Who are the most famous man and woman in the world?

I was having a late-night discussion with a few journalists the other night and this topic came up...

Most of us were stumped... One of the journalists who was with us, who is in his 60s and has pretty good perspective, said,

Men: Muhammad Ali
Women: Angelina Jolie

The answer stunned me. I don't know if he's right or wrong, but it was one hell of an interesting discussion. Some of the names that were bantered about were the Pope, the President, Ali, Jolie, Queen Elizabeth...

Curious what your thoughts are...

My friend made a hell of a case for Ali... For the women, I'd probably have to go with Queen Elizabeth, but obviously there are no right or wrong answers...

 

I'd have agreed with Ali up until the 1980s and since then. Certainly, there was a time when Ali was known everywhere in the civilized and most of the uncivilized world. Now, I wouldn't think as much.

 

Tiger Woods.

The Olson Twins.

 

First male I thought of was Ali. I'm 41 so that probably has something to do with that. I'd have to think Pope John Paul II would have been in the running when he was alive.

 

From a less US centric perspective, a few names to consider for men might be Beckham, Yao Ming, and OSama Bin Laden

Tougher for me on the female side. One for consideration: Madonna.

 

Yeah, I definitely agree that Pope John Paul II was the obvious answer when he was alive...

 

Don't know if I'd buy that now. Ten, 15 years ago, definitely.

 

Madonna's name came up in the conversation. So did Paul McCartney's. Tom Cruise, Tiger Woods, David Beckham, the Governator...

 

how about the Pope?

 

Madonna is an interesting choice because she's been around so long and living overseas doesn't hurt that claim... I hate to say it, but Oprah probably deserves to be somewhere on the list for women, maybe in the top 10...

 

Pope ... he's so 1970s.