# What "famous people" are you surprised other people haven't heard of? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 26, 2024, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817 "2024-07-26T14:54:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/242 "2024-12-20T18:12:55Z")
When George Harrison died in 2001, a coworker in her late 20s didn’t know who he was. She had heard of the Beatles but wasn’t sure of the names of the individual band members. ---
**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:** [December 20, 2024, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/243 "2024-12-20T18:34:12Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Does she know Jack Cassidy, who was in that Mr. Magoo Xmas show? I’m sure she doesn’t. It’s not like we watched reruns of _He and She_ around her. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/244 "2024-12-20T22:31:35Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](#): > > _When George Harrison died in 2001, a coworker in her late 20s didn’t know who he was._ _That’s_ pretty surprising. Not so surprising was the reaction among my co-workers at the time (women in their late 20s or so) when I mentioned that Jerry Garcia had died. “Who’s Jerry Garcia?” they asked. I would not have expected them to be Deadheads, but I would have thought they would have at least heard of him. I was not working in the radio biz at the time, by the way. Radio people of any age or gender would have known the name Jerry Garcia. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/245 "2024-12-20T23:55:36Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > I was surprised my niece did NOT know who Zamfir was. He has been The Master of the Pan Flute for over 50 years. are you going to tell us what a pan flute is? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/246 "2024-12-20T23:58:54Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > are you going to tell us what a pan flute is? Better than that, I can show you! (The pan flute is apparently named that because Pan, a Greek god, was often depicted playing such a flute.) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/alhZVEEfH7Q/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHUBoAC4AOKAgwIABABGH8gPigTMA8=&rs=AOn4CLAGKH_w3aa-Weje8d00IzdH97uPjA "Zamfir Master of the Pan Flute Commercial") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alhZVEEfH7Q) ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2024, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/247 "2024-12-21T00:44:49Z")
Is that different from Panpipes? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2024, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/248 "2024-12-21T00:51:12Z")
Same thing. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2024, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/249 "2024-12-21T00:53:26Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > _That’s_ pretty surprising. Not so surprising was the reaction among my co-workers at the time (women in their late 20s or so) when I mentioned that Jerry Garcia had died. “Who’s Jerry Garcia?” they asked. I wonder where they think Ben & Jerry’s ‘Cherry Garcia’ comes from. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2024, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/250 "2024-12-21T01:22:16Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > _That’s_ pretty surprising. Not so surprising was the reaction among my co-workers at the time (women in their late 20s or so) when I mentioned that Jerry Garcia had died. “Who’s Jerry Garcia?” they asked. I would not have expected them to be Deadheads, but I would have thought they would have at least heard of him. I am in my late 50s and I have heard of Jerry Garcia but had no idea he was in the Grateful Dead. In fact my only notion of the Grateful Dead is that they are a band that is famous for their die-hard fans and not their music. I imagine they are some kind of rock band, but which sub-genre I have no idea. I am NOT a musical snob or a hermit. And I’d never heard of Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia until this thread. And I’ve stocked a few ice cream cases in my time, so I’ve probably handled it and just not realized what it was a play on. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2024, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/251 "2024-12-21T04:45:10Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > When I was working fast food in high school (~2000) I had a coworker that had never heard of the Beatles. This is the only assertion here that is really hard to believe. > [@dorvann](#): > > I was surprised my niece did NOT know who Zamfir was. He has been The Master of the Pan Flute for over 50 years. Once upon a time, we were all inundated with Zamfir commercials on late night TV, prompting one standup comedian to ask “Zamfir? _MASTER_ of the Pan Flute? I mean, how much competition did he really have?” > [@MortSahlFan](#): > > Mort Sahl - has an autobiography, biography, documentary, started the entire stand-up thing in 1950 with no precedent but most importantly was still the best. You haven’t convinced me you’ve ever heard of him… ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2024, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/252 "2024-12-21T13:06:24Z")
In a recent work conference, the hostess asked some trivia questions about Taylor Swift. I know of her because of the Kanye West thing making headlines, and they show her in the pressbox during KC Chiefs games, but I couldn’t recognize any of her songs. I just answered “Freebird” and the hostess was mortally appalled. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2024, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/253 "2024-12-21T14:21:49Z")
We visited a Pittsburgh brewery last night and spent some time chatting with Rick Sebak. The dude is a Pittsburgh icon. After he moved on, a woman we know came over and asked who our friend was (she noticed everyone saying hi to him). I told her it was Rick Sebak and she had no clue. I gave some details of his career, still no clue. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2024, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/254 "2024-12-21T14:27:48Z")
I’ve seen (and loved) several of Rick Sebak’s documentaries, and know his distinctive voice. But I doubt I would recognize him if I saw him. He’s on camera relatively rarely, at least in anything that I’ve watched. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2024, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/255 "2024-12-21T14:30:29Z")
Must be my Pittsburgh roots. I failed to recognize my ex-wife at an event recently, but the second I saw Sebak I knew who he was. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2024, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/256 "2024-12-21T16:42:06Z")
Yes, I’m sure actually being from Pittsburgh would help. In reference to the Grateful Dead, mentioned above, I can’t quite remember when I worked out who Jerry Garcia was. For a long time, the only Dead song that I knew was “Touch of Grey” (I’m sure all the Deadheads in the crowd despair at that), and I had no idea who the individual members of the band might be. I remember when he died, and the name was somewhat familiar, but I didn’t really get what the big deal was. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2024, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/257 "2024-12-21T16:48:16Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > (I’m sure all the Deadheads in the crowd despair at that) Yes, yes we do. Never heard of Rick Sebak. Looked him up - no wonder. I teach teenagers, so I long ago gave up being surprised at who they don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2024, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/258 "2024-12-21T18:00:55Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](#): > > I wonder where they think Ben & Jerry’s ‘Cherry Garcia’ comes from. Vermont ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2024, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/259 "2024-12-21T19:35:50Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Never heard of Rick Sebak. Looked him up - no wonder. For a Pittsburgher, Rick Sebak, Fred Rogers, and Sally Wiggins are the holy trio. Oh, and Mike Lange. I’ve had the honor of buying Mike a beer 4 or 5 times. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/260 "2024-12-22T08:04:42Z")
I spoke with a young woman who was in theater arts, particularly musical theater, and she didn’t know who Gilbert and Sullivan were. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/261 "2024-12-22T13:00:50Z")
I attend at least one G&S production every year. My niece also gave me a funny look when I said, “Gilbert and Sulllivan. You know, 19th century light opera. Comedy operettas.” When I then hummed a brief segment from one of their more popular pieces, she said, “Ohhhh…like Captain Crunch cereal.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817.md?page=14)