# Who's \_\_\_\_? X or Y

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [April 23, 2008, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580 "2008-04-23T19:04:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 3

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/41 "2008-04-24T18:34:53Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=anyrose]  
See, now I would have pegged Sinatra as a “Joisey Boy”, not New York at all  
I’m going to say Gandolfini - because he only acted like _that guy_, while Sinatra’s ties in real life were mor ethan mere speculation.

Who’s a more sympathetic anti-hero - Gandolfini’s Tony Soprano or Johnny Depp’s Capt Jack Sparrow?  
[/QUOTE]

Gandolfini hands down. Tony’s only bad when he has to be. Jack is a creep sunup to sundown.

Who would play a better Orson Welles, Gandolfini or Drew Carey? 😃

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/42 "2008-04-24T19:01:55Z")

</div>

Gandolfini in a heartbeat. Carey doesn’t have the acting chops.

Who is less like his best-known character, James Gandolfini or Leonard Nimoy?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/43 "2008-04-24T19:09:16Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir]  
Gandolfini in a heartbeat. Carey doesn’t have the acting chops.

Who is less like his best-known character, James Gandolfini or Leonard Nimoy?  
[/QUOTE]

Nimoy, I suspect. Evidence would lie in that lame “Believe it or else” schlock he did back in the 70’s. Gandolfini at least has some bouncer experience.

Whose contributions to popular music are more annoying, Nimoy’s or Shatner’s?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/44 "2008-04-24T19:50:29Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Zeldar]  
Whose contributions to popular music are more annoying, Nimoy’s or Shatner’s?  
[/QUOTE]

I’d say Nimoy’s, which are just painful. Shatner’s _Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds_ is so bad it’s funny.

Who played a detective better, Shatner or Buddy Ebsen?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/45 "2008-04-24T19:56:53Z")

</div>

Buddy Ebsen.

Who would have made a better Tin Man, Ebsen or Clark Gable?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/46 "2008-04-24T19:57:31Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Zeldar]  
Whose contributions to popular music are more annoying, Nimoy’s or Shatner’s?  
[/QUOTE]

Nimoy. Bill’s decided to have fun with his lack of talent, and it makes him a lot of fun to listen to.

Who’s done a worse job of trying to separate themselves from their most famous role, Nimoy or Tina Louise?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/47 "2008-04-25T02:03:27Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir]

Who would have made a better Tin Man, Ebsen or Clark Gable?  
[/QUOTE]

Ebsen. He and his sister were distinguished dancers in the early 1930’s.

Whose effort at a television comeback as a TV detective is more watchable in retrospect: Buddy Ebsen, or Dick Van Dyke?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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 25, 2008, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/48 "2008-04-25T05:16:37Z")

</div>

Van Dyke

Who was a better physical comedian: Dick Van Dyke or John Ritter?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/49 "2008-04-25T05:47:56Z")

</div>

Van Dyke, although it’s a closer call than you might think.

Who had a more wretched “English” accent, Dick Van Dyke or Kevin Costner?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/50 "2008-04-25T12:07:54Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir]  
Van Dyke, although it’s a closer call than you might think.

Who had a more wretched “English” accent, Dick Van Dyke or Kevin Costner?  
[/QUOTE]

Costner, at least to my American ears. 😃

Whose Baseball movie(s) are more believable, Costner’s or Tommy Lee Jones’s (_Cobb_?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/51 "2008-04-25T13:12:08Z")

</div>

Jones, by a nose.

Who was taller, Tommy Lee Jones or Sherlock Holmes?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/52 "2008-04-25T13:19:48Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir]  
Jones, by a nose.

Who was taller, Tommy Lee Jones or Sherlock Holmes?  
[/QUOTE]

I’ll take Tommy Lee on this one, only because I just think of Sherlock as emaciated, not all that tall.

Whose deadpan delivery has the right combo of funny and snarky, Tommy Lee or Paul Newman?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/53 "2008-04-25T15:37:47Z")

</div>

Tommy Lee.

Who makes a better aging cowboy - Tommy Lee Jones or James Garner?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/54 "2008-04-25T15:56:33Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=anyrose]  
Tommy Lee.

Who makes a better aging cowboy - Tommy Lee Jones or James Garner?  
[/QUOTE]

Real tough choice here. I go with Tommy Lee but only by a smidge.

Which of Tommy Lee’s co-stars is a better match, Will Smith or Robert Duvall?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/55 "2008-04-25T17:33:12Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Zeldar]  
Real tough choice here. I go with Tommy Lee but only by a smidge.

Which of Tommy Lee’s co-stars is a better match, Will Smith or Robert Duvall?  
[/QUOTE]

for my money, WIll Smith

who’s the more talented rapper turned actor - Will Smith or Queen Latifa?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/56 "2008-04-25T17:37:40Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=anyrose]  
for my money, WIll Smith

who’s the more talented rapper turned actor - Will Smith or Queen Latifa?  
[/QUOTE]

All around talent, I guess it would be Will, although Queen has done some good stuff, too.

Whose portrayal of a major sports figure was more convincing, Will Smith (Ali) or John Goodman (Babe Ruth)?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/57 "2008-04-25T17:39:31Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=anyrose]  
for my money, WIll Smith

who’s the more talented rapper turned actor - Will Smith or Queen Latifa?  
[/QUOTE]

Well that depends on what you think is more important the rapping or the acting.  
I will go with Latifa.

Which rapper turned actor has done more so bad they are great movies, Queen Latifa or LL Cool J?

(I was going to go with a native tongue’s question, but I wasn’t sure how into hip how the players in this game are.)

ETA: DAMN YOU SIMULPOST!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/58 "2008-04-25T18:08:41Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=NAF1138]  
Well that depends on what you think is more important the rapping or the acting.  
I will go with Latifa.

Which rapper turned actor has done more so bad they are great movies, Queen Latifa or LL Cool J?

(I was going to go with a native tongue’s question, but I wasn’t sure how into hip how the players in this game are.)

[/QUOTE]

I know next to nothing about rap and am curious about the “native tongue” of which you speak.

I seem to recall at least one each of “so bad they are good” movies involving both your candidates, but not enough to pick one as “done more.” So just to add a new name to the game,

Which rapper/actor is a better undercover cop type, LL Cool J or Ice T?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/59 "2008-04-25T18:34:24Z")

</div>

Ice T.

Who will still be famous 20 years from now, Ice T or Eminem?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580/60 "2008-04-25T18:40:48Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir]  
Who will still be famous 20 years from now, Ice T or Eminem?  
[/QUOTE]

Ice T. Eminem was bigger at his peak, but will slip more precipitously.

Who has the seamier past, Ice T or 50 Cent?

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580.md?page=2)

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-____-x-or-y/446580.md?page=4)
