I don't think it is "blindingly obvious" that the photos are a random or representative sample. To me, it is blindingly obvious that they chose the natives they felt were most famous. It's not an accident that both Shatner and Dion are in that rotation and I don't believe it is an accident at all that they chose Shatner as #1 in the shuffling photographs. This is meant to be "highlights" of what is contained in the website, i.e., the most famous of the famous. Your post is really just speculation. If it was a random sampling chances are it would be mostly people we have not heard of.
Most famous ever Quebecer worldwide?
- Thread starter kaydee1968
- Start date
I don't think it is "blindingly obvious" that the photos are a random or representative sample. To me, it is blindingly obvious that they chose the natives they felt were most famous. It's not an accident that both Shatner and Dion are in that rotation and I don't believe it is an accident at all that they chose Shatner as #1 in the shuffling photographs. This is meant to be "highlights" of what is contained in the website, i.e., the most famous of the famous. Your post is really just speculation. If it was a random sampling chances are it would be mostly people we have not heard of.
But half of the people on the list ARE people most of folks would never have heard of. Is it truly random, I'd guess not, but it is a sampling and not picked by any basis of popularity, fame or merit. Maybe it is a list of people the list maker has a liking for, I don't know. I do know what the list isn't. Of the top 5 or 6 Quebecers, do you really think the other people pictured belong on that list with Roy, Dion and Shatner. This whole thread and they were not mentioned once.
If someone put forward a list of Canadian Prime Ministers and put in say John A McD, Tupper, Trudeau, Thomspon, and John Turner, I would assume it is a random sampling and not a list of the best known, most successful or most loved. That is what the their list reads like to me.
Someone, or more than one person, mentioned Louis Cyr. I do not recall the others being mentioned, but they may have been. However, it's not like that list is a bunch of totally obscure Quebecers. Glenn Ford was a major motion picture actor. The silent movie guy, in his time, was world famous, although his celebrity has likely dimmed in the last 70 or so years. So I think it is legitimate to believe that the shuffling photos are a sampling of very, very famous Quebecers whom the reader can identify.
If you click on the USA map of the same site, the shuffling pictures include "The Beach Boys" and "Lucille Ball'. Not Elvis or Marylin Monroe or anything like that so I think it gives a good idea on how to interpret their picture choosing algorythm. I think they go for variety: a slightly famous here, a not so popular there, with Celine smack in the middle when you least expect her.
And if you look at the "Fast facts" of Quebec, the language is supposed to be English...
And if you look at the "Fast facts" of Quebec, the language is supposed to be English...
Do you guys really believe it is a mysterious accident that William Shatner and Celine Dion, the two persons who have by far been the most heavily argued in thread as the most famous Quebecer in the world, are also both contained in the World Atlas shuffling photos of the 5 or 6 most famous Quebecers? Come on now. Is it also an accident that on this date both Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning are in the top 5 in NFL passer rating? Let's be serious.
And the suggestion that the Beach Boys and Lucille are somehow not deserving famous Americans is insane. The Beach Boys and Lucille Ball may have reached the peak of their fame before you were born but that does not diminish the fact that they are arguably the top American musical act of all time and top American comedienne of all time, respectively. I think you people really need to show some respect.
Beach Boys, for your edification:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WP2exZurfc
Classic, and iconic band. They are also most closely associated with a uniquely American culture, and one you are likely not familiar with, which exists on the southern California coast. Even John Lennon and the Beatles marvelled at the uniqueness and originality of their musical sound.
From wiki:
"Noted by some as America's greatest rock group and an important catalyst in the shaping of popular music, the Beach Boys are one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful bands of all time. Influenced by barbershop music and rhythm and blues, the Beach Boys launched their career in the early 1960s playing 1950s style rock and roll married to five part harmony and later went on to incorporate several different genres into their musical palette, from psychedelia to baroque pop. Due to these factors, the Beach Boys influenced a number of different artists spanning across a mix of genres and decades. Noted artists influenced by the Beach Boys include The Beatles, George Martin, Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, The Who, Elton John, Paul McCartney, The Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, Beck, Radiohead, The Flaming Lips, Weezer, MGMT and Animal Collective."
Lucille Ball:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NPzLBSBzPI
Again, classic. Just because you were not born then doesn't mean it ain't classic.
And the suggestion that the Beach Boys and Lucille are somehow not deserving famous Americans is insane. The Beach Boys and Lucille Ball may have reached the peak of their fame before you were born but that does not diminish the fact that they are arguably the top American musical act of all time and top American comedienne of all time, respectively. I think you people really need to show some respect.
Beach Boys, for your edification:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WP2exZurfc
Classic, and iconic band. They are also most closely associated with a uniquely American culture, and one you are likely not familiar with, which exists on the southern California coast. Even John Lennon and the Beatles marvelled at the uniqueness and originality of their musical sound.
From wiki:
"Noted by some as America's greatest rock group and an important catalyst in the shaping of popular music, the Beach Boys are one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful bands of all time. Influenced by barbershop music and rhythm and blues, the Beach Boys launched their career in the early 1960s playing 1950s style rock and roll married to five part harmony and later went on to incorporate several different genres into their musical palette, from psychedelia to baroque pop. Due to these factors, the Beach Boys influenced a number of different artists spanning across a mix of genres and decades. Noted artists influenced by the Beach Boys include The Beatles, George Martin, Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, The Who, Elton John, Paul McCartney, The Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, Beck, Radiohead, The Flaming Lips, Weezer, MGMT and Animal Collective."
Lucille Ball:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NPzLBSBzPI
Again, classic. Just because you were not born then doesn't mean it ain't classic.
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I'm not saying they're nobodies. Being an important, influential classic is not the same as being the most famous worldwide. It would be like saying that Alys Roby, La Bolduc or La Poune are more famous then Celine Shatner.
Am I the only one to think this is the most self absorbed thread ever! Quebecers are the most neurotic, defensive, navel-gazers in the world. A massive inferiority complex compels us to join any conversation about our identity, and our place in the world.
sinbad
sinbad
We do have the strongest man in the world, the most beautiful singer and the most out-of-this-world actor, so I don't see any inferiority complex. Oh, and like the best sex industry in north america...
I think they put Marc Garneau in the pictures to show that we are fearless space explorers in real-life as well as fiction.
I think they put Marc Garneau in the pictures to show that we are fearless space explorers in real-life as well as fiction.
That isn't his claim. Your claim is that the pictures show the cream of the crop of fame in order. You seem to think it is significant that not only is the Shatner on the list but he comes first. "Shatner is the 1st person shown in the rotation of photos, obviously because the website thinks he is the most famous."
Beach Boys significant. Yes. Famous. Yes Deserving of being on a list and high up. Yes. More so than Elvis? Seriously? The King of Rock and Roll? Sorry but you can't be serious.
Being number 2 and beating out Elvis and Wacko Jacko, hell no. Purer evidence that your assumptions are wrong and mine are right. The lists are samples and not meant to indicate any order ranking.
Also consider their list in order
Andrew Carnegie
Beach Boys
Bob Dylan
Henry Ford
John Adams
Lucille Ball
Martin Luther King
Douglas MacArthur
George Washington
Seriously. John Adams over George Washington. Is he even on a coin or a bill. That right there should give you cause for pause. The people on that list are significant in their own way, even the IIRC 1 termer Adams but there is no way that this list would ever be considered a list of the top most famous Americans, never mind in order. Hell where is Abe Lincoln, you know the guy who hunted the vampires and took on Chuck Norris in an epic rap battle. If they ever had Adams do an epic rap battles [either 1 or 2] I'd hazard a guess that most Americans would go huh? never mind anyone else in the world.
Also I question if even the expanded lists are even can claim to be a list of the most famous as opposed to some names that happen to pop into the mind of the compiler on that day.
Likewise Elvis didn't even make the list, never mind making it over the Beach Boys and Bob Dylan. Elvis didn't even make the side list. Neither did Babe Ruth who for non baseball people is probably to baseball what Pele, Gretzky, and Ali are to soccer, hockey and Boxing. BTW guess who else didn't make the list. Guess. He floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee. Neither Clay or Ali show up. Jackie Robinson, I've seen those Heritage commercials, I know the story, but he ain't no Ali or Ruth.
Never mind that their side list has Eleanor but not FDR. FDR IIRC won was it 3 or 4 elections. The New Deal guy. War time leader. Not even on the expanded list.
Famous, sure. However as far as I am concerned either they were not trying to make a list of the most famous, or they did and don't have the knowledge base to do it right.
Strongest? Perhaps, back then. Most Beautiful singer? Seriously. I kind of have a thing for ugly chicks, but dang, I wouldn't go that far. She makes me recoil in mild disgust. Always had a thing for Mitsou who seems to be still holding it together pretty well.
Because you're not in the age group that would be most familiar with Glenn Ford. I have an aged relative who knows him very well from having seen his movies back in the day. I'm more of a movie buff, and Superman the Movie has been a favorite since it first came out, because of that I can name pretty much each and every major/many minor parts.
I can do this for many movies because that is an area of great personal interest. Just look at some of our other members here, some probably can't name many film actors, but ask them about obscure baseball or hockey players and they can probably whip out a litany of names I'd have no chance of knowing.
I tend to have friends who are film-friendly and they definitely can identify Fincher (the Curious case of Benjamin Button with Brad Pitt, Panic Room with jodie Foster, the Social Network, but mainly for Seven with Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman and FIGHT CLUB!!)
True lasting fame is very rare. Eventually Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian will go the same way as Pia Zadora and Charo (who? exactly!!) Schwarzenegger, DeNiro and Stallone likely have it because a)they have appeared in enough successes to saturate the planet with a global population that likely has seen at least ONE of their movies each. and b)They insured it by choosing films that will keep playing and re-playing long after their demise...
Cue Marilyn Monroe and Humphrey Bogart...
Yes, I was talking about her of course.:smile: Louis Cyr is still considered to be unsurpassed.
BTW for the USA list, it's just a few examples, for complete lists you have to click on individual states.
More Fame For Shatner
William Shatner's fame will continue to rise as he is now joined by Kaley Cuoco in the newest Priceline ads scheduled to be released January 14. Kuoco is to play Shatner's daughter, well trained by her Dad in the art of deal-making:
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/55598499-79/cuoco-priceline-shatner-campaign.html.csp
The video:
http://www.youtube.com/priceline
William Shatner's fame will continue to rise as he is now joined by Kaley Cuoco in the newest Priceline ads scheduled to be released January 14. Kuoco is to play Shatner's daughter, well trained by her Dad in the art of deal-making:
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/55598499-79/cuoco-priceline-shatner-campaign.html.csp
The video:
http://www.youtube.com/priceline
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Cool. Maybe someday he'll sell out as many halls around the world as does Leonard Cohen. And maybe someday he'll write a song that will be recorded by over 300 (three hundred) artists.
Apparently Cohen and Shatner were classmates at McGill, or were at McGill at the same time. Both are Jewish, both are McGill graduates, both grew up in Montreal (Cohen in Westmount, Shatner in Cote Saint-Luc) and both are in the entertainment business for many years. The only difference is that Shatner initially achieved his fame kicking some alien ass, something Cohen has never done.
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That would be "imaginary alien ass," Beav. Another difference is that Shatner never got a blow job in the Chelsea Hotel from Janis Joplin...the real Janis Joplin.
Shatner's more than three years older than Cohen, so while they might have been at McGill at the same time, they likely weren't classmates.
Janet Joplin was known to mostly eat pussy and not suck as much dick......but if Cohen got a blow job from her I doubt I would say he was lucky. Shatner has gotten far more blow jobs from far better looking women.
Consider that Shatner has been married (almost) continuously for the last 56 years, I would highly doubt this. Mr. Cohen has done quite well for himself in this realm and, in fact, is considered quite hot by many women I know, even at 78.
Their stories are more similar then you would think. More troubling coincidence: Janis and Shatner's wife both died of drug-related issues. Shatner also made music and has a song about his wife, not unlike Cohen's song about Janis. I would not be surprised if Cohen had some issues with imaginary aliens in his youth.
If you're referring to his Beatles and Dylan covers, I would hardly call them music.
Never has anyone so misinterpreted a song.Nor would I, except that he probably went to bed with them rather than zap them.
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