Quote:
Originally Posted by barely_legal
He has an entry on a Wikipedia page, and he's a famous serial killer, for gods sake. I don't think it's even remotely a "close call" on whether he's a celebrity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_brady |
Who in the US has heard of this guy before? Not me, that is for sure. I don't think the test is whether a person has been thought about recently, but ever known of might be a reasonable test. I've always had a problem with putting criminals who are famous only for their crimes on the list (I think you probably all remember my death row inmate hullabaloo a few years back), but even more so if they aren't really even famous in our country. If you asked 100 people who Ian Brady is, how many would know? Is he a "celebrity"? Hmm.
The big death pool that I participate in has this rule:
ANDY WARHOL RULE: People famous for fifteen minutes are not celebrities. This rule eliminates such picks as death-row inmates mounting final legal challenges, congresspersons whose idiosyncratic opinions briefly thrust them into the spotlight, children who fall down wells, people famous only because of their illnesses (formerly known as the “Barney Clark rule”—see? Who’s he?), and whoever is the world’s current oldest living person.
They also have a committee that votes in the case of a close call on whether someone is a celebrity. I don't think they would allow this guy, but maybe. Anyway to me it is a close call. (Also that wiki page is for the murders. He is in it but it isn't titled "Ian Brady". That is my point.)
