People Are Sharing The Famous People Who Actually Deserve Their Fame, And There Were No Wrong Answers
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Reddit user u/bpm918 asked, "Who do you think is the most universally liked person in the world?" and people came through with the most beloved public figures. Here are some of the names that people agreed on the most!
1.David Attenborough
Suggested by u/bpm918
"My vote goes to this man. Attenborough is the closest a human has gotten to being a hero for me. And I'm not talking about the climate change activism only. His body of work for decades is the greatest love letter to the natural world we have ever produced. There is no voice that is more soothing to me."
2.Dolly Parton
Suggested by u/AssignmentOpen6112
"I have never heard anything close to a negative word about Dolly. Came from nothing...100% self-made...never promotes herself...self-deprecating. Only brings good to the world. Love that woman."
"How can you not like her? ... She has big international appeal, too. Nelson Mandela played 'Jolene' over his prison’s loudspeakers because it sustained hope that his movement’s cries for freedom would be heard. Wow."
3.Bob Ross
PBS
Suggested by u/rmicheler
"I love Bob Ross so much. In my bad days I ... cry at his kind voice and beautiful paintings; he’s so calming and reassuring. I become a happy little tree every time I hear him."
"I'm from Eastern Europe and I love this guy. I'm really bad at drawing and it was never my passion (maybe at some point when I was a kid but it doesn't really matter). My point is, even though I'm not an artsy person, I just love listening to his voice. It calms me."
4.Fred Rogers
PBS
Suggested by u/rmicheler
"I lost my mother to cancer in 1983, when I was five. Somehow I didn't grieve the way you would think a five-year-old would. I didn't cry a lot; didn't act out; didn't fight with my brothers or my dad. A few months after that, my grandma took me ... to see a taping of Mr. Rogers. There were maybe 10 other kids there. After the taping, Mr. Rogers sat on a set of steps on the set, and each child went up to talk with him one on one. When it was my turn, I went up. He greeted me by name and told me how happy he was to meet me. He said he understood that someone very close to me had died. I started crying. Mr. Rogers gave me a hug, and told me, 'Sometimes we lose people who are very important to us. It's very sad when it happens, and it's okay to be sad. It's okay to cry.' He then asked me if I could tell him a story about my mother, which I did. He told me, 'That was a very nice story. Thank you for telling me about her.' He gave me another hug and sent me off. I absolutely cannot think of a moment that had more impact on my life than that."
5.Betty White
Suggested by u/escaped_prisoner
White was one of the most nominated celebs, though people didn't really say why — so I'll step in! Starring in beloved shows, radio programs, and films since the 1930s likely has something to do with it, along with her comedic and personable personality as showcased in interviews. She has never been involved in a scandal, and the only person in the world who seemed to have disliked her – Golden Girls costar Bea Arthur — only disliked her because she felt White was too positive. A 2011 poll indicated that White was the most trusted celebrity in America.
6.Julie Andrews
Suggested by u/madam_whiplash
Julie Andrews was another celeb who was nominated a ton — I'd say Andrews is beloved due to her large role in many's childhoods after starring in films like Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music, and later on The Princess Diaries. She also wrote children's book The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles and is continuously delightful in interviews.
7.Robin Williams
Suggested by u/roseetheOG69
Similarly to Julie Andrews, Williams is beloved for his performance in children's films such as Aladdin, Hook, and Mrs. Doubtfire, but also for his repeated role as an inspiring mentor in films such as Good Will Hunting and Dead Poets Society. An accomplished comedic genius who was well-known for his acts of kindness on set, Williams has been greatly missed since his death in 2014.
8.Rowan Atkinson
"I bet Mr. Bean plays well all over the world. Hundreds of millions of people could love that dude and never even hear him say a peep. Eliminates a lot of potential controversy."
"Probably 15 years ago I found myself on a Pakistan International Airlines flight. ... They put Mr. Bean on a loop on the in-flight TV for three hours and nobody did anything but laugh at Mr. Bean the whole flight. [He's] right up there with Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Perfect physical comedy that transcends culture."
9.Steve Irwin
Suggested by u/ManyGeeseAtOnce
"The guy was clearly a real life teddy bear who loved his family and everything he did. ... I’m envious of never being able to love anything as much as he loved his life. He cared more about animal conservation than I care about doing the bare minimum to live every day. The guy is just wildly inspiring."
10.Keanu Reeves
BuzzFeed
Suggested by RagingBullet97
"Celebrities love ... working with him, he does a lot of his own stunts and is an extremely disciplined martial artist and actor, regular people love him, [and] he's extremely kind and charitable. He's like the quiet, weird, nice kid in school version of a Hollywood actor."
"I know a few people who've worked with him and they say the persona the internet has constructed is spot on. He really is that nice"
11."Weird Al" Yankovic
Suggested by BewareNixonsGhost
"He's incredibly friendly, has had no controversies (For 40 years as a Hollywood musician, might I add), is really talented at the accordion and singing, respects the artists who don't want him to parody their music, and has made people happy for decades."
12.Danny DeVito
Suggested by MyJeanShorts
"Danny DeVito is a beautiful human being. When the girl that played Matilda had her mom go through cancer treatments and she couldn't take care of her, Danny DeVito and his wife took her into their home and cared for her."
13.Tom Hanks
TNT / TBS
Suggested by Modjitune
"I’ve lived in two foreign countries, where people would complain about American movies and all things American ad nauseam, until Hanks showed up. 'Ooh, Tom Hanks,' the universal remark."
"Everyone loves that guy. He's America's dad."
14.Shaq
Suggested by dajadf
Largely regarded as one of the best basketball players of all time, Shaq is also well-known for his charity work. He's been a major role model for kids and adults everywhere, and has appeared in numerous TV shows and movies. He's also loved for his personality and quick wit, and of course, the memes.
15.Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
NBC
Suggested by Nickzino
"Even for people that don't like his movies or acting in particular, I'd say they're generally aware of all the charity and stuff he gives away to deserving people, and has been completely scandal free as far as I know. Beyond that, he is always smiling and speaks in a way that people enjoy listening to, both his voice and manner of communicating. Highly likable guy."
16.Mr. Beast
"Mr. Beast from YouTube has one of the kindest hearts out there. ... He had an option to keep and hoard his money, instead he gives it out for free. There is one time he opened a bank and gave out free money. He does wild amounts of charity. If people as rich as he is collectively did what he does, the world would be a much better place. ... His human resource pool is massive and he is well-liked. I mean, who goes and buys 40 cars and gives them out for free?"
17.Stan Lee
Suggested by u/chai_tea8
Lee is beloved for his work for Marvel as a comic writer and producer — he co-created basically the entire MCU, from Spider-Man to Iron Man to Black Widow. He's won a number of awards for his work, and most people know him from his frequent cameo in Marvel films — to a lot of people, he represents their childhood.
18.Chadwick Boseman
"As a superhero I think he garnered worldwide attention. Whatever country you came from, Black Panther was able to ... reach ... millions of viewers."
Boseman was an Oscar-nominated actor likely best known for his role in Black Panther, a groundbreaking Marvel film that celebrated the Black community. He has become a symbol to many of Black empowerment and is remembered for his kindness and authenticity. He also donated money to and worked with charities.
19.And finally, George Takei
"We don't deserve his compassion, he's a damn gem."
Initially beloved for his role in the Star Trek films and show, Takei has remained in the spotlight for his activism (for immigrants, the LGBTQ community, and human rights in general). He's won numerous awards and has many wholesome fan interactions as well as a great social media presence.
