I Thought *Everybody* Had Heard of *Them*!

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Have you ever been in a situation where a load of ppl had been talking abt someone whom they regarded as universally famous and you had to admit that you'd never heard of them?

― MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 17:48 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd imagine this happens quite a lot when someone visits another country, particularly one with a language common to your own, UK to the US or vice versa for example. Or when someone finds themselves in their home country surrounded by a group of ppl from another country. Though I'm particularly interested in e.g.s amongst ppl from the same place.

― MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 17:50 (twenty-two years ago)

It took me a couple years to realize "Chucks" were "sneakers" and not "implements of hand-to-hand destruction fancied by turtles of a ninjistic and mutant persusasion."

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 17:57 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm like this all the time with athletes.

― teeny (teeny), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 17:58 (twenty-two years ago)

some thread about "takeaway" really confused the crap out of me. so then i read it and realized that it was about takeout!

― Emilymv (Emilymv), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 18:02 (twenty-two years ago)

when o.j. was on the low-speed chase I came home and the b/f was watching it, and he had to explain to me who o.j. was. Eventually he said something about the naked gun movies and it all clicked.

― teeny (teeny), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 18:04 (twenty-two years ago)

I went and saw a movie the day they did the OJ CHASE! and one of the previews was for a Naked Gun movie and one shot had OJ trying to open the door of a white Blazer or something and I yelled out (v-drunk, it was a midnight movie) "OJ NOOOOOO!" and amazingly enough everybody (possibly also drunk) laughed. Best thing I've ever done in my life (apart from that whole, y'know, creating another human thing).

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 18:13 (twenty-two years ago)

i must admit I usually have a lucky escape, as I'm one of those ppl who can't stand not knowing stuff and so I tend to look up names before I fall foul of this situation. I was quite surprised that my Texan housemate eight years ago didn't know who Lou Reed was. recently, the only person in the field of music whm i'd never heard of to the incredulity of those to whom I was speaking was Holly golightly.

― MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 19:11 (twenty-two years ago)

What place does Holly Golightly have in the field of music?

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 19:21 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.hollygolightly.com/.

...or were you just being rude as you didn't think she was very talented?

I don't know, I hadn't heard of her until a week or 2 ago!

― MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 19:26 (twenty-two years ago)

she's the female duetter on "It's true that we love each other" from Thw White Stripes "elephant"

― jed_e_3 (jed_e_3), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 19:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Whenever I hang out with Mary.

― bnw (bnw), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 19:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Usually I am the one who is thinking "I thought everyone had head of them."

― rosemary (rosemary), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 20:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Since I'm such a music freak, I sometimes forget that some of my friends haven't heard of Bolan or Supergrass.

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 20:30 (twenty-two years ago)

a friend of mine shocked and stunned someone by not knowing who steve jobs was. the guy didn't believe him and treated him rather rudely as a result. said friend tried to trump him by acting surprised he didn't know who john fahey was. but it's not really the same thing. I was stunned myself to find he didn't know who steve jobs was, but hid it.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 21:08 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't think, offhand, who Steve Jobs is, though I have a notion I've heard the name.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 21:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Steve Jobs was in Goldfinger, wasn't he?

― Aimless, Thursday, 21 August 2003 02:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I *still* dont know who this Carrot Top person is I keep seeing mentioned here. Not kidding either. Is he some comedian or annoying git?

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 21 August 2003 02:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh and Martin: assuming yr serious, Steve Jobs be the Apple CEO (or was... is he still?)

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 21 August 2003 02:43 (twenty-two years ago)

noah wyle IS steve jobs

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Thursday, 21 August 2003 02:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Is he some comedian or annoying git?

Um, I guess it depends on what your definition of "comedy" is.

― hstencil, Thursday, 21 August 2003 02:46 (twenty-two years ago)

I thought as much ;)

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 21 August 2003 02:47 (twenty-two years ago)

he's a performance artist

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Thursday, 21 August 2003 02:48 (twenty-two years ago)

wrong, James, as he's not unintentionally funny either.

― hstencil, Thursday, 21 August 2003 02:49 (twenty-two years ago)

"Comedian" AND annoying git!

Trayce, you are so lucky not to know him.

― rosemary (rosemary), Thursday, 21 August 2003 02:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Rosemary loves him as much as she loves Keith Allen, who she adores. Er.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 21 August 2003 02:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm not *Everybody*, but I have heard of Them. Lead singer: Van Morrison. Hit single: Gloria. Covered nicely by Patti Smith.

― Aimless, Thursday, 21 August 2003 02:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Sports stuff, like teeny said.

Apart from them, I get really annoyed when this happens, in a "Losing My Edge" sort of way.

Oh yeah, Adorno. And half the stuff Ally says.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Thursday, 21 August 2003 09:13 (twenty-two years ago)

three years pass...

Have you ever been in a situation where a load of ppl had been talking abt someone whom they regarded as universally famous and you had to admit that you'd never heard of them?

HI DERE ILM

― teh_kit (g-kit), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 09:04 (nineteen years ago)

I'd like to think The Lex is a parody character representing this thread.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 09:09 (nineteen years ago)

I'm rubbish when it comes to second-tier Hollywood actors. Prior to Spiderman, a friend had to explain in depth who Tobey Maguire was.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 09:11 (nineteen years ago)

that is shockingly ignorant matt

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 09:19 (nineteen years ago)

so am i.

― teh_kit (g-kit), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 09:22 (nineteen years ago)

why, it's almost as if you don't care

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 09:23 (nineteen years ago)

why 2 brake hart

― teh_kit (g-kit), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 09:24 (nineteen years ago)

Teenagers on The Lex's bus do Tobey Maguire impressions along to clips of Spiderman 2 playing on their mobile phones.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 09:26 (nineteen years ago)

d00d, i'm not a teenager

― teh_kit (g-kit), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 09:28 (nineteen years ago)

Second year university: flatmate is a very smart, funny, with-it english major. He has never heard of Anne Frank.

Two weeks ago, new colleague at work. 24-year-old "music fan", off to My Morning Jacket and Ryan Adams shows. Born, raised and dwells in Glasgow. Has never heard of Arab Strap.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 09:32 (nineteen years ago)

i bet i'm worse than the lex in knowing people (since i won't even know the teeny pop people that he knows!!)

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 09:35 (nineteen years ago)

Arab Strap? Next you'll be telling me he hasn't heard of global superstars Yo La Tengo.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 09:36 (nineteen years ago)

i haven't heard of Tobey Maguire or Anne Frank, I have heard of My Morning Jacket (but fuck knows what music they do!) and Ryan Adams (ooh i know at least one song because a friend did a cover of it!) but I know Arab strap i think (whining scottish dude right?)

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 09:38 (nineteen years ago)

Surely everyone has heard of Anne Frank?!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 09:41 (nineteen years ago)

I'm particularly bad at knowing people's names within bands, I just can't stop thinking: why bother??

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 09:42 (nineteen years ago)

wait: anne frank = the monkey bags?

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 09:42 (nineteen years ago)

haha oops that's paul frank

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 09:43 (nineteen years ago)

oh, i don't think "*everybody* has heard of" arab strap. but a glaswegian "indie lover"? pls.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 09:50 (nineteen years ago)

For a long long time I thought "ponies" were baby horses, until a few years ago someone told me they aren't, they're just a small breed of horses.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 10:01 (nineteen years ago)

i think anne frank is bigger in the states than the uk for some reason.

― wogan lenin (dog latin), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 10:05 (nineteen years ago)

just looked up carrot top:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPY1Ku9uEnw

oh god is this supposed to even be funny?

― wogan lenin (dog latin), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 10:10 (nineteen years ago)

It's usually the other way around. Especially in the past I could remember every obscure bitplayer in Z grade movie. "Surely you have heard of him! He played in Two Bananas on the Road to NeverWeverLand! He used to do that girl in that X-files spoof soap who did drugs with Nicole Zitchie."

― Nathalie (stevie nixed), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 10:10 (nineteen years ago)

try looking yourself up

― RJG (RJG), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 10:12 (nineteen years ago)

yeh, my old flatmates always used to laugh at me for not knowing the names or faces of even some a-list actors. I never know any sports people either.

― wogan lenin (dog latin), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 10:12 (nineteen years ago)

not knowing faces of actors is probably a good thing anyway? i mean, it's probably better to watch a film without constantly thinking "oooh he is in this other film" all the time. i dunno. it'd ruin things. like that time i recognised the girl from cum drippers was also in sextrek: the next penetration as a clit-on. it just spoilt everything.

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 10:20 (nineteen years ago)

New Deputy Ed of ESM did not know who John Reid was, when a few staff were talking about stories for a political issue. I know he keeps switching cabinet posts but ARGH.

― suzy (suzy), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 10:54 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, pretty much any television-only actor from the past 10 years. My friend (who lives in LA) namedropped some people after I asked him who he's seen/met and I didn't know one of 'em. Tim Olyphant and Dan Futterman were two of them.

― zaxxon25 (zaxxon25), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 11:06 (nineteen years ago)

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