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Barack Obama is more Famous Than Jesus

By Kevin Maillard

One of the early commercials in the presidential campaign sharply criticized Barack Obama for his rock star magnetism, stadium-filled appearances, and screaming followers.  The commercial, showing pictures of celebutantes Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, bizarrely bemoaned Obama for being "the most famous person in the world."  (In an ad for McCain?)  Presumably, the ad intended to question Obama's capability to lead a nation , much in the same way that Hillary's 3am call commercial did the same.

But "celebrity," as an invective, was meant to relegate Obama to the Red carpet of the Blue states instead of the White house.  It wasn't meant to propel him to, literally, be the most famous person in the world.

I like to play this game with people.  I like to ask, "who is the most famous person the world?" and then assess their responses. I think their answers say  much about their cultural scope, age, interests, and community.

It can be hard to actually poll this question, becasue it would mean testing in remote areas of Patagonia and Borneo, the African plains and Himalayan peaks.  But thankfully there is Google, which is not the best measurement of empirical evidence, but it is cheap, and doesn't require extensive travel.

I tested some of the people that I thought would be the most famous, and then compared them.  The findings are indeed compelling.

Of course, there are limitations to this rigorous study and complicated chi-squareds and vectors and sample studies and IRB's.  But not to worry here, because this is admittedly non-academic.

Based on web hits--the Most Famous Person in the World, after the jump.

Harvard.   A University in New England
Distinctive Traits and Interests: Female Scientists, US News & World Report, Presumed Peerlessness
68,000,00

Beyonce. Pop singer, actress, D-Rossian heir
Distinctive traits: Upstaging others, hair weaves, Checking Up On it
59,000,000

The Beatles.  British Pop Group
Traits and Interests: Holding Hands, teen mania, That guy Ringo
68,900,000

Kennedy.  Jackie, Bobby, Jack, Bobby, John-John, Caroline, the band Dead Kennedys
Traits and Interests: politics, curses, big teeth, Massachusetts
90,800,000

Bush.  The Elder.  The Younger. The Governor.  Both First Ladies.  Trees and Other Horticultural Entities
Traits and Interests: Top Gun Outfits, vomiting at state dinners, pearl chokers, biblical spontaneous burning
248,000,000 (for all of them!)

The word 'dude." Multivalent expression
Traits/Interests: dude, where to begin, dude?
107,000,000

Britney.  Singer, noncustodial parent
Traits/Interests: Hitting herself one more time, head shaving, public meltdowns, use of 'y'all'
132,000,000

Madonna.  Singer, Actress, Children's Book writer
Traits/Interests: Cones, lace, moving to the music, Lourdes
109,000,000

Jesus. Son of God,
Traits/Interests: Use of 'Thy, Thou, Thine'; peaceful gazes; sensible footwear; managing, recruiting, and banishing disciples
208,000,000

Chika.  Pomeranian. Canine Daughter of Prof. Sonia Katyal
Traits/Interests: Looking puffy, being edgy, hermeneutics, sidewalks
4

OBAMA. President-elect.
Traits/Interests: change
321,000,000

Any others?  Please add on comments board.

Also:
God. Putative creator of Earth. 
Distinctive traits:  Invisible, omipresent, assumed to be male.  Holding tight to the #1 ranking
510,000,000

Full post as published by The Faculty Lounge on November 19, 2008 (boomark / email).