# The Unknown Famous **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 30, 2014, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515 "2014-12-30T08:16:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/21 "2015-01-01T03:37:45Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > Nope. Dr Marcus Welby’s sidekick? Peter McDermott, the manager of the St Gregory in \*\*\*Hotel \*\*\*(the TV series)? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Waymore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Waymore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waymore)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/22 "2015-01-01T08:21:55Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > However, I only just a few weeks ago learned Pewdiepie exists and I submit that to kids in their teens he is basically like the Beatles. You ain’t kidding. What was my 13 year old’s favorite Christmas gift you ask? Why, her Pewdiepie pajama pants of course. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/23 "2015-01-01T16:11:39Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Dr Marcus Welby’s sidekick? Peter McDermott, the manager of the St Gregory in \*\*\*Hotel \*\*\*(the TV series)? :dubious: Mr. Barbra Streisand? ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/24 "2015-01-01T16:28:20Z")
> [@F.U.Shakespeare](#): > > Mr. Barbra Streisand? The guy from Westworld? Capricorn One? Okay…the guy who plays Pee-Wee in the movie based on Pee-Wees life. Come on…if he doesn’t get that… ---
**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:** [January 1, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/25 "2015-01-01T18:00:28Z")
I heard of Kevin Bacon because of the whole 6 degrees thing but if I’ve ever watched a movie with him in it I don’t remember it. It was a year or more after I heard of Justin Bieber that I found out why he was famous. **Waymore** You ain’t kidding. What was my 13 year old’s favorite Christmas gift you ask? Why, her Pewdiepie pajama pants of course. I really really hope I’m being whoosed. :eek: > **[PewDiePie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PewDiePie)** > > Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg (/ˈʃɛlbɜːrɡ/ SHEL-burg, Swedish: \[ˈfěːlɪks ˈǎrːvɪd ɵlf ˈɕɛ̂lːbærj\] (listen); born 24 October 1989), better known as PewDiePie (/ˈpjuːdiːpaɪ/ PEW-dee-py), is a Swedish YouTuber known for his Let's Play videos and comedic formatted videos and shows. Kjellberg's popularity on YouTube and extensive media coverage have made him one of the most noted online personalities and content creators. He has been portrayed in the media as a figurehead for YouTube, especially in the... ---
**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:** [January 1, 2015, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/26 "2015-01-01T18:10:36Z")
Maybe it says something bad about me but I recognize all of the names mentioned so far in this thread (except for LA radio hosts Heidi and Frank). ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/27 "2015-01-01T18:47:52Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Maybe it says something bad about me but I recognize all of the names mentioned so far in this thread (except for LA radio hosts Heidi and Frank). It’s not you that this thread says something bad about. Only on the SDMB do people take pride in how unaware they are of entertainment and pop culture. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/28 "2015-01-01T19:35:08Z")
What the fuck is a Pewdiepie? No, don’t bother. I don’t _want_ to know. ---
**Author:** ![Septima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Septima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Septima)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/29 "2015-01-02T06:24:21Z")
Why? He’s a youtube celebrity, post videos of himself playing video games and making weird commentary. Like many youtube celebrities, he often focuses on raising money for charity, and is, as far as I can tell, famous more or less entirely due to his own effort. As celebrities go, youtubers like PewDiePie, the Green Brothers etc. are as inoffensive as they come. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/30 "2015-01-02T16:04:55Z")
The more recent a pop phenomenon, the greater the chance I know little or nothing about it. When I was in my old neighborhood in Queens (guess which one!) a few weeks ago, my teenage nieces were thrilled to death because all the stars of _ **Orange Is the New Black** _ were hanging out at a nearby cafe (it’s taped at a studio just a few blocks from my Mom’s house). I have vaguely heard of the show, but don’t know the names or faces of ANYONE in it, save Laura Prepon. I could easily have sat down at a table next to them, and wouldn’t have paid them any mind. Until my 11 year old son started listening to pop music 2 or 3 years back, I didn’t know who any of the current top 40 artists were. You could play me a Billboard #1 hit from, say, 2008, and I probably wouldn’t know it. Heck, if you read me the names of the top 10 country artists on this week’s Billboard charts, I probably wouldn’t recognize most of their names. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/31 "2015-01-02T17:38:38Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > What the fuck is a Pewdiepie? > > No, don’t bother. I don’t _want_ to know. I think you and I win; we first heard of this guy due to this thread. I have to say… if that’s what’s popular with yoots today, our future is in sad shape. It’s like an unfunny MST3K style running commentary on video games by some Scandinavian doofus with an accent, bad mustache and weird pronunciations. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/32 "2015-01-02T18:19:20Z")
As I’ve said before…when South Park ends I will have no way of knowing what is ‘hip’ any more. I’ll just fade away like Apollo is ST: TOS “Who Mourns for Adonis” ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/33 "2015-01-02T19:26:51Z")
I don’t watch TV or cable. Haven’t for 20 years. So I am utterly clueless when it comes to modern pop culture. My coworkers talk about The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Sons of Anarchy, Survivor, etc. I have no idea what they’re talking about. I just looked at [Billboard’s Hot 100 for 2014](http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100). The only name I recognize is Taylor Swift, but only because I’ve seen some pop-up ads with her name in it. I also looked at [Billboard’s top money makers for 2014](http://www.billboard.com/articles/list/5930326/music-s-top-40-money-makers-2014-the-rich-list). I’ve never heard of Kenny Chesney, Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, Maroon 5, Luke Bryan, or P!nk. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/34 "2015-01-02T22:18:07Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I think you and I win; we first heard of this guy due to this thread. > > I have to say… if that’s what’s popular with yoots today, our future is in sad shape. It’s like an unfunny MST3K style running commentary on video games by some Scandinavian doofus with an accent, bad mustache and weird pronunciations. He’s no Game Grumps, that’s for sure. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/35 "2015-01-02T23:38:31Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > The guy from Westworld? Capricorn One? Okay…the guy who plays Pee-Wee in the movie based on Pee-Wees life. Come on…if he doesn’t get that… …then he must be banned. 😉 > [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > It’s not you that this thread says something bad about. Only on the SDMB do people take pride in how unaware they are of entertainment and pop culture. Two things: LOTS of people take pride in how unaware they are of entertainment, but pop culture, and how are you so sure we aren’t lamenting our geriatric loss of cool? When you’ve been a pop culture maven for as long as many of us have your brain doesn’t have room left for new artists. Though I made room in “Hate Them!” for Pewdiepie and Game Grumps. ---
**Author:** ![Waymore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Waymore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waymore)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2015, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/36 "2015-01-03T00:34:32Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > **Waymore** > You ain’t kidding. What was my 13 year old’s favorite Christmas gift you ask? Why, her Pewdiepie pajama pants of course. > > I really really hope I’m being whoosed. :eek: > [PewDiePie - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PewDiePie) If by “whoosed” you mean I’m pulling legs, nope. Dead serious. ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2015, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/37 "2015-01-03T01:44:24Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > While perusing the names of the famous girls who had their nekkid pictures leaked, I had no idea of who at least half of them were. I hear you. I had to google at least half of them too. It felt a bit creepy to see most were former Disney Channel or Nickelodeon stars. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2015, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/38 "2015-01-03T01:54:16Z")
Guys, this is a very common phenomenon of getting older; you lose touch with current popular culture. This has been going on forever and always will. Of course I know who Fred Astaire is, and I know some newer celebrities and musical acts because I have teenagers, but otherwise I would be totally clueless. I mean even more so than I am now. ETA: Years ago I took my kids to see an Amy Adams movie where she was a fairy tale princess somehow dropped into the real world. She was breathtakingly beautiful and acted with much aplomb. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2015, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/39 "2015-01-03T02:25:30Z")
> [@HubZilla](#): > > I hear you. I had to google at least half of them too. It felt a bit creepy to see most were former Disney Channel or Nickelodeon stars. I knew who the naked Disney kids were because I am old. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2015, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515/40 "2015-01-03T19:08:53Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > It’s not you that this thread says something bad about. Only on the SDMB do people take pride in how unaware they are of entertainment and pop culture. You think I’m PROUD to know so little about current pop culture? I’m not! Heck, if I’d known more about current TV, I might have done a little better on \*\*\*Jeopardy! \*\*\* In my case, I’m confessing (not bragging) that I am now as clueless about a lot of contemporary music as my Mom was about Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. I was born in 1961, and stayed very current on rock music until the late Nineties. By 2000, I’d look at the Billboard charts and think, “I don’t know who ANY of these people are!” I’m sure there are people my age who know all the currently popular TV shows, movies and musical artists, but many others found their tastes ossifying years ago. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unknown-famous/708515.md?page=3)