F1RST!
Presidents Day got me thinking, and tonight amongst friends, I came up with this truly American hypothesis:
Nobody is more famous in American History AND less physically recognizable than Neil Armstrong
Go ahead and try to imagine what Neil Armstrong looks like. 95% of you are drawing a blank, and the other 5% did a class project on him in third grade or grew up in his home town. Yet we all know who he is!
So try to give it a shot. Come up with somebody who is both more popular than Neil Armstrong and less visibly familiar.
Two caveats: They have to be born after 1900 so that photography was present (so no Christopher Columbus) and they have to be American (so no Christopher Columbus.)
Note: Some close seconds discussed were Babe Ruth (ultimately decidedly more recognizable) and Robert Frost (ultimately decidedly less popular).
February 16th, 2009 @ 11:45 pm
Rosa Parks?
February 16th, 2009 @ 11:48 pm
Buzz Aldrin? Actually, I think you could make the argument that any astronaut from the Apollo campaigns fit this description.
February 16th, 2009 @ 11:52 pm
You should track how many people google image search his picture… or put a link on here and analyze it.
February 16th, 2009 @ 11:53 pm
Rosa Parks is pretty good, but I’ll bet more Americans know Neil Armstrong than Ms. Parks. (Same with Buzz)
February 16th, 2009 @ 11:57 pm
I don’t think I’ve ever even seen his face before 20 seconds ago. But put him back in a space suit and everyone would recognize him…
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:02 am
…why did i think that neil armstrong was black.
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:03 am
by the way, loved loved the collegehumor show but i thought it was over wayyy too soon.
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:05 am
Wayne Gretzky? (canadian?)
Ernest Hemingway?
Frank Sinatra?
Nat King Cole?
Nancy Kerrigan?
Devon Sawa?
Jack Bauer?
The mom from Home Improvement.
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:06 am
J. Edgar Hoover, and Howard Hughes
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:08 am
Not to rain on your parade, but Robert Frost shouldn’t be eligible anyway according to your rules- he was born in 1874.
/wikipedia’d
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:09 am
I thought of Dr. Suess. Everyone knows him, I don’t think anyone I know has seen a picture of him. Along that same line, you could say Charles Shulz.
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:11 am
Jenny Craig
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:21 am
He does have a cameo in Apollo 13. Which is a movie that everyone saw at least once.
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:23 am
Ernest Hemingway? Probably not as popular, since more people would probably find out who landed on the moon before actually picking up a book.
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:25 am
Dr. Seuss is a good one
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:26 am
Deep Throat
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:26 am
FDR.
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:27 am
Shel Silverstein
Spike Lee
Bob Dole
Steve Madden
Tommy Hilfiger
Calvin Klein
Walt Disney
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:38 am
You guys didn’t know what Walt Disney, Spike Lee, or Frank Sinatra looked like!?
Dr. Seuss is perfect, and arguably more famous/popular than Neil Armstrong. I was going to volunteer an author like John Grisham or Michael Crichton, but neither have the widespread fame of a Dr. Seuss.
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:38 am
John Deere
Carmen Sandiego
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:45 am
Ralph Lauren
Also I always get Spike Lee and Spike Jonze mixed up.
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:51 am
Baseball made me think Lou Gehrig…
February 17th, 2009 @ 1:31 am
I’m TOTALLY agreeing with Jenny Craig. Good call!!!
Charlie (Charlie’s Angels)
February 17th, 2009 @ 2:16 am
I vote for Dr. Seuss/Jenny Craig.
February 17th, 2009 @ 3:27 am
Rush Limbaugh
February 17th, 2009 @ 3:43 am
R.L. Stein
February 17th, 2009 @ 4:18 am
Thomas Edison. He was born before 1900, but lived until 1930s. Just a quick point, photography was present before 1900, though not as widely used.
February 17th, 2009 @ 10:30 am
Jim Henson (Muppets creator)
February 17th, 2009 @ 10:39 am
I only know Jim Henson because of that recent credit card commercial. I think it’s a credit card commercial. I just know Ellen is dolled up like a raccoon (a fetish of mine).
February 17th, 2009 @ 10:46 am
Oh, and here are some famous dudes I have no idea what they look like:
-Jimmy Carter
-Ted Bundy
-JK Rowling
-Billy Graham
-Tim Burton
February 17th, 2009 @ 11:27 am
Man Amir, if you were on tumblr the internet would explode over this. Just come!
I think your hypothesis is correct!
February 17th, 2009 @ 11:51 am
Jack Ruby
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:32 pm
oppenheimer, father of the atomic bomb?
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:41 pm
Vin Di Bona.
February 17th, 2009 @ 12:59 pm
I know what Neil Armstrong looks like. He’s this guy wearing a white space suit with a huge helmet on top. That’s all I need to know, because that’s what he looked like when he did what he’s famous for.
THAT’S why we don’t know/care what his face looks like.
February 17th, 2009 @ 1:57 pm
I would say JD Salinger, but Dr. Seuss beats him. Literally. It was consensual, they were both into it.
February 17th, 2009 @ 2:36 pm
guy that killed JFK
Roosevelt
Mickey Mantle
Picasso would win it if you made the criteria at 1880.
February 17th, 2009 @ 3:09 pm
I agree with Dr. Seuss, but I was thinking of the guy that did the voiceover for all the movie trailers, that died recently? Because even though he clearly didn’t do ALL of them (though he did like a thousand) every other trailer has someone IMITATING that guy….
—”In a world where a man named Amir reigned king….”
February 17th, 2009 @ 3:11 pm
Amir has obviously been thinking about this for years and I think he’s right…
Neil Armstrong is the best example.
Now how are we gonna make some money off this idea?
February 17th, 2009 @ 3:56 pm
Dr. Seuss and Walt Disney are good ones.
February 17th, 2009 @ 3:57 pm
Well, i honestly cant think of anyone else..
February 17th, 2009 @ 4:16 pm
Dr. Suess / Walt Disney = winners
February 17th, 2009 @ 4:34 pm
Nay on Walt Disney. Dr. Seuss is it!
February 17th, 2009 @ 4:35 pm
lol @ Vin di Bona
February 17th, 2009 @ 4:57 pm
Jack Handey?
February 17th, 2009 @ 6:21 pm
late to the game..sorry, but definitely the winner is Dr. Suess
February 17th, 2009 @ 7:10 pm
yo, photography has been around since the 1820s, really back waaaaaaaaay further but pretty much what you’re thinking of has been around since 1825 bro
February 17th, 2009 @ 7:10 pm
hell even the camera was around before 1900
February 17th, 2009 @ 7:10 pm
video camera i mean
February 17th, 2009 @ 7:12 pm
like film
February 17th, 2009 @ 7:46 pm
son of sam.
E.A.Poe
…and the best one…
God.
February 17th, 2009 @ 7:47 pm
oh wait, after 1900? pftt….
February 17th, 2009 @ 9:33 pm
charlie, from charlie’s angels.
February 17th, 2009 @ 9:37 pm
Dr. Suess is a good one. He’s from my town (springfield, ma) and I still don’t know what he looks like!
February 17th, 2009 @ 11:34 pm
Jackie Robinson.
Or Lou Gherig.
February 18th, 2009 @ 3:59 am
Yo. Charlie = previously mentioned, but my top faves are:
-Dr. Seuss
-Jenny Craig
-And whoever said Vin Di Bona is a champ. That was hilarious and so true.
-Jack Handey too, good one for sure!
And Jackie Robinson? You kidding me?
February 18th, 2009 @ 4:12 am
But I can’t find a picture of Jenny ANYWHERE.
February 18th, 2009 @ 5:39 am
bill watterson of calvin and hobbes fame
Go ahead. Look him up. There’s only like 2 known photos of this guy
February 18th, 2009 @ 8:32 am
Helen Keller
February 18th, 2009 @ 9:17 am
how about mark zuckerberg, the facebook guy?
February 18th, 2009 @ 9:24 am
If google is correct then Dr.Suess looks like the KFC guy haha i honestly had no idea what he looked like.
How about the Zodiac Killer… haha no ones seen that guy to know what he looks like, eh but i guess thats not as famous. mmm Jake gyllenhaal ( id say he equals amir in looks ;D ) Aye Papi!!!
February 18th, 2009 @ 10:38 am
FYI on Neil Armstrong. He actually made an appearance in the NASA thing that Discovery did last year, and was on 60 Minutes the year before that. He’s still not doing much public stuff, but is at least getting out here and there. Looks good too, for being nearly 80.
February 18th, 2009 @ 12:29 pm
Ok, I may have you beat (if you are still paying attention to comments at this point, which is doubtful). Here it is:
Stephen King
I’d wager he’s slightly more popular and even less recognizable.
February 18th, 2009 @ 12:49 pm
Steven King’s picture is everywhere. Books, movies, last page of Entertainment Weekly. And he is creepy looking. He is pretty recognizable dude.
February 18th, 2009 @ 12:53 pm
Howard Cosell? bit of a stretch
or Craig Sager. both have very recognizable voices.
February 18th, 2009 @ 2:05 pm
Claw from Inspector Gadget
February 18th, 2009 @ 4:35 pm
I can’t remember my face after I get trashed.
February 18th, 2009 @ 6:18 pm
Matt Groening???
February 18th, 2009 @ 6:21 pm
P.S. I shared this with my friend karen. This was the conversation.
“think of someone in America, born after 1900, who everyone knows but cant recognize. Think like…Neil Armstrong, everyone knows who he is but no one knows wtf he looks like.”
“I know who he is AND i know what he looks like.”
“…no you dont, no one does”
“…”
“Not lance armstrong dipshit…”
“oh…fuck!”
February 18th, 2009 @ 7:24 pm
Steven Spielberg
Stanley Kubrick
February 18th, 2009 @ 7:24 pm
Mr. T
February 18th, 2009 @ 7:25 pm
Don LaFontaine
February 18th, 2009 @ 7:36 pm
Famous Amos or Matt Groening. ’nuff said.
February 18th, 2009 @ 7:40 pm
I just googled a picture of Armstrong. I don’t remember what he looks like.
February 18th, 2009 @ 8:09 pm
Charles Manson..
February 18th, 2009 @ 8:36 pm
wilson from home improvement
February 18th, 2009 @ 11:05 pm
I’ve always known dr. seuss looks like colonel sanders…but i love his books and their chicken maybe that’s why.
the person i really have no idea would probably be jenny craig
February 18th, 2009 @ 11:19 pm
Steve Jobs.
February 18th, 2009 @ 11:26 pm
THE LONE RANGER!
February 19th, 2009 @ 12:41 am
Bob Dole.
February 19th, 2009 @ 2:27 pm
dr. suess
Son of sam
February 19th, 2009 @ 4:48 pm
wilson from home improvement.
February 19th, 2009 @ 6:18 pm
i think dr. seuss is the clear winner here. I don’t know about more popular/less recognizable, but at least equal to. All the other answers are obviously less popular or more recognizable than neil armstrong and/or absolutely retarded suggestions.
February 19th, 2009 @ 7:13 pm
jack kerouac, allan ginsberg, bob cousy, eugene mccarthy
February 19th, 2009 @ 7:33 pm
what about FDR?
or even
steven spielberg
February 19th, 2009 @ 9:43 pm
LMAO….I loved what # 38 said…lol
—”In a world where a man named Amir reigned king….”
* Follows it *
“…only a few tried to enter it and failed…”
February 20th, 2009 @ 12:12 am
-Henry Ford
-Tom Waits
-Ray Bradbury
I think henry ford is a pretty good one. I mean, he invinted the Model T car but i can’t picture him in my head for the life of me.
February 20th, 2009 @ 1:36 am
dick wolf
February 20th, 2009 @ 3:13 am
Am I the only person who knew what Dr. Seuss looked like before this?
I like what someone said about Bill Watterson. One of the names I idolized in my childhood, yet I didn’t know what he looked like at all until 2 minutes ago.
February 20th, 2009 @ 4:41 am
I know this is random, but I’d just like to say
that I had no idea what Jerry Bruckheimer(If that’s even how you spell it) looked like. Honest to God, I always see this guy’s name on tv because he’s always executive producer for a shitload of programs but it wasn’t until 2 days ago that I looked him up and saw what he looked like. Rich bastard.
I choose Dr. Seuss because I have no idea wtf that
guy looks like. Erm, and why does it say ’santa monica women healthcare’ at the bottom of this page?
February 20th, 2009 @ 1:38 pm
Amir,
My bet is on bestseller author Thomas Pynchon. He was born after 1900, probably less popular than Neil, but still no one knows how he looks like now
February 20th, 2009 @ 9:57 pm
69. That’s exactly what happened to me and my friend. Except that for the … in the dialogue, my friend said, “You don’t know anything about Tour de France? What cave do you live in?”
February 21st, 2009 @ 1:45 am
I’m another vote for Dr. Seuss, who’s so perfect I’m afraid of ruining it by looking him up. But I can’t think of anyone else who even beats Neil Armstrong.
- Garrison Keillor and Ira Glass both had radio fame before Keillor’s movie and Glass’s show. Still not as famous as Armstrong.
- JK Rowling is British, but if you forgive that, she might be between Armstrong and Seuss.
- Walt Disney is more famous than Neil Armstrong but almost anyone over 45 could remember seeing him on TV.
- Jenny Craig barely counts. Not her given name, and I bet most people wouldn’t put money on whether she’s still alive or whether she actually started the company. But maybe that’s my youth showing. Still, most people known nothing about Jenny Craig’s diet plan other than some trivia about Kirstie Alley, but everyone can recite a few lines from a half-dozen Seuss books.
February 21st, 2009 @ 7:17 pm
Im gonna have to go with the biggest two names I can think of with no face attached to them. Henry Ford and Ferdinand Porsche. Who can really picture what these 2 people look like and doesn’t know at least part of their name world wide?
February 22nd, 2009 @ 2:59 am
Seems as though the clear winner here is Dr. Suess.
February 23rd, 2009 @ 12:19 am
Betty Crocker.
February 23rd, 2009 @ 2:51 pm
The fact that MULTIPLE people have said FDR is absolutely dumbfounding to me.
Are you people functional retards?
February 23rd, 2009 @ 4:07 pm
[...] Who’s the most famous, least recognizable person in America? {via} You might also like… • The 28 Most Recognizable Guitars • What does your sleeping position say about you? • History is chancy [...]
February 23rd, 2009 @ 4:48 pm
Authors that everyone knows but nobody sees.
JK Rowling is actually pretty well known to her fans, but what about: John Grisham, Tom Clancy. Danielle Steele, or Stephen King?
I think Amir nailed it in the OP though, there are lists of famous Americans and Neil Armstrong’s name is always near the top. Everyone else is either on TV or on money.
February 23rd, 2009 @ 4:50 pm
Oh, and Mickey Rourke might qualify, for obvious reasons.
February 23rd, 2009 @ 7:24 pm
Henry Ford, definitely.
And I’d vote Neil Armstrong over Dr. Seuss.
February 24th, 2009 @ 2:44 am
Henry Ford was born well before the 1900 cutoff.
February 25th, 2009 @ 8:28 am
a two dollar whore
February 26th, 2009 @ 2:18 pm
I just Google Image searched Armstrong and I must admit, I wouldn’t have even recognized him in his space suit.
February 26th, 2009 @ 10:00 pm
I’ve got to go with Seuss on this one. Everyone who mentioned obscure names like “Eugene McCarthy” in an attempt to sound so fancy that these names seem well-known to you can burn. Or, on the off-chance that you actually think that those were legitimate competition to Neil or Seuss, you need to reconsider your definition of “popular”. And for people that mentioned directors and authors, you need to consider that the American population, in general, isn’t as cultured or well-read as we should be.
Guy Banter out.
March 12th, 2009 @ 5:17 pm
A good one would be the Wright Brothers. If they were in a lineup with other people with moustaches, you’d have a hard time picking them out.
Also, whoever said Kerouac, Ginsberg, Cousy and McCarthy is a fucking moron.
March 15th, 2009 @ 12:34 pm
John Peterman.
March 15th, 2009 @ 12:35 pm
also, J. D. Salinger.
April 10th, 2009 @ 1:43 am
Michael Jackson’s real face? Joking, of course.
I’m still laughing at FDR and Stephen King. No offence, guys, they’re just not as visually obscure as you think.
March 25th, 2010 @ 3:43 am
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