# Who's that guy next to Whoopi? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 25, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451 "2009-09-25T01:48:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/1 "2009-09-25T01:48:02Z")
In those T Mobil Google phone commercials, who is the tall white haired guy next to Whoopi Goldberg? I know her, and the guy at the end, but I still can’t figure out who the dude in the middle is. It’s really bugging me. ---
**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:** [September 25, 2009, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/2 "2009-09-25T01:49:34Z")
The Coach! Phil Jackson. But who’s the guy with the tats? ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/3 "2009-09-25T02:20:32Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > The Coach! Phil Jackson. > > But who’s the guy with the tats? Pretty sure he’s one of those Orange County motorcycle guys. Correct me if I’m wrong. I’m not sure on that. But if the dude is Phil Jackson, why is “his” unique phone showing some scenic waterscape? Doesn’t make sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/4 "2009-09-25T02:25:02Z")
> [@Serenata67](#): > > Pretty sure he’s one of those Orange County motorcycle guys. Right. It’s Jesse James, Sandra Bullock’s husband. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/5 "2009-09-25T02:28:17Z")
> [@Serenata67](#): > > But if the dude is Phil Jackson, why is “his” unique phone showing some scenic waterscape? Doesn’t make sense to me. 'Cause he’s the “Zen Master”, I assume. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/6 "2009-09-25T02:59:22Z")
I’m so glad someone started this. I know Whoopi. I know Jesse. I guess I still don’t understand WHO Phil Jackson is, but at least I know his name. ---
**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:** [September 25, 2009, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/7 "2009-09-25T03:03:49Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > 'Cause he’s the “Zen Master”, I assume. Ferret, you can still tell folks what ain’t from Chicago, can’t you? Or LA. > **[Phil Jackson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Jackson)** > > This is an accepted version of this page > > > As head coach: ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/8 "2009-09-25T03:59:02Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Ferret, you can still tell folks what ain’t from Chicago, can’t you? Or LA. > > [Phil Jackson - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Jackson) I’ve lived in LA for 5 years and had never heard of the guy until this thread. But then, since he’s a sports figure that isn’t a shock to me. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/9 "2009-09-25T10:46:28Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > I’ve lived in LA for 5 years and had never heard of the guy until this thread. But then, since he’s a sports figure that isn’t a shock to me. Back when he coached the Chicago Bulls - when they were The Chicago Bulls, in Michael Jordan’s golden years - you couldn’t avoid knowing who he was if you lived here in Chicago. Even if you actively avoided sports, you’d know. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/10 "2009-09-25T12:07:44Z")
Had heard the name, but had no idea who he was. Sounds like a cool dude. As is Jesse James, who was also on Season II of “Celebrity Apprentice” and infuriated The Donald by refusing to cash in on his wife to win. And **Serenata** , thanks for starting the thread – I’ve thought “I should ask at the Dope who that is” every single honkin’ time I’ve seen that ad, but always forgot by the time I’d turn on the computer. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/11 "2009-09-25T14:24:16Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Back when he coached the Chicago Bulls - when they were The Chicago Bulls, in Michael Jordan’s golden years - you couldn’t avoid knowing who he was if you lived here in Chicago. Even if you actively avoided sports, you’d know. See, basketball and hockey are really the only major sports I don’t follow, plus, I was still in middle school when Jordan was at his height. ---
**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:** [September 25, 2009, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/12 "2009-09-25T14:42:10Z")
This thread echoes the conversation at Casa Silenus when we first saw this ad: Wife: “Who is the guy next to Whoopi?” Me (amazed): “That’s Phil Jackson, you philistine. Who is the guy on the end?” Wife: “That’s Jesse James, you moron.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/13 "2009-09-25T15:49:39Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Me (amazed): “That’s Phil Jackson, you philistine. Who is the guy on the end?” > > Wife: “That’s Jesse James, you moron.” 😃 HA! The tragedy is that we all know who Whoopi is. ---
**Author:** ![hellpaso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@hellpaso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hellpaso)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/14 "2009-09-25T15:55:43Z")
Thank you!!! This exact question has been driving me crazy. And yeah, it’s pretty bad that we all know Whoopi. Who are the figures on Jesse’s phone? ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/15 "2009-09-25T17:05:37Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Back when he coached the Chicago Bulls - when they were The Chicago Bulls, in Michael Jordan’s golden years - you couldn’t avoid knowing who he was if you lived here in Chicago. Even if you actively avoided sports, you’d know. I actively watched the NBA back then, and I didn’t recognize him in that commercial. I don’t recognize him out of a suit, I guess, and his nature scene bit made me assume it was a famous documentarian (oxymoron?) or something. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/16 "2009-09-25T17:45:50Z")
> [@Serenata67](#): > > Pretty sure he’s one of those Orange County motorcycle guys. > [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Right. It’s Jesse James, Sandra Bullock’s husband. Jesse James is not with Orange County Choppers. He runs West Coast Choppers, based in Long Beach, CA. The O.C.C. guys are the Teutels, Paul and his sons, Paul Jr. and Mike. They’re from Newburgh, in Orange County, NY. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/17 "2009-09-25T20:21:14Z")
> [@typoink](#): > > I actively watched the NBA back then, and I didn’t recognize him in that commercial. I don’t recognize him out of a suit, I guess, and his nature scene bit made me assume it was a famous documentarian (oxymoron?) or something. The trouble is he’s old! I’d’ve recognized him if he still looked like this: [http://www.harrywalker.com/images/photos/large/Jackson\_Phil.jpg](http://www.harrywalker.com/images/photos/large/Jackson_Phil.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/18 "2009-09-25T20:32:22Z")
> [@voguevixen](#): > > The tragedy is that we all know who Whoopi is. She’s the center square. I’m ashamed to know that, to tell the truth. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/19 "2009-09-25T20:44:13Z")
That’s funny because I didn’t recognize Jessie James in the ad either. I’ve seen enough of Apprentice that I shoulda known. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451/20 "2009-09-26T15:36:51Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Back when he coached the Chicago Bulls - when they were The Chicago Bulls, in Michael Jordan’s golden years - you couldn’t avoid knowing who he was if you lived here in Chicago. Even if you actively avoided sports, you’d know. This is very true. There is no bigger sports NON fan in Chicago than me, and even _I_ knew Phil Jackson. Never heard of the other guy, though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-that-guy-next-to-whoopi/511451.md?page=2)