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Geek Stars From Atkinson to Zappa

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the brains-to-make-it-in-show-business dept.

Ian Lamont writes "You probably remember reading about Brian May getting a PhD in Astrophysics, but may not know about the many other celebrities from the music, TV, and film worlds who have studied science and technology in college and grad school, or are simply serious gearheads who like gadgets, games, and other geek pastimes. Computerworld has identified about 50 celebrities who fit the bill, including Dan Grimaldi (Patsy Parisi, The Sopranos) who has a Bachelor of Arts degree in math, a master's in operations research and a Ph.D. in data processing; Rowan Atkinson, who has a master's in electrical engineering from Queen's College, Oxford; and Todd Rundgren, who developed an early paint program called Utopia. Other folks on the list: Dr. Demento, Montel Williams, Natalie Portman, Curt Schilling, and Huey Lewis."

8 of 320 comments (clear)

  1. Portman by Mr.+Capris · · Score: 4, Funny
    From the article:

    Likewise, Natalie Portman -- beloved of geek fanboys worldwide since long before her Star Wars turns -- is an accomplished psychology student with two published papers under her belt, but psych isn't strictly a science or tech pursuit. (Waaahbulances will please park in the designated Comments section.) Hot grits, etc.
    --
    Have you seen the arrow?
    1. Re:Portman by Monsieur+Canard · · Score: 3, Funny

      That's Hedley.

      --
      He took a duck to the face at 250 knots.
  2. Hey Editor! by pato101 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Is mentioning Natalie Portman in a Slashdot story a good idea?

    1. Re:Hey Editor! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      127.0.0.1

  3. Don't forget Britney Spears! by CortoMaltese · · Score: 4, Funny

    Britney Spears' Guide to Semiconductor Physics :-)

    1. Re:Don't forget Britney Spears! by locokamil · · Score: 4, Funny

      That site saved me over and over and over again sophomore year in college. Knock Britney all you want for her alcoholism and poor parenting skills, but damn, she knows her semiconductor physics!

  4. Linkage? by threaded · · Score: 3, Funny

    Where's the link? You can't make a statement like that and not give us a link: it leaves us all frozen and petrified.

    --

    threadeds blog

  5. Re:A Bachelor of *arts* in Mathematics? by xaxa · · Score: 3, Funny

    The trains are on the same track. An insect is flying back-and-forth between the two trains. When the trains collide, how will the insect feel? How will the train drivers feel? What about their families? Write an extended television news article ignoring the relative safety of rail travel. Give suitably twisted statistics where appropriate. Extra credit will be gained for interviewing survivors and asking them inappropriate questions live on national television.

    Part 2, law: outline a case for suing
    a) The driver of the first train,
    b) The manager of the railway company,
    c) A contractor working on the signalling system,
    d) A passer by,
    e) Your grandmother,
    f) The insect.
    Show how you would win each case.