# So, who is the most interesting man in the world? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 12, 2017, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327 "2017-04-12T16:12:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/1 "2017-04-12T16:12:03Z")
No, not the Dos Equis actor, but the real guy. IMHO, it’s hard to pick a winner out of the trio of Lionel Messi, Vladimir Putin, and Barack Obama. Messi all the more so because of his short stature; he is winning on behalf of short guys everywhere. And he is possibly the best player in the world’s most popular sport, and would inch even higher in the rankings if he’d led Argentina to World Cup victory in 2014. Obama would have been even more of a winner in this category were he still president; as it is, he’s still born in Hawaii, the first black president, a Nobel Prize winner, etc. Putin isn’t the most powerful dictator in the world (that would be Xi Jinping) but he has to be the most interesting; the man has handled a Siberian tiger, had pictures posted on the Internet about his abs and muscles, and is former KGB. Who else is in the running? Cristiano Ronaldo? Mark Zuckerberg? Bill Gates? And dare I throw…Trump’s name into the ring? ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/2 "2017-04-12T16:24:29Z")
I’d say Jimmie Carter among political figures, and Noam Chomsky among the non-politicals. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/3 "2017-04-12T16:25:43Z")
Who was the astronaut who just died recently? Buzz Aldrin? I remember reading things about his life and thought “wow, this guy lead a full, interesting life!” ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/4 "2017-04-12T16:36:40Z")
My girlfriend keeps saying that it’s me. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/5 "2017-04-12T16:50:32Z")
Arnold Schwarzenegger. Came to the U.S. as a young man with no money and able to speak only a few words of English. Became seven time Mr. Olympia bodybuilding champion, millionaire real estate investor (before his movie career took off), number one box office star, and governor of California. Also earned a college degree and married a Kennedy along the way. In his private life, a painter, a chess player, a skier, and a philanthropist/advocate for underprivileged kids. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/6 "2017-04-12T16:53:26Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Who was the astronaut who just died recently? Buzz Aldrin? I remember reading things about his life and thought “wow, this guy lead a full, interesting life!” OK - limiting the thread to currently-living people only 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/7 "2017-04-12T16:53:36Z")
I thought Chuck Norris was the universally agreed-upon answer to this question. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/8 "2017-04-12T17:14:48Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Who was the astronaut who just died recently? Buzz Aldrin? I remember reading things about his life and thought “wow, this guy lead a full, interesting life!” Rumours of his death have been greatly exaggerated 😉 > **[Buzz Aldrin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buzz_Aldrin)** > > Buzz Aldrin (/ˈɔːldrɪn/; born Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr.; January 20, 1930) is an American former astronaut, engineer and fighter pilot. He made three spacewalks as pilot of the 1966 Gemini 12 mission, and was the Lunar Module Eagle pilot on the 1969 Apollo 11 mission. He was the second person to walk on the Moon after mission commander Neil Armstrong. Following the death of Michael Collins in 2021, he is the last surviving Apollo 11 crew member. > Born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, Aldrin graduate... Neil Armstrong did die fairly recently though. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/9 "2017-04-12T17:29:52Z")
I’m gonna throw in my vote for David Attenborough. He’s been _everywhere_, seemingly met everyone, and he’s been doing it for 60 years. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/10 "2017-04-12T17:31:13Z")
> [@Atomic\_Alex](#): > > Rumours of his death have been greatly exaggerated 😉 > > [Buzz Aldrin - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buzz_Aldrin) > > Neil Armstrong did die fairly recently though. And John Glenn, who’s probably who he’s thinking of. ---
**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:** [April 12, 2017, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/11 "2017-04-12T17:45:54Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > IMHO, it’s hard to pick a winner out of the trio of Lionel Messi, Vladimir Putin, and Barack Obama. I’m pretty sure it’s not the guy I had to look up on Wikipedia. No offense to Messi but this demonstrates the limits of fame for anyone in pop culture (sports, movies, TV, books, music). You’re only famous as far as that particular aspect of pop culture has spread. You could be the most famous bluegrass banjo player in the world and most of the world still wouldn’t know who you are. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/12 "2017-04-12T17:49:55Z")
My vote goes to **Jtur88**. (But he’s blind so don’t tell him that the beer in his hand is really just a Natty Lite) ---
**Author:** ![Turpentine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Turpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turpentine)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/13 "2017-04-12T17:56:51Z")
> [@Filbert](#): > > I’m gonna throw in my vote for David Attenborough. He’s been _everywhere_, seemingly met everyone, and he’s been doing it for 60 years. Oh hell, yeah! If a David Attenborough show is on tv, I’ll drop everything to watch it, just as I always have since I was 6. ---
**Author:** ![Turpentine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Turpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turpentine)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/14 "2017-04-12T17:59:36Z")
Oh yeah- I’m going to throw in a vote for Congressman John Lewis. I’ve met a handful of celebrities here and there, but I ran into John Lewis by accident at the Women’s March earlier this year…and it was the first time I was actually star-struck and nervous to approach him. There are celebrities, and there are living legends. I walked off after greeting him thinking oh my godohmygodohmygod I JUST MET JOHN LEWIS! ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/15 "2017-04-12T18:03:46Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > And John Glenn, who’s probably who he’s thinking of. Ah yes, you’re probably correct. > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’m pretty sure it’s not the guy I had to look up on Wikipedia. > > No offense to Messi but this demonstrates the limits of fame for anyone in pop culture (sports, movies, TV, books, music). You’re only famous as far as that particular aspect of pop culture has spread. You could be the most famous bluegrass banjo player in the world and most of the world still wouldn’t know who you are. And politics, I’m not American and had no idea who John Lewis is _(from Turpentines post above)_. But that of course raises the question, does the most interesting man in the world also have to be famous? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/16 "2017-04-12T18:07:36Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > And John Glenn, who’s probably who he’s thinking of. Yes! That was it. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/17 "2017-04-12T18:11:10Z")
Cecil. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/18 "2017-04-12T19:22:03Z")
Ranulph Fiennes. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/19 "2017-04-12T19:52:03Z")
I think Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are both pretty interesting guys. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327/20 "2017-04-12T20:17:02Z")
[Christopher Lee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Lee) is certainly a competitor. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-is-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/784327.md?page=2)