Complete List of Successfully Extracted VA

This is a list of all 2,646 results for Vossian Antonomasia (“X is the Y of Z”) extracted from the New York Times corpus 1987–2007.

Full paper:
Fischer, F., Jäschke, R.: ‘The Michael Jordan of greatness’—Extracting Vossian antonomasia from two decades of The New York Times, 1987–2007. Digital Scholarship in the Humanities. 2019. (DOI:10.1093/llc/fqy087) (Preprint: arXiv:1902.06428)

1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007

1987

Anthony Quinn (1987/01/02/0000232) ‘‘I sometimes feel like the Anthony Quinn of my set.’’
Madonna (1987/01/02/0000431) Jimmy Johnson is the Madonna of college football these days.
D. W. Griffith (1987/01/18/0004444) The former, the D. W. Griffith of the avant-garde, presents spectacular epics or ‘‘operas,’’ the latter, an autobiographical monologist, sits at a card table and tells stories from his life.
Scott Joplin (1987/01/20/0005135) High points of the show included the obscure Cole Porter bonbons, ‘‘Two Little Babes In the Wood’’ and ‘‘Nobody’s Chasing Me,’’ Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle’s ‘‘I’m Just Wild About Harry’’ (performed both as a waltz and as a one-step to show how a simple time change can alter a song’s character), and piano compositions by Ernesto Nazareth, ‘‘the Scott Joplin of Brazil,’’ that blended ragtime and tango.
Rich Little (1987/01/21/0005602) A backup quarterback is the Rich Little of football, spending the week before a game doing an impression of the opposing team’s quarterback.
Bela Lugosi (1987/01/29/0008167) Mr. Reagan fares far better, nicknamewise, than some other Presidents in the compendium, including one known as Gloomy Gus, King Richard, the Bela Lugosi of American Politics, Richard the Chicken-Hearted, the Nero of Our Times, the Tarnished President, the Godfather, St. Richard the Commie Killer, President Truthful and Trickie Dick.
Errol Flynn (1987/01/29/0008167) He is also known by less flattering terms, such as the Aging Right Wing Actor, the Not So Favor-ite Son and the Errol Flynn of the B’s.
Nero (1987/01/29/0008167) Mr. Reagan fares far better, nicknamewise, than some other Presidents in the compendium, including one known as Gloomy Gus, King Richard, the Bela Lugosi of American Politics, Richard the Chicken-Hearted, the Nero of Our Times, the Tarnished President, the Godfather, St. Richard the Commie Killer, President Truthful and Trickie Dick.
Judith Krantz (1987/02/08/0011487) The heroine of the play is Diana Breed Latimer, a best-selling author of romantic fiction, the Judith Krantz of her day.
Irving Berlin (1987/02/08/0011525) Noel Gay was not, as some have claimed, the Irving Berlin of England.
Jan Brueghel the Elder (1987/02/13/0012870) Subjects like ‘‘Flora’’ and ‘‘The Four Senses’’ cause him to come on like the Velvet Brueghel of his set, putting his trust in multiplicity of subject matter and a high degree of finish.
Leonardo da Vinci (1987/02/18/0014363) Contending that Dr. Osborne had set himself up as judge, police expert and hand surgeon, Mr. Smirti called him the Leonardo da Vinci of the Bronx.
Greta Garbo (1987/02/28/0017372) It was enough to make people wonder if McReynolds would adjust to the customary passion of the Mets or become the Greta Garbo of New York baseball, wanting to be alone in a city and business where it was not easy to be alone.
Mr. T (1987/03/01/0017607) President Reagan is said to be a great fan of the ‘‘McLaughlin Group’’ and has called Mr. McLaughlin ‘‘the Mr. T of TV journalism.’’
Larry Bird (1987/03/01/0017800) Peretta and other observers have so much respect for Pennefather’s varied skills that round the league she has been dubbed ‘‘the Larry Bird of women’s basketball.’’
David Merrick (1987/03/02/0018082) Mr. Mackintosh’s credits include ‘‘Side by Side by Sondheim,’’ ‘‘Little Shop of Horrors,’’ ‘‘Cats’’ and ‘‘The Phantom of the Opera,’’ and some colleagues call him the David Merrick of today’s theater.
Caligula (1987/03/08/0019639) He’s less well inclined toward such baseball personalities as Bill Veeck, who owned the Chicago White Sox during Mr. Kuhn’s tenure and whom the commissioner considered something of a fraud (what really went on between the two men was a culture clash, the encounter of a banker and a street peddler); George Steinbrenner, the owner of the New York Yankees, whose antics unnerved Mr. Kuhn just as much as one would expect; August Busch Jr., the owner of the St. Louis Cardinals, whose decisions seemed dictated less by what was good for baseball than by how many cases of Budweiser it might sell; and various other owners - especially Charles O. Finley, the Caligula of the Oakland A’s -whose codes of style and behavior offended Mr. Kuhn’s smothering sense of decorum.
Paul Revere (1987/03/13/0021181) Mr. Blake, a retired businessman, became the Paul Revere of Summit trash.
Vivienne Westwood (1987/03/24/0024133) AT one of the first and most energetic fashion shows here last week, a laugh-a-minute presentation at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts by the Vivienne Westwood of Paris, Jean-Remy Daumas, there were the town’s most frivolous fashion trappings: Mohican fur headpieces and doggy-ear hoods, heart-shaped backpacks, pillowcases reading Oui!
Albert Einstein (1987/03/27/0024878) If you are a fan of brains, you will no doubt get your fill with this enormous portion, which must come from the Einstein of the calf world.
Clemente Susini (1987/03/29/0025364) In her sculptures of the last eight or 10 years she has, in effect, been both the Clemente Susini of our day and -what is more difficult - the inventor of the anatomies that she puts together with such a dexterous hand.
Richard Pryor (1987/04/08/0028366) So Mr. Johnson moves through Harlem, clinical and profane in equal measure, acting as the Richard Pryor of the safe sex set.
Grace Kelly (1987/04/11/0029124) Local society columnists, much taken with her glamour and her new husband’s social prominence, dubbed her ‘‘the Grace Kelly of Chicago.’’
Johnny Appleseed (1987/04/12/0029177) I saw myself as the Johnny Appleseed of linguistics, persuading hotel owners to put dictionaries in rooms everywhere, enabling weary travelers to look up the meanings and spellings of words used in late-night X-rated movies.
George Steinbrenner (1987/04/12/0029256) ‘‘They are the George Steinbrenner of marathons because they go out and buy as many names as they can, regardless of what the athlete’s current condition is.
Ingrid Bergman (1987/04/19/0031974) He had called her Tiffany, which is fine for a call girl, but not right for the Ingrid Bergman of dogs.
Duke Ellington (1987/04/22/0032772) He has attributed some of his stylistic inspiration to Bud Powell and McCoy Tyner, but his creation of salsa concerto-style compositions led to his being regarded by some as the Duke Ellington of salsa.
Horatio Alger (1987/04/30/0035452) Mr. Chertoff called Mr. Massino ‘‘the Horatio Alger of the Mafia.’’
Horatio Alger (1987/05/03/0036349) Mr. Fisher, of course, is the former chicken farmer who became the Horatio Alger of undersea treasure hunters.
Oliver North (1987/05/03/0036472) In the Luce tradition, Mr. Malkin can coin a phrase: the economist Arthur Laffer is ‘‘the Oliver North of Reaganomics’’; Milton Friedman is ‘‘one of those brilliant one-idea cranks’’; and President Reagan’s alma mater is the ‘‘providentially named Eureka College.’’
Napoleon (1987/05/03/0036760) This steady stream of income from the exploitation of a name synonymous with high fashion has earned him a sobriquet, the Napoleon of licensors.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1987/05/10/0038761) Along with the thousands of failures, a few ritualistic pieces of musical consequence were produced, several by the Mozart of the idiom, George Crumb.
Robert Wilson (1987/05/10/0038816) Mr. Freyer, who is also a painter and is sometimes called the Robert Wilson of Germany, is best known for his stagings of Philip Glass’s ‘‘Satyagraha’’ and ‘‘Akhnaten’’ in Stuttgart, but he has also directed and designed works as diverse as Mozart’s ‘‘Zauberflote’’ for Hamburg, Weber’s ‘‘Freischutz’’ for Stuttgart and Handel’s ‘‘Messiah’’ for West Berlin.
John F. Kennedy (1987/05/10/0039183) In the 60’s Mr. Bernstein looked like the John F. Kennedy of culture.
Walter Johnson (1987/05/13/0039886) So was Masaichi Kaneda, the Walter Johnson of Japan with 400 career victories.
Neil Simon (1987/05/15/0040577) Cavalli’s librettist, Giacinto Andrea Cicognini, was ‘‘the Neil Simon of Venetian comedy,’’ Mr. Echols said.
Joe DiMaggio (1987/05/16/0040728) the Joe DiMaggio of love,’’ he fantasizes while flexing a bicep that refuses to bulge
Horatio Alger (1987/05/17/0041016) WHAT drives the marketers is the dream of finding the next kiwi, the Horatio Alger of exotic fruit.
Bernhard Goetz (1987/05/21/0042597) A former Navy official was quoted by The Baltimore Sun as saying the Stark’s captain would have been seen as ‘‘the Bernhard Goetz of the Persian Gulf.’’
Walter Winchell (1987/05/22/0042798) A recent historian has described Bald as ‘‘the Boswell of the Lost Generation,’’ but Root disagrees: ‘‘In my opinion ‘the Walter Winchell of the Lost Generation’ would have been more like it.’’
Jackie Robinson (1987/05/22/0042958) He added, ‘‘In short, he is the Jackie Robinson of the corporate world.’’
Babe Ruth (1987/05/23/0043074) What would Eddie Shore, known as the Babe Ruth of hockey, have said about this?
Woody Allen (1987/05/24/0043683) HOMER LEE is the Woody Allen of Long Island restaurateurs.
George Jessel (1987/05/27/0044042) Compared to the younger smoothies, Mr. Altman, who called himself ‘‘the George Jessel of intellectuals,’’ addressed the audience from the standpoint of an embattled, aging hipster commenting amusingly on everything from the relationship between food and language to condom advertising.
George Will (1987/05/27/0044071) Some go back to Japan to become celebrities; for example, after six years in Washington, Yoshihisa Komori is now considered the George Will of newspaper columnists in Japan.
John Henry (1987/06/10/0048033) ‘‘He’s a horse who’s had serious physical problems,’’ said Dr. Lee, who treats human patients - including athletes from horse racing, basketball, football and boxing - at his office in South Orange, N.J. ‘‘I call him the John Henry of the trotting set.
Dan Rather (1987/06/18/0049974) She might be called the Dan Rather of Shackelford County, receiving and transmitting news and gossip with incredible speed and efficiency.
Henry Miller (1987/06/21/0050669) Judging by the author’s systematic peppering of his brief plot with gamey episodes of sexual improvisation, and by the hero’s awesome arousability (a fleeting memory, an unseemly word, and he is in the manly state), one might think Mr. Faldbakken aspires to become the Henry Miller of Norway.
Liberace (1987/06/26/0052031) With a lot of flashy filigree and little swing or melodic inventiveness, Mr. Jordan threatens to become the Liberace of guitar.
Abner Doubleday (1987/06/28/0052404) ‘‘I wrote them,’’ said Mr. Perrone, the Abner Doubleday of Play Ball.
Frank Sinatra (1987/06/29/0052991) The women had traveled 12,000 miles, all the way from Tokyo, and when they arrived in Manhattan yesterday, they had one man’s name on their lips - Hiroshi Itsuki, the Frank Sinatra of Japan.
Billy Martin (1987/07/03/0053903) LESLIE REVSIN, the Billy Martin of New York City chefs, is back with a new team -her sixth since 1979.
Patrick Dupond (1987/07/05/0054304) Andris Liepa, the son of Maris Liepa, is an exciting classical dancer with a very contemporary veneer, the Patrick Dupond of Moscow but with a poetic edge.
Frank Sinatra (1987/07/05/0054412) Mr. Itsuki, who is known as the Frank Sinatra of Japan, was trailed by 180 of his most devoted Japanese fans, mostly unmarried middle-aged women, who paid $5,500 each to make the trip.
Henry Ford (1987/07/26/0059941) Mr. Safdie was described as the Henry Ford of housing.
Jackie Robinson (1987/07/27/0060318) Venice reminds him of ‘‘Othello,’’ and prompts an analysis of the tragedy that ends: ‘‘Othello was the Jackie Robinson of his day.
Paul Harvey (1987/08/15/0066105) Gabriel Heatter was the Paul Harvey of his era, but without Paul Harvey’s understated subtlety.
Woody Allen (1987/08/23/0068396) Sort of the Woody Allen of Hoboken, Mr. Sayles uses many of his regulars -Maggie Renzi, David Strathairn, Josh Mostel, Nancy Mette - in ‘‘Matewan,’’ but he also makes maximum advantage of a deep-voiced newcomer named James Earl Jones, who does his best not to dominate the screen as the natural leader of the black miners.
Pete Rose (1987/08/23/0068626) ‘‘Shays is the Pete Rose of the Connecticut Republican Party, hustle, hustle, hustle,’’ said Robert S. Poliner, the Connecticut Republican state chairman, who called the win ‘‘a tremendous shot in the arm’’ for the Connecticut Republican Party and a ‘‘good sign nationally’’ for the party.
Ralph Lauren (1987/09/06/0072173) ‘‘Ah well - but I might become the Ralph Lauren of the Camargue.’’
Bruce Springsteen (1987/09/07/0072432) What’s more, Mr. Fryer added, the Governor is ‘‘the Bruce Springsteen of politics.’’
Walter Mondale (1987/09/07/0072470) It came from an unlikely source - Anker Jorgensen, an earnest but unexciting man usually cast as the Walter Mondale of Danish politics.
Joseph Goebbels (1987/09/10/0073045) Military officers were also offended by Mr. Arroyo’s characterization of the army spokesman, Col. Honesto Isleta, as ‘‘the Goebbels of Aguinaldo.’’
Cecil Beaton (1987/09/11/0073363) ‘‘I want to be the Cecil Beaton of the flower world.’’
Alfred Dreyfus (1987/09/13/0073979) school of crime reporting; and a third, the novelist Michael Mewshaw, who, in ‘‘Money to Burn,’’ is so bent on making Steven Benson the Alfred Dreyfus of southwest Florida that he inflates what could have been a chapter of sharp-eyed criticism into a book-length orgy of nit-picking.
Alice Cooper (1987/09/16/0074975) What became an intergallactic dud was ‘‘the Alice Cooper of comets,’’ according to Mr. Schaffer’s publicity.
Roone Arledge (1987/09/19/0075504) Mr. Brandon, the 37-year-old founder of Cheerleader Productions, can be thought of as the Roone Arledge of Britain.
Ray Kroc (1987/09/20/0075758) THE vision that Mr. Zanker’s energy serves is as simple as it is grandiose: He would like to be the Ray Kroc of adult education.
Elvis Presley (1987/09/20/0076210) If he is not exactly the Elvis Presley of ballet, Mr. Baryshnikov demonstrates a popular appeal that reaches far beyond the usual ballet audience.
John Alden (1987/09/20/0076271) But you would not know that Senator Kennedy remains the John Alden of American politics unless you watched his part of the hearings in its entirety.
Ozzie Smith (1987/09/21/0076371) ‘‘He was the Ozzie Smith of the West Indies,’’ the spectator said, referring to the St. Louis Cardinals’ shortstop who is a premier fielder.
Jimi Hendrix (1987/09/25/0077266) For Roger Miller, it’s as much an electronic instrument as the electric guitar - and he’s set out to become the Jimi Hendrix of the electric piano.
George Washington (1987/09/26/0077581) ‘‘Remember back when they were trying to tell us in certain areas of the media that Castro was the George Washington of Cuba?’’
John Lennon (1987/09/27/0077678) He was the John Lennon of the Wailers, sometimes abrasive and sometimes erratic and always outspoken, even when being outspoken didn’t always serve his best purposes.
Groucho Marx (1987/09/27/0077726) But the tide eventually shifted, partly because the supreme materialist of physics, Richard Feynman of the California Institute of Technology, a man once described as the Groucho Marx of physics, turned the quest for nuclear substructure into a cause celebre.
Ansel Adams (1987/10/07/0080556) Leonard Humbrecht is the Ansel Adams of Alsace wine makers.
Terry Leach (1987/10/26/0086630) The Yankees won their Series debut, 3-0, behind the submarine pitching of Carl Mays, the Terry Leach of his day.
Leonard Bernstein (1987/11/01/0088343) So while Marshall W. Mason commenced a long leave of absence from New York’s Circle Repertory Company (he resigned last year), and Gordon Davidson did the same from the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, Mr. Hall, at 55, began doing double duty, announcing with typical bravado that he planned to be ‘‘the Lenny Bernstein of the theater world.’’
Julia Child (1987/11/11/0091723) A letter to Ruth Sirkis - ‘‘the Julia Child of Israel,’’ according to Ms. Levy - led to a two-year stint as her assistant.
Cecil B. DeMille (1987/11/11/0091729) Mr. Tyler has been called the Cecil B. DeMille of printmakers, and a Detroit production-liner in a handcraft trade.
Paul Newman (1987/11/14/0092773) ‘‘If Bill Laimbeer is good at acting to get calls, then Moses Malone is the Paul Newman of professional basketball,’’ Pitino said.
James Watt (1987/11/15/0092897) I don’t think it is going too far to call Mr. Scanlon ‘‘the James Watt of consumer protection.’’
Barbara Walters (1987/11/20/0094729) She said she has been a television reporter for 22 years but disagreed with Mr. Moffett’s description of her as ‘‘the Barbara Walters of Soviet television.’’
Elvis Presley (1987/11/23/0095650) ‘‘He was known as the Elvis of Torrington.
Warren G. Harding (1987/12/03/0098477) To me the President has for years seemed to be the Warren G. Harding of our time, not the Herbert Hoover.
Pete Rose (1987/12/07/0099935) Whatever the count, Mr. Wallace, 56 years old, still has a chance to become the Pete Rose of legal argumentation.
Ed Sullivan (1987/12/13/0101324) But Mr. Schmidt, too, wonders about Mr. Adams’s future role: ‘‘I see him more as the facilitator, the introducer, kind of the Ed Sullivan of the program.
M. L. Carr (1987/12/18/0102667) - won the Super Bowl with a former Navy helicopter pilot named Phil McConkey running up and down the sidelines waving a flag, the M. L. Carr of the swamplands.
Michelangelo (1987/12/20/0103276) If, as the author tells us, the deal is an art form, then the book makes clear that Mr. Trump sees himself as the Michelangelo of that form.
Groucho Marx (1987/12/22/0103904) This season they have hidden him somewhere behind the boys’ clothing section; and yes, his black-rimmed eyeglasses make him the Groucho Marx of the Kringle clan.
John Wayne (1987/12/31/0106025) He’s the John Wayne of the rodent.’’

1988

Leo Tolstoy (1988/01/03/0106769) (‘‘Who is the Tolstoy of the Zulus?
Clint Eastwood (1988/01/13/0109114) ‘‘He’s a phenomenon - the Clint Eastwood of the art museum director’s world,’’ said the director of the Brooklyn Museum, Robert Buck.
Clint Eastwood (1988/01/17/0110278) The Guggenheim Museum of Art has appointed a man described as ‘‘the Clint Eastwood of the art museum director’s world’’ to direct its expansionist fortunes.
Marcel Proust (1988/01/19/0110836) The novelist Saul Bellow, for example, remarked in a recent issue of The New York Times Magazine that he did not know ‘‘the Tolstoy of the Zulus, the Proust of the Papuans,’’ His remark provoked the ire of some professors, who charged him with insensitivity to the feelings of non-whites.
Leo Tolstoy (1988/01/19/0110836) The novelist Saul Bellow, for example, remarked in a recent issue of The New York Times Magazine that he did not know ‘‘the Tolstoy of the Zulus, the Proust of the Papuans,’’ His remark provoked the ire of some professors, who charged him with insensitivity to the feelings of non-whites.
Benedict Arnold (1988/01/23/0112122) Meldrim Thomson Jr. of New Hampshire, Mr. Robertson’s campaign manager in that state, called Mr. Kemp ‘‘the Benedict Arnold of the Republican Party.’’
Leo Tolstoy (1988/01/24/0112715) Allan Bloom’s colleague Saul Bellow asks: ‘‘Who is the Tolstoy of the Zulus?
Cecil B. DeMille (1988/01/24/0112743) Mr. Breuer, who attempts to blend classical and popular cultures in his theater works, has been called ‘‘the Cecil B. DeMille of the American theater.’’
Evel Knievel (1988/02/05/0116272) ‘‘Lear,’’ directed by Lee Breuer and featuring Ruth Maleczech as the aged king and Greg Mehrten as a drag-queen Fool, has created some excited word of mouth since early work-in-progress performances began at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, N.J. Other high points of the marathon are likely to be Karen Finley performing an excerpt from her scabrously obscene monologue ‘‘The Constant State of Desire,’’ the Alien Comic (Tom Murrin) dressed as an electrified lemon tree, and an appearance by David Leslie, the Evel Knievel of performance artists.
Marcel Proust (1988/02/09/0117468) Saul Bellow, whom you quote as having remarked that he didn’t know ‘‘the Tolstoy of the Zulus, the Proust of the Papuans,’’ will not find his Tolstoy; but as you quote John R. Perry, Stanford philosophy professor, ‘‘if his never having heard of a great author among them suggests that it’s pointless to look for great ideas or things to teach from the whole African continent, then I find it sad.’’
Leo Tolstoy (1988/02/09/0117468) Saul Bellow, whom you quote as having remarked that he didn’t know ‘‘the Tolstoy of the Zulus, the Proust of the Papuans,’’ will not find his Tolstoy; but as you quote John R. Perry, Stanford philosophy professor, ‘‘if his never having heard of a great author among them suggests that it’s pointless to look for great ideas or things to teach from the whole African continent, then I find it sad.’’
Sonja Henie (1988/02/12/0118297) By virtue of its first strike, chinook now looms as the Torvill and Dean, the Miracle on Ice hockey team, the Peggy Fleming, the Sonja Henie of these Winter Games.
P. T. Barnum (1988/03/05/0124772) The late owner of three major league clubs, Veeck was often called the P. T. Barnum of baseball for his promotional gimmicks.
Albert Einstein (1988/03/06/0125050) At home, Khan is a prominent figure, hailed as ‘‘the Einstein of Pakistan.’’
James Joyce (1988/03/08/0125626) He’s always seemed to me like the James Joyce of the Middle Ages and probably as complex and puzzling to his contemporaries.’’
Matthew Arnold (1988/03/11/0126655) I do not know whether, when Chaim Grade made this statement, he did or did not think of the words of his friend, the distinguished Y. Y. Trunk, the Matthew Arnold of Yiddish letters, who warned in November 1948, ‘‘You do not suppose that Jews and Jewish values will be saved if Israel becomes a puppy hound among big hounds.’’
Dean Smith (1988/03/13/0127169) ‘‘Don Ryan is a terrific guy, a dedicated guy, the Dean Smith of biddy basketball,’’ said Steve Nisenson of Jericho, the father of a 12-year-old player, Brett, who at an estimated height of four and a half feet is the shortest player on the biddy team.
Ruth Westheimer (1988/03/16/0127840) Ms. Mizner, who calls herself the Dr. Ruth of grappa, said she believes that a little grappa every day might improve one’s sex life.
Louis XIV of France (1988/03/27/0130877) AT 65, JAY PRITZKER is the Louis XIV of the deal makers, the Sun King whose ever-expanding family empire includes the Hyatt hotel chain; Braniff airlines; the Marmon Group, a $3-billion assemblage of more than 60 industrial companies, and diversified interests in real estate, financial services and timberland.
Helen Thomas (1988/03/27/0131142) ‘‘I suppose I’m kind of the Helen Thomas of the New York reporters,’’ he said, referring to United Press International’s longtime White House correspondent, who always gets the first question at President Reagan’s news conferences.
Howard Hughes (1988/03/29/0131517) One alderman has derided him as ‘‘the Howard Hughes of City Hall,’’ a reference to what some think is a reclusive style of governing.
Kenny Scharf (1988/04/01/0132316) These objects radiate a physical perfection, good humor and, despite their effusive hardware, a buoyancy that is reminiscent of the best graffiti art, so it is fitting that people are calling Mr. Bickerton ‘‘the Kenny Scharf of Neo-Geo.’’
René Descartes (1988/04/08/0134160) (The French critic Pierre Restany, a lifelong friend and champion of Arman, was moved recently to call him ‘‘the Descartes of the quantitative method.’’)
Harold Pinter (1988/04/10/0134562) JAMES KUDELKA, THE 32-year-old Canadian choreographer, has been called the Harold Pinter of dance.
Rashi (1988/04/12/0135375) Eugene Borowitz, professor of Jewish religious thought at Hebrew Union College, called Rabbi Steinsaltz ‘‘the Rashi of our time,’’ adding ‘‘He does for the modern reader what Rashi has done for centuries of Jewish readers.’’
Bill Bradley (1988/04/13/0135673) Mr. Tisch described his man succinctly: ‘‘smart, understanding, decent and tough - the Bill Bradley of the South.’’
Mata Hari (1988/04/15/0136310) Alex’s literary agent (Antonia Ellis), described as ‘‘the Mata Hari of the Hamptons,’’ is a seductress who bumps about in Frederick’s of Hollywood-style lingerie to the accompaniment of jungle drums.
Joyce Brothers (1988/04/18/0137197) The lieutenant shrugged and said: ‘‘I got tired months ago of being the Joyce Brothers of all this.’’
Alan Alda (1988/04/24/0139065) The Dave Winfield in ‘‘Winfield’’ comes off as the Alan Alda of baseball.
Oscar Wilde (1988/04/24/0139243) Under Mr. Rawls, who is described by some staff members as ‘‘the Oscar Wilde of profanity’’ because of his newsroom outbursts, the news staff was pushed to be faster in pursuit of news and more aggressive.
Cary Grant (1988/04/27/0139923) IF cabernet sauvignon is the Cary Grant of grapes, then merlot is the Gig Young: handsome, likable, No.
Johnny Appleseed (1988/04/29/0140344) ‘‘Boomeranging, pardon the expression, is taking off,’’ said Darnell, who has been the Johnny Appleseed of the sport in this country.
Robert Redford (1988/05/01/0140918) From the English sailor Blackthorne washed up on the beach of 17th-century Japan in ‘‘Shogun’’ to the amnesia victim Jason Bourne washed up on the beach in the south of France in 1988 in ‘‘The Bourne Identity,’’ Richard Chamberlain has become the Robert Redford of the living room, finding a stardom in prime time that has eluded him on the silver screen.
Billy Martin (1988/05/03/0141477) Most baseball people of that era thought that Chandler simply was out to get Durocher, the Billy Martin of his time.
Thomas Paine (1988/05/09/0143507) Mr. Buchanan comes across as ‘‘the Thomas Paine of the Right,’’ and Adm. John M. Poindexter as a ‘‘sphinx-like’’ stonewaller, who knew ‘‘something bad was going on’’ but didn’t want to investigate.
Jimi Hendrix (1988/05/11/0144027) Yomo Toro, who has been called ‘‘the Jimi Hendrix of the cuatro,’’ will appear at Sounds of Brazil (204 Varick Street) tomorrow for two shows.
Ed Sullivan (1988/05/12/0144329) Mike, an invented character who is the comic alter ego of the performance artist Michael Smith, is busy becoming the Ed Sullivan of the downtown performance world.
Napoleon (1988/05/15/0145401) As a Soviet spy he was the Napoleon of deception, the greatest mole of them all, who betrayed British secrets to the K.G.B.
Tom Lawless (1988/05/22/0147564) Last week was a bad one for hitters who were trying to become the Tom Lawless of 1988.
Henry Ford (1988/06/05/0151262) Twenty-one-year-old Mr. Worden, the leader of the M.I.T. team, is described by his admirers as the Henry Ford of solar cars.
Vladimir Lenin (1988/06/05/0151446) Though he was condemned by some as a porn king, praised by others as ‘‘the Lenin of the sexual revolution,’’ the fact remains that Maurice Girodias was courageous enough to publish William Burroughs, Samuel Beckett, Jean Genet, J. P. Donleavy, Nikos Kazantzakis and Nabokov’s ‘‘Lolita’’ when others were too afraid of censorship to try.
Lon Chaney (1988/06/15/0153997) The notion has evidently got into his head that these high-class markings will harm him with the voters, for he seems intent on becoming the Lon Chaney of politics, the Man of a Thousand Faces.
Connie Mack (1988/06/24/0156226) By contrast, Futch, 76, is a mellow type who speaks slowly and softly and carries himself more like an elder statesman, the Connie Mack of the fight game.
Joe Namath (1988/06/27/0157164) We were a long way from earlier times when Mr. Nureyev was called ‘‘the Joe Namath of dance.’’
Pablo Picasso (1988/07/04/0158922) Is Joyce the Picasso of letters?
Jackie Robinson (1988/07/10/0159990) ‘‘He is certainly the Jackie Robinson of minority business,’’ Mr. Bellinger said of Mr. Lewis.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1988/07/17/0162061) Gainsborough is the Mozart of portraiture.
Norman Rockwell (1988/07/22/0163681) Mr. Paul, a 60-year-old Friar Tuck lookalike, is considered the Norman Rockwell of television directors.
Marco Polo (1988/07/26/0164793) Marks was the Marco Polo of the drug traffic,’’ said Thomas V. Cash, special agent in charge of the Miami Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Samuel Beckett (1988/07/31/0166391) He is a master of erasures and negations, a visionary of discomfort and reproof, the Samuel Beckett of postwar American poetry.
Pat Boone (1988/08/04/0167715) If not for his experimental streak, Robert Palmer could be the Pat Boone of the 1980’s.
James Naismith (1988/08/08/0168974) That’s because the James Naismith of Hoover-ball was the White House physician, Vice Admiral Joel T. Boone, who devised the game as a way to entice Hoover, who was notoriously lackadaisical about his health, into exercising.
Wallis Simpson (1988/08/11/0169750) And Janet Jones, the beautiful bride in what was built up as a royal wedding here July 16, was seen as the Wallis Simpson of her time, the wife who coerced her husband into leaving.
Charles Ives (1988/08/12/0170106) Mr. Scelsi, who was widely called the Charles Ives of Italy, was known for his choral and symphonic works.
Mother Teresa (1988/08/14/0170859) That willingness doesn’t make him the Mother Teresa of his time, but it does make him a responsible businessman, a rare enough species in baseball.
Lou Gehrig (1988/08/17/0171750) The man who has won seven Daytonas and a total of 200 races - although none, Gary Carter, since July 4, 1984, which was 118 races ago - is already the Lou Gehrig of racing, about to start his 500th straight race at Brooklyn International Speedway in Michigan on Sunday.
Napoleon (1988/08/21/0172829) They were a completely different breed whose first confrontation with the North was not at Fort Sumter, but 38 years earlier, when a North Carolina colonel, known as ‘‘the Napoleon of the turf,’’ encouraged any and all Yankees to race their horses against the indomitable Sir Henry - for a stake of $20,000.
Marilyn Monroe (1988/08/28/0174823) ‘‘He’s the Marilyn Monroe of this industry,’’ said Bill Groak, editor of M.A.
William Shakespeare (1988/08/28/0174916) Sir Frederick Ashton was the Shakespeare of ballet - not the Shakespeare who wrote revenge tragedies but the poet who composed love sonnets.
Antonio Stradivari (1988/09/04/0176939) It was made by W. Heckel, a German company that Mr. Segal described as ‘‘the Stradivarius of woodwind manufacturing.’’
Barbara Walters (1988/09/11/0178347) ‘‘The tenor of this club is to denigrate, to humiliate,’’ explains Freda Reeser, a member who calls herself ‘‘the Barbara Walters of the Hawaiian Jewish community’’ because she interviews visiting celebrities for a local magazine.
Wayne Gretzky (1988/09/11/0178517) No such distinction is made for women, and so Jeannie Longo of France, the Wayne Gretzky of women’s cycling, will compete in the Games, as a heavy favorite.
John F. Kennedy (1988/09/25/0182307) All told, the four years since he quit his corporate directorships on Bay Street to succeed Mr. Trudeau as Liberal leader have been shocking ones for Mr. Turner, whose supporters once hailed him as the John F. Kennedy of Canadian politics.
Steve Jobs (1988/09/28/0183345) That Acer has come this far is something of a testament to the drive and unconventional approach of the 43-year-old Mr. Shih, who has become the Steve Jobs of Taiwan.
P. T. Barnum (1988/10/05/0185168) That was never more evident than at the opening ceremonies of our Olympics, staged by the longtime Hollywood producer David Wolper, the P. T. Barnum of patriotism.
Muhammad Ali (1988/10/09/0186323) Until recently, the muscular, middleweight Ribbs, whom the racing press once labeled the Muhammad Ali of auto racing, might have reacted to such an incident by punching Pruett out in the pits afterward.
Andrew Lloyd Webber (1988/10/10/0186766) But more stems from Mr. Jobs’s reputation as the Andrew Lloyd Webber of product introductions, a master of stage flair and special effects.
Honoré de Balzac (1988/10/14/0187729) Critics sometimes call Naguib Mahfouz the Balzac of Egypt because of the way his works express the pulsating energy of city life and because of their psychologically nuanced characters and broad social concern.
Henny Youngman (1988/10/14/0187903) The new revised Democratic Presidential candidate is exuding dazzling one-liners - the Henny Youngman of American politics.
Bob Hope (1988/10/16/0188478) Comedy is Mr. Yoshida’s specialty (‘‘I was once called ‘the Bob Hope of Bunraku’ ‘’), and he has adapted a lot from Chaplin and Keaton.
P. T. Barnum (1988/10/17/0188726) It came from Joshua Evans, the hoopla-minded young proprietor of Lelands auction house in Allentown, Pa., who has emerged as the P. T. Barnum of baseball cards.
Andy Warhol (1988/10/23/0190647) He is the Andy Warhol of opera production, screaming at us to look at sleazy banality with tolerant eyes and recognize it as a new profundity.
Babe Ruth (1988/11/04/0194523) After all, who could ever again even challenge the 978 stitches (his count) earned by Eddie Shore, the Babe Ruth of hockey, during his 14-year N.H.L.
Lorin Maazel (1988/11/06/0195310) As we have learned through his appearances at the New York City Opera, Mr. Siciliani is something like the Lorin Maazel of Italian opera conductors.
Leo Tolstoy (1988/11/13/0197859) Although Mr. Chaudhuri may not be what Saul Bellow would call the Tolstoy of the Bengalis, he may remind many readers of Nabokov’s Pnin.
Rod Laver (1988/12/04/0203718) I was also nervous about joining the Rod Laver of business on his home court.
Samuel Beckett (1988/12/04/0203748) a master of erasures and negations, a visionary of discomfort and reproof, the Samuel Beckett of postwar American poetry.’’
Idi Amin (1988/12/06/0204254) As a result, he is regarded as ‘‘the Stalin of Patchogue, the Idi Amin of Long Island,’’ which, along with many other aspects of the play, is a considerable overstatement.
Joseph Stalin (1988/12/06/0204254) As a result, he is regarded as ‘‘the Stalin of Patchogue, the Idi Amin of Long Island,’’ which, along with many other aspects of the play, is a considerable overstatement.
Gilbert du Motier (1988/12/12/0206044) The next time troubles threaten in the Philippines or Pakistan and the urge to help is strong, you can suit up and say ‘‘Lafayette, we are here’’ in Manila or Islamabad and stand a chance of being welcome, says Representative Stephen Solarz, Democrat of New York, At a lunch in Mr. Solarz’ honor last year, President Corazon Aquino thanked him for his work on the House Foreign Affairs Committee on behalf of the ‘‘Filipino struggle for freedom’’ and addressed him as ‘‘the Lafayette of the Philippine revolution.’’
Peter Max (1988/12/15/0206586) ‘‘Keith Haring will be the Peter Max of the future.

1989

Samuel Johnson (1989/01/08/0212236) ‘‘That gets me back to legitimacy,’’ Mr. Coogan explained, but his eyes lighted up when he added, ‘‘I can be the Samuel Johnson of comic books: They are really just another form of literature.’’
Attila (1989/01/11/0213159) The reporters were reporting Bush nicenesses that would have been unthinkable a few weeks ago when this very same George Bush was the Attila of the campaign trail.
Howard Hughes (1989/01/15/0214315) Ray McAnally is a bluff, robust fellow, most certainly not to be regarded as the Howard Hughes of Irish theaterland.
Lillian Hellman (1989/01/15/0214451) Having read every word of Isabelle’s book, I can only surmise either that she wishes to be immortalized as the Lillian Hellman of the art world or that the men with whom I spent every waking hour had, previous to our first meeting, collectively repented, reformed and miraculously transformed their characters without the benefit of any self-help programs.
Clint Eastwood (1989/01/16/0214485) Mr. O’Keefe, a playwright and actor whose surreal family drama ‘‘All Night Long’’ was produced in 1984 in New York at Second Stage, might be described as the Clint Eastwood of performance artists.
Rudy Giuliani (1989/01/23/0216737) To some lawyers here, Anton Ronald Valukas, the United States Attorney in Chicago, is the Rudolph Giuliani of the Midwest.
Ronald Reagan (1989/01/29/0218458) In all this, Mayor Bradley, a former police officer, has emerged as the Ronald Reagan of urban politics, the ‘‘Teflon’’ Mayor.
Mark Twain (1989/01/31/0218970) Venice has long been the Mark Twain of cities.
Buck Rogers (1989/02/01/0219360) ‘‘The obvious conclusion is that unless we’re careful, the Buck Rogers of the 1990’s is going to be living in Seoul, Korea, instead of Chattanooga or Chicago,’’ said Lamar Alexander, president of the University of Tennessee and a former governor of Tennessee.
Billie Jean King (1989/02/01/0219411) Alicia McConnell used to dream of being the Billie Jean King of women’s squash and turning her sport into a multimillion-dollar enterprise.
Buckminster Fuller (1989/02/05/0220657) Citi will be the world’s first truly global financial institution, says Mr. Reed, whose intense focus on the future seems to be turning him into the Buckminster Fuller of banking.
Gustav Mahler (1989/02/05/0220823) Now it is Mr. Penderecki who is seen as having regressed into neo-Romantic recycling, Mr. Schnittke is prized as a, if not the, leading Soviet composer, and Shostakovich is the Mahler of the 80’s.
Antonio Stradivari (1989/02/10/0221928) Not only do we believe in that smooth and silent progress, but we recognize the canoe itself as one built by Remington’s friend, J. Henry Rushton, still spoken of as the Stradivarius of canoe builders.
Oliver North (1989/02/26/0226688) Groves was an amazing superpatriot, Mr. Rintels says, adding, ‘‘He was the Oliver North of his generation.’’
Groucho Marx (1989/02/26/0226891) And so we see his son, Reginald Jones, once again in pursuit of an absolute (this time justice), enlist in the Civil War in Spain and then again in the Second World War, where his experiences repeat, with little profit, those of his father; when demobilized, he is caught up in the Welsh nationalist cause, the Groucho Marx of wars, and while he is at it he discovers and rescues Excalibur from the Hermitage in Russia.
Mike Tyson (1989/02/27/0226986) Joe Frazier was the Tyson of his time, but George Foreman wrecked him.
Mike Tyson (1989/02/27/0226993) And though his performance may not have been textbook-perfect - ‘‘It wasn’t the Mike Tyson of vintage,’’ the champion said afterward -Tyson didn’t feel any lack of conviction about his potency.
Jackie Robinson (1989/03/01/0227574) ‘‘Sidney Poitier was the Jackie Robinson of American film,’’ said Rochelle Slovin, the director of the museum, which opened in September in Astoria, Queens, after seven years of planning.
Frank Sinatra (1989/03/12/0231061) During their decade-long marriage, Elizabeth Taylor quipped that Burton was ‘‘the Frank Sinatra of Shakespeare.’’
James Dean (1989/03/17/0232294) ‘‘Let’s Get Lost,’’ the second feature by the successful fashion photographer Bruce Weber, focuses on the life and times of Chet Baker, the jazz trumpeter and heroin addict who has been called the James Dean of jazz.
P. T. Barnum (1989/03/24/0234364) He called Mr. Anthony ‘‘the P. T. Barnum of sleaze’’ and said the accusations were a ‘‘pre-emptive strike’’ in advance of the ethics committee’s report on Mr. Wright.
Frank Lloyd Wright (1989/03/27/0235157) Who could protest a project designed by children, hand-built by parents, paid for with private money and planned by Robert Leathers, the Frank Lloyd Wright of the Sesame Street set?
Xenophon (1989/04/02/0236473) Col. Alexander W. Doniphan, at six and a half feet tall a giant in his day, commanded an expedition into the Southwest so spectacular that William Cullen Bryant was moved to call him the Xenophon of the Mexican War.
Antoine-Louis Barye (1989/04/02/0236554) Luis Jimenez Jr., with his portrait of a howling canine in brown and gray fiberglass dusted with gold, ranks as the Antoine-Louis Barye of the group.
James Dean (1989/04/02/0236730) Handsome and talented but imperiously self-destructive, the man who has been called ‘‘the James Dean of jazz’’ was a connoisseur of fast cars, women and drugs.
Rodney Dangerfield (1989/04/03/0237047) All we need is a bad tie and goggle eyes and we are the Rodney Dangerfield of states.’’
Michelangelo (1989/04/05/0237599) ‘‘I call him the Michelangelo of the cancer world.’’
Louella Parsons (1989/04/10/0238940) He writes that Marshall later invited him to be his collaborator, but that he turned him down, having concluded that Marshall was ‘‘less a military analyst than a military ambulance chaser, more a voyeur than a warrior, the Louella Parsons of the U.S.
Fred Astaire (1989/04/20/0241894) At 68 years of age, Mr. Hummer is the Fred Astaire of solo free-style clogging, with an elegantly sweeping, sliding style as he demonstrates his morning wakeup dance, ‘‘Rise and Shine.’’
Ted Kennedy (1989/04/26/0243958) ‘‘Vinich is the Ted Kennedy of Wyoming,’’ said Scott Farris, the top political reporter for The Casper Star-Tribune.
Madonna (1989/04/30/0245467) They are a hot ticket in the United States, the Madonna of the Eastern bloc.
Sam Shepard (1989/05/18/0251063) He is not quite the Sam Shepard of ballet, but he does bring to mind some of that playwright’s combative love situations, with their dust-bowl heritage.
Michael Jordan (1989/05/19/0251456) He may have been the closest thing to the Michael Jordan of his day, as earthbound as he was.
Clifford Irving (1989/05/21/0252346) One baseball official, who believes it was a hoax, referred to the writer as the Clifford Irving of baseball.
Brian Dowling (1989/05/26/0253509) Mr. Dowling (who is not the Brian Dowling of Yale football fame, the model for B. D. in the Doonesbury comic strip) fared no better this week before the United States Supreme Court.
Lee Stange (1989/05/28/0254346) He will likely be the Lee Stange of New York baseball.
Desi Arnaz (1989/06/04/0255970) Spock and McCoy shadowbox about the value of logic versus feelings, the Klingons scowl under their fishbone foreheads, Kirk suffers the agonies of command, Chekov mispronounces words (he’s the Desi Arnaz of space), the ship takes a hit and sparks pour out of the consoles: it’s all painted on the floor like rhumba steps.
Donald Trump (1989/06/06/0256423) ‘‘He was the Donald Trump of Bridgeport at one time,’’ Mr. Pelton said, alluding to Barnum’s real estate holdings.
Michelangelo (1989/06/06/0256423) The top-hatted statue will utter not a word about the American sucker, for the simple reason that Barnum - the Michelangelo of buncombe, hokum, hoopla and ballyhoo - was himself the victim of a hoax.
Adolf Hitler (1989/06/09/0257079) But you want us to compromise with the Hitler of my country.
Fra Angelico (1989/06/11/0257654) Roger Fry, the English critic, called him the Fra Angelico of Satanism, in honor of his immaculately elegant drawings of decadent subjects.
Raffi (1989/06/11/0257799) ‘‘We’re waiting for the Raffi of our industry.’’
Hunter S. Thompson (1989/06/11/0257800) The most Anglicized exercise may be IN TROUBLE AGAIN: A Journey Between the Orinoco and the Amazon (272 pp., Atlantic, $17.95), Redmond O’Hanlon’s search for human or animal horrors between the Amazon and the Orinoco rivers, which serves to cement the Oxford-educated naturalist’s reputation as the Hunter S. Thompson of expeditionaries.
Joan Collins (1989/06/25/0261334) ‘‘She was like the Joan Collins of France - the people hated her.
J. P. Morgan (1989/07/06/0263999) Mr. McCaw ‘‘fancies himself as the early industrialists did, as the J. P. Morgan of cellular,’’ said Jack B. Grubman, an analyst with Paine Webber Inc.
Benedict Arnold (1989/07/14/0265756) ‘‘Sturm, Ruger is the Benedict Arnold of the gun industry,’’ said Aaron S. Zelman, owner of the Patriot Distribution Company, a Milwaukee-based concern that sells a semiautomatic pistol as well as products such as assault vests and tear gas.
Shoeless Joe Jackson (1989/07/16/0266101) Was Pee Wee, after all, the Shoeless Joe Jackson of jazz, minus the scandal?
Emily Dickinson (1989/07/17/0266475) It was written by the title character of the book, the late Mary Swann, who is variously described as ‘‘a poete naive’’ and ‘‘the Emily Dickinson of Upper Canada,’’ and it reads in part as follows: Feet on the winter floor Beat Flowers to blackness Making a corridor Named helplessness
John McEnroe (1989/07/17/0266503) The British Prime Minister, who was described by Simon Jenkins of The Sunday Times of London as the John McEnroe of European diplomacy, was seen on Friday night furiously tapping her foot as Jean-Paul Goude’s historical pageant slowly unfolded.
Boris Yeltsin (1989/07/24/0268770) But these are tumultuous times in the Soviet bloc, and Mr. Modrow is considered by many to be the Boris Yeltsin of East Germany - a symbol of change and innovation among younger party members.
William Shakespeare (1989/07/27/0269641) Not for nothing was Sir Frederick Ashton, England’s greatest choreographer, called the Shakespeare of ballet.
Emily Dickinson (1989/08/06/0273070) The academic world is abuzz about Mary Swann (1915-65), an uneducated farmer’s wife, a nonentity when murdered by her swinish husband, but now touted by some as the Emily Dickinson of Upper Canada.
Attila (1989/08/13/0274831) Nicknamed ‘‘the Attila of tropical agriculture’’ by one Peruvian scientist, coca cultivation has led to indiscriminate deforestation.
Louis Armstrong (1989/08/17/0276060) This was K-Paul’s New York Kitchen, an outpost of the New Orleans chef Paul Prudhomme, the Louis Armstrong of jambalaya, crawfish pie and file gumbo.
Louis Armstrong (1989/08/17/0276100) Customers lined up for dinner at K-Paul’s New York Kitchen, an outpost of the New Orleans chef Paul Prudhomme, the Louis Armstrong of crawfish pie and jambalaya.
Moses Malone (1989/08/18/0276324) For what it’s worth, Hughes is the Moses Malone of the W.B.L.
Charles Ives (1989/08/20/0276825) In a sense, they are the Charles Ives of architects; for just as Ives recaptured fragments of familiar American tunes within a 20th-century musical framework, Robert Kliment and Frances Halsband use their vernacular references not merely as surface decor but as integral and cohesive parts of an otherwise clean-cut 20th-century American building.
Rembrandt (1989/08/20/0276826) Individual prints from the monumental work ‘‘Les Liliacees’’ by Pierre-Joseph Redoute (1759-1840), known as the Rembrandt of flowers, range from $1,000 to $3,000.
Bob Hope (1989/08/20/0276845) ‘‘Leno is clearly the Bob Hope of our generation,’’ says Lenny Ripps.
Shirley Temple (1989/08/20/0277023) In 1939, on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, her mother, Rachel Newman from Lithuania, whom she describes as ‘‘the Shirley Temple of mothers,’’ was known as ‘‘Marvelle, the Fortune Teller,’’ and her father, Sigmund Archur, from Warsaw, was called ‘‘Gabel the Graphologist,’’ his career of the moment.
Homer (1989/08/21/0277244) But Tony Schwartz is also the Homer of the Information Age, a collector and communicator of the aural tradition and a celebrant of the received word in an era that deifies the video image.
Jane Fonda (1989/08/25/0278125) Mr. Pike called him the Jane Fonda of the Vietnamese community because of his approach and the passions it fueled.
Fra Angelico (1989/09/10/0281871) Hans Memling, ‘‘the Fra Angelico of the North,’’ painted the triptych for the hospital chapel and the panels illustrating the legend of St. Ursula around the casket-shrine containing her relics.
Albert Einstein (1989/09/10/0282118) But he was a genius, the Einstein of the law.’’
Cecil B. DeMille (1989/09/21/0284892) Mr. Newman has has been called ‘‘the Cecil B. DeMille of antiques dealers.’’
I. M. Pei (1989/09/29/0286782) Alfred Portale, the I. M. Pei of contemporary American cooking, brings new meaning to the term haute cuisine with his skyscraper salads, towers of twirled pasta, high-rises of french fries and soaring desserts.
Rembrandt (1989/10/01/0287270) ‘‘This is the last E. Joy Morris carousel in operation, and he was the Rembrandt of carousels,’’ he said.
Laurie Anderson (1989/10/05/0288506) She is not the Laurie Anderson of her time, of course.
Albert Einstein (1989/10/07/0288891) One day he is acclaimed the Einstein of the Diamond, the next day he is hailed as one of the seven or eight dumbest people on the face of the earth, and the following day, why, back to genius status again.
David Dinkins (1989/10/11/0290032) He was the David Dinkins of his day - calm, comforting and, yes, often boring.
Tallulah Bankhead (1989/10/12/0290209) ‘‘Senior citizens are the Tallulah Bankhead of the lifeboat: a lot of other people will go over first,’’ Mr. Miller said.
Valentino (1989/10/22/0293575) ‘‘He is the Valentino of Deruta,’’ said Mr. Raimondi, ‘‘but there are also other couturiers.’’
Leona Helmsley (1989/10/22/0293748) They’re the Leona Helmsley of L.A.’’
Aimee Semple McPherson (1989/10/25/0294474) Bonnie Reiss, whom friends describe as an environmental evangelist, the Aimee Semple McPherson of the movement, took the mid-level industry types.
Bea Arthur (1989/10/27/0294985) This sounds as if it had been written especially for her, at least for her image as the Bea Arthur of the Big Screen.
Coco Chanel (1989/10/29/0295582) Hello Kitty is the Coco Chanel of club land, it seems.
John Travolta (1989/10/29/0295608) For some people he’s the John Travolta of early 80’s art.
James Watt (1989/10/29/0295688) Some Indiana environmentalists called him ‘‘the James Watt of Indiana,’’ saying he cared little about preserving the state’s remaining wilderness areas and favored aggressive development of public lands.
George Steinbrenner (1989/11/05/0297904) It would doubtless overstate the case to call S. I. Newhouse the George Steinbrenner of publishing.
Dwight Gooden (1989/11/06/0298301) ‘‘This guy is the Dwight Gooden of Medicaid billers,’’ James Durkin, the director of the state Department of Social Services office that investigates abuse of the Medicaid system, said in an interview before Dr. del Gizzo’s expulsion.
John Zorn (1989/11/10/0299484) A few hours later, at the Kitchen, Heiner Goebbels, the John Zorn of West Germany, is presenting his play ‘‘The Man in the Elevator,’’ featuring, among others, the downtown musician Arto Lindsay and the well-respected East German author Heiner Muller.
Otto von Bismarck (1989/11/10/0299617) A strong-willed figure, Mr. von Bennigsen was sometimes known as the Bismarck of West German industry.
Greta Garbo (1989/11/14/0300766) He made her the Garbo of the art world.’’
Larry Miller (1989/11/15/0301143) Dave LaPoint, with his sense of humor, willingness to help and left-handed observations of the weirdness at Yankee Stadium, might just be the Larry Miller of our time.
Andy Rooney (1989/11/19/0302493) He is a curmudgeon with opinions but no conviction, the Andy Rooney of the Sahara of the Bozart.
Johnny Appleseed (1989/11/20/0302750) Mr. Parker, a former drug addict and now working on a master’s degree in public health at Yale University, has been called the Johnny Appleseed of needles.
Bob Marley (1989/11/22/0303163) One of the anthology’s strongest cuts, ‘‘Ayiti Pa Fore’’ (‘‘Haiti Is Not a Forest’) was recorded in 1988 and features Manno Charlemagne, a singer and songwriter who is regarded as the Bob Marley of Haiti.
Neville Chamberlain (1989/11/22/0303228) Jim Bakker of American commerce -given license to steal by a bank board headed by the Neville Chamberlain of financial regulation, a cheerleader who saw little evil and thus spoke little truth,’’ Mr. Leach said.
Walter Reed (1989/11/26/0304421) Doctors were also posted at outlying construction camps, and Dr. Oswaldo Cruz, the Walter Reed of Brazil, visited the project and supervised the fight against malaria and yellow fever.
John F. Kennedy (1989/11/30/0305341) ‘‘He’s the Kennedy of the 90’s,’’ several people said.
Elvis Presley (1989/12/04/0306451) To be Sugar Ray - the marquee hero, the Elvis of boxing - he must win.
Benjamin Franklin (1989/12/07/0307324) CHARLES EAMES was the Benjamin Franklin of American design.
Marvin Miller (1989/12/11/0308314) There is no documentation of Ward’s won-lost record as a lawyer (Columbia Law, class of ‘85), but what stands out is his role as the Marvin Miller of his time.
Lenny Bruce (1989/12/13/0308717) Many of his Israeli songs are collaborations with Jonathan Geffen, an journalist and writer whom he described ‘‘as the Lenny Bruce of our time there.’’
Nicolaus Copernicus (1989/12/16/0309565) For that, he deserves to be remembered as the Copernicus of Communism.
Davy Crockett (1989/12/17/0309883) I used to go around calling myself the Davy Crockett of substance abuse, you know.
Alice Waters (1989/12/17/0309934) Two meals and a long talk convinced me that the owner of that enchanting restaurant had to be the Alice Waters of Cornwall.
Liberace (1989/12/21/0310887) The clothes fetish: his orders for ‘‘cloaths,’’ as Washington often spelled it, must have left ‘‘no doubt in his London merchants’ minds that they were dealing with the Liberace of the Potomac.’’
Andy Rooney (1989/12/24/0311897) ‘‘He’s sort of the Andy Rooney of the direct mail business,’’ said Jay Walker, the chairman of the Catalog Media Corporation in Ridgefield, which arranges corporate tie-ins and promotions with mail-order catalogues.

1990

Herman Melville (1990/01/03/0313812) Representative authors are Soseki Natsume, whom Mr. Gibney called ‘‘the Herman Melville of 19th-century Japanese fiction,’’ Kobo Abe, Yasunari Kawabata and Yukio Mishima.
Michael Jordan (1990/01/03/0313936) ‘‘Gretzky is the Michael Jordan of hockey,’’ said Fitzpatrick, who intimidated shooters in the manner of Patrick Ewing.
Rembrandt (1990/01/14/0316484) Her reward is ambiguous - at the end of the sitting, she sees herself, for the first time, as a very old woman, ‘‘as Mr. Trate, the Rembrandt of Painters Ltd., saw her on this lovely October day.’’
Carl Sagan (1990/01/21/0318981) Assemblyman Daniel Frisa of Westbury called Mr. Cuomo ‘‘the Carl Sagan of New York with his ‘billions and billions’ in taxes and spending.’’
Leo Tolstoy (1990/01/21/0319074) ‘‘Although Mr. Chaudhuri may not be what Saul Bellow would call the Tolstoy of the Bengalis, he may remind many readers of Nabokov’s Pnin,’’ our reviewer, David Lelyveld, said in 1988.
Mike Wallace (1990/01/26/0320277) Mr. Finney, trying on an American accent that covers the Brit no better than his shirts cover his paunch, plays Jason Cromwell, the Mike Wallace of /the smash-hit program ‘‘Here and Now.’’/
Adolf Hitler (1990/01/28/0321292) Film Weekly called him ‘‘the Hitler of Hollywood,’’ but his values were actually the values of the moguls, though they barked and fought, barked and fought.
Carson McCullers (1990/02/04/0323187) ‘‘Pat’s sort of the Carson McCullers of the English Midlands,’’ said Ms.
Richard Nixon (1990/02/11/0325652) Edward Teller is the Richard Nixon of American science.
Paul McCartney (1990/02/11/0325668) It has often been remarked that the youthful-looking Clive Barker resembles the youthful-looking Paul McCartney; I’d go a step farther and say that Clive Barker is the Paul McCartney of horror fiction - like the Cute Beatle, Mr. Barker creates popular art that is superficially cheerful yet melancholy, if not profoundly pessimistic, at bottom.
Mike Tyson (1990/02/12/0325887) ‘‘Liston was the Mike Tyson of his time, an intimidator who knocked people out.
Mikhail Gorbachev (1990/02/13/0326212) On both sides of the apartheid struggle, there are people wondering whether Mr. de Klerk will turn out to be the Gorbachev of South Africa, a reformer who sets out on a modest course of change only to find that he uncages forces that ripple through society in unpredictable ways, forces that even threaten to overwhelm him.
Bella Abzug (1990/02/25/0329684) Over the years, Mrs. Fenwick’s espousal of liberal causes prompted some Republicans to refer to her jokingly as ‘‘the Bella Abzug of Somerset County.’’
Billy Martin (1990/03/01/0330884) For several years now, Leo Durocher, who in some ways was both the Pete Rose and the Billy Martin of his time, has waited for a phone call that would tell him he had been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by its veterans committee.
Pablo Picasso (1990/03/02/0330974) ‘‘Howard Finster: Man of Visions’’ is a good straightforward report on the career of Mr. Finster, a Southern backwoods preacher, now in his 70’s, who has been called the Picasso of folk art.
Wayne Gretzky (1990/03/02/0331029) Her coach, Don MacLeod, describes Vicky Sunohara as the Wayne Gretzky of women’s hockey.
Robert Moses (1990/03/03/0331384) He called him ‘‘the Robert Moses of municipal finance,’’ a reference to the powerful but unelected ‘‘master builder’’ who dominated planning in the city for decades.
Steven Spielberg (1990/03/04/0331531) As the Steven Spielberg of knot-tying adventure, Mr. Phillips spends most of his nonteaching hours armed with a video camera seeking out knot-tying people.
Joe DiMaggio (1990/03/04/0331905) That achievement makes him a significant contributor to American mass culture, every bit as much as the 68-week winning streak makes him the Joe DiMaggio of the Nielsen game.
Richard Nixon (1990/03/04/0331905) of programming; now he’s the Richard Nixon of programming.’
Michael Jordan (1990/03/07/0332581) She is the Michael Jordan of figure skating, a dazzling athlete of uncommon skill who performs at a level unattained by many skaters, unattainable by most others.
Buck Rogers (1990/03/08/0332986) ‘‘He’s like the Buck Rogers of today.’’
Booth Tarkington (1990/03/11/0333601) Call Mr. Lehrer the Booth Tarkington of Oklahoma.
Frank Lorenzo (1990/03/11/0333692) Will Fred G. Currey become the Frank Lorenzo of the bus business?
Mike Wallace (1990/03/12/0334074) He is the Mike Wallace of the Grand Concourse.
Lotte Lehmann (1990/03/22/0336784) In this, as in other ways, she is the Lotte Lehmann of her generation.
Frank Lorenzo (1990/03/22/0336893) But his insistence on replacing strikers with nonunion drivers, and retaining them after the strike, has made him the Frank Lorenzo of the highways in the eyes of Greyhound drivers, and raised the prospect of a long and bitter strike, Professor Shaiken said.
Frank Perdue (1990/03/28/0338652) He looked like the Frank Perdue of strawberries.
John Henry (1990/04/03/0340484) Evans as the John Henry of astronomy,’’ Dr. Woosley said.
Buffalo Bill (1990/04/05/0340995) In his sense of showmanship, Molesworth was the Buffalo Bill of furniture.
Frank Lloyd Wright (1990/04/05/0340995) And, like raptors swooping for a kill, antiques dealers are descending on the town, desperately seeking ‘‘the Frank Lloyd Wright of the West.’’
Harold Stassen (1990/04/07/0341525) Before Mr. Dinkins selected him, Mr. Schafffer said he dreamed that if he did not get the post, ‘‘I was on my way to becoming the Harold Stassen of New York City,’’ a reference to the perpetual but always unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for President.
Al Smith (1990/04/10/0342368) Does he ever fear becoming the Al Smith of black political history, who blazes the trail but never makes it to the final destination?
George Plimpton (1990/04/15/0343931) Today’s sport for the George Plimpton of the political world was golf at the fabled Mid-Ocean Club -in the rain and the wind, with small-craft warnings flying and palm trees blown inside out like flimsy umbrellas.
Harriet Tubman (1990/04/19/0345203) She was like the Harriet Tubman of Zimbabwe.
Ronald Reagan (1990/04/21/0345692) Many conservatives see Mr. North as the man who can rejuvenate the right - the Barry Goldwater and the Ronald Reagan of the 1990’s.
Betsy Ross (1990/04/22/0345887) An Elmont Seamstress Is the Betsy Ross of Horse Racing
Ernest Hemingway (1990/04/29/0348711) A great many of our classic tales of travel and adventure (as bookstores customarily combine them) are ventures into the interior, explorations of the landscape of the self, even while they are advertised as treks across Antarctica or Arabia, assaults on snowy unreachable peaks, cockroachy crawls into the cracks of the earth, voyages alone around the world or those hunts that test the Hemingway of the heart - to mention some of our more popular ordeals.
Henry Ford (1990/04/30/0348915) The elder Bata, who died in a plane crash near Zlin in 1932, was the Henry Ford of Czechoslovakia, introducing mass-production techniques to his nation and building its largest industrial empire.
Oprah Winfrey (1990/05/02/0349615) Ms. O’Connor is rapidly becoming the Oprah Winfrey of West 46th Street.
Oliver North (1990/05/08/0351502) Robert Tappan Morris is the Oliver North of computer abuse.
Albert Schweitzer (1990/05/08/0351596) Many of those who knew him called him the Albert Schweitzer of the New World.
Dick Butkus (1990/05/13/0352759) He was the Dick Butkus of bridge, Hamman said: ‘‘A hard man with a Masters in violence.’’
Betsy Ross (1990/05/13/0353111) The article on April 22 ['’Elmont Seamstress Is the Betsy Ross of Horse Racing’’] tells us that Antoinette Brocklebank sews 25 percent of the silks at Belmont, so it’s 4 to 1 that the winning jockey will wear her outfit.
Ralph Nader (1990/05/21/0355271) The Public Media Center is the Ralph Nader of agencies, creating advertising that promotes consumers’ rights and sells social change.
Red Holzman (1990/05/21/0355274) Once I told him I was staying in Phoenix for good, I kind of became the Red Holzman of the West Coast.
Ursula Andress (1990/05/27/0356702) But you, you’re the Ursula Andress of militancy.’’
Dick Francis (1990/05/27/0356719) * * * Sam Llewellyn has been described as the Dick Francis of sailing, and for good reason.
Mike Tyson (1990/06/10/0359921) One study under way is likely to dispute the value of recent trade agreements with Japan; Mr. Prestowitz, a former Commerce Department official and businessman, has become the Mike Tyson of Japan-bashers.
Frank Lorenzo (1990/06/10/0360016) Whether or not Mr. Currey wanted to break the drivers’ union, Greyhound’s slide into bankruptcy has made him the Frank Lorenzo of the highways in some people’s eyes.
Donald Trump (1990/06/10/0360211) According to scholars, he’s a layman named Julianus Argentarius, a banker who helped bankroll no less than five great churches in the area, the Donald Trump of his time.
Dick Francis (1990/06/10/0360283) Mr. Llewellyn, the Dick Francis of sailing, writes cleanly and unaffectedly about racing boats, real estate deals - and murder.
Walt Disney (1990/06/14/0360989) Barnum, as Mr. Culhane puts it, was the Walt Disney of his day.
George Ernest Shelley (1990/06/17/0361800) Born in 1772, Coleridge was in many ways the Shelley of the earlier generation of Romantic poets - brilliant, young, flamboyant, with a philosophical bent and radical ideals.
James Brown (1990/06/29/0364544) Also, Oscar D’Leon, the James Brown of salsa, will bring in his high-powered group.
Ted Kluszewski (1990/07/02/0365330) Left-handed all the way, standing 6 feet 2 inches and weighing about 200 pounds, he might have been the Ted Kluszewski of his day; he certainly swung the bat like one.
Gordie Howe (1990/07/13/0367812) Anthony Joseph Foyt Jr. is more than the Gordie Howe of auto racing.
Dennis Eckersley (1990/07/15/0368449) The right-handed Murphy, a New Yorker who later served as general manager of the Mets, was the game’s top reliever, the Dennis Eckersley of his day.
Larry Bird (1990/07/29/0372556) On Wednesday, the slender 6-foot-8-inch Day hounded Antonella Riva of Italy, not always graciously, and then on Friday he was assigned to guard Oscar, the Larry Bird of Brazil, who has been lofting jump shots in international competition for 14 years.
Adolf Hitler (1990/08/03/0373439) Senator Claiborne Pell of Rhode Island, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called Mr. Hussein ‘‘the Hitler of the Middle East’’ and criticized Mr. Bush for not having moved earlier to forestall an invasion.
Florence Nightingale (1990/08/04/0373541) ‘‘They called me the Florence Nightingale of the trees,’’ Mrs. Moses said at the time.
Lee Iacocca (1990/08/11/0375250) Its chairman, Jan Carlzon, is credited with turning the airline around in the early 1980s, earning a reputation as ‘‘the Lee Iacocca of Europe,’’ one analyst said.
Manuel Noriega (1990/08/12/0375644) It is Saddam Hussein, the Noriega of the Middle East.
Julia Margaret Cameron (1990/08/12/0375852) She took to photography zealously, professionally, becoming the Julia Margaret Cameron of Washington, posing in front of her camera passing senators, generals, dogs and children.
Rodney Dangerfield (1990/08/19/0377711) The Council, long considered the Rodney Dangerfield of local politics, ascended to the center of city government with the demise of the Board of Estimate last week.
Joseph Papp (1990/08/19/0377790) A man who inspires admiration and sometimes jealousy among his colleagues, Made Bandem is, in a sense, the Joseph Papp of Bali.
Sophocles (1990/08/19/0377828) Such differences are the mark of the true gelateria artigianale, the craft of ice-cream making, says the Sophocles of ice cream today, Nazareno Giolitti.
Louise Brooks (1990/08/20/0378133) There is a fascinatingly abbreviated saga of Annette Hanshaw, ‘‘the Louise Brooks of jazz,’’ as Mr. Friedwald calls her.
Coco Chanel (1990/08/26/0379712) Since pattern was what determined style, she was in a sense the Coco Chanel of her time, though her name is curiously absent from contemporary correspondence and diaries.
Spike Jones (1990/08/29/0380281) In ‘‘Don Henley Must Die,’’ one of the year’s funniest pop songs, Mojo Nixon, a performer who might be described as the Spike Jones of rock-and-roll, demands the electric chair for the former Eagle as punishment for his being ‘‘pretentious’’ and ‘‘whining like a wounded beagle.’’
Johnny Appleseed (1990/09/02/0380974) File Finder is the alias of Dr. Callahan, a medical doctor who devoted himself to computers and developed a reputation among electronic bulletin board users as the Johnny Appleseed of shareware.
Nolan Ryan (1990/09/07/0382279) One ominous night, Bjorn Borg was beaten before he faced the missiles of Roscoe Tanner, the Nolan Ryan of tennis.
Jerry Lewis (1990/09/09/0382554) ‘‘I don’t want to become the Jerry Lewis of the disenfranchised commercial fishermen,’’ he said.
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1990/09/23/0386272) Interested in ceremonial objects, the artist began applying to them Modernist principles and by the early 1930’s was well on the way to becoming the Mies van der Rohe of the genre, particularly with respect to Hebrew calligraphy but not to the point of Bauhaus ‘‘baldness.’’
Joseph Stalin (1990/10/01/0388083) But I have seen even greater perversities, if only on the movies or on TV; I saw Hitler waving in a friendly manner to fanaticized little girls of the Hitlerjugend; I saw mass murderer Stalin kissing a child with the red Communist youth organization scarf, a child whose parents ended up like so many in Gulag camps; I saw Gottwald, the Stalin of Czechoslovakia, smilingly joking with young miners, the builders of socialism and soon to be cripples; I saw the Iraqi president Hussein patting the children of his hostages whom - as he now says - he is ready to have shot.
Rodney Dangerfield (1990/10/07/0389336) To Wall Street, the Tandy Corporation has become the Rodney Dangerfield of the technology scene.
Buster Keaton (1990/10/15/0392151) Calvin Trillin is the Buster Keaton of performance humorists.
Irwin Corey (1990/10/21/0393857) Having spent a good part of the last year and a quarter at the task of reading for an annual best-story collection, I’ve begun to feel like the Professor Irwin Corey of the short story - the world’s greatest living authority over a discipline that doesn’t exactly exist, a professorship of nothing, tenured in the university without walls.
Babe Ruth (1990/10/28/0396229) At 80 years of age, Peter Drucker remains the Babe Ruth of management writers, still hitting home runs.
Bo Jackson (1990/10/31/0396993) But teammates they are: Dooley, a fifth-year receiver, too slow and too small to be recruited, and Kirby, a sophomore running back who would only attend a school that would allow him to be the Bo Jackson of autumn and winter.
Leonard Bernstein (1990/11/04/0397821) Johnson, on a much lower level of talent and achievement, was the Leonard Bernstein of his day, hailed as the first native-born conductor to head a major American orchestra.
Charles Atlas (1990/11/06/0398601) And that was when Charles Oakley, the Charles Atlas of forwards, was about to attempt a jump shot.
Liberace (1990/11/11/0399880) There are times when Mr. Morris has been in danger of becoming the Liberace of American dance rather than the next Balanchine.
Ted Bundy (1990/11/11/0399939) “This,” he explodes, “is the Ted Bundy of countries!”
Joe Montana (1990/11/13/0400456) Traders took heart in the strong leadership of I.B.M., the Joe Montana of the stock market.
Errol Flynn (1990/11/18/0402002) Nevertheless, Mr. Reagan was signed up and became “the Errol Flynn of the B pictures,” eventually making a couple of A films as well: “Knute Rockne – All American,” in which he played the dying Gipper, and “Kings Row,” in which he played a young man who loses his legs.
Joan Baez (1990/11/25/0403716) Marina Kapura, the lead vocalist, has been described by Pete Seeger as “the Joan Baez of the Soviet Union.”
Nelson Riddle (1990/11/26/0404159) “Buried in Blue,” which ends the second act, is one of several numbers in the show in which the band is joined by strings, arranged and conducted by Marc Shaiman, the gifted young arranger and composer who is becoming the Nelson Riddle of his generation.
Thomas Edison (1990/11/29/0404840) He promised a three-day showcase of the newest and neatest brainstorms, a chance for inventors to rub elbows with other inventors – including, of course, the man who bills himself as the Thomas Edison of Japan, a man who even invented his own name.
Walt Whitman (1990/12/02/0405597) Louis Sullivan was the Walt Whitman of American architecture, a sprawling genius of startling originality and unrestrained vitality whose spirit embraced multitudes.
Nero (1990/12/02/0405643) The souvenirs of Mascagni’s opera “Nero” are 10 times as interesting if we remember that the year of the performance in question was 1934 – a time at which Mussolini was shaping up to become the Nero of his day.
Tennessee Williams (1990/12/20/0409721) “I fancy myself,” he said, “the Tennessee Williams of the dairy case.”
Christopher Columbus (1990/12/23/0410524) He’d be considered the Columbus of the art world, only he wasn’t even nearly the first European to claim others’ cultures.
David Lynch (1990/12/23/0410588) That meant, on Wednesday, eager introductory remarks by Mr. Kapilow that largely duplicated his own program notes, some silly overstatements (“Beethoven, the David Lynch of his times.
Michael Jordan (1990/12/24/0410716) “But, in reality, I think I could be the Michael Jordan of 12th men.”
Pat Boone (1990/12/30/0411789) How did the Pat Boone of rap – slow, mediocre and unconvincing – get the first No.
Bear Bryant (1990/12/30/0412106) The reason Colorado is playing Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl is because Notre Dame (the Bear Bryant of the times), and not the Orange Bowl Committee, insisted a decision be made two weeks before pick-‘em day.

1991

Willie Horton (1991/01/01/0412462) “But I think it’s clearly a warning to us as Democrats that we cannot let them make quotas the Willie Horton of 1992.”
Shoeless Joe Jackson (1991/01/08/0413837) “He’s sort of like the Shoeless Joe Jackson of today, isn’t he?”
Hippocrates (1991/01/27/0418298) “I give you the Hippocrates of the quick needle, Dr.
Richard Wagner (1991/02/01/0419348) But David Greenspan apparently aspires to be the Richard Wagner of the genre.
Marcel Proust (1991/02/03/0419929) Now she is the Proust of typewriter jewelry.
Stephen Sondheim (1991/02/06/0420740) In the elegant precision and savage acuity of lyrics for songs like “Blizzard of Lies,” “The Wheelers and the Dealers,” “My Attorney Bernie,” “Can’t Take You Nowhere” and “I’m Hip,” to name several of the roughly 100 songs he’s written, Mr. Frishberg might be described as the Stephen Sondheim of jazz songwriting.
Elvis Presley (1991/02/08/0421220) Vanilla Ice has been called the Elvis Presley of rap, but that’s an insult to Presley, who transformed the blues and country music he drew on.
Emily Dickinson (1991/02/10/0421854) In the time it takes to drink one cup of coffee, Ruth reminds Ellen of how “immensely capable” she is, pushes her to pursue her dream career (seamstress) and set up her business, mirabile dictu, in her own attic so she will never have to leave her house again – becoming the Emily Dickinson of the perfectly turned hem.
Dick Francis (1991/02/17/0423942) “Sam Llewellyn has been described as the Dick Francis of sailing, and for good reason,” Newgate Callendar said here last year.
Charles Keating (1991/02/17/0423984) “This man is the Charles Keating of Virginia,” said Mr.
Vince Lombardi (1991/02/17/0424173) The students consider Mr. Sporney the Vince Lombardi of model-bridge building.
Donald Trump (1991/03/05/0427872) Mr. Tarasov reflects this history in wearing fine European suits and ties but hardly as the Donald Trump of Moscow.
Margaret Thatcher (1991/03/17/0430682) A front-runner for Ms. Vieira’s “60 Minutes” job is Lesley Stahl, the Margaret Thatcher of television news.
Napoleon (1991/03/17/0430749) The early compositions that established his credentials as the Napoleon of the avant-garde, like “Le Marteau Sans Maitre” and “Le Visage Nuptial,” caught attention for their Serial rigidity and the novel severity of their sonorities.
Henry Ford (1991/03/24/0432181) My father, the Ford Motor Company’s distributor for the entire colony, was known as “the Henry Ford of Korea.”
Valentino (1991/03/24/0432396) Willard Espy, the Valentino of word lovers, has built on this thought in Harvard Magazine to suggest proditio, Latin for “betrayal,” or double-cross.
Cardinal Richelieu (1991/03/26/0432850) He was the Cardinal Richelieu of 10 Downing Street, a civil servant whose mastery of foreign affairs had made him so indispensable to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her successor, John Major, that in the end he become too notorious for his own good.
Leo Tolstoy (1991/03/27/0433213) A bagel’s the Shakespeare, the Tolstoy of flour.
P. T. Barnum (1991/03/29/0433543) “ Mr. Cantor, the P. T. Barnum of the solo show, is the producer of that current exemplar of the genre, “A Room of One’s Own.”
Attila (1991/03/30/0433790) If the man is the Attila the Hun of college sports, how does he keep a job?
Roger Clemens (1991/04/01/0434255) “Cheers” seems to be the Roger Clemens of prime-time television, renewing its deal with NBC for top dollar.
Queen Victoria (1991/04/11/0436543) Mrs. Henry Parish 2d, as she prefers to be known professionally, could be called the Queen Victoria of fabric swatches.
Jackie Robinson (1991/04/14/0437373) And as Augusta National’s first black, Ron Townsend is a member under a microscope, the Jackie Robinson of country-club golf, a 15-handicap golfer with the corporate-honcho background that Augusta National prefers.
George Burns (1991/04/15/0437671) And it was a fivegone conclusion that Mr. Borge – who is becoming the George Burns of the keyboard – would win a career achievement award at the convention.
Kitty Kelley (1991/05/04/0442861) Mr. Fitzwater also attacked Mr. Sick, saying, “Gary Sick is the Kitty Kelley of foreign policy.”
Leona Helmsley (1991/05/10/0444480) Cartoons depict him with his hand caught in a cookie jar, and a local columnist has compared him to other haughty hoarders, calling him the Leona Helmsley of the San Francisco Bay area.
Stan Musial (1991/05/12/0444907) Mr. Gould is the Stan Musial of essay writing.
Stan Musial (1991/05/19/0446604) A provocative, spirited collection – his best so far – by the Stan Musial of essay writing.
Rodney Dangerfield (1991/05/20/0446849) The company even revels in the abuse heaped on Spam, calling it “the Rodney Dangerfield of the food world.”
Steven Spielberg (1991/05/26/0448081) In this history of the big top, John Culhane shows why P. T. Barnum was the Walt Disney and the Steven Spielberg of his time.
Neil Simon (1991/05/28/0448667) A pioneer of the Off Off Broadway experimental theater movement in the 1960’s, Mr. Eyen was called the Neil Simon of Off Off Broadway at one point when he had four plays running simultaneously.
Dwight Gooden (1991/05/31/0449342) “This guy is the Dwight Gooden of Medicaid billers,” James Durkin, the director of the state office that investigates Medicaid abuse, said at the time.
Kitty Kelley (1991/06/02/0449588) Who does Camille Paglia think she is, the Kitty Kelley of academia?
John Hughes (1991/06/03/0450111) “Someone described me as the John Hughes of domestic tragedy,” he said.
Nolan Ryan (1991/06/13/0452266) Thirtysomething joggers wondering whether they have any hopes of achieving a personal best might take encouragement from Francie Larrieu-Smith, the Nolan Ryan of distance running.
Eddie Rickenbacker (1991/06/20/0453844) Not the Eddie Rickenbacker of Air Sununu.
Chuck Yeager (1991/06/23/0454777) Hawkes is already at work on plans for the vehicle, which he hopes will allow Earle to become the Chuck Yeager of the sea.
Pat Riley (1991/06/24/0454960) Pitino had the talent, the style, the look to be the Pat Riley of the East.
Walt Disney (1991/06/25/0455153) Ralph Lauren is getting to be the Walt Disney of fashion.
Norman Schwarzkopf (1991/06/26/0455352) Leonard Humbrecht is the Norman Schwarzkopf of Alsatian wine makers: his name, as well as his wines, is on everyone’s tongue and his picture is in every wine publication.
Magic Johnson (1991/06/29/0456236) “Politics is one thing; sports is another,” Toni Kukoc, a Croat nicknamed the Magic Johnson of Europe, said in an interview.
Mary Martin (1991/07/03/0457223) “We call him the Mary Martin of Off Broadway,” Ms. Kurtz says, referring to the actress who washed that man right out of her hair more than 40 years ago in “South Pacific.”
Frank Lloyd Wright (1991/07/11/0458936) Many consider him the Frank Lloyd Wright of industrial design, not surprising since both men were born and raised in Wisconsin and did perhaps their most important work in the Middle West.
Ken Russell (1991/07/12/0459273) There are times when Mr. MacMillan can be mistaken for the Ken Russell of British ballet; like the film director, he would have us believe that true character can be revealed by the outrageous image.
P. T. Barnum (1991/07/13/0459422) Tina Brown, who is the P. T. Barnum of the magazine world, obviously knows all this, even though she is originally from England, a country where journalism is not seasonal but schizoid, veering wildly between high dudgeon and women in thong swimsuits.
Henry Kissinger (1991/07/14/0459865) Mr. Roach’s interest goes beyond aspirations to become the Henry Kissinger of the audio industry.
Pablo Picasso (1991/07/17/0460751) JACK LANG, the French culture minister, described Mr. Davis as “the Picasso of jazz.”
Elizabeth Taylor (1991/07/21/0461868) But even if she turns out to be the Liz Taylor of her day, going through men like diamond necklaces, her audience is already lined up at theaters and newsstands and video stores.
George Steinbrenner (1991/07/21/0461989) In that history, Modell has been called the George Steinbrenner of the Midwest, another owner who meddles too much and hurts his team, and in the same breath he is praised as a man who provides the N.F.L., as it gears for the 90’s and beyond, with continuity, a sense of history, intense loyalty and, judiciously, service.
Michael Jordan (1991/08/01/0464297) “I want to become the Michael Jordan of golf,” said Woods, who prefers being called Tiger to Eldrick.
Michael Jordan (1991/08/04/0465076) “I want to be the Michael Jordan of golf,” said Mr. Woods after his victory on Sunday.
Socrates (1991/08/09/0465813) Saving the image of the game – he fired Dave Pallone basically for being gay – was his job, but as a man who saw himself as the Socrates of sport, that public-relations function would have eventually rubbed up against his higher conceits.
Babe Ruth (1991/08/11/0466280) Soon, Americans could immediately recognize an Eisenstaedt picture, and several generations of photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, tried to emulate their hero, the Babe Ruth of 35-millimeter photography.
Michael Jordan (1991/08/11/0466343) On a recent evening on the Upper West Side, Earl Manigault recalled the days when he was the Michael Jordan of Harlem, a man who jumped so high he once believed he could take off after a running start and end up sitting on the rim.
Don Nelson (1991/08/14/0466892) “I call him the Don Nelson of agents,” said longtime client John Lucas, who has now retired.
Hulk Hogan (1991/08/18/0467633) In The National Review, on the other hand, Jim Atkinson, referring to the comedienne as “the Hulk Hogan of feminism,” perceives her as “a cunning marketeer who has figured out how to parlay a form of vulgar reverse sexism into stardom.”
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1991/08/20/0468225) Here was one of the great musical prodigies, a man who by the age of 18 had composed major works for the chamber and orchestral repertory, who was responsible for the revival of interest in Bach in the 19th century, who was the acknowledged leader of German musical life before his death at 38 in 1847, a composer Schumann called the Mozart of the 19th century.
David Souter (1991/08/22/0468513) The nominee for health chief of New York State, Dr. Mark Chassin, is emerging as the David Souter of gubernatorial appointees, a man with little public record on major health issues and little freedom to stake out his positions.
Henny Youngman (1991/09/08/0472147) Gross is the Henny Youngman of the Acropolis.
Henry Ford (1991/09/15/0474006) Gates is the Henry Ford of our generation, and if you don’t like it, go build a Honda.
Stepin Fetchit (1991/09/22/0475339) As a Caucasian who has seen just about every Charlie Chan movie there is, I must respond to the article by Gish Jen about stereotypes that perpetuate Charlie Chan as the Stepin Fetchit of Orientals [ “Challenging the Asian Illusion,” Aug. 11 ] .
Johnny Appleseed (1991/09/24/0476016) What about news reports that Biosphere 2 is basically a survivalist cult built around the magnetic personality of John Allen, whom The Village Voice characterized as “much more the Jim Jones than the Johnny Appleseed of the ecology movement?”
Robert Redford (1991/09/27/0476549) Macaulay Culkin, the 10-year-old star of “Home Alone” and the Robert Redford of the kindergarten set, can be seen in the flesh at Ensemble Studio Theater, 549 West 52d Street, on Oct. 9 and 10 for the opening of its annual Octoberfest.
Vincent van Gogh (1991/09/29/0476983) A 1929 first edition of “Tintin au Pays des Soviets” recently sold for about $3,450 at current exchange rates, making Herge what Mr. Crochelet termed “the Van Gogh of the B.D.”
Grover Cleveland (1991/09/30/0477414) Ms. Tandy is the 60th person to participate in the campaign, said Peter Rogers, president and creative director, if Claudette Colbert, the Grover Cleveland of Blackglama, is counted twice for separate ads in 1971 and 1978.
Kevin Costner (1991/10/06/0478532) Part of the reason for Mr. Brooks’s success is marketing: with his meat-and-potatoes image, goony grin and virtuous all-American values, he is the Kevin Costner of country.
Joyce Carol Oates (1991/10/06/0478549) He became the Joyce Carol Oates of pop, incredibly prolific with variable quality.
Willie Horton (1991/10/06/0478726) Thomas B. Stoddard, executive director of the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, described Ms. Bergalis as “the Willie Horton of the AIDS crisis.”
Carl Sagan (1991/10/09/0479337) One could call him the Carl Sagan of the deep.
Rosa Parks (1991/10/14/0480435) They all called her aloof; yet J.C. Alvarez, a former aide to Senator John Danforth and staffer at the E.E.O.C., suggested that she might want to turn her experience before the Senate into a book or movie, saying she wanted to be “the Rosa Parks of sexual harassment.”
Isaac Newton (1991/10/17/0481046) Some of the judges on the Nobel committee described Dr. de Gennes as “the Isaac Newton of our time” because of his success in applying mathematics to generalized explanations of many different phenomena.
Darryl Strawberry (1991/10/20/0481582) In April 1989, Mr. Cohen became the Darryl Strawberry of the compliance set.
Boris Yeltsin (1991/10/21/0481993) “One person described me as the Boris Yeltsin of American politics,” he said.
Barbara Woodhouse (1991/10/24/0482422) But Lady Caroline Wrey, otherwise known as Lady Velcro, the Barbara Woodhouse of windows, has a foolproof barometer.
Jules Verne (1991/10/29/0483487) Gene Roddenberry, the creator and producer of “Star Trek,” was the Jules Verne of his time.
Saddam Hussein (1991/10/29/0483574) “I received a letter the other day which said the Governor has tried to make me the Saddam Hussein of New York State,” said the Chief Judge, occasionally peeking through the Venetian blinds up the hill at the State Capitol, where the Governor sits.
Diogenes (1991/11/10/0485880) Terry Purvis-Smith, a visiting lecturer in composition, was attracted to Mr. Burke by a student essay on the Diogenes of the Diag.
Benjamin Franklin (1991/11/10/0485953) Olympic athletes, for instance, hardly ever wear glasses sprinting across the finish line, and neither do most rock stars when performing, excepting of course the Ben Franklin of rock, Elton John.
Norman Rockwell (1991/11/12/0486441) This will not come as a blow to many art critics and Conceptual Artists, who have long regarded Christo as the Norman Rockwell of Conceptual Art, and his wrapping projects as a one-note exercise.
Johnny Carson (1991/11/13/0486648) was given prominence on national television by two of the best known figures in the country, former Prime Minister Garret FitzGerald and Gay Byrne, the Johnny Carson of Ireland.
Donna Summer (1991/11/13/0486749) Aster Aweke, once known as the Donna Summer of Ethiopia, has recently released a new record, “Kabu” (Columbia), and it features her sinuous singing, backed by a full funky band, along with a horn section.
Queen Victoria (1991/11/17/0487475) He was introduced by the moderator at one candidates’ forum as “the Queen Victoria of Louisiana politics” because he has been such a domineering figure for so long.
John Fairchild (1991/11/17/0487607) Not until 1888 did Ward McAllister – the John Fairchild of his day – designate New York’s “400,” those who would be at ease, and not make others ill at ease, in the ballroom of Mrs. William B. Astor Jr., then the city’s social doyenne.
Robert Redford (1991/11/20/0488274) “He has become the Robert Redford of hate.”
Pablo Picasso (1991/11/23/0488925) “I was the Picasso of cardboard,” he said to scattered applause.
Lauren Bacall (1991/11/24/0489012) France’s Domaine Moussiere Sancerre of 1990 is described as “the Lauren Bacall of sancerres – sultry, smoky, sophisticated,” and Hidden Cellars Sauvignon Blanc of 1989 as “tangos on your taste buds with lemony melon flavors.”
Sergei Bubka (1991/11/28/0490182) Charles Hoff, the Sergei Bubka of his day, achieved the ninth of his 11 world indoor pole-vault records in 1926 at the armory on 168th Street.
Abraham Lincoln (1991/12/01/0490651) “Andy’s very wise, he’s the Solomon, the Abe Lincoln of Mayberry.
Babe Ruth (1991/12/02/0491092) He’s the Babe Ruth of civil rights lobbyists.”
Thomas Paine (1991/12/08/0492265) Ted Nelson is an outspoken author and visionary described as everything from “the Thomas Paine of the personal computer revolution” to a “madman extraordinaire.”
Michael Jordan (1991/12/08/0492282) She’s the Michael Jordan of actresses.
Ernie Banks (1991/12/09/0492566) Sticking his hand in a glass bowl, Abedi Pele drew out the name of his own national team, Ghana, for an elimination round with seasoned Algeria and up-and-coming Uganda, making it possible for a star like Abedi Pele to become the Ernie Banks of Africa, never reaching the championship round in his sport.
Willie Horton (1991/12/13/0493724) If the Governor decides to run, the Rochester serial murderer could become the Willie Horton of 1992.
Brandon Tartikoff (1991/12/17/0494773) So in came the new executive producer, Al Harazin, trying to be the Brandon Tartikoff of baseball, turning around his series as Tartikoff overhauled NBC’s prime-time schedule.
Charles Barkley (1991/12/18/0494852) He’s kind of like the Charles Barkley of the Dolphins.
Thomas Paine (1991/12/23/0495993) MARTIN GARBUS, a Manhattan lawyer, said he feels like the Thomas Paine of Prague.
Mikhail Gorbachev (1991/12/30/0497237) Will John F. Akers be remembered as the Mikhail Gorbachev of I.B.M.?

1992

Paul Newman (1992/01/09/0499117) Although some in New York’s Russian community have dubbed Mr. Solomin the Paul Newman of Russia, the bearded, 6-foot-tall, hazel-eyed performer bears more of a resemblance in person to the actor Robert Shaw, projecting the same on-stage gravitas and rugged introspection.
Amelia Earhart (1992/01/17/0500887) In New York State, it seems, the Amelia Earhart of women’s courtroom dress was one Carolyn Peck of Syracuse.
Michael Jordan (1992/01/24/0502719) The Bills are not necessarily in trouble in Sunday’s Super Bowl just because Thomas wants to be known as the Michael Jordan of his team, leaving the implication that Jim Kelly, the quarterback, is merely Scottie Pippen.
Bugsy Siegel (1992/01/26/0503490) Then there’s Jerry Tarkanian, the bald, towel-chewing coach at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas whose vision of populating the desert with jump-shooting urban nomads has made him, to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the Bugsy Siegel of basketball.
Ronald Reagan (1992/01/27/0503557) The two candidates who top voter opinion surveys – Senator Joseph Estrada, a grade B movie star who is sometimes described as the Ronald Reagan of the Philippines, and Miriam Defensor Santiago, a former immigration commissioner who is portraying herself as a dogged corruption fighter – are being written off because they lack the backing of a large political machine.
Hulk Hogan (1992/01/30/0504397) In the Delaware watershed, they say, the chinook salmon, a carpetbagger from the Pacific Northwest, would be the Hulk Hogan of sport fish, pursued with little finesse by anglers whose only goal is to land the biggest fish in the shortest time.
Willie Horton (1992/02/01/0504790) (All right, kiddies: Dr. Huer was the scientific genius with the lightbulb-shaped head without whom Buck Rogers would surely have lost outer space to dark-eyed Killer Kane, who was sort of the Willie Horton of the 25th century.)
Carl Lewis (1992/02/15/0507721) But even if she did not, she has at least established herself as the Carl Lewis of her sport, its dominant sprinter.
Neil Simon (1992/02/16/0507808) The association asked Fred Block, the Neil Simon of Suffolk law, to write a show, and, voila, the Island’s first legal satirical revue was born.
Norman Schwarzkopf (1992/02/23/0509435) When people here dubbed Eduardo Ieno the Norman Schwarzkopf of Naples, it was because, by this city’s standards, he had achieved something as decisive, bold and gutsy as the American general did in Kuwait: He forced Neapolitans to pay their water bills.
Jesse Jackson (1992/02/26/0509904) “In some ways, he is sort of the Jesse Jackson of the right,” said Mr. Gingrich of Mr. Buchanan in an interview.
Diamond Jim Brady (1992/02/26/0510044) He was the Diamond Jim Brady of his day, with more than a touch of the rock star thrown in, as he was pursued by mobs of adoring fans in the street.
J. P. Morgan (1992/02/27/0510163) Meanwhile, lending to blue-chip companies, which earned Mellon the sobriquet “the J. P. Morgan of the Alleghenies,” has fallen slightly since 1986, to about 46 percent of assets from 50 percent.
Charles Bronson (1992/02/29/0510431) And even his wife becomes “the Charles Bronson of organic gardening.”
George H. W. Bush (1992/03/08/0512675) In that sense you are the George Bush of New York City, and what’s going on here is not unlike what’s going on in the Presidential races.
Harold Stassen (1992/03/08/0512675) And there’s the Harold Stassen of New York, Herman Badillo, and the Paul Tsongas of New York, Richard Ravitch.
Paul Tsongas (1992/03/08/0512675) And there’s the Harold Stassen of New York, Herman Badillo, and the Paul Tsongas of New York, Richard Ravitch.
Galileo Galilei (1992/03/09/0512782) Senator Daniel P. Moynihan is no defender of Mr. Mitchell as the Galileo of welfare reform.
Phil Donahue (1992/03/14/0514005) John V. Killen, an executive at Fidelity Bank, thinks of himself as the Phil Donahue of the fair.
Arthur Murray (1992/03/15/0514099) When it became evident that Ms. Ryan’s jig had an extra jive, she was sent to a dance teacher, Donny Golden of Mineola, the Arthur Murray of Irish jigging.
Che Guevara (1992/03/20/0515459) “Jerry Brown is going to be extremely dangerous,” Mr. Hart said, “because in essence he’s going to be the Che Guevara of the 1992 Presidential election.
Johnny Appleseed (1992/03/24/0516396) Now it happens that generous, kindly and peaceful soccer may be the Johnny Appleseed of sports, carrying real grass to domes.
Willie Horton (1992/03/30/0517697) You editorialize March 3 that I am turning New York into the Willie Horton of 1992 by suggesting that “New York and other large cities are responsible for their own dire fiscal straits because they are indifferent to rapacious unions.”
Charles Manson (1992/04/02/0518518) Mr. Rubino described Mr. Lehder, who is serving a term of life plus 135 years in a Federal prison, as “the Charles Manson of this case,” and suggested that his history of drug use made him an unreliable witness.
Marcel Proust (1992/04/05/0519231) For some reason he has rejected the gold (there is nothing, for example, from Roger Kahn, the Proust of the Brooklyn Dodgers) for the dross – including selections by Steve Howe about his drug problems and by Steve Garvey about his marital problems, as well as an interminable piece by Tommy Lasorda, which reflects the manager’s amiable logorrhea.
Cameron Mackintosh (1992/04/12/0520605) “I want to be the Cameron Mackintosh of Poland,” Mr. Kubiak said of the producer of “Miss Saigon” and other highly profitable musicals.
Mother Teresa (1992/04/26/0523892) To her fans, Annie Dillard is an avatar, or at the very least, as Bernays puts it, “the Mother Teresa of her particular genre.”
Chuck Yeager (1992/05/07/0526474) But if Jordan is the Chuck Yeager of basketball, Julius Erving was its Charles Lindbergh and Connie Hawkins was its Wright Brothers.
Al Capone (1992/05/10/0527307) field agent was not your run-of-the-mill public servant, but a rabid zealot (“the Al Capone of the auditors”), Jill could use a traffic cop to sort out all the suspects eager to dance on the dead man’s grave.
Willie Horton (1992/05/11/0527805) If welfare emerges as the Willie Horton of 1992, Mr. Cuomo may have wound up on the wrong side of it in a national campaign, even though he sought to curb the soaring costs of social spending programs.
Rodney Dangerfield (1992/05/13/0528150) So Hall, who had earlier called himself the Rodney Dangerfield of the American League because he was omitted from the All-Star ballot, went searching for a little respect.
Stanley Kramer (1992/05/14/0528388) “Gordon is the Stanley Kramer of theater producers,” said Steven Mikulan, the theater editor of The L.A. Weekly, referring to the film maker best known for his liberal movies of the 1950’s and 60’s.
Harry Houdini (1992/05/14/0528618) “Over the past two years, Governor Florio has become the Harry Houdini of state government,” he said, “inventing one trick after another to disguise massive overspending.
Leo Tolstoy (1992/05/17/0529227) It is easy to sympathize with African resentment of the attitude epitomized by Mr. Trevor-Roper, or for that matter by Saul Bellow asking, “Who is the Tolstoy of the Zulus?”
Dred Scott (1992/05/22/0530662) Mr. Coleman’s lawyer, Kathleen A. Behan, a member of Arnold & Porter who was not representing Mr. Coleman when the filing deadline was missed, said the case would be remembered as “the Dred Scott of death penalty law.”
Jackie Robinson (1992/05/24/0531233) Though he dislikes the comparison because the rate of blacks entering professional golf has actually diminished, he is often called the Jackie Robinson of golf.
Francis Scott Key (1992/05/29/0532182) It was “Country Joe” McDonald, the Francis Scott Key of the Vietnam era, who dominated the movie, at one point leading 500,000 fans in an obscene variant of a familiar high-school cheer.
Babe Ruth (1992/06/01/0533054) In those years he and the Grays’ catcher, the late Josh Gibson, were considered the Lou Gehrig and the Babe Ruth of the team that won nine consecutive pennants in what are still called the Negro Leagues.
Rodney Dangerfield (1992/06/05/0533773) Even today, the infomercial remains the Rodney Dangerfield of advertising, shunned and doubted for many reasons: state and Federal investigations of infomercial producers, complaints about product performance and, most crucial, a belief that a lengthy commercial disguised as a conventional program – like a talk show complete with host, theme song and studio audience – unfairly masks what is nothing more than a sales spiel.
Freddie Laker (1992/06/05/0533783) He was the Freddie Laker of his time: just as Mr. Laker and imitators like People Express opened up air travel to the masses in the late 1970’s, Mr. Cook, the creator of the packaged holiday, opened up the world of international leisure travel to the middle class of the last century.
Rodney Dangerfield (1992/06/08/0534624) She is a roan daughter of Darn That Alarm, owned by the Valley View Farm and trained by Red Terrill, who said today: “She’s the Rodney Dangerfield of the fillies.
Alice Cooper (1992/06/11/0535323) In a way, Skinny Puppy is more effective with the invisibility of recordings than it is onstage; sometimes, Ogre can come across as the Alice Cooper of industrial rock.
William Shakespeare (1992/06/14/0536108) Besides his theater, Dr. Schoen has his own company of actors, making him the Shakespeare of suburbia.
Barbara Cartland (1992/06/14/0536121) How great a responsibility does the Barbara Cartland of weddingdom owe her readers?
John Wayne (1992/06/21/0537499) If I wasn’t such a softy, I’d rip it out and start over, but this cuke is the John Wayne of the cucurbit world.
Robin Leach (1992/06/28/0539189) Julian Sands, an actor, wants to become the Robin Leach of gardening.
Jimmy Connors (1992/07/02/0540143) Miss Chenchikova, for instance, is the Jimmy Connors of ballet: She throws herself full force into her dancing without regard to niceties of form.
Holly Woodlawn (1992/07/10/0541591) At times she looks like an older version of the Holly Woodlawn of “Trash.”
Rodney Dangerfield (1992/07/12/0542029) Her trainer, Red Terrill, has been saying for months that she was “the Rodney Dangerfield of horses,” the one who got no respect.
Omar Bradley (1992/07/12/0542239) In an army that has as many men in running shoes and jeans jackets as in camouflage fatigues, Col. Divjak has become the Omar Bradley of the war, the soldiers’ soldier who prefers to be where the action is.
Dan Quayle (1992/07/16/0543182) (He called King Herod “the Dan Quayle of his day” in a silly display of Salome tactics.)
Michael Jordan (1992/07/17/0543317) “He’s the Michael Jordan of management in Digital.”
Mary Lou Retton (1992/07/19/0544003) Kim Zmeskal, a ferocious competitor and legitimate challenger to Svetlana Boginskaya of the Unified Team for the Olympic all-around title in gymnastics, could become the Mary Lou Retton of 1992.
Lowell Thomas (1992/07/22/0544528) If Mr. McKay presented himself as the Lowell Thomas of the Olympics, Mr. Costas will be more like the guide on Disney’s Jungle Ride.
Greta Garbo (1992/07/26/0545424) Dr. Barbara McClintock is the Greta Garbo of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Marlin Fitzwater (1992/08/02/0547073) publicist, Mike Moran, the Marlin Fitzwater of the U.S.O.C., tearing into the Dream Team as “arrogant” and “out of touch with reality.”
Spike Lee (1992/08/02/0547235) Some in the film world call him the Spike Lee of England.
Elvis Presley (1992/08/03/0547319) Mr. Cave is the Elvis of punk, a beloved and semitragic cult icon who for years has been battling the demon of his own image.
Dick Clark (1992/08/11/0549300) Worse, perhaps, than the continual cheerfulness of Bob Costas – the Dick Clark of Barcelona – or the quantity of the advertising was its quality, or lack thereof.
Ross Perot (1992/08/16/0550630) Mr. Taft lost when the Ross Perot of his day, former President Theodore Roosevelt, ran as a third-party candidate and split the Republican vote in 1912.
Jimmy Carter (1992/08/18/0551023) Five months ago, Patrick J. Buchanan said President Bush was becoming “the Jimmy Carter of the Republican Party.”
Lyndon B. Johnson (1992/08/23/0551865) Mr. Keating, 48 years old, has been described as the Lyndon B. Johnson of Australian politics, an expert in the sort of back-room maneuvering that he used to drive Mr. Hawke from the leadership last December.
Steve Jobs (1992/08/24/0552306) But now the 36-year-old entrepreneur, often called the Steve Jobs of Japan in reference to the Apple Computer co-founder, is in the midst of a fight to save his company from bankruptcy.
Ed Williams (1992/08/31/0553711) However, Mr. Dragoul now has a new pro-bono lawyer – Bobby Lee Cook, “the Ed Williams of the South” – who is said to understand that concealing the truth about the Government’s guilty knowledge of bank fraud is not the best way to obtain leniency from Judge Shoob.
Christopher Columbus (1992/09/03/0554188) “Fairchild was the Columbus of American horticulture,” said the Kampong’s superintendent, Larry Schokman.
Pablo Picasso (1992/09/03/0554215) John McEnroe, the Picasso of players, has ultimately been defeated by his inability to control Drop Dead.
Buster Crabbe (1992/09/06/0554877) Harvey Weisenberg is the Buster Crabbe of the New York State Assembly.
Bob Dylan (1992/09/11/0555702) Although the 50-year-old Brazilian singer and songwriter has been called the Bob Dylan of Brazil, he is more than that.
Nelson Riddle (1992/09/11/0555702) They have been lavishly arranged by Ray Santos, the Nelson Riddle of Latin American pop.
Spike Jones (1992/09/11/0555712) Tomorrow night, he will lead a klezmer group in tricky, funny music by Mickey Katz, the Spike Jones of klezmer music.
William Joyce (1992/09/13/0556304) As Frank’s life devolves into various slapstick (and unconvincing) scenes that would fit comfortably into the screenplay of a B movie, his daughter, Holly, tries to reunite her parents by shacking up with Lane Lawlor, a right-wing fanatic whom Frank calls “the Lord Haw-Haw of the northern Rockies.”
Wyatt Earp (1992/09/15/0556547) But after that last class bell rings, the 41-year-old father of two turns into the Wyatt Earp of the wasp world.
Bella Abzug (1992/09/17/0556993) Others called her the Bella Abzug of Somerset County, a nod to the outspoken former Congresswoman.
Katharine Hepburn (1992/09/17/0556993) “Millicent Fenwick was the Katharine Hepburn of politics,” said Charles Millard, a former aide and now a Republican New York City Councilman.
Marilyn Monroe (1992/09/20/0557538) ALMA MAHLER-WERFEL was the Marilyn Monroe of her day.
Dale Carnegie (1992/09/23/0558269) And much of it may not even be who the players are as much as how Pat Riley, the Dale Carnegie of coaches, can motivate them.
Walt Frazier (1992/09/24/0558523) While he never became the Walt Frazier of the Knicks, as he had dreamed as a boy watching games from the nose-bleed seats in Madison Square Garden, he was many times a fine Mark Jackson.
Elvis Presley (1992/09/30/0559861) He is remembered as the “the Elvis Presley of African politics” and called a lion, a giant and a prophet.
Mary Tyler Moore (1992/10/03/0560361) “She’s been called the Mary Tyler Moore of kitties by Cat Fancy magazine,” said Karen Payne, Princess Kitty’s owner and a club adviser.
Bert Parks (1992/10/07/0561249) “I feel like the Bert Parks of Capitol Hill,” ROGER MUDD remarked Monday evening as for the fourth consecutive year, he served as the master of ceremonies for a literary evening to benefit the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.
Dave Kingman (1992/10/16/0563421) Or do you wish to be memorialized as the Dave Kingman of the 1990’s?
Lizzie Borden (1992/10/18/0563963) Winnie Ruth Judd is the Lizzie Borden of Phoenix.
Cyrano de Bergerac (1992/10/21/0564700) A sous-chef, in other words, is vice chef, sometimes shadow chef, frequently chef-by-fiat, often actually ghost chef, the Cyrano de Bergerac of cuisine.
Ross Perot (1992/10/29/0566366) The founder of the giant Hyundai industrial group and now this country’s most outspoken presidential candidate, Chung Ju Yung, is tired of hearing himself described as the Ross Perot of South Korea.
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (1992/10/30/0566594) They are closer to the assertive image that led an article in the conservative journal The American Spectator to label her “the Winnie Mandela of American politics.”
Pablo Picasso (1992/11/06/0568267) The Metropolitan Museum of Art calls the great Chinese painter Tung Chi-chang (1555-1636) “the Picasso of the Ming Dynasty.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger (1992/11/06/0568296) Sparks is the Arnold Schwarzenegger of New York steakhouses: big, brash and brawny.
Donald Trump (1992/11/06/0568315) She describes herself as “the Donald Trump of the horse show world,” buying and selling horses like so many pieces of real estate, pocketing a profit and never shedding a tear as she watches her property being trucked away.
Roger Maris (1992/11/12/0569742) It brought in more than $50 million in pay-per-view billings from 1.45 million homes, “sort of the Roger Maris of pay-per-view events,” Mr. Abraham said, mixing his sports.
Stephen King (1992/11/15/0570452) It is almost an exact analogy to call Sir Walter Scott the Stephen King of his day.
Pat Buchanan (1992/11/15/0570584) The first was from Barbara Ehrenreich, the Pat Buchanan of radical feminism, calling Mr. Buttafuoco a “Guido-type person,” and then, lest you miss the slur, asking pardon for “the obnoxious ethnic reference.”
Madonna (1992/11/15/0570735) Didn’t you once say you wanted to be the Madonna of tennis?
Barry Bonds (1992/11/19/0571427) The 27-year-old Hayes is not the Barry Bonds of third basemen, and he might have had a career season when he hit .257 and delivered 18 homers and 66 runs batted in, but he silenced the criticism at a troubling position, and now the nagging questions will start again.
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1992/11/26/0572900) Don’t expect boilerplate Euro-bashing from Mr. Frank, who has been called the Martin Luther King of American Indians.
Lord Byron (1992/11/29/0573421) Leonard Cohen, the Lord Byron of Rock-and-Roll
Donald Trump (1992/12/13/0576115) Father Ritter himself was often mentioned in the same sentence with Mother Teresa, but perhaps Charles M. Sennott’s phrase, “the Donald Trump of Catholicism,” better captures the personal drive and entrepreneurial spirit that led to Covenant House’s phenomenal growth.
Bill Gates (1992/12/13/0576218) “I’M the Bill Gates of computer culture,” says Jeff Armstrong, who’s been satirizing the Microsoft chairman and lesser members of the industry for six years as one of the world’s first high-tech comedians.
Tom Cruise (1992/12/13/0576330) “I’m the Tom Cruise of Somalia.”
Mark Morris (1992/12/14/0576566) It is perfectly in tune with revisionist French versions of “Romeo and Juliet” set on the Eastern side of the Berlin wall, Swedish productions like Mr. Ek’s “Swan Lake,” which puts men as well as women in tutus just like “The Hard Nut” and the kind of “Giselle” with spoken text that Mr. Gallotta, the Mark Morris of France, threatens to put on next year.
Red Adair (1992/12/20/0577852) LAWRENCE S. EAGLEBURGER doesn’t look much like the Red Adair of foreign policy, flaunting his lame-duck status with a crippled bird pin stuck in his lapel.
Vanilla Ice (1992/12/27/0579154) – Billy Ray Cyrus could be the Vanilla Ice of country.

1993

George Foreman (1993/01/01/0580232) Smith told her she would become “the George Foreman of running.”
Mick Jagger (1993/01/06/0581156) “I feel like the Mick Jagger of the 5-to-11 set,” he said.
Bob Vila (1993/01/10/0581807) “You have to be partners with the house,” said Mr. Weaver, who has become the Bob Vila of earth ships.
Joey Bishop (1993/01/15/0583116) Or will the waspish host of television’s first post-modern talk show turn out to be the Joey Bishop of the 1990’s?
Ross Perot (1993/01/15/0583131) A conservative, he is widely called “the Ross Perot of Los Angeles” for his wealth and businesslike solutions to urban problems.
Michael Jordan (1993/01/24/0585384) Bills offensive coordinator Ted Marchibroda calls quarterback Jim Kelly the Michael Jordan of the Buffalo team.
Rodney Dangerfield (1993/01/24/0585481) In short, Leo Szilard was the Rodney Dangerfield of 20th-century physics, an et al.
Ruth Westheimer (1993/02/05/0588226) At one point Dr. Joyce Brothers, the Dr. Ruth of yesteryear, shows up as a coroner.
Bear Bryant (1993/02/07/0588786) I told him, “I didn’t know you were the Bear Bryant of New York City.”
Michael Jordan (1993/02/10/0589436) Erving was the Michael Jordan of his time, but what a different time that was.
Joyce Carol Oates (1993/02/11/0589685) He types and types: he is the Joyce Carol Oates of science writing.
Luke Perry (1993/02/22/0592045) Less elaborate science-fiction than clever adventure caper, “The Tomorrow People” is lively and imaginative entertainment, its international cast featuring Kristian Schmid, an Australian 18-year-old soap star who, Nickelodeon insists, has become the Luke Perry of London.
Johnny Appleseed (1993/02/23/0592228) Though she confined the effort to independent shops and did not approach any chains or discount stores, she said, “Now I’m thinking maybe I should just go across the country with my books and my red ribbons and be the Johnny Appleseed of AIDS ribbons.”
Grace Kelly (1993/02/24/0592311) Wasn’t she the Grace Kelly of the Himalayas who in 1963 went to live in a palace in Gangtok as the bride of the Chogyal, a man revered by his subjects as the reincarnation of an ancient Buddhist holy man?
Madonna (1993/02/28/0593365) Lynn Hunter, a British Columbia New Democrat, called her “the Madonna of Canadian politics.”
Dorothy Parker (1993/03/05/0594094) Taking the stage at 11 is Cindy Lee Berryhill, reclaiming her title as the Dorothy Parker of folk with a set of her dry-as-ice, bittersweet compositions.
Jack Kevorkian (1993/03/07/0594507) Jim Florio “the Jack Kevorkian of economic development.”
James Brown (1993/03/08/0594844) All the great Latin bands came through, from Oscar D’Leon, the James Brown of Latin music, to Eddie Palmieri, the music’s crazy, brilliant uncle; Mario Bauza, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, El Gran Combo and Mongo Santamaria all showed up.
Alain Marcel (1993/03/10/0595190) First, it used a slightly adapted version of Tony Walton’s set from the 1987 revival at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, with stage direction (by the Alain Marcel of Berlin, Helmut Baumann, who runs the Theater des Westens) that stuck closely to the New York version.
Hillary Clinton (1993/03/15/0596107) Will Miss van Hamel, who has been Mr. McKenzie’s partner offstage as well as on and who has a dance company of her own, become the Hillary Rodham Clinton of Ballet Theater?
Dick Cavett (1993/03/17/0596463) Perhaps being a prophet in the Age of Aquarius means becoming the Dick Cavett of late-night theology.
Babe Ruth (1993/03/19/0596753) In New York legal lore, Mr. Solerwitz is the Babe Ruth of ripoffs, having been convicted of stealing more than $5 million in the 1980’s.
Bob Dylan (1993/03/21/0597081) Merchant describes as “the Bob Dylan of Italy” (a particularly hard concept, even with headphones).
Rodney Dangerfield (1993/03/21/0597222) Lofton senses that the Cleveland Indians – the Rodney Dangerfield of major-league teams, the perennial second-division dwellers of the American League East – are on the cusp of something different and big.
Che Guevara (1993/03/21/0597319) The person pushing the bill is none other than Sir George Young, a gawky housing minister who fights for the poor and homeless in that traitor-to-his-class spirit and is lately lampooned by The Spectator as “the Che Guevara of the leaseholders.”
Jerry Lewis (1993/03/24/0597754) For himself, Mr. Lang leaves his options open, not precluding a run for the presidency after Mr. Mitterrand retires (a prospect that makes his detractors, those who see him as the Jerry Lewis of politics, cringe at his presumption).
Jimi Hendrix (1993/03/26/0598111) Sugar Blue, who has been called the Jimi Hendrix of the harmonica, has played with everyone from Willie Dixon to the Rolling Stones.
Ed McMahon (1993/03/27/0598329) Thomas F. McLarty 3d, President Clinton’s childhood friend whom they all call Mack and who is now White House chief of staff, was the chairman of the Arkansas Democratic Party for some of that time, describing himself “as kind of the Ed McMahon of that traveling minstrel show.”
Larry Bird (1993/04/03/0599779) Scouts came regularly to the Chieftains’ cozy gym then, watched Smith average 29.2 points a game and dubbed her the Larry Bird of women’s basketball.
Louis B. Mayer (1993/04/04/0600119) Roger Corman, the Louis B. Mayer of B Movies, earned his degree in engineering at Stanford, and Jonathan Winters, the comedian, and Patrick Ewing, the center for the Knicks, both majored in art – at Kenyon and Georgetown, respectively.
Jessica Lange (1993/04/04/0600140) She is kind of the Jessica Lange of Austin: she’s been romantically linked with all the cool guys.
Albert Speer (1993/04/07/0600666) A former Peace Corps volunteer and the child of leftist Russian Jews, he now works for an American company that sells “the Albert Speer of baby formulas” to third-world countries and is so notorious it once co-starred on “60 Minutes” with Union Carbide and the Dalkon Shield.
Johnny Appleseed (1993/04/11/0601653) By the early 1920’s, Bobby Douglas, the first black in the Basketball Hall of Fame, became the Johnny Appleseed of basketball.
Warren Buffett (1993/04/14/0601989) “I would like to think we can be the Warren Buffett of biotech,” said Mr. Frazier, 41, referring to the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, who is known for his investing prowess.
Shaquille O’Neal (1993/04/16/0602520) David Nied, sort of the Shaquille O’Neal of major league baseball, silenced the New York Mets here.
Bill Clinton (1993/04/18/0602876) If Woo is the Bill Clinton of the race, then Riordan is the Ross Perot.
Vince Lombardi (1993/04/18/0602906) My Mother is the Vince Lombardi of beauty: Looking good isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.
Bob Hope (1993/04/23/0604282) is loaded with rap-related cameos that work only if you recognize the players (Fab 5 Freddy, Kid Capri, Naughty by Nature and the Bob Hope of rap cinema, Ice-T), and have little intrinsic humor of their own.
Busby Berkeley (1993/04/25/0604418) At 66, the man who once qualified as the Busby Berkeley of the acid set is right back where he started – directing what he calls “these nutty pieces” in out-of-the-way places for audiences that tend to number in the dozens, not the thousands.
George Foreman (1993/04/25/0604474) “My gut feeling is that I’m going to start calling myself the George Foreman of tennis,” said McEnroe, who just completed an exhibition tour with Andre Agassi and faces his next tennis assignment in the NBC booth at next month’s French Open.
Thomas Edison (1993/05/02/0605847) There are major characters but no heroes in this antiromance of 1907 in Battle Creek, Mich., where Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, the Edison of clean living, presides over pilgrims who hope to escape the ills and smells that flesh is heir to.
Timothy Leary (1993/05/02/0605921) “He’s an eloquent and imaginative poet of the psychedelic experience,” said Mr. Leary, an unabashed admirer, who is already on record calling Mr. McKenna “the Timothy Leary of the 90’s.”
Bill Gates (1993/05/04/0606538) “He wants to be the Bill Gates of the 1990’s,” said Denise Caruso, editor of Digital Media, an industry newsletter, referring to Mr. Allen’s college friend with whom he founded Microsoft in the late 1970’s.
Richard Simmons (1993/05/05/0606853) Graham Kerr is the Richard Simmons of cooking teachers.
Pat Robertson (1993/05/05/0606897) If pornography bothers you, you may welcome the recurrent appearances of Andrea Dworkin, the Pat Robertson of feminism, who asserts that like everything else about American society, pornography is a conspiracy against women.
Rodney Dangerfield (1993/05/09/0607593) Scott Sanderson is the Rodney Dangerfield of baseball.
Michelangelo (1993/05/09/0607682) Actor: Jason Scott Lee Vital statistics: Age 26, 5 feet 11 inches tall, 155 pounds Training routine: Six to eight hours a day, six days a week, for 10 months, plus weeks of work with those nasty Oriental weapons, the nunchukus Salary: A reported $250,000 Movie: “Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story” (opened on Friday) Pitch: A Bruce Lee movie without Bruce Lee Budget: $15 million to $20 million Character: Bruce Lee, the Michelangelo of martial arts Lethal Weapons: Jeet kune do (Lee’s personal brand of mayhem) and the accompanying vocal hee-yah-ahhhhs Lethal line: “I have to finish my workout.
Hans Christian Andersen (1993/05/13/0608627) “I guess I am running the risk of becoming the Hans Christian Andersen of opera,” Mr. Menotti said.
Paul Revere (1993/05/15/0608957) Dr. Commoner, the director of the Center for the Biology of Natural Systems at Queens College, is being honored as “the Paul Revere of Ecology.”
Albert Einstein (1993/05/16/0609450) Surrounding this core group is a slew of other principal players: Paige Katz (Kim Cattrall), popping back into Harry’s life as Tony’s fiancee; Tabba Schwartzkopf (Bebe Neuwirth), star of Tony’s new sitcom “Church Windows”; Tully Woiwode (Nick Mancuso), an artist; Chap Starfall (Robert Morse), a seedy singer whose repertory includes “Let’s Face the Music and Dance,” and Eli’s son, Chickie Levitt (Brad Dourif), a cyberspace genius known as the Einstein of the New World.
Rodney Dangerfield (1993/05/16/0609454) “Parking is the Rodney Dangerfield of transportation – it gets no respect, but it’s critical to development.”
Madonna (1993/05/16/0609467) He sat on a couch against the wall, where he was introduced to “the Madonna of Russia,” a tall, exotic woman in Michael Jackson-like ersatz military wear.
Sol Hurok (1993/05/19/0609956) These days he is relishing his role as the Sol Hurok of the comedy festival, which he is producing with George Wein, promoter of the Newport Jazz Festival.
Philip Taaffe (1993/05/21/0610287) Fred Tomaselli might be called the Philip Taaffe of pharmaceuticals.
P. T. Barnum (1993/05/23/0610850) “When you’ve got Steve Wynn involved, who I think is the P. T. Barnum of our century, it’s going to be difficult to ignore,” said Mr. Amann, the casino supporter.
Jack Welch (1993/05/27/0611510) may not make sense,” Mr. Gates continued, without offering an opinion on whether Mr. Gerstner is the Jack Welch of the computer industry.
Warren Christopher (1993/06/02/0612641) She is the Warren Christopher of the inner city, and operates with the tact and cool-headed discretion of a well-traveled diplomat.
Michelangelo (1993/06/04/0612971) He has been called the Michelangelo of floats.
Patrick Henry (1993/06/07/0613743) Fittingly, the Patrick Henry of this drama is an American-trained lawyer, Anselm B. Clouden, who by evoking the seafaring ways of his ancestors, and their descendants’ supposed mistreatment at the hands of Grenadians, has begun to arouse strong nationalist passions in his neighbors.
Elvis Presley (1993/06/11/0614470) This was soon after the Elvis of basketball had left the building.
Jimmy Breslin (1993/06/12/0614699) Mr. Barnicle, who has been called the Jimmy Breslin of Boston, joked in a recent column about buying an ascot and a hat in honor of his new employers from New York.
Thurgood Marshall (1993/06/15/0615573) “She is the Thurgood Marshall of gender equality law,” said Janet Benshoof, the president of the Center for Reproductive Law and Policy, an abortion-rights advocacy group, repeating a common description of Judge Ginsburg.
Jean-Claude Van Damme (1993/06/22/0617020) In his place in the revival is Steve Blanchard, who may be the Jean-Claude Van Damme of musical actors.
Donald Trump (1993/06/24/0617369) Before he became a Svengali to Boris Becker, a multimillionaire tennis manager, a touted prospect for high office in Romania and the Donald Trump of fledgling Romanian capitalism, Ion (pronounced Yon) Tiriac played here two decades ago against such stars as Rod Laver, Clark Graebner and Stan Smith.
Madonna (1993/06/27/0618171) Ms. Frank was the Madonna of her day, at least in breaking with tradition.
Madonna (1993/06/28/0618352) Agassi, who is the Madonna of his sport, a sly marketer of his own flashy image, was more than up to the verbal duel.
Michael Dukakis (1993/07/04/0619263) Pete Sampras’s reputation as the Michael Dukakis of tennis was reconfirmed this weekend when the results of a London radio station contest about Wimbledon players were published.
John Madden (1993/07/06/0619887) Let us not yet anoint John McEnroe as the John Madden of tennis on the strength of his Wimbledon analysis.
Babe Ruth (1993/07/07/0620076) His father was alternately called the Bull and the Babe Ruth of the Caribbean.
Mother Teresa (1993/07/11/0620661) She may not, as some of her activists-in-arms suggest, be the Mother Teresa of progressive politics, but she will, by all accounts, bring a steadying, working-person’s perspective to an office that has suffered through a series of less-than-attentive, let-them-eat-cake administrators for roughly a dozen years.
Liz Smith (1993/07/11/0620690) Miss Lynch is the Liz Smith of the Sagaponack Store.
Ruth Westheimer (1993/07/11/0620775) SOUNDING like the Dr. Ruth of ballet, David Richardson, a teacher and dancer at the American Ballet Theater, explained the art of partnering to a pas de deux class at the Y.M.-Y.W.H.A.
Dan Quayle (1993/07/14/0621422) Others were less generous, portraying Mr. Cayne as the Dan Quayle of Bear Stearns, a consummate strategist in his career and his game but sometimes given to saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.
Saddam Hussein (1993/07/22/0623263) Until recently, General Aidid – now defined as a war criminal, terrorist, the Saddam Hussein of Africa – was Washington’s best friend in Somalia.
Frank Sinatra (1993/07/23/0623442) After explaining that “all the material has been satirized for your protection,” Mr. Maher introduces his guests: the comics Larry Miller and Jerry Seinfeld (“the Frank Sinatra of nouveau comedians”); Robin Quivers, the longtime partner of the shock radio and television personality Howard Stern; and, from out of left – or perhaps right – field, the political consultant Ed Rollins.
Salvador Dalí (1993/07/30/0625014) Considerably more sensational are a startling photograph by the San Francisco artists Aziz and Cucher that shows a male nude whose genitals have been rubbed out through computer wizardry – a kind of off-the-charts idealization – and Alexander Hahn’s “Urbs Turrita,” an installation consisting of three television tubes whose strange mix of old and new images, which include the tubes themselves set in interiors taken from German Romantic paintings, could establish the artist as the Salvador Dali of television.
Bo Jackson (1993/08/08/0627283) It is the Bo Jackson of the bacteria world, the bug-of-all-trades, and it made a reappearance last week in an unusual role, a microscopic clue that led investigators to the scene of an environmental crime.
Hunter S. Thompson (1993/08/08/0627393) Larry McCaffery, an English professor at San Diego State University, edits a special issue of the Mississippi Review about cyberpunk fiction, including a story by Mark Leyner, the Hunter S. Thompson of cyberpunk.
Mark Wahlberg (1993/08/08/0627399) Idol just the Marky Mark of cyber culture, appropriating a fringe movement for his own commercial ends?
Jimmy Key (1993/08/09/0627648) Guidry – the Jimmy Key of his era – was fulfilling his duties admirably, in fact, he won 9 of his final 11 decisions that year.
Susan Lucci (1993/08/13/0628528) Since 1985, when his name was first recommended to the Governor for the Court of Appeals, Justice Levine has become the Susan Lucci of New York’s judiciary.
Bobo Holloman (1993/08/18/0629471) IT’S beginning to look as if Sea Hero is the Bobo Holloman of racing.
Michael Jordan (1993/08/26/0631050) “Joey Cora calls me the Michael Jordan of the White Sox.
Sandy Dennis (1993/09/03/0632371) (Ms. Lewis, who has many similar mannerisms, may be fast becoming the Sandy Dennis of her generation.)
Gianni Versace (1993/09/19/0635361) As the Gianni Versace of the Shore Association of Nassau Girl Scouts, Mrs. Geller was responsible for sending out on a runway, five times, four junior girl scouts and one brownie, each holding a doll dressed exactly the same as they were.
Julio Iglesias (1993/09/19/0635557) Once again, Luis Miguel – a Mexican born in Puerto Rico of Spanish-Italian parents whose full name is Luis Miguel Gallego – has been confirmed as Latin heartthrob numero uno, the Julio Iglesias of his generation.
Madonna (1993/09/19/0635557) For the pop singer and actress Gloria Trevi, whose image as “the Madonna of Mexico” has been fed by her decision to pose for cheesecake calendars, and her BMG label-mate Alejandra Guzman, another performer who cultivates a “bad girl” image, MTV promises to be a major career boost.
William Shakespeare (1993/09/26/0636797) He’s such a bizarre character, sort of the Shakespeare of microbiology.
Marquis de Sade (1993/09/26/0636952) When we introduced Word in October 1983, in its first incarnation it was dubbed the Marquis de Sade of word processors, which was not altogether unfair.
Leonardo da Vinci (1993/09/29/0637435) Because of his accomplishments as a test and stunt pilot and as an aviation engineer, he was referred to by one admirer as “the Leonardo da Vinci of flight.”
Rube Goldberg (1993/09/29/0637435) What he meant was I’m the Rube Goldberg of aviation.”
John F. Kennedy (1993/10/09/0639702) Although President Clinton has always invited us to think of him as the Jack Kennedy of the 1990’s generation, the more I watch him the more he reminds me of Lyndon Johnson.
Jonathan Swift (1993/10/17/0642116) One British critic, Charles Brener of The Times of London, has called her the Jonathan Swift of the American 90’s.
Christian Lacroix (1993/10/19/0642934) You might just be discovering the Christian Lacroix of the 90’s.”
John Wayne (1993/10/24/0644305) Someone from the Gewandhaus wanted to know if Mr. Masur, with his trademark bolo tie, was the John Wayne of New York.
Truman Capote (1993/10/24/0644390) I can be the Truman Capote of the atelier.”
Plácido Domingo (1993/10/24/0644532) Ovations should be earned, not orchestrated, and you are not yet the Placido Domingo of late-night television.
Benedict Arnold (1993/10/25/0644685) I’m like the Benedict Arnold of New Orleans, going to Atlanta of all places.”
Thomas Edison (1993/10/29/0645546) Ms. Fernandez, who made the issue her own public advocacy cause after the death of Mr. Hyde, her fiance, said Dr. Kevorkian was embarrassed when she praised him “as the Thomas Edison of medicine.”
Agnes Nixon (1993/11/09/0648618) The woman with the answers, the Agnes Nixon of “Decision” – soap-opera fans the world over know Agnes Nixon as the, uh, guiding light behind “One Life to Live” and “All My Children” – is Ann Sternberg, a Health Department official who used to be an NBC News documentary producer.
George Steinbrenner (1993/11/10/0648860) An outspoken Florentine who started as a busboy 13 years ago and popularized his interpretation of the fresh simple cuisine of his native Tuscany, he has been called the George Steinbrenner of the restaurant world, a man with a short fuse and little patience when things are not done his way.
Errol Flynn (1993/11/16/0650428) Their leader is Jaba Ioseliani, who is often described as charming and charismatic – the Errol Flynn of Georgia, in one Westerner’s words.
Willie Horton (1993/11/21/0651362) Kim, pronouncing herself “the Willie Horton of AIDS,” a strained analogy, denies that she is fighting homosexuals.
Mahatma Gandhi (1993/11/28/0652872) Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Mahatma Gandhi of this political moment.
Pablo Picasso (1993/12/02/0653379) “I think I’m the Picasso of mime,” Marcel Marceau said between rehearsals for his new show, at the Espace Pierre Cardin off the Champs-Elysees.
Leon Lett (1993/12/07/0654409) Malamala said he was feeling like “the Leon Lett of the New York Jets” following the game.
George Wallace (1993/12/09/0654795) I would call them the George Wallace of C.R.A.
Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres (1993/12/17/0656446) No wonder the English critic Herbert Read called the young Mr. Freud “the Ingres of Existentialism.”
Robin Williams (1993/12/30/0659117) In person, he is the Robin Williams of literary interviews, albeit more soft-spoken, with a bit of Southern drawl from childhood still clinging to his speech.

1994

Ed Sullivan (1994/01/02/0659619) Does he become the Ed Sullivan of foreign policy, managing a really good show but enjoying no stardom himself?
Pete Seeger (1994/01/07/0660595) Ladino, one of the three major Jewish languages, has produced a rich and extensive repertory of Judeo-Spanish songs, many of which have been collected by Joseph Elias, who is regarded as the Pete Seeger of Ladino music.
William Shakespeare (1994/01/09/0660857) Barnum was basically a great showman, Mr. Pelton said, a master of advertising – a Yale professor once called him the Shakespeare of advertising – and of crowd psychology.
Charles Barkley (1994/01/10/0661248) Once she caught her breath, which wasn’t easy given a hacking attack of asthma, Tonya Harding called herself the Charles Barkley of figure skating late Saturday night, then proceeded to verbally slam-dunk her competition at the coming Winter Olympics.
Salvador Dalí (1994/01/16/0662187) “He’s the Salvador Dali of the movement,” he wrote, “a surrealist in his designs, a showman by temperament, a prankster.”
Charles Barkley (1994/01/16/0662389) When Miss Harding, who has described herself as the Charles Barkley of skating, told reporters, “If anybody wanted to beat Nancy it was me,” the wording sounded a little strange.
Ernest Hemingway (1994/01/20/0663246) Now called the Hemingway of Westchester, he has been paid an advance of $225,000 to write a wartime memoir, to be titled “The Partisan.”
Lionel Trilling (1994/01/28/0665094) Marv Levy, the Lionel Trilling of coaches, will probably be offered an endowed chair at Columbia when he retires.
Jim Brown (1994/01/29/0665224) “Cookie was the Jim Brown of the American Football League; he was the icon of the league,” said Booker Edgerson, a member of the Bills 1964 championship team and a 10-year veteran.
Adolf Hitler (1994/02/04/0666537) The terrors of the code, as overseen by Joseph Breen (who was nicknamed “the Hitler of Hollywood” in some quarters), went beyond the letter of the document and brought about a more generalized moral purge.
Joseph Conrad (1994/02/06/0667236) “Mark Richard may be called the Joseph Conrad of our day,” she says.
Oral Roberts (1994/02/08/0667638) One of his rare detractors paid him a backhanded compliment by dubbing him “the Oral Roberts of prevention.”
Greg Gumbel (1994/02/11/0668171) Hallvard Flatland, the Greg Gumbel of Norwegian television, said: “Our main interests are cross-country skiing and ski jumping.
Sam Walton (1994/02/13/0668494) A businessman as well as a physician, he has been called the Sam Walton of heart surgery.
Ben Wright (1994/02/21/0670187) Yet Saturday’s cross-country dispatch from the Nordic combined competition by Phil Liggett, the Ben Wright of the snow, and Jeff Hastings, sparkled with action and emotion.
Oliver Stone (1994/02/22/0670357) It is the sort of effect that has made Mr. Svetlanov an unquestioned master of overpowering orchestral spectacle, the Oliver Stone of conductors.
Joe Carter (1994/02/23/0670493) He has dreamed about being the Joe Carter of 1994 before there was a Joe Carter of 1993.
Duane Hanson (1994/02/27/0671076) Phidias was the Duane Hanson of his day.
Phidias (1994/02/27/0671076) Is Duane Hanson the Phidias of Our Time?
Donald Trump (1994/03/04/0672349) Unbeknownst to Jack until it’s too late, his hostage, Natalie Voss (Kristy Swanson), happens to be the only daughter of a publicity-hungry billionaire (Ray Wise) known as “the Donald Trump of California.”
Anne Frank (1994/03/06/0672558) If only the French publishers of “Zlata’s Diary” had never thought or spoken the phrase “the Anne Frank of Sarajevo”!
Keith Hernandez (1994/03/06/0672899) “He was the Keith Hernandez of this team,” Darling said, calling on his days with the Mets for an analogy.
Ross Perot (1994/03/09/0673268) Leading businessmen like Konstantin Boravoi, who is known as the Ross Perot of Russia, have local E-mail addresses.
Babe Ruth (1994/03/11/0673751) Now comes the Babe Ruth of golf, John Daly.
Peter Sellers (1994/03/13/0674080) Mr. Kubrick told him, “I think you’re becoming the Peter Sellers of the cutting room,” and encouraged him to direct.
Garry Trudeau (1994/03/16/0674686) Now, Mr. Miller said, the boy had become the Garry Trudeau of English class, using software that lets him write his essays as comic strips.
Leo Tolstoy (1994/03/16/0674767) “Who is the Tolstoy of the Zulus?”
Phidias (1994/03/20/0675505) In Michael Kimmelman’s essay “Is Duane Hanson the Phidias of Our Time?”
Charles Barkley (1994/03/22/0676038) Mostly recruited only by Big Ten Conference schools, he has been dubbed the Charles Barkley of Marquette’s conference, the Great Midwest.
Willie Horton (1994/03/27/0677001) Robert Schmuhl, chairman of the Department of American Studies at the University of Notre Dame, said Houston had become the Willie Horton of the 1992 campaign.
Patrick Swayze (1994/04/03/0678117) As the Fairground Boy, Jon Marshall Sharp (late of “The Red Shoes”) sports a bare torso under a black leather vest and has the right cheekbones to be the Patrick Swayze of /this “Carousel.”/
Frank Perdue (1994/04/22/0682162) Not from the man who called Edward I. Koch “the Frank Perdue of New York City” when he was running against the former Mayor in the 1985 Democratic primary.
James Dean (1994/04/28/0683662) “His death at the age of 35 has turned him into the James Dean of the 1990’s,” proclaimed Paris Match, one of numerous magazines that carried his photograph on its cover.
Napoleon (1994/05/01/0684057) The inevitable memorial tablet, in English, at the lower terminal of the cableway reads: “Across this ‘dreadful cauldron’ occurred the culminating event in the career of Sherlock Holmes, the world’s greatest detective, when on May 4, 1891, he vanquished Prof. Moriarty, the Napoleon of Crime.
Emily Dickinson (1994/05/01/0684171) A painter, he was the Emily Dickinson of the art world.
Harold Pinter (1994/05/02/0684570) In earlier years, he was the Harold Pinter of dance, largely because what he left unsaid in his studies of relationships was as important as what he expressed directly.
Sol Hurok (1994/05/08/0685821) SAM ALBERT may be the quintessential schmoozer and self-promoter, a computer management consultant who calls himself “the Sol Hurok of the information systems business.”
Deng Xiaoping (1994/05/08/0685830) As a veteran of the Congress Party governments led by Mr. Nehru’s daughter, Indira Gandhi, and grandson, Rajiv Gandhi, the 72-year-old Mr. Rao has become, in effect, the Deng Xiaoping of India – an aging party leader who, in his sunset years, has abandoned many, if not all, of the economic precepts that had guided earlier governments, challenging not only the old orthodoxies but an entrenched network of vested interests that had built up under the old system.
Aldrich Ames (1994/05/08/0685978) Mr. Brock’s role in the Paula Jones affair is curious indeed, so much so that some might take him for a Clinton mole in the conservative camp – the Aldrich Ames of The American Spectator.
Mathew Brady (1994/05/08/0686097) In 75 films, Muky became the Mathew Brady of New York’s movie panorama, of neo-realism transplanted from postwar Europe.
Bill Stern (1994/05/10/0686448) Frazier is the Bill Stern of basketball analysis, an embellisher blindly dishing and swishing his Lesser Word Power in 20 Minutes approach to broadcasting.
Magic Johnson (1994/05/13/0687037) Once upon a time, Mason could have been the Magic Johnson of Turkey or Venezuela, a very large man with superior open-court dribbling.
Blaine Trump (1994/05/22/0688818) (If there is a club worth going to, Mr. McGrath, the Blaine Trump of lower Manhattan, is on its permanent guest list.)
Peter Lynch (1994/05/22/0688898) One is William H. Gross, 50, managing director of the Pacific Investment Management Company and sometimes called the Peter Lynch of the bond business.
Bette Midler (1994/05/24/0689343) At one point, Erik’s lawyer, Leslie Abramson, the Bette Midler of the criminal courtroom, stuck tacks into the photograph of a naked child’s torso for shamelessly vivid illustration.
Babe Ruth (1994/05/25/0689494) He was the natural, the Babe Ruth of jazz, and before the word crossover had any meaning, he was one of very few black men who were listened to or watched by whites in an America so much whiter than it is now.
T. E. Lawrence (1994/05/29/0690176) If Istanbul is the T. E. Lawrence of world capitals, sword unsheathed and racing on horseback toward another clash with history, then Washington is Indiana Jones – handsome and dashing in its porkpie hat and bullwhip, but only playing a part.
Anthony Trollope (1994/06/05/0691458) If Raymond Carver, the Anthony Trollope of American white trash, had been just a little bit nuttier – and was still alive and writing – or if Stephen King could write at all, either one of them would be proud to produce something like “Pluto, Animal Lover.”
Marcel Marceau (1994/06/05/0691809) Mr. Golden is the Marcel Marceau of city politics, gifted at uttering nothing while brightly demonstrating inclusiveness.
Mel Gibson (1994/06/08/0692271) David Hobson, who I’m told is sometimes referred to as the Mel Gibson of opera Down Under, is a dashing Rodolfo, even managing to look meltingly sensitive in a black leather jacket.
Pat Boone (1994/06/20/0694707) If Vanilla Ice is the Pat Boone of hip-hop, watering down a vibrant black musical form to make it appeal to a generic pop audience, then G. Love is its Elvis Presley.
Norman Podhoretz (1994/06/26/0695595) Edward Said thus becomes the Norman Podhoretz of the Palestinians.
Hugh Hefner (1994/06/26/0695640) THE FILM BEGINS IN Tibet, where Cranston is, in the words of Mr. Baldwin, “like the Hugh Hefner of Tibet.”
Cyndi Lauper (1994/06/30/0696637) Discussing his new novel, “Thank You for Smoking,” Christopher Buckley declares himself “the Cyndi Lauper of American letters – I just want to have fun.”
Michael Jordan (1994/07/05/0697585) If Jones was the Michael Jordan of her time, scoring at will, Cain, 33, is the Magic Johnson of hers.
Magic Johnson (1994/07/05/0697585) If Jones was the Michael Jordan of her time, scoring at will, Cain, 33, is the Magic Johnson of hers.
Magic Johnson (1994/07/05/0697643) “Romario is the Michael Jordan of soccer and Bebeto is the Magic Johnson of soccer,” said American defender Paul Caligiuri.
Michael Jordan (1994/07/05/0697643) “Romario is the Michael Jordan of soccer and Bebeto is the Magic Johnson of soccer,” said American defender Paul Caligiuri.
Paolo Rossi (1994/07/06/0697823) “I am hoping to be the Paolo Rossi of this World Cup,” Baggio had said, referring to the hero of the 1982 World Cup championship.
Farrah Fawcett (1994/07/10/0698493) Much of the delight in the 48-year-old Ms. Lumley, a familiar actress in Britain, comes from the fact that she has played a succession of cool, glamorous, upper-class women, including a James Bond girl in the film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” and a secret agent in “The New Avengers,” a 1976 British television series that made her a sex symbol, the Farrah Fawcett of public-school boys.
Tennessee Williams (1994/07/17/0699777) I think Beth Henley is the Tennessee Williams of this generation with this berserk edge.”
Perry Como (1994/07/17/0699904) He’s the Perry Como of rock-and-roll.”
Neil Simon (1994/07/17/0699913) Warren Kliewer, its artistic director, has on a tentative September schedule “The Truth,” a vintage comedy by Clyde Fitch, who has been variously called the American Oscar Wilde and the Neil Simon of the 19th century.
Gary Busey (1994/07/17/0699963) (I like to think of myself as the Gary Busey of in-line skating, since Mr. Busey is still vehemently opposed to wearing a helmet even after having applied his head firmly to the pavement in a motorcycle accident.)
John D. Rockefeller (1994/07/18/0700205) called him “the John D. Rockefeller of whistle-blowers.”
Charles Lindbergh (1994/07/20/0700647) He could be the Charles Lindbergh of this era.”
Armand Hammer (1994/07/24/0701723) But such conspicuous spending only enhances Turner’s image here as the Armand Hammer of post-Communist Russia – the most ubiquitous, best-connected American businessman.
James Stewart (1994/07/28/0702482) He’s the Jimmy Stewart of our generation.”
Susanne Bartsch (1994/07/31/0703085) John Bartlett is becoming the Susanne Bartsch of the men’s wear industry.
Jackie Robinson (1994/07/31/0703200) In many ways, Wendell Smith was the Jackie Robinson of sports journalism.
Lou Gehrig (1994/08/04/0704092) Dan Marino, the Lou Gehrig of quarterbacks, had surely been dipped in the waters of the river Styx.
Eppie Lederer (1994/08/07/0704518) Daniel S. Hamermesh, a professor of economics at the University of Texas at Austin who has published several articles on academic etiquette and jokingly calls himself the Ann Landers of higher education, says he thinks young professors “may be even meaner than their predecessors because they grew up in the ‘Me Generation,’ believing that virtually everything is due them.”
Rush Limbaugh (1994/08/08/0704966) Three years after Connecticut adopted an income tax, Tom Scott, the Rush Limbaugh of state politics, says lingering resentment over that move could make him a serious candidate for governor.
Napoleon (1994/08/12/0705713) The press called Mr. Fratoni the Napoleon of the green tables; to friends in politics and in the milieu, as the Riviera’s criminal underground is known, he was Jean-Do.
Pol Pot (1994/08/12/0705807) He concluded that President Suharto was “the Pol Pot of East Timor.”
David Gergen (1994/08/14/0706342) Fifteen days ago, when the Players Association set last Friday as its strike date, silent Steve Howe suddenly turned into the David Gergen of the Yankees.
Jerry Rice (1994/08/19/0707104) Moore was to be the Jerry Rice of the Jets’ sophisticated 49ers-style attack this season.
Johnny Carson (1994/08/21/0707417) CALL Prof. John J. Donovan the Johnny Carson of the training circuit.
Burt Bacharach (1994/08/28/0708660) Someone – often a contemporary composer trying to address the masses – is always remarking with approval that Mozart tailored his music for particular occasions, that he was just a working stiff, the Burt Bacharach of his day.
David Duke (1994/08/29/0709090) Ms. Reiley at one point called Mr. McSlarrow “the David Duke of Northern Virginia,” a reference to the white supremacist who lost a 1990 race in Louisiana for the United States Senate.
Babe Ruth (1994/09/05/0710383) Lawrence O. Selhorst, chairman and chief executive of the American Spring Wire Corporation and one of several new board members recruited by Mr. Hastings, admiringly calls Lincoln’s legendary compensation system “the Babe Ruth of incentive programs.”
Spike Lee (1994/09/10/0711111) Alan King, the Spike Lee of tennis, who attends nearly every day, was in his usual box.
Isaac Newton (1994/09/18/0712633) Before then, Einstein was already esteemed by many physicists as the Newton of the 20th century.
Yoko Ono (1994/09/23/0713760) But Ms. Love won’t be the Yoko Ono of alternative rock, mourning with the fans.
Rosa Parks (1994/09/23/0713837) In 1991 four sixth-grade girls in the Museum of the City of New York’s Wednesday afternoon history club researched this event in the life of Elizabeth Jennings, whom they called the Rosa Parks of her time, and presented their play, “Elizabeth Jennings Fights for Her Rights” at the museum’s first history fair.
Pieter Brueghel the Elder (1994/09/27/0714747) The art critic Robert Hughes calls Mr. Crumb “the Bruegel of the 20th century.”
James Fenimore Cooper (1994/10/02/0715444) Tom Clancy is the James Fenimore Cooper of his day, which is to say, the most successful bad writer of his generation.
Adolf Hitler (1994/10/12/0717519) This is the harsh tale of an unloved man nicknamed by his class “the Hitler of the lower fifth” and “the Crock.”
Marshall Faulk (1994/10/13/0717778) He was the Marshall Faulk of 1990.”
Arthur Frommer (1994/10/23/0719952) BECAUSE he has visited just about every unusual landmark and landscape Long Island has to offer, Bob Cammann has been dubbed the Arthur Frommer of the Island.
Ted Bundy (1994/10/25/0720541) In the fall issue of The American Scholar, in an anguished, angry article titled “A Loss for Words: Plagiarism and Silence,” Mr. Bowers has outlined his two-year quest to track down Mr. Sumner and put a stop to the man he calls “the Ted Bundy of the poetry world.”
Hulk Hogan (1994/10/25/0720551) Libby’s cousin Andrew, an art director who’s “so incredibly creative that, as my mother says, no one’s holding their breath for grandchildren,” opines that “David Mamet is the Hulk Hogan of the American theater and that his word processor should be tested for steroids.”
Sandra Day O’Connor (1994/10/26/0720831) Her husband, 54, praises her “guts and courage” in overcoming tremendous obstacles, like the time a trumpet section walked out in protest when the conductor turned out to be a woman, and he eagerly calls her “the Sandra Day O’Connor of the music world.”
Brendan Suhr (1994/10/30/0721907) Gary Bettman, the Brendan Suhr of sports commissioners, cut the power on the dawning of hockey.
Mario Cuomo (1994/11/02/0722421) Moments later, Mr. Martin, standing next to Mr. Giuliani, became momentarily nonplused when a television reporter asked him, “Does this embrace make you the Mario Cuomo of Suffolk County politics?”
Elvis Presley (1994/11/02/0722481) Jordan, of course, is the Elvis of contemporary sports, the epitome of the electronic marketing boom.
Lawrence Taylor (1994/11/02/0722481) Butkus was the Lawrence Taylor of his time.
Joey Buttafuoco (1994/11/06/0723309) I’m the Joey Buttafuoco of the music world.”
Vaughn Meader (1994/11/10/0724557) A comedian on the verge of becoming the Vaughn Meader of our time got a reprieve when the Bush son who most resembles Dad, George W., won.
Heloise (1994/11/13/0725000) WILLIAM MAYNE has a wonderful creation in Hob, a protective household spirit, usually invisible, who is the Heloise of the unseen world.
Jesse Owens (1994/11/13/0725345) “She was the Jesse Owens of women’s track and field, and like Jesse, she changed the sport for all time,” he said.
Richard Ravitch (1994/11/13/0725363) Ray Grebey was the Richard Ravitch of the players’ 50-day strike that season.
Jesse James (1994/11/14/0725402) 1 suspect, Leroy Linen, 41, was in custody yesterday, facing a felony charge as the Jesse James of Scofflaws.
Le Corbusier (1994/11/15/0725647) Courreges was often called the Corbusier of Paris couture when his career peaked in 1965.
Jessye Norman (1994/11/27/0727868) IT might be called the Jessye Norman of pipe organs, custom designed and fitted and possessed of a powerful pair of lungs.
Marcel Proust (1994/12/03/0728921) Bosnia is the Marcel Proust of news stories.
John F. Kennedy (1994/12/04/0729197) A seasoned foreign correspondent, she often finds herself preceded by an eager James A. Baker 3d, then Secretary of State, as she grills people like Askar Akaev, “the John F. Kennedy of Central Asia,” an upbeat physicist who was elected President of what she sees as the only genuinely democratic new republic in the region, mountainous Kyrgyzstan.
Greg Norman (1994/12/08/0729988) was formed to appease Charles Blair Macdonald, a mouthy, mustached Chicago golfer who considered himself the Greg Norman of a century ago.
Martina Navratilova (1994/12/16/0731545) She’s the Martina Navratilova of gymnastics, is what she is.
Lorenzo de’ Medici (1994/12/18/0731771) Over the years, this man, whom one of the Russian artists calls “the Lorenzo de’ Medici of Russian art” spent more than $3 million of his own money, operating under secretive and quasi-legal conditions that posed considerable risk both to himself and to the artists whom he befriended and patronized on his many trips to the former Soviet Union.
George Mikan (1994/12/23/0732979) “He was the George Mikan of Israel,” Calhoun said, referring to the former Minneapolis Lakers star who was the first great big man in American basketball.
Joe Montana (1994/12/29/0733931) He was known as the Joe Montana of Big Waves, and was a do-it-all: broadcaster, author, businessman, health enthusiast, traveler.

1995

Steven Spielberg (1995/01/02/0734637) FUTURE: Some industry executives call Mr. Knight the Spielberg of hip-hop, but they wonder if he can stay out of legal trouble.
Auguste Rodin (1995/01/05/0735124) His friend the Marquis de Lafayette recommended D’Angers, the Rodin of his time, as anyone visiting the Louvre’s Richelieu Court can see.
Babe Ruth (1995/01/05/0735173) The office of Rush Limbaugh, the Babe Ruth of the talk-show circuit, said Mr. Limbaugh was on vacation.
Willie Horton (1995/01/09/0735946) The need to cut either welfare or promised retirement benefits exists only in the political posturing that is the Willie Horton of the 1990’s.
Camille Paglia (1995/01/13/0736539) Ms. Minter seems to be flirting with the idea that there is something glamorous as well as perverse about the sexual obsessions she chronicles; perhaps she wants to be the Camille Paglia of the visual arts.
Marco Polo (1995/01/15/0737073) A friend of his, he tells us, gave him a chronicle of the famous 14th-century North African traveler Ibn Battuta (the Marco Polo of Islam, he has been called), who left his Moroccan birthplace, at the age of 21, on travels that took him, over the course of 30 years, eastward to India and China, northward to Central Asia and deep into Africa.
Ted Turner (1995/01/15/0737125) He has been the Ted Turner of his sport, at times colorizing it unmercifully, but ever able.
Samuel Pepys (1995/01/15/0737169) Pugh presents himself as the Samuel Pepys of the park, witness to the eerie, violent goings-on.
Cornelius Vanderbilt (1995/01/19/0737800) If the mild-mannered entrepreneur wants to become the Cornelius Vanderbilt of late 20th-century Brazil, his compatriots learned long ago not to laugh at his vision of a private railroad extending across Brazil’s western frontier.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1995/01/20/0738148) Raschker, the Jackie Joyner-Kersee of Masters track and field, has won dozens of other national and world titles in the sprints, hurdles, jumps and heptathlon.
Dizzy Gillespie (1995/02/01/0740755) One might doubt that the cheek of a halibut would constitute a substantial repast for a healthy adult, but the thick, meaty portion seems to have come from the Dizzy Gillespie of the deep.
Joan Rivers (1995/02/01/0740881) At age 59, Mrs. Fue looks and acts like the Joan Rivers of Woodstown.
Philip Johnson (1995/02/05/0741684) Probably no one has profited more from this system than Josef Kleihues, who has become the Philip Johnson of Berlin – an eminent architect with an unusual combination of political power and esthetic clout.
Mother Teresa (1995/02/06/0741881) Mrs. Porter was once called “the Mother Teresa of Houston,” and she is no less experienced in dealing with the news media.
Mario Cuomo (1995/02/09/0742308) Is he going to be the Mario Cuomo of 1996?
Adolf Hitler (1995/02/10/0742588) A recent editorial in The Hindustan Times, one of the country’s most influential newspapers, described Mr. Seshan as “the Fuhrer of /the Indian poll ‘Reich’/ “ for his habit of issuing directives that his critics say reach far beyond election statutes.
Robert Novak (1995/02/11/0742594) Mr. Will ventured so far as to try to get Ms. Rivlin to say something one could understand about the relation between the budget and interest rates, and even Sam Donaldson, the Robert Novak of the middling left, avoided treating the subject as if it were a wrestling match.
Ed Asner (1995/02/12/0742777) Characters that never saw the light of day include Nipsy and Russell (either two possums or two raccoons), Bossy Beaver and Doyle (“sort of the Ed Asner of beavers and his moronic sidekick”) and the amoeba stars of “As the Petri Dish Turns.”
Franz Kafka (1995/02/12/0743054) Robert Frank and Lee Friedlander may have racked up as many honors, and Richard Avedon may have gained wider name recognition, but none of them can claim to possess her black-crepe glamour as the Kafka of American photography.
Frank Perdue (1995/02/13/0743158) “I was once the Frank Perdue of Leningrad,” he said.
Magic Johnson (1995/02/14/0743308) With his black hair parted slightly to the right, Holman was the playmaker, the Magic Johnson of his time.
Kurt Cobain (1995/02/19/0744055) Some possible portents of doom: a recording that advertises Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony as “the ‘Star Wars’ of symphonic music” and Ludwig van B. himself as the Kurt Cobain of his generation; a famous young virtuoso playing “The Four Seasons” in a music video broadcast on the Weather Channel; arousing anthologies of “Sensual Classics” aimed at heterosexual or homosexual listeners; disks of Arvo Part’s music stamped with a descriptive blurb from Michael Stipe of R.E.M.
Bill Gates (1995/02/19/0744341) They call him the Bill Gates of Japan.
Tina Turner (1995/02/28/0745877) If Bill Blass has one more season as outstanding as his last two, he will have earned the right to be called the Tina Turner of the fashion industry.
Johnny Appleseed (1995/03/05/0746816) But in 1974, Brent Musburger started broadcasting the college tournament for CBS and became the Johnny Appleseed of alliteration, using the phrase he had known as a high school reporter for the old Chicago American.
Sol Hurok (1995/03/13/0748567) Ralph Mercado, now the Sol Hurok of Latin music in New York, did the booking.
Ralph Lauren (1995/03/14/0748676) The shift here from commercial power to the search for the creative was most apparent by the turnout for Fabio Piras, another recent St. Martin’s graduate, who scheduled his runway show at the same time that Margaret Howell, considered the Ralph Lauren of London, was holding her first runway show in 15 years.
Abdul Sattar Edhi (1995/03/17/0749200) “No – I’d rather call Mother Teresa the Abdul Sattar Edhi of Calcutta.”
Madonna (1995/04/01/0752308) With her pouting smile, suggestive clothing and theatrical command of a microphone, Selena was often described as the Madonna of the Mexican-American world and was an idol and heartthrob on both sides of the border.
Homer (1995/04/02/0752494) Roone Arledge of ABC emerged as the Homer of an enormously profitable televised mythology that brought us epic battles in slo-mo and instant replay.
Madonna (1995/04/02/0752494) He was the Madonna of his time, especially by 1969, when he guaranteed a Super Bowl victory for his underdog team, and delivered.
Ralph Nader (1995/04/09/0753814) In three hours of stepping in and out of a limousine and in and out of restaurants, some fancy, some less so, he was greeted by strangers who clearly saw him as a crusader for good in the world, the Ralph Nader of food, Our Man in the Public Dining Room.
Arthur Ashe (1995/04/14/0755076) Just a 19-year-old amateur, but disciplined, talented, and a social diplomat, Woods may be the Arthur Ashe of the Nineties.
Bill Bradley (1995/04/14/0755076) Here is Rebecca Lobo, the Bill Bradley of the Nineties, smart, nice, dedicated, the cover girl of the University of Connecticut’s unbeaten National Collegiate Athletic Association championship team.
Robert Maxwell (1995/04/23/0757457) The cause of all this fuss and feathers is that – brace yourself – he fired one agent (the wife of his close friend, the novelist Julian Barnes), and hired another, Andrew Wylie, an American now referred to in the British papers as “the Jackal” and “the Robert Maxwell of agenting,” who got him a juicy advance for the British edition, rumored to be close to $800,000.
Benedict Arnold (1995/04/24/0757794) But he has received a barrage of angry electronic-mail messages from cyberspace regulars, accusing him, Mr. Stoll says, of being “the Benedict Arnold of the computer world.”
Marshall McLuhan (1995/04/24/0757794) In a sense, this is a race to emerge as the Marshall McLuhan of the 90’s, a popular interpreter of digital technology, the way Professor McLuhan served as the sage of the mass media in the 1960’s and 70’s.
Cary Grant (1995/05/01/0759317) “He was the Cary Grant of public relations,” Mr. Cowan said.
Annie Lennox (1995/05/02/0759532) Siouxsie Sioux (originally Susan Janet Dallion), the leader of Siouxsie and the Banshees, is the Annie Lennox of the gothic-rock underground, whose denizens were in full force at Roseland in black gowns and capes, black eyeliner, black hair dye and white face powder.
Magic Johnson (1995/05/04/0760016) Once hailed as the Magic Johnson of Europe, Kukoc has made great strides in his game since signing an eight-year, $17.6 million contract with the three-time champion Bulls in 1993.
Stonewall Jackson (1995/05/13/0762154) “What this agreement tells us is that this Mayor is not the Stonewall Jackson of labor relations,” said Edward F. Ott, the political director of Local 1180 of the Communications Workers of America, which represents about 10,000 city administrative employees.
Thomas Edison (1995/05/22/0764270) Some see him as the Thomas Edison of the information age; others see John D. Rockefeller.
James Brown (1995/05/22/0764316) It figured it would unfold this way for Vijay Singh, the James Brown of golf, the hardest working man in the game.
Ralph Nader (1995/05/23/0764448) But Fumio Matsuda, who is head of the Japan Automobile Consumers Union and is often described as the Ralph Nader of Japan, said officials there simply did not care as much about safety as did officials in the United States.
Tony Bennett (1995/05/30/0765760) Pepsico is hoping that, for Generation-Xers, he will be the Tony Bennett of soda pop.
Adolf Hitler (1995/05/31/0765926) Walter Winchell, after all, branded his client, Mr. Cassidy, “the Fuhrer of Flatbush.”
Honoré de Balzac (1995/06/11/0768089) The novelist who is fast becoming the Balzac of the contemporary Midwest sets her newest book on the campus of a big agricultural university and puts a 700-pound pig right in the middle.
Mark Messier (1995/06/14/0768829) Long ago, Lindros was anointed by the system, declared to be the Mark Messier of the 21st century, and so his limited productivity was the most noticeable.
Joyce Carol Oates (1995/06/18/0769742) She is a veteran of the last years of Hollywood’s studio system, an Academy Award-winning actress with more than 40 films to her credit, a touring hoofer-singer-headliner in her own lounge act, a reincarnation advocate who (at least in my local bookstore, where the New Age section shelf placards read “The Unexplained, UFO-related, Wicca, Out-of-Body, Shirley MacLaine”) has created a whole new area of metaphysical study, and, given that “My Lucky Stars” is her eighth autobiographical work, she is by now practically the Joyce Carol Oates of Hollywood memoirists.
Johnny Appleseed (1995/06/21/0770285) “At long last, the Johnny Appleseed of massive penny-stock fraud has been brought to justice,” he said.
Meryl Streep (1995/06/25/0771074) These shifts are so quick, yet so dramatic, that one observer has called her the Meryl Streep of anchorwomen.
Ed Sullivan (1995/06/25/0771235) HE’S the Ed Sullivan of the insomniac set.
Abby Hoffman (1995/06/29/0771862) “He is sort of like the Abby Hoffman of the movement,” said Zephyr, a Manhattan man who calls himself the “elder statesman” of graffiti makers.
Ernest Hemingway (1995/07/02/0772688) Gallico, a columnist for The Daily News, was called the Hemingway of the sports page and reportedly was paid more than Grantland Rice, Damon Runyon, Westbrook Pegler and other oft-quoted writers.
James Brown (1995/07/04/0772904) India was followed by the James Brown of the salsa world, Oscar D’Leon, whose band went on to support Ms. Cruz.
Dan Quayle (1995/07/05/0773003) Judge Lance A. Ito must feel like the Dan Quayle of the trial bench, condemned by an early negative impression.
Nolan Ryan (1995/07/11/0774127) “He’s the Nolan Ryan of the 90’s.
Don King (1995/07/14/0774861) He is a party elephant, the Don King of the club-date business.
Larry King (1995/07/16/0775170) “There are few people who love him but many who feel a deep respect for him,” said Lubos Beniak, the Larry King of Czech television.
Rupert Brooke (1995/07/18/0775612) Because of that lyricism, coupled with his good looks, he was also once labeled “the Rupert Brooke of the Depression,” in a barbed reference to the handsome British war poet who died during World War I..
P. T. Barnum (1995/07/23/0776903) Until three years ago, when the cosmic visionary from Waco, Tex., who has been called the P. T. Barnum of the avant-garde and the guru of visual stage art, came upon a 30,000-square-foot industrial laboratory on six acres in Water Mill, where Western Union scientists onceexperimented.
Bob Dylan (1995/07/23/0777236) The lead vocalist and guitarist, Robert Krestan, is known as the Bob Dylan of the Czech Republic.
Susan Smith (1995/07/24/0777315) In an opinion article published today in The Los Angeles Times, Mr. Jackson wrote that Mr. Wilson was “the Susan Smith of national politics, reaching for a racial scapegoat,” an allusion to the white South Carolina woman who confessed to drowning her two sons after claiming for nine days that a black carjacker had abducted them.
William Safire (1995/07/26/0777722) Mr. Jacobs might be called the William Safire of food writing, and it has nothing to do with his politics.
Albert Pinkham Ryder (1995/07/30/0778793) Indeed, their intimate atmosphere coupled with the enamel-like surface of the color makes Mr. Wasow the Albert Pinkham Ryder of the group.
Rembrandt (1995/07/30/0778992) He is the Rembrandt of roller-coaster designers.
Marie Curie (1995/08/03/0779787) You will become the Marie Curie of pool chemistry, noting with dismay the yellow of high chlorine and the blood red of intense pH.
Walt Disney (1995/08/06/0780580) He already has a grand vision: he won’t be merely a multimedia artist, he’ll be a mogul, the Walt Disney of 21st century cyberspace.
Quentin Tarantino (1995/08/06/0780779) Last January, he organized a weeklong series of lectures about, and arty Cantonese movies by, the director Wong Kar-wai, known as the Quentin Tarantino of Hong Kong.
Babe Ruth (1995/08/12/0781898) Herve Filion, described by his lawyer as the Babe Ruth of harness racing, turned himself in to the authorities here today amid charges that he and two other harness drivers threw races at Yonkers Raceway earlier this summer.
Elvis Presley (1995/08/13/0781959) Most of the crowd at Action Park came to see the Elvis of polka, Jimmy Sturr.
Tom Hanks (1995/08/13/0782306) “I think of him as the Tom Hanks of money management,” he said.
Babe Ruth (1995/08/26/0784760) Dean is called the Babe Ruth of arm wrestling because he was the undisputed champ from 1978 to 1986, retired, got divorced, went into a depression, ballooned to 700 pounds, then dieted by “cutting out the fat in my food,” he said, came back to arm wrestling last year and won the championship again in October.
Mark Fuhrman (1995/08/29/0785565) Dr. Oziel became the Mark Fuhrman of the Menendez trial, his own character and past stealing the limelight much as those of Detective Fuhrman have in the Simpson trial.
Lizzie Borden (1995/08/30/0785760) This was supposed to be the Lizzie Borden of Congresses, the one whose fiscal broadax would whack away at friend and foe alike in the name of a balanced budget.
Berenice Abbott (1995/09/01/0785939) Many of the photographs were taken by the Berenice Abbott of New York beer culture, a local figure known as Uncle Ernie O.
Jane Goodall (1995/09/01/0786021) By all accounts, this artist was the Jane Goodall of his day, passing years deep in the forest to observe his subjects.
Magnus Hirschfeld (1995/09/03/0786550) A poster headed “Two Jewish Scribblers,” a denunciation of Schreker and Ernst Toch, called Schreker “the Magnus Hirschfeld of opera composers,” referring to a famous psychiatrist of the day, and declared contemptuously that “there was no sexual-pathological aberration he would not have set to music.”
Willie Mays (1995/09/06/0786967) “How does it feel to be the Willie Mays of heart surgery?”
Albert Einstein (1995/09/10/0787852) Descriptions of Mr. King as “a street Machiavelli, a ghetto Einstein” and of Muhammad Ali as “the Einstein of the Sweet Science” hit the eye like a head-butt, and calling Ali’s victory over George Foreman “an epic, a miracle, a revolution” throws rhetoric over the event while illuminating nothing.
Walt Disney (1995/09/17/0789033) But the modern form of comics and animation was created in the two decades after World War II by Osamu Tezuka, who is known as the Walt Disney of Japan.
Cal Ripken (1995/09/17/0789254) There are 78 hair salons for men, women or both, including an evocatively named pair – Fantasy of Italy Hair Design just south of Dyckman, and Fantastic Unisex at 149th Street – and the Broadway Barber Shop at 104th, where Kay Demetriou, apparently the Cal Ripken of barbers, has not missed a day of snipping and shaving, he says, in more than 50 years.
Michael Eisner (1995/09/18/0789404) Mr. Karmazin says the fears are unfounded and contends he is not about to become the Michael Eisner of radio, let alone its Citizen Kane.
Andrew Dice Clay (1995/09/22/0790066) Mr. Ezsterhas, the Andrew Dice Clay of screenwriting, bludgeons the audience with such tirelessly crude thoughts that when a group of chimps get loose in the showgirls’ dressing room and all they do is defecate, the film enjoys a rare moment of good taste.
Magnus Hirschfeld (1995/09/24/0790586) To the Editor: In his piece on Franz Schreker [ “Dastardly Doings In Elysium, Lavishly Scored,” Sept. 3 ] , Jamie James refers to Magnus Hirschfeld as “a famous psychiatrist of the day” in the context of noting that a Nazi poster had slanderously called Schreker “the Magnus Hirschfeld of opera composers.”
Birgit Nilsson (1995/09/24/0790824) George Gershwin adored the brassy singing of Ethel Merman, the Birgit Nilsson of Broadway, as well as the stylish crooning of Fred Astaire, whose voice barely reached the balcony.
Jackie Robinson (1995/09/27/0791171) Professor Gates, who regards Dr. Simmons as a mentor, said, “She’s the Jackie Robinson of college presidents.”
Edie Sedgwick (1995/10/08/0795405) “She’s the Edie Sedgwick of 1995,” he said.
Mark Fuhrman (1995/10/11/0796696) “They may not be the Mother Teresa of banking, but they are far from the Mark Fuhrman of banking,” said Kenneth Thomas, an independent consultant based in Miami.
Mother Teresa (1995/10/11/0796696) “They may not be the Mother Teresa of banking, but they are far from the Mark Fuhrman of banking,” said Kenneth Thomas, an independent consultant based in Miami.
Donald Trump (1995/10/15/0798541) Or maybe just the Donald Trump of schlock novelists: long on bluster, short on certain crucial specifics.
Cal Ripken (1995/10/16/0798972) “I’m the Cal Ripken of American politics,” Mr. Dole said during a campaign stop at a factory in Manchester this week.
Bill Gates (1995/10/20/0801043) Son, by now a billionaire, is one of Japan’s rare entrepreneurial success stories and is sometimes called the Bill Gates of Japan, after the Microsoft founder.
Toots Shor (1995/10/22/0802229) Mr. Salinger, a vice chairman of the Burson-Marsteller public relations agency, knows or has known everyone – he’s the Toots Shor of current affairs – and he also tells a good story.
Marcia Clark (1995/10/24/0802908) “The last thing I want is to become known as the Marcia Clark of South Texas,” said Nueces County District Attorney Carlos Valdez.
George Balanchine (1995/10/26/0803393) “This is incredible,” said Chief Scagnelli, the new head of the Police Department’s Traffic Control Division or, as one official put it, the George Balanchine of traffic control.
Peter Lynch (1995/11/05/0806816) A former securities lawyer with a perpetually bemused look, he is the Peter Lynch of litigation, a bottom-up, kick-the-tires, taste-the-pudding kind of guy who aims to determine how investors might profit from pending litigation.
Ross Perot (1995/11/05/0807033) “Call me the Ross Perot of Queens,” he said.
Lee Harvey Oswald (1995/11/08/0807533) The Likud party leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, has been doing his best to paint Yigal Amir, Mr. Rabin’s assassin, as a lone gunman – the Lee Harvey Oswald of Israel.
Johnny Appleseed (1995/11/08/0807597) As the NBC correspondent, John Larson, tells the story, that officer, Bob Perez, is the Johnny Appleseed of the accusations.
Norman Rockwell (1995/11/10/0808051) It is tempting, but too easy, to think of Ansel Adams as simply the Norman Rockwell of landscape photography: immensely popular but critically negligible.
Colin Powell (1995/11/12/0808386) That sense was used by Shakespeare in a play about Coriolanus, the Colin Powell of his ancient time: “I say unto you, what he hath done Famouslie.
Lou Gehrig (1995/11/19/0810029) Two years later, in a note to Mr. Carret, he said, “You are the Lou Gehrig of investing.”
John Travolta (1995/11/20/0810374) Said Patrick Lang, a World Cup coordinator: “I’m sure he would like to be the John Travolta of skiing.
Henny Youngman (1995/11/26/0811451) In his first two-year term, Mr. Peters, a short, stocky man of 47 with graying hair and graying mustache, has firmly established himself as the Henny Youngman of the mayoral business, the city hall king of the one-liners.
Lord Byron (1995/12/03/0812887) MADAME, you will live, and you will be the Lord Byron of France,” Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand wrote prophetically to George Sand after reading her novel “Lelia” in 1833.
Thomas Edison (1995/12/03/0813152) Clearly, Mr. Gingrich was the Thomas Edison of Gopac, and he was comfortable with the language of the entrepreneurs on his team.
P. D. James (1995/12/10/0815065) Although the author has been called “the P. D. James of Japan,” the characters in this psychological suspense tale indulge in irrational behavior that would get them committed, if not arrested, in a James novel.
Shirley Temple (1995/12/10/0815068) THIS enthralling, heartbreaking book restores to attention Philippa Schuyler, child prodigy of the 1930’s, pianist, composer, Harlem’s Mozart, “the Shirley Temple of American Negroes.”
Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres (1995/12/17/0816796) When Mr. Freud was young, he was once called “the Ingres of existentialism” for his meticulous drawings of anxious figures.
Walter Cronkite (1995/12/18/0816853) A Growth Industry Orion Samuelson, the Walter Cronkite of farm broadcasting, has come a long way from Green Bay, Wis., where he read livestock prices on local TV, to the Tribune Tower in Chicago, where he is at the forefront of an increasingly technology-driven field.
Jane Austen (1995/12/19/0817116) The writer Stephen King, noting Mr. Ross’s gift for character and witty dialogue, once called him “the Jane Austen of the political espionage story.”
Brandon Tartikoff (1995/12/24/0818001) Now he is in a position roughly equivalent to head of programming at a television network or production chief at a movie studio; he finds it an apt comparison when it’s suggested that he might become the Brandon Tartikoff of cyber-space.

1996

Rodney Dangerfield (1996/01/05/0820352) SADLY, pedestrians are the Rodney Dangerfield of New York transit.
Madonna (1996/01/12/0822045) To which Edrick Van, a London dealer, replied, “But I thought the Pope was the Madonna of the art world.”
Oprah Winfrey (1996/01/17/0823245) In stepped Ann Landers, the Oprah Winfrey of newspapers, who on Jan. 7 made the rare move of devoting her column to a book, describing “The Right to Privacy” as “eye-opening and educational” and “well worth the money.”
Joe Montana (1996/01/17/0823248) When a Guy starts cooking, he wants to be the Joe Montana of mousse, the Michael Jordan of julienne, the Cal Ripken Jr. of roasting.
Michael Jordan (1996/01/17/0823248) When a Guy starts cooking, he wants to be the Joe Montana of mousse, the Michael Jordan of julienne, the Cal Ripken Jr. of roasting.
Rush Limbaugh (1996/01/21/0824224) “First off,” thunders Cherry, the Rush Limbaugh of hockey commentary, “I’ll say that Ulf is a rough, tough player who’s very effective.
Thomas Jefferson (1996/01/24/0825044) Last year’s overnight sensation, Edward Burns of “The Brothers McMullen,” came out of nowhere and now has Jennifer Aniston acting in his new film and Robert Redford, the Thomas Jefferson of Sundance, helping as a creative consultant.
Joe Namath (1996/01/24/0825111) He was also asked: “Are you the Joe Namath of the 90’s?”
James Dean (1996/01/25/0825448) Mr. Cybulski’s performance, full of cynical bravado, established him as the James Dean of Poland.
Muhammad Ali (1996/01/26/0825563) It is titanium, the Muhammad Ali of metals because it floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee and can take – and deliver – one heck of a punch.
Winston Churchill (1996/01/28/0825822) Have I told you I think Newt Gingrich is the Winston Churchill of our age?”
Gertrude Stein (1996/01/28/0826222) Until recently, Mr. Koch held a kind of a salon for prominent New Yorkers on Saturday evenings, as if he were the Gertrude Stein of the late 20th century.
Willie Sutton (1996/01/29/0826314) WHEN it comes to gulling the news media, Joey Skaggs is an undisputed pro, the Willie Sutton of the counterfeit news release.
Heloise (1996/01/31/0826614) “I didn’t expect to be, like, the Heloise of the 90’s,” Mr. Green says, popping open the can of Spam.
Jim Morrison (1996/01/31/0826617) But “Excess and Punishment,” which opens today at the Film Forum, makes no attempt to lionize Schiele as the Jim Morrison of Austrian Expressionists.
Robert Moses (1996/02/04/0827620) Mr. Gill said he was delighted with the board’s action, adding, “Lee Koppelman is the Robert Moses of Long Island, and his support is very important.”
Julia Child (1996/02/05/0827896) But with his wife rapidly gaining a reputation as “the Julia Child of cookbook editors” and with their own jointly cooked meals becoming such a New York institution that the critic Stanley Kauffmann once described their East 66th Street apartment as “the best restaurant in New York,” Mr. Jones focused his writing increasingly on food.
Calvin Klein (1996/02/08/0828535) Russell Colley, a thwarted women’s fashion designer who used his consolation career as a mechanical engineer to become the Calvin Klein of space wear, died on Sunday at the Ohio Masonic Home in Springfield, Ohio.
Dennis Rodman (1996/02/10/0828890) But here she is anyway, the Dennis Rodman of the running set with her spiked haircut, an earring in her eyebrow, a tattoo of a rat on one leg and Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” on the other.
Tonya Harding (1996/02/10/0828923) Peyton is the Tanya Harding of the plot, seething with lower-class resentments.
William Shakespeare (1996/02/11/0829303) “If H. G. Wells is the Shakespeare of science fiction, then Samuel R. Delany is its James Joyce,” said Prof. David Samuelson of California State University at Long Beach, who has been studying Mr. Delany’s work for 20 years.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1996/02/11/0829501) Mr. Dole is the Mozart of resentment.
Margaret Mead (1996/02/18/0831070) Richard Curtis is the Margaret Mead of Hell’s Kitchen, a “street ethnographer.”
Andy Williams (1996/02/25/0832619) For a while he starred in on-location Christmas shows, making him the Andy Williams of Long Island.
James Madison (1996/02/25/0832695) GARY SHAW of Greenlawn has become the James Madison of Belarus.
Don Rickles (1996/03/03/0833973) “Albano called Margiotta the Don Rickles of the Republican Party,” D’Amato recalls, then his shoulders start rocking, he whistles and throws his fist in the air exultantly, makes a hockey-game Whoooh noise followed by other stadium shouts.
Patrick Henry (1996/03/05/0834527) He was even listed as a speaker at an April conference at Lake Tahoe that will include Louis Beam, who has served as an ambassador at large for the Aryan Nations, a white supremacist group, and is described by admirers as “the Patrick Henry of our movement.”
Elliott Gould (1996/03/08/0835139) All coy grins and daffy mugging, Mr. Stiller plays the role as if aspiring to become the Elliott Gould of his generation.
Niccolò Machiavelli (1996/03/14/0836529) For Bennett S. LeBow, the Niccolo Machiavelli of the foxy deal, yesterday’s agreement to settle a giant class-action lawsuit against his Liggett Group tobacco company is being viewed as his masterpiece.
Mike Tyson (1996/03/17/0837444) He talked of being the Tyson of virtually another era.
Bob Vila (1996/03/17/0837471) The 34-year-old Mr. Bunting likes to say he is the Bob Vila of computerdom, but he more closely resembles Susan Powter as a marketing phenonmenon.
Mario Lanza (1996/03/24/0838761) And I was not the Mario Lanza of the school.
Kate Moss (1996/03/26/0839428) With his melting posture, moody eroticism and haunted gaze, Mr. Malkovich bids fair to become the Kate Moss of acting.
Samuel Adams (1996/03/27/0839520) “One told me I was the Sam Adams of the Middle East,” Mr. Khoury said, grinning.
Will Rogers (1996/03/29/0840002) The National Rifle Association – the Will Rogers of lobbying groups, having never met a gun it didn’t like – wanted all semiautomatics back on the market, and a House majority was happy to accommodate it.
Leonardo da Vinci (1996/04/01/0840751) As the critic Molly Haskell puts it, “He was the Leonardo of cinema, and she was his Mona Lisa.”
Elvis Presley (1996/04/08/0842318) In the year that has passed since Mr. Salinas was last seen publicly, he has become the Elvis of former presidents.
Édith Piaf (1996/04/08/0842399) In a place like the Monkey Bar, I had to be able to play everything from tangos to the songs of Om Kalsoum,” the late singer he described as “the Edith Piaf of Egypt.”
Rodney Dangerfield (1996/04/11/0842911) in 25 1/3 innings) and won 44 games for the Texas Rangers over the last three years to the former Mets pitcher’s 15, Rogers has inexplicably been treated like the Rodney Dangerfield of the Yankee staff.
Errol Flynn (1996/04/21/0845200) This prideful detachment was, of course, a mask: though one friend admiringly called him “the Errol Flynn of losers,” others realized that Wilder was simply too unsure of his own gifts to make the fullest use of them.
Rush Limbaugh (1996/04/21/0845244) Harry Hurley is “the Rush Limbaugh of Atlantic City,” said a competing morning talk radio host, Don Williams of WOND-AM, whose dominance of 14,000 listeners has been challenged by Mr. Hurley’s growing popularity.
George Washington (1996/04/25/0846131) “To me, David Ben-Gurion is the George Washington of the State of Israel and Jackie Kennedy was the queen of the United States,” he said.
T. Berry Brazelton (1996/04/25/0846208) “I just treat them like children,” said Mrs. MacDougall, the T. Berry Brazelton of the decorating world.
Pablo Picasso (1996/04/27/0846499) He won such wide acclaim that he was sometimes called “the Picasso of commercial artists,” and his work was included in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art and the Smithsonian Institution.
Red Skelton (1996/05/05/0848246) Prof. P. Jeffrey Hopkins of the University of Virginia, Thurman’s colleague and fellow translator, calls him “the Red Skelton of Tibetan Buddhism.”
Mother Teresa (1996/05/05/0848296) She was hailed as “clearly the Mother Teresa of the small screen.”
Mahatma Gandhi (1996/05/06/0848753) Elsewhere, the 36-year-old candidate has been mobbed by enthusiastic lower-caste villagers who seem delighted by her description of herself as “the Gandhi of Mirzapur” – meaning Mohandas K. Gandhi, the leader of India’s freedom struggle and, most Indians would say, the greatest of all its crusaders for the poor.
Elvis Presley (1996/05/06/0848805) Why, Perhaps, It’s Called Classical If television is the Elvis of communications technologies and the Internet is Nirvana, radio is more like Bach.
Marie Taglioni (1996/05/06/0848831) Ms. Kent has become the Marie Taglioni of the 1990’s, but with spunk, a dancer whose poetic lyricism calls to mind descriptions of that great 19th-century ballerina.
James Brown (1996/05/08/0849224) He’s the James Brown of salsa, with a tightly choreographed set and precise pop arrangements for his tunes.
Michael Jordan (1996/05/10/0849554) “Mr. Burry is the Michael Jordan of integrating insurance and health care, so he commands a pretty big salary,” said William Silverman, a spokesman for Blue Cross.
Johnny Appleseed (1996/05/14/0850533) In 1980, three years after he founded the Croquet Association, the governing body of the sport in the United States, Mr. Osborn said, “I look forward to the time when I can go from one city to another, 52 weeks a year, like the Johnny Appleseed of croquet.”
Genghis Khan (1996/05/17/0851153) At the fireside, Mr. Dlamini told the story of Shaka, the Genghis Khan of the Zulus, from his illegitimate birth in a minor clan to his leadership of armies that swept southern Africa in the early 19th century.
Dennis Rodman (1996/05/19/0851475) “You could tell she was the Dennis Rodman of mountain biking.”
Claire Shulman (1996/05/21/0852275) “I say Golda Meir was the Claire Shulman of Israel.”
Golda Meir (1996/05/21/0852275) “Some people say Claire Shulman is the Golda Meir of Queens,” said John S. Dyson, the outgoing Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Finance, responsible for cultural financing.
Charlie Brown (1996/05/26/0853475) Still, this is New Jersey, the Charlie Brown of franchises, where high expectations get tangled like a kite in a tree, where “good grief” is a normal post-game comment.
John Robinson (1996/05/28/0853767) “If I could be remembered as the John Robinson of my generation,” he said, “that would be high praise.”
Adlai Stevenson I (1996/06/02/0854862) It should have been no great surprise that a significant majority of Israeli Jews would vote their fears in an anxious time, finding Mr. Peres, whose aloofness and political stumbles make him the Adlai Stevenson of Israeli politics, less credible on the issue that mattered most to them: security.
Ross Perot (1996/06/09/0856237) “He’s the Ross Perot of East Hampton,” said Bruce Moore, owner of Bruce’s Seafood market.
Thomas Edison (1996/06/09/0856351) It said that since there seems to be a general consensus that Gates is the Edison of his day, you ought to hit him up for money.
Rodney Dangerfield (1996/06/12/0857282) ‘‘I call Lexmark the Rodney Dangerfield of printer companies,’’ said Steve Milunovich, an analyst at Morgan Stanley & Company, which co-managed the company’s November offering.
Robert Moses (1996/06/13/0857512) Whatever their origin, it is unlikely the walks came about without the permission, if not the involvement, of William H. Reynolds, the Robert Moses of Long Beach.
Michael Jordan (1996/06/14/0857634) He said he would bid on free agents “if the Michael Jordan of hockey” becomes available.
Virgil (1996/06/16/0858002) A historian and journalist by training, he has nonetheless striven for years to bear witness to Montana history in fiction, and to become if not the Homer at least the Virgil of generations of Scots who migrated to northwestern Montana before and after it became a state in 1889.
P. T. Barnum (1996/06/23/0859503) But Kevin J. Kinsella, known as the P. T. Barnum of biotech, has come very close to living the myth.
Christopher Columbus (1996/06/26/0860266) Our goal is to be the Christopher Columbus of doner.”
Millard Fillmore (1996/06/26/0860364) Ayh lived only a few more years and seems to have been the Millard Fillmore of Pharoahs.
Thurgood Marshall (1996/07/03/0862081) Her decision, in fact, can be read in several ways, and not all of the interpretations are easy to reconcile with the vision of equal-treatment feminism that she championed as the Thurgood Marshall of the women’s movement in the 1970’s.
John Barrymore (1996/07/05/0862461) FOR most of this century, the Hudson has been the John Barrymore of rivers, noble in profile but a sorry wreck.
Babe Ruth (1996/07/06/0862685) Precious is her name, but at the plate she is the power lady, the Babe Ruth of a no-nonsense league.
Paul Revere (1996/07/06/0862725) Ms. Turock, 59, blond, with a voice like honey, has been called “the Paul Revere of the Information Age” by the Librarian of Congress, James Billington.
Thomas Jefferson (1996/07/09/0863379) And I guess you could say Frank Thomas is the Thomas Jefferson of baseball.”
Sam Walton (1996/07/14/0864251) Though little known to the general public, Dobson is the Sam Walton of the family values movement, a distributor with unparalleled reach.
Mark Twain (1996/07/21/0866407) The image I always have is, this is a river town, and he’s like the Mark Twain of early music.
Rodney Dangerfield (1996/07/25/0867025) meetings and bridge parties, folding chairs, the Rodney Dangerfield of the home-furnishings world, are stashed in a closet when not in use.
Michael Johnson (1996/07/27/0867603) Godina, competing in his first Games, considered himself the Michael Johnson of shot-putters.
Frank Gifford (1996/07/28/0867931) There were potshots at other commentators, most notably John Tesh, whom Todd called “the Frank Gifford of gymnastics.
Margaret Thatcher (1996/07/31/0868645) For Benjamin Netanyahu, the conservative new Prime Minister, cutting those subsidies and slashing that work force rank high in a quest to become the Margaret Thatcher of Israel.
Michael Jordan (1996/08/03/0869199) And, of course, the Michael Jordan of Brazilian basketball for the past 20 years, has simply been known as Oscar.
Michael Johnson (1996/08/04/0869687) It’s one thing to win a gold medal, but the way he dominated, he was the Michael Johnson of the tennis field today.’’
Charlie Parker (1996/08/09/0870295) But for all its admiration, ‘‘Basquiat’’ winds up no closer to that assessment than to the critic Robert Hughes’s more jaundiced one: ‘‘Far from being the Charlie Parker of SoHo (as his promoters claimed), he became its Jessica Savitch.’’
Aesop (1996/08/09/0870300) Eric Rohmer’s ‘‘Rendezvous in Paris’’ is an oasis of contemplative intelligence in the summer movie season, presenting three graceful and elegant parables with the moral agility that distinguishes Mr. Rohmer as the Aesop of amour.
Billy Graham (1996/08/09/0870316) As in the past, the preponderance are Venetian pictures: Tiepolos, Guardis, Canalettos and a Jacopo Bellini that is surgically precise, and movingly so: a small depiction of the sallow, toothless and hollow-eyed St. Bernardino of Siena, who as a popular preacher was something like the Billy Graham of Bellini’s day.
Ayn Rand (1996/08/11/0870785) That would probably be bearable if the books weren’t getting progressively less readable; but she’s the Ayn Rand of the spirit realm.
Michelangelo (1996/08/13/0871265) The people who ran things four years ago are out, and people who made Republican images in happier days are back – people like Michael J. Deaver, the Michelangelo of the balloon drop, and the joint impresarios here, William I. Greener 3d and Paul J. Manafort, who both made their names in the 1980’s, heyday of Ronald Reagan.
Oprah Winfrey (1996/08/16/0871746) They bemoaned its dearth of fresh ideas and its reliance on the technological and dramatic capabilities of television, epitomized by Elizabeth Dole’s performance as the Oprah Winfrey of nominating night.
Jimi Hendrix (1996/08/19/0872309) He even tried to be the Jimi Hendrix of the harp, performing a distorted solo version of ‘‘The Star-Spangled Banner,’’ complete with modulated feedback.
Jim Carrey (1996/08/22/0872803) America’s flashiest extrovert, the Jim Carrey of capitalism, has gone existential on us.
Tommy Hilfiger (1996/08/25/0873205) We consider Mossimo the Tommy Hilfiger of Generation X.’’
John Grisham (1996/08/25/0873390) And this was before, of course, I knew that Jane Austen was going to turn out to be the John Grisham of the Romantic novel set.’’
Rodney Dangerfield (1996/08/25/0873426) But alas, the Rodney Dangerfield of Saddle River got no enduring respect from the Clintons.
Betsy Ross (1996/08/26/0873568) Sometimes called the Betsy Ross of the personal computer, Ms. Kare did path-breaking work on the original Macintosh in the early 1980’s, including the image of a miniature Mac with a smiley face that greets users when the machine is turned on, and the trash can.
Ravi Shankar (1996/08/28/0873866) Gazing fondly at his creations with a mysterious, beatific smile, Mr. Romano was obviously the Ravi Shankar of tomato chefs.
Mario Cuomo (1996/08/29/0874139) Conceivably, Senator Bill Bradley of New Jersey, 53, though he is turning away from elective politics for the moment and may end up as the Mario Cuomo of his generation.
John Wayne (1996/09/06/0875520) Mr. Bregovich, partly sarcastic, partly serious and partly flushed from the wine, replied, ‘‘I am the John Wayne of the restaurant frontier.’’
Deborah Tannen (1996/09/08/0875849) Delpit, who won a MacArthur ‘‘genius’’ grant in 1990, is the Deborah Tannen of school reform, explaining to many white educators why ‘‘you just don’t understand.’’
Donald Trump (1996/09/15/0877245) If you’re picturing me grilling my eggplant at home all week because I can’t compete with Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg for a table at Della Femina’s (He’s that big bald advertising guy who’s kind of the Donald Trump of East Hampton), forget it.
Oprah Winfrey (1996/09/15/0877451) 4 For talk, news and advice on everything from cooking to culture, listeners turn to the Oprah Winfrey of Korean radio.
Michael Clark (1996/09/16/0877682) Joaquin Cortes, a 27-year-old flamenco dancer who is being marketed by his management as the equivalent of a rock star, turns out to be the Michael Clark of Spanish dance.
Costa-Gavras (1996/09/19/0878125) Not just the Costa-Gavras of European contemporary dance, Mr. Bruce has previously turned to the theme of ‘‘the disappeared’’ in Latin America.
Walter Reed (1996/09/22/0878601) Harry Hamlin is attractive as the adult John, the one-time wastrel who miraculously redeems himself as the Walter Reed of an off-stage fever epidemic.
James Stewart (1996/09/29/0879966) AMY HECKERLING, WHO wrote and directed ‘‘Clueless’’ and calls Mr. Pope ‘‘the Jimmy Stewart of D.P.
Billy Carter (1996/09/30/0880417) And North Wilkesboro has always had a reputation as the Billy Carter of Nascar tracks: not a place to go on a first date.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1996/10/04/0881092) In its award citation, the Swedish Academy noted that Ms. Szymborska has been described as ‘‘the Mozart of poetry, not without justice in view of her wealth of inspiration and the veritable ease with which her words seem to fall into place.’’
George Raft (1996/10/06/0881370) James Mont, dapper and mustachioed, was the George Raft of American design, a carnation in his buttonhole and brass knuckles in his pocket.
Harold Stassen (1996/10/08/0882026) Now, after accidents of circumstance, the Harold Stassen of Utah may be poised to represent the state’s Second Congressional District, which includes most of Salt Lake County.
Hank Aaron (1996/10/08/0882093) He’s the Hank Aaron of tax increasers.’’
James Dean (1996/10/20/0884346) ‘‘Valentino was the James Dean of the silent period,’’ said Michael Edelson, a film historian who teaches at the State University at Stony Brook.
Jimmy Hoffa (1996/10/20/0884732) Etiquette will continue to be the Jimmy Hoffa of belief systems for as long as your publication endorses the notion that French fries, asparagus and shrimp are hand foods.
Rosa Parks (1996/11/03/0887445) ‘‘She has been the Rosa Parks of the gay and lesbian movement in Queens,’’ said Mr. Dromm, co-chairman of the Queens Lesbian and Gay Pride Committee.
Giuseppe Verdi (1996/11/07/0888251) As a curtain raiser for his stewardship in Washington, he could scarcely have come up with a more exotic production than the 1860’s adventure-romance in the rain forest by Antonio Carlos Gomes, who was known as ‘‘the Verdi of Brazil.’’
Joe Orton (1996/11/10/0888802) Ms. Eisenman, 30, is a social satirist, sort of the Joe Orton of visual artists.
Elizabeth Taylor (1996/11/13/0889510) Bijan wants Jordan to be the Elizabeth Taylor of men’s fragrances – not the now-retired Gabriela Sabatini, whose Gabriela perfume is no Chanel No.
Julia Child (1996/11/17/0890270) ‘‘We began with Escoffier and were influenced by Alice Waters,’’ said Markus Peter, referring to the Julia Child of Berkeley, Calif., who championed the use of organic and locally grown produce.
Jackie Robinson (1996/11/19/0890745) ‘‘She was the Jackie Robinson of tennis, being first and doing it with so much pride and dignity.
Deion Sanders (1996/11/20/0890930) Mr. Brown, who reveled in his reputation as the Deion Sanders of city government – brashness and talent in equal measure – has responded in an uncharacteristic way: he apologized.
Henry Ford (1996/11/24/0891496) Having once sold farmers’ digests to feed stores, the Henry Ford of journalism returned to America from World War I and began his new magazine in 1922, condensing articles in longhand in the New York Public Library, typing them up and delivering the pieces by hand to a mail train for the printers; by the late 1920’s, subscriptions were being handled by the Pleasantville Women’s Club, and by 1936, unfazed by the Depression, his secular Good News Bible was reaching 1.8 million readers.
Rodney Dangerfield (1996/11/24/0891519) Then, raising ambivalence to the level of an art form, Mr. Milazzo suggests that Realism has become the Rodney Dangerfield of categories because more bad art is committed in its name than in those of Abstraction and Conceptualism.
Walt Disney (1996/11/24/0891559) Osamu Tezuka, known as the Walt Disney of Japan, developed the modern Japanese form of comics and animation in the decades after World War II.
Faith Popcorn (1996/11/25/0891933) Salon, a publication on the World Wide Web, called him the Faith Popcorn of his generation, promoting youth trends with pop slogans of dubious validity.
Rodney Dangerfield (1996/12/03/0893306) But a new study from Hotwired, the Internet media service of Wired Ventures Inc., concludes that banner advertising perhaps ought not to be considered the Rodney Dangerfield of interactive advertising.
Rosie O’Donnell (1996/12/04/0893389) Ms. Rosenberg writes like the Rosie O’Donnell of cookie makers, which can be a little scary.
Loretta Young (1996/12/06/0893750) I’m the Loretta Young of drag.’’
Judith Krantz (1996/12/08/0894123) One book that lives way beyond its potential is A MAGICAL CHRISTMAS (Topaz/Dutton Signet, $14.95), by Heather Graham, who turns out to be the Judith Krantz of holiday fiction.
Oskar Schindler (1996/12/12/0895003) But to me, John Rabe is the Oskar Schindler of China, another example of good in the face of evil.’’
John Madden (1996/12/20/0896612) He spoke with his usual candor, and his partner, Verne Lundquist, thought he might eventually become ‘‘the John Madden of basketball announcers.’’
Pablo Picasso (1996/12/22/0896911) His 16-by-8-foot sign, ‘‘DEMILITARIZED ZONE - AHEAD,’’ made him the Picasso of the regiment.
Horatio Alger (1996/12/22/0896921) He is the Horatio Alger of the sexual revolution, a poor Kentucky boy who parlays a string of seedy Ohio strip joints into a porn publishing empire, getting rich and having fun while thumbing his nose at the establishment.
Jackie Mason (1996/12/26/0897637) ‘‘That had to be part of the equation,’’ she said, adding that her spiritual adviser was ‘‘the Jackie Mason of rabbinic law, very funny, very brilliant.’’
Michael Crichton (1996/12/27/0897742) Jules Verne was the Michael Crichton of the 19th century, a fabulist whose ability to link technology with imagination to create riveting pop-culture products was uncanny.

1997

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1997/01/01/0898757) ‘‘In 20th-century terms, if the visionary, uncompromising Brunelleschi was the Mies van der Rohe of the quattrocento, his follower Michelozzo was its pliant, agile Philip Johnson,’’ Mr. Trachtenberg wrote.
Philip Johnson (1997/01/01/0898757) Institute of Fine Arts since 1967, refers to Michelozzo as ‘‘the Philip Johnson of the 15th century.’’)
Bob Dylan (1997/01/02/0898946) Singing and rapping amid the sonic detritus of four decades, the Bob Dylan of the digital-sampling era ponders the death of modernism, the anxiety of influence and a ‘‘karaoke weekend at the suicide shack,’’ turning disorientation into a dance move.
Bill Gates (1997/01/03/0899132) After all is said, after all is done, Sam Brach, Holocaust survivor, butcher, philanthropist, political power broker, supermarket pioneer, may well be remembered as the Bill Gates of kosher in Kew Gardens Hills, Queens.
Walt Disney (1997/01/05/0899700) Buena Vista Home Entertainment, the distribution arm of Disney, recently acquired a library of Japanimation created by a man often hailed as ‘‘the Walt Disney of Japan,’’ Hiyao Miyazaki.
Walter Cronkite (1997/01/15/0901834) Palmer’s enduring believability has, in fact, made him the Walter Cronkite of sweat.
Bob Dylan (1997/01/17/0902211) Mr. Djordjevic (pronounced GEORGE-uh-vitch) has emerged as the Bob Dylan of the protest movement that has swept Serbia since the Government’s annulment of election victories by the opposition in 14 of the country’s 18 largest cities.
Attila (1997/01/18/0902375) It also isn’t known why the local Shona people weren’t living in cities when the hunter-explorer Adam Renders arrived in 1868, although this slice of Africa was in turmoil from droughts, disease, slavers and invasions by whites and by rival tribes fleeing the fierce empire-building of Shaka, the Attila of Zululand, hundreds of miles to the south.
Clint Eastwood (1997/01/26/0904614) As Mr. Dowlin arrived in San Francisco nine years ago, a local newspaper columnist suggested that the city would need the Clint Eastwood of librarians to deal with its lawless athenaeum.
Bob Dylan (1997/01/30/0905330) In the late 1960’s and early 70’s, the English folk and rock singer Roy Harper was set to burst out of the underground and become the Bob Dylan of the United Kingdom.
Perry Como (1997/01/31/0905488) Kenny G. (whose last name is Gorelick) is the Perry Como of saxophonists, a crooner of comforting melodies, the musical equivalent of warm milk.
Eddie Vedder (1997/02/09/0907512) On the stark black-and-white cover of his next album, he is seen hunched over, staring grimly; its songs bemoaned his fame, making him the Eddie Vedder of his day.
Chris Mullin (1997/02/10/0907989) He was going to be St. John’s savior of the 90’s, the Chris Mullin of color, except that Lopez’s jump shot was never as feathery and he had no way of knowing that the tribe he was joining was about to be leveled by storm.
Shelby Foote (1997/02/16/0909196) I gradually began to conjure up the image of Joseph Ellis as the Shelby Foote of the film, recalling that sales of Mr. Foote’s books had gone up exponentially after his bravura performance in the landmark Burns film on the Civil War.
Lana Turner (1997/02/16/0909383) This is the Lana Turner of the 1990’s?
Typhoid Mary (1997/02/16/0909447) And unlike Riley, he isn’t trying to divert us with Hamptons hair and Soho suits while he babbles pop sports psych (ironically, Riley may have been the Typhoid Mary of /the Knicks’ ‘‘Disease of Me’’/) that distances all messages.
Wynton Marsalis (1997/02/16/0909448) Cornicelli, who is a masterful caller, honked like the Wynton Marsalis of goose hunting.
Regis Philbin (1997/02/17/0909645) Some of this, of course, stems from the fact that 1996 was the Regis Philbin of recent campaigns: politics was omnipresent but so bland as to pass unnoticed.
Harold Stassen (1997/02/18/0909767) He’s the Harold Stassen of Daytona.
Pablo Picasso (1997/02/23/0910736) Bihzad was one: the Raphael, the Rembrandt, the Picasso of Persia in his day, the artist whose name was synonymous with art itself.
Paul Gauguin (1997/02/23/0910763) Now she is the Gauguin of Great Neck.
Oprah Winfrey (1997/02/23/0910902) He was apparently forgetting that Ms. Winfrey is already the Oprah Winfrey of literature.
Rosa Parks (1997/03/03/0913050) Ms. Haley said she found herself contemplating the contrast between such derisive comments with the more common praise for her mother, whom experts called the Rosa Parks of the affordable housing movement.
Joe Namath (1997/03/09/0914501) ‘‘It’s not just winning for us,’’ said Mr. Sherwood, who has begun to fancy himself the Joe Namath of bid whist.
Rosa Parks (1997/03/19/0916691) Considered the Rosa Parks of Cheyenne’s anti-bomb movement, Mrs. Laybourn was the lone voice of protest over the arrival of Atlas missiles at Warren’s nuclear command in 1958.
Bill Clinton (1997/03/23/0917392) The story of ‘‘Dashing Sally,’’ as Mr. Ellis writes, is ‘‘the longest-running mini-series in American history’’ – making Jefferson the Bill Clinton of his time.
Cornelius Ryan (1997/03/23/0917504) He might be called the Cornelius Ryan of the Civil War, producing the same sort of history-as-drama Ryan created with World War II books like ‘‘The Longest Day’’ and ‘‘A Bridge Too Far.’’
Ernest Hemingway (1997/03/27/0918474) They were led by Ms. O’Neill, the Ernest Hemingway of bargain hunters, whose militarily precise organizational abilities cause her husband to describe her as ‘‘a force of nature.’’
Michelangelo (1997/03/29/0918913) And when he’s referred to as the Michelangelo of coaching, I really think that’s a very appropriate term.’’
Ed McMahon (1997/04/06/0920768) Hank, the Ed McMahon of /the fictional talk show at the center of HBO’s popular ‘‘Larry Sanders Show,’’/ suddenly became a devout Jew in one episode and angered his colleagues by insisting on wearing a yarmulke.
Leslie Caron (1997/04/13/0922363) ‘‘I would have a beautiful little atelier, meet the Leslie Caron of my life, sit in a cafe and meet artists.
Bill Gates (1997/04/13/0922555) This remarkable man became the Bill Gates of his era by electrifying streetcars, and went on to invent the railroad air brake system used today, and the modern elevator.
Andy Warhol (1997/04/13/0922638) In blue slacks, polo-style shirt and white sneakers, Mr. Harris looks more like an off-duty accountant than the Andy Warhol of Silicon Alley, New York’s new-media mecca.
George Burns (1997/04/15/0922983) That is not to say that Dr. Mayr cannot be charming, even pointedly humble, making practiced jokes about himself and his age, sounding like the George Burns of evolutionary biology.
Jackie Robinson (1997/04/19/0923823) But the 21-year-old who is often described as the Jackie Robinson of golf blew off Jackie Robinson – and the Fan in Chief.
Ernie Banks (1997/04/20/0924364) On Sunday, he would like to become the Ernie Banks of soccer with a let’s-play-two approach to a doubleheader in Foxboro, Mass.
Tiger Woods (1997/04/20/0924370) Some want to bill her as the Tiger Woods of the L.P.G.A.
Nolan Ryan (1997/04/23/0924920) Yanks Obtain Rights to Irabu After weeks of negotiations, New York acquired the rights to pitcher Hideki Irabu, who has been called the Nolan Ryan of Japan.
Eugene O’Neill (1997/04/27/0925650) Theater columnists called him ‘‘the O’Neill of the 30’s.’’
Mahatma Gandhi (1997/04/30/0926511) He’s become the Gandhi of Cuba..’’
P. T. Barnum (1997/05/02/0926963) As Doby tells it, Veeck was more than just the P. T. Barnum of baseball, more than just exploding scoreboards and novelty acts, despite the indelible image of the midget Eddie Gaedel at bat.
Christian Lacroix (1997/05/06/0927940) ‘‘It’s the Jil Sander of bridal versus the Christian Lacroix of bridal.’’
Jil Sander (1997/05/06/0927940) ‘‘It’s the Jil Sander of bridal versus the Christian Lacroix of bridal.’’
Dennis Rodman (1997/05/11/0929079) Naturally, he likes Howard Stern, the Rodman of radio, much more than he likes David Stern, the National Basketball Association daddy figure, who will eventually be judged by how well he controls the stars who test him; maybe those box-office Roman candles needed hugs and spankings earlier.
Knute Rockne (1997/05/25/0932244) Sexton was the Knute Rockne of debate.
Tiger Woods (1997/05/25/0932541) ‘‘Or if you could, find the Tiger Woods of auto racing: someone who could capture the public’s attention,’’ he said.
Hubert Humphrey (1997/05/26/0932624) ‘‘I’m taking my watch off because we’re on a very tight schedule and I have the reputation of being the Hubert Humphrey of the Republican Party.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1997/06/01/0933739) ‘‘Edison was the Mozart of invention, at a time that was the heyday of American inventors.’’
Anwar el Sadat (1997/06/04/0934713) And Mr. Scruggs describes Mr. Myers as ‘‘the Anwar Sadat of the public health community.’’
Diana Vreeland (1997/06/06/0934955) The complex aural and visual style of ‘‘The Pillow Book’’ involves rectangular insets that flash back to Sei Shonagon (a kind of Windows 995) and illustrate the imperious little lists that made her sound like the Diana Vreeland of 10th-century tastes.
Jerry Della Femina (1997/06/08/0935419) He is becoming the Jerry Della Femina of the western Hamptons.
Tiger Woods (1997/06/09/0935919) Jeff Gordon is considered the Tiger Woods of Nascar, if only for his success at a relatively young age (25).
Cal Ripken (1997/06/14/0936888) Senate colleagues of Strom Thurmond, 94 years old, present him with baseball bat inscribed ‘To the Cal Ripken of the Senate, 41 years, 10 months and still going strong’; photo (S)
Studs Terkel (1997/06/17/0937769) Mayhew was the Studs Terkel of the 19th century.
Julia Child (1997/06/18/0937888) Thalassa Cruso, an authority on plants who was known as ‘‘the Julia Child of horticulture’’ for her common-sense if often loopy gardening programs on television in the 1960’s, died on June 11 at Newton and Wellesley Alzheimer Center in Wellesley, Mass.
Faust (1997/06/20/0938276) (You could call him the Faust of Sleepy Hollow.)
Rachel Carson (1997/06/26/0939628) He was the Rachel Carson of the oceans.’’
Judy Garland (1997/06/26/0939657) She won the contest and said that soon thereafter she was cast in her first musical, began playing leading roles in Athens theaters and eventually became known as the Judy Garland of Greece.
Niccolò Machiavelli (1997/06/27/0939762) Mr. Sommer’s Wolsey (a part, like Katherine, favored by legendary actors) is great fun as the Machiavel of the first acts (he has that perfect, ironed-on politician’s smile), but less convincing in his big ‘‘farewell to all my greatness’’ speech.
James Brown (1997/06/29/0940509) Wynalda has been the James Brown of soccer; just when he seems about to collapse and someone tosses a figurative cape over him, he bounds back to life.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1997/06/30/0940634) Woo ‘‘the Mozart of mayhem.’’
Susan Lucci (1997/07/04/0941534) ‘‘I am the Susan Lucci of iced tea contests.’’
Peter Lynch (1997/07/06/0941962) Gross, who oversees $92 billion of fixed-income assets, or 84 percent of Pimco’s $110 billion total, has been called ‘‘the Peter Lynch of bonds’’ by Newsweek magazine, in reference to the former manager of the Fidelity Magellan fund (though Mr.
John James Audubon (1997/07/07/0942258) Last year James Prosek, while still an undergraduate at Yale, published a dazzlingly brilliant collection of watercolor paintings, ‘‘Trout: An Illustrated History,’’ which set him on a course to becoming the Audubon of fish.
Parker Posey (1997/07/13/0943200) ‘‘I’m trying to be the Parker Posey of this year.’’
T. Berry Brazelton (1997/07/14/0943737) Buoyed by the book’s success, he is exploring possible ‘‘Gift of Fear’’ workshops for the public, and he is talking about a ‘‘Gift of Fear’’ sequel for parents, a book that, if written, threatens to make him the T. Berry Brazelton of the anxious set.
Rodney Dangerfield (1997/07/23/0945601) ‘‘Sheila is the Rodney Dangerfield of food,’’ says Clark Wolf, a food and restaurant consultant in New York whose recipe for bruschetta is in ‘‘The New Basics Cookbook’’ (Workman, 1989).
John Singer Sargent (1997/07/25/0945992) ‘‘When I was a student in 1961, the rap on me was that I could be the John Singer Sargent of my generation, which was meant in a derogatory way – that I was flashy – and which I fought against by imposing limits on myself as a portraitist.
Howard Baker (1997/07/29/0947001) In a phone interview, he called Mr. Lieberman, ‘‘the antidote to the cynicism of our time,’’ and, in terms equally flattering in certain circles, ‘‘the Howard Baker of the Democratic side.’’
Sylvia Plath (1997/08/01/0947558) All that is really clear is that Gemma, the silent one, is married to Rob (David Jacob Ryder), who is having an affair with Lorna (Sally Willig), whose mother, recalled as ‘‘the Sylvia Plath of South Hempstead,’’ committed suicide.
Maria Callas (1997/08/03/0948012) She was the Maria Callas of the Middle West.
George Steinbrenner (1997/08/06/0948730) Jerry Jones, the George Steinbrenner of pro football owners, thought he had brought law and order to his Dallas Cowboys.
Greta Garbo (1997/08/08/0949130) Kipketer is as guarded as he is fast; some reporters have labeled him the Greta Garbo of track and field.
Rodney Dangerfield (1997/08/09/0949254) This instrument, often relegated to playing secondary inner voices, is the Rodney Dangerfield of string instruments, getting no respect, no respect at all.
Mikhail Gorbachev (1997/08/10/0949412) He describes Arafat’s transformation from a courageous guerrilla leader – who told President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt as late as 1988 that he would sooner ‘‘cut off his right hand’’ than accept Israel’s right to exist – to, in Heikal’s view, a desperately pathetic politician, ‘‘the Gorbachev of Palestine.’’
Wally Pipp (1997/08/10/0949711) Mr. Rabbit may have been known as Lucky, but he quickly became a footnote in history – the Wally Pipp of cartoons.
Zsa Zsa Gabor (1997/08/10/0949711) ‘‘He is sort of the Zsa Zsa Gabor of animation,’’ said Chuck Jones, a distinguished animator who worked with Mr.
Mariano Duncan (1997/08/12/0950144) Curtis, who socked five hits, now has seven in a row and might keep Tim Raines on the bench forever And Luis Sojo, the Mariano Duncan of this year, had three hits and scored twice.
John Wayne (1997/08/15/0950661) This coming Sunday, the India Day Parade, billed as ‘‘unprecedented, spectacular, colossal,’’ will sail down lower Madison Avenue, with the John Wayne of Indian movie stars, Amitabh Bachchan, in the lead as grand marshal.
Walter Winchell (1997/08/17/0951215) Where else but in Nathanael West’s old neighborhood, where self-invention was invented, could a geeky guy who once managed the CBS gift shop here transform himself into the country’s reigning mischief-maker and proprietor of a one-man Internet gossip column that has made him the Walter Winchell of the World Wide Web?
Carl Sagan (1997/08/21/0951923) The emotional pitch is intended to ‘‘tap into the awe, mystery and wonder of weather’’ felt by many Americans, said Amy Pollard, brand marketing director at the Weather Channel, and persuade them to consider the network ‘‘the Carl Sagan of weather, the Jacques Cousteau of weather.’’
Jacques Cousteau (1997/08/21/0951923) The emotional pitch is intended to ‘‘tap into the awe, mystery and wonder of weather’’ felt by many Americans, said Amy Pollard, brand marketing director at the Weather Channel, and persuade them to consider the network ‘‘the Carl Sagan of weather, the Jacques Cousteau of weather.’’
Elvis Presley (1997/08/21/0951977) If Favre was popular before Green Bay beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI, he is now the Elvis of the National Football League.
Babe Ruth (1997/08/30/0953822) For one thing, today’s professionals play about four times as many matches per year than did Bill Tilden, widely regarded as the Babe Ruth of tennis.
Dave Brown (1997/08/31/0954083) STRENGTHS: Quarterback Trent Dilfer, the Dave Brown of the N.F.C.
Leonardo da Vinci (1997/09/07/0955547) ‘‘LIGHT UP THE SKY: THE SIGNS OF TIMES SQUARE’’ The Artkraft Strauss Company, the Leonardo of Times Square, will celebrate its centennial with a show of neon signs and archival photographs that provide a glimpse of the Great White Way’s evolution.
Walter Winchell (1997/09/07/0955605) A slight, bespectacled man, Moseley is a subculture legend who has served as the Walter Winchell of U.F.O.
Dennis Rodman (1997/09/07/0955616) I’m not the Dennis Rodman of musicals.
Michael Johnson (1997/09/07/0955919) Like the shape of the olive wreath that crowned its first winner, Coroebus, the Michael Johnson of his time, the Olympics has now come full circle.
Tony Gwynn (1997/09/10/0956469) The Mets broadcaster Ralph Kiner said, ‘‘He was the Tony Gwynn of his time.’’
Dennis Rodman (1997/09/12/0956851) Will Self is the Dennis Rodman of contemporary fiction.
Kublai Khan (1997/09/14/0957263) When David H. Murdock, the Californian chairman and chief executive of Castle & Cook Homes and the Dole Food Company, the Kubla Khan of Lanai, took the island out of pineapples and into upmarket tourism, he built a new landscape with imported dirt, moistened by water piped down from the wet, forested uplands beyond Lanai City.
Thomas Edison (1997/09/19/0958685) Danny DeVito embodies this as a gleeful Sid Hudgens (a character whom Mr. Hanson has called ‘‘the Thomas Edison of tabloid journalism’’), who is the unscrupulous editor of a publication called Hush-Hush and winds up linked to many of the other characters’ nastiest transgressions.
Bugsy Siegel (1997/09/21/0959132) Kerzner, who is sometimes called the Bugsy Siegel of the bush veld, was accused of bribery and was roundly denounced for using apartheid to advance his business interests.
Marion Barry (1997/09/22/0959661) You have Mr. Olmert, the Marion Barry of Jerusalem, who tries to propel his political career by appealing to the worst, most ethnocentric instincts in the city.
John Wayne (1997/09/26/0960422) Mr. Hopkins, whose creative collaboration with Bart goes back to ‘‘Legends of the Fall,’’ has called him ‘‘the John Wayne of bears.’’
Gary Cooper (1997/09/28/0961068) C. is the Gary Cooper of Washington Square Park,’’ said Mr. Stern, apparently referring to the actor’s role in ‘‘High Noon.’’
Bill McGowan (1997/10/02/0962017) ‘‘Bernie Ebbers is the Bill McGowan of today,’’ said Howard Anderson, managing director of the Yankee Group, a research firm in Boston.
John Wayne (1997/10/03/0962117) Photographed amid spectacular scenery, Mr. Hopkins and Mr. Baldwin trade amusingly wry Mametisms while awaiting regular appearances by Bart, whom Mr. Hopkins has fairly called ‘‘the John Wayne of bears.’’
Groucho Marx (1997/10/04/0962341) Keith Olbermann was the Groucho Marx of sportscasting.
Thurgood Marshall (1997/10/05/0962580) In June 1993, when President Clinton nominated Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the Supreme Court, he called her the Thurgood Marshall of the women’s rights movement, self-consciously comparing her work as an advocate to that of the last Justice to be appointed by a Democratic President, 26 years earlier.
Pablo Picasso (1997/10/10/0963909) He doesn’t even come close to me – I’m the Picasso of the playground.
Janet Reno (1997/10/13/0964875) Jacques Chirac – that guy is the Janet Reno of diplomacy.
Isaac Newton (1997/10/15/0965250) ‘‘Bob Merton is the Isaac Newton of his field,’’ Mr. Samuelson said.
Joe DiMaggio (1997/10/16/0965519) ‘‘He was the Joe DiMaggio of legislators,’’ said his friend Thomas Lyons, the chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party.
Tiger Woods (1997/10/19/0966116) When will we see the Tiger Woods of skiing make an appearance?
Al Sharpton (1997/10/19/0966241) ‘‘He’s the Al Sharpton of his people, of the Asian Indian community,’’ said Officer Allen A. Sabo, of the Edison Police Department.
George Lucas (1997/10/20/0966567) He is, in fact, quickly becoming the George Lucas of a business that is capturing an increasingly mainstream following.
Goddard Lieberson (1997/10/26/0967785) He has said the compliment he most cherishes is one that called him ‘‘the Goddard Lieberson of publishing’’ – a reference to the president of Columbia Records who in the 1950’s helped pioneer the recording of Broadway musicals and spoken word, spurred John Hammond’s talent scouting and supported the signing of the blacklisted Pete Seeger, among other accomplishments.
Albert Einstein (1997/10/29/0968855) This has nothing and everything to do with Charles Barkley, the Einstein of the Houston Rockets, who was not enraptured with a man at a bar in Orlando, Fla., the other night and, by witnesses’ account, picked him up and threw him like a football through a plate-glass window.
Dorothy Parker (1997/11/07/0971103) Syd Straw has long been the Dorothy Parker of the downtown club world, her self-deprecating charm and zany antics in counterpart to one of the biggest hearts and warmest voices in New York.
Mother Teresa (1997/11/10/0972068) In his homily yesterday, the Cardinal said he had received many letters as the centennial of Miss Day’s birth drew near, one from a supporter who called her ‘‘the Mother Teresa of Mott Street.’’
George Hamilton (1997/11/12/0972502) But on the other hand, he was the George Hamilton of the Senate, spending so much time bronzing on his Capitol balcony that it was dubbed ‘‘Dole’s Beach.’’
Iggy Pop (1997/11/14/0972790) Tribe 8 is a self-proclaimed lesbian punk band whose lead singer Lynn Breedlove is the Iggy Pop of the 1990’s: a shocking, brilliant performer in leather pants and no shirt, the definition of transgressive freedom.
Woody Allen (1997/11/18/0973929) This exceptionally funny and clever episode of the series, about an intellectual named Maya (Laura San Giacomo) who works for her philistine father (George Segal) at a fashion magazine called Blush, is shaped as an ‘‘Annie Hall’’ parody and features a character who looks, talks and acts like the Woody Allen of Maya’s dreams.
Napoleon (1997/11/23/0975066) More memorable was the Napoleon of vegetables enlivened with preserved tomatoes and mustard leaves.
George Clooney (1997/11/23/0975244) Call her the George Clooney of 26th Street, but the Nikon-shy Sunday morning merchant may have a right to her hauteur.
Julia Child (1997/11/26/0975833) Though she has some valuable old cookbooks – including those by Isabella Beeton and Mrs. H. W. Beecher, the Julia Childs of the mid-19th century – Ms. Slotnick’s books are mainly 20th-century American volumes that are now out of print.
Susan Lucci (1997/12/02/0977304) Since then, in almost every season, 14 of them in all, everyone has wondered, is this the year the A.F.C., the Susan Lucci of football, ends the streak?
Paul Brown (1997/12/07/0978705) Jim Leyland is becoming the Paul Brown of baseball managers.
Johnny Appleseed (1997/12/08/0978823) But if Mr. Dunifer’s advocates see him as a free-speech crusader and the Johnny Appleseed of low-power radio, the F.C.C., the legal guardian of the common property of the airwaves, sees him as a radio ‘‘pirate’’ who is breaking the law, disrupting licensed broadcasters and posing a threat to public safety.
Ralph Lauren (1997/12/11/0979456) ‘‘I’m the Ralph Lauren of Christmas.’’
Rodney Dangerfield (1997/12/12/0979823) IT is probably being way too glib to describe hepatitis B as the Rodney Dangerfield of major infectious diseases.
William Shakespeare (1997/12/14/0980053) Viscount Melchoir de Vogue, a Frenchman, agreed, and regarded Dostoyevsky as its warden: ‘‘He is the Shakespeare of the lunatic asylum.’’
Bob Dole (1997/12/14/0980084) Shimon Peres had already failed three times in national elections and, given his age and lifetime in politics, was perceived as the Bob Dole of Israeli politics.
Annie Oakley (1997/12/24/0982708) Running nearly as long as ‘‘Pulp Fiction’’ even though its ambitions are more familiar and small, ‘‘Jackie Brown’’ has the makings of another, chattier ‘‘Get Shorty’’ with an added homage to Pam Grier, the Annie Oakley of 1970’s blaxploitation.
Michael Jordan (1997/12/26/0983138) No one wants his autograph, and no one asks him if he thinks of himself as the Michael Jordan of tennis, a question that makes Sampras lose his appetite wherever and whenever it is asked.
Henry Ford (1997/12/28/0983749) Called the Henry Ford of housing, he spurned unions to organize an army of 15,000 workers into dozens of specialized crews, including one to apply red paint and another, white.
Studs Terkel (1997/12/31/0984216) A prolific writer of prose and poetry, he has also been called by literary critics the Studs Terkel of Sicily, although Mr. Dolci was the first of the two to chronicle the lives of workers.

1998

Dwight D. Eisenhower (1998/01/01/0984416) He reacted angrily to charges that he had become a caretaker chief executive, coasting toward retirement on a surging economy, the Dwight Eisenhower of the baby boomers.
Annie Oakley (1998/01/02/0984556) Ms. Grier, the Annie Oakley of 1970’s blaxploitation films, makes a game comeback even if she struggles with the story’s ensemble loafing.
Greta Garbo (1998/01/03/0984733) Reclusive by nature and dubbed the Garbo of the tennis tour by Alice Marble, one of the many opponents who felt ignored by her, Wills nonetheless lived a most public and, at times, storybook existence.
Napoleon (1998/01/05/0985423) Sherlock Holmes turns 144 tomorrow, but he and the Napoleon of crime are still at it.
Ruth Messinger (1998/01/06/0985708) ‘‘She’s the Ruth Messinger of 1998,’’ Mr. Mahoney said, referring to the Democrat who lost to Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani this year.
Madonna (1998/01/07/0985825) Alejandro Armengol, a critic for El Nuevo Herald, a Miami newspaper, dismissed Ms. Valdes last year as ‘‘the Madonna of Cuban literature, with an equal capacity to transform self-assurance and the grotesque into spectacle, to show vulgarity and eroticism stripped of any mystery.’’
Samuel French (1998/01/11/0987037) Referring to the New York rights and royalties agency, he added, ‘‘I’m the Samuel French of interactive theater.’’
Ronald Reagan (1998/01/20/0989011) Mr. Falwell referred to Mr. Netanyahu as ‘‘the Ronald Reagan of Israel.’’
Curt Flood (1998/01/22/0989491) But Jack Newfield, who has written several New York Post columns lamenting the industry’s neglect of Mr. Price, called him the Curt Flood of rock-and-roll, the rebel who showed a generation of musicians how to stand up for themselves.
Lance Ito (1998/01/24/0989958) Given Kenneth Starr’s record as the Lance Ito of prosecutors – he’s already spent three years-plus on Whitewater – our new national soap opera could easily supply us with entertainment for as long as O. J. did.
Magic Johnson (1998/01/28/0991077) Lopez came to St. John’s as the great Dominican hope from Rice High, maybe the Magic Johnson of Manhattan, and Hamilton came from Sewanhaka High in Nassau County, the 6-foot-11-inch sidekick for a potential romp to the Final Four.
Garth Brooks (1998/01/29/0991260) But Grisham is the Garth Brooks of popular literature.
Napoleon (1998/02/01/0991925) But skip the small, nothing-special oysters in Creole butter and the Napoleon of portobello mushrooms, grilled vegetables and goat cheese made too sour by an overdose of balsamic vinegar.
Wally Pipp (1998/02/02/0992419) But then, by some reckonings, Mr. Russell was the Wally Pipp of show business.
George Orwell (1998/02/04/0992795) She has been called the Orwell of copy editors, the Kasparov of syntax.
Garry Kasparov (1998/02/04/0992795) She has been called the Orwell of copy editors, the Kasparov of syntax.
Genghis Khan (1998/02/05/0993081) His name has a powerful resonance: Mzilikazi, the most fearsome general of the Zulu King Shaka, the Genghis Khan of Africa, who rebelled and fled, cutting a swath of destruction across southern Africa in the 1820’s and 1830’s.
Anselm Kiefer (1998/02/06/0993369) William Kentridge, one of the standouts at Documenta X in Kassel, Germany, last summer, may be the Anselm Kiefer of South Africa.
Martha Stewart (1998/02/08/0993756) Perhaps the Martha Stewart of B-6 and goldenseal root.
Auguste Rodin (1998/02/15/0995540) Mr. Colavita certainly surmounted that bias (although he could also indulge in crafts) to the degree that his teaching colleague, the painter Mel Leipzig, could with some aptness refer to him in an interview in The Trenton Times last month as ‘‘the Rodin of New Jersey.’’
Wyatt Earp (1998/02/15/0995712) In second place, the irrepressible Canadian and skating to his own exotic tune, Elvis Stojko, perhaps the Wyatt Earp of the crowd.
Rosa Parks (1998/02/16/0995903) Some people have gone so far as to declare him the Rosa Parks of Chinatown.
Liberace (1998/02/17/0996011) That distinction goes back at least 20 years to Don Robbie, who besides playing a pivotal role in Pierre Cardin’s business in the United States, was something of the Liberace of the fashion industry, keeping a pink bed at the center of his showroom.
Babe Ruth (1998/02/17/0996027) Mr. Peizer developed his high profile in his 20’s, when he became a salesman at the Beverly Hills office of Drexel Burnham Lambert, where he sat next to the man he describes as the Babe Ruth of the bond business.
Jack Nicholson (1998/02/22/0997094) Yet even some of his countrymen refer to him, with amused reverence, as the Jack Nicholson of Scandinavia.
Little Richard (1998/02/22/0997273) ‘‘I’ve been dissed, we’ve been dissed,’’ said Mr. Herc, who calls himself ‘‘the Little Richard of the hip-hop business.’’
Vince Lombardi (1998/02/22/0997356) He is Viktor Tikhonov, the Vince Lombardi of hockey in the former Soviet Union.
Will Rogers (1998/02/25/0997888) Oxford has ‘‘brought in the Will Rogers of family physicians,’’ said Mr. Cain, who said Dr. Payson had never met a doctor he did not like.
Wayne Gretzky (1998/03/02/0999298) ‘‘I call him the Wayne Gretzky of his position,’’ Muckler said.
Jesus Christ (1998/03/04/0999734) The group spent a few weeks last summer in British Columbia searching for a man whom Mr. Chen describes as the ‘‘Jesus of the West’’ (the boy Chi-Jen Lo is the Jesus of the East).
Bobby Short (1998/03/08/1000310) ‘’; Danny Showers, the Bobby Short of the West, lounge singer at the Westin Tabor Center in Denver ‘‘You learn to read the business week like a good book.
John the Baptist (1998/03/08/1000313) Even Marshall McLuhan, the John the Baptist of the wired universe, remarked, ‘‘You get moving very quickly and you end up in the wrong place.’’
Kofi Annan (1998/03/08/1000595) It was a task that must have required the diplomacy of the Kofi Annan of party planners.
Will Smith (1998/03/12/1001407) Parappa is the Will Smith of video game characters.
Tony Blair (1998/03/13/1001742) On March 1, Francesco Cossiga, a former Italian president, conferred the title of ‘‘the Tony Blair of the right’’ on Gianfranco Fini, who is now reveling in his role as a low-fat Fascist.
Rothschild (1998/03/20/1003456) To manage his operations, Khedoury Zilkha, by then known as the Rothschild of the Middle East, deployed his four sons around the world, with Selim drawing Paris, then London.
Billy Graham (1998/03/21/1003664) ‘‘He was the Billy Graham of the hair care business,’’ said Sue Rafaj, a former Revlon marketing executive.
Rodney Dangerfield (1998/03/24/1004596) Africa is the Rodney Dangerfield of continents; the world seems to pay it scant heed and shows it less respect.
Menachem Begin (1998/03/28/1005376) And what are the odds that Mr. Netanyahu will be the Menachem Begin of his generation, presiding over a historic Israeli-Palestinian territorial compromise that he long opposed?
Mikhail Gorbachev (1998/03/28/1005376) What are the odds that Mr. Zhu will turn out to be the Mikhail Gorbachev of China, even though he insists that he intends to be nothing of the kind?
Michael Jordan (1998/03/30/1006162) And Holdsclaw is often referred to as the Michael Jordan of women’s basketball.
Rodney Dangerfield (1998/04/01/1006469) ‘‘It’s the Rodney Dangerfield of soft drinks,’’ said Keith Hughes, a Pepsi spokesman.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (1998/04/05/1007365) ‘‘She was dressed as millions of women would like to be dressed,’’ the American journalist Fleur Cowles wrote, after a 1950 meeting with the 31-year-old Maria Eva Duarte de Peron, whose sartorial distinction and national popularity made her the Jacqueline Kennedy of South America.
Sol Hurok (1998/04/05/1007481) A. John Harms, known as the Sol Hurok of Bergen County, was an impresario who began bringing concert performers to New Jersey stages in the 1940’s.
Allen Iverson (1998/04/05/1007695) Woodson is being called the Allen Iverson of the N.F.L.
Caligula (1998/04/07/1007977) Watson, having risen to historic fame at an early age, became the Caligula of biology.’’
Lawrence Phillips (1998/04/12/1009371) New Orleans – Randy Moss, WR, 6-5, 200 – Marshall He is the Lawrence Phillips of this draft, more baggage than an airline.
Michael Bloomberg (1998/04/13/1009414) Lest people think Mr. Li aspires to be the Michael Bloomberg of Asia, he still views this latest venture as being in the entertainment tradition of Star TV.
Robert Moses (1998/04/15/1009797) Money was plentiful, peace reigned and thousands of workmen, driven by Baron Haussmann, the Robert Moses of his day, were carving Paris into an urban jewel.
Wellington (1998/04/19/1010622) To his British allies of the time he was ‘‘the Wellington of the Indians,’’ while his most formidable adversary, William Henry Harrison, the future President of the United States, called him ‘‘one of those uncommon geniuses which spring up occasionally to produce revolutions and overturn the established order of things,’’ adding, ‘‘If it were not for the vicinity of the United States, he would, perhaps, be the founder of an empire that would rival in glory that of Mexico or Peru.’’
Rudy Giuliani (1998/04/19/1010667) Mockus might be described as the Rudy Giuliani of Bogota, Colombia, although he is far more radical and Bogota is a far more raucous town than New York.
Grandma Moses (1998/04/19/1010987) Mrs. Spelce’s remarkable talent led to a one-woman show in New York, her inclusion in a number of folk art anthologies and renown as the Grandma Moses of Texas.
Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1998/04/26/1012254) The Simpsons and their friends, with the possible exception of the precocious Lisa, a second grader with the potential to be the Talleyrand of Springfield, bungle through life the way some people parallel park, leaving gouged fenders, shattered headlights, incoherent rage and improperly filled-out paperwork.
Ted Turner (1998/04/26/1012685) Dick French Jr. is the Ted Turner of the Hudson Valley.
Julia Child (1998/05/03/1014088) It is the Miami outpost of a small dining empire established by Norma Shirley, a Jamaican chef referred to in the restaurant’s promotional material as ‘‘the Julia Child of the Caribbean.’’
William Shakespeare (1998/05/03/1014199) For all his aspirations to become the Shakespeare of the 20th century, a changed Broadway drove Anderson from experimentation ‘‘in an age of prose’’ to more commercial considerations.
Charles Barkley (1998/05/03/1014458) ‘‘When I was growing up, I followed Bill Hartack, who was the Charles Barkley of jockeys.
Joe Montana (1998/05/04/1014635) The CityHawks’ new coach, Chuck Shelton, said with a straight face that Perez is the Joe Montana of Arena ball.
Peter Allen (1998/05/10/1016005) In this singles scene, it is the Peter Allen of potent potables.
Bill Gates (1998/05/10/1016116) Mr. White, however, has no evident ambitions to become the Bill Gates of the genome world.
Pablo Picasso (1998/05/13/1016699) In MSNBC’s continuing coverage of the story it labels ‘‘Seinoff,’’ one awestruck correspondent this week straight-facedly presented a Syracuse University professor’s pronouncement that ‘‘Seinfeld’’ was ‘‘the Picasso of American sitcoms.’’
Ralph Fiennes (1998/05/17/1017539) ‘‘Our policy has traditionally been to create our own stars,’’ Mr. Noble said, ‘‘so when critics ask, ‘Where are the Ralph Fiennes of today?’
Rodney Dangerfield (1998/05/17/1017574) ‘‘We’ve become the Rodney Dangerfield of the Hamptons,’’ said Katlean de Monchy, a summer and weekend resident of Westhampton Beach.
Cal Ripken (1998/05/18/1018033) ‘‘He is the Cal Ripken of national security advisers,’’ said William Danvers, who was the White House liaison to Congress until last year.
Patrick Swayze (1998/05/22/1018818) If Mr. Fraser continues to take such roles, he could become the 90’s answer to the Patrick Swayze of ‘‘Dirty Dancing.’’
Ralph Nader (1998/05/24/1019130) Tepper is an adoptive mother who turned herself into an advocate – ‘‘the Ralph Nader of attachment,’’ a friend calls her – and like a lot of advocates she can be blunt and ornery and single-minded.
Jane Fonda (1998/05/29/1020520) During her stay there, the longest of any female inmate in New York State, she earned a high school equivalency diploma, counseled prisoners with AIDS, won prizes for her photography, became an accomplished chef and taught exercise classes with such panache that she was known as the Jane Fonda of the Westchester County prison.
Latrell Sprewell (1998/05/31/1020863) Korea is like the brilliant athlete who has troubles off the field and is looking for a team to take a chance on him, the Latrell Sprewell of the Global Economy.
John Grisham (1998/05/31/1021230) At the Flushing library, a quick glance inside the back cover of ‘‘The Young Flying Fox’’ – one in a 36-volume series by Jin Yung, the John Grisham of Chinese kung fu books – suggests how heavily used the library is.
Albert Einstein (1998/06/07/1022745) ‘‘I call him the Einstein of horses.’’
Johnny Appleseed (1998/06/07/1022812) ‘‘Our purpose is to be the Johnny Appleseed of microradio and free speech.’’
Christian Dior (1998/06/14/1024527) ‘‘He’s a businessman and an artist, the Christian Dior of his generation,’’ said Mrs. Wyatt, who introduced him to a gathering of her friends in Houston last spring.
Henry Ford (1998/06/14/1024559) The company bears the strong stamp of Mr. Dedman Sr., described by one industry executive as ‘‘the Henry Ford of the club management business.’’
Tiger Woods (1998/06/21/1026007) Q: You’re the Tiger Woods of Quake.
Julia Child (1998/06/28/1027911) Ten years later, Mr. Schneekloth is not only the owner of Jeffrey’s, one of the more notable restaurants at the shore, he is also the Julia Child of this thriving community, the owner of a cooking studio whose enrollment has swelled from 50 to 400 students.
Rodney Dangerfield (1998/06/30/1028525) ‘‘I believe the gaming business is kind of the Rodney Dangerfield of the stock market,’’ Hilton’s chief executive, Stephen F. Bollenbach, told securities analysts in April in a conference call to discuss earnings.
Woody Allen (1998/07/05/1029502) The three-concert series opens on Saturday at 8 P.M. at the Chirch of the Open Door on Main Bayview Road in Southold with a solo recital by Dave Frishberg, a singer who has been called ‘‘the Woody Allen of song.’’
Rodney Dangerfield (1998/07/05/1029740) But the Chancellor has shown little inclination to bargain, prompting the union to dash off a news release the other day urging him ‘‘to treat workers with respect’’ – a line that seemed apt for an organization that, in one sense, is the Rodney Dangerfield of municipal unions.
Cokie Roberts (1998/07/06/1029877) ‘‘They wanted to turn me into the Cokie Roberts of sports broadcasting, a place where the hardest sports news is explained in the most mind-numbing manner possible,’’ she wrote.
Johnny Appleseed (1998/07/06/1029883) ‘‘He’s sort of the Johnny Appleseed of new ideas,’’ said Donald Gogel, the Clayton, Dublier & Rice partner who led Kinko’s through the reorganization and acted as interim chief executive until Mr. Hardin was hired.
Cal Ripken (1998/07/08/1030303) BUDDY GRECO, who rose from being a singing pianist with Benny Goodman’s orchestra to a solo career on the club, cruise ship and casino circuit, has become the Cal Ripken of cabaret.
Walter Brennan (1998/07/10/1030745) He seems to be the Walter Brennan of the soccer set, but he gives as much as he takes with the frenzied Brazilian news media.
Rudy Crew (1998/07/11/1030949) To Dr. Kurt Scholz, the president of the Vienna Board of Education, who described himself as ‘‘the Rudy Crew of Austria,’’ the exchange is about a lot more than the law of supply and demand.
Billy Graham (1998/07/12/1031036) Thurman has been called the Billy Graham of Buddhism, and that is not a bad caricature.
Jackie Robinson (1998/07/13/1031595) Now playing his 72d season, Mr. Ballard has a lifetime average of .405, is a member of the Stickball Hall of Fame and is, as well, the Jackie Robinson of Stickball.
Mel Brooks (1998/07/14/1031701) You’ve been called ‘‘the Mel Brooks of the physics world.’’
Janet Jackson (1998/07/17/1032327) She’s the Janet Jackson of salsa, always working on revenge and deliverance from the evil of masculinity.
Marilyn Monroe (1998/07/17/1032384) From Los Angeles to New York, she was billed as the Marilyn Monroe of Burlesque.
Greta Garbo (1998/07/17/1032449) And that, Ms. Dolensek said with a slight roll of the eyes, would mean more irritation for City Island’s 4,500 residents, who in a sense are the Greta Garbo of New York.
Ansel Adams (1998/07/22/1033645) Know any eight-leggers who lug along a $3,000 camera, a $4,000 gyroscope stabilizer and the dream of being remembered as the Ansel Adams of New York City bridges?
Zelda Fitzgerald (1998/07/26/1034550) At a time when the young American writers were self-consciously trying to recreate the fabled Paris of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway and other 1920’s expatriates, Miss Southgate, though sane, was the Zelda Fitzgerald of the 1950’s.
Ross Perot (1998/07/26/1034674) Lilly, the Exes’ front woman, is all pouty smiles and sharp edges; Hank, their musical anchor, is a blend of unintended arrogance and striver’s cheer (‘‘the Ross Perot of the Boston music scene’’).
Greg Louganis (1998/07/27/1034879) Sautin acknowledges that he is the Greg Louganis of this era.
Abraham Lincoln (1998/07/28/1034931) But on the 19th-century list would be Charles Dickens and Herman Melville, Jane Austen and Mark Twain (‘‘the Lincoln of our literature,’’ said William Dean Howells).
Ludwig van Beethoven (1998/07/30/1035441) Sam Schwartz, who writes the Gridlock Sam column for The Daily News, calls him the Beethoven of traffic cops – in other words, he does not direct traffic so much as conduct it, like a symphony.
Calvin Coolidge (1998/08/04/1036769) Ramiro Mendoza is the Calvin Coolidge of the Yankees, virtually silent among louder teammates such as Tim Raines and Derek Jeter.
Ricky Nelson (1998/08/06/1037050) I just want to laugh like a fool, and say, shoot, I feel like the Ricky Nelson of novelists.
Lorenzo de’ Medici (1998/08/06/1037053) Bill Gates has established himself as the Lorenzo de’ Medici of digitized art through his privately held company, the Corbis Corporation, which has amassed the rights to 23 million images and photographs.
P. T. Barnum (1998/08/16/1039275) But instead of the puttering Duchess, it is owned by the Tussauds Group, the P. T. Barnum of British history.
Giacomo Casanova (1998/08/20/1040311) ‘‘Dodgson was the Casanova of the Victorian nursery,’’ he offers.
Bill Gates (1998/08/23/1040905) ‘‘The question scientists are asking,’’ says Lori Andrews, a professor of law at the Chicago-Kent College of Law, ‘‘is does he want to be the Bill Gates of the human genome?’’
John James Audubon (1998/08/23/1041000) ‘‘Trout’’ was published when Mr. Prosek was a 21-year-old undergraduate at Yale, gaining him a reputation as ‘‘the Audubon of trout.’’
John Madden (1998/08/23/1041258) Market mania has created a whole new group of celebrities, from Warren E. Buffett to James J. Cramer (a money manager who has become the John Madden of investment commentary) to Laszlo Birinyi, a market guru in Greenwich, Conn., who appears on PBS’s ‘‘Wall Street Week With Louis Rukeyser.’’
Wallis Simpson (1998/08/28/1042176) This is not the Wallis Simpson of America.
O. Henry (1998/08/30/1042510) He was our master storyteller, the O. Henry of daily journalism.
John James Audubon (1998/08/30/1042645) John Cody, called the Audubon of moths, specializes in painting that particular creature.
Babe Ruth (1998/08/30/1042862) The ultimate baseball fanatic owns the Babe Ruth of baseball collections, the biggest private baseball memorabilia collection in the world.
Giotto di Bondone (1998/09/04/1043727) I couldn’t always tell the difference between the works of R. Madison Mitchell, a local funeral director, who was, I gather, the Giotto of Havre de Grace, and the works of Bob McGaw Jr., who perfected a way of decorating his decoys that is called scratch painting.
Bull Connor (1998/09/08/1044851) The movement has always had to have a Bull Connor, and Giuliani may become the Bull Connor of the new millennium.’’
Martha Stewart (1998/09/10/1045162) After defragmenting my hard drive recently, I felt I was well on the way to becoming the Martha Stewart of computer maintenance.
Eppie Lederer (1998/09/10/1045188) Where else could you find Czarina Oksana Borzoi Diva Dog Needlenose of MuffinTush, the Ann Landers of canine expatriate nobility, who answers questions that borzois and other dogs instruct their human servants to E-mail to her?
George Jones (1998/09/11/1045404) He could have been the George Jones of his day – a superb stylist.’’
Buster Keaton (1998/09/18/1047276) Fortunately, being the Buster Keaton of martial arts, he makes a doleful expression and comedic physical grace take the place of small talk.
Jackson Pollock (1998/09/18/1047304) Walker Evans might be called the Jackson Pollock of American photography.
P. T. Barnum (1998/09/22/1048474) Dr. Sexton, who described himself as ‘‘the P. T. Barnum of legal education,’’ said the forum, which was called Strengthening Democracy in the Global Economy, was meant to showcase what the school calls its global law school initiative.
Ralph Lauren (1998/09/23/1048736) Mr. Stern, a traditionalist, has himself had a lifelong love affair with molding, and there are complaints at Yale that installing the Ralph Lauren of architecture – the view of his critics – sends the wrong message about the direction of the school.
Michelangelo (1998/09/25/1049076) She goes to a plastic surgeon (Michael Lerner) who’s been dubbed ‘‘the Michelangelo of Manhattan’’ by Newsweek.
Babe Ruth (1998/09/27/1049648) Rocky as he was at first, Gehrig, whose fielding skills were still notoriously deficient when he joined the Yankees organization in 1923, proved such a quick study and had such acute eyesight that by the time Commerce won the New York City public school championship in 1920 he was already being called the Babe Ruth of high school baseball in New York.
Michael Jordan (1998/09/27/1049680) and is now a sportscaster, and David Bailey, the Michael Jordan of motocross racing in the 1980’s who became paralyzed in a racing accident and will compete in a wheelchair along part of the course.
Noël Coward (1998/09/27/1049808) He has been described as the Noel Coward of modern dance, for works like ‘‘Town and Country’’ (contrasting views of the class system) and ‘‘The Percys of Fitzrovia’’ (a send-up of the bohemian Bloomsbury group).
Elvis Presley (1998/10/04/1051212) And that was fine with the Met’s trustees, who looked upon photography, more or less, as the Elvis of the visual arts: fast, slick and indecently young, with a history going back only as far as 1839.
Nelson Bunker Hunt (1998/10/04/1051244) And then he found a Jetsons lunch box in a thrift shop in Cambridge, Mass., and soon he was crisscrossing the country, becoming the Nelson Bunker Hunt of lunch box collectors.
Jackie Robinson (1998/10/06/1051936) Mr. Gore told the mourners that he had come to celebrate the life of a great American, ‘‘in many ways the Jackie Robinson of public service.’’
Cecil B. DeMille (1998/10/06/1052027) ‘‘He was the Cecil B. DeMille of restaurateurs – everything was a big production.’’
Linda Tripp (1998/10/07/1052214) After watching the 45-minute hearing, a bent knuckle pressed against his lips, Mr. Edwards, who has not been charged in the case, announced to reporters in a descending elevator that his longtime friend had become ‘‘the Linda Tripp of Louisiana.’’
Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1998/10/08/1052345) ‘‘JON JERDE,’’ Steve Wynn declared grandly, ‘‘is the Bernini of our time.’’
Rodney Dangerfield (1998/10/11/1053270) Meetings are the Rodney Dangerfield of the business world: While many good ideas come from them, meetings get no respect.
Linda Tripp (1998/10/11/1053352) Should that happen, Edwards’s lawyers are very likely to be hard on the man Edwards has called ‘‘the Linda Tripp of Louisiana.’’
Larry Bird (1998/10/11/1053388) He is the Larry Bird of baseball.
Andrew Johnson (1998/10/14/1053952) His Presidency is already ruined – he is the Andrew Johnson of the counterculture – and he can be penalized in any of a number of ways that will not rend the nation.
Giorgio Armani (1998/10/15/1054141) Why, the Michelangelo, the Cellini and the Giorgio Armani of this highly specialized profession, the most innovative and celebrated Italian armorer of the era.
Tiger Woods (1998/10/18/1054778) Few sportswriters have resisted the temptation to dub Pak ‘‘the Tiger Woods of the L.P.G.A.’’
Ralph Nader (1998/10/20/1055618) ‘‘It is a lot safer for short-term use,’’ said Barbara Seaman, who has been called the Ralph Nader of the pill for her 1969 book ‘‘The Doctors’ Case Against the Pill.’’
Al Capone (1998/10/25/1056575) This frees up Jonathan to sprinkle his acidic wit on art experts and thieves like Dan Menzies (‘‘the Al Capone of restoration’’), who has been engaged by the monastery to apply his savage artistry to its dubious Caravaggio.
Cal Ripken (1998/10/27/1057308) Jimmy Behr, a 51-year-old Staten Island schoolteacher, is the Cal Ripken of running.
Ted Koppel (1998/10/29/1057914) ‘‘I consider myself more of a teacher than a celebrity, a hostess or a star,’’ said Ms. Jennings, the Ted Koppel of life style.
George W. Bush (1998/10/31/1058218) His advisers hope he could be a Vice-Presidential candidate or a Cabinet secretary in a Republican administration, and Mr. Rowland was tickled to see himself referred to as ‘‘the George W. Bush of the North’’ in a recent article in U.S. News & World Report.
Madonna (1998/11/01/1058652) They capture shots of her sitting in revealingly short skirts, and they dub her the Madonna of the Cabinet.
Mike Tyson (1998/11/01/1058760) He doesn’t always get along with his teammates, let alone the news media, and one physician who has dealt with players, though not Belle, calls him the Mike Tyson of baseball.
Mark McGwire (1998/11/01/1058886) ‘‘I was given a different lyric every night for the first 10 previews,’’ Ms. Paige said, reminiscing on the telephone from London recently about those bygone days before ‘‘Cats’’ had become ‘‘Cats,’’ the long-runner in the West End and the longest-running production in Broadway history, the Mark McGwire of the modern musical.
Julia Child (1998/11/04/1059331) Mr. Lagasse, at 39, could be called the Julia Child of the 90’s, the most influential cook on television.
Michael Jordan (1998/11/05/1059693) The show also features equine entertainers including Bonfire, the Michael Jordan of dressage horses.
Liberace (1998/11/05/1059728) For starters, The Body’s bad-guy persona, which included wearing feather boas and pink tights, seemed a blatant rip-off of the immortal Gorgeous George, the Liberace of pro wrestling in the 1950’s.
Lauren Bacall (1998/11/06/1059917) That show starts at 12 P.M. And Sally Timms, the Lauren Bacall of underground rock, shows up as part of the rootsy bill tonight at Acme Underground (see below).
Michael Jordan (1998/11/06/1060001) The exhibitions featured the trick horses of the charro champion Jerry Diaz, who surrounds himself and his palomino with a spinning lariat, as well as a balletic dressage demonstration by the four-time United States Olympian Robert Dover and Anky van Grunsven of the Netherlands, whose bay horse, Bonfire, is the Michael Jordan of this sport.
Henry Hyde (1998/11/07/1060087) By contrast, Mr. Clinton ‘‘came in here and he trashed the place,’’ observes David Broder, who is so ritualistically called the fair-minded ‘‘Dean’’ of Washington journalists that you might say he is the Henry Hyde of punditry.
Woody Allen (1998/11/08/1060522) You might call Mr. Elbaz, 37, the Woody Allen of fashion, so self-deprecating is his humor.
Paul Allen (1998/11/12/1061418) You can be the Paul Allen of the railroad industry.
Bill Parcells (1998/11/12/1061508) The Republican with the best shot is none other than Rudolph Giuliani, the Bill Parcells of New York politics.
Iggy Pop (1998/11/13/1061675) Tribe 8 is a self-proclaimed lesbian punk band whose lead singer, Lynn Breedlove, is the Iggy Pop of the 1990’s: a shocking, brilliant performer in leather pants and no shirt, the definition of transgressive freedom.Tonight at 8; tickets are $8 (Powers).
Rodney Dangerfield (1998/11/15/1062085) Larry Holmes became known as the Rodney Dangerfield of heavyweight champions: despite his boxing skills, he didn’t get much respect.
Bill Gates (1998/11/15/1062232) ‘‘Stewart didn’t envision motor parkways or aviation,’’ he continued, conjecturing whether the ‘‘merchant prince,’’ the Bill Gates of his day, intended to build himself a legacy.
John Glenn (1998/11/15/1062243) I am sort of like the John Glenn of community theater.
Michael Jordan (1998/11/19/1063282) Moments ago, in the preliminary round of the computer game championships, he didn’t just beat but demolished Dennis Fong, who happens to be the Michael Jordan of computer games.
Michelangelo (1998/11/20/1063495) She goes to a plastic surgeon (Michael Lerner) who’s been dubbed ‘‘the Michelangelo of Manhattan’’ by Newsweek.
Elvis Presley (1998/11/20/1063513) They will be followed by the screenings, which begin with ‘‘Famous Fred,’’ a 25-minute Welsh program about two children who learn that their late pet ‘‘had this secret life as the Elvis of the cat world,’’ Ms. Lewis said.
Gloria Steinem (1998/11/22/1063948) Curiously, however, Cameron is now being celebrated as an avatar of sisterhood, the Gloria Steinem of Victorian photography.
Keith Haring (1998/11/22/1064097) Zhang Dali has been called the Keith Haring of China for his furtive spray painting of heads in profile.
Honoré de Balzac (1998/11/23/1064542) TOM WOLFE has long aspired to be the Balzac of his age, and up in Washington Heights it is clear that he has at least partially succeeded.
Betsy Ross (1998/11/25/1064913) Recalling that as a teen-ager she had made a flag for a Zionist parade in Riga, she came to regard herself as the Betsy Ross of Zionism.
David Letterman (1998/11/25/1064917) One year, someone took Pepe Navarro, known as the David Letterman of Spain, to visit the Tobeys, who found him rather interesting.
Brooke Astor (1998/11/28/1065461) A friend of hers called her the Brooke Astor of the Park Avenue Chinese.’’
Pamela Harriman (1998/11/29/1066024) Meanwhile, his wife, Sumitra, the Pamela Harriman of post-independence New Delhi, is out every night ministering to the newly elected politicos streaming in from the provinces – teaching them to use the right fork at the French Ambassador’s dinner and sometimes romancing them afterward.
Michelangelo (1998/12/06/1067343) Almost from his birth in 1598, Gianlorenzo Bernini was groomed to be the Michelangelo of his age.
Bob Vila (1998/12/06/1067344) This pared-down, workmanlike approach to Italian food – viewers of Batali’s shows on the Food Network, ‘‘Molto Mario’’ and ‘‘Mediterranean Mario,’’ know him as the Bob Vila of chefs – makes ‘‘Simple Italian Food’’ immensely appealing and endlessly useful.
Adam Tihany (1998/12/13/1069441) The traditional pub decor of Tir Na Nog, where every furnishing, down to the last brick (straight from Belfast) has been imported from the Irish isle, is the work of Lorri Sinclair and of Philip Donaghy, who might be called the Adam Tihany of Ireland, since he has designed 12 bars in Dublin and elsewhere.
Lawrence Taylor (1998/12/25/1072352) After only 15 career games, Moss is developing into the Lawrence Taylor of offense.
Chuck Yeager (1998/12/27/1072570) Nansen was the Chuck Yeager of polar exploration.
Michael Jordan (1998/12/27/1072824) Here’s to Brian Foster, the Michael Jordan of BMX racing, whose bike-riding skills earn him more than $100,000 per year.
Brian Wilson (1998/12/31/1073562) The enrapturing beauty and peculiar naivete of ‘‘The Thin Red Line’’ heightened the impression of Terrence Malick as the Brian Wilson of the film world.

1999

Buster Keaton (1999/01/03/1074179) Critics and contemporaries have called Mr. Curran the Buster Keaton of dance, because his style suggests a sad comedic reverie.
Mike Tyson (1999/01/03/1074221) ‘‘We aim to be the Tyson of goats,’’ said Stuart Weiss, a co-owner.
James Herriot (1999/01/03/1074259) ‘‘He was the James Herriot of New York City,’’ said a client, Michele Gover, referring to the British country veterinarian who wrote such best sellers as ‘‘All Creatures Great and Small.’’
Hillary Clinton (1999/01/08/1075423) Elisa was the Hillary Clinton of her day: intelligent, educated and strong willed.
Fred Astaire (1999/01/10/1075865) HE was the Fred Astaire of repartee, a man whose tailoring seemed to precede his birth.
Neil Armstrong (1999/01/10/1075868) I think of him as the Neil Armstrong of comedy.
Johnny Appleseed (1999/01/10/1075993) ‘‘If it works it will go down as the Johnny Appleseed of radio.’’
Robert Moses (1999/01/10/1076147) ‘‘He was the Robert Moses of CUNY,’’ said Jay Hershenson, CUNY’s vice chancellor for university relations.
Katharine Graham (1999/01/11/1076310) She is, some say, the Katharine Graham of Japan’s media industry.
Mark Spitz (1999/01/12/1076537) Bibi is the Mark Spitz of Israeli politics – no Israeli leader has ever crisscrossed the Rubicon faster or more often.
Édith Piaf (1999/01/14/1077023) Call her the Edith Piaf of Nafta, this American-born, Spanish-speaking resident of Montreal is thoroughly modern in her syncretic approach to pop, and classic in her florid, imperious singing.
Babe Ruth (1999/01/17/1077956) The last time he retired, to play baseball, the Chicago Bulls’ owner, Jerry Reinsdorf, called him the Babe Ruth of basketball.
Michael Jordan (1999/01/17/1077956) Meet the Michael Jordan of …
Michael Jordan (1999/01/17/1077956) Terje Haakenson, a Norwegian, executes moves on a snowboard that nobody had ever seen before, so he’s dubbed the Michael Jordan of snowboarding – in every interview and article on him.
Michael Jordan (1999/01/17/1077956) That makes him the Michael Jordan of cricket.
Michael Jordan (1999/01/17/1077956) To his publicist, that makes him the Michael Jordan of Mexico.
George Foreman (1999/01/20/1078755) My stated goal is to be the George Foreman of tennis.
Vanna White (1999/01/21/1078893) But it is Ms. Vega, 43, who has become the Vanna White of the lottery drawings, invited to more charity events and panel discussions and onto the Oprah Winfrey show for a makeover.
Buster Keaton (1999/01/22/1079076) It’s fortunate that Jackie Chan is the Buster Keaton of martial arts films because Chris Tucker, his partner in Brett Ratner’s comedic action film, talks many times too much for both of them.
Robert Ryman (1999/01/22/1079251) Susanna Coffey could be called the Robert Ryman of self-portraiture.
Wyatt Earp (1999/01/23/1079361) That’s why they call me the Wyatt Earp of whales, because I’m just saying, ‘Let’s obey the law.’
Bob Costas (1999/01/24/1079816) A prominent journalist is ‘‘the Bob Costas of literary criticism, a fan.’’
Larry Flynt (1999/01/24/1079942) In 1896 he began to illustrate literary classics for the publisher Leonard Smithers, whom Mr. Skemer describes as ‘‘the Larry Flynt of his day,’’ meaning his intentions were wider than merely purveying pornography; he wanted to challenge Victorian social standards.
Michael Jordan (1999/01/24/1080017) If you think that Mike will live forever, remember the role Johnny Carson played in the national culture (he was the Michael Jordan of late-night TV) and the enormous coverage of his retirement and his replacements.
Joseph Cornell (1999/02/01/1081906) Variously described as a gadfly, an eccentric, a photographer’s photographer and the Joseph Cornell of photography, Mr. Sommer worked in relative isolation in Arizona for more than a half-century and until the last several years was the medium’s best-kept secret.
Meryl Streep (1999/02/07/1083167) For a quintessential supporting player like Joan Allen, who has become the Meryl Streep of that category, she seems primed for her third supporting nomination as the 50’s sitcom wife in ‘‘Pleasantville.
Betsy Ross (1999/02/07/1083390) But he is not remembered as the Betsy Ross of Arabia.
Johnny Appleseed (1999/02/14/1084883) His practice boarded up, the 51-year-old Rosemond wanders the country eight months of the year, the Johnny Appleseed of discipline, putting on nearly 250 shows annually.
Donald Trump (1999/02/18/1086058) And the strong sense of history prompts obvious parallels: Karen Cord Taylor, editor and publisher of The Beacon Hill Times, pointed out that Charles Bulfinch, the famed architect and developer whose gems, like the State House, crown Beacon Hill, was something like the Donald J. Trump of his day.
Dan Biederman (1999/02/20/1086460) It is this kind of grandiose talk that makes some people kid Mr. Russo about trying to be the Dan Biederman of Brooklyn – a tongue-in-cheek comparison to the Manhattan BID president who got on the wrong side of Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani for wielding too much power.
P. T. Barnum (1999/02/23/1087326) He called the highly praised head of the city school system, Paul Vallas, a ‘‘the P. T. Barnum of education’’ and vowed to dismiss him if elected.
Andy Warhol (1999/03/14/1092103) Alfons Mucha was the Andy Warhol of his era, a decorative artist who defined a style – Art Nouveau – and became a media star.
Frédéric Chopin (1999/03/14/1092125) Nevertheless, the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra by Grieg, who was once called the Chopin of the North, opens the festival with Francois-Rene Duchable as soloist and Michael Schondwandt conducting the Collegium Musicum.
Gertrude Stein (1999/03/14/1092170) Peter Eisenman of New York is the Gertrude Stein of contemporary architecture.
David Wells (1999/03/14/1092457) He is still booed in Fenway Park for the outcome of that season, many Red Sox faithful forever maintaining that Zimmer should’ve rested his regulars more, should’ve trusted the maverick left-hander Bill Lee – the David Wells of his time – in a crucial game against the Yankees.
Rodney Dangerfield (1999/03/18/1093288) The condition has been called the Rodney Dangerfield of modern ailments because most patients never take it seriously enough to take it to their doctors’ attention and treat themselves with over-the-counter antacids, which may not be enough to prevent dangerous changes in the cells that line the esophagus.
Dennis Rodman (1999/03/21/1094215) Still, he seemed extremely pleased by the welcome he received in New Hampshire, where he was front-page news in the local papers, one of which referred to him as ‘‘the Dennis Rodman of potential Republican candidates.’’
John Wooden (1999/03/23/1094568) Pushing hard is the ethic of Alamosa, a remote mountain city of 12,000 with a thriving runners colony built around the success of Vigil, considered the John Wooden of cross-country running.
Susan Lucci (1999/03/24/1094796) TOM WOLFE can no longer claim to be the Susan Lucci of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Christian Lacroix (1999/03/28/1095605) He’s the Christian Lacroix of decorating.’’
Michael Jordan (1999/03/28/1095607) America today is the Michael Jordan of geopolitics – the overwhelmingly dominant system.
Warren Buffett (1999/04/02/1097007) One longtime media expert quipped that Mr. Malone saw himself as the Warren Buffett of the media industry, alluding to Mr. Buffett’s strategy of taking large passive positions in other companies.
Madonna (1999/04/04/1097313) ‘‘It is the Madonna of Italian-American literature in that it shows the transition from the Italian immigrant to American citizen like no other book of its genre.’’
Dorothy Parker (1999/04/11/1099068) Cuetara is a talented artist who clearly qualifies as the Dorothy Parker of picture book repartee.
Leonardo da Vinci (1999/04/11/1099329) Dr. Reddy’s designs for condoms with built-in bulges are an attempt to rethink the way condoms work, prompting Adam Glickman, the founder of Condomania, a specialty retailer and Internet-based mail-order company, to call the taciturn Indian designer ‘‘the Leonardo da Vinci of the condom.’’
Mike Tyson (1999/04/18/1101096) So maybe the rooster is the Mike Tyson of chickendom.
Gary Hart (1999/04/20/1101635) Mr. Gore’s advisers dismiss Mr. Bradley as the Gary Hart of 2000.
Paul (1999/05/02/1104292) Stashower reports the reactions of crowd and reporters – the mixture of reverence, incredulity and ridicule that had become associated in his final years with the writer whom many saw as ‘‘the St. Paul of spiritualism’’ and many more as ‘‘a sad and deluded old man who had squandered his greatness.’’
Steven Spielberg (1999/05/02/1104452) If Wynton Marsalis is the Steven Spielberg of the jazz scene, the alto saxophonist Steve Coleman has a strong claim to being its Stanley Kubrick.
Patrick Henry (1999/05/03/1104902) The Massachusetts House Speaker, Thomas (‘‘No tribute or ransom’’) Finneran, who took the heat for driving the Patriots away, now looks like the Patrick Henry of football, if only because he had the temerity to call Mr. Kraft ‘‘a whiny millionaire looking for a bribe.’’
Willie Mays (1999/05/09/1106292) ‘‘I’d like to talk about a man who many refer to as the Willie Mays of the Bronx.’’
Rodney Dangerfield (1999/05/15/1107670) Then again, this is Queens, the Rodney Dangerfield of boroughs, preservationally speaking.
Napoleon (1999/05/16/1107816) In the book ‘‘Great Merchants of Early New York’’ (The Society for the Architecture of the City, 1987) Joseph Devorkin calls him ‘‘the Napoleon of the Department Store industry.’’
Michael Jordan (1999/05/19/1108691) ‘‘Tropicana is the Michael Jordan of orange juice,’’ said Emanuel Goldman, a global consumer-products analyst for Merrill Lynch.
Mark McGwire (1999/05/22/1109265) With eye-opening revisionist takes on ‘‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’’ and Tennessee Williams’s ‘‘Kingdom of Earth’’ and such comparatively commercial fare as ‘‘As Bees in Honey Drown,’’ this young troupe has already established itself as the Mark McGwire of new theater groups.
Rembrandt (1999/05/23/1109543) Zind-Humbrecht in Alsace is the Rembrandt of the field.
George Washington (1999/06/04/1112556) If Nelson Mandela is the George Washington of this new democracy, the kind of giant among men who turns down offers to be king, then Mr. Mbeki is its John Adams.
Paul McCartney (1999/06/11/1114314) Always the McCartney of the group, Mr. McLennan gracefully avoids that more famous tunesmith’s weakness for banality by turning his sugar sharp without warning, as when a darkening chord progression turned the phrase ‘‘I’m gonna make you happy’’ into a threat.
Ricky Martin (1999/06/13/1114740) Clancy is the Ricky Martin of the United States military, and he returns the adulation.
Steve Jobs (1999/06/20/1116750) Mark Hernandez doesn’t want to be the Steve Jobs of the next century.
Steve Jurvetson (1999/06/20/1116750) He wants to be the Steve Jurvetson of lower Manhattan.
Timothy Leary (1999/06/20/1116779) The ubiquitous hedge-fund manager Jim Cramer, the Timothy Leary of the hour, would later draw a line that transcended generation: ‘‘In my business, there are two kinds of people, those who make money and those who critique those who make money.’’
Burt Bacharach (1999/06/25/1118301) The lineup is intended to draw crowds from inside and outside Latin New York, with crossover bands like Inti Illimani of Chile and Noche Flamenco of Spain, as well as Armando Manzanero, the crooning balladeer regarded as the Burt Bacharach of Mexico.
Mother Teresa (1999/06/27/1118924) Another, Diana Lemieux, described her as ‘‘the Mother Teresa of quadrupeds,’’ adding, ‘‘She makes feral cats sweet.’’
Randy Moss (1999/06/27/1119027) If not, Odom will become the Randy Moss of the N.B.A., a guy with a lot of question marks who may pay huge dividends.
Vincent van Gogh (1999/07/04/1120682) But I guarantee you, he will become the Van Gogh of the 60’s.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1999/07/04/1120695) A model for this blending of formalism and freedom is the work of George Balanchine, whom Mr. Wilson calls ‘‘the Mozart of the 20th century.’’
Rose Kennedy (1999/07/04/1120723) But in Glen Cove, a city where the name Suozzi has a Kennedyesque aura, Mrs. Suozzi is the quiet matriarch, the Rose Kennedy of a political dynasty with a small-town cachet.
Forbes Burnham (1999/07/11/1122398) The headmaster is described as the Forbes Burnham of ‘‘our schoolworld,’’ where the Government ordered children to learn agricultural skills and work in the fields.
Mark McGwire (1999/07/12/1122958) But even though Pedro Martinez is slight enough to be a tattoo on the biceps of Mark McGwire, he is the Mark McGwire of pitchers in 1999.
Johnny Appleseed (1999/07/15/1123603) Mr. Graves has become the Johnny Appleseed of New York beedom.
Colin Powell (1999/07/18/1124061) As for Jem, he jumps ship early to enter the service of the war hero Gen. George Monk, the Colin Powell of his day in that he might have assumed power but didn’t.
Horatio Alger (1999/07/20/1124759) Mr. Atlas has been called the Horatio Alger of the human body.
Liz Smith (1999/07/25/1125783) Mr. Gaines, the best-selling author of ‘‘Philistines at the Hedgerow: Passion and Property in the Hamptons,’’ is the Hamptons insider of the moment, and although the comparison makes him cringe, the Liz Smith of the rolling dunes.
Édith Piaf (1999/07/25/1125801) The pitch of the party suddenly went up: Diane Dufresne (‘‘the Edith Piaf of all the French community,’’ Mr. Pelletier said) had arrived.
Mikhail Gorbachev (1999/08/01/1127627) As the Mikhail Gorbachev of American Airlines, after the long, sometimes bare-knuckled rule of Robert L. Crandall as chief executive, Donald J. Carty is finding that glasnost can lead to chaos (labor unrest, late flights, service with a snarl).
Madonna (1999/08/07/1128838) Ah-Mei, 27, is becoming the Madonna of China.
Dorothy Parker (1999/08/09/1129462) Ms. Mann is shaping up to be the Dorothy Parker of adult pop, although her jiltings have come from the music industry, not callous lovers.
Nelson Mandela (1999/08/10/1129636) Adem Demaci, often called the Nelson Mandela of Kosovo, has found some of the same serenity and moderation, urging his fellow Albanians to use their sudden gift of freedom to build a civilized society here.
Bruce Lee (1999/08/11/1129874) Even though he had tragedies every day in his life, he’d get up on stage and be the Bruce Lee of our culture.’’
Harry Winston (1999/08/15/1130766) For those not in the know, Jacob – Jacob Arabo, to be precise – is the Harry Winston of the hip-hop world, the jeweler who gives most of today’s leading rappers their shine.
Pablo Picasso (1999/08/20/1131800) This English singer with a fetchingly nostalgic pseudonym is a member of the Headcoatees, the raucous girl group organized by the Picasso of garage rock, Billy Childish.
Phyllis Schlafly (1999/08/20/1131849) ‘‘Sushma is the Phyllis Schlafly of India,’’ remarked Rajiv Desai, who has created the advertising for Mrs. Gandhi’s campaign.
J. D. Salinger (1999/08/22/1132391) ‘‘He’s the J. D. Salinger of film,’’ Mr. Fancher said of Mr. Anderson, 30, whose first film, ‘‘Bottle Rocket,’’ propelled him to indie-film cult status.
Tiger Woods (1999/08/22/1132492) Two years ago, we were told that Babe Ruth was the Tiger Woods of his time, that golf would save the developing world, that Tiger would change sports marketing and race relations.
Dennis Rodman (1999/08/26/1133298) Other players getting attention this year include Max Mirnyi of Belarus, who took home the mixed-doubles trophy with Serena Williams at Wimbledon and the Open last year, and Xavier Malisse, a Belgian called the Dennis Rodman of tennis because he dyed his hair different colors for each round of a tournament.
Morris Levy (1999/08/29/1133807) At one point Shustek described Mercado to me as ‘‘the Morris Levy of the Latin world.’’
Bill Gates (1999/08/29/1134085) ‘‘They say I’m going to be the Bill Gates of biology; I’m not sure that’s meant to be flattering,’’ he said.
Bill Gates (1999/09/05/1135691) ‘‘The immediate impact would be a shortage of computer products and prices would go up instead of down,’’ said Stanley Shih, the Bill Gates of Taiwan and the chairman of Acer Group.
Barbara Walters (1999/09/10/1136733) ‘‘I’ve been called the most famous American in China,’’ said Miss Kan, who is an American citizen, ‘‘but when I was in television there, people used to call me the Barbara Walters of China.
P. T. Barnum (1999/09/11/1136878) He has been the P. T. Barnum of public shows of faith – from the ‘92 campaign, in which he campaigned in full preaching mode in black churches, to his Monica mea culpa of a year ago this week, when he worked in allusions to both the New Testament and the Yom Kippur liturgy while confessing his sins at an annual Washington prayer breakfast.
Andy Warhol (1999/09/12/1137062) Says Henny Garfunkel, a New York photographer and friend of Almodovar’s, ‘‘He’s the Andy Warhol of Spain.’’
Charles Dickens (1999/09/12/1137115) SNOOPS A new drama from David E. Kelley, who is rapidly becoming the Dickens of television (although he’s not paid by the film frame – yet).
Aretha Franklin (1999/09/12/1137131) She’s the Aretha Franklin of the next millennium.’’
Mahalia Jackson (1999/09/12/1137131) If she had pursued music, she said, she thought she might become ‘‘the Mahalia Jackson of the family,’’ traveling from church to church singing gospel.
Tony Robbins (1999/09/16/1138287) In his last 200 pass attempts, he has thrown only two interceptions and has become the Tony Robbins of his team’s success-breeds-success mantra, which they vow will carry them to another championship.
Walter Cronkite (1999/09/17/1138491) He has become known in some circles as the Walter Cronkite of weather.
Thomas Becket (1999/09/19/1138691) Stanislaus, described as the Thomas Becket of Poland, was assassinated by the King, and then drawn and quartered.
Marilyn Monroe (1999/09/22/1139639) Tahia Carioca, the Egyptian belly dancer often called the Marilyn Monroe of the Arab world, died of a heart attack in a Cairo hospital on Monday.
Mel Brooks (1999/09/26/1140478) It takes a humble man, or at least a Nobel Prize winner like Leon Lederman, nicknamed ‘‘the Mel Brooks of the physics world,’’ to admit to a prodigious waste of time and money.
Yogi Berra (1999/09/26/1140488) Sometimes sounding like the Yogi Berra of shoji making, Mr. Odate said that as much as 40 percent of woodworking could be learned intellectually, by reading.
Harry Houdini (1999/10/01/1141810) ‘‘Virtual advertising,’’ as this trickery is known, is ‘‘the Harry Houdini of the media business,’’ said David Verklin, chief executive at Carat North America in New York, which buys commercial time and ad space for marketers.
Nolan Ryan (1999/10/01/1141916) In the last two years, Valentine has shown faith in Yoshii, 34, who did not come with great hyperbole, like the Yankee owner calling Hideki Irabu the Nolan Ryan of Japan.
Tristan Tzara (1999/10/03/1142247) Mr. Lindsay has performed with Tom Ze, the Tristan Tzara of Brazilian Tropicalia, and Vovo, the leader of the black nationalist carnival band Ile Aiye; Mr. Lindsay has also produced recordings by Caetano Veloso, Carlinhos Brown and Marisa Monte.
Richard Wagner (1999/10/10/1143997) People began referring to him as the Wagner of contemporary art because, like Wagner, Barney operated in a mythological language that seemed willfully irrational, and he had a plan for a cycle of works (the five ‘‘Cremaster’’ films) that would take years to complete.
Jackie Robinson (1999/10/12/1144695) Called the Jackie Robinson of higher education when she became the first black woman to head a top-tier college or university in 1995, Dr. Simmons has embarked upon what she calls a ‘‘personal crusade’’ to bring disadvantaged students to her campus and similar institutions nationwide.
Emily Dickinson (1999/10/17/1145734) The relics of St. Therese of Lisieux, the Emily Dickinson of Roman Catholic sainthood, arrived yesterday at Our Lady of the Scapular Church on East 28th Street to begin a four-day stay in Manhattan.
Bill Gates (1999/10/18/1146269) Now he is vying to become the Bill Gates of television.
Dante Alighieri (1999/10/22/1147181) Though his latest film explores one more urban inferno and colorfully reaffirms Mr. Scorsese’s role as the Dante of the Cinema, creating its air of nocturnal torment took some doing.
Brian Wilson (1999/10/24/1147595) Mr. Cornog is the Brian Wilson of home recording.
Orson Welles (1999/10/24/1147597) Such clips as the Beastie Boys’s ‘‘Sabotage,’’ in which the Beasties dress up as cops from a 70’s television show, and Weezer’s ‘‘Buddy Holly,’’ in which the band turns up in a ‘‘Happy Days’’ episode, prompted one fan writing on the movie Web site Ain’t It Cool News to call him the ‘‘the Orson Welles of music videos.’’
Nat King Cole (1999/10/24/1147790) At 72, the silky-voiced Mr. Ferrer – dubbed the Nat King Cole of Cuba – looked boyish in his trademark tan-colored Kangol cap and canvas K-Swiss sneakers.
Isaak Babel (1999/10/24/1148009) MORE than a decade has passed since a friend called me to rave about the work of one of her graduate students, a recent immigrant from China who wrote in English and who was, my friend said, the Isaac Babel of the Chinese Army.
Richard Wagner (1999/10/31/1149440) It is the Richard Wagner of S.U.V.’s.
Rosa Parks (1999/11/04/1150603) Dorothy Goosby, a 61-year-old nursing home dietitian and high school chemistry teacher, is described by her supporters as ‘‘the Rosa Parks of Long Island’’ for her long effort to end the at-large system of electing the Town Board, a process she says has kept black people off.
Grandma Moses (1999/11/07/1151271) In a recent interview here, Ms. Cirino, earnest yet self-effacing, joked that at the age of 58 she is ‘‘the Grandma Moses of first novelists.’’
Martin Luther (1999/11/07/1151463) Not for nothing has Mr. Nouri, 50, been called the Martin Luther of Iran.
Robert Frost (1999/11/12/1152666) Mr. Bush, the Robert Frost of political name recognition, won the first polls easily, and after that things just started snowballing.
Mary Harris Jones (1999/11/14/1153412) And in a movement where blue jeans are favored, she wears pumps and gold bracelets, although her Ann Taylor look has not stopped her from earning the nickname the Mother Jones of Silicon Valley.
John Calvin (1999/11/15/1153640) As ever, he is the classroom know-it-all, the professional scold, the John Calvin of city government, so much so that caricaturists routinely portray him in an apoplectic state.
Adolf Hitler (1999/11/28/1156565) No wonder the British trade paper Film Weekly called him ‘‘the Hitler of Hollywood.’’
Audrey Hepburn (1999/11/28/1156590) The commentator Dick Button called her ‘‘the Audrey Hepburn of skating.’’
Marcel Proust (1999/11/28/1156627) Mr. Jarrett, the Proust of jazz, had chronic fatigue syndrome recently, and for a while the Internet was bubbling with rumors of his imminent demise that gained credence after he canceled several concerts.
Mikhail Gorbachev (1999/11/28/1156860) ‘‘He doesn’t want to be the Gorbachev of Syria.
Carl Sagan (1999/11/30/1157194) Profile writers have compared him to Indiana Jones, and quoted sympathetic colleagues who called Dr. Plotkin the Carl Sagan of the rain forest.
Philip Johnson (1999/12/05/1158279) Macaulay introduces an architect, William of Planz, the Philip Johnson of his day, who developed the original design.
Michael Jordan (1999/12/05/1158663) Or when, during a heated practice, she’s trying to outfox youngsters like Chamique Holdsclaw, the player she’s pegged as the star for the new millennium and to whom she’s prepared to bequeath her moniker as the Michael Jordan of women’s ball.
Jim Morrison (1999/12/09/1159451) Here in his homeland Mr. Coelho first came to attention in the early 1970’s not as a novelist but as a pop music lyricist, writing more than 70 songs with the rock star Raul Seixas, described by Mr. Coelho as ‘‘the Jim Morrison of Brazil.’’
Bruce Springsteen (1999/12/11/1159942) Madeleine Albright is the Bruce Springsteen of foreign affairs.
David Lynch (1999/12/12/1160206) One of the Island’s more iconoclastic performers, James Yarsky performs emotionally charged, raging songs in highly theatrical stage performances that led one writer too call him the David Lynch of folk music.
Jack Kerouac (1999/12/17/1161636) W. Axl Rose is the Jack Kerouac of hard rock, embodying the myth of masculinity in all its beauty and horror.
Britney Spears (1999/12/19/1161983) From the cavalcade of come hither, ‘‘Teen Beats’’ photos to the completely predictable array of blockbuster classics like ‘‘Crazy,’’ ‘Your Cheatin’ Heart’’ and ‘‘Lovesick Blues,’’ this album feels like an attempt to become the Britney Spears of country.
Florence Nightingale (1999/12/26/1163753) He sees himself as a humanitarian, the Florence Nightingale of Death Row, the man who took the ouch out of the death penalty.
P. T. Barnum (1999/12/26/1163871) It was given by her husband of the time, Michael Todd, the P. T. Barnum of Hollywood, and the event arguably ushered in the modern Hollywood era.
Donald Trump (1999/12/27/1164179) They are people of such retiring natures that when one admits to being ‘‘quietly confident’’ about the competition, he comes across as the Donald Trump of the sheep-dog world.

2000

Tiger Woods (2000/01/02/1165313) He was the Tiger Woods of his time – which is to say, Tiger Woods without all the handlers.
Quentin Tarantino (2000/01/02/1165360) Webster was the Quentin Tarantino of his age, but he didn’t invent this mixed style of drama.
Tony Robbins (2000/01/07/1166580) PLUSES: Tom Cruise as the Tony Robbins of misogynistic sex, in another role in which his phony, too-bright smiles match his character.
Calvin Klein (2000/01/08/1166834) Among them were Howard C. Fox, ‘‘the Chicago clothier and sometime big-band trumpeter who claimed credit for creating and naming the zoot suit with the reet pleat, the reave sleeve, the ripe stripe, the stuff cuff and the drape shape that was the stage rage during the boogie-woogie rhyme time of the early 1940’s,’’ and Russell Colley, a mechanical engineer who became ‘‘the Calvin Klein of space’’ and was known to a generation of astronauts as the ‘‘father of the space suit.’’
Henry Ford (2000/01/09/1166971) He can be viewed as the Henry Ford of religion, with a uniquely American knack for enterprise and innovation, or a Jim Jones figure from the dark edge of the frontier, ready to take his followers off a cliff with him.
Dave Douglas (2000/01/13/1168186) But there’s a resourcefulness here: they use cheap electronics well, they mine a lot of feeling from single vamps, and the disciplined, versatile cornetist Rob Mazurek may yet become the Dave Douglas of the Midwest.
Cal Ripken (2000/01/15/1168688) He’s the Cal Ripken of TV,’’ said Mr. Rubenstein, referring to the Baltimore Orioles shortstop with the stellar attendance record.
Dorothea Dix (2000/01/16/1168831) Guiding the international entourage that chilly fall morning was Virginia Gonzalez, the Dorothea Dix of Mexico, that nation’s leading advocate for the mentally ill and the country’s No.
Napoleon (2000/01/19/1169686) Conan Doyle persevered in his homicide, inventing the Napoleon of crime, Moriarity, who in ‘‘The Final Problem’’ plunges with Holmes into the seething waters of Reichenbach Falls in Switzerland.
Liv Tyler (2000/01/21/1170158) Meanwhile, almost every other man in town wants to marry young Anne Page, who is apparently the Liv Tyler of 14th-century Windsor.
Rodney Dangerfield (2000/01/23/1170707) Velvet paintings may be the Rodney Dangerfield of the art world, but Leeteg, who died in 1953, was known as the American Gauguin.
John Madden (2000/01/23/1170962) He has the je ne sais quoi that will make him the John Madden of racing, said David Hill, chairman of the Fox Sports Television Group.
Tom Hanks (2000/01/24/1171146) ‘‘I am the Tom Hanks of the Golden Globes.’’
Tim McCarver (2000/01/30/1172368) He has since established himself as the Tim McCarver of tennis, the undisputed master of his craft.
Dan Marino (2000/01/31/1172834) Otherwise he runs the risk of being remembered as the Dan Marino of the media business, a great player who was unable to win the biggest prize in his chosen game.
Gary Cooper (2000/02/06/1174173) Ms. Bonnaire’s greatest physical attribute is her walk, which is brisk and androgynously sexy – she’s the Gary Cooper of French actresses – but what gives her a star’s allure is her ability to hold her emotions suggestively in reserve.
Stanley Kubrick (2000/02/09/1175017) He is the Stanley Kubrick of New York chefs – difficult to get a read on, by most accounts difficult to deal with, but always pointed in a direction that feels as though it will lead straight to the next big thing.
Ricky Martin (2000/02/13/1176237) I used to wonder if the cocky strategist, the Ricky Martin of dirty campaigning, could have pulled President Bush through in ‘92, as he did in ‘88, when he zestfully turned Willie Horton into the bogyman.
Tina Turner (2000/02/14/1176472) She’s the Tina Turner of dogs.’’
John Rocker (2000/02/15/1176631) Nobody wants to come off as the John Rocker of hockey and say no.
Walter Lippmann (2000/02/16/1176873) I once called him the Walter Lippmann of the hydrant set, and he loved it.’’
Rodney Dangerfield (2000/02/18/1177372) Despite their deepest wishes, Gordy Sheer and Chris Thorpe know that the two-man luge is the Rodney Dangerfield of winter Olympic sports.
Michael Jordan (2000/02/22/1178469) ‘‘It’s very unique, though, to be able to bring the Michael Jordan of baseball home where he was raised in Cincinnati,’’ said Jim Bowden, the Reds’ general manager, who tried to minimize how the contract favors the Reds.
Alanis Morissette (2000/02/27/1179735) Conservative Christianity has its own chaste heartthrobs, like Joshua Harris, the raffishly cute author of ‘‘I Kissed Dating Good-Bye,’’ and the singer Rebecca St. James, the Alanis Morissette of the W.W.J.D.
Tony Gwynn (2000/03/08/1182251) Junior had no desire to be the Tony Gwynn of Seattle: a lovable ancient staying put so he would not have to go through the trouble of redecorating another house in another baseball town.
Martha Stewart (2000/03/12/1183090) I’ll be the Martha Stewart of travelers, carrying a colorful supply of grosgrain ribbons to use as bookmarks: yellow for hotels, red for restaurants, green for the historical-cultural section, blue and purple for places of interest.
Stevie Nicks (2000/03/12/1183115) At 46, Ms. Gillis is a bit like the Stevie Nicks of the dance world – her name evokes cultlike enthusiasm or groans, but not much in between.
Tiger Woods (2000/03/12/1183194) A graduate of Ithaca College, Mr. Spidal is the Tiger Woods of the B Division.
Mother Teresa (2000/03/12/1183431) ‘‘He is the Mother Teresa of the wild bird world,’’ said Ward Stone, the wildlife pathologist for the State Department of Environmental Conservation, who has sent injured Canada geese and ducks to the sanctuary.
Joseph Cornell (2000/03/13/1183591) Between the adored exotic birds, the boxlike space and the prevailing aura of innocence and obsession, you may leave this show feeling that you have met the Joseph Cornell of the 19th century.
Babe Ruth (2000/03/14/1183800) ‘‘He is the Babe Ruth of football,’’ Mr. Molinary said, standing outside the Dolphins’ training camp in Davie today as, inside, Marino announced his retirement.
Thomas Edison (2000/03/18/1184684) Fortune magazine called Mr. Joy ‘‘the Edison of the Internet’’: he designed crucial system software and three of Sun’s microprocessors as well as developing the Java programming language.
John Wayne (2000/03/19/1185165) So with the clock running out, Sabol went deep: ‘‘Vince,’’ he said, ‘‘let us put a mike on you, and we’ll make you the John Wayne of pro football.’’
Tom Cruise (2000/03/30/1187893) ‘‘White sharks are, for any diver, the apex – the Tom Cruise of the ocean.’’
Oskar Schindler (2000/04/01/1188325) His boss, a transplanted Cairene named Roschdy, has a side business smuggling illegal immigrants into France and styles himself ‘‘the Schindler of the Arabs.’’
Robert Mapplethorpe (2000/04/02/1188511) As early as 1981, critics were debating the value of his elegant style and shocking subjects (and referring, in one instance, to an earlier photographer as ‘‘the Robert Mapplethorpe of his generation’’).
Le Corbusier (2000/04/02/1188700) Past clients confirm that Ms. Tuman is the Corbusier of confined space.
Marvin Miller (2000/04/02/1188826) Fleisher had not long before split from his brother, Marc, in a litigious feud that fractured a family made famous in basketball circles by their late father, Larry, the Marvin Miller of hoops.
Lord Byron (2000/04/07/1189860) For her part, Ms. Maclean trots out Dennis Hopper, once the Lord Byron of the drug culture and now its Ancient Mariner, for a cameo as a scary guy our young friend meets in rehab.
Dorothy Parker (2000/04/09/1190562) She added, ‘‘She’s been described as the Dorothy Parker of the crime novel and the Betty Boop of crime fiction, so hang onto your hats.’’
Timothy Leary (2000/04/09/1190651) Terence McKenna, who so playfully and persistently pressed his message that psychedelic drugs are mankind’s salvation that Timothy Leary himself christened him ‘‘the Timothy Leary of the 90’s,’’ died on Monday at a friend’s home in San Rafael, Calif.
Rem Koolhaas (2000/04/13/1191464) The company Driade asked David Chipperfield, one of the master minimalists of London, and Kazuyo Sejima, known among cognoscenti as the Rem Koolhaas of Japan, to contribute.
Al Capone (2000/04/16/1192341) He refers to Harvey Weinstein at Miramax, which bought the film last fall, as ‘‘the Al Capone of the movie industry.’’
P. T. Barnum (2000/04/19/1192992) She’s the P. T. Barnum of the outsider art world.’’
Paul Anka (2000/04/21/1193538) Thirty years ago, throwing a 300 made you a bowling celebrity, the Paul Anka of your local alley.
Warren Buffett (2000/04/23/1194062) He wasn’t the Warren Buffett of his time, but Mark Twain said he liked real estate because he was pretty sure God wasn’t going to make any more of it.
Rodney Dangerfield (2000/04/25/1194441) He calls it the Rodney Dangerfield of natural disasters.
Jackie Robinson (2000/04/26/1194659) ‘‘If she can make it,’’ he quipped, ‘‘she can be the Jackie Robinson of the pipe-fitting world.’’
Rodney Dangerfield (2000/04/29/1195337) So pity the poor 70’s, the Dangerfield of decades, whose early years were a carry-over from the ever-popular 60’s and whose later years were nothing but a prelude to the 80’s.
Bill Gates (2000/05/01/1196085) To date, Willis Haviland Carrier, the Bill Gates of the air conditioner, has been a greater benefactor to humanity than Bill Gates.
Genghis Khan (2000/05/04/1196828) ‘‘I was billed as the Genghis Khan of the committee,’’ Cardinal O’Connor later told Mr. Hentoff.
Michael Jordan (2000/05/06/1197248) For the benefit of anyone under 40, Howdy Doody was the Michael Jordan of television puppets.
Arnold Schwarzenegger (2000/05/07/1197350) He was the Arnold Schwarzenegger of his day, three times named ‘‘America’s Most Muscular Man.’’
Cecil B. DeMille (2000/05/07/1197779) Robert Halmi Sr., the Cecil B. DeMille of the 27-inch screen, speaks proudly of the inspirational power of that pulpy television standby, the mini-series.
Larry Kramer (2000/05/11/1198493) But when it came to details like cooperation, she was a disaster, the Larry Kramer of the women’s movement.
Mae West (2000/05/12/1198733) Designed by Zofia Czechlewska and built by the Teatr Baj of Poland and Eli Worden, the elaborate puppets range from Maya, who looks like a pugnacious preschooler who has sprouted wings, to Miss Loveydear, the Mae West of dragonflies.
Gaby Hoffmann (2000/05/12/1198760) Judy, meanwhile, is dating a tiresome ceramicist played by Peter Bogdanovich, who once directed Mr. O’Neal in a frothy romantic comedy called ‘‘What’s Up, Doc,’’ which also starred Barbra Streisand, whose name is dropped in passing, as well as Madeline Kahn, whom we may one day regard as the Gaby Hoffmann of the 1970’s.
Madeline Kahn (2000/05/12/1198760) But as portrayed by Ms. Hoffmann, who may be the Madeline Kahn of the Clearasil set, she’s also the source of some of the film’s best scenes, and the mouthpiece for its funniest lines.
Michael Jordan (2000/05/14/1199474) ‘‘They wanted the Michael Jordan of fast food,’’ Mr. Hawkins said.
Michael Jordan (2000/05/15/1199732) He is the Michael Jordan of his sport, but even Jordan could find legitimate challengers.
Isaac Newton (2000/05/22/1201526) Think of Proust as the Isaac Newton of memory.
Babe Ruth (2000/05/26/1202490) He is the Babe Ruth of baseball’s new era.
Lyndon LaRouche (2000/06/01/1203951) ‘‘Murray Sabrin is the Lyndon LaRouche of New Jersey,’’ Mr. Wilson said.
Pontius Pilatus (2000/06/03/1204361) ‘‘In this Jubilee, Amato is turning into the Pontius Pilate of the year 2000.’’
Sydney Biddle Barrows (2000/06/08/1205681) The missing John Lennon piano has been tracked down by SIDNEY BIDDLE BARROWS, the Mayflower Madam of the 1980’s.
Martin Amis (2000/06/10/1206103) He is a regular contributor to The London Review of Books and has been described by The Times of London as ‘‘the Martin Amis of British psychoanalysis,’’ for his ‘‘brilliantly amusing and often profoundly unsettling’’ work.
Johnny Appleseed (2000/06/11/1206269) It was only after the Johnny Appleseed of tulips, a botanist named Carolus Clusius, cultivated and cataloged tulip varieties and gave them away as gifts that tulipomania really took hold.
Bill Gates (2000/06/11/1206294) Among those who took notice of the fine location was Benjamin Lester, a hard-driving Englishman from Poole, who by the 1780’s had become the Bill Gates of Newfoundland.
Lorenzo de’ Medici (2000/06/15/1207422) How did a pastor become the Lorenzo de’ Medici of American architecture – or, as he put it, ‘‘hooked on architecture of the highest league’’?
Lord Byron (2000/06/16/1207691) For her part Ms. Maclean trots out Dennis Hopper, once the Lord Byron of the drug culture and now its Ancient Mariner, for a cameo as a scary guy our young friend meets in rehab.
Michael Jordan (2000/06/19/1208725) ‘‘He’s the Michael Jordan of diving,’’ Ruiz said.
Henny Youngman (2000/06/21/1209040) Carlos Valdes, known as Patato, could be the Henny Youngman of conga drummers.
Tiger Woods (2000/06/22/1209351) Al Del Greco, the Tennessee Titans kicker, whom Testaverde describes as ‘‘the Tiger Woods of N.F.L.
Joan of Arc (2000/06/23/1209653) To the composer Edgard Varese she was ‘‘the Jeanne d’Arc of new music.’’
Norman Rockwell (2000/06/25/1209910) Saint-Exupery’s fall from literary grace begins with ‘‘The Little Prince’’ in his native country, where he is the Norman Rockwell of letters.
Norman Rockwell (2000/06/28/1210928) The result was ‘‘Papas’s America,’’ a large-format, limited-edition book that evoked scenes of everyday life in a manner that led some critics to label him the Norman Rockwell of the 1980’s.
Robin Williams (2000/07/09/1213506) Mr. Yankovic is the Robin Williams of rock – a manic pop-culture sponge who delivers the funny goods.
Howard Hughes (2000/07/09/1213677) It is the Howard Hughes of towns.
Pierre Trudeau (2000/07/11/1214079) But his sudden sweep to national prominence, culminating with his decisive election Saturday night as leader of the new Canadian Alliance Party, seems vaguely familiar, leading some commentators to call him the Pierre Trudeau of the right.
Vince Lombardi (2000/07/16/1215436) ‘‘This guy is the Vince Lombardi of business,’’ says John Huey, the Fortune editor.
David Merrick (2000/07/16/1215524) Jackson, he said, agreed to go to Nuremberg ‘‘when he was told it was a chance to make history – ‘You’re going to be the David Merrick of the trial and produce the whole thing from straw.’
Rich Little (2000/07/21/1216431) He introduces himself as an impressionist – ‘‘the Rich Little of Beaver,’’ the small Utah town that gives the film its name – but his enthusiasm seems to exceed his talent.
Elvis Presley (2000/07/23/1217053) GERTRUDE JEKYLL may be the Elvis of the gardening world.
Jack Welch (2000/07/23/1217072) ‘‘I would rank him as the Jack Welch of China,’’ said Fred Hu, chief Asian economist for Goldman, Sachs.
Rodney Dangerfield (2000/07/31/1219129) Is New Hampshire the Rodney Dangerfield of the Republican convention?
Leonardo da Vinci (2000/08/04/1219903) Right now this presence hovers like a beautiful mist over ‘‘The Arts of Hon’ami Koetsu, Japanese Renaissance Master’’ at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, a small miracle of an exhibition that pays homage to a late-16th-century artist who has become known to scholars and admirers as the Leonardo of Japanese art.
Dave Eggers (2000/08/05/1220090) Irony is what keeps Hamlet going, for example – he’s the Dave Eggers of medieval Denmark.
Dick Clark (2000/08/06/1220323) Now 70 and still broadcasting regularly from oldies station KRTH-FM (101), Mr. Hugg likes to refer to himself as ‘‘the Dick Clark of the Chicanos.’’
Sol Hurok (2000/08/07/1220827) ‘‘The purpose is to bring the arts, meaning culture, to working people, to bring a culture that reflects their lives and that will help bring their lives to a higher level,’’ said Mr. Foner, who has been called the Sol Hurok of the labor movement.
Gary Cooper (2000/08/08/1220973) But every male politician’s fantasy is being called the Gary Cooper of the Senate.)
Sandy Koufax (2000/08/09/1221304) It is filled with Jewish holy days, and if he is true to his faith, Mr. Lieberman will skip at least half a dozen days of campaigning, the Sandy Koufax of politics.
Ralph Nader (2000/08/10/1221400) Steve Earle, the Ralph Nader of country music, is its patriarch.
Pablo Picasso (2000/08/11/1221592) And the works of Gonzalez and Picasso, in turn, inspired David Smith, an American who might be called the Picasso of welding, so inventive and prolific was his output from the 1930’s into the 1960’s.
Tom Hanks (2000/08/13/1222108) He described Metro-North, with its many service awards, as ‘‘the Tom Hanks of commuter railroads.’’
Todd Pratt (2000/08/13/1222114) I guess I’m the Todd Pratt of ‘Kiss Me, Kate,’ ‘’ she said, referring to the backup catcher for the Mets superstar Mike Piazza.’
Rodney Dangerfield (2000/08/13/1222127) ‘‘Connecticut is the Rodney Dangerfield of American Politics,’’ said Darrell West, a political science professor and director of the Taubman Center for Public Policy at Brown University.
Tom Hanks (2000/08/13/1222136) He described Metro-North, with its many service awards, as ‘‘the Tom Hanks of commuter railroads.’’
Michael Jordan (2000/08/13/1222322) The stunt biker Dave Mirra, the Michael Jordan of the dirt set, has his own chewing gum (Dave Mirra’s BMX Bubble Gum), as well as his own pro model signature Adidas sneaker as well as a cereal en route.
Red Adair (2000/08/18/1223401) An amazing talent, like being the Red Adair of ribbons.
Dave Douglas (2000/08/25/1225073) But there’s a resourcefulness here: the players use cheap electronics well, they mine a lot from simple vamps, and the disciplined, versatile trumpeter Rob Mazurek may yet become something like the Dave Douglas of the Midwest.
Magic Johnson (2000/08/28/1226010) ‘‘Cynthia Cooper is the Michael Jordan, the Larry Bird, the Magic Johnson of this league,’’ Rich Adubato, the coach of the New York Liberty, said.
Robert Mondavi (2000/08/30/1226310) Some amphoras were inscribed, ‘‘From the vineyards of Lucius Laenis,’’ who may well have been the Robert Mondavi of his time.
Gamal Abdel Nasser (2000/09/03/1227783) ‘‘Hariri may have become the Gamal Abdel Nasser of the Sunni Muslim sect, and he may be able to sweep Beirut in the elections, but this will not bring him closer to the Grand Serai,’’ he said, referring to the huge stone building that houses the prime minister’s office.
Damien Hirst (2000/09/08/1228733) If it were possible to have met any one of them, it would probably be Goncharova, the Damien Hirst of prerevolutionary Moscow, who issued crazy decrees, appeared in outrageous films and cabarets and scandalized the public with pictures that the police repeatedly confiscated as pornographic and blasphemous.
John Waters (2000/09/10/1229141) He’s sort of like the John Waters of the small screen.
Jimmy Buffett (2000/09/10/1229180) ‘‘We wanted to get Dar Williams because she is the Jimmy Buffett of the young folk crowd.
Cole Porter (2000/09/10/1229621) One hopes this beautifully annotated five-CD set will lead to a resurgence of interest in Malvina Reynolds, the Cole Porter of striking workers; if not, the Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger and Lucinda Williams cuts should lure the already converted.
Wayne Newton (2000/09/14/1230336) So does the time that I placed a Bruce Springsteen CD in my shopping cart, then removed it after being teased by my husband (who refers to the aging Mr. Springsteen as ‘‘the Wayne Newton of our generation’’).
P. T. Barnum (2000/09/16/1230837) It’s easy to poke fun at events like this one, sponsored by Tibor Rudas, fast becoming the P. T. Barnum of classical music today.
Charles Murray (2000/09/17/1230995) They make short work of my favorite, Theodore Bingham, the Charles Murray of his day.
Michael Jordan (2000/09/17/1231421) LASER – In the popular open dinghy class, Robert Scheidt of Brazil is the Michael Jordan of Laser sailing, a dominant force who has won four world championships.
Shirley MacLaine (2000/09/18/1231599) ‘‘It has become the Shirley MacLaine of magazines.
Mae West (2000/09/19/1231759) You say that you are the Mae West of physics.
Martha Stewart (2000/09/20/1232150) Barbara Gulotta, the Martha Stewart of school lunches, presided over the test kitchen in Long Island City, Queens, dressed in a chic black shift, with red lipstick setting off her sweeping auburn hair.
Louis Armstrong (2000/09/22/1232558) Robin Bady will offer songs and tales, and Ernie Strauss, who might be considered the Satchmo of shofars, will bring about a dozen examples to touch and to try.
Richard Avedon (2000/09/29/1234498) Utamaro, who worked at the end of the 18th century, was the Richard Avedon of Edo.
Michael Jordan (2000/09/29/1234541) When the Australian point guard, Shane Heal, referred to him as ‘‘the Michael Jordan of Australia’’ today, Gaze shook his head.
Frank Stella (2000/09/29/1234670) Udomsak Krisanamis, who immigrated to the United States from Thailand in 1991, may be the Frank Stella of current painting.
Jim Carrey (2000/10/03/1235631) Up till now T. Coraghessan Boyle has been the Jim Carrey of fiction: all broad gestures and mimicry, nervous hyperbole and dazzling razzmatazz.
Cal Ripken (2000/10/03/1235737) ‘‘He’s the Cal Ripken of debate preparation.’’
Robin Williams (2000/10/08/1236832) His topic hopping and hyperactive prose reveal him to be a consummate showman – the Robin Williams of writers – but like that actor he rarely leaves you wanting more.
John James Audubon (2000/10/08/1236967) James Prosek, known as the John James Audubon of fishing for the accuracy and delicacy of his piscatorial watercolors (originals selling for up to $7,000), is a best-selling author of books on fishing that he illustrates with his paintings.
Alice Waters (2000/10/08/1237000) Ms. Peck, author of ‘‘The Buffet Book’’ (Viking, 1997) and sometimes referred to as ‘‘the Alice Waters of the East Coast,’’ is a chef who celebrates the state’s farm-fresh organic food.
Clyde Barrow (2000/10/10/1237601) Was the Clyde Barrow of country music, the smoothest outlaw ever to sing honeyed words into a microphone, going to pull off this latest caper, promoting a new album on a punk label to an audience of relatively youthful downtowners?
Doris Day (2000/10/11/1237800) Or a 1957 Chevy Bel Air, the Doris Day of automobiles.
Leo Tolstoy (2000/10/16/1239323) The low point was Mr. Bellow’s unfortunate remark: ‘‘Who is the Tolstoy of the Zulus?
Laurence Olivier (2000/10/20/1240188) In the right situation, Mr. Lovano can become something like the Laurence Olivier of jazz – a serious practitioner with no fear, a high-wire buddha who has found his own rhythm, clearly ecstatic to be doing what he’s doing and using the logic of bebop harmony and every bit of his own physicality to shape his delivery.
Horatio Alger (2000/10/20/1240346) Piazza, by the way, is the Horatio Alger of baseball.
Rudy Giuliani (2000/10/22/1240671) Is it fair to say that you wouldn’t mind becoming known as the Rudy Giuliani of Belgrade?
Elton John (2000/10/22/1240688) The first of these Heavy Organ concerts, held at the Fillmore East in New York on Dec. 1, 1970, made an indelible impression on Fox’s fellow organist and admirer Carlo Curley, whose 1998 memoir, ‘‘In the Pipeline,’’ describes Fox and the scene: ‘‘He looked like the Elton John of the organ with an outlandish bow tie, paisley jacket accented in shimmering silks, and rhinestones on the heels of his organ shoes.
John D. Rockefeller (2000/10/22/1240715) Charles H. Carpenter Jr., author of ‘‘Gorham Silver’’ (Alan Wofsy Fine Arts: 1997) called Holbrook the John D. Rockefeller of the silver industry.
Grace Kelly (2000/10/23/1241219) Society columnists called her ‘‘the Grace Kelly of Chicago.’’
Babe Dahlgren (2000/10/28/1242527) Think of Representative Rick A. Lazio as the Babe Dahlgren of New York politics.
Thomas Jefferson (2000/10/29/1242729) ‘‘He was the Thomas Jefferson of Georgia Tech,’’ said Paul Muldawer, an Atlanta architect and a colleague during Dr. Bragdon’s two decades on the faculty of the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Adolf Hitler (2000/10/29/1242940) In Western eyes, Mr. Milosevic’s undeniable awfulness (politicians and diplomats cheerfully called him ‘‘evil’’ and ‘‘the Hitler of the Balkans’’) justified nearly anything that happened in Kosovo – revenge in the pursuit of liberty was no vice.
Willie Horton (2000/11/01/1243691) Lazio is trying to turn Muslims into the Willie Horton of 2000,’’ the eight groups said in a joint statement.
Philippe Starck (2000/11/02/1243860) (Tiffany was the Philippe Starck of his day.)
Charlie Cook (2000/11/02/1243896) He’s the Charlie Cook of the Wolverine state.
Michael Jordan (2000/11/05/1244777) A quiet 43-year-old computer consultant who has been called ‘‘the Michael Jordan of game shows,’’ Pawlowicz (pronounced pa-VLO-vich) never lost a match while steamrolling to the title of the 1992 ‘‘Jeopardy!’’
Babe Ruth (2000/11/05/1244897) ‘‘You’re the Babe Ruth of this sport, of this marathon!
Red Adair (2000/11/08/1245492) But Mr. Feld figures their businesses have enough in common that he can market himself as the Red Adair of information technology.
Tiger Woods (2000/11/12/1246459) If he’s the Tiger Woods of juggling, however, he also reflects on how age brings physical diminishment: ‘‘The pure athletic skills are probably starting to decline.
Ralph Nader (2000/11/18/1248183) ‘‘But the Ralph Nader of this election is Willie James, not me.
Mark Morris (2000/11/19/1248335) Where was the Mark Morris of classical ballet?
George S. Patton (2000/11/19/1248471) Ms. Rakitta, the General Patton of Turkey Day, doesn’t just cook her own family’s feast.
Henry Ford (2000/11/26/1250159) But whereas Disney was primarily an impresario and an empire builder, the Henry Ford of fantasy, Dr. Seuss, who died in 1991 at the age of 87, conformed to a different American archetype: the solitary genius who happens, almost in spite of himself, to be a canny entrepreneur.
Mikhail Gorbachev (2000/11/27/1250701) Bogdan Chirieac, chief editorial writer for the newspaper Adevarul, called the 70-year-old Mr. Iliescu ‘‘the Gorbachev of Romania’’ and said, ‘‘It’s ridiculous that he’s going to be president again, but we are in the childhood of democracy.’’
Casey Stengel (2000/12/03/1251947) More, because he turned Harold Ross, the creator and first editor of The New Yorker, into a legend, the Casey Stengel of American letters, the guy who wanted to know if Moby Dick was the whale or the man and who scribbled ‘‘Who he?’’
Albert Einstein (2000/12/07/1253134) In this much coarser and more violent, action-heavy story, Mr. Deaver presents the villainous Dr. Aaron Matthews, whom a newspaper once called ‘‘the Einstein of therapists’’ in the days before Hannibal Lecter became his main career influence.
Gian Lorenzo Bernini (2000/12/12/1254601) In preparation for Christmas, which she will spend at a country estate in England, Ms. Ban Breathnach plans to have her hair cut and colored at John Frieda, her eyebrows shaped and tweezed by Eliza Petrescu (regarded by some as the Bernini of eyebrow-arching), her manicure administered at Vogue Nails on Lexington Avenue and her muscles toned in extra sessions with her personal trainer.
Michael Jordan (2000/12/15/1255406) America today is the Michael Jordan of geopolitics.
Cary Grant (2000/12/15/1255477) Mr. Chow comes across as the Cary Grant of the blade.
Fritz Kreisler (2000/12/16/1255559) Mr. Sulzer wondered whether Prathida, a 7-year-old orchestra member whom he called ‘‘the Fritz Kreisler of elephants,’’ would recognize dissonance.
Roger Clemens (2000/12/17/1255730) He is the Roger Clemens of coaches.
Ralph Nader (2000/12/20/1256819) They told me that I would be the Ralph Nader of the election.’’
Mother Teresa (2000/12/22/1257130) Since coming to Kenya with Justin, Tessa has become involved in various human rights campaigns, agitating for women’s rights, health care and international aid; she has become known locally as ‘‘the Princess Diana of the African Poor’’ and ‘‘the Mother Teresa of the Nairobi Slums.’’
Diana, Princess of Wales (2000/12/22/1257130) Since coming to Kenya with Justin, Tessa has become involved in various human rights campaigns, agitating for women’s rights, health care and international aid; she has become known locally as ‘‘the Princess Diana of the African Poor’’ and ‘‘the Mother Teresa of the Nairobi Slums.’’
Ricky Nelson (2000/12/22/1257145) Everyone is welcome at this annual gathering of Jews and simpatico gentiles, whose hosts are the journalist and songwriter Rob Tannenbaum and Sean Altman, the Ricky Nelson of the New York club scene.
Van Morrison (2000/12/22/1257322) Hobex is a soulful party band led by Greg Humphreys, who is turning into the Van Morrison of the college-rock circuit singing his own poignant compositions alongside chestnuts by the likes of Sam Cooke.
Guy Lombardo (2000/12/22/1257326) Don’t call her the Guy Lombardo of punk rock, but it is becoming clear that this revered poet likes a good tradition.
Duke Ellington (2000/12/30/1259012) To his admirers over the decades, Chico O’Farrill has been the Duke Ellington of Latin jazz.
Eleanor Roosevelt (2000/12/31/1259131) Hannah Komanoff was the Eleanor Roosevelt of Long Beach, a political pioneer ahead of her time.
Tiger Woods (2000/12/31/1259140) Alex Acuna, the Tiger Woods of percussionists, uses the synthetic alternative, Mr. D’Addario said.
Michael Jordan (2000/12/31/1259397) Willey said it would benefit the Michael Jordan of cyberspace to log a few minutes on a real basketball court, and for the virtual version of Mike Tyson to know his way around an actual boxing ring.
Tiger Woods (2000/12/31/1259397) Four years later, Willey, a father of two, has become the Tiger Woods of cyberspace, where he is shooting in the low 50’s.

2001

Michael Jordan (2001/01/04/1260139) Armstead and Barrow have been extremely respectful of McNabb this week, with Barrow calling him the Michael Jordan of the Eagles.
Ted Turner (2001/01/08/1261239) Ask Liu Chang Le whether he aspires to be the Ted Turner of China, and he laughs.
Michael Jordan (2001/01/08/1261308) McNabb has been called the Michael Jordan of the National Football League.
Jesse Jackson (2001/01/21/1264386) he wanted to step in like some sort of jet-set peacemaker, the Jesse Jackson of the seminar room.’’
Bill Gates (2001/01/21/1264496) ‘‘I like to call him the Bill Gates of the sign-painting trade,’’ Dr. Schoelwer said.
Rodney Dangerfield (2001/01/21/1264770) ‘‘He’s always been the Rodney Dangerfield of racing,’’ Hatchett said of Radical Riley, who now has four victories and three seconds in 13 races.
Ernie Banks (2001/01/23/1265163) ‘‘I was the Ernie Banks of the National Football League,’’ Newsome said, referring to the beloved Chicago Cub first baseman who never played in a World Series.
Rodney Dangerfield (2001/01/24/1265463) IF you were the Rodney Dangerfield of your profession, fighting every day for respect and all too often falling short, would you go out of your way to do something that you know will make people think even less of you?
P. T. Barnum (2001/01/25/1265566) He is ‘‘the P. T. Barnum of developers,’’ said a competing developer, Dan Rosenfeld, affectionately.
Mike Tyson (2001/01/26/1265861) McAlister’s teammate, defensive back Robert Bailey, calls him the Mike Tyson of cornerbacks, a physical, smothering cornerback who can frustrate and dominate.
Greta Garbo (2001/01/31/1267102) ‘‘To me the Menil is the Garbo of museums in its elegance and allure, and its seeming desire to be left alone,’’ said Vance Muse, the collection’s spokesman.
Walter Cronkite (2001/02/06/1268762) Between phone calls to Warren Buffett and Michael Eisner, Mr. MacAdams said, Mr. Wenner had agreed with an epithet fit for a magazine editor, pronouncing Mr. Loder ‘‘the Walter Cronkite of MTV.’’
Fred Astaire (2001/02/09/1269536) Consider Mr. Dibbets the Fred Astaire of Conceptual photography.
Martha Stewart (2001/02/11/1270021) At 7:30, Diane Sawyer did a teaser for the segment, using a handle made up by one of my editors: ‘‘We are going to meet a woman who has been called the Martha Stewart of Money, and she’s going to tell us secrets about your bank.’’
Robert Downey, Jr. (2001/02/13/1270452) A nasty drug habit pulled him from view, though, and he became the Robert Downey Jr. of rock.
Ross Perot (2001/02/14/1270741) Bent will turn out to be the next Republican up-and-comer or the Ross Perot of local politics.
Abraham Lincoln (2001/02/18/1271516) Carlos Manuel Céspedes is the Abe Lincoln of Cuba and father of the first Cuban revolution.
Elvis Presley (2001/02/18/1271782) With publication of ‘‘The Raven’’ in 1845, Poe became the Elvis of his era.
Charlie Parker (2001/02/25/1273726) Philip K. Dick was the Charlie Parker of science fiction.
Johann Sebastian Bach (2001/03/04/1275151) Stravinsky was the Bach of our lifetime.
Christopher Columbus (2001/03/04/1275346) They are the Columbus of trends.
Ricky Martin (2001/03/05/1275643) Arquitectonica is the Ricky Martin of contemporary architecture.
Kevin Costner (2001/03/05/1275653) Less than a decade ago Gucci was an aging symbol of playboy plenitude and scandal, which was then entrusted to Mr. Ford, whose good looks and middle-of-the-road talent led people to refer to him as the Kevin Costner of fashion.
Bob Fosse (2001/03/07/1276052) And while he modestly demurs, Mr. Barker is widely regarded as the Bob Fosse of the carefully choreographed event that consumes Midtown Manhattan with tin whistles, step dancers and some two million spectators on that invariably brisk March 17 morning.
Émile Zola (2001/03/09/1276449) George P. Pelecanos arrives with the best possible recommendations from other crime writers (e.g., Elmore Leonard likes him), and with jacket copy praising him as ‘‘the Zola of Washington, D.C.’’ But what he really displays here, in great abundance and to entertaining effect, is a Tarantino touch.
George Washington (2001/03/09/1276451) William the Silent, the George Washington of the Netherlands, was killed in Delft in 1584, and in the following decades his son and successor, Prince Maurits, moved the court to The Hague, three miles away.
Robert McNamara (2001/03/11/1276853) His hunger for data is so voracious that I once told him he could end up as the Robert McNamara of the urban education war.
Rodney Dangerfield (2001/03/12/1277435) ‘‘I think I’m the Rodney Dangerfield of racing,’’ Koriner said.
Brenda Blethyn (2001/03/13/1277631) Peggy Spina is the Brenda Blethyn of tap.
Julia Child (2001/03/15/1277939) Mr. Weaver is the Julia Child of long-lost vegetables, a man who, with his passionate energy and globe-trotting discoveries, has transformed the field of heirloom vegetables and, along with it, rediscovered heirloom recipes.
Lou Gehrig (2001/03/16/1278194) He’s like the Lou Gehrig of Stalingrad: a wholesome young man thrust half-unwittingly into the big time.
Laurie Anderson (2001/03/16/1278195) Okuni may have been Japan’s first performance artist, the Laurie Anderson of her day.
Donatella Versace (2001/03/18/1278801) Call her the Donatella Versace of Downtown, but without the permatan and peroxide.
Thomas Wolfe (2001/03/21/1279458) He’s the Thomas Wolfe of chefs.
David Chase (2001/03/21/1279517) tournament, thereby showing signs of being the David Chase of hoops.
Pablo Picasso (2001/03/30/1281740) In Paris, where she had made her debut in 1934, this reconfiguring of the body reminded critics of Cubist forms, and Ms. Akesson was called ‘‘the Picasso of Dance.’’
Cleopatra (2001/04/01/1282085) While Diderot spends his mornings filling up notebooks with dazzling plans for how to improve Russia, ‘‘the Cleopatra of the age’’ busies herself with the nasty business of running an unruly country.
Maria Callas (2001/04/01/1282101) ‘‘And when the press writes ‘the Maria Callas of Cardiff,’ I’m like, that’s a slightly dramatic comparison, since she was a great opera singer and I’m this little girl from Wales.
Clarence Thomas (2001/04/01/1282256) It’s not as good as being attorney general, but it sounds better than being the Clarence Thomas of the New Jersey Supreme Court.
Fred Astaire (2001/04/01/1282371) The film calls Tony ‘‘the Fred Astaire of Brooklyn’’; the star of the article is ‘‘the very best dancer in Bay Ridge.’’
Martha Stewart (2001/04/01/1282451) They’re turning me into the Martha Stewart of adventure.’’
Bob Dylan (2001/04/05/1283276) He became known internationally as the Bob Dylan of Vietnam, singing of the sorrow of war and the longing for peace in a divided country.
Rothschild (2001/04/06/1283439) (He was called ‘‘the painter of Rothschilds, and the Rothschild of painters.’’)
James Stewart (2001/04/06/1283510) ‘‘He is sort of the Jimmy Stewart of Vermont politics,’’ said Garrison Nelson, a political science professor at Tufts University and the University of Vermont.
Rothschild (2001/04/13/1285176) One of the few professionally successful Jewish artists in early 19th-century Europe, Oppenheim (1800-82) was known as ‘‘the painter of Rothschilds and the Rothschild of painters.’’
Art Tatum (2001/04/14/1285385) Now and then he seems like the Art Tatum of our own time: once during Tuesday night’s performance he played a single-note improvisation so fast and so long that you wondered if he’d be able to wrap it up without exploding.
Erin Brockovich (2001/04/15/1285551) Nicholson Baker never set out to become the Erin Brockovich of the library world, a crusader in the stacks.
Marilyn Manson (2001/04/15/1285680) I’m sorry, Mr. Rockwell, but von Trier is just the Marilyn Manson of the art-film circuit.
Josef Mengele (2001/04/22/1287579) During a series of trials of coaches, doctors and sports officials that concluded last year, a lawyer shouted at Dr. Lothar Kipke, a senior doctor who helped administer drugs to numerous East German swimmers, ‘‘You are the Josef Mengele of the G.D.R.
Pablo Escobar (2001/04/22/1287682) ‘‘He is the Pablo Escobar of Brazil.’’
Mother Teresa (2001/04/23/1287858) They also feared that the reputation of Clara Hale, whom many thought of as the Mother Teresa of Harlem, would be forever tarnished.
Brad Pitt (2001/04/24/1287950) ‘‘He is also sort of like’’ – she paused, searching for the proper analogy – ‘‘the Brad Pitt of Japan.’’
Maria Callas (2001/04/29/1289186) Though the protagonist, Thea, was modeled on Fremstad, the Maria Callas of her day, the book, said Mr. Maurer, is really a thinly disguised childhood biography of Cather.
Typhoid Mary (2001/04/29/1289366) Byrne was once called ‘‘the Typhoid Mary of the irony epidemic,’’ but that’s a fundamental misreading of him.
Martha Stewart (2001/04/29/1289401) (Not surprisingly, Downing has been described as the Martha Stewart of the 19th century.)
Marco Polo (2001/05/09/1291750) In his journals Ibn Batuta, the 14th-century North African voyager sometimes called the Marco Polo of Arabia, relates that Persian sultans used to keep a few betel leaves by their beds to freshen their kisses in the middle of the night.
Alexis de Tocqueville (2001/05/20/1294662) What he has done, reckless soul, amounts to offering himself as the Tocqueville of American biogeography.
Donald Trump (2001/05/27/1296686) Because of his bold projects in high-profile spots, Mr. Cappelli has been called the Donald Trump of Westchester.
Abner Doubleday (2001/06/07/1299535) Mr. Okrent, considered the Abner Doubleday of Rotisserie baseball, said Rotisserie leagues and the later fantasy games had created a wider market for the profusion of statistics that evaluate the productivity of players more and more precisely.
Kate Moss (2001/06/10/1300495) ‘‘I was the Kate Moss of my day,’’ she said, ‘‘atypical of what the public wanted, which was Brigitte Bardot.
Karl Marx (2001/06/17/1302119) The daughter of a discount chain store magnate (‘‘the Karl Marx of retail’’), Ella Kennedy is a neurotic, pratfall-prone doctoral student at Columbia University who is paralyzed by her eternally unfinished dissertation.
Susan Lucci (2001/06/24/1304051) ‘‘I feel like the Susan Lucci of cosmetics,’’ she sighs.
Rodney Dangerfield (2001/06/27/1305035) Richard C. Wald’s article about the penny’s status as the Rodney Dangerfield of coins (Op-Ed, June 22) is such a charming dip into nostalgia that one hesitates to quibble.
Rose Marie (2001/06/28/1305377) Ms. Sobel is the Rose Marie of this operation, with her rasping voice and joking manner, supervising the kitchen and dining room and keeping track of who’s playing cards with whom.
Charles Atlas (2001/06/29/1305476) One critic called him ‘‘the Charles Atlas of Western intellection,’’ and the writer Nelson Algren dismissed him as ‘‘the Lawrence Welk of the philosophy trade.’’
Lawrence Welk (2001/06/29/1305476) One critic called him ‘‘the Charles Atlas of Western intellection,’’ and the writer Nelson Algren dismissed him as ‘‘the Lawrence Welk of the philosophy trade.’’
Richard Wagner (2001/07/04/1306712) The weekly L’Espresso, in an appreciation, called him ‘‘the Wagner of Rock.’’
Sigmund Freud (2001/07/08/1307710) Three men sat in the corner: Matt the Electrician, Bobby the Contractor and Dr. Alex, the Freud of the Cocktail Hour, who had polished off a few drinks and a good portion of his psychology degree.
Gregor Mendel (2001/07/13/1309024) That the stupidity and cartoonlike performances of ‘‘Inbred Rednecks’’ are deliberate and consistent attests to the creative control of Joshua P. Warren, who wrote, directed, produced and scored the film besides playing the role of Clovis, one of the good ol’ morons surrounding Billy Bob (Brent Ponder), the Gregor Mendel of chickenhood.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (2001/07/14/1309120) He was the Mozart of 20th-century choreography, and he trained a school of dancers to carry out his classical revolution.
Le Corbusier (2001/07/15/1309291) Because Courrèges, who is called the Le Corbusier of Paris couture, made French precision hip.
Shirley Temple (2001/07/15/1309454) Nicknamed the Shirley Temple of the animal world, the dark, winsome infant was the subject of extensive newspaper and television coverage, and drew an additional half-million people to the zoo her first year.
Martha Stewart (2001/07/15/1309545) ‘‘People say they want products that are environmentally friendly,’’ said Danny Seo, 24, who has been called the Martha Stewart of organic style.
Sandra Bernhard (2001/07/17/1309968) The wonderfully brazen performers were Tymberly Canale, Molly Hickok, Kate Johnson, Krissy Richmond and Rebecca Wisocky, the Sandra Bernhard of dance.
Doris Day (2001/07/20/1310870) ‘‘Legally Blonde’’ is made almost worthwhile by Ms. Witherspoon, who may be the Doris Day of our drab age.
Tom Daschle (2001/07/23/1311597) THIRTY years ago he was the Tom Daschle of his generation, the Democratic senator from South Dakota talked about as a contender for the White House.
Steve Rubell (2001/07/26/1312204) Sergio, who was not exactly a social butterfly (from what everyone else remembers), was suddenly the Steve Rubell of our exclusive cyber-Studio 54.
Oprah Winfrey (2001/07/29/1312881) John Edward Is the Oprah of the Other Side
Norman Rockwell (2001/07/29/1312917) ‘’ He wanted to be ‘‘the Norman Rockwell of television.’’
Paul Cézanne (2001/07/29/1313000) ‘‘He was the Cezanne of modern tattooing,’’ Mr. Hardy said in a 1996 interview that appeared in ‘‘Tattoo History.’’
Henry Ford (2001/07/29/1313178) The Hardy Boys were first conceived by Edward Stratemeyer, a prolific hack with a nose for business who become the Henry Ford of children’s fiction.
Horatio Nelson (2001/07/31/1313507) (The chemist Humphry Davy was particularly popular and flamboyant; the author calls him ‘‘the Horatio Nelson of dry land.’’)
Leonardo da Vinci (2001/08/03/1314190) ‘‘He was the Leonardo da Vinci of Jewish illustrators of the time,’’ said James Snyder, the director of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
Pelé (2001/08/07/1315331) In a nation where soccer is king, Mr. Amado, who published his first novel at 19, was called the Pelé of the written word.
Samuel Pepys (2001/08/12/1316420) It’s no stretch to imagine her as the chronicler of her era – the Samuel Pepys of late-20th-century trans-Atlantic society.
Michelangelo (2001/08/13/1316945) ‘‘But he will have found the best of whatever it is, the Michelangelo of seashell art.’’
Jimmy Osmond (2001/08/17/1317787) Aaron Carter is the Jimmy Osmond of today, the little brother of a megastar (Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys) who is cashing in on cuteness.
Whitey Ford (2001/08/17/1317844) I said, ‘Ernest, I promise you, he’d be the Whitey Ford of the concert hall.’
Auguste Rodin (2001/08/19/1318159) Rogers’s friendship with Charles James, the Rodin of American haute couture, resulted in blouses, dresses, suits and gowns that form the backbone of the Brooklyn Museum of Art’s costume collection.
Dean Martin (2001/08/19/1318170) Drinking games or not, the unlikeliest bands have gone to pay their respects to the Dean Martin of Waikiki – Green Day, Foo Fighters and Social Distortion, among them.
Susan Lucci (2001/08/21/1318870) Those near misses have earned him the joking title of the Susan Lucci of illustrators.
Rob Zombie (2001/08/24/1319576) And their leader, Big Daddy Mars (Richard Cetrone), with his leather body armor and lank, dirty hair, seems to be the Rob Zombie of 2176, when ‘‘Ghosts’’ is set.
Madonna (2001/08/30/1321081) She was like a rock star, the Madonna of her time.
Louis XIV of France (2001/08/31/1321308) Kangxi – known as the Louis XIV of China – reigned from 1662 to 1722 and was a patron of the arts and learning.
Billy Carter (2001/09/01/1321546) But by 1991, Ed Thompson had tired of all the bad decisions he had made, and of hearing the governor joke that Ed was the Billy Carter of Wisconsin.
Mel Blanc (2001/09/02/1321699) So, this is what I am, the Mel Blanc of the millennium.’’
Jackie Collins (2001/09/09/1323612) ‘‘Sweetie is the Jackie Collins of the canine world,’’ Mr. Welsh said.
Abner Doubleday (2001/09/11/1324229) It is also the consuming passion of Ms. Ventre (pronounced VEN-tree), 58, a cheerful, raspy-voiced Brooklynite whose day job is in advertising and public relations but whose heart lies in being the Abner Doubleday of dog dancing.
Meriwether Lewis (2001/09/14/1324810) One intrepid traveler, Robert Sullivan, wrote a wonderful book, ‘‘The Meadowlands’’ (Scribner, 1998), in which he played the Meriwether Lewis of Secaucus and its environs.
Ronald Reagan (2001/09/14/1324812) Mr. Welch is the Ronald Reagan of the world of business.
Louis Vuitton (2001/09/16/1325259) In America during the Colonial and Federal periods, Chinese export porcelain was the Louis Vuitton of its day.
David Duchovny (2001/09/19/1326211) ‘‘I was kind of the David Duchovny of the show, a shadowy government agent who knew a lot about what was going on,’’ he said.
Bill Gates (2001/09/23/1327184) One of the weirder analogies that journalists have drawn to place Babyface in the culture is to call him the Bill Gates of the music business.
Sally Field (2001/10/03/1330428) Tragedy, it seems, has turned us into the Sally Field of cities.
Stanford White (2001/10/07/1331322) ‘‘In many ways he could be considered the Stanford White of Beverly Hills, catering to deep-pocketed film stars and executives who could well afford and appreciate his romantic architectural stage sets, in which their well-dressed and well-heeled lives are played out,’’ Dunning says of Neff.
Nicholson Baker (2001/10/14/1333516) He’s the Nicholson Baker of rural life.
Pablo Picasso (2001/10/16/1334301) ‘‘Maddux is the Picasso of baseball,’’ Arizona’s Luis Gonzalez said.
Barbara Walters (2001/10/17/1334547) The parody lingers on: YUE-SAI KAN, whom People magazine once called the Barbara Walters of China because she was a mainstay of Chinese television for years, began by introducing herself.
Stanley Kunitz (2001/10/21/1335510) It’s Jack who becomes the poet-in-residence here, the Stanley Kunitz of the playground, and his evolution from resistance to grudging pride in his own abilities is thrilling to witness.
Yogi Berra (2001/10/21/1335824) But because we cannot merely appreciate his supernatural skill, there has been a movement to make Ichiro the Yogi Berra of these times.
Andy Warhol (2001/10/26/1337039) William Beckford (1760-1844) was the Andy Warhol of his day, a self-conscious aesthete, compulsive collector of art and furniture, an author, designer and famous style maven.
Michael Jordan (2001/10/28/1337997) ‘‘He was not destined to become the Michael Jordan of Afghanistan,’’ recalled Thomas E. Gouttierre, the American coach of the team who is now the director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Curt Schilling (2001/10/30/1338371) Drysdale, the Curt Schilling of his day, shut out the Yankees, 1-0, in Game 3 on three hits, which happened to have been the last time before Sunday evening that the Yankees had had as few as three hits in a World Series game.
Rembrandt (2001/11/02/1339141) IN an uncanny boon for the Guggenheim, if you’re cynically minded, the fortuitous arrival of the two-year-old Norman Rockwell traveling exhibition in New York after Sept. 11 gives everybody in town a chance to contemplate through altered eyes the Rembrandt of Punkin Crick, as a critic acidly dubbed him years ago.
John Singer Sargent (2001/11/02/1339281) Armstrong, for example, is featuring pictures of fashionable, late-19th-century beauties by Albert Belleroche, a virtuoso technician who was known as the John Singer Sargent of lithography.
Michael Jordan (2001/11/04/1339731) In their case, it’s from wearing pin-striped shirts bearing the numbers of the most storied players in baseball history – the Babe (now known as the Michael Jordan of his time), Lou Gehrig (if he hadn’t died under contract, he would still be playing and nobody would know Cal Ripken), Joe DiMaggio (less mysteriously dignified but more interesting since the recent publication of a sour bio), Yogi Berra (in a deserved comeback as the role model for Yoda) and Mickey Mantle (redeemed by a gutsy death and Billy Crystal’s movie, ‘‘61*’’).
Sylvia Plath (2001/11/04/1339880) But to devotees of Kahlo – whom the writer Christopher Goodwin describes as ‘‘feminism’s premier art icon, the Sylvia Plath of the canvas’’ – the marriage to Rivera has all the ingredients of a heroic love story.
Jerry Bruckheimer (2001/11/04/1339882) When Robert accuses her of being the Jerry Bruckheimer of cakes, she responds that he’s the Paul Thomas Anderson of cakes.
Paul Thomas Anderson (2001/11/04/1339882) When Robert accuses her of being the Jerry Bruckheimer of cakes, she responds that he’s the Paul Thomas Anderson of cakes.
Walter Cronkite (2001/11/05/1340214) Some at NBC see Mr. Brokaw’s ratings edge on the evening news, and the fact that more Americans turned to him in that moment of national crisis, as evidence that he has become the leading network wise man, the Walter Cronkite of his generation.
Michael Jordan (2001/11/08/1340953) The solo sensitively celebrates the gifts of Steve Humphrey, a longtime standout in the fine company and who, in a world that valued art more, would probably be the Michael Jordan of dance.
Rembrandt (2001/11/09/1341232) Coming after Sept. 11, the show gives everybody in town a chance to contemplate the Rembrandt of Punkin Crick, as a critic acidly dubbed him years ago, through altered eyes.
Joseph Cornell (2001/11/11/1341765) (The critic Gary Carey once described him, perceptively, as ‘‘the Joseph Cornell of French cinema.’’)
Phil Spector (2001/11/11/1341767) The songs by Max Martin, the Phil Spector of current teeny-pop, sound tougher than before, even if he does keep rewriting previous Spears songs: ‘‘Bombastic Love’’ transfers ‘‘Oops!
Bobby Orr (2001/11/13/1342543) Fetisov, who has often been called the Bobby Orr of European hockey, was past his prime years as a player when he joined the N.H.L.
Martha Stewart (2001/11/18/1343937) ‘‘She’s the Martha Stewart of the North Fork,’’ Mr. Combs said proudly, showing off the raspberry and green shaded dining room that was originally the parlor in Home Port, the oldest operating bed-and-breakfast in the town of Southold.
Rudy Giuliani (2001/11/18/1343943) He was like the Rudy Giuliani of his time: he wanted tramps and convicted criminals put to work.
Rodney Dangerfield (2001/12/02/1347549) The Andrea Doria seems destined to go down in the annals of maritime history as the Rodney Dangerfield of sunken ships.
Joe Torre (2001/12/04/1348229) Mr. Pena was the Joe Torre of River Vale, N.J., girls sports.
Pelé (2001/12/04/1348238) ‘‘He is the Pelé of Brazilian literature, and he would do all of us a great service by publicizing Brazil abroad, so we have to have a space for him.’’
Michael Jordan (2001/12/05/1348659) ‘s 1998 entry draft, he was touted by the Tampa Bay Lightning as ‘‘the Michael Jordan of hockey’’ – the ultimate sports mixed metaphor.
Michael Jordan (2001/12/05/1348659) But it’s doubtful that the Lightning could justify trading ‘‘the Michael Jordan of hockey’’ for Gomez and White.
Ingrid Bergman (2001/12/14/1351150) Molly Ringwald, the Ingrid Bergman of Reagan-era American adolescence, appears in a late cameo as a cynical, foul-mouthed flight attendant.
Tab Hunter (2001/12/14/1351150) Mr. Hughes’s movies are scrambled with their more recent derivations, especially the towering oeuvre of Freddie Prinze Jr., the Tab Hunter of Clinton-era adolescence, here impersonated by Chris Evans.
Andy Warhol (2001/12/14/1351320) Tadanori Yokoo is said to be the Andy Warhol of Japan.
Charles Smith (2001/12/22/1353447) Or maybe he did not like being categorized as the Charles Smith of the new millennium, the goat in the Knicks’ infuriating 90-88 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Norm Crosby (2001/12/28/1354869) CLYDE’S ENGLISH LESSONS – With each game, MSG’s Walt Frazier continues to be the Norm Crosby of basketball analysts.
Henry Ford (2001/12/30/1355186) ‘‘They became the Henry Ford of TV animation,’’ says Norman Klein, a professor at the California Institute of the Arts and the author of ‘‘Seven Minutes: The Life and Death of the American Animated Cartoon.’’

2002

Buddy Rich (2002/01/03/1356220) In the liner notes, Mr. Lair calls the elephant Luuk Kob ‘‘the Buddy Rich of elephant percussionists.’’
Joseph Papp (2002/01/11/1358313) Joseph Papp, founder of the New York City Shakespeare Festival, once called Mr. Foner ‘‘the Joseph Papp of the labor movement.’’
Sol Hurok (2002/01/11/1358313) Sometimes called the Sol Hurok of labor, Mr. Foner was widely viewed as the national leader in bringing cultural life to union members.
Lee Bontecou (2002/01/11/1358421) Ms. Noland’s contribution is unquestionable, but she is becoming even more mythic in her absence, something like the Lee Bontecou of her generation.
Rembrandt (2002/01/18/1360201) Coming after Sept. 11, the show gives everybody in town a chance to contemplate through altered eyes the Rembrandt of Punkin Crick, as a critic acidly named him years ago.
Walt Disney (2002/01/20/1360733) Mr. Miyazaki has often been called ‘‘the Walt Disney of Japan,’’ and the comparison is actually more profound than it may appear.
Cal Ripken (2002/01/20/1360936) Not that the onetime Harvard basketball captain, who stands 6 feet 8, shows much sign of wear, having never missed a day of work at his Bermuda-based Trout Trading Management Company, according to an aide who called him ‘‘the Cal Ripken of hedge funds.’’
Jean Baudrillard (2002/01/27/1362557) They repackaged him as a deconstructivist, one of those conceptual artists dismantling the language of art only to leave it in disarray, the Jean Baudrillard of painting.
Narciso Rodriguez (2002/01/27/1362785) The guests will feast on mini Maine crab cakes with curry-carrot dipping sauce, and will wash it all down with a Galet des Papes Vielles Vignes Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a southern Rhone considered so hip, so painfully du moment, that oenophiles refer to it as the Narciso Rodriguez of wine.
Michael Jordan (2002/01/27/1362919) ‘‘They say he is the best boxer in the world, the Michael Jordan of boxing,’’ Forrest said.
Russell Crowe (2002/01/31/1363705) On Saturday night a benefit will be held at Town Hall for a man many writers consider the superstar of narrators – the Russell Crowe of audiobooks so to speak – Frank Muller, who was severely injured in a motorcycle accident in November.
John Wayne (2002/02/05/1365173) Russell Crowe is becoming the John Wayne of our era.
Sally Field (2002/02/06/1365504) A few weeks after Sept. 11, this column remarked that New York was being turned into the Sally Field of cities, dazed by the concern shown by others, much the way that the actress gushed ‘‘You like me!’’
Frank Sinatra (2002/02/10/1366690) Mr. Blackwood, the last surviving founding member of the famed Blackwood Brothers gospel quartet, was sometimes called the Frank Sinatra of gospel music, an allusion to his 200 albums, 9 Grammys and personal appearances from the Kennedy Center in Washington to the First Baptist Church in Moscow.
Lance Armstrong (2002/02/12/1367053) I am the Lance Armstrong of dental hygiene.
Babe Ruth (2002/02/17/1368511) Known variously as the Babe Ruth of Bank Robbers, Willie the Actor and Slick Willie, the Brooklyn native claimed to have stolen $2 million during his 25-year career in robbery.
Tara Lipinski (2002/02/21/1369638) The long program Thursday night will determine whether Kwan will exorcise her Olympic ghosts with a gold medal or whether a fresh-faced ingénue like Cohen will become the Tara Lipinski of the 2002 Winter Games.
Frank Lloyd Wright (2002/02/22/1369695) Arne Jacobsen is the Frank Lloyd Wright of Denmark: a prolific, versatile and talented architect and designer who has been revered more after his death than he ever was in life.
José Eber (2002/02/22/1369726) As necromancer and hairdresser, Marius is the José Eber of the netherworld, though he doesn’t take the same care with his own locks.
Jackie Robinson (2002/02/23/1369989) ‘‘I was like the Jackie Robinson of football,’’ he once said.
Cindy Crawford (2002/02/24/1370127) ‘‘They are the Cindy Crawford of cows,’’ Duffy says.
Abbie Hoffman (2002/02/24/1370133) Blair Sabol, from Villanova, Pa., future fashion guerrilla; a girl who would one day be known as the Abbie Hoffman of Seventh Avenue, who would pen a fashion column rife with deliciously bitchy observations no longer possible in these stifling, politically correct times.
Dan Rather (2002/02/24/1370183) Half the costumes Dean uses on NITV he keeps in the rear of his car; the other half lie crumpled up on the floor behind the cardboard map of the world that serves as a backdrop for the Dan Rather of Iran.
David Frost (2002/02/24/1370183) He’s more like the David Frost of Iran.
Frank Sinatra (2002/02/24/1370183) The Dan Rather of Iran reads the news in front of a map of the world; the Frank Sinatra of Iran sings in front of a sentimental pastel of a snowcapped mountain.
Larry King (2002/02/24/1370183) The Persians who live in Los Angeles describe Meybodi as the Larry King of Iran, but he’s more dignified than that, a throwback to an earlier age of TV talk shows.
Mel Brooks (2002/02/24/1370183) Until a year ago, the Mel Brooks of Iran, which is what Dean has become, spent most of his time playing his ridiculous Iranian cleric – he couldn’t count on his Iranian audiences sharing other cultural reference points – but now he has all sorts of new material and costumes to go with it.
Rupert Murdoch (2002/02/24/1370183) He forgot his desire to become the Rupert Murdoch of the Farsi-speaking world and set out to topple the Iranian regime.
Madonna (2002/02/24/1370184) She was like the Madonna of her time.’’
George S. Patton (2002/02/24/1370394) Dr. D’Souza is the General Patton of bad breath.
Derek Jeter (2002/02/28/1371430) Enron was once the Derek Jeter of American corporations – young, dynamic, full of promise.
Julius Erving (2002/03/03/1372042) The most notable casualty was Connie Hawkins, an inner-city Wunderkind who should have been the Julius Erving of his day but instead was sent home from the University of Iowa and spent his prime years banned from the National Basketball Association.
Tiger Woods (2002/03/03/1372118) I WANT to be the Tiger Woods of classical music,’’ Gareth Johnson said recently.
Strom Thurmond (2002/03/03/1372307) In the course of his 23-year pontificate, the holy father – who is 81 and ailing but may yet turn out to be the Strom Thurmond of popes – has taken on both communism and the excesses of capitalism.
Rachel Carson (2002/03/05/1373000) In environmental circles, he is known as the Rachel Carson of the fish world – an untiring advocate of marine life conservation.
Neil Armstrong (2002/03/06/1373384) ELIZABETH SCHNEIDER is the Neil Armstrong of cookbook authors.
Sarah Hughes (2002/03/07/1373659) The executive, Stuart Applebaum, chief spokesman for Random House Inc., said that he and his colleagues ‘‘always brace for the inevitable flurry of media calls about our presumptive publishing plans for the Sarah Hughes of the moment.’’
Liz Smith (2002/03/10/1374722) Rilke, Emerson, Bertrand Russell, Rollo May, Helen Keller, Bill Moyers, the Dalai Lama, Goethe and Oprah form a chorus of Big Thinkers, inspirational bold-face names, making Ms. Stoddard the Liz Smith of the self-help set.
Kato Kaelin (2002/03/13/1375348) Speaking of Mr. Dalrymple’s moments in the spotlight during the González frenzy, a Florida reporter says, ‘‘Donato is the Kato Kaelin of the Elián case.’’
Virgil (2002/03/13/1375383) He labored anonymously, but became such a local legend that in 1971 The Village Voice called him ‘‘the Virgil of TV guides.’’
Harry Smith (2002/03/17/1376298) and music historian who has become the Harry Smith of the outsider-music world: ‘‘Being an outsider musician is not an aspiration,’’ Chusid says.
Greta Garbo (2002/03/17/1376302) So when I first heard the music and later saw photos of Patti Smith spitting onstage in her black peg-leg pants or Deborah Harry, the Garbo of the East Village, taking the mike at CBGB, I was both confused and thrilled, recognizing for the first time that good and bad, mixed together in the right proportion, equals cool.
Dick Cheney (2002/03/17/1376500) ‘‘He’s the Dick Cheney of the auto industry,’’ said Gregory L. Kagay, an industry analyst at AutoMetrics, a consulting firm in East Hampton, N.Y. ‘‘He’s never been at the top of the industry, but if he found himself there, most people would be comfortable with that.’’
Albert Einstein (2002/03/19/1377086) ‘‘He’s the Einstein of point guards,’’ he said.
Neil Young (2002/03/22/1377696) J Mascis is the Neil Young of Generation X.
Pete Rose (2002/03/24/1378491) Called by some the Pete Rose of tennis because of his hustle, Hewitt won an ATP-high 80 matches last year and six tournaments.
Wolfgang Puck (2002/04/03/1380928) David Rockwell is the Wolfgang Puck of blueprints, for example, and his name often appears before the chef’s in a press release.
George McGovern (2002/04/03/1380981) ‘‘Pataki is the George McGovern of Republicans,’’ said Paul J. Feiner, a Democratic town supervisor from Greenburgh, in central Westchester.
Steven Spielberg (2002/04/07/1381948) ‘‘Mentally, I had to say I’m the Steven Spielberg of the ghetto.
Michael Jordan (2002/04/14/1384103) I drove out to a spot on the north side of the pier and stopped to talk to some of the regulars, Jimmy Mulligan, Peter Catanese and John Francesconi, known to his friends as the Michael Jordan of the Hudson.
Margaret Rutherford (2002/04/15/1384328) I’m kind of the Margaret Rutherford of screenwriting, and I hope people find that encouraging.
Giacomo Puccini (2002/04/15/1384330) Calling Berg ‘‘the Puccini of serial music’’ is not meant as a compliment.
Ariel Sharon (2002/04/16/1384529) ‘‘Larry Summers strikes me as the Ariel Sharon of American higher education,’’ Dr. West said today.
Ariel Sharon (2002/04/18/1384989) Re ‘‘Defector Indignant at President of Harvard’’ (news article, April 16): Prof. Cornel West’s description of Lawrence H. Summers, the president of Harvard, as ‘‘the Ariel Sharon of American higher education’’ reflects his lack of sensitivity toward the daily tragedy unfolding in the Middle East.
Bill Gates (2002/04/20/1385574) Tony Monteiro, a councilman from Elizabeth, said he remembered that Mr. Free, the vice president of United Gunite, a sewer-repair and road-paving company, swaggered like he was ‘‘the Bill Gates of the sewer-repair industry.’’
Kevin Bacon (2002/04/21/1386084) The speculation keeps arising because Brown is the Kevin Bacon of the N.B.A, within six degrees of any job because of his extensive travels.
Ethel Merman (2002/04/23/1386499) ‘‘They tell me I’m the Ethel Merman of the subways.’’
Ariel Sharon (2002/04/24/1386685) It is important for our new faculty colleague Cornel West to know that even as we welcome him back in our midst, we look with strong disfavor upon his characterization of Lawrence H. Summers, the president of Harvard, as, in his words, ‘‘the Ariel Sharon of American higher education’’ (‘‘Defector Indignant at President of Harvard,’’ news article, April 16).
Martha Stewart (2002/04/25/1386953) ‘‘Resourcefulness – I call it finding your inner MacGyver,’’ said Danny Seo, 25, the author of ‘‘Conscious Style Home’’ (St. Martin’s, 2001), who has been called the Martha Stewart of organic style.
Democritus (2002/04/27/1387477) Contemporary accounts called Rice ‘‘the Democritus of the sawdust,’’ the ‘‘prince of waggery’’ – and the ‘‘excruciating jester.’’
Toshirō Mifune (2002/04/28/1387603) ‘‘He’s like the Toshiro Mifune of pop music,’’ Louise earnestly informs Saul, who is not half as impressed that his ‘‘ludicrous’’ dad has bagged this young babe as he is with the way Marina looks in a tank top.
Mike Wallace (2002/04/28/1387699) The show’s main host is Jim Cantore, whose intense, in-the-field storm reporting has, in weather circles, earned him the title ‘‘the Mike Wallace of meteorology.’’
Barry Manilow (2002/04/28/1387791) The company calls Reader’s Digest ‘‘the most widely read magazine in the world,’’ though a Canadian newspaper columnist recently referred to it as ‘‘the Barry Manilow of magazines,’’ because of its ‘‘irresistible banality.’’
A. J. Liebling (2002/04/29/1388164) Mr. Kinsley mentioned that Mr. Shafer, who has covered the media for years, might become ‘‘the A. J. Liebling of the online world.’’
Conrad Hilton (2002/05/04/1389342) Often called the Conrad Hilton of India, Mr. Oberoi specialized in spotting and refurbishing run-down and undervalued properties.
Shirley MacLaine (2002/05/05/1389495) Though Lawrence’s memoir veers off in unexpected directions – her discussions of spirituality and visions make her seem like the Shirley MacLaine of Madison Avenue – she is generally frank and forthright about what made her and her peers tick and why it helped to have, as she did, training as an actress with Sanford Meisner (‘‘I began to theatricalize what I sold’’).
Elvis Presley (2002/05/07/1390209) He was the Elvis of science.
Wayne Gretzky (2002/05/08/1390572) He knew he was the Babe Ruth, the Michael Jordan, the Wayne Gretzky of racing.’’
James Dean (2002/05/10/1390925) With his languorous, boyish looks and whispery, androgynous voice, he was the James Dean of West Coast jazz, the brooding hipster incarnate.
Diana Ross (2002/05/12/1391616) Austin’s new love interest is Foxxy Cleopatra (Beyoncé Knowles, the Diana Ross of Destiny’s Child, with a 70’s Afro the size of a beach ball), and he’s sure to have his mind on romance.
Bob Vila (2002/05/12/1391624) Redes, 45, is midsize and wry-smiled, with dark hair and a beard dusted with gray; he wears a uniform of black fleece shirt, jeans and work boots, looking a little like the Bob Vila of underground construction.
Mel Allen (2002/05/19/1393302) I was a total political junkie, and I thought, Wow, this is the Mel Allen of news and politics.’’
Mickey Mantle (2002/05/19/1393302) ‘‘Yes, I did,’’ he said and then added, ‘‘I frequently call myself the Mickey Mantle of network news.’’
Vladimir Horowitz (2002/05/24/1394770) De Kooning was the Vladimir Horowitz of the brushstroke.
William Shakespeare (2002/05/27/1395761) Frederick Ashton was the Shakespeare of ballet – not the playwright who composed revenge tragedies, but the poet who wrote love sonnets.
Charlton Heston (2002/06/02/1396996) Ted Nugent is, of course, the 70’s-era gonzo rock star (‘‘Cat Scratch Fever’’) who’s become the Charlton Heston of the VH1 ‘‘Behind the Music’’ generation.
Vera Wang (2002/06/02/1397208) For nine-month brides going the whole nine yards, Liz Lange is arguably the Vera Wang of the maternity bridal world, offering form-fitting custom-made silk dresses for brides and bridesmaids ($335 to $450) with matching wraps or coats.
Paul McCartney (2002/06/07/1398576) He was the Paul McCartney of the Ramones.
Michelangelo (2002/06/14/1400433) The depths of Coolidge’s anonymity surprise Mrs. Acheson; after all, she said, ‘‘He is supposed to be the Michelangelo of the dog world.’’
Johnnie Cochran (2002/06/16/1401116) Although James M. Roux, 42, stoutly described his partner as ‘‘the Johnnie Cochran of Katmandu,’’ Mr. Roux himself, a spirited litigator, outdoorsman and windmill-tilter, made impracticality an art form.
Rodney Dangerfield (2002/06/19/1401789) It’s not easy being an agent for the Rodney Dangerfield of suburban animals.
Sarah Bernhardt (2002/06/21/1402238) Marly’s grandly histrionic mother, Delia Temple (Jane Alexander), known as ‘‘the Sarah Bernhardt of Delrona Beach,’’ runs the community theater and is a devout environmentalist.
Mick Jagger (2002/06/22/1402457) He carried off a frantic, spidery version of Vivaldi’s ‘‘Winter’’ concerto (abridged) and followed it with some remarks about how Paganini was ‘‘the Mick Jagger of the 19th century.’’
Shaquille O’Neal (2002/06/23/1402939) While technology spending has stagnated, the company remains the Shaquille O’Neal of its core markets, dominating the competition.
Greta Garbo (2002/06/23/1403001) Next to Jerry Krause, this was the Greta Garbo of team executives.
Salman Rushdie (2002/06/26/1403602) A newspaper published two days before the loya jirga began on June 11 quoted Dr. Samar as saying she did not believe in Islamic Shariat law – a misquote, she says – and called her the Salman Rushdie of Afghanistan, intimating she deserved the same death threat that the British author earned for alleged blasphemy in his work.
James Dean (2002/06/30/1404479) In his youth, Baker was described as ‘‘the James Dean of jazz,’’ but he was really its Elvis.
Derek Jeter (2002/06/30/1404747) ‘‘I was the Derek Jeter of the 70’s,’’ he remembered last year, leaning against a batting cage at the Yankee camp in Florida.
Michael Jordan (2002/07/01/1405095) ‘‘Kiraly, he’s like the Michael Jordan of the sport,’’ said Armato, who founded the A.V.P.
Diana Vreeland (2002/07/04/1405644) The interior designer Jeffrey Bilhuber called her the Diana Vreeland of shelter magazines.
Barbara Walters (2002/07/05/1405903) Ms. Kan, whom People magazine once called the Barbara Walters of China because she was a mainstay of Chinese television for years, had another engagement on Miss Moffo’s birthday – a television appearance.
John Wayne (2002/07/07/1406524) By then, he was more like the John Wayne of the post-‘‘True Grit’’ period, more melancholy and open to adulation than in his heyday.
Gloria Steinem (2002/07/09/1406824) The author goes a bit overboard with her feminist fable, turning Mary into the Gloria Steinem of Galilee.
Nero (2002/07/11/1407344) One banner described Mr. Fischler as ‘‘the Nero of European agriculture.’’
Phil Mickelson (2002/07/11/1407365) ‘‘I own the Phil Mickelson of mules,’’ said Taz’s owner, Don Jacklin.
Kirsten Dunst (2002/07/12/1407494) In the depths, a young woman, Maria (Brigitte Helm, the Kirsten Dunst of the Weimar Republic), prophesies the coming of a messianic figure called the Mediator, whose name sums up the temperate, reformist message buried in the movie’s sweep and bombast.
Tiger Woods (2002/07/16/1408731) He is the Tiger Woods of restaurateurs, a Cesar Ritz for our times, and Taillevent is his monument.
Eminem (2002/07/17/1408897) They don’t want to see a glossy, sympathetic ‘‘Lifestyles of the Reich and Fascist’’: a cute, brooding teenage Hitler painting away in a garret, listening to Wagner (the Eminem of his age), hanging at the cafes in Vienna with Wittgenstein and Freud, accumulating disappointments and rejections as raw material for ‘‘Mein Kampf,’’ roiled by sexual confusion, frightened by the advances of an amorous milkmaid, and like everyone else then and now, steamed at the French.
John Grisham (2002/07/18/1409060) In downtown Manhattan, for instance, it’s the Beat poets and writers: Kerouac (the John Grisham of the Beats, when it comes to theft popularity), Bukowski, Burroughs, Ginsberg, Hunke.
Julia Roberts (2002/07/18/1409213) Her fans in Kerala, in southern India, consider her the Julia Roberts of Malayalam-language films.
Barry Bonds (2002/07/20/1409523) Protracted farewells are traditionally the province of opera singers, but as he has geared up to leave the directorship of the New York Philharmonic, Kurt Masur has become the Barry Bonds of goodbyes.
Margaret Mead (2002/07/21/1409735) Shaiman calls Midler ‘‘the Margaret Mead of popular music.’’
Alex Trebek (2002/07/21/1409783) In a recent newscast about a fundraiser he heard Tom Hanks say, ‘‘I’m the Alex Trebek of this event.’’
Michael Jordan (2002/07/25/1410921) He learned much from Lukas, who statistically is the Michael Jordan of horse racing, and he is grateful.
Robin Williams (2002/07/28/1411475) He segues from his comic impersonations (‘‘I’m the Robin Williams of child abuse,’’ Pelzer says) into stories of his own abuse and ends with the platitude, ‘‘Everyone has issues.
Johnny Appleseed (2002/07/28/1411495) The tens of thousands of songs Lomax recorded himself – across the United States and in rural Italy, the Caribbean, Great Britain and Spain – and the many others he worked to analyze and disseminate made him the Johnny Appleseed of folk revivalists.
John Ashcroft (2002/07/28/1411659) ‘‘Does anyone really want to be the John Ashcroft of Harlem?’’
Babe Ruth (2002/07/28/1411767) Babe Ruth, who was at the arena, posed with her and squeezed her biceps; she was called ‘‘the Babe Ruth of women’s softball.’’
John Grisham (2002/08/11/1415137) With fortunes made and lost in recent years as capitalism has gone global, there has been no shortage of writers aspiring to be the John Grisham of Wall Street, everyone from old-timers like Michael Thomas to newcomers like Scott Lasser.
Tito Puente (2002/08/17/1416409) Luis Guzmán is all lowlife sparkle as an admiring small-time thief who calls Pluto the Tito Puente of smugglers.
Elvis Presley (2002/08/18/1416595) Yes, indeed, Christian Dior was the Elvis of haute couture.
Leonard Cohen (2002/08/22/1417676) The wry, sexy melancholy of his observations would be seductive enough in its own right – he is the Leonard Cohen of the spy genre – even without the sharp political acuity that accompanies it.
Babe Ruth (2002/08/25/1418681) In spring training, Alex Rodriguez said Giambi would be ‘‘the Babe Ruth of New York’’ and called him ‘‘the best left-handed hitter I’ve ever played against, period.’’
George Hamilton (2002/08/26/1418809) They can remember when the George Hamilton of tennis, the tanned Nick Bollettieri, could be spotted drinking in the sunshine as he eyed academy stars like Andre Agassi and Jim Courier during a golden era of paint-by-number instruction.
Luther Burbank (2002/08/29/1419367) Mr. Spain, 81, is the Luther Burbank of winter-hardy cactuses in the Northeast.
John Lydon (2002/08/31/1419823) ‘‘Then came Matthew Lewis, the genre’s first punk, the Johnny Rotten of the Gothic novel.’’
Bill Gates (2002/08/31/1419828) As a youthful entrepreneur challenging global business giants, Mr. Shuttleworth was lauded as the Bill Gates of South Africa.
Mike Tyson (2002/09/04/1420809) Mr. Douglas, with his seething hostility, is the Mike Tyson of actors.
Sugar Ray Robinson (2002/09/04/1420809) He was the best – the Sugar Ray Robinson of comedy-drama.
Michelangelo (2002/09/08/1421681) ‘‘I HAVE, you know, in my time been called – in print – the Michelangelo of confectioners,’’ says the proprietor of a Los Angeles store where the movie star Kaye Wayfaring buys white-chocolate-dipped strawberries.
Robert Moses (2002/09/15/1423720) The general assumption was, and remains, that Judson’s mania for power – with his empire of orchestras, soloists and conductors, he was the Robert Moses of American classical music for half a century – predisposed him toward conductors he could mentor or otherwise control.
Adolf Hitler (2002/09/19/1424847) His semi-conservative opponent, Edmund Stoiber, tut-tuts about anti-Americanism but is afraid to take a stand against the Hitler of the Persian Gulf.
Richard Nixon (2002/09/20/1425037) In addition to Oppenheimer, Mr. Herken has chosen to focus on two other prominent scientists who played crucial roles in nuclear research: Ernest O. Lawrence, the Nobel laureate, who invented the cyclotron and presided over Berkeley’s Radiation Laboratory, which looked to benefit from lucrative government financing; and Edward Teller, the Hungarian émigré physicist, who helped invent the hydrogen bomb and whose dark, brooding personality caused Richard Rhodes to dub him ‘‘the Richard Nixon of American science.’’
Mick Jagger (2002/09/22/1425730) But with his turbulent energy, penetrating gaze and wiry physique, Mr. Pendleton, 53, could be considered the Mick Jagger of the dance world.
Johnny Appleseed (2002/09/27/1426969) Television is the Johnny Appleseed of bad manners, displaying assorted baiting, gesturing and mouthing off – and that is just from the talk-show hosts in the studios.
Percy Foreman (2002/09/28/1427197) He insisted that he was not the Percy Foreman of Odessa, but that Mr. Foreman, the famed lawyer, was the Warren Burnett of Houston.
Bob Barker (2002/09/29/1427456) Aside from his news job, Mr. Hoff is the Bob Barker of a new reality game show, ‘‘Spend It Fast,’’ produced by Atlas Media for the Jericho-based Women’s Entertainment Network.
Sylvia Plath (2002/09/29/1427827) More recently Franklin has become, as Maddox puts it, ‘‘the Sylvia Plath of molecular biology.’’
J. D. Salinger (2002/10/06/1429732) Bertarelli takes traditional Swiss discretion to new levels: as the only syndicate head who refuses to give interviews, he is the J. D. Salinger of the docks.
Leonardo da Vinci (2002/10/10/1430643) There is also a series of print ads, including a six-page magazine insert that thumbnails Mr. Earl’s history and labels him ‘‘the da Vinci of Detroit.’’
Helen Keller (2002/10/13/1431340) Referring to me as the Helen Keller of fashion, they vowed to be my Annie Sullivans.
Charlie Brown (2002/10/14/1431931) Since then, Mr. Carter has been the Charlie Brown of Nobel candidates, nominated almost every year.
Rudy Giuliani (2002/10/16/1432309) We know that Virginia’s governor, Mark Warner, is bucking to be the Rudy Giuliani of the crisis; Kathleen Kennedy Townsend is trying to capitalize on her personal history with tragic gun killings to save her limp gubernatorial bid; Democrats in Congress tried to capitalize by rushing to pass a small-bore gun control measure that was going to pass anyway; President Bush and the G.O.P.
Marco Polo (2002/10/18/1432877) Mr. Zurita, a professional chef who has clearly earned the title of the Marco Polo of the mess hall, gave it a moment’s thought, then added Ethiopian, Greek, Israeli, Kenyan, Mexican, Portuguese, Dominican and Thai.
Bill Clinton (2002/10/20/1433181) A likable seducer, he enjoyed a reputation as ‘‘the Bill Clinton of Sudan.’’
Buster Keaton (2002/10/20/1433258) Robbins himself was a master of baggy-pants comedy in his Broadway days, and had it suited him, he probably could have become the Buster Keaton of ballet as well.
Jane Goodall (2002/10/20/1433275) I feel like I’m the Jane Goodall of rock photography.’’
Elvis Presley (2002/10/28/1435756) Only three years ago, he was derided as ‘‘the Elvis of hip-hop,’’ or a raw version of the 1980’s flattopped performer Vanilla Ice (no comparison could be worse on these streets).
Lech Wałęsa (2002/10/28/1435844) Freed in 1980 after a worldwide campaign in which he was called ‘‘the Lech Walesa of Brazil,’’ Mr. da Silva, along with a group of intellectuals, labor leaders, Liberation Theology advocates and environmentalists soon thereafter founded the Workers’ Party.
Rosie Ruiz (2002/10/30/1436301) Former Senator Frank Lautenberg, the Rosie Ruiz of the New Jersey race, agreed to just two debates.
Shaquille O’Neal (2002/11/01/1436755) But there was no flag on the play, one of many that have fueled the belief in the Giants’ organization that in the first season after Strahan broke the record for sacks, rules do not seem to apply when it comes to stopping him – as if Strahan has become the Shaquille O’Neal of the N.F.L.
David Spade (2002/11/03/1437138) One longtime senior network executive says of ABC’s gamble: ‘‘To me this guy is the David Spade of late night.
Paul Newman (2002/11/03/1437189) Amitabh Bachchan, the Paul Newman of Bollywood, stars as one of six complete strangers who team up to commit the perfect crime.
J. D. Power (2002/11/04/1437699) ‘‘I’m not saying we’ll be the J. D. Power of corporate governance,’’ said Jack Kemp, the former Cabinet secretary and chairman of the new venture, referring to the reviewer of automobiles.
Bill Buckner (2002/11/07/1438644) But today Mr. Savaglio is the Bill Buckner of American politics.
Cal Ripken (2002/11/08/1438902) ‘‘He’s the Cal Ripken of Japan, but with more punch,’’ said Marty Kuehnert, a sports broadcaster and longtime resident in Japan.
Jackie Robinson (2002/11/10/1439577) Mr. Stephens is quick to say that he is the Jackie Robinson of stickball, having been the first white man to play on an otherwise all-black team.
Martha Stewart (2002/11/17/1441244) Over the roar of laughter and loud party prattle, Ms. Haan, whom members refer to as ‘‘the Martha Stewart of the bunch,’’ opened the neatly penned journal of memories she has kept since the club started.
Imelda Marcos (2002/11/17/1441248) ‘‘We all become the Imelda Marcos of paper,’’ Ms. Kavanaugh said.
Dick Cheney (2002/11/23/1442995) He was the Dick Cheney of ancient Egypt.
Raymond Carver (2002/11/24/1443301) They rhapsodize that his amazing vignettes of dysfunctional families make him the Raymond Carver of hip-hop.
Donald Trump (2002/11/24/1443485) (Already one player has become the Donald Trump of the online Sims world, acquiring enough money and property to open a string of coffee shops, stores and clubs.)
César Tovar (2002/11/27/1444117) But there are nuances: a great team like the Atlanta Braves will cost more to watch on weekends than on weeknights, and a middling team like the Philadelphia Phillies has become a utilityman of sorts, the César Tovar of the schedule, moving through three ticket tiers depending on the date.
Dick Clark (2002/11/29/1444510) Corny Collins is ‘‘the Dick Clark of Baltimore,’’ Mr. Thorell said.
Barry Diller (2002/11/30/1444713) One might think of him as the Barry Diller of Jackson Hole, Wyo., where Mr. Blum recently moved with his wife, Audrey, a former model, and their twins.
Yves Saint Laurent (2002/12/01/1444800) ‘‘But Miguel was being heralded as the Yves Saint Laurent of American fashion.
J. D. Salinger (2002/12/03/1445460) But Mr. Trudeau, who has not given a sit-down television interview in 31 years, is the J. D. Salinger of comic strip artists.
Adlai Stevenson II (2002/12/09/1447293) The administration is betting that Mr. Saadi and his colleagues together will ultimately prove to be the Adlai Stevenson of this drama, that they will unintentionally provide the road map to continuing weapons projects, or false claims that those projects have been dismantled.
Igor Stravinsky (2002/12/15/1448831) Al, who is 42 and has two children and can often be found listening to sports radio as his car idles in a parking lot, fancies himself the Stravinsky of excuses.
Wernher von Braun (2002/12/19/1449879) Approached by the Whirlpool Corporation two years ago to be a consumer ‘‘pilot’’ for a next generation of fabric-care appliances, Mrs. Bova quickly proved to be the Wernher von Braun of duds-in-suds, pushing the $10 billion company toward imagining a braver future – brighter, cleaner, fresher!
Adolf Hitler (2002/12/20/1450289) The traditional idea is to stamp the feet to drown out any mention of Haman, the Hitler of his Biblical day; Mr. Borocz has worked up elaborate wooden toys in which shoes are activated by cranks to produce that result.
Rodney Dangerfield (2002/12/21/1450439) That is helping Gerald R. Ford, once parodied as the Rodney Dangerfield of presidents, to enjoy a rehabilitation of sorts, bringing new respect for his leadership skills.
Ralph Fiennes (2002/12/22/1450621) The elegant British baritone Simon Keenlyside is the Ralph Fiennes of opera, not just an affectingly restrained actor, but, as his recent Lincoln Center performances in the choreographer Trisha Brown’s staging of Schubert’s song cycle ‘‘Winterreise’’ made clear, an agile dancer.
Michael Jordan (2002/12/22/1450658) He was introduced as the Michael Jordan of hunting and fishing.
Hank Williams Jr. (2002/12/26/1451562) Take: Rushing to release this less than a year after his last album, Mr. Keith sings of vengeance, vacation and the rodeo, becoming the Hank Williams Jr. of the moment.
James Brown (2002/12/27/1451810) ‘‘Chuck Schumer is the James Brown of politics – no one works harder,’’ said Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic consultant in New York.
Lucia Pamela (2002/12/29/1452071) She’s the Lucia Pamela of her day.
Madonna (2002/12/29/1452073) Lee’s vixeny style made her something like the Madonna of her time (an idea verified for me by, of all people, my neighborhood butcher, a New Deal baby who said of Lee, ‘‘Oh, she was the bad girl’’).
Harry Cohn (2002/12/29/1452280) ‘‘He’s the Harry Cohn of today.’’
Michelangelo (2002/12/29/1452372) Mr. Byrd has occupied an extraordinarily beautiful suite, resplendent with frescoes by Constantino Brumidi, the Italian artist often called the Michelangelo of the Capitol.
Mick Jagger (2002/12/30/1452742) Lord Byron was the Mick Jagger of his time, ‘‘mad, bad, and dangerous to know,’’ in the words of his tragic admirer Caroline Lamb.

2003

Ernest Shackleton (2003/01/05/1453822) The 19th-century explorer Richard Burton, the Ernest Shackleton of sex, wrote that if a woman can perform this technique, ‘‘her husband will then value her above all women, nor would he exchange her for the most beautiful queen in the Three Worlds.’’
Ava Gardner (2003/01/10/1455219) Strolling into the main room, designed to resemble a Renaissance Spanish courtyard, you come face to face with ‘‘The Duchess of Alba,’’ Goya’s memorable portrait of the Ava Gardner of Spanish nobility.
Rosa Parks (2003/01/12/1455754) ‘‘The question is, who wants to be the Rosa Parks of computer science?’’
Alex Rodriguez (2003/01/12/1456006) Last year, the Rangers acted as if they were signing the Alex Rodriguez of relievers, giving Jay Powell a three-year, $9 million contract and Todd Van Poppel a three-year, $7.5 million deal.
John F. Kennedy (2003/01/19/1457548) But how to reconcile those rumors with others that have him down as a world-class womanizer, the Jack Kennedy of the Sahara, or with the official line that lists him as a doting husband and father to his seven children?
Babe Ruth (2003/01/19/1457551) If Wilt Chamberlain was the Babe Ruth of basketball, the outsize figure who forever changed his game’s frame of reference, then West was the sport’s DiMaggio, its understated classicist.
Babe Ruth (2003/01/23/1458686) It was Feb. 19, 2002 and Eric Bergoust, the Babe Ruth of freestyle aerials, stood at the crest of a snowy hill making the last preparations for his final jump at the Salt Lake City Olympic Games.
Nell Gwyn (2003/02/02/1461536) One can almost imagine Mrs. Simpson in the court of Charles II, the Lady Castlemaine, if not the Nell Gwyn of her day.
Julius Caesar (2003/02/06/1462734) Jim Irsay, the eccentric son of the erratic Bob Irsay, the Caesar of sports carpetbaggers, is now running the show for the Colts.
Adolf Hitler (2003/02/07/1462973) A better analogy is Muammar el-Qaddafi of Libya, who used to be denounced as the Hitler of the 1980’s.
Adolf Hitler (2003/02/07/1462973) The same was said of Egypt’s Gamal Abdel Nasser, whom the West saw as the Hitler of the 1950’s and 1960’s.
Martin Luther King, Jr. (2003/02/09/1463692) ‘‘He’s like the Martin Luther King of basketball,’’ Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Timberwolves said.
Walt Disney (2003/02/10/1463847) Another question is, Who will be the Walt Disney of this era?
Richard Strauss (2003/02/23/1467023) The virtuosic writing, grand gestures and extremes of volume, with antecedents in ‘‘Solar Trilogy’’ (1992-95), Mr. Ruders’s sprawling symphonic drama, illustrate the British critic Stephen Johnson’s often repeated description of Mr. Ruders as ‘‘the Richard Strauss of the computer-age orchestra.’’
Johnny Appleseed (2003/02/23/1467070) ‘‘We want to be the Johnny Appleseed of these projects,’’ Mr. Bee said, ‘‘so we can see more of them proliferate.’’
Johnnie Cochran (2003/02/23/1467291) Perhaps less flatteringly, Mr. Brewington also is sometimes called the Johnnie Cochran of Long Island.
Thurgood Marshall (2003/02/23/1467291) HE is sometimes called the Thurgood Marshall of Long Island.
Caligula (2003/02/25/1467644) One of these, Dr. Edward O. Wilson, called him in a memoir ‘‘the Caligula of biology.’’
Vanna White (2003/02/26/1467976) She was the Vanna White of the day – the person who spelled ‘‘Herbert H. Lehman,’’ letter by letter, on a sign announcing a symposium that looked at his place in history and his place in the participants’ memories.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (2003/03/02/1468803) In 1964, the United States Congress authorized that land all along the Jacks Fork River (once described by a boater as the Mozart of rivers) would be part of the 80,000-acre park, the first of the national riverways.
Cornelia Guest (2003/03/02/1468986) The cosmopolitan was a kind of fast debutante that showed up in the 1980’s and 90’s – the Cornelia Guest of cocktails.
Matthew McConaughey (2003/03/07/1470289) Rodney Gilfry, the strapping, blond baritone who has been called ‘‘the Matthew McConaughey of opera’’ (for good or bad), will star in this spring’s Encores!
Martha Stewart (2003/03/09/1470825) As the Martha Stewart of the hippie age, Alicia Bay Laurel wrote the book on living in do-it-yourself harmony with Mother Nature.
Michael Jordan (2003/03/09/1471019) ‘‘He’s the Michael Jordan of the game,’’ Bowden said.
Alexander the Great (2003/03/18/1473251) That was in the reign of Pachacuti, considered the Alexander the Great of the Incas.
Donald Rumsfeld (2003/03/18/1473361) Agamemnon was the Donald Rumsfeld of his day, needlessly angering his key allies – and outraging Achilles by swiping his concubine Briseis.
Donald Trump (2003/03/20/1473894) Capitalizing on generous Medicare payments for physical rehabilitation, he built enough personal wealth to become known as the Donald Trump of Birmingham.
Ed McMahon (2003/03/23/1474775) ‘‘We’re the Ed McMahon of the health business,’’ Mr. Freeman said, alluding to the Publishers Clearing House contest where winners are also informed of their luck with the ring of a doorbell.
John James Audubon (2003/03/30/1476563) For this skill, he has been hailed ‘‘the Audubon of trout.’’
Tom Ridge (2003/03/30/1476699) Reisner is the Tom Ridge of the ecology: he’s put us all on red alert, but, short of vacating the state altogether, it’s hard to know what to do about it; and never addressed is the question that, for all we know, Reisner might have tried to answer here had he lived, and that’s what it is that continues to draw people to the continent’s death row.
Bill Gates (2003/03/30/1476700) One might well object that there is nothing representative about them: he talks to the Bill Gates of India; he manages to find a non-Coptic Christian family in Egypt (who complained that the Americans weren’t as tough on Muslims as the Israelis were).
Leonardo da Vinci (2003/03/30/1476728) He’s very knowledgeable about fine art but has no idea who Krazy Kat is, and he’s like the Leonardo da Vinci of the cartoon world.
Henri Matisse (2003/04/04/1477871) Nadelman, who was born in Warsaw in 1882, one year after Picasso, and committed suicide in the Riverdale section of the Bronx in 1946, was in many ways the Matisse of 20th-century sculpture.
Wolfgang Puck (2003/04/06/1478378) Roy Yamaguchi is the Wolfgang Puck of the Pacific.
Giacomo Casanova (2003/04/06/1478430) In the prologue, high-decibel dissonance suggests a New Age ‘‘West Side Story,’’ with a fiesta-like rumble, as Joseph Urla struts as Petruchio, the Casanova of the Barrio.
Jackie Robinson (2003/04/06/1478600) ‘‘He’s the Jackie Robinson of my generation,’’ he said.
Al Capone (2003/04/06/1478782) And Elizabeth has apparently found a way: while visiting an obscure museum on her freelance job doing research for a London travel guide, she stumbles upon the skeleton of the notorious criminal Jonathan Wild – ‘‘the Al Capone of the 1720’s’’ – whom she regards as something of a kindred spirit.
Kato Kaelin (2003/04/07/1478881) Then he has settled in – as ‘‘a permanent house guest, the Kato Kaelin of the wine country,’’ in the case of Alan Deutschman – and tried to figure out what it all means.
Robert Trent Jones (2003/04/11/1479837) ‘‘I would say he is the Robert Trent Jones of tracks.’’
Spike Lee (2003/04/12/1480088) Now it is also becoming known as the territory of a former graffiti sprayer and youth gang member, Neco Celik, whose debut movie, ‘‘Alltag,’’ or ‘‘Every Day,’’ is gaining him a reputation as the Spike Lee of his time and place.
Salvador Dalí (2003/04/13/1480261) Tom Wolfe called him the Salvador Dali of the car circuit.
Harvey Weinstein (2003/04/13/1480281) Like Goldwyn and Selznick before him, but smarter than either of them, he was a maverick, though one with establishment tastes and goals – the Harvey Weinstein of his day, making the kind of movie that seemed custom-designed to win Academy Awards.
Mick Jagger (2003/04/13/1480317) And so by the time Jeff met Mara, in 1997, he was a wizened rock star, the Mick Jagger of digital media.
Cecil B. DeMille (2003/04/13/1480367) As a result, too many people still think of him – if they think of him at all – as a cautionary tale, an epic of career wreckage, the Cecil B. DeMille of Hollywood zombies, a damaged survivor of some terrible accident at the intersection of self-loathing and self-regard.
Norman Rockwell (2003/04/13/1480412) During this period, he become the most famous illustrator in the country, the Norman Rockwell of his day.
Hulk Hogan (2003/04/14/1480850) Meanwhile, at 5 feet 10 tall and 115 pounds, Andy is the Hulk Hogan of this food-phobic crowd.
Nora Roberts (2003/04/17/1481531) For those who write like clockwork (i.e., Stuart Woods, the Nora Roberts of mystery best-sellerdom), a new book every few months is no surprise.
Michelangelo (2003/04/18/1481787) (The French critic Théophile Gautier called him the Michelangelo of the menagerie.)
Ben Johnson (2003/04/20/1482221) ‘‘It was like the Ben Johnson of goats!
RuPaul (2003/04/20/1482270) Caushun says there were labels that wanted to turn him into a house-music artist or into the RuPaul of hip-hop, but he said no.
Maurice Béjart (2003/04/21/1482749) Boris Eifman may be the Maurice Béjart of our time.
Pablo Picasso (2003/04/27/1484223) Pierre Hermé, a Frenchman who was once called the Picasso of Pastry in Vogue magazine, has trained bakers to create tartes, individual pastries and macaroons.
Barry Diller (2003/05/01/1485294) But at other times, the conversation was reminiscent of dinner parties with the high and mighty during which the hostess asks the powerful man to her left a fawning question – ‘‘Who is the Barry Diller of the Democratic Party?’’
Richard Perle (2003/05/04/1485914) Even Shingo Nishimura, a staunch parliamentary militarist who was described to me as ‘‘the Richard Perle of Japan’’ (he was once fired from the cabinet for lamenting Japan’s nuclear impotence), said he does not favor Japan producing nuclear weapons.
Jerry Springer (2003/05/04/1485970) ‘‘He’s like the Jerry Springer of rap,’’ said DJ Goldfinger, the host of a popular Friday night hip-hop party in Manhattan.
Jerry Springer (2003/05/04/1485970) Before he became the Jerry Springer of hip-hop, Kay Slay was Kenneth Gleason.
Pelé (2003/05/06/1486720) Emmanuel Baba Dano, known throughout Iraq as Amu Baba, the Pelé of Iraqi soccer, served as the national coach for most of the last three decades.
John McCain (2003/05/13/1488591) ‘‘By speaking her mind, she’s going to be the John McCain of first ladies,’’ he said.
Sharon Osbourne (2003/05/13/1488591) ‘‘She’s more likely to be the Sharon Osbourne of first ladies,’’ said Mr. Warfield, the press secretary for Bob Dole in the 1996 presidential campaign.
Rembrandt (2003/05/14/1488815) As a teenager he became known as the Rembrandt of Third Avenue.
Bill Tilden (2003/05/18/1489947) Annika Sorenstam is the Bill Tilden of her sport.
John Daly (2003/05/18/1489974) Hitting from the men’s tees, Didrikson shot 84-81, missing the 36-hole cut by 14 strokes as long-hitting Jimmy Thomson, the John Daly of his day, won with a 15-under-par 273 at Griffith Park.
Karl Rove (2003/05/23/1491107) Lee Atwater, who was the Karl Rove of George H. W. Bush’s 1988 presidential campaign, once explained to me why he supported one of my controversial decisions as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency: ‘‘To me,’’ he said, ‘‘your appointment is about suburban women.
Oprah Winfrey (2003/05/29/1492543) She thinks of herself as ‘‘the Oprah of the skin-deep set.’’
Laurie Colwin (2003/06/01/1493185) In her first book, the former owner of Marnie’s Noodle Shop in Manhattan comes off like the Laurie Colwin of Asian food.
Rudy Giuliani (2003/06/01/1493592) David Rebovich, a political science professor at Rider University, said Mr. Christie was being cast as the Rudolph Giuliani of New Jersey politics.
Michael Jordan (2003/06/03/1494048) He was the Michael Jordan of Indiana.
Susan Lucci (2003/06/04/1494175) Sean Combs may be in danger of becoming the Susan Lucci of the fashion world.
Tom Hanks (2003/06/04/1494175) ‘‘He’s the Tom Hanks of the fashion world,’’ said the designer Lazaro Hernandez, referring to Mr. Rodriguez’s winning streak.
George Washington (2003/06/07/1494856) The late Kim Il Sung is revered as the George Washington of his country.
Homer (2003/06/08/1495380) The greatest power of a university president is to be the Homer of the community.’’
Jacques Cousteau (2003/06/08/1495412) One person who still has decidedly mixed feelings about the publicity is a 40-year-old photographer and filmmaker named Nate Johnson, a longtime ‘‘wash ashore,’’ as visitors-turned-permanent-residents are called, and in the words of one local newspaper, the Jacques Cousteau of Wellfleet.
Fannie Farmer (2003/06/11/1495897) Isabella Beeton, the Fannie Farmer of Britain, used the terms clotted cream and Devonshire cream interchangeably, which ought to settle the issue.
Manolo Blahnik (2003/06/11/1495909) Mr. Ben-Israel is the Manolo Blahnik of wedding cakes, a high-priced craftsman who knows that just as beautiful shoes are useless if they are not comfortable, beautiful cakes are useless if they are not delicious.
Elmore Leonard (2003/06/13/1496389) Dale has the ability to cut through confusion with a swift, amused turn of phrase; he could be the Elmore Leonard of cons.
Elvis Presley (2003/06/15/1496808) ‘‘He is the Elvis of game-show hosts.’’
Elvis Presley (2003/06/15/1497258) Some of these likenesses I recognized, including that of Carlos Gardel, the Elvis of tango culture, and the writer Jorge Luis Borges, a personal hero of mine.
Greta Garbo (2003/06/22/1499006) She’s the Greta Garbo of the modern century.’’
Hermann Hesse (2003/06/27/1500128) George Grosz described him as ‘‘the Hermann Hesse of painting, German and heavy,’’ and ‘‘utterly lacking in humor.’’
Jackie Robinson (2003/07/06/1502617) Parks was the Jackie Robinson of the art world, you could say.
Karl Marx (2003/07/11/1503581) In 1947 Hanns Eisler was brought before the House Committee on Un-American Activities and accused of being ‘‘the Karl Marx of Communism in the musical field.’’
Martin Amis (2003/07/13/1503962) Although Phillips cuts a sufficiently glamorous figure to earn him the sobriquet ‘‘the Martin Amis of British psychoanalysis,’’ he firmly states his preference for the common over the uncommon patient.
Pol Pot (2003/07/13/1503965) Instead, they said, the Rajavis, given the chance, would have been the Pol Pot of Iran.
William Shakespeare (2003/07/13/1504002) On Hart: ‘‘He’s the Shakespeare of self-pity.
Lotte Lenya (2003/07/15/1504593) In ‘‘Four Lullabies for Working Mothers,’’ he proved himself the Lotte Lenya of Hanns Eisler.
David Bouley (2003/07/18/1505270) Aside from hotel renovations, Mr. Van Meter said other signs of growth were making the area more appealing to the kind of New Yorkers who pick and choose where to make cameo appearances as if they were Bill Clinton – new restaurants with ‘‘real chefs’’ (‘‘When I read that chef Susanna Foo, considered the David Bouley of Philadelphia, is launching a restaurant in Atlantic City, I was floored – in a good way,’’ he said), and new clubs with ‘‘real D.J.’s.’’
Errol Flynn (2003/07/20/1505638) In such a situation, being a superstud – the Errol Flynn of the primate world – is the best way forward.
Oprah Winfrey (2003/07/20/1505699) Gertrude Berg, the accentless, Columbia University-educated granddaughter of immigrants who created, produced, wrote and starred in the show (she played Molly), became the Oprah Winfrey of her time, a widely beloved entrepreneur who eventually branched into cookbooks and fashion for the larger lady and whose brand was her ability to touch everyone’s common humanity.
Honoré de Balzac (2003/07/20/1505728) The show, which is the latest opus by David Simon, the journalist turned producer who has become, with ‘‘Homicide’’ and ‘‘The Corner,’’ the Balzac of postindustrial Maryland, takes what might have looked like an exhausted set of premises – a motley squad of detectives investigating homicides, drug trafficking and union corruption – and infuses them with surprising realism.
Nora Roberts (2003/07/21/1506165) ‘‘She’s like the Stephen King of our genre,’’ Ms. Lynch said, and then amended that to ‘‘Stephen King is the Nora Roberts of his genre,’’ as her friend and writing partner, Cai Smith, from Wisconsin, nodded her head in agreement.
Stephen King (2003/07/21/1506165) ‘‘She’s like the Stephen King of our genre,’’ Ms. Lynch said, and then amended that to ‘‘Stephen King is the Nora Roberts of his genre,’’ as her friend and writing partner, Cai Smith, from Wisconsin, nodded her head in agreement.
Elvis Presley (2003/07/23/1506513) ‘‘She’s making Ernie into the Elvis of New Orleans.’’
Raphael (2003/07/25/1506970) (Manet, who referred to Monet as ‘‘the Raphael of water,’’ admired his seascapes and owned a few of them.)
Charles Lindbergh (2003/07/26/1507245) He did it, rumbling down Fifth Avenue 100 years ago today and becoming what a transportation specialist at the Smithsonian Institution calls ‘‘the Charles Lindbergh of 1903, no question about it.’’
Simon Cowell (2003/07/27/1507363) Mr. Allen, the Simon Cowell of the board, suggests that Cousin Mike doesn’t deserve to win because he’d never be allowed to play on a decent golf course with all those tattoos.
Alan Greenspan (2003/07/27/1507526) BusinessWeek declared Professor Boskin ‘‘clearly back on top of his game’’ in its June 30 issue, calling him ‘‘the Alan Greenspan of his generation.’’
George Steinbrenner (2003/07/29/1507992) (You might say he’s the George Steinbrenner of hip-hop, except that P. Diddy insists on playing, too.)
Michelangelo (2003/08/02/1508990) ‘‘Mel Gibson is the Michelangelo of this generation,’’ said the Rev.
Janet Jackson (2003/08/03/1509118) Until Ms. Shwari makes good on her dream to be the Janet Jackson of Indian pop, Americans will be well served by Panjabi MC’s American debut album, ‘‘Beware’’ (Sequence Records).
Charlie Parker (2003/08/03/1509152) An embodied opposite of cliché, he was the Charlie Parker of something, maybe several somethings.
Bruce Springsteen (2003/08/03/1509410) Mr. Tice is the Bruce Springsteen of photography.
William Shakespeare (2003/08/09/1510583) Lou Fine, who was known for drawing just like Eisner, called Woolfolk ‘‘the Shakespeare of comics.’’
Jesus Christ (2003/08/13/1511600) ‘‘I’m like the Jesus of extreme cooking.
Nicholas Payton (2003/08/15/1512043) Jeremy Pelt is the new straight-ahead jazz trumpeter to whom everyone’s paying attention, in essence the Nicholas Payton of the new decade.
Babe Ruth (2003/08/22/1513834) The man was our hero: the Babe Ruth of bodybuilding.
Gray Davis (2003/08/24/1514454) Call it California envy, but Mr. Jedynak calls Governor McGreevey ‘‘the Gray Davis of the East.’’
Sally Field (2003/08/26/1514795) AFTER 9/11, we became the Sally Field of cities.
Chet Baker (2003/08/29/1515433) Ellsworth Kelly was the Chet Baker of the new, cool painting of the late 1950’s and early 60’s.
Steven Spielberg (2003/08/31/1515964) For the Spielberg of Civic Duty, No Jury Prizes, Just Plenty of Jurors
Martha Stewart (2003/08/31/1516046) He was the Martha Stewart of his day.
Chet Baker (2003/09/05/1517056) Mr. Kelly was the Chet Baker of the new, cool painters of the post-Abstract Expressionist generation.
Pamela Anderson (2003/09/11/1518658) Loni Anderson, who in the 70’s was the Pamela Anderson of her time, is accordingly cast as the Mullets’ sexy mother, Mandi Mullet-Heidecker.
Cal Ripken (2003/09/12/1518901) One man, the Cal Ripken of the sport, has been surfing every day for 24 years, long enough to have worn out 32 boards.
Sugar Ray Leonard (2003/09/13/1519242) ‘‘Shane could have been like the Sugar Ray Leonard of his time,’’ De La Hoya said.
Julie London (2003/09/14/1519492) You look at Christina Aguilera, and she has all the affectations of somebody who would be a rocker, and then you hear her songs and you think, Is this the Julie London of today?’’
Donald Trump (2003/09/14/1519493) ‘‘Tilman Fertitta is like the Donald Trump of the Southwest,’’ said Frances Farenthold, known as Sissy, who represented Corpus Christi in the Texas Legislature from 1968 to 1973 and is a staunch opponent of the proposed deal in that city.
Dennis Rodman (2003/09/21/1521031) David Coulthard, of the McLaren Mercedes racing team, models for Hugo Boss; Jacques Villeneuve, the Dennis Rodman of the racing world, colors his hair and is fussy about his racing gear; and Flavio Briatore, a former leader of the Benetton racing team and the manager of the Renault crew, owns a trendy nightclub in Sardinia and has been dating the supermodel Heidi Klum.
Mohammad Khatami (2003/09/21/1521049) He might be considered the Mohammad Khatami of the Evangelical Republic of Massachusetts.
Greta Garbo (2003/09/21/1521281) I quizzed Jonathan on what the Garbo of butchers was really like.
Ross Perot (2003/09/30/1523575) Most of the candidates are selling decidedly protectionist messages, as if seeking to become the Ross Perot of the 2004 race, not the Bill Clinton.
Barry Bonds (2003/10/03/1524243) Ms. Clarkson has been delivering meaty, juicy plums to movies for several years; she’s become the Barry Bonds of low-budget film.
Bear Bryant (2003/10/04/1524605) Royal, the Bear Bryant of Texas, led the Longhorns to three national championships in his 20 seasons here, from 1957 to 1976.
Danny DeVito (2003/10/09/1525859) Short, stocky and balding, Mr. Bustamante described himself as the Danny DeVito of the recall race.
Raphael (2003/10/10/1526015) Bonington, whom Delacroix called the Raphael of landscape painting, is represented by a luminous work called ‘‘A Fishmarket Near Boulogne,’’ which made a splash in the 1824 Salon.
Johnny Appleseed (2003/10/12/1526736) A friend from Brewster who prefers to remain anonymous calls her husband ‘‘the Johnny Appleseed of guitars.’’
David Merrick (2003/10/15/1527475) George Steinbrenner, the David Merrick of sports, got into the act by misquoting, at top volume, Douglas MacArthur.
Karl Rove (2003/10/19/1528235) Hwang was the Karl Rove of North Korea for more than three decades, creating the ideology of Juche, or self-sufficiency, that was the bedrock of Kim Il Sung’s regime and remains in place today – though in name only, since North Korea depends on foreign aid for its survival.
Arthur Freed (2003/10/22/1529132) ‘‘The East Is Red,’’ photographed in volcanic color, splashes its propaganda in terms so simple that the scenes become almost Brechtian; more specifically, it’s a crude Minnelli musical essentially produced by Mao, the Arthur Freed of Communism.
Carl Sagan (2003/10/26/1530026) Dr. Greene is the Carl Sagan of this new multidimensional cosmos, diving through wormholes to travel instantaneously the length of Manhattan, lecturing on relativity to his dog, encountering multiple disconnected copies of himself in the quantum cafe, where an order of orange juice may get you a glass of blue liquid instead.
Bob Costas (2003/10/26/1530036) (Wieseltier concurs: ‘‘He’s the Bob Costas of criticism.
Michael Ovitz (2003/10/26/1530036) Not only has he managed to get himself talked about (‘‘Dale Peck is the Michael Ovitz of the literary world,’’ says the literary agent Bonnie Nadell); he has managed to stir up a debate over the practice of book reviewing – its status, its value, its effect on our literary culture.
Annie Leibovitz (2003/10/26/1530084) The Guardian called Cameron ‘‘the Annie Leibovitz of her day,’’ The Observer cited her as a precursor of Richard Avedon and The Independent said her portraits of the famous were ‘‘publicity shots to die for.’’
Jack Welch (2003/10/26/1530219) Mr. Zhang has sometimes called himself the Jack Welch of China.
Babe Ruth (2003/10/31/1531415) ‘‘He was the Babe Ruth of racehorses,’’ Mr. Balch said.
Lester Bangs (2003/11/02/1531857) He’s the Lester Bangs of media culture.
Arnold Schwarzenegger (2003/11/02/1531930) The Alamo was, as Steve Harrigan likes to say, a story of second chances: Crockett, the Arnold Schwarzenegger of his time, was moving from celebrity to politics; Travis, a young and untested lawyer turned soldier, was searching for gravitas.
John Coltrane (2003/11/02/1531956) The five-man jazz-funk ensemble unleashed dizzyingly layered rhythms, with the John Coltrane of harmonica players and a spoken-word vocalist.
Sam Rayburn (2003/11/02/1532193) Donald Scarinci, a Hudson County attorney who was Mr. Doria’s counsel in the speaker’s office, described his former boss as ‘‘the Sam Rayburn of New Jersey,’’ referring to the legendary Texan who served as House speaker for all but four years from 1940 to 1961.
Peter Mayle (2003/11/09/1534152) Thus begins a love story that drives this new memoir (the second of what looks to be a series, initiated two years ago with the publication of ‘‘Country Matters,’’ which earned its British-born author the reputation of being the Peter Mayle of Dutchess County).
Daniel Burnham (2003/11/09/1534198) Also, Philadelphia had two giants in the fields of architecture and city planning: Kahn and the legendary Ed Bacon, the Daniel Burnham of postwar American planning.
Michelangelo (2003/11/11/1534480) The prototype was Bill Parcells, who, while working for NBC after he left the Giants, was the Michelangelo of saying he did not interview with clubs he had clearly interviewed with.
Rich Little (2003/11/16/1535536) Happily, in the end he discovers a talent that sets him up as the Rich Little of the elephant world, and he wows his formerly scornful schoolmates with snorts that transform his trunk into a veritable menagerie.
Oscar Wilde (2003/11/16/1535891) It’s not for nothing that Orton was referred to as the Oscar Wilde of his time.
Martin Luther (2003/11/20/1536867) Tom Wolfe called Mr. Hartford ‘‘the Martin Luther of modern culture,’’ a zealot with ‘‘the most flagrantly unfashionable taste anybody in New York had ever heard of.’’
Johann Sebastian Bach (2003/11/27/1538569) Centenaries come and go, but celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of George Balanchine (Jan. 22, 1904) is not like an anniversary tribute to Bach (although Balanchine is certainly the Bach of choreographers).
Martha Stewart (2003/11/27/1538582) She was the Martha Stewart of the pre-Civil War era, filling up her hugely popular magazine, Godey’s Lady’s Book, with all sorts of advice about how to build a dream cottage, cook a seven-course dinner and decorate the perfect spring hat.
D. H. Lawrence (2003/11/30/1539110) In its wake Perry is left feeling like ‘‘the D. H. Lawrence of not doing it, the voice of all the would-be lovers who ached and squirmed.’’
Napoleon (2003/11/30/1539168) When he died in 1904, The New York Times called him ‘‘the Napoleon of China.’’
Tara Reid (2003/11/30/1539300) She could be the Tara Reid of her day.
Madonna (2003/12/05/1540519) ‘‘South Beach is the Madonna of the resort industry – reinvents itself every year or so to keep up with the times and the trends and the demands of vacationers,’’ said Dindy Yokel, a public-relations representative.
Theodore Dreiser (2003/12/17/1543794) He worked on a Gulf of Mexico freighter, was arrested for vagrancy in Bogalusa, La., worked in a Maine bookstore, delivered milk in Washington, jerked orange soda in Philadelphia and stocked glassware in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. All the while he was mentally preparing to become the Theodore Dreiser of his generation.
Huey Long (2003/12/23/1545369) On the stump he seems too decent and admirable a guy to take on Howard Dean, the Huey Long of the iPod set.
Elvis Presley (2003/12/24/1545699) ‘‘He could with good reason be called the Elvis of Brazil,’’ Mr. Veloso wrote in ‘‘Tropical Truth,’’ his recently published autobiography.
Typhoid Mary (2003/12/25/1545895) The United States will soon discover what it feels like to be the Typhoid Mary of the beef world.
George S. Patton (2003/12/26/1546018) It is difficult to be loving and kind and generous, at this point, to Bob Knight, who, at the seemingly adult age of 63, envisions himself as the General Patton of Hoops and who still believes he can get away with any schoolyard obscene gesture simply because, well, he is Bob Knight, the General Patton of Hoops.
Alice Waters (2003/12/27/1546122) She was ‘‘the Alice Waters of the tea movement,’’ said a friend, Ruth Reichl, editor in chief of Gourmet magazine and former restaurant critic of The New York Times, in a reference to the founder of Chez Panisse.
Davy Crockett (2003/12/28/1546259) He blazed a great trail for suburban pioneers, the Davy Crockett of the Interstates.
Bill Parcells (2003/12/28/1546283) Bowman was the Bill Parcells of hockey; he had a knack for terrifying grown, very highly paid men and making them worry about what the coach would think of next.

2004

Madonna (2004/01/07/1548718) The owner of Sumile, a Japanese pop star called Miwa Yoshida (Mr. DeChellis describes her as ‘‘the Madonna of Japan’’), often sends him to cook and learn at her brother’s upscale izakaya in Tokyo.
Sylvia Plath (2004/01/09/1549236) The cliché of her as the Sylvia Plath of photographers, combined with the way her photographs direct your attention to her presence, can obscure the difference between what is in the pictures and what we might like to read into them.
Woody Allen (2004/01/09/1549238) The directors include New York’s own Mitchell Rose, once known as the Woody Allen of modern-dance choreography.
Rodney Dangerfield (2004/01/12/1550194) ‘‘It’s a reinforcement of our political status as the Rodney Dangerfield of the Democratic Party,’’ said Mark Plotkin, a local radio commentator.
Pliny the Elder (2004/01/15/1550806) ‘‘Here was Madden, the Pliny the Elder of football announcers.
Charles Bronson (2004/01/26/1553868) After thieves stole flowers from him recently, Mr. Price, who could become the Charles Bronson of guacamole, planted his hillsides with long-thorned finger cactus – ‘‘enough to completely engulf the valley,’’ he said.
Muhammad Ali (2004/02/01/1555241) ROBERTS – That’s a far cry from the man who was once called the Muhammad Ali of dance.
Wilma Rudolph (2004/02/05/1556450) She is the Wilma Rudolph of her generation, quite capable of breaking molds and barriers, becoming not only a great female athlete, but one of the greatest runners of all time.
Jackie Robinson (2004/02/06/1556595) Eddie gets provocative lines, like ‘‘The D.C. sniper is like the Jackie Robinson of crime,’’ nuggets guaranteed to cause squabbles.
Michelangelo (2004/02/06/1556771) Hailed in his time as ‘‘the Michelangelo of the menagerie,’’ and today as France’s greatest animalier, or portrayer of animals, Antoine-Louis Barye (1796-1875) applied a robust realism to his portrayal of beasts and reptiles as well as humans.
Diane Warren (2004/02/08/1557103) And the answer is pretty much Linda Perry, the former 4 Non Blondes singer whose work on Pink’s ‘‘Missundaztood’’ has turned Ms. Perry into the Diane Warren of the edgy set.
Igor Stravinsky (2004/02/13/1558419) A screening of ‘‘Off the Charts’’ will be followed by NRBQ playing its favorite song-poems with the saxophonist Ellery Eskelin – son of Rodd Keith, the Stravinsky of song-poem composers – and with the song-poem tunesmith David Fox.
Ethel Merman (2004/02/14/1558667) At that point, with her rafter-shaking alto and steamroller presence, she seemed destined to become the Ethel Merman of her generation, and it was fitting when she took the Merman part in a 1987 revival of ‘‘Anything Goes.’’
Ernie Isley (2004/02/15/1558923) At no point does he upstage the other actors in the film; he may be the Ernie Isley of movie actors.
Grandma Moses (2004/02/17/1559544) In another interview Mr. Widmark calls Fuller the Grandma Moses of filmmakers, primitive, direct and journalistic.
Larry Bird (2004/02/21/1560506) To these eyes, Maddux has been the Larry Bird of baseball, unprepossessing-appearing until you had to go one-on-one with him, and then there was no bottom to his bag of wiles and talents.
Philippe Starck (2004/02/22/1560626) Since 2001, Hardy has also created shoes for Balenciaga, in a close collaboration with the label’s designer Nicolas Ghesquière that has finally seen him transcend his cult status to emerge as the Philippe Starck of the stack heel.
Hugh Jackman (2004/02/22/1560717) (Ms. Tesori refers to him as ‘‘the Hugh Jackman of arts and letters.’’)
Oscar De La Hoya (2004/02/22/1560800) ‘‘But Arturo Gatti is the Oscar De La Hoya of New Jersey,’’ Mr. DiBella continued, referring to the Los Angeles-based world super-welterweight champ, whose inspired crowds cheer start-to-finish at all his fights.
Mick Jagger (2004/02/22/1560819) King Kino, the Mick Jagger of the up-tempo style of Haitian music called konpa, was about to take the stage at S.O.B.’s.
James Dean (2004/02/22/1560826) Nowadays, the sax has a nostalgic quality of 1950’s-era disillusion – the James Dean of instruments.
Yogi Berra (2004/02/29/1562506) The Tevye of ‘‘Fiddler’’ is the Yogi Berra of Anatevka, a twinkly eyed, malapropism-spouting buffoon who carries on a running conversation with God that sounds like a monologue by a borscht belt comic.
Michelangelo (2004/03/03/1563330) Both elements enter a vastly broader and more complex world in the music of Astor Piazzolla, certainly the Michelangelo of tango music.
Henny Youngman (2004/03/05/1563840) Together Mr. Yetnikoff and Mr. Ritz devise a kind of sitcom snappiness that turns Mr. Yetnikoff into the Henny Youngman of CBS.
Margaret Keane (2004/03/09/1564959) To a baby boomer, the Australian Gemma Ward, the Canadian teenager Heather Marks or the current Italian Vogue cover girl Lisa Cant also bear some resemblance to the waifs painted by the kitsch master Margaret Keane, as well as to subjects favored by the painter John Currin, whom some might call the Margaret Keane of the Whitney Biennial set.
Daniel Libeskind (2004/03/11/1565401) His mentor is Vitruvius, the Daniel Libeskind of Rome in the first century B.C.
Imelda Marcos (2004/03/12/1565765) Ms. Minch, known by her staff as the Imelda Marcos of Ryan Center (her office décor is dominated by shoe-shaped ceramic collectibles), buys her size 6 1/2 stilettos in Puerto Rico, her destination whenever she takes a breather from the scramble for good health care for the underinsured, and in 35 percent of the cases, uninsured, patients who compose Ryan’s client base.
Howard Stern (2004/03/14/1566280) ‘‘She’s the Howard Stern of the red carpet,’’ said Ms. Gubelmann, who first became aware of Ms. Rivers while watching her QVC sales pitch.
Silvio Berlusconi (2004/03/14/1566371) In the capital, intellectuals refer to Mr. Thaksin as the Berlusconi of Asia, a reference to Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy, a business tycoon who has faced continuing accusations of conflict of interest.
George Stubbs (2004/03/19/1567405) The portrait of Night-Shining White, from the idealizing brush of Han Gan, a leading horse painter of the Tang dynasty (active 742-756) – the George Stubbs of his day, so to speak – is intended to evoke a dragon in disguise, a celestial being with supernatural powers.
Bill Gates (2004/03/21/1568087) TO his compatriots, Azim Premji is the Bill Gates of India.
Stephen Hawking (2004/03/21/1568110) That incandescent intellect, the Stephen Hawking of jurisprudence, has been kind enough to take time from his busy schedule to explain to us how the Republic really works.
Frederick Law Olmsted (2004/03/21/1568169) Less familiar is the tale of its rejuvenation by a 45-year-old landscape architect who is becoming the Frederick Law Olmsted of the city’s dispossessed neighborhoods.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (2004/03/24/1568877) ‘‘He’s the Mozart of bureaucrats.’’
Augustus (2004/03/26/1569218) He became co-emperor with Licinius, known as the Augustus of the East.
Louis B. Mayer (2004/03/26/1569312) She is the widow of Alamo Village’s founder, James T. Shahan, the Louis B. Mayer of Brackettville moviemaking, who in 1995, the year before his death, was named ‘‘father of the Texas movie industry’’ by Gov.
Erin Brockovich (2004/03/27/1569473) Liberals see him as the Erin Brockovich of the Bush years.
Winston Churchill (2004/03/27/1569473) But now Clinton is portrayed as the Winston Churchill of the antiterror brigades, and Bush is Neville Chamberlain.
Ralph Nader (2004/03/28/1569636) Brooding over Osborne’s adventure like an implacable Greek god – the anti-Dionysus, perhaps – is the ‘‘all-powerful’’ American wine critic Robert Parker, who sees himself as the Ralph Nader of wine, the incorruptible gatekeeper of the American palate.
Babe Ruth (2004/03/28/1569940) Oh, who is considered the Babe Ruth of Japanese baseball because of his 868 career homers, was managing the Hawks at the time.
Eric Valent (2004/04/05/1572012) Neither did the Mets, but here they are, heading to Atlanta for opening day, hoping to become the Eric Valent of this season.
Charlton Heston (2004/04/08/1572556) THESE days, Hootie Johnson is unable to blast what he can’t see, forcing the Charlton Heston of Magnolia Lane to lay down his musket.
Nelson Mandela (2004/04/09/1572846) Where is the Nelson Mandela of Iraq?
William Shakespeare (2004/04/18/1574879) In his own way, Ashton was the Shakespeare of ballet, less like the playwright who composed revenge tragedies than the poet who wrote love sonnets.
Mick Jagger (2004/04/18/1575170) But she is breaking some of the nation’s most delicate political china, so much so that one recent Vancouver newspaper article described her as the ‘‘the Mick Jagger of the accounting profession.’’
Nelson Mandela (2004/04/25/1576723) ‘‘He’s old,’’ Abdul Hadi said, ‘‘he’s losing control, but he can’t accept the idea of leaving the stage gracefully or trying to become the Mandela of Palestine.
Nolan Ryan (2004/04/25/1576914) Clemens is demonstrating that he is the Nolan Ryan of this pitching generation.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (2004/04/29/1577716) Mr. Kondo, Nintendo’s in-house composer, wrote the Super Mario Brothers theme and is regarded by aficionados as the Mozart of video game composers.
Brad Pitt (2004/04/29/1577732) Mr. Florence, described later in the show as ‘‘the Brad Pitt of the Food Network,’’ made his entrance and prepared an avocado-and-seared-tuna appetizer, a roast poussin with garden purée and, for dessert, a basil panna cotta.
Thomas à Beckett (2004/05/01/1578230) One banker even referred to Mr. Reed, who has been known for his deep streak of Presbyterian rectitude since his days at Citicorp, as the Thomas à Beckett of Wall Street.
Emeril Lagasse (2004/05/08/1579929) He was the Emeril Lagasse of his time, gaining notoriety while working in several noble households and famous for such stunts as baking a deer-shaped loaf of bread that bled wine when pricked.
Emily Dickinson (2004/05/09/1580170) He was becoming sort of the Emily Dickinson of his era: it is said that he found interacting with other people torture, and after he finished school he rarely left his parents’ home.
Edward Hopper (2004/05/09/1580172) BUKOWSKI: BORN INTO THIS – The author, poet and cult figure Charles Bukowski (1920-94) was a little like the Edward Hopper of his genres.
Will Rogers (2004/05/13/1581303) ‘‘I think he is the Will Rogers of the Christian world,’’ Mr. Vermillion said in a telephone interview.
Dennis Kucinich (2004/05/23/1583723) (An informal survey of Tony voters suggests that Ms. D’Abruzzo, the perky, quirky puppeteer from ‘‘Avenue Q,’’ is the Dennis Kucinich of this campaign.)
Pat Boone (2004/05/23/1583885) It’s the Pat Boone of energy drinks, an upbeat, peppy blend of apple, pear and carrot juice tweaked with hints of this and that to bend it in the direction of grapefruit and strawberry.
Paul O’Neill (2004/05/30/1585380) Maureen Orth could be the Paul O’Neill of Condé Nast!
Sean Combs (2004/05/30/1585401) ‘‘Dance hall is faster than reggae,’’ says Paul, 31, known here as the Sean Combs of Jamaica.
Tiger Woods (2004/05/30/1585791) But now that he is a finalist for the Hart trophy as most valuable player for the second time and participating in the championship round for the first time, Iginla responded enthusiastically when asked questions about how he would feel to be known as the Tiger Woods of hockey.
Dennis Rodman (2004/06/03/1586550) ‘‘I like to say that she’s the Dennis Rodman of her sport,’’ Joy Schwikert said at one of Tasha’s workouts last week, there just to reassure the coach that her daughter wouldn’t behave badly.
Tupac Shakur (2004/06/06/1587118) Bukowski is the Tupac Shakur of American literature: dead, he seems to be as prolific as when he was alive.
Susan Lucci (2004/06/09/1588048) That he isn’t really a designer but a man of many parts – rap artist, record producer, St. Tropez party animal and, most recently, Broadway star – is probably one reason he was on his way to becoming the Susan Lucci of fashion.
David Koresh (2004/06/09/1588068) ‘‘Rowland has become the David Koresh of Connecticut politics,’’ said Roy Occhiogrosso, a consultant who was the campaign manager for William E. Curry, a Democrat whom Mr. Rowland defeated in 2002.
Matthew Barney (2004/06/11/1588482) Nate and David’s younger sister, Claire (Lauren Ambrose), still mired in alienation and slacker ennui, says of an attractive boy in her art class that he is the Matthew Barney of their school but she is ‘‘so not’’ Bjork.
Marlon Brando (2004/06/13/1588869) Ben Hogan played to win in cuffed trousers, argyle cashmere and bespoke spats; Arnold Palmer was the Marlon Brando of golf in tight, bicep-revealing shirts; and Payne Stewart’s plus fours and tam-o’-shanter – not to mention his habit of wearing the N.F.L.
Michael Moore (2004/06/17/1590100) Instead of an acceptance speech, Mr. Schneider, whom Mr. Davis called the Michael Moore of his day, read a statement from the provisional Vietnamese government.
Roger Tory Peterson (2004/06/17/1590120) Conceived as a dictionary encompassing 51 species, from alligator to zoomburb (a city in the suburbs growing faster than a boomburb) the guide may well establish Ms. Hayden as the Roger Tory Peterson of sprawl.
Muhammad Ali (2004/06/18/1590211) These two views have faced off in opposing corners of the art world boxing ring for the better part of a century, ever since Marcel Duchamp, the Muhammad Ali of Western modernism, came floating and stinging onto the scene and messed with the protocols and the expectations of the game.
Early Wynn (2004/06/20/1590895) Fred McGriff is the Early Wynn of home run hitters.
Elvis Presley (2004/06/25/1591928) Ms. Schaffner calls Warhol ‘‘the Elvis of nothing,’’ writing that his work, in ‘‘an era of compliant consumer culture,’’ was like ‘‘a mirror facing a vacuum.’’
Oscar Wilde (2004/07/03/1593862) British critics called him dark and bold and ‘‘the Oscar Wilde of stand-up.’’
Elvis Presley (2004/07/04/1594224) ‘‘It’s the Elvis of engines.’’
William Shakespeare (2004/07/08/1595061) This was Ashton, the Shakespeare of ballet – the Shakespeare who wrote love sonnets.
Muhammad Ali (2004/07/09/1595426) ‘‘But I think she’s getting stronger as the Olympics get closer, because it’s sort of like she’s the Muhammad Ali of her era.
Amanda Beard (2004/07/11/1596074) Hoff said she never thought she would become the Amanda Beard of this meet.
Rembrandt (2004/07/13/1596311) Shot on digital video by the Rembrandt of the medium, Anthony Dod Mantle (‘‘Dogville’’), the film runs a brief 75 minutes, but any more than that would definitely be overkill.
Henry Ford (2004/07/15/1596782) Daniel Jackling has been called the Henry Ford of minerals, developing the process by which copper is extracted from low-grade ore and pioneering the open-pit copper strip mine.
Tiger Woods (2004/07/15/1596883) He would be the Tiger Woods of track.
Johnny Appleseed (2004/07/21/1598324) And given the presence of the 1971 baby blue Volkswagen bus across the road, the wise bet would be Mr. Staab, something of the Johnny Appleseed of environmental art, who for two decades has been traversing the world, constructing loops, rings, stars and Mobius strips out of reeds, willows, knotweed and maple saplings.
J. K. Rowling (2004/07/28/1599849) Burnett was the J. K. Rowling of her time and grew wealthy creating loving portraits of children in books like ‘‘A Little Princess’’ and ‘‘Little Lord Fauntleroy.’’
Cardinal Richelieu (2004/08/01/1601013) To Ilana Wexler, the unbearably cute 12-year-old who ventured that Vice President Dick Cheney, the Cardinal Richelieu of his age, needs ‘‘to be put in a timeout’’?
Johnnie Cochran (2004/08/01/1601036) Fuaad Ahmed al-Jawary, attorney at law, has become the Johnnie Cochran of the insurgency, and as the resistance continues, his criminal defense practice has soared.
Fred Astaire (2004/08/06/1601939) Matisse, to early 20th-century eyes a purveyor of ugliness, has become the Fred Astaire of Modernism.
Eppie Lederer (2004/08/19/1605112) This is where Gary Bogue, the Ann Landers of California wildlife, steps in.
Donald Trump (2004/08/20/1605193) ‘‘Financially, they’re trying to destroy us,’’ said Mr. Burns, 52, whose critics have painted him as the Donald Trump of Tybee.
Jim McKay (2004/08/20/1605274) PINDAR – Yes, they called me the Jim McKay of the ancient Games.
Paris Hilton (2004/08/22/1605755) Mr. Medlin, 29, is a performance artist known as Neal Medlyn whose one-man show, ‘‘Neal Medlyn, the Paris Hilton of Performance Art’’ will be part of the Howl!
Van Cliburn (2004/08/27/1606819) I’m not always looking to track down the latest competition winner, or the person on a singular mission to be the Van Cliburn of the accordion, although I have nothing against them.
Greta Garbo (2004/08/29/1607181) would love the Carnegie International in Pittsburgh, in many ways the Garbo of American invitational art surveys – revered but aloof, never garnering the mainstream brouhaha of, say, the Whitney Biennial.
Gary Coleman (2004/08/29/1607221) It’s a job so stressful that it’s burned out adults like Isaac Mizrahi and Todd Oldham, neither of whom had to face the possibility of becoming the Gary Coleman of fashion as soon as they stepped away from the sewing machine.
Nancy Sinatra (2004/08/29/1607515) The show is headlined by Liz Phair, who is the Nancy Sinatra of alternative rock, alternately kittenish and aggressive in songs of self-assertion and troubled romance.
Al Gore (2004/08/29/1607549) Tilden, the Al Gore of his day, won a majority in the 1876 presidential election but lost the electoral vote.
Martha Stewart (2004/08/30/1607787) And Mr. Mooney hopes to turn Mickey and company into the Martha Stewart of bed, books and apparel for children, trading as much on Disney’s reputation for quality (a draw for parents) as on its characters’ appeal.
John Wayne (2004/09/01/1608307) ‘‘Arnold Schwarzenegger is the John Wayne of the current generation,’’ said the Rev.
Steven Spielberg (2004/09/03/1608668) The Korean filmmaker Kang Je-gyu is the Steven Spielberg of East Asia, and not just because his movies routinely become blockbusters.
Ralph Nader (2004/09/12/1610869) Craig Ehrich, another board member, added: ‘‘She’s the Ralph Nader of the board.’’
Leo Fender (2004/09/19/1612690) ‘‘He’s the Leo Fender of synthesizers,’’ says Money Mark, a longtime keyboardist for the Beastie Boys, who is featured in the film.
Frank Stallone (2004/09/20/1612886) He can read the biblical story of Aaron and imagine ‘‘the Frank Stallone of ancient Judaism.’’
Jerry Lewis (2004/09/23/1613516) To be accepted by the French will only confirm for skeptics here that Evans is the Jerry Lewis of modern design.
Mark Spitz (2004/09/24/1613724) ‘‘I need to stay fit to keep up with all the other geezers,’’ said Biff Lowry, 77, who could be described as the Mark Spitz of his generation (he took home seven gold medals in swimming at the Huntsman Games two years ago).
John Waters (2004/09/24/1613863) Mr. La Bruce has been called ‘‘the John Waters of Canada,’’ and on this day, when Mr.
Shirley Temple (2004/09/26/1614212) Shreya’s dance teacher is Kamala Lakshmi Narayanan, once the Shirley Temple of India, who brought bharata natyam to the silver screen when she made her Bollywood debut at age 5.
Osama bin Laden (2004/09/28/1614872) Accepted wisdom is that all of these companies are suffering because of diet fads that have made carbohydrates the Osama bin Laden of nutrients.
Frank Stallone (2004/10/03/1615895) Seems he was sort of the Frank Stallone of ancient Judaism.
Larry King (2004/10/03/1615895) Thus, Solomon, with his 700 wives and 300 concubines, is ‘‘sort of the Larry King of his day.’’
Elvis Presley (2004/10/03/1615981) Is Morrissey, now in his mid-40s, the Elvis of our time?
Elisha Cook, Jr. (2004/10/06/1616802) Mr. Olney describes how Torre and the general managers Gene Michael and Brian Cashman (the Elisha Cook Jr. of baseball executives) put together their winning teams.
Paris Hilton (2004/10/07/1617031) ‘s became the Paris Hilton of lighting, popping up everywhere.
Sol LeWitt (2004/10/08/1617580) She was the Sol LeWitt of weaving.
Babe Ruth (2004/10/10/1617915) ‘‘I look at Richard Hatch, and he’s the Babe Ruth of this,’’ said Scott Zakarin, the chief executive of Creative Light Entertainment, which started a Web site in August called the Fishbowl, devoted to stars of unscripted television series.
Bill Monroe (2004/10/17/1619772) As if that weren’t enough, he practically invented ambient music; he’s the Bill Monroe of the genre.
Studs Terkel (2004/10/17/1619857) She aspires to be the Studs Terkel of American manufacturing and collects stories as avidly as she collects those Lloyd Schwan pieces.
Linda Blair (2004/10/20/1620574) This dining room, in Greenwich Village, was cast as doomed, damned, possessed: the Linda Blair of culinary environments.
Count Basie (2004/10/22/1621023) At 75, the Count Basie of cocktail jazz piano still commands the keyboard with the authority of a sharpshooter who never misses.
Martha Stewart (2004/10/24/1621595) ‘‘Whatever is new, is bad,’’ said Nutting, who has been called the Martha Stewart of his day.
Ethel Merman (2004/10/27/1622558) A train pulled in and Ms. Mendez – who has become somewhat famous just for doing her job and unleashing her foghorn of a voice, which has earned her the nickname ‘‘the Ethel Merman of the subway’’ – bounded into the crowd for the last time before her break, imposing order and enforcing manners.
Vanna White (2004/10/27/1622558) ‘‘I’m like the Vanna White of the subway system,’’ she said.
Jeff Suppan (2004/10/27/1622575) Ojeda was the Jeff Suppan of another generation.
Keith Foulke (2004/10/31/1623665) And, as Election Day grew ever nearer, Mr. Kerry – who is known as a good ‘‘closer,’’ the Keith Foulke of political candidates – seemed increasingly buoyed by the crowd.
Cardinal Richelieu (2004/10/31/1623696) James E. McGreevey’s chief of staff, James P. Fox, has been called the governor’s right hand, the head fixer, the Cardinal Richelieu of the State House.
Stephen King (2004/11/01/1623833) This is because over the last decade Mr. Suzuki has written a series of horror novels and short stories that have earned him the title – one that alternately annoys and flatters him – of the Stephen King of Japan.
Pablo Picasso (2004/11/05/1624728) Mr. Gorman, the Picasso of procrastination, proves that much can be accomplished by avoiding that next deadline.
Serena Williams (2004/11/07/1625121) Hermé, the Serena Williams of French sweets, always wears black, so it is no surprise that his signature sablé is blackened with cocoa and bittersweet chocolate and spiked with challenging, crunchy shards of fleur de sel.
Benedict Arnold (2004/11/07/1625157) Blacks jumped on Johnson for this, and their very virulence – ‘‘Uncle Tom Johnson,’’ ‘‘the Benedict Arnold of his race’’ and ‘‘a jimson weed in the nostrils of those who once cheered him’’ are only some of the epithets thrown his way – suggests that their anger toward him was older and deeper than Ward represents.
Ralph Nader (2004/11/07/1625608) She is known uptown as the Ralph Nader of Harlem.
Oprah Winfrey (2004/11/11/1626383) Enter Ms. Orman, the Oprah Winfrey of financial planning.
George Washington (2004/11/14/1626966) We shared Delft’s wet streets with mainly Dutch tourists, drawn by the intimacy and beauty of its old center and probably also by monuments associated with William of Orange, the George Washington of the Netherlands who led an insurrection against the Spanish Hapsburgs in the 16th century.
Aaron Spelling (2004/11/14/1627029) Juan Osorio, the Aaron Spelling of Mexican television, was so ready to gamble on Ms. Trevi’s marketability that he signed her to a contract before she was acquitted; he created a soap opera, yet to be produced, based on her life, and figured out a way she could phone in her lines from jail in the event of her conviction.
Eliot Spitzer (2004/11/14/1627041) Back in 1997, Congressman Schumer was the Eliot Spitzer of his day.
Barbara Walters (2004/11/16/1627639) ‘‘I’ll be like the Barbara Walters of Barneys today,’’ he said.
Sam Walton (2004/11/19/1628364) And here in Arkansas, you might say he grew to become the Sam Walton of national retail politics.
Nelson Mandela (2004/11/23/1629416) Some in his party even eulogized him as the Nelson Mandela of Pakistan, a claim that made his rivals snicker.
Walker Evans (2004/11/25/1629819) Shomei Tomatsu is the Walker Evans of Japanese photography, says Sandra S. Phillips, a senior curator at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and one of the book’s authors.
Julia Child (2004/11/28/1630380) On the more contemporary side ‘‘An Omelette and a Glass of Wine: Walk Elizabeth David’s Chelsea’’ is a tribute to the Julia Child of England.
Paul Revere (2004/11/28/1630401) The campaign picked up steam after Mr. Lavine’s victory, and Mr. Suozzi began calling Mr. Lavine the Paul Revere of the Fix Albany movement.
Oprah Winfrey (2004/11/29/1630801) Is it a conflict of interest for Suze Orman, often called the Oprah Winfrey of financial planning, to appear as a pitchwoman in a campaign peddling the new ‘‘Lock ‘n’ Roll’’ loan promotion sponsored by the General Motors Corporation?
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (2004/12/05/1632484) ‘‘I felt that he was the Franklin Delano Roosevelt of 1972,’’ Mr.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (2004/12/06/1632644) ‘‘I felt that he was the Franklin Delano Roosevelt of 1972,’’ Mr.
Ralph Fiennes (2004/12/07/1632919) He is the Ralph Fiennes of baritones.
Stevie Nicks (2004/12/08/1633053) For an even more personal cuisine, open GOOD TEMPERED FOOD (Miramax Books, $29.95) by Tamasin Day-Lewis, the Stevie Nicks of British cookery.
Gloria Swanson (2004/12/12/1633980) Mr. Balazs’s first property, Chateau Marmont, could be described as the Gloria Swanson of hotels.
Michael Moore (2004/12/17/1635360) ‘‘I think that if Bill Moyers is trying to go out as the Michael Moore of television, he ought to be congratulated, because he has succeeded,’’ he said.
Henry Ford (2004/12/19/1635940) Mr. Dell may not quite be the Henry Ford of our time, but his company is certainly the Wal-Mart of the high-technology industry, for better or worse.
Frank Capra (2004/12/26/1637346) Still others are known only to a handful of devotees, like Russ Meyer, the Frank Capra of the big-breasted sexploitation film; Katharina Dalton, who changed women’s lives by explaining PMS; Mary-Ellis Bunim, who helped unleash the beast that is reality TV; and Sidney Morgenbesser, the kibitzing philosopher of upper Broadway.
Pete Rose (2004/12/26/1637357) James might be called the Pete Rose of funk; deprived of Sly Stone’s or Prince’s native genius, he scrapped his way to the top.
Natalie Wood (2004/12/29/1638195) The article made Ms. Sontag an international celebrity, showered with lavish, if unintentionally ridiculous, titles (‘‘a literary pinup,’’ ‘‘the dark lady of American letters,’’ ‘‘the Natalie Wood of the U.S. avant-garde’’).
Tom Ford (2004/12/30/1638274) Think of him as the Tom Ford of interior design.

2005

Rodney Dangerfield (2005/01/02/1638933) He (or, often, she) is the Rodney Dangerfield of politics.
Jonathan Swift (2005/01/02/1639000) It wasn’t Jerry Orbach addressing me, but the character he’d created and so thoroughly inhabited: Lennie Briscoe, the Jonathan Swift of the N.Y.P.D., quintessential tough-skinned, nasty-tongued, broken-hearted New Yorker.
Britney Spears (2005/01/02/1639020) MERCEDES-BENZ SLK350 (base $46,220) – The old proto-pop SLK was the Britney Spears of sports cars – a cute and perky roadster that few took seriously.
Joyce Carol Oates (2005/01/02/1639165) In the process, Carter has become the Joyce Carol Oates of American ex-presidents.
Mark Cuban (2005/01/03/1639329) Imagine what it is like for Parcells, having to look every morning at Jerry Jones, the Mark Cuban of football owners before there was a Mark Cuban.
Shaquille O’Neal (2005/01/09/1640675) Over the last few weeks, several of the nation’s largest buyout firms, including the Blackstone Group and Thomas H. Lee Partners, have each been not-so-discreetly talking up the possibility of trying to raise what would be the Shaquille O’Neal of L.B.O.
Jack Welch (2005/01/16/1642486) ‘‘Industry has every reason to be alarmed at the social, economic and financial implications,’’ said Alfred Sloan, the chief executive of General Motors and the Jack Welch of his day.
Imelda Marcos (2005/01/17/1642808) But comments occasionally seem deliberately naïve, like a reference by Michael Farquhar, author of ‘‘A Treasury of Royal Scandals,’’ to Marie, with her fashion excesses, as ‘‘the Imelda Marcos of her day.’’
Bobby Fischer (2005/01/18/1643049) ‘‘Bill Belichick is the Bobby Fischer of football,’’ Curtis Martin, the Jets’ league-leading rusher, said at his locker, referring to the onetime boy wonder of chess.
Susan Lucci (2005/01/22/1643883) Rather than become the Susan Lucci of the N.F.L., Harry Carson said Thursday night that he had petitioned the governing board of the Hall of Fame to take his name off the ballot.
Kenneth Lay (2005/01/23/1644306) I was the Kenneth Lay of the moment.’’
Mother Teresa (2005/01/28/1645547) She said that because the biography did not accept a popular image of Ms. Bari as ‘‘the Mother Teresa of the North Coast forests,’’ it had invited a showdown with ‘‘bitter-enders who are the keepers of her flame.’’
Bill Gates (2005/01/30/1646067) ‘‘Klaus Schwab is a genius and he’s the Bill Gates of symposiums because he’s invented Davos Man and Davos Man rules the world; it’s capitalism without frontiers.’’
Johnny Appleseed (2005/01/31/1646287) At Davos, the Johnny Appleseed of the digital era shares his ambition to propagate a $100 laptop in developing countries.
Jim McKay (2005/01/31/1646404) Sal Masekela, the host for ESPN’s television coverage – ‘‘the Jim McKay of X’’ is how he described his job – said the most prevalent myth about X athletes was that there was a kind of morbidity to their flirtations with danger.
Larry King (2005/02/07/1648053) Jack Pan aspires to be the Larry King of China.
Eliot Spitzer (2005/02/07/1648130) Richard L. Brodsky, an assemblyman from Westchester who calls himself the Eliot Spitzer of the New York State Legislature, was on a roll last Thursday morning.
Elvis Presley (2005/02/09/1648491) And anyway, if you did, it would make you the Elvis of fashion.
Elvis Presley (2005/02/11/1649016) Lawrence Lessig, a Stanford University professor who is a leading American intellectual property scholar known as ‘‘the Elvis of cyber law,’’ has now achieved a measure of fame among fans of ‘‘The West Wing.’’
Billy Graham (2005/02/12/1649219) This, at a time when Henry Ward Beecher (‘‘the Billy Graham of his era,’’ Professor Noll calls him) was preaching a vision of Southern leaders – ‘‘these guiltiest and most remorseless traitors,’’ the evildoers who had ‘‘drenched a continent in needless blood’’– cast down by God into ‘‘endless retribution.’’
Hilary Swank (2005/02/13/1649484) Watch the best-actress winner, Janet Gaynor – the Hilary Swank of her day – in the available video transfers of ‘‘Seventh Heaven,’’ and you will see only a fuzzy shadow of the film’s glistening beauty.
Thomas Edison (2005/02/16/1650398) It also revives the public spats in the small community of Internet founding fathers over who should be considered the Edison of this age.
Michael Moore (2005/02/21/1651787) It’s tempting to call Mr. Daisey the Michael Moore of the New York stage – they are both roundish regular guys with a history of stalking C.E.O.’s.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (2005/02/24/1652323) ‘‘Shigeru is the Mozart of sustainable architecture,’’ Mr. Colbert said.
Osama bin Laden (2005/02/27/1652944) One might call him the Osama bin Laden of his epoch; but he was more invisible to our knowledge than that other bugbear.
Norah Jones (2005/02/27/1652949) 10, is so poised and elegiac that she comes off as the Norah Jones of her plastered generation.
John Hancock (2005/02/27/1653158) Inaugurating the wall was Wyclef Jean, who, below his name, wrote ‘‘the first, the alpha, the beginning,’’ lest anyone forget that he is the John Hancock of Music Choice signatories.
Elvis Presley (2005/03/01/1653573) With Whitehead as his publicist, Einstein was on the road to becoming the Elvis of science, the frizzy-headed sage of Princeton, the world’s most famous Jew and humanity’s atomic conscience.
Mae West (2005/03/01/1653662) A number of possible jurors objected to the raunchy lyrics and scant clothing of Ms. Jones, who is described as the Mae West of rap music on her main fan Web site.
Daniel Boone (2005/03/06/1654842) ‘‘Ranne is kind of the Daniel Boone of the area,’’ he said.
João Gilberto (2005/03/09/1655600) Rosa Passos, an ardent disciple of João Gilberto, the Brazilian singer, guitarist and bossa nova pioneer, has been called ‘‘the João Gilberto of skirts’’ in her native Brazil.
Franz Kafka (2005/03/11/1656010) Mr. Rabassa is a renowned translator, of Gabriel García Márquez, Jorge Amado and Mario Vargas Llosa – and of Lispector, who became, in the mid-20th century, one of Brazil’s most influential writers, described as the Kafka of Latin American fiction.
Buckminster Fuller (2005/03/11/1656018) Mr. Zatkoff, who is now the Buckminster Fuller of crab pots, experimenting with squares and octagons, reluctantly sold his boat, the Koritsa, last year after becoming disoriented in the valley of a wave.
Paris Hilton (2005/03/13/1656392) Think of tequila as the Paris Hilton of the liquor world.
Liza Minnelli (2005/03/13/1656623) Like the Liza Minnelli of the new millennium.’’
Susan Lucci (2005/03/16/1657357) Sergeant Magnin is also the Susan Lucci of the culinary championship, having been runner-up for the title of Senior Chef of the Year four times.
Michelangelo (2005/03/20/1658232) With the help of the Dia Foundation, he began the project of becoming both the Medici and the Michelangelo of Marfa.
Rodney Dangerfield (2005/03/20/1658580) ‘‘I prefer to think of the Y as persevering and noble, not as the Rodney Dangerfield of the human genome.’’
Woody Allen (2005/03/21/1658827) ‘‘I’ve been known as the casual campaigner and the Woody Allen of Jersey City politics,’’ Mr. Pine said.
Oprah Winfrey (2005/03/28/1660495) For Felicia Mabuza-Suttle, a talk-show host who has been called the Oprah Winfrey of South Africa, the channel is ‘‘the best news ever to come out of America about Africa.’’
James Earl Jones (2005/03/31/1661134) Well over six feet tall, muscular and shaven-headed, with a voice deep enough to qualify him as the James Earl Jones of stand-up, he commands a stage.
Nick Spano (2005/03/31/1661241) No one wants to be the Nick Spano of 2006, they say.
Rodney Dangerfield (2005/04/01/1661389) Qwest, the Rodney Dangerfield of the telephone industry, may mount a proxy war.
Leo Tolstoy (2005/04/06/1662797) On multiculturalism, he was once quoted as asking: ‘‘Who is the Tolstoy of the Zulus?
Mikhail Gorbachev (2005/04/10/1663656) I don’t mean to be dramatic, but I think John LaValle has been the Gorbachev of Brookhaven, and just like Gorbachev, his fate was sealed because he was a product of the same corrupt system that he needed to destroy.’’
Charles Atlas (2005/04/10/1663822) Mr. Schwarzenegger appeared in Army fatigues and took Mr. Buffett – who may be the Charles Atlas of investors but who has the musculature of a chipmunk – through a grueling workout to punish him for criticizing inequities in California’s property tax system.
François Truffaut (2005/04/10/1663850) Who is the François Truffaut of our moment?)
Ted Kaczynski (2005/04/17/1665352) So it takes courage, if not a touch of Brownian madness, to argue, as David S. Reynolds does in his absorbing new biography, ‘‘John Brown, Abolitionist,’’ that Brown was not the Unabomber of his time, but a reasonable man, well connected to his era’s intellectual currents and a salutary force for change.
Ruth Reichl (2005/04/17/1665402) If this was the Zagat’s of the air, I would now be the Ruth Reichl of the sky.
Madonna (2005/04/17/1665414) EVER the Madonna of cities, Las Vegas – once the home of the Rat Pack and then, briefly, a family friendly destination – has once again reinvented itself for baby boomers and their echo-boomer offspring, both eager to spend whatever it takes for a taste of the good life.
Leonardo da Vinci (2005/04/22/1666672) (He is sometimes called ‘‘the Leonardo of Liverpool.’’)
Tom Hanks (2005/04/22/1666689) ‘‘He’s the Tom Hanks of the 1920’s,’’ said Suzanne Lloyd, Lloyd’s granddaughter.
Rodney Dangerfield (2005/04/22/1666692) Among the Asian cuisines that New Yorkers have embraced, Chinese often seems to be the Rodney Dangerfield of the club, getting less respect than others.
Leonardo da Vinci (2005/04/23/1666904) ‘‘We think that he is the da Vinci of our time,’’ said Joseph J. Seymour, the former executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which is building the station.
Walt Disney (2005/04/24/1667287) The restaurant was designed by David Rockwell, an architect and set designer who is the Walt Disney of the New York theme dining world.
G. Gordon Liddy (2005/04/26/1667895) Cablevision is the G. Gordon Liddy of corporations, willing to hold a hand to the fire to maintain its principles.
Naomi Campbell (2005/04/27/1668067) The uncombed, untethered Mr. Bolton is fabulously operatic – the Naomi Campbell of the Bush administration, ready at a moment’s notice to beat up on underlings.
Dan Quayle (2005/04/29/1668469) A black-and-white newsreel shows him bounding onto the stage at the Democratic National Convention as the vice-presidential nominee, the Dan Quayle of his time.
Nicholson Baker (2005/05/01/1668882) But ‘‘Freakonomics’’ is so sly, finicky and micro-observant that the Indiana Jones comparison feels a little off – Levitt is more like the Nicholson Baker of economists.
Donald Trump (2005/05/02/1669399) ‘‘She is the Donald Trump of the younger generation,’’ said Al Ries, chairman of Ries & Ries, marketing consultants in Roswell, Ga.
Ralph Fiennes (2005/05/05/1670008) An elegant and hardy singer, Mr. Keenlyside again proved himself a risk-taking actor – the Ralph Fiennes of baritones.
Stevie Nicks (2005/05/06/1670224) NIGHT OF A THOUSAND STEVIES (Tonight) For devotees of the Stevie Nicks of /’‘Rhiannon’’ and ‘‘Belladonna’’/ this 15th annual lip-synch-heavy tribute to Fleetwood Mac’s songstress is a chance for fans to don a diaphanous shawl and join in a night of white winged doves and crystal worship.
Donald Trump (2005/05/08/1670826) Asked if he might be considered the Donald Trump of China, Mr. Tang smiled.
Simon Cowell (2005/05/16/1672918) Ms. Brown, who had long been the Simon Cowell of American media, pointing a crooked Brit finger at the foibles of others, seems less interested in what she used to call ‘‘quality heat’’ than pushing her choices for quality political leaders (usually liberal).
Tony Robbins (2005/05/17/1673164) Won’t he be remembered as the Tony Robbins of professional basketball coaches, the self-help guru who taught Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal and even Michael Jordan to look within themselves for the secrets of the N.B.A.
Jean-Pierre Léaud (2005/05/20/1673804) Mr. Amalric, who won a 2005 César award for Best Actor for the role, has been called ‘‘the Jean-Pierre Léaud of the 90’s,’’ and just as that actor became François Truffaut’s nervous muse in a series of films spanning decades, Mr. Amalric seems destined to continue into the 21st century as Mr. Desplechin’s filmic alter ego.
Babe Ruth (2005/05/22/1674615) Turner’s track record was dazzling – he ‘‘won more than 350 races, driving on any surface he could find,’’ Edelstein writes, eventually earning the title of ‘‘the Babe Ruth of Stock-Car Racing’’ – but his off-track record, especially in light of Nascar’s efforts to remake their drivers as gassed-up Mouseketeers, was downright dizzying.
Courtney Love (2005/05/22/1674628) Undaunted, she goes on to become the Courtney Love of her time: hanging out with Marcel Duchamp, composing poems that are like ‘‘small explosions’’ for The Little Review, parading through the streets in outrageous costumes (a car’s blinking tail light for a bustle, a dress covered with bits of newspaper) – and trying not to succumb to the madness that destroyed her mother.
Derek Jeter (2005/05/26/1675483) The class of the organization comes from Milan’s captain, Paolo Maldini, the Derek Jeter of soccer – great player, great leader, handsome, suave.
Susan Lucci (2005/06/03/1677264) ‘’’), who is the Susan Lucci of the Tonys, having been nominated 14 times without winning.
Rodney Dangerfield (2005/06/03/1677279) The new car that is most likely to usurp the Pinto as the Rodney Dangerfield of collectible autos could be the Pontiac Aztek.
David Souter (2005/06/03/1677350) In Republican and business circles, William H. Donaldson has been viewed as the David Souter of the Securities and Exchange Commission, a disappointingly independent choice who sided too frequently with the Democrats.
Elvis Presley (2005/06/05/1677662) FERRAN ADRIÀ reigns as the Elvis of the culinary world, and his restaurant El Bulli – found in the tiny town of Roses, two hours north of Barcelona by car – is certainly its Graceland.
Giorgio Armani (2005/06/07/1678349) Racks of colored robes, with neat stitches and fitting marks, fill the workshop of this scholarly city’s most famous tailor, the Giorgio Armani of clerical clothes, Abolfazl Arabpour.
Rodney Dangerfield (2005/06/09/1678803) ‘‘It’s the Rodney Dangerfield of the agency.
Johnny Appleseed (2005/06/10/1679010) ‘‘He’s known as the Johnny Appleseed of the Federalist Society,’’ said a friend, Algert Agricola, a lawyer in Montgomery.
Muhammad Ali (2005/06/10/1679013) His large head hovers in the air at a sardonic tilt, and I think wryly, ‘‘He’s the Muhammad Ali of conversation: floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee.’’
Peter Paul Rubens (2005/06/10/1679091) Let’s be devils and call Andy Warhol the Rubens of American art.
Shaquille O’Neal (2005/06/12/1679403) He uncharacteristically sank 28 of 32 free throws (a clue the night was like none other for a notoriously poor free-throw shooter, the Shaquille O’Neal of his day), and made 36 of 63 field-goal attempts on his typical fadeaway and finger roll.
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (2005/06/12/1679406) To a man who despairs that his fiancée wants ‘‘one of those several-tiered monstrosities’’ for a wedding cake, she shoots back, ‘‘Who are you, the Mies van der Rohe of the pastry shop?’’
Mother Teresa (2005/06/12/1679657) Reg is now dead, while Catherine is the Mother Teresa of our time and is long overdue for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Karl Rove (2005/06/13/1680036) He is even referred to by some as the Karl Rove of Hoboken.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (2005/06/15/1680370) As the architect of the European Union constitution, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing seemed at the top of his game, praised as ‘‘the Mozart of politics’’ and poised to go down in history as the founding father of a new Europe.
Grace Kelly (2005/06/16/1680534) Charlotte Jorgensen, a former dance champion who helped the actor John O’Hurley (J. Peterman on ‘‘Seinfeld’’) perform a cha-cha, said, ‘‘I’m known as the Grace Kelly of the dancing world.’’
Crash Davis (2005/06/17/1680925) He is already being called the Crash Davis of tennis, after the baseball catcher in the film ‘‘Bull Durham,’’ played by Kevin Costner, who sets a record for minor league home runs.
Donald Trump (2005/06/22/1682062) EVEN with his 24 restaurants in nine cities from London to Los Angeles, even with his four homes, his private jet and his television appearances – even though he can rightfully claim the title of being the Donald Trump of the restaurant world – Jeffrey Chodorow does not seem a very happy man.
Charlie Parker (2005/06/24/1682532) In the 1970’s and 80’s, Jaco Pastorius was the Charlie Parker of the electric bass, spooking his colleagues with his brilliance; he was also a daredevil composer and record maker and one of the most imposing, volatile stage performers in jazz.
Alice Waters (2005/06/24/1682620) A pioneer in the slow-zombie movement (think of him as the Alice Waters of contemporary horror), Mr. Romero has not joined the recent fad for zippy corpses, as seen in both ‘‘28 Days Later’’ and the remake of ‘‘Dawn of the Dead.’’
Jim Morrison (2005/06/26/1683013) As Mr. Alson, the co-author of Ungar’s biography, said, ‘‘He was the Jim Morrison of poker.’’
Larry Flynt (2005/06/26/1683088) Time magazine called him the Larry Flynt of the Internet.
Charlie Brown (2005/06/26/1683325) Being the Charlie Brown of umpires, I felt that I owed everybody involved written apologies as well as a signed contract to never call another game.
Alfred P. Sloan (2005/07/01/1684204) The study cites an Institutional Investors’ article with one colleague referring to him as the Alfred P. Sloan of Morgan Stanley.
Ike Turner (2005/07/03/1684667) Yes, Mr. Dylan in his book, ‘‘Chronicles Volume One,’’ lamented Mr. Kooper’s status in ‘‘eternal musical limbo’’ and suggested he was ‘‘the Ike Turner of the white world’’ and should have teamed up with Janis Joplin.
Arthur C. Clarke (2005/07/03/1684831) Wells, the Arthur C. Clarke of the paleoindustrial age, once wrote: ‘‘There is no way back into the past.
Rodney Dangerfield (2005/07/05/1685183) He virtually casts Gates as the Rodney Dangerfield of war heroes, convinced as he is that George Washington’s sterling reputation came, to some degree, at Gates’s expense.
Evel Knievel (2005/07/08/1685772) ‘‘He’s the Evel Knievel of skateboarding.’’
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (2005/07/10/1686145) As they sat together at a cafe here, Mrs. McCool said, ‘‘Rona is like the Jackie O. of Israel,’’ although her friend said, ‘‘Well, no,’’ and Mrs. McCool said, ‘‘But they recognize her everywhere.’’
Babe Ruth (2005/07/14/1687227) In physique, personality and production, Ortiz could be the Babe Ruth of the Dominican Republic.
Paul de Man (2005/07/17/1687750) One original-series fan called him ‘‘the Paul de Man of current science fiction,’’ accusing him of casually deconstructing the story that had been so close to their hearts for so long, only in order to ‘‘make his mark.’’
David Beckham (2005/07/26/1690071) But it wasn’t until Mr. Cooper, the man the English press has called the Brad Pitt and the David Beckham of dance, began to strip to his 18th-century knickers as the irresistibly frozen-hearted, woman-devouring Vicomte de Valmont that the first real frisson shot through the audience.
Ansel Adams (2005/07/31/1691335) Watkins is largely forgotten today, but he was the Ansel Adams of 19th-century photography.
Ralph Nader (2005/08/07/1692805) Enter, at the average wine consumer’s side, Robert M. Parker Jr., who sees himself as the Ralph Nader of wine.
Kathleen Turner (2005/08/10/1693653) It’s the Kathleen Turner of cooking implements: a fiery diva at center stage.
Johnny Appleseed (2005/08/13/1694322) ‘‘I’ve wanted to be the Johnny Appleseed of marijuana, so if we produced millions and millions of marijuana plants all over the world, it would be impossible for governments to eradicate or control all of it.’’
Rosa Parks (2005/08/17/1695421) I hope that Cindy Sheehan will become the Rosa Parks of the Iraq antiwar movement.
Billy the Kid (2005/08/22/1696593) He called him ‘‘the Billy the Kid of American literature.’’
Vince Lombardi (2005/08/26/1697308) He comes off as the Vince Lombardi of space travel, leading astronauts beyond their corporal capacity.
Anne Frank (2005/08/28/1697630) Sometimes called the Anne Frank of Cambodia, Bophana has become a folk heroine, known for the letters and confessions she wrote before her torture and murder by the Khmer Rouge.
Andy Roddick (2005/08/29/1698188) He is the Andy Roddick of France, the great national hope.
Galileo Galilei (2005/08/30/1698348) Whether Mr. Koizumi will be remembered as the Galileo of Japanese politics remains to be seen.
Howard Hughes (2005/09/04/1699273) Kimmelman’s trek to visit Michael Heizer’s huge, incomplete (and probably unfinishable) ‘‘City’’ in the Nevada desert made the author call the sculptor ‘‘the Howard Hughes of American art to Smithson’s Buddy Holly or Judd’s Nietzsche,’’ and it seems that Heizer is as much of an enigma as his vast earthwork.
Barbara Walters (2005/09/04/1699450) PEOPLE magazine once called Yue-Sai Kan the Barbara Walters of China.
Katie Holmes (2005/09/10/1700749) Preity Zinta must be the Katie Holmes of the Indian film industry.
Ethel Merman (2005/09/11/1701109) Ms. LuPone – who, since we’re playing that game, might be described as the Ethel Merman of the 1980’s – dazzled, and nearly deafened, New York with her lungs of brass in ‘‘Evita’’ and ‘‘Anything Goes,’’ but has been absent from Broadway musicals for more than a decade.
Humphrey Bogart (2005/09/11/1701109) If Ms. Clayburgh was the Julia Roberts of the late 1970’s, Gabriel Byrne might be described as the Humphrey Bogart of the early 1990’s.
Julia Roberts (2005/09/11/1701109) If Ms. Clayburgh was the Julia Roberts of the late 1970’s, Gabriel Byrne might be described as the Humphrey Bogart of the early 1990’s.
Johnny Appleseed (2005/09/15/1702130) Mr. Birnbaum is the Johnny Appleseed of landscape preservation, rallying grass-roots organizers in places like Seattle and Tampa and residents of Buckland, Va., where a proposed eight-lane highway could threaten an 18th-century village that includes a former plantation and a Civil War battlefield.
Michael Jordan (2005/09/18/1702809) ‘‘Château d’Yquem is the Michael Jordan of Sauternes,’’ he says.
Lenny Bruce (2005/09/18/1703015) In bestowing its 1993 National Honor Award on the center, the American Institute of Architects’ jury called it ‘‘the Lenny Bruce of architecture – bold and brilliant to some and to others irritating and resistant.’’
Henry James (2005/09/18/1703022) ‘‘I thought of her as the Henry James of dance critics,’’ he said.
Donald Trump (2005/09/18/1703222) George Castro, the owner of the Ritz, who is referred to by some people as the Donald Trump of Elizabeth, is clearly more honored than surprised.
Jelly Roll Morton (2005/09/22/1704035) On Thursday Mr. Barthé, who has been called the Jelly Roll Morton of plaster, will put on a borrowed suit and a broad-brim hat sent by a family member familiar with his J.R. Ewing style to accept a now-bittersweet award from the National Endowment for the Arts: a National Heritage Fellowship, which carries a no-strings grant of $20,000.
Brad Pitt (2005/09/25/1705171) Figueras, standing center, is also a Ford model who has been called the Brad Pitt of polo players.
Thomas Edison (2005/09/27/1705321) Bill Joy, the former Sun Microsystems scientist who’s been called the Edison of the Internet, is one of the prophets of doom calling for restraints on researchers.
Flannery O’Connor (2005/09/30/1706071) Arbus was a wonderful formalist and just as wonderful a storyteller – the Flannery O’Connor of photography.
Sol Hurok (2005/10/06/1707530) Mr. Leventhal, who began his career in the 1930’s as a song plugger for Irving Berlin, was by the early 1950’s the Sol Hurok of America’s flourishing folk-music revival.
Miles Davis (2005/10/09/1708135) If Doris Kearns Goodwin or David McCullough can lay claim to being the Miles Davis of popular history, Winchester is becoming the Kenny G. Where another author might rely on groundbreaking scholarship or at least narrative drive, Winchester, a geologist turned ‘‘globe-trotting correspondent,’’ favors a meandering approach laced with bons mots and fusty subject headings – e.g., ‘‘The Well-Illumined Earth’’ and, on the North American tectonic plate, ‘‘The Plate Entire.’’
John Major (2005/10/09/1708466) After a while you begin to wonder: Did I really get engaged in politics so I could spend months arguing about the confirmation of Harriet Miers, the John Major of American jurisprudence?
William F. Buckley Jr. (2005/10/09/1708539) ‘‘And I guess Karl Rove is the Bill Buckley of today, in the sense of nurturing the conservative movement.
Michael Jordan (2005/10/09/1708539) ‘‘Bill is the Michael Jordan of language.
Roger Clemens (2005/10/10/1708694) For sheer arm strength at such an advanced age, Testaverde is the Roger Clemens of pro football.
Jane Austen (2005/10/23/1711573) Mary Gaitskill made her reputation as a chilly chronicler of emotional brutality and sexual sadism, earning her the apt sobriquet ‘‘the Jane Austen of sickos’’ from one Amazon reviewer.
William Shakespeare (2005/10/23/1711576) Comparisons with Dickens, who was, in a way, the Shakespeare of the novel, are particularly suggestive; but Ackroyd, fruitfully, quotes many foreign opinions, old and new, as well.
John Wayne (2005/10/23/1712004) But even as Clemens, the John Wayne of pitchers, gave a tough-guy answer about ignoring the aches that he had accumulated in 22 seasons, he probably never imagined he would be in the clubhouse getting his hamstring treated after collecting six outs.
Keith Richards (2005/10/30/1713579) ‘‘He’s becoming like the Keith Richards of content.
Yogi Berra (2005/10/30/1713665) For a sport that disdains most formulaic numbers – just win, baby – quarterback rating has become the Yogi Berra of stats, as quoted as it is confounding.
Lee Strasberg (2005/11/01/1714190) FRIEDBERG – Martin Har vey, the Lee Strasberg of improvisational comedy, died October 30, 2005.
Sean Combs (2005/11/02/1714222) The Presidential, created by the singer Xavier Aeon, the P. Diddy of Britain, has a one-gigabyte drive and plays videos as well as audio.
Rodney Dangerfield (2005/11/02/1714393) O.K., so maybe New Jersey didn’t hit the marketing jackpot when it paid a New York image and branding consultant $260,000 for research and a new slogan and ended up with the Rodney Dangerfield of state boasts: ‘‘New Jersey: We’ll Win You Over.’’
Arthur Murray (2005/11/04/1714895) Chad Johnson, the Bengals’ receiver who is the Arthur Murray of the N.F.L., performed a rendition of ‘‘Riverdance’’ after scoring a touchdown against the Bears on Sept. 25.
Marlon Brando (2005/11/08/1715899) He named his daughter Tuesday, after the actress Tuesday Weld, whom Sam Shepard once called ‘‘the Marlon Brando of women.’’
Pablo Picasso (2005/11/13/1716977) The artist in question, Michelangelo Merisi, known to most of us as Caravaggio (after his hometown outside Milan), was then among the most famous, innovative and copied painters in Rome – the Picasso of his day, more or less.
Elvis Presley (2005/11/13/1717106) Anointed ‘‘the Elvis of cultural theory’’ by The Chronicle of Higher Education, and described on his book jackets as ‘‘the giant of Ljubljana,’’ the 58-year-old Mr. Zizek is a jocular, motormouthed theorist whose critical musings on postmodernism and popular culture – rich in deeply spun allusions to the likes of Alfred Hitchcock and David Lynch – are inspired by the French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan.
Juliette Binoche (2005/11/19/1718615) It helps that she is the Juliette Binoche of sopranos and moves like a dancer.
Osama bin Laden (2005/11/20/1718862) ‘‘People talk about him as if he were the Osama bin Laden of Latin America,’’ Shifter told me, adding that, after a recent lecture Shifter gave at a military institution, two American officers came up to him and said that Morales ‘‘was a terrorist, a murderer, the worst thing ever.’’
John Henry (2005/11/28/1720853) Mr. Goto, who is 37, might even be called the John Henry of the information age.
Billy Graham (2005/11/29/1721019) On his deathbed, Wilmot was attended by a parson named Gilbert Burnet, who was a sort of celebrity chaplain – the Billy Graham of the 17th century.
Nellie Bly (2005/11/30/1721221) CLEMENTINE PADDLEFORD was the Nellie Bly of culinary journalism, a go-anywhere, taste-anything, ask-everything kind of reporter who traveled more than 50,000 miles a year in search of stories in a day when very few food editors strayed far from their desks.
Alan Alda (2005/11/30/1721235) Charles Krauthammer, in a 1989 column in The Washington Post, referred to ‘‘the postfeminist Papa Bear’’ as ‘‘the Alan Alda of Grizzlies, a wimp so passive and fumbling he makes Dagwood Bumstead look like Batman.’’
Stuart Sutcliffe (2005/12/04/1722083) Paul Simonon was the cool-looking, unmusical bass player – Gilbert calls him the Stuart Sutcliffe of punk rock.
Jesse James (2005/12/09/1723424) How else to explain ‘‘Comma Sense,’’ which has a blurb from Ms. Truss and claims that the apostrophe is the Jesse James of punctuation marks?
Boston Strangler (2005/12/11/1723956) Videocassette recorders did not, as feared, become the Boston Strangler of the movie studios.
Jon Stewart (2005/12/11/1723997) The potshots at pomposity, jokes and political references made Gilbert and Sullivan together ‘‘the Jon Stewart of their time,’’ she said.
Rosa Parks (2005/12/13/1724564) ‘‘Richard Pryor was the Rosa Parks of comedy,’’ said Chris Rock, in a statement.
Lawrence Welk (2005/12/18/1725624) For years, critics have savaged this music, dismissing Mannheim Steamroller as ‘‘the Lawrence Welk of New Age.’’
Paul Revere (2005/12/18/1725933) He relished being called ‘‘the Paul Revere of journalism’’ for his knack for uncovering major stories first almost as much as he enjoyed being at the top of President Richard M. Nixon’s enemies list.
Rosa Parks (2005/12/25/1727280) He might have been celebrated in his community, the Rosa Parks of Japanese-American life; in fact, he was shunned.
Dick Clark (2005/12/30/1728356) Danny Wright, Julian’s wide-eyed sidekick, is agreeably played by Greg Kinnear, wagging his bushy tail and radiating the ageless boyishness that makes him the Dick Clark of movie stars.

2006

Frank Lloyd Wright (2006/01/05/1729584) PEAK EXPERIENCE – Being fitted for a custom fedora by Orlando Palacios, the Frank Lloyd Wright of men’s hats.
Fred Astaire (2006/01/06/1729816) CASSIE TERMAN AND SHINICHI MOMO KOGA (Tonight and tomorrow night) Known as the Fred Astaire of Butoh, Mr. Koga will perform ‘‘The Smallest Country,’’ a program of improvised duets, with Ms. Terman, who trained in physical theater with Ruth Zaporah.
Mae West (2006/01/08/1730398) ‘‘I like to consider myself the Mae West of rock ‘n’ roll,’’ Ms. Claret, the lead singer of the band Morningwood, said one recent evening.
Muhammad Ali (2006/01/08/1730507) He is the Muhammad Ali of college football – transcending the sport and taking a new dimension to fans everywhere.
Heather Locklear (2006/01/09/1730722) Heather Graham is the Heather Locklear of the Dragonball Z generation – the kind of seraphic beauty who is funny only when playing a Becky Sharpe or fantasy figure.
Rodney Dangerfield (2006/01/09/1730780) Diabetes is ‘‘the Rodney Dangerfield of diseases,’’ said Dr. James L. Rosenzweig, the director of disease management at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.
L. Ron Hubbard (2006/01/15/1732379) Once the reader despairs of ever finding out whether Smith was God’s own spokesman or the L. Ron Hubbard of his day, it’s possible to enjoy a tale that’s as colorful, suspenseful and unlikely as any in American history.
Meyer Lansky (2006/01/16/1732497) (He has called himself the Meyer Lansky of hip-hop.)
Lord Byron (2006/01/18/1732836) Christopher Marlowe was the Byron of the Elizabethan age.
Bill Gates (2006/01/19/1733152) Part of his allure was a success story that made him appear to be the Bill Gates of Japan.
Thomas Dooley (2006/01/19/1733189) Mike Piazza has a chance to be the Thomas Dooley of baseball.
Bill Gates (2006/01/19/1733197) In the last two years, Mr. Horie has made headline news with a success story that has turned him into the Bill Gates of Japan.
Walt Disney (2006/01/20/1733390) Steven P. Jobs could be considered the Walt Disney of his era, breathing new life into animated movies with hits like ‘‘The Incredibles’’ and ‘‘Toy Story,’’ and reinventing Apple Computer as a media darling with its popular iPod.
Neil Simon (2006/01/21/1733467) If he was not exactly the Neil Simon of 16th-century Florence, he packed them in and left them laughing.
Socrates (2006/01/22/1733751) But it also certifies Mr. Snyder’s reputation as the Socrates of the late-night airwaves, capable of disarming some carefully constructed personas with a few innocent questions.
Bruce Springsteen (2006/01/25/1734499) But in front of this crowd, he wisely hammered out the standards that made him the Bruce Springsteen of Long Island.
Virgil (2006/01/29/1735390) Reeves is unlikely to displace Lou Cannon as the Virgil of Reaganland.
Denzel Washington (2006/01/29/1735706) ‘‘He’s the Denzel Washington of Haiti,’’ one A.I.D.
George Lucas (2006/01/31/1736019) But when the star being interviewed is someone deeply in sync with run-and-gun digital video and visual tone poems – the supreme example being Mr. Romanek, who is the George Lucas of the video world – the effect can be to suggest entirely new reference points for the arts.
Sid James (2006/02/05/1737106) Larkin, for instance, the Sid James of English lyric poetry (now that was quite a good observation, Dr. Michael Smart firing on all cylinders) knew the power of cliché.’’
Michael Jordan (2006/02/05/1737164) And soon to become, in marketing terms, ‘‘the Michael Jordan of college coaches,’’ according to his agent, David Falk (who is, yes, Jordan’s agent).
Robert Ryman (2006/02/12/1739292) She is the Robert Ryman of the 21st century.
Jesus Christ (2006/02/14/1739579) ‘‘I am the Jesus Christ of politics,’’ he corrected himself in a speech on Saturday.
Randy Newman (2006/02/16/1739999) Mr. Soniat, a songwriter and pianist, is sometimes called the Randy Newman of New Orleans.
John Adams (2006/02/16/1740023) ‘‘He was the John Adams of his country; its founding father with Kwame Nkrumah.’’
Lance Armstrong (2006/02/17/1740381) ‘‘He’s sort of the Lance Armstrong of Nordic skiing,’’ said Trond Nystad, the coach of the United States cross-country team.
Stendhal (2006/02/19/1740659) Who is the Stendhal of the stick to the groin?
Robert Ryman (2006/02/19/1740780) She is the Robert Ryman of the 21st century.
Susan Lucci (2006/02/26/1742402) Overnight, Hill became what Men’s Journal called ‘‘the Susan Lucci of the continuing Everest soap opera.’’
Shirley Temple (2006/02/26/1742521) She was the Shirley Temple of the Catskills.
John Updike (2006/03/05/1744174) Of course, it is entirely possible that Marusek never set out to be the John Updike of the Asimov set; perhaps he simply intended ‘‘Counting Heads’’ to be an effective satire of life as we may someday know it, which it is, albeit one that might require upgrading your brain with the newest Intel microprocessor to comprehend fully.
Donald Trump (2006/03/05/1744200) Quinn is a New Orleans native, a hotel impresario of modest local renown for whom Hurricane Katrina has been not just a disaster but also a once-in-a-lifetime chance to realize his dream of becoming the Donald Trump of the Gulf Coast.
Jackie Robinson (2006/03/08/1745121) ‘‘Gordon Parks was like the Jackie Robinson of film,’’ Donald Faulkner, the director of the New York State Writers Institute, once said.
Imelda Marcos (2006/03/12/1745945) As he says, ‘‘I am the Imelda Marcos of trainers.’’
Jil Sander (2006/03/12/1746051) Exquisitely cut dresses and blouses by the Jil Sander of Brazil.
Meryl Streep (2006/03/12/1746062) 122 from 1983 to 2004, said, ‘‘She’s the Meryl Streep of downtown.’’
Janis Joplin (2006/03/12/1746205) Students have called her the drill sergeant of love and the Janis Joplin of yoga.
Babe Ruth (2006/03/14/1746784) Lee was a pitcher when he played in high school and, Heo suggested, could be considered the Babe Ruth of South Korea.
Ann Calvello (2006/03/17/1747425) ‘‘Joe Namath is the Ann Calvello of football,’’ she once said.
Jackie Collins (2006/03/19/1747763) A recent novel by Shobha De, considered the Jackie Collins of India, sold 44,000 copies.
Don King (2006/03/19/1747792) ‘‘The kid took the Cuban to school,’’ Frank Warren, a boxing promoter known as ‘‘the Don King of British Boxing,’’ told me.
Justin Guarini (2006/03/19/1747872) There’s a little entertainment to be found in imagining Jerry Vale as the Justin Guarini of his day, but this quickly palls.
Miles Davis (2006/03/24/1749068) It would be misleading to cast the trumpeter Enrico Rava as the Miles Davis of Italian jazz.
Wayne Newton (2006/03/24/1749119) For one thing, Mr. Hayes seems like an odd target for semiserious satire: nowadays, he seems as much a comic nostalgia figure as a performer, the Wayne Newton of blaxploitation movies (‘‘Shaft’’ is his ‘‘Danke Schoen’’).
Oliver Hardy (2006/03/26/1749693) Mr. Ahlin is the Oliver Hardy of the pair – rotund, (relatively) jolly and topped with a bowler hat.
Peter Mayle (2006/03/30/1750632) Despite the subtitle, Mr. Shah, 39, said he refused to become the Peter Mayle of his generation.
Larry David (2006/04/01/1751048) Does he become the Larry David of history with a 10-episode deal, or will he have to curb his enthusiasm after his one shot at teaching?
Samuel P. Huntington (2006/04/02/1751293) WILL BLYTHE is the Samuel P. Huntington of hoops.
Jack Kerouac (2006/04/02/1751382) In 1955, at 23, Mr. Ishihara became the Jack Kerouac of Japan, publishing the scandalous novel, ‘‘Season of the Sun,’’ which depicted the debauchery of rich college students after the war.
Justin Timberlake (2006/04/02/1751388) He has been described as ‘‘the Justin Timberlake of Korea.’’
Shawn Marion (2006/04/02/1751712) ‘s super freshman, Howland said, ‘‘Thomas is the Shawn Marion of college basketball.’’
Orson Welles (2006/04/13/1754098) In South Korea, however, he was a major figure of that nation’s film industry in the 1950’s and 60’s, leading some to call him the Orson Welles of South Korea.
Luis Guzmán (2006/04/16/1754994) So, do Charles Dierkop, an oddly appealing actor who was the Luis Guzman of the 70’s, and Ed Bernard, who had appeared in ‘‘Shaft,’’ as Royster and Styles, funky fellow detectives prone, like so many vintage TV characters, to such period-defining lingo as ‘‘bread,’’ ‘‘jive,’’ ‘‘heavy’’ and the classic ‘‘Freeze, turkey!’’
John Dos Passos (2006/04/16/1755018) With ‘‘Paradise Lost’’ in 1935, his sprawling, deliberately ‘‘de-Jewished’’ portrait of a crumbling middle-class family, Odets bid to be the John Dos Passos of the American stage.
Martha Stewart (2006/04/20/1755647) Mrs. Draper was the Martha Stewart of her time.
Rodney Dangerfield (2006/04/22/1756192) Image committee members say that students’ morale and sense of self-worth is caught up in the university’s standing, though they deny that they see the school as the Rodney Dangerfield of the Ivy League.
Johnny Appleseed (2006/04/26/1757141) You might call him the Johnny Appleseed of ostreiculture.
Bernard-Henri Lévy (2006/04/29/1757861) His 1995 book, ‘‘Being Digital,’’ cemented his reputation as the Bernard-Henri Lévy of the digerati: even when he was right, he made your eyes roll.
Arnold Palmer (2006/05/07/1759704) A man whose daffodils and tulips compete in the Philadelphia show is ‘‘the Arnold Palmer of spring gardening’’ and ‘‘the Botticelli of Bulbs.’’
Sandro Botticelli (2006/05/07/1759704) A man whose daffodils and tulips compete in the Philadelphia show is ‘‘the Arnold Palmer of spring gardening’’ and ‘‘the Botticelli of Bulbs.’’
Richard Avedon (2006/05/07/1759939) A show by Eikoh Hosoe – Mr. Seliger calls him ‘‘the Richard Avedon of Japan’’ – is planned for the fall.
Lester Maddox (2006/05/07/1760102) ‘‘I think he’ll be remembered as the Lester Maddox of sex discrimination,’’ said Burk, referring to the controversial segregationist.
Carl Sagan (2006/05/09/1760490) For summarizing Henry Petroski’s importance as an explainer and popularizer (‘‘Engineering a Safer, More Beautiful World, One Failure at a Time,’’ May 2), another phrase beats ‘‘meistersinger of the guild’’: the Carl Sagan of engineering.
Napoleon (2006/05/10/1760546) Johnson, known as the Napoleon of the Turf, was stacking the deck.
Barry Bonds (2006/05/10/1760554) You might call merlot the Barry Bonds of wine, a real power hitter that fell apart under close scrutiny.
Henry Ford (2006/05/11/1760785) And he redesigned the pedal car so that it could be stamped out cheaply, inspiring some to call him the Henry Ford of children’s toys.
Robin Williams (2006/05/12/1761010) Mr. Connolly, whose two-hour show includes very few slow patches, has been called the Robin Williams of Scotland, but that’s not really accurate.
Babe Ruth (2006/05/14/1761444) Edelstein, a motor-sports writer for TV Guide, chronicles the bumpy career of Curtis Turner (1924-70), who ran moonshine in the Virginia hills as a teenager and blazed a dirt trail to stardom during Nascar’s early years, earning the title of ‘‘the Babe Ruth of stock-car racing.’’
Sarah Bernhardt (2006/05/14/1761468) The former Fox TV pundit will receive punning attention long denied Treasury Secretary John Snow, the Sarah Bernhardt of the Bush administration.
Tiger Woods (2006/05/14/1761781) ‘‘He’s the greatest dart shooter who ever lived, the Tiger Woods of darts,’’ Mr. Steinberg said, who was ranked No.
Albert Pujols (2006/05/18/1762464) LINDSAY LOHAN is the Albert Pujols of her game: consistent, versatile and kicking the Manolos off the competition.
Linda McCartney (2006/05/21/1763283) Though Corey’s parents, who are divorced, both attend concerts, Ms. O’Connell goes the extra mile: she is the Linda McCartney of the band, with at least 700 photos of the fledgling rockers.
Chris Daughtry (2006/05/24/1764018) (Though Howard Dean was the Chris Daughtry of the 2004 campaign, even if his scream was louder.)
Dan Brown (2006/05/26/1764359) Mixing Christian morals with forbidden sex, the book, published in 1801, made Chateaubriand the Dan Brown of his day.
Rudy Boesch (2006/05/28/1764810) But in interviews, a rough outline emerges that casts Mr. Colen as the Richard Hatch – albeit clothed – or at least the Rudy Boesch of the show’s contemporary-art island, and that tends to make Ms. Stupak, because of her already-established art connections, something of a diva.
Salvador Dalí (2006/05/28/1764923) Writing about Kustom Kulture in his book ‘‘Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby,’’ Tom Wolfe described Roth as ‘‘the Salvador Dali of the movement – a surrealist in his designs, a showman by temperament, a prankster.’’
Jerome Bettis (2006/06/04/1766427) The knobby tires are two and a half inches wide, and the whole thing weighs 44 pounds, making it the Jerome Bettis of bicycles: sure-footed with steamroller-like heft.
Jerry Bruckheimer (2006/06/04/1766638) JEFFREY CHODOROW is the Jerry Bruckheimer of restaurants.
William Jennings Bryan (2006/06/05/1766967) Such ‘‘red flags,’’ as they are sometimes called, were the meat and potatoes of the keynote speech on Friday night by Alex Jones, who is the William Jennings Bryan of the 9/11 band.
Michael Jordan (2006/06/06/1767059) He had them open a container that held the Michael Jordan of jumpers, a species the biologists liked to call rocket frogs.
Alexander Graham Bell (2006/06/09/1767765) ‘‘I would call him the Alexander Graham Bell of terrorist propaganda,’’ said Evan F. Kohlmann, who follows militants’ Web sites at GlobalTerrorAlert.com.
Rembrandt (2006/06/11/1768157) Linda Hartough, the Rembrandt of the Back Nine
William Shakespeare (2006/06/15/1769189) Mr. Balaban’s next project is to translate into English Vietnam’s most famous poem, ‘‘The Tale of Kieu,’’ by Nguyen Du, a male contemporary of Ho Xuan Huong sometimes referred to as the Shakespeare of Vietnam.
J. K. Rowling (2006/06/16/1769404) When the J. K. Rowling of political invective decries what she describes as the ‘‘intolerance’’ of the mainstream liberal media, it’s a little like the Soviet Union complaining about oppression from Finland.
Jon Stewart (2006/06/16/1769404) That’s mainly because CBS’s David Letterman, who was the Jon Stewart of his day, now seems resigned to a staid second place.
Harry Winston (2006/06/17/1769614) He’s been called the Harry Winston of the hip-hop world and the godfather of bling, and several rappers have referred to him in their verses.
Karl Rove (2006/06/18/1769818) McKinley was an amiable governor around whom Mark Hanna, the Karl Rove of the day, could raise enormous sums of money from industrial and financial circles.
Simon Cowell (2006/06/20/1770506) If Phil Mickelson sees any reason to watch a tape or a DVD of NBC’s coverage of his Sunday meltdown at Winged Foot, he will hear himself savaged by Johnny Miller, the Simon Cowell of golf criticism, and watch his lousy play late in the final round.
Larry Brown (2006/06/21/1770756) Pfister has managed seven African nations, but he is not quite the Larry Brown of soccer.
John Wayne (2006/06/23/1771196) Even though Clemens spoke positively about his performance and was happy that his arm and his legs felt fine, he sounded like the John Wayne of pitchers when he stressed that he needed to throw inside more.
Dean Martin (2006/06/25/1771443) White, who looks like a cross between Nick Nolte and James Dickey, is the Dean Martin of this particular Rat Pack; he usually delivers his routines while waving a lighted cigar and a glass of Scotch.
Salvador Dalí (2006/07/03/1773515) Mr. Adrià (left), the owner and chef of the renowned El Bulli in Castelldefels, Spain, has been called the Salvador Dalí of the kitchen for his wildly experimental concoctions, including foamed meats, gelatinous cocktails and aerosol sauces.
Tupac Shakur (2006/07/06/1774013) ‘‘It’s like the Tupac of TV shows,’’ Mr. Murphy said.
Vera Wang (2006/07/09/1774782) Mr. Jaffery’s parents had presented Ms. Saleem with antique jewelry as well as a red and gold wedding costume made by Banto Kazmi, whom Dr. Hamiduddin described as ‘‘the Vera Wang of Pakistan.’’
Luther Burbank (2006/07/12/1775450) Dr. Olmo, Mr. Adams said, became ‘‘the Luther Burbank of the grape.’’
Branch Rickey (2006/07/16/1776141) Dartmouth and Columbia graduate, WWII veteran, Media Director at Young & Rubicam and Sr. VP Advertising at Lever Bros., ‘‘Newsweek’’ referred to him as ‘‘the Branch Rickey of nighttime television,’’ for his leadership in casting minorities in ad campaigns.
Howard Hughes (2006/07/23/1778021) ‘‘Now he’s become the Howard Hughes of baseball,’’ said Tom Haudricourt of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Dr. Seuss (2006/07/23/1778146) We are finding the Dr. Seuss of Nepal.
Richard Simmons (2006/07/25/1778420) I often joke that I am the Richard Simmons of the veterinary world, as I spend a good part of my day talking to owners about weight management in their pets.
Rosa Parks (2006/07/26/1778560) The long-running controversy began in 1991, when two brothers, Randy and Robert Rose, who some view as the Rosa Parks of the fly-fishing set, defied the landowners’ restrictions and went fishing on the slough.
Christine Jorgensen (2006/07/30/1779701) In a speech, Agnew said Goodell was ‘‘the Christine Jorgensen of the Republican Party.’’
Tupac Shakur (2006/08/01/1779937) When he was murdered in 1992 at 32, under mysterious circumstances after a concert in Mexico, he became something like the Tupac Shakur of the narcocorrido.
David Hasselhoff (2006/08/02/1780256) Rally car racing is the David Hasselhoff of motor sports – big in Europe, a fringe attraction in the United States.
Typhoid Mary (2006/08/06/1781042) An elevator shaft can act as the Typhoid Mary of unpleasant aromas, sucking them up and distributing them throughout the building’s byways, for instance, or a fish-frying neighbor may prop open a front door.
Bono (2006/08/11/1782058) Whether he will become the Bono of emo is not clear, but this weekend at Radio City Music Hall, when Mr. Carrabba’s fans join along in shouting his anthems, the sound should be huge.
Dr. Dre (2006/08/13/1782475) The ‘‘85’’ riddim is the work of Dave Kelly, a brilliant producer who could (but wouldn’t) claim to be the Dr. Dre of dancehall.
Larry Ellison (2006/08/21/1784376) To many, Jacob Alexander is the Larry Ellison of Israel – minus the flash and dazzle.
Leonardo da Vinci (2006/08/27/1785553) Chanel might have had a distinctive look, but Vionnet thought of herself as the da Vinci of dressmaking, couture’s only true artist.
William Wyler (2006/09/03/1787153) (He was a notorious multiple-take perfectionist: the William Wyler of Japan.)
Jackie Robinson (2006/09/06/1787891) She’s the Jackie Robinson of network news, Mr. Moonves told me.
Zeppo Marx (2006/09/06/1787907) When Elisabeth Hasselbeck, the Zeppo Marx of the foursome, said she donned a bathing suit to take a bath with her baby daughter, Ms. O’Donnell went wide-eyed at her prudery and recalled that when she took a more natural bath with her daughter, the child asked, ‘‘When do I get my fur?’’
Curtis Martin (2006/09/07/1788211) In 12 years in Australian rules football, Graham, 32, was the Curtis Martin of Geelong, commanding the lion’s share of attention.
Bono (2006/09/08/1788260) He is also taken up by Mohammad (Charles Daniel Sandoval), a successful Pakistani businessman who recognizes ‘‘the Bono of Lahore,’’ as he hyperbolically calls Ahmad, and offers to help restart his musical career.
Mahatma Gandhi (2006/09/08/1788300) ‘‘My favorite,’’ he said as he recalled one note, ‘‘was that I was ‘the Gandhi of Portland.’
Ken Burns (2006/09/12/1789368) ‘‘They are kind of like the Ken Burns of interactive media,’’ said Jeff Stafford, the technology director for Communications Arts magazine, a Menlo Park, Calif., publication that oversees an annual interactive design awards competition that Second Story has dominated in recent years in the Info-Design category.
Harry Winston (2006/09/12/1789409) ‘‘It was a present from 50 when I got out of jail a year ago,’’ said Mr. Yayo, a member of the G-Unit, referring to a wristwatch roughly the scale and diameter of a hockey puck, covered with pavé diamonds and designed by Jacob Arabo, the Harry Winston of the bling-bling set.
Willie Horton (2006/09/13/1789678) Bin Laden has become the Willie Horton of the midterms.
Ida Tarbell (2006/09/17/1790422) If there were any doubt, Golden’s muckraking investigation – he’s the Ida Tarbell of college admissions – reveals that almost every word uttered by representatives of the top colleges about the care and nuance and science of the much vaunted admissions process is bunk.
Ralph Nader (2006/09/22/1791899) With even 2 percent of the vote, Mr. Werner could pull enough from another candidate to make a difference, becoming the Ralph Nader of Texas, 2006.
George Balanchine (2006/09/24/1792245) At the front of the room Chitresh Das, the wild-eyed man who styles himself the George Balanchine of Kathak, slapped the tabla.
Rodney Dangerfield (2006/09/24/1792574) But in their locker room, they still view their team as the Rodney Dangerfield of the N.F.L., a squad craving respect.
Johnny Appleseed (2006/09/27/1792983) Overseeing the distribution of the Fon routers is Andrew Rasiej, the Johnny Appleseed of Fon’s New York program.
Nelson Mandela (2006/09/28/1793222) But Mr. Shih, a man sometimes described as the Nelson Mandela of Taiwan, is now leading a movement that, as he acknowledged in an interview, is heavily composed of Nationalists, his longtime enemies who once ran the country under martial law.
Trisha Brown (2006/10/01/1793841) ODILE DUBOC is the Trisha Brown of French contemporary dance, much admired during the late 1980’s and early 90’s for an autodidactic style that – unlike the work of most of her contemporaries – focused strongly on pure movement.
Bruce Springsteen (2006/10/08/1795741) In the eyes of Judy Kastin, a society member and a professional calligrapher who teaches the craft to grade-school children in Long Island, Mr. Jackson is the Bruce Springsteen of the quill and vellum set.
Homer (2006/10/10/1796120) That is Jean-Henri Fabre, who himself was called the Homer of the insect world.
Jay Z (2006/10/12/1796555) (Vibe magazine reaffirmed Jay-Z’s role as a hip-hop yardstick by putting T. I. on the cover, accompanied by the question, ‘‘Is he the Jay-Z of the South?’’)
Pablo Picasso (2006/10/13/1796734) As for Mr. Crumb, he’s still the Picasso of comics: the unavoidable influence on all younger artists.
Elvis Presley (2006/10/15/1797185) Mr. Vernon signed autographs for 45 minutes: for one late September night, he was the Elvis of the brass set.
George Hamilton (2006/10/20/1798456) BARGEMUSIC (Tonight through Sunday) Robert White, the Irish tenor, is the George Hamilton of the vocal world: an unbowed, ageless veteran.
Beau Brummell (2006/10/22/1798941) Powers has chosen a brain disorder that doubles as handy metaphor for human miscommunication of all kinds, and then added one more element to the mix, in the form of Gerald Weber – ‘‘the natty neuroscientist,’’ ‘‘the Beau Brummell of brain research’’ – who comes to town to lend a hand, or at least gather material for his collection of psychological oddities.
Wieland Wagner (2006/10/22/1799005) ‘‘The missing link between Dada and contemporary, the continuation of Artaud, the Wieland Wagner of the present time, tra-la-li, tra-la-lo,’’ she says.
Wilford Brimley (2006/10/25/1799723) But how do you bump off the Wilford Brimley of coaches?
Giorgio Morandi (2006/10/27/1800043) Such comparisons have earned Mr. Marden a kind of flame-keeper status – something like the Giorgio Morandi of radical abstraction, a maker of inordinately beautiful, exquisitely made (and expensive) artworks.
Michael Jordan (2006/10/27/1800192) Their ad is an excerpt from Jay-Z’s video of ‘‘Show Me What You Got,’’ a song released in advance of ‘‘Kingdom Come’’ and which includes the lyric, ‘‘I’m the Mike Jordan of recording.’’
John Wayne (2006/10/29/1800445) John Newcombe Tennis Ranch Newcombe, who won 26 Grand Slam titles in singles and doubles and who has been called ‘‘the John Wayne of tennis,’’ runs his camp in the Texas Hill Country, near San Antonio.
Joseph Duveen (2006/11/03/1801765) ‘‘Hanns Weinberg was the Joseph Duveen of antique porcelain,’’ said Ms. Beiny, comparing her grandfather to the flamboyant early-20th-century dealer who sold old master paintings to American tycoons.
Julia Roberts (2006/11/05/1802313) KNOWN as the Julia Roberts of Spain, Paz Vega made her American debut two years ago in the big-budget film ‘‘Spanglish.’’
Michael Jordan (2006/11/06/1802795) Frederic Collignon, a 30-year-old who works as a car salesman in Liège, Belgium, but who is considered by his fans to be the Michael Jordan of foosball, said, ‘‘Nice mountains, nice view, a little bit too cold, and it is different from Vegas, but I still like the town.’’
Lauren Bacall (2006/11/08/1803150) ‘‘This is the Lauren Bacall of cheeses,’’ he said of the Beenleigh Blue, an English delicacy made from sheep’s milk.
Marilyn Monroe (2006/11/08/1803158) Curvaceous, cuddlesome and irresistibly charming, the ‘‘Introduction and Allegro’’ is something like the Marilyn Monroe of the classical-music repertory.
Mark Twain (2006/11/10/1803630) ‘‘Cummins is the Mark Twain of the engine business,’’ said Mike Osega, the publisher of the trade magazine Diesel Progress.
James Stewart (2006/11/11/1803780) Thus spoke this singer-songwriter, who might be described as the Jimmy Stewart of folk rock, in his first Manhattan concert in five years.
Hieronymus Bosch (2006/11/12/1804014) A mighty wind, though, is just the beginning of basic gross-out, and Santiago Segura is the Hieronymus Bosch of gross.
Oprah Winfrey (2006/11/13/1804470) This documentary looks at some of the celebrities whose faces have replaced the ubiquitous images of the fallen leader, including Majed Yassin, an up-and-coming comic, and Shaima Zubeir, who is sometimes called the Oprah of Iraq.
Urban Meyer (2006/11/29/1808166) And in his ascent from obscurity, he has become the Urban Meyer of 2006 as the object of pursuit.
Michael Vick (2006/12/02/1808794) Taliaferro was the Michael Vick of his day – and then some.
George Washington (2006/12/03/1808861) Otherwise, he’s the George Washington of popular culture: familiar but indistinct, ubiquitous but remote.
William Shakespeare (2006/12/04/1809466) Mr. Lloyd Webber is often referred to as the Shakespeare of his time with musicals like ‘‘Jesus Christ Superstar,’’ ‘‘Evita’’ ‘‘Cats’’ and ‘‘The Phantom of the Opera.’’
Rodney Dangerfield (2006/12/04/1809508) For Mr. Stone, the history lesson began five years ago, when, as a new principal, he squeezed $40,000 out of an already tight budget to open a weight-training room for the Indians, which had been the Rodney Dangerfield of teams in the city, and hired a storied former high school running back, Altarik White, as coach to lead them.
Emmitt Smith (2006/12/06/1809897) Elam might have had more luck if he had channeled Tommy Davis, the Emmitt Smith of running kickers.
John Wooden (2006/12/08/1810379) Years before her mother would co-write a book with Anson Dorrance – the John Wooden of women’s college soccer, whose Tar Heel program spawned, among others, Mia Hamm – Yael was insisting that was where she would go.
Ken Jennings (2006/12/10/1810595) But Lawson, presumably viewing Oldham as the Ken Jennings of criminalia, falls prey to the common trap of letting only the caged canary sing.
Adolf Hitler (2006/12/10/1810666) ‘‘I actually consider myself the Stalin of basketball,’’ he says, ‘‘the Hitler of basketball, the Pol Pot of basketball.’’
Pol Pot (2006/12/10/1810666) ‘‘I actually consider myself the Stalin of basketball,’’ he says, ‘‘the Hitler of basketball, the Pol Pot of basketball.’’
Joseph Stalin (2006/12/10/1810666) ‘‘I actually consider myself the Stalin of basketball,’’ he says, ‘‘the Hitler of basketball, the Pol Pot of basketball.’’
Elton John (2006/12/11/1811150) Though Foujita had a fashion sense that made him look like the Elton John of Montparnasse (he favored earrings, bangs and show-stopping homemade costumes), and though he is seen here hand in hand with a male Japanese friend during their shared tunic-wearing phase, he is viewed by Ms. Birnbaum strictly as a lady-killer.
Barbra Streisand (2006/12/15/1811897) SARAH SAVELLI (Tonight) There is only one night to see Ms. Savelli, an Ohio dancer whom the tap diva Jane Goldberg describes as the Barbra Streisand of tap, in a program with guests including Ayodele Casel.
Jack Welch (2006/12/15/1812010) ‘‘He’s kind of like the Jack Welch of private equity,’’ referring to the former chief executive of General Electric.
George Clooney (2006/12/17/1812639) ‘‘All the talk is about Mr. Ahmadinejad, he’s become the George Clooney of the political world.
Red Auerbach (2006/12/17/1812640) ‘‘I thought I’d be the Red Auerbach of that franchise, just end up being an adviser,’’ Nelson said of his former mentor with the Celtics.
Mark Twain (2006/12/19/1812933) ‘PRESTON STURGES – THE FILMMAKER COLLECTION’ (Universal Studios Home Entertainment, $59.98) Sturges, the Mark Twain of American movies, receives his belated due from Universal, the studio that currently owns most of his important work.
Hugh Hefner (2006/12/19/1813035) Mr. Charney has gained a reputation as the Hugh Hefner of retailing, decorating his stores with covers of Penthouse magazine and admitting in interviews to sleeping with employees.
Julia Roberts (2006/12/22/1813555) Anna Netrebko, the Julia Roberts of opera, was singing her one and only Mimì of the season, and tickets had been sold out for months.
Albert Camus (2006/12/24/1813939) CHEWING ON HANNIBAL: Martin Amis has described Dr. Hannibal Lecter, the antihero of Thomas Harris’s novels, as ‘‘the Camus of carnage.’’
Anton Bruckner (2006/12/24/1814011) That night Mr. Feldman seemed to me the Anton Bruckner of silence.
Joe Paterno (2006/12/30/1815276) Players refer to him as the Joe Paterno of Rutgers.
Jay Leno (2006/12/31/1815413) Mr. Mazursky appears in the film as a genial tour guide, and he shares the screen with a diverse array of pilgrims, including Mr. Miretsky; a Hasidic rock ‘n’ roll musician; a comedian known as the Jay Leno of Tel Aviv; and a neurosurgeon who offers a concise history of Jews in Ukraine.

2007

Neal Cassady (2007/01/07/1816844) Bound for Albuquerque with the loquacious Richard Feynman, the Neal Cassady of physics, at the wheel, the two scientists talked nonstop about the morality of nuclear weapons and, when they had exhausted that subject, how photons dance with electrons to produce the physical world.
Eddie Van Halen (2007/01/15/1819051) Then he dropped to his knees for a lengthy spotlight turn – like the Eddie Van Halen of the sintir.
Phil Mahre (2007/01/15/1819107) ‘‘Bode is definitely the Phil Mahre of our time,’’ Cochran said.
John Ford (2007/01/16/1819187) Genre buffs will enjoy seeing Liu Chia-liang, the veteran director (‘‘The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter,’’ ‘‘The 36th Chamber of Shaolin’’) who might be described as the John Ford of Kung Fu, in a leading role, though the film’s other pleasures are sparse.
Tony Robbins (2007/01/21/1820222) Wayne’s Web site is full of references to him as ‘‘the king of Vegas,’’ ‘‘the Warren Buffett’’ of gambling, ‘‘the oddsmaker of everything in the world,’’ the Tony Robbins of gambling.
Slobodan Milošević (2007/01/22/1820673) He said he hoped not to be portrayed as ‘‘the Slobodan Milosevic of Roommates.com.’’
Paris Hilton (2007/01/24/1821182) Of Mr. Cooper’s comment, she said, ‘‘Yet another cry for attention by the Paris Hilton of television news, Anderson Cooper.’’
Greta Garbo (2007/01/27/1821801) Some New York write-ups referred to her as the Garbo of Detroit, and to Miss Randolph ‘‘that’s still a mystery,’’ she said.
Shakira (2007/01/31/1822747) ‘‘I was the Shakira of the school,’’ she said.
Leo Tolstoy (2007/02/04/1823562) In ‘‘Henderson,’’ I detected ominous foreshadowings of the elderly Bellow’s mischievous joke about multiculturalism – ‘‘Who is the Tolstoy of the Zulus?
Margaux Hemingway (2007/02/04/1823588) In April 1976, Clifford Terry wrote in The Chicago Tribune about the actress Louise Lasser, whose role in the TV series ‘‘Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman’’ was ‘‘becoming a media darling, sort of the Margaux Hemingway of the Crock Pot set.’’
Nelson Mandela (2007/02/04/1823794) It was still a Portuguese colony and he was kind of the Nelson Mandela of Mozambique.
Ann Coulter (2007/02/06/1824127) With this book, Dinesh D’Souza, the Rishwain research scholar at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, has officially become the Ann Coulter of the think tank set.
Marco Polo (2007/02/11/1825570) The Yankees were not the Marco Polo of baseball.
Yao Ming (2007/02/11/1825570) Levine did not come back with the Yao Ming of Chinese baseball because no such person exists.
Dolly Parton (2007/02/14/1826062) ‘‘It’s the Dolly Parton of cakes: a little bit tacky, but you love her,’’ said Angie Mosier, a food writer in Atlanta and a board member of the Southern Foodways Alliance at the University of Mississippi in Oxford.
Mary Boone (2007/02/18/1826951) Could this be the Mary Boone of Hanoi?
Shirley MacLaine (2007/02/25/1828518) While it’s tempting to dismiss him as the Shirley MacLaine of fashion, Mugler moonwalks it like he talks it and has steadfastly adhered to his fantastical aesthetic since the early 1970s.
Al Roker (2007/02/25/1828625) It’s Jack Lescoulie, an announcer on the ‘‘Today’’ show, the Al Roker of his day.
Mother Teresa (2007/02/25/1828883) Dr. Hamlin is the Mother Teresa of our age.
Cal Ripken (2007/02/25/1828938) For 38 years, from the 1968-69 season until illness forced him from his courtside seat in November, Beagle was also the Cal Ripken of statisticians.
Roger Clemens (2007/02/26/1829043) ‘‘He is the Roger Clemens of the industry.
Mario Batali (2007/02/27/1829202) We are to think of him as the Mario Batali of sugar.
Rodney Dangerfield (2007/02/27/1829251) ‘‘It’s time we stopped being the Rodney Dangerfield of presidential primaries and sent a clear message to candidates,’’ Senate President Richard J. Codey said.
Al Gore (2007/03/03/1830023) He is a bit like the Al Gore of fashion: it took a while for people to get his message.
Ringo Starr (2007/03/03/1830035) Mary Magdalene is the Ringo of this inquiry.
Tiger Woods (2007/03/03/1830102) When the Tiger Woods of politics goes to a civil rights commemoration in Selma, Ala., this weekend – just as the story breaks that his white ancestors had slaves – he will compete for attention with Hillary and the man billed as the first black president.
Peter Max (2007/03/04/1830465) In the 1960s, Mr. Colani in his Nehru jackets was the Peter Max of design and was known around the world.
Derrick Brooks (2007/03/09/1831690) I want you to be the Derrick Brooks of this defense.
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (2007/03/11/1831985) Reginald Hill’s crude and canny policeman (‘‘the Marcus Aurelius of mid-Yorkshire’’ to those who love him) is nothing less than a force of nature in these idiosyncratic procedurals, and the act of terrorism that has his life hanging by a thread may pose an even graver threat to the natural order of his kind of genre novel.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (2007/03/13/1832608) Colleagues have teasingly called Dr. Tao a rock star and the Mozart of Math.
Carmelo Anthony (2007/03/15/1833173) The real issue is who will be the Carmelo Anthony of this year, a reference to the man among boys who led Syracuse to its national title in 2003, as a freshman, and then turned pro.
George Mason (2007/03/15/1833173) Everybody is talking about which team will be the George Mason of this year’s tournament, meaning the charming outsider that made a run to the Final Four last year.
Lenny Wilkens (2007/03/16/1833380) Law is the smooth lefty point guard who just might be the Lenny Wilkens of the next decade.
Louis Pasteur (2007/03/18/1833651) He acts as if he were the Louis Pasteur of poverty, identifying its forms for the first time through the lens of some sociological microscope.
John Pawson (2007/03/22/1834641) The pieces are undeniably chic, especially those by David Netto (the John Pawson of the nursery set) and Ooba, whose Eames-like bassinette ($600) could be part of MoMA’s permanent collection.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (2007/03/24/1835075) But if there was honor in being the Mozart of ‘‘The Mole People’’ (1956), there was little glory.
Donatella Versace (2007/03/25/1835279) For Laura Sorbatti, Marco’s cousin and the owner of the firm Icas, whose love of hot pants and sunlamps has made her the Donatella Versace of the hat world, that chapeau is a hideous cap with the word ‘‘gold’’ picked out in rhinestones.
Michael Jordan (2007/03/28/1836163) Each factory has a basketball team, and Mr. Thomas, a first-round draft pick, emerges as the Michael Jordan of the South Korean penal system.
Meryl Streep (2007/04/01/1837057) I wanted the Meryl Streep of toasters, a Hepburn; either would do.
Alice Waters (2007/04/04/1837956) Although Gavin Newsom, the mayor of San Francisco, recently weighed in on the 2007 Farm Bill and many mayors have taken up the anti-obesity cause, no mayor of a large urban city has stood up and become, in essence, the Alice Waters of city food politics.
Monty Hall (2007/04/09/1839119) Miles S. Nadal, the Monty Hall of Madison Avenue, is at it again, doing what he loves to do best: making deals.
Wilhelm Furtwängler (2007/04/10/1839266) Sometimes his spacious timing and his feel for musical architecture make him seem the Wilhelm Furtwängler of early-music conductors.
Michelangelo (2007/04/12/1839640) Mr. Gunn is the Michelangelo of the form.
Will Rogers (2007/04/13/1839862) But he doesn’t coast on the plain-spoken wisdom of a character presented as the Will Rogers of jurisprudence.
Leni Riefenstahl (2007/04/13/1839968) In a March 28 op-ed article in The Wall Street Journal, she warned Mr. Spielberg that he could ‘‘go down in history as the Leni Riefenstahl of the Beijing Games,’’ a reference to a German filmmaker who made Nazi propaganda films.
Ridley Scott (2007/04/15/1840317) Mr. Lawrence, whose previous movie was ‘‘Lantana,’’ an Altmanesque story of multiple strands about four unhappy couples, is the Ridley Scott of Australia, the country’s most successful director of television commercials.
Albert Pujols (2007/04/15/1840597) ‘‘He is the Albert Pujols of fantasy sports, a player who consistently produces, a player who is money in the bank.’’
Michael Jordan (2007/04/17/1841042) Billed as the Michael Jordan of hockey by a former Lightning owner, Lecavalier appeared to be on a career path more like Sam Bowie’s, his 37 points in 76 games in his fourth season seeming to cement his underachieving status.
Isadora Duncan (2007/04/20/1841510) It’s a small bronze sculpture, not nine inches tall, the Isadora Duncan of ancient Alexandria.
Tiger Woods (2007/04/22/1842189) Mr. Johannson calls Mr. Ley ‘‘the Tiger Woods of micro golfers.’’
Miles Davis (2007/04/22/1842224) He has become a great improviser, the Miles Davis of the war.
Henry Ford (2007/04/24/1842575) ‘‘Vern told me he wanted to be the Henry Ford of aviation.’’
J. D. Salinger (2007/04/29/1843943) Woods is a schedule recluse, the J. D. Salinger of golf.
Ernest Hemingway (2007/04/30/1844006) Mr. Browne also points out that when he introduced Mr. Zevon to an audience as ‘‘the Ernest Hemingway of the twelve-string guitar,’’ Mr. Zevon said he was more like Charles Bronson.
Alfred Hitchcock (2007/05/02/1844502) Clomid is the Alfred Hitchcock of drugs, with its profile in at least one scene of every baseball steroid saga.
Michael Jordan (2007/05/03/1844722) He’s the Michael Jordan of boxing.’’
L. Ron Hubbard (2007/05/06/1845209) ‘‘Once the reader despairs of ever finding out whether Smith was God’s own spokesman or the L. Ron Hubbard of his day, it’s possible to enjoy a tale that’s as colorful, suspenseful and unlikely as any in American history,’’ Walter Kirn wrote here.
Augustine of Hippo (2007/05/13/1846872) It has always been convenient to see John Donne (1572-1631) as the St. Augustine of English letters, made priestly and pure in his own good time, and not too soon to have produced the brainy carnal thrustings of his early love poems.
Zsa Zsa Gabor (2007/05/17/1847901) We were thrilled to discover she was a rather fancy type known as a Frizzle – the Zsa Zsa Gabor of chickens.
Pablo Picasso (2007/05/18/1848087) The 18th-century painter and calligrapher Ike Taiga was something like the Pablo Picasso of Japan.
Martha Stewart (2007/05/20/1848574) THE SECRET LIFE OF MRS. BEETON (13, 49) Anna Madeley plays Isabella Beeton, whose ‘‘Book of Household Management’’ sold millions of copies and made her the Martha Stewart of 1860s Britain, in this ‘‘Masterpiece Theater’’ biopic.
Walt Disney (2007/05/20/1848597) Even the death of Bambi’s mother pales in comparison to the bloody war between a mining camp and the resident spirits of a mountain forest at the center of Hayao Miyazaki’s ‘‘Princess Mononoke,’’ a 1997 film by the animator most often called the Walt Disney of Japan.
P. T. Barnum (2007/05/21/1849039) He’s still the P. T. Barnum of activist cinema, but he no longer runs the entire circus directly from the spotlight.
Ted Turner (2007/05/27/1850120) You could think of him as the Ted Turner of great moments in sports history, except that Mr. Kreindler doesn’t rely on computerized colorization but instead conducts painstaking research to ensure that the hues he chooses are accurate.
P. T. Barnum (2007/06/01/1851208) Mr. Johnson, who had been a crew member on Jack London’s ill-fated 1907 voyage on the Snark, was the P. T. Barnum of the lecture circuit and one of the earliest adventure-film makers.
Johnny Appleseed (2007/06/03/1851623) In 1993, he attended a lecture by Terence McKenna, the ‘‘geeky American’’ who became the Johnny Appleseed of psilocybin.
Ansel Adams (2007/06/10/1853443) A 52-year-old photographer from Little Rock, Ark., Mr. McDermott may be the Ansel Adams of Angkor.
Adolf Hitler (2007/06/10/1853459) (‘‘LeftyHenry,’’ a recent poster on a political blog, was less subtle in his criticism; he called Payne ‘‘the Hitler of American academics.’’)
Michael Brown (2007/06/11/1853778) Mr. Gonzales is the Michael Brown of the Justice Department, smilingly presiding over incompetence, chaos and malfeasance, while President Bush insists that he is doing a heck of a job.
Dick Wolf (2007/06/12/1853926) Denis Leary would seem an unlikely candidate to become the Dick Wolf of dark, morally muddied TV series about firefighters, cops and lawyers – and perhaps no more so than on a morning last week on an Upper East Side playground.
Arnold Schwarzenegger (2007/06/13/1854107) Aldo called it the Arnold Schwarzenegger of zweigelts, and not coincidentally it was the most expensive zweigelt in the tasting, at $28.
Greta Garbo (2007/06/13/1854256) We’ll have to wait to see if David Chase, the Garbo of goombahs now pursued by a feral beast of disappointed ‘‘Sopranos’’ fans, is feeling as paranoid and thin-skinned as the two Tonys, and as deeply surprised by the consequences of his actions.
Simon Cowell (2007/06/16/1854714) (She is billed as the Simon Cowell of matchmaking.)
Bob Barker (2007/06/18/1855371) So it’s not surprising that Simon Schama, a Columbia University professor, is turning into the Bob Barker of art criticism, a genial television host who excitedly invites viewers to come on down to high culture.
Paul Revere (2007/06/19/1855557) Time magazine once nicknamed him ‘‘the Paul Revere of the environmental movement.’’