Mike Madison posted a few days ago on iconic Pittsburghers. He borrowed the theme from the Post-Gazette article. According to the Post-Gazette to be an iconic Pittsburgher you must be, “known by everyone, from the city to the suburbs. They often have quirky personality traits that border on the eccentric, and they’ve made their mark locally.”
The Post-Gazette lays down another rule, one I’m going to flatly ignore, “many older residents are not computer savvy, and the younger generation isn’t into print media.” Using this rule the list ends up getting limited to sports stars and a TON of TV Stars. Since I’m a blogger and between the ages of 20-40 I’m going to throw the rule out and make a list of icons for the generation X and Y. These people can be primarily known for their role on the internet, but not exclusively. They can be known for their role in print, but not exclusively.
I’m going to break this in to three parts. Today, in Part One, I’m going to analyze the P-G’s list. In Part Two (which will not likely be tomorrow) I’ll discuss Mike’s additions. In Part Three I’ll throw in some additional people.
The highlights are that I selected John Fetterman, John McIntire, Andy Warhol, Mario Lemieux, Scott Paulsen, David Newell, Sally Wiggin, Beano Cook, Richard Mellon Scaife, August Wilson, Billy Hillgrove, Mike Lange, Patrice King Brown, Ken Rice and Franco Harris off the P-G’s list. For more information on how I chose who to keep and the low down on who got left off, read more.
- Bruno Sammartino – A wrestler from yester-year. I fear there’s a generation coming up that won’t even know that people used to act/wrestle in ridiculous costumes. Actually, that’s not a fear, it’s a hope.
- Sophie Masloff – Former Mayor. I took her off the list. If my range is 20-40 she still has some notoriety in the top half. However, she’s hardly an icon given how many 20 year olds haven’t heard of her.
- Michelle Madoff – Former Councilwoman. Same story as Masloff, her term in council ended in 1993. Meaning the 20 year olds were only 3. I would venture that some of the 40 year olds (23 at the time) haven’t heard of her either.
- Braddock Mayor John Fetterman – I’m leaving him. Most people haven’t heard of him, but they will.
- Phat Man Dee – Interesting, not an icon.
- John McIntire – This is the first one I really think belongs on both the P-G’s list and mine. McIntire is pervasive across radio (which gets some 20-40 and a lot of older) and the Burghosphere (On MacYapper, he famously imagining what Luke’s arrest looked like).
- Chilly Billy Cardille – Famous for being in Night of the Living Dead… in 1968.
- Paul Shannon – Radio Announcer from yester-year.
- Andy Warhol – No brainer.
- Tom Sokolowski – Director of the Warhol museum. I agree that he’s influential, however with my generation he’s not an icon.
- Chuck Tanner – Legendary manager of the Pirates. I wish I could leave him on this list, but some of the youngest people in my 20-40 group weren’t born before he retired.
- Mario Lemieux – No Brainer
- Judge Jeffrey Manning – Longtime Judge in Pittsburgh. Got a lot of coverage with the police shooting last year, but still not prevalent enough to get icon status.
- DJ Scott Paulsen – If you don’t know who he is you’re either not in my age group or you don’t have to commute.
- David Newell – Mr. McFeely, enough said.
- Sally Wiggin – No Brainer. Especially since she keeps a blog.
- Spider Rondinelli – “There’s a Fungus Among Us”!!! He also still performs in the Burgh regularly.
- Paul O’Neill – I love O’Neill, particularly in his old role as Stats Geek. However, since he’s only print media. I have to leave him off.
- Lynn Cullen – Radio journalist. Maybe the 40 end is familiar with her, but most won’t be.
- Beano Cook – College Gootball analyst. ESPN Fame.
- Richard Mellon Scaife – Eventhough he owns main stream media. I would expect that with his political fear mongering and substantial power should make him fairly iconic even with the “web generation”
- Donnie Iris – No Brainer
- Bingo O’Malley – I’d love to put a Pittsburgh actor on this list, but she’s one of those “I saw that guy in something” people. Hardly iconic.
- August Wilson – Honestly, he may not be known to that many 20-40 year olds. However, I don’t have the heart to take him off the list. He SHOULD be on the list. If you’re a Pittsburgher and don’t know, please go to Wikipedia now.
- Billy Hillgrove – Watson to Myron Cope’s Sherlock Holmes
- Steve Pellegrino – I don’t know who this is and can’t find it on Wikipedia. If you aren’t on Wikipedia can you be an icon?
- Teenie Harris – Again, I wish more people of my generation knew him. However, since they don’t…
- Mike Lange – Get Sam a drink and get his dog one too, No Brainer.
- Dan Rooney – No Brainer. He’s my icon’s son.
- Patrice King-Brown – I don’t watch the TV news, I think a lot of people in my generation don’t. However, I think enough do to justify her on the list.
- Ken Rice – See PKB notes.
- Franco Harris – No Brainer
- Maurice “Mossie” Murphy, “Tiger” Paul Auslander and Lawrence “Deuce” Skurcenski – WHO?
