# The most popular person ... EVER! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 1, 2002, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655 "2002-05-01T08:16:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/21 "2002-05-01T20:37:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ukulele Ike \* > \*\*Oh, insert a smiley after that last comment. \*\* Damn Skippy. I was just about to report you to … you. ---
**Author:** ![Weeks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbce88/32.png) [@Weeks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weeks)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/22 "2002-05-01T20:52:11Z")
gotta be Ronald Macdonald! ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/23 "2002-05-01T20:57:11Z")
Depends on what kind of criteria you’re going to use: Irving Berling wrote the most popular song ever. (Sold more songs.) The Beatles were the most popular group ever. Elvis was the most popular entertainer ever. Franklin Roosevelt had the most votes ever. Bill Gates made the most money ever. Stephen Speilberg made the most popular film ever. and ect. ---
**Author:** ![Boobka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Boobka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boobka)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/24 "2002-05-01T21:00:16Z")
It has got to be Muhammad a.k.a. the dude that came up with Islam. There are about 1 billion or more Muslims in the world and they love the man. Either that or the Pope, every catholic loves the pope, actually alot of people love the Pope 😃 ---
**Author:** ![keithnmick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90db22/32.png) [@keithnmick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keithnmick)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/25 "2002-05-01T21:25:31Z")
How about The Queen? (of England - just the fact that she gets to be known as “the queen” and all of the other queens out there have to be qualified with their nations says something, doesn’t it?) ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/26 "2002-05-01T23:13:52Z")
This is no place for speculation. Someone got a cite? An AP poll? A Q-score? ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/27 "2002-05-01T23:34:59Z")
> [@](#): > > just the fact that she gets to be known as “the queen” and all of the other queens out there have to be qualified with their nations says something, doesn’t It would be a good argument if she was refered to as “the queen” everywhere. But is it the case outside the commonwealth (and possibly the US)? I doubt it. Here, she’s called “the queen of England”. Nobody would just say “the queen”. I assume it’s even more in true in countries who have actual kings/queens/princes of their own. ---
**Author:** ![effiesmom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@effiesmom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/effiesmom)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/28 "2002-05-01T23:35:59Z")
Mickey Mouse? The Smiley Face? Since these aren’t people, why does Ronald McDonald count? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/29 "2002-05-01T23:39:26Z")
Why is this inane poll in GQ? It ain’t factually answerable. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/30 "2002-05-01T23:50:14Z")
Exac-a-dactly. And if someone doesn’t come up with something along the lines of “In 1997, the Lou Harris organization asked a cross-section of the world’s population…” it’s going to go bye-bye pretty quick. ---
**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/31 "2002-05-02T00:23:29Z")
They don’t say who was surveyed, but [here’s](http://www.robinhood.ltd.uk/robinhood/charlotte_dahlgaard_report.html) a cite for Robin Hood: > [@](#): > > A survey to find the most popular person in history showed for instance, that Robin Hood was second only passed by Jesus ---
**Author:** ![Weeks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbce88/32.png) [@Weeks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weeks)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/32 "2002-05-11T12:57:00Z")
I got it! I got it! the father of three religions…the man…the myth… Abraham! Taaa daaaa! ---
**Author:** ![sonicsink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@sonicsink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sonicsink)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/33 "2002-05-11T13:44:42Z")
ELIVIS BABY! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![sonicsink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@sonicsink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sonicsink)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/34 "2002-05-11T13:46:02Z")
I can’t believe I spelt Elvis wrong! lol ---
**Author:** ![Sassafras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@Sassafras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sassafras)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/35 "2002-05-11T14:23:18Z")
I live in Central Florida and the answer around here seems to be…Walt Disney. Dead or alive or frozen or whatever, everyone loves the guy. ---
**Author:** ![Nishroch\_Order](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Nishroch\_Order](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nishroch_Order)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/36 "2002-05-11T17:27:39Z")
"The most popular person … EVER! " Ain’t that me? 😃 _runs for cover_ ---
**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:** [May 11, 2002, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/37 "2002-05-11T18:12:09Z")
I would have to agree with **astorian** - _Muhammad Ali_. Popular and recognizable, although have never been a big fan of the boxer. ---
**Author:** ![Craneop2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Craneop2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Craneop2)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/38 "2002-05-11T19:18:45Z")
My guess would be Bob Hope…Especially with military people… ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/39 "2002-05-11T20:07:18Z")
Off to IMHO. **DrMatrix** - General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_Hat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f0a364/32.png) [@Bad\_Hat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_Hat)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655/40 "2002-05-11T20:15:59Z")
I gotta think you’d have a hard time finding many rational detractors from Mandela and Ghandi. Or Buddha. or Abarham. If we are talking about world population. Some of the above answers are definitely western favorites, but remember that we are still a minority (however vocal) on this planet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-popular-person-ever/106655.md?page=3)