a very similar story to that of the young Afghan girl is the story of Birhan Woldu, the young Ethiopian girl who was the “face” of famine in Ethiopia. She was prominently featured in Live Aid video after she had been photographed by the team with Brian Stewart, a Canadian journalist with CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). For an overview of the story, and a picture from Birhan from that time see [here](http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/ethiopia/) from the CBC website. It’s rather an interesting story. Since the pictures were taken in 1984, Brian Stewart quietly stayed in contact with the Woldu family. Until this past year, on the twentieth anniversary of the famine, there was no public element to that contact. However, Ms. Woldu was pulled into the spotlight on the twentieth anniversary. I saw a documentary about her on CBC where she spoke with Brian Stewart. She is now very well aware of the fame that became attached to her image. She struck me as quite a remarkable young woman. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/27 "2005-11-10T03:56:59Z")
Not much of a specific question to be answered here. Let’s continue this in MPSIMS. **samclem** GQ moderator ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/28 "2005-11-10T04:10:39Z")
Charles Lindbergh arrived in Paris with a letter of introduction and a pocket full of traveler’s checks. He did not need them. ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/29 "2005-11-10T04:50:28Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > Nitpick: this mention of Jesus was almost certainly added to the text by another author, much later on. Not exactly. > **[Answers - The Most Trusted Place for Answering Life's Questions](https://www.answers.com/redirectSearch?query=josephus-on-jesus)** > > Answers is the place to go to get the answers you need and to ask the questions you want Some extant versions seem interpolated. However, the Shlomo Pines’ translation, quoted by J. D. Crossan just just states Jesus was crucified by Pilate, and claimed he rose from the dead. All this indicated was some folks thought Jesus was the Messiah, and did perform miracles. Josephus never claims this was certainly true. A later Xtian editor wouldn’t alter the text with something that indicated some just thought Jesus rose from the dead. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/30 "2005-11-10T05:16:18Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Slightly off the topic, I guess, but I’ve often wondered who she is: during the opening credits of M_A_S\*H, there’s a woman running hard towards (presumably) the medivac chopper as it’s landing. She’s got dark hair, she looks intense, and she was definitely NOT a series regular… yet for an instant every time the show started, there she was. She still gets residuals. I have read a couple of articles about her. ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/31 "2005-11-10T15:17:11Z")
Rula Lenska ---
**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:** [November 10, 2005, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/32 "2005-11-10T15:20:40Z")
> [@](#): > > Rula Lenska no,no,no – that’s the _opposite_ case. She was famous, and she was the _only_ person who knew it. ---
**Author:** ![RumMunkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@RumMunkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RumMunkey)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/33 "2005-11-10T15:40:02Z")
IIRC, Vincent VanGough sold only 1 or 2 paintings in his life and died believing he was a total failure (commercially anyway). ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/34 "2005-11-10T15:42:57Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Slightly off the topic, I guess, but I’ve often wondered who she is: during the opening credits of M_A_S\*H, there’s a woman running hard towards (presumably) the medivac chopper as it’s landing. She’s got dark hair, she looks intense, and she was definitely NOT a series regular… yet for an instant every time the show started, there she was. Oddly enough, Larry Charles spoke about this in one of the M_A_S\*H, or perhaps in the biography of the show on A&E. He said he went and caught up with all the ladies who portrayed nurses running toward the camera in the opening credits. Some went on to other acting, but most were married and had children. The ladies looked at it as a point of pride that their image was used on TV for so many years. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2005, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/35 "2005-11-10T19:44:32Z")
> [@Breakdancing Duck](#): > > Wrong. > > He’s known about it, gets residuals from it and has made a good bit of money giving speechs and doing autograph shows because of it. > > Hell, he was even on the first season of **Scrubs**. That’s odd; around the time they started using the shot of the motorcycle sliding into the wall, I remember they went to the guy’s home town and he was bemused that they were still using it. Maybe that’s why they stopped… ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/36 "2005-11-10T20:16:32Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > Charles Lindbergh arrived in Paris with a letter of introduction and a pocket full of traveler’s checks. He did not need them. Nuts! I wanted to be the first to mention Lindbergh. This of course doesn’t count as real fame, but - a few years ago, I was waiting for the Lexington line 6 train at the 77th Street stop. As the train pulled into the station, I noticed that there was a glaring, blinding light coming from the front window of the train. “What the hell was THAT?” I thought momentarily, but quickly forgot about it. A few days later, NY1 (the local news in NYC channel) did a story about congestion on the subway lines and - THERE’S A SHOT OF ME WAITING FOR THE TRAIN! OMG! But dammit all, nobody is ever around but me whenever I see it. I never get the joy of pointing to it and saying “That’s me!” Forgive me for being out of the loop, but…who is the ‘Star Wars kid’? ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/37 "2005-11-10T20:23:48Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > no,no,no – that’s the _opposite_ case. > She was famous, and she was the _only_ person who knew it. CalMeacham on Rula Lenska = Whooshed! 😃 Please forgive me! ---
**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:** [November 10, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/38 "2005-11-10T20:35:37Z")
> [@](#): > > Quote: > Originally Posted by CalMeacham > no,no,no – that’s the opposite case. > She was famous, and she was the only person who knew it. > CalMeacham on Rula Lenska = Whooshed! > > Please forgive me! I’m not whooshed – I had to say it! ---
**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/39 "2005-11-10T20:36:48Z")
> [@tremorviolet](#): > > The little Vietnamese girl who had been doused with napalm and was phtographed running down the dirt road naked and crying. I believe she now lives in Canada and is a housewife but didn’t know of the photograph for years. > > Probably most of the random thrid world people in famous photographs are unlikely to know that their image is famous. > > Huh, doing a quick google (and I’m shocked that “naked Vietnamese girl napalm” didn’t somehow bring up porn), there’s actually an entire book about her: [The Girl in the Picture : The Story of Kim Phuc, the Photograph, and the Vietnam War](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140280219/103-9788210-7485464?v=glance&n=283155&n=507846&s=books&v=glance). And reading the synopsis, it looks like I was wrong, she did know about the photo and was in fact used by the North Vietnamese government for propaganda purposes. There’s actually a picture of her with her baby son Thomas in a recent Newsweek. She has scars all over her shoulder and upper arm. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280/40 "2005-11-10T20:46:39Z")
> [@Art Vandelay](#): > > Forgive me for being out of the loop, but…who is the ‘Star Wars kid’? [All you ever wanted to know about the Star Wars kid, and then some.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_wars_kid) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-were-internationally-famous-and-didnt-know-it/330280.md?page=3)