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Do people pretend not to know who people are in order to seem intelligent?

669 replies

coulditbeme2323 · 05/05/2026 09:35

Do people pretend not to know who people are in order to seem intelligent?

This question is prompted from reading comments online re The Met Gala?

Now let me prefix this by saying I have no interest in reality tv, Showbiz mags, etc - but surely there are some people who you know who they are because everybody does!

There were people saying "who" on a photo of Kim Kardashian. I have never seen an episode of the show, have no interest in her, but of course I know who she is - because how can you not?

Another British example is Jordan/Kate Price. No interest in her, but she has literally been headline news in The UK for 20 years. If you live in The UK - surely its impossible to not at least know who she is?

OP posts:
Trippys · 05/05/2026 10:52

I don’t know lots of the younger youtuber/influencer type people but I see that more as a sign of my age, rather than anything else.

Deadleaves77 · 05/05/2026 10:51

LaurieFairyCake · 05/05/2026 10:47

I know which one KK is now but I didnt for years ! Only when she did that naked photo with her enormous bum did I realise.

I definitely don’t know the difference between her and her sisters, I have no idea who any of them are as I’ve never watched the tv programme.

But you do know who she is and have known who she is for over 10 years?

Are you questioning who she is in the comment section of Met Gala articles?

Tedwardy · 05/05/2026 10:49

You say Jordan/Katie Price has been "headline news in the UK for 20 years" - depends what you read! I guarantee she hasn’t been headline news in The Times. I just asked my DH if he knew who she was. He recognised the name but thought she was a singer. He knows nothing about her life and certainly wouldn't be able to identify her from a photo.

If you don’t read tabloids or gossip columns or watch "celebrity" TV programmes and get all your news from The Times and Radio 4, it’s perfectly possible not to have a clue about people like that. But I agree that my DH enjoys not knowing because he thinks it makes him superior to people who care about such things. (Sometimes, when I read an imbecilic "celebrity" story, about silly people famous just for being famous, I think perhaps he’s right.)

Deadleaves77 · 05/05/2026 10:49

SylvanMoon · 05/05/2026 10:43

It's unclear what you mean by "know who" some celebrity is. I don't watch TV at all and while I "recognise" the names and probably could say what sphere they are known in (i.e. sport or music, etc), I couldn't pick them out of a line up nor say much more about what has made them famous. I'm not feigning ignorance to "appear intelligent". Why would I need to do that?

Your telling me these people have no interest in popular culture, no social media, have never come across the kardashians in their day to day life, suddenly stumble across a Met gala article (a celeb fashion show) and now all of a sudden just want to know who she is? Despite never having any interest in popular culture in the last 20 years to the point you've managed to miss fairly famous celebrities.

Read the OP. It's about people who pointedly show they don't know who lowbrow celebs are by commenting on pictures/threads about them. Why are you looking at articles of the Met Gala if celebs aren't of interested. Why do you want to know who this celeb is if they aren't of interest. Why not just Google if this new found love of celebs just overtakes you in the met gala comment section

WearyAuldWumman · 05/05/2026 10:49

Zov · 05/05/2026 10:45

So they can tell everyone they don't know who they are. Very important to people that they let everyone know this! Grin

Nope. I've already explained to an extent.

I started reading Mumsnet after my husband died. Pathetic though it sounds, I was lonely. Sometimes I look at threads just for the sake of it - no deep-seated reasoning behind it.

IMustDoMoreExercise · 05/05/2026 10:48

Lomonald · 05/05/2026 09:40

If anybody is saying "who" to Kim K they are definitely acting ignorant and probably are being obtuse, i think it just makes look silly when they act superior like that.

My husband knows a lot of celebrities but would not know who she was.

I also don't know a lot of the newer film stars and reality tv people because there are so many now.

LaurieFairyCake · 05/05/2026 10:47

I know which one KK is now but I didnt for years ! Only when she did that naked photo with her enormous bum did I realise.

I definitely don’t know the difference between her and her sisters, I have no idea who any of them are as I’ve never watched the tv programme.

WearyAuldWumman · 05/05/2026 10:46

Deadleaves77 · 05/05/2026 10:43

So then why are you on threads about popular culture?

I'm killing time, I guess.

I sometimes have a look at new threads to see what is being said. That's all.

previouslyknownas · 05/05/2026 10:45

I know what the Met Gala is

i know who Jordan / Katie Price is

I would recognize Anna Wintour from Vogue

I know who zenadaya is but couldn’t tell you what films she’s been

The kardashians I know who they are
probably couldn’t pinpoint which one is which as they all look similar and I’ve never watched the series

I haven’t ever watched anything like Im a celeb traitors or love island or big brother ( is that still on ) or the only way Is Essex
but I know what they are about but would struggle to name anyone who’s been in any of it

but know who Molly Mae is and Tommy Fury
but only cos I know who Tyson Fury is

my DH would know Katie Price and Tommy Fury but only cos he knows who Tyson fury is

kardashians would know the names but both tv really about them

Zov · 05/05/2026 10:45

Deadleaves77 · 05/05/2026 10:43

So then why are you on threads about popular culture?

So they can tell everyone they don't know who they are. Very important to people that they let everyone know this! Grin

Purplebunnie · 05/05/2026 10:45

I have heard of the Kardashians but no idea which one is Kim and what she looks like. I am late 60's and the Kardashians are not something I follow or can be bothered with.

Obviously I know who Katie Price is and I recognise her.

Heard of the Met Gala of course

Zov · 05/05/2026 10:44

TirednessOnToast · 05/05/2026 10:20

I'm 58. I wouldn't recognise ise Kim Kardashien in a line up. I'm not cool. I'm not particularly intelligent. I just don't follow celebrities. 8 did look at the pics of the Met outfits on my phone just now and some of them are Amazing! No idea about the people wearing them really. Apologies for typos, app playing up & I can't be bothered to retype.

OK, so some people don't know some well known celebs. It's just the desperation from some to come onto a thread and let everyone know. When someone posts a thread about Katie Price and someone comes onto the thread and says 'WHO?' it comes across as obnoxious and goady, because they would never say it if it was some edgy artist or cool fashion designer or edgy writer or a 1800s composer. If it's a pop culture person (pop star, or actor, or GASP, reality TV star,) they would rather eat the contents of the kitty litter at the thought of admitting they know who it is! 😂

I couldn't pick out 95% of sports stars in a line up, but I don't plop onto threads about them banging on about how I don't 'know who they are!!' Why do people feed the need to do it? As I say, (and many others have) it does smack of snobbery with refusing to admit they have heard of certain people!

Nofeckingway · 05/05/2026 10:44

Are those who say who? being sarcastic as the likes of KK and the rest of them past it now . I would a lot if Kardashian shit as they were on MTV and it was a novelty to see their lifestyle . Loved looking at the houses . I probably even remember trivia about Real Housewives or The Hills as watched it when I was young . But I never watched Love Island or TOWIE as they are UK based and I have no interest . I don't think people who watch these types are stupid though . Sometimes easy no brain required TV is what people want .

mixcross · 05/05/2026 10:43

I often have no idea who many celebrities are especially if they are famous for being on reality tv because I never watch it. I’m not pretending to be intelligent, I am simply not interested and focus my attention on other things. One of the things that is different about contemporary life is that everyone is able to curate their own cultural feed now, so to speak. We can easily consume what we like and filter out the rest. Twenty years ago I could have named dozens of football players in the Premier league and I’ve never enjoyed football or gone out of my way to watch or learn about it it was just so dominant in the culture of the country. Now I’d struggle to name more than one or two players because it’s so easy to filter out. Maybe there isn’t really a mainstream culture anymore just lots of different silos?

Deadleaves77 · 05/05/2026 10:43

WearyAuldWumman · 05/05/2026 10:19

I can sometimes vaguely recognise a Kardashian, but I can't tell one from the other. It's nothing to do with pretending to be intelligent.

I've been accused on these boards of being deliberately obtuse for not recognising certain names and so on - I'm just not that au fait with popular culture these days.

So then why are you on threads about popular culture?

SylvanMoon · 05/05/2026 10:43

coulditbeme2323 · 05/05/2026 09:45

I mean Love Island types are obviously the bottom of the ladder.

But you must know who Adele is? You must know who David Beckham is? etc

It's unclear what you mean by "know who" some celebrity is. I don't watch TV at all and while I "recognise" the names and probably could say what sphere they are known in (i.e. sport or music, etc), I couldn't pick them out of a line up nor say much more about what has made them famous. I'm not feigning ignorance to "appear intelligent". Why would I need to do that?

ohyesido · 05/05/2026 10:42

It’s just a subtle put down of the person and perhaps those that do follow them because they’re famous for being famous rather than for a certain talent or achievement

Threesloths · 05/05/2026 10:40

Darrara · 05/05/2026 10:25

I’m working class. I still don’t consume the kind of media that would give me the remotest familiarity with KK.

Me too and I’m not interested either, but I’m aware of who these people are. I just don’t think they deserve their “celebrity” status

FurryWastebin · 05/05/2026 10:40

I know what they are ie celebs but I couldn't tell you what they look like these days. Not everyone is interested, it's nothing to do with intelligence (or lack of it).

blackpooolrock · 05/05/2026 10:39

coulditbeme2323 · 05/05/2026 10:38

And your friends all go around saying they are shallow arseholes?

Yes quite a few of them do

Needmorelego · 05/05/2026 10:39

RafaFan · 05/05/2026 10:36

My parents wouldn't know who Kim Kardashian was either - but nor would they be reading articles about the Met Gala.

But if (for example) you were watching live footage of the Met Gala and your parents were there with you would they say things like "Oooh who is that? What are they famous for?" if they found someone's outfit interesting.
That is a big difference between just typing "Who?" on the comments page of the Daily Mail.

Epidote · 05/05/2026 10:39

I'm probably know 5 people over all the people that when to that Gala, there is always new celebrities and I m to old to knew the new ones. I stick with the ones my age or older.

cadburyegg · 05/05/2026 10:39

Deadleaves77 · 05/05/2026 10:28

I mean they are real life

The fact you say that shows you know full well who they are. Because as i said if you didnt you wouldn't know if they were important or not. You could be making yourself look like a right idiot

No ones asking you to pick them up out or give you their life history or be even in the slightest bit interested in them. But people who post who? on articles on the met gala are only doing it to prove some snobby point.

These are very famous people and the majority of the population will know roughly who they are or be so disinterested in the world that they aren't going to be engaging in Met Gala threads

People are not “disinterested in the world” because they don’t know who Kim K is. Not having the same interests as you doesn’t make them ignorant.

Cantthinkofanewusernameffs · 05/05/2026 10:38

There are a lot of people I have heard of, but couldn't pick out of a line up. I don't think it is anything to do with my intelligence. More a lack of interest in reality TV and most social media platforms. I wouldn't be commenting 'Who?' on posts though, as I would have no interest in reading them in the first place.

Having said that, my DS was watching something on YouTube the other week and I couldn't believe that KSI didn't know who Dolly Parton is.

PhaedraTwo · 05/05/2026 10:38

wecangoupupup · 05/05/2026 10:33

So it’s just plain old snobbery?

Yes it's snobbery. I genuinely have no interest in these shows or Kim Kardashian or Taylor Swift or Adele or Hamilton or musicals and the assumptions that are often made that it's snobbery not to like them are really irritating.

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