You know who we are.....or do you?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I was just listening to “Fresh Air” on NPR and they had interviews with members of Pres. Clinton’s cabinet. One made the comment that the President didn’t have a TV, Radio, or Computer in his office. They said that he was the first president in the TV age with no media in his office. That started me thinking (yes that can be dangerous).

Any casual poster to the SDMB knows that Coldfire is in the Netherlands, Anniz and Montfort have a thing going on, Esprix is gay, and so forth. It’s also known, although probably not as widely, that we have a 60’s rock musician, with several top 10s under his belt, in our midst. We’re a VERY diverse group.

But, if Pres. Clinton were to have a computer, were able to get on the SDMB without raising a media commotion, and were to join us, would we know? Would he be the one constantly hitting on Welfy and Born Dodgy? Would he be the one in GD expousing liberal viewpoints? Would he be the one doing polling on public policy in IMHO?

Now, I realize that the preceding scenario isn’t realistic or feasible. It does make you think, though. Sure, we put our pictures on the People of the SDMB Page. Sure, we may chat with each other. We even meet each other at the Dopefests. But, who’s to say that I’m not actually Lenny Kravitz or John Updike and not just some number cruncher for an insurance company? Any of us could be someone that we all know, revere, love or dislike.

I feel like I’ve gotten to know quite a few of you through your posts. Witty, sad, touching, intriguing, mundane and pointless, I always find something here that catches my eye and makes it hard to leave. I guess that y’all could all be celebrities, for all I know. Or you could be just what you make yourselves out to be. In the end, it really doesn’t matter. I’m just amazed the with humor and honesty that is brought to the board each day. Thanks.

[sub]Sorry for the preceding. I must have had too much caffine or something.[/sub]

2

The only other celebrity I’m sure of is Eve because I read one of her books a few years ago.

What surprises me is how there is NOBODY I know IRL here except those I met at a Dopefest. That I know of, at least. Nobody has come forward and said, “Hey, Mike! Remember me from…?”

As for “y’all could all be celebrities, for all I know,” maybe what you enjoy here shows how many talented people are nobodies, or that the internet can be used to create a whole new group of somebodies.

3

I haven’t ever considered that we might have an uber-celebrity in our midst, but I do often wonder if I know or have met any of you IRL.
For instance, John Corrado. I know from some of his past posts where he went to high school and what age he is. He’s my age and I dated a guy in his class when I was in college. This particular guy was still close to a lot of his high school buddies and I met quite a few of them. Did I meet him? (Is John Corrado his real name?)
There are a lot of people on the boards who live in places I’ve lived and share my interests. Have I played pool with one of you at a bar? Have I taken classes with one of you? Have I stood in line at the grocery store with you? Did I date your best friend? I’ve had so many “small world” things happen to me that my mind just reels at the possibilities.

4

That’s why I’m surprised. The “six degrees of separation” seems to have been whittled down to four or five, which would mean that the first couple degrees should broaden.

5

Damn, cover blown. Time to skeedaddle!!

6

We DO? Who is it? I had no idea! What’s his screen name and real name (or name we’d know him by)?

And good post, btw. When posting, I often think to myself that if there’s someone here that I know IRL, surely they will figure out who I am! Things I post are just so obviously me that I can’t imagine someone wouldn’t guess. But then I have yet to recognize anyone I know IRL.

7

For the record, I’m not famous… yet… but when that day comes, I shan’t forget all you little people…

<exit, stage left>
:smiley:

8

Sunshine… its aha who’s the rock star (I think at least) I can’t remember the band name or anything though… there was a thread about it awhile ago you could find it if you search (I’m too lazy :))

smiles at Tommy Well said

9

I’m really Jackie Chan. Sorry for deceiving you. I don’t speak english very well.

10

Thanks, Topaz! I did the search and have discovered that our our dear aha is formerly of the Five Americans.

I just did my part and called our local oldies station (KOOL 105) and requested Western Union by the Five Americans. If they play it, I believe aha earns several cents!!

Funny, but I had always pictured aha as a young 20-something gay man. Maybe it was the whole Cecil-hoo ha thing.

Oh, and I’m actually Milton Berle. Or was.

11

Five Americans.

Western Union is one of the songs.

GRRRRRrrrrrrrr…

12

Interesting point Tommy…

I have to say, I highly doubt I’ve run into any dopers in my day, just because I live in a no-name suburb of Atlanta, GA…but that doesn’t mean that the possibility doesn’t exist.

This made me think of something…

The 6 degrees of separation theory…Do you realize the incredible amount of time and effort it would take to actually prove that? I suppose they could make some computer program or something but still…the mechanics of it are mind-boggling…Or maybe it’s already in effect…like someone’s already got like “the secret 6 degrees of separation project” going on in some secret lab somewhere…and we’re all being monitored so they know exactly who we’ve met and who they know and stuff…

…but perhaps I’ve said too much…

::looks around shiftily and quickly exits::

13

Per the OP…

No one’s registered the usernames CigarBoy or HillarysBitch… yet.

14

HillarysBitch?

15

Girl, the six-degrees study wasn’t all that big or complicated. It was described here:

Milgram, Stanley. “The Small World Problem.” Psychology Today, May 1967. pp 60 - 67.

Google found me http://www.urbanlegends.com/science/six_degrees_experiment.html, which is really about ULS and how they spread, but describes the experiment and gives a couple of references.

16

I think we’d spot Clinton in a heartbeat. He’d be the only poster brave enough to command female Straight Dope staff members to perform oral sex on him.

17

Blow me, Coldy.

.

(Strictly for laughs. Strictly for laughs.)

18

Thanks rjk…That was very interesting. I was more rambling and being random than anything, but I’ve always been interested in that. You rule. :smiley:

19

Just A Girl I live in Atlanta, and though I don’t have many reason’s to associate with high school students(nothing against y’all, I just simply don’t know any at the present time), I visit various parts of the area fairly regularly.

I could have been behind you when you stopped at the grocery store. I could have been the other car at the pump out in Woodstock(and I have no idea where you actually live, so I just picked that one).

I’ve thought about this, and I wonder whether any of my friends, any of my family, or any of my coworkers post here. It’s an interesting thought, and something fun to think about when I’m laying awake with insomnia.

20

A few months ago, I was chatting with Satan, and we discovered we used to know the same guy. We also used to hang out at he same nightclub, so it is possible that we met, or, at the very least, were in the same club at the same time.
It’s a small world after all.
:wink:
Rose