True Height

[Halfneck]

I met Clint Eastwood at the Concours de Elegance car show during high school when I lived in California. I'd always assumed he was very tall, but I, at 6ft even, was pretty much looking him straight in the eyes.

[DSH007]

Trump is far smaller than he claims.

That’s what Stormy Daniels reckons too.

^ Ah hahaha! This thread has been a rollercoaster of unexpected delight.. celebrity heights, to kangaroo scrotes and micro-phalli, and back.. phenomenal!

[DSH007]

I think I'm technically 5' 11 3/4", but usually I just say I'm 6 feet tall. Male penchant for exaggeration aside, it's simply easier than saying "five foot eleven and three quarters inches" any time someone asks haha..

[Pokey]

Years ago I was in a club in Studio City, California called the Baked Potato to listen to Duane Eddy play. (Care to guess what's on the menu? ) The Baked Potato is a small place just slightly bigger than a good sized living room. It's what you might call "intimate;" not a bad seat in the place.

A friend who owned a nearby music store said that Eric Clapton was going to show up to catch the show. The place was packed, as usual. Duane and his band showed up, got set up, the lights went down, and the music started. I was standing along the main aisle and could see three guys walk in. Even with the lights down low I could see that two of the three were Eric and Jeff Beck. I was 5' 11" (1.8m) back then and as they walked past me, about two feet from me, the first thing I thought was, wow Clapton's short. He must have been about 4" (10cm) shorter than me.

[dano]

I met Tom Hardy on the Venom set in SF. I'm 5'8" and he was about the same, maybe a tad bit shorter. Funny, considering he played 7ft tall Bane in the Dark Knight Rises...

[James Y]

Thanks to everyone for all your stories! They are all very interesting.

I haven't stood too close to any Hollywood celebrities, unless you count Chuck Norris (who I mentioned earlier) as one.

I just find it interesting that male celebrities' heights are always exaggerated by themselves, their publicists, or by other sources. Don't they realize that, in spite of living in a bubble, at some point they will have to walk past 'ordinary folk?'

But TBH, I've never been the type who purposely approaches celebrities. Most I've seen in person were not in that context.

During the period I lived in Taiwan, I knew a few of the old-school Kung Fu movie actors, and met a few others. Also met a couple of the actors in Hong Kong. I never really thought about their height back then (80s and early 90s).

One of the female Kung Fu actresses, whom I was acquainted with through a Taiwanese family who helped me get started over there, has been described by Kung Fu movie fans in the West as being tall and long-legged; however, in person, I would estimate her height to have been about 5' 4", possibly 5' 5" at the tallest. Nobody here would know who she is, and she acted in only a few movies. She was known more for TV work over there. She was a former Peking Opera (Beijing Opera) star in Taiwan.

Here is some footage of her in the opening credit sequence of a very low-budget Taiwanese Kung Fu film, in which she co-starred. Her name is Hsia Kuang-Li (spelled weirdly in the credits). I guess I can see why someone would mistake her for being tall, because of her flexibility and lean build.

I bit of useless trivia: The guy with the white hair, Peng Kang (spelled Perng Gang in the credits) was a member of Jackie Chan's stunt team during the late 70s and 1980s.

https://youtu.be/i0Z0huf1tqY

Jim

[Naperville]

Years ago I was in a club in Studio City, California called the Baked Potato to listen to Duane Eddy play. (Care to guess what's on the menu? ) The Baked Potato is a small place just slightly bigger than a good sized living room. It's what you might call "intimate;" not a bad seat in the place.

A friend who owned a nearby music store said that Eric Clapton was going to show up to catch the show. The place was packed, as usual. Duane and his band showed up, got set up, the lights went down, and the music started. I was standing along the main aisle and could see three guys walk in. Even with the lights down low I could see that two of the three were Eric and Jeff Beck. I was 5' 11" (1.8m) back then and as they walked past me, about two feet from me, the first thing I thought was, wow Clapton's short. He must have been about 4" (10cm) shorter than me.

Wow, I'd like to meet Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. I'd love to see them play!

I bought tickets to one of Stevie Ray Vaughan's last concerts here in Chicago at the Arie Crown....must have been early to mid 80's. I gave a buddy a ticket and we bought 2 pitchers of beer each and started walking toward the stage and gave FREE beer to everyone that let us past them. Pretty soon we were 7 feet from the stage, standing room only maybe the 2nd or 3rd row of people, and there was Stevie playing for at least 3 hours in one spot!!!

Stevie looked tall....HE WAS ON A STAGE!

[James Y]

15 Real Life Giants That Exist(ed) Today

I made a slight correction to the video title, as several of the people mentioned are dead. Obviously, the thumbnail pics on the video are typical clickbait BS.

The narrator makes a point that Asians are the shortest people in the world on average. I don't know about that; maybe in Southeast Asia. Some of the Latin American countries have shorter average heights than East Asian countries. I'm 5' 9", and in Taiwan, there were plenty of guys who were taller than me. Not as many as here, but the assumption that all Asians are short except for their giants is just that, an assumption.

Most "giants," even those who are naturally so without gigantism, have short lifespans. One big exception is Kareen Abdul-Jabbar, who seems to be very healthy into his 70s now.

Would I ever want to be taller? TBH, I used to wish I had received some of the height genes from my grandfather, who was around 6' 1" or so, and very solid; very tall and large for a Japanese, and even for a European, born in the 1800s. But I'm 5' 9", my brother is 5' 10", and my dad was only about 5' 7" at his peak height. So I'm happy where I'm at.

https://youtu.be/gIsjbdBeXig

Jim

[James Y]

Stallone and Schwarzenegger are starting to show what I think is abuse of steroids. I wish them all the best, they were entertaining, but it could kill them.

Not height-related, but I seem to recall Stallone admitting to still using steroids a few years back. And probably Arnold, too, back in the day.

I'm betting that steroid use is very common in Hollywood. I know it's common in pro wrestling, even though there are supposed policies against using them. There's no way some of those wrestlers can maintain the physiques they have week in and week out, year in and year out 100% naturally. Especially as they get into middle age.

Steroids are not only for physique enhancement. Many of the MMA fighters who don't have impressive-looking physiques use steroids.

https://youtu.be/g7K-0UQeRnY

Jim

[Naperville]

Stallone and Schwarzenegger are starting to show what I think is abuse of steroids. I wish them all the best, they were entertaining, but it could kill them.

Not height-related, but I seem to recall Stallone admitting to still using steroids a few years back. And probably Arnold, too, back in the day.

I'm betting that steroid use is very common in Hollywood. I know it's common in pro wrestling, even though there are supposed policies against using them. There's no way some of those wrestlers can maintain the physiques they have week in and week out, year in and year out 100% naturally. Especially as they get into middle age.

Steroids are not only for physique enhancement. Many of the MMA fighters who don't have impressive-looking physiques use steroids.

https://youtu.be/g7K-0UQeRnY

Jim

Oh yes, Hollywood, the NFL, body building, weightlifting, I bet steroids are still big.

I watched some of the NFL draft and they were talking about a pick that had a "5 inch growth spurt." Yea right. But you know what, if people want to do it, I'm all for it, but they have to know that it can kill or disable them or shorten their life.

[James Y]

I've heard that Dwayne Johnson's true height is 6' 2". But he was always billed as, and still claims to be, 6' 5". That's nothing special. ALL male professional wrestlers (and apparently all male celebrities, period) lie about their height. Especially the wrestlers who work (or worked) for 'roided-up geezer Vince McMahon, who has a fetish for tall, muscular men, even if that height is exaggerated or enhanced by built-up shoes and wrestling boots.

https://youtube.com/shorts/0B5zVFj8ggU?feature=share

Jim

[Manixguy@1994]

Sofia Loren had to walk in a trench in a movie when walking with Alan Ladd because of her height. Humphrey Bogart wore 5 inch shoe lifts .

[James Y]

Sofia Loren had to walk in a trench in a movie when walking with Alan Ladd because of her height. Humphrey Bogart wore 5 inch shoe lifts .

Oh, yeah. As Jim Ankerson posted earlier, many actresses were models, so were tall for women; meanwhile, many of the male actors were (and are) average height (or even shorter than average). And women wearing high heels makes the situation even ‘worse’. Well, TBH, if I had a wife or girlfriend who happened to be taller than me, it wouldn’t matter to me if it didn’t matter to her. And if it did, I wouldn’t want to be with her, anyway. I’m secure enough in myself. However, I’m not an actor with any kind of image to protect.

It’s just a strange thing all around. But what’s really strange to me is that even the guys who actually are tall still feel the need to exaggerate their height. Or their publicists do. A lot of actors, and people in the entertainment industry in general, are highly insecure, in spite of the images of confidence and ‘perfection’ they work to project.

Jim

[Hopsbreath]

I’m 6’ 4 1/2” tall. In high school football my coach billed me as 6’ 5” when I was this tall my senior year. Ever since I’ve claimed 6’4” because the coach himself seemed like a used car salesman and was always pushing the envelope in a sleezy way. Those actions never set well with me so I rounded down for an honest height.

As a result of youth sports, I was fortunate enough to meet a couple local stars. When I was 11 or 12 I got the chance to shake the hand of Green Bay Packers Defensive End Reggie White — billed at 6’5” 300lbs. Obviously I wasn’t at my adult height, but to this day that is the single most intimidating person I’ve seen so close. I mean, I’ve encountered other larger people, my college roommate was a little taller than myself and weighed 350lbs, but Reggie was gifted. His hands were enormous, hard as wood and just as rough. There was naturalness to his size; he obviously spent time in the weight room but his body was so solidly put together it was startling. We were at a camp he put on in our hometown, Chattanooga, TN, so shorts, t-shirts, and running shoes were the attire while he showed us some drills. To see a man that size move the way he did was terrifying. I was a fan of his prime years in Green Bay as a result of his hometown hero status and that encounter, and his was the only player’s jersey I’ve ever worn from any sport.

Flash forward to that senior year of high school and University of Tennessee superstar quarterback Peyton Manning has been an Indianapolis Colts quarterback for a year and is at his home in Chattanooga for little bit. For some kind of promotional event I can’t remember, some of us local high school football players got a chance for a meet and greet. He was wearing an Orange polo and some khakis that day like he just stepped off the golf course. Just like that special thing Reggie had, Peyton was phenomenally in control of his massive body, albeit much leaner and defined. He’s listed as 6’5” and was clearly taller than myself. I’ve wondered if his height was actually closer to 6’6” and rounded down.

In day to day interactions I’m frequently the tallest person everywhere I go. It’s rare I encounter someone taller than myself and my height is frequently brought up by others when I initially meet them. To meet NFL players though is another level, and to then realize there’s a dozen or so guys on the field any given play that size puts it into perspective. Those are some big dudes committing violence every week, no wonder my mom didn’t want me to play.

[James Y]

Thank you for sharing, hopsbreath.

Jim

[yablanowitz]

Not celebrity stuff, but last week I found an Exit sign broken off and dangling by the wires on my morning rounds of the apartment building where I work. Checking the security camera footage, I saw what happened. The brother of one our tenants accidentally ran into it with his face. I can walk under it without noticing. I'm 5'-7", he must be 6'-6" or more. Pretty funny so see him with his sister who is about 4'-10".

[James Y]

Not celebrity stuff, but last week I found an Exit sign broken off and dangling by the wires on my morning rounds of the apartment building where I work. Checking the security camera footage, I saw what happened. The brother of one our tenants accidentally ran into it with his face. I can walk under it without noticing. I'm 5'-7", he must be 6'-6" or more. Pretty funny so see him with his sister who is about 4'-10".

It’s interesting how two siblings can sometimes differ so much in height.

Jim

[James Y]

Many years ago, I was browsing at a Fry’s Electronics, and an unassuming, bespectacled, late middle-aged man with a bit of a belly was taking inventory or something, writing on a clipboard. As I walked past him, the top of my head came up to about his lower chest. So if I’m 5’ 9”, I’m guessing he was at least 7’ tall, and most likely over that.

I read somewhere that there are only about 2,800 people in the entire world who are 7’ tall. I’m not sure how they arrived at that estimate. Worldwide, I would have thought there would be more than that. Was the store employee I walked past on that supposed list? In terms of sheer height, he was the tallest person I’ve ever stood near, and I saw The Big Show and Kane in person in 2001, at one of the big WWF/WWE PPV shows. Of course, in reality, The Big Show (Paul Wight) is actually 6’10”, and Kane (Glenn Jacobs) is actually around 6’ 7”; but both were regularly billed as 7’ tall.

Jim

[MacLaren]

Apparently i have a high "cuddliness" appearance with women.

Lol, dam Bloke........dam.......lol....

[James Y]

The Shortest Male Actors in Hollywood

(Video Below)

I'm willing to bet that at least the guys over 5' tall on this list are probably at least an inch or so shorter than their stated heights. Especially Tom Cruise. In my observation, most people, especially men, measure their height while wearing shoes. For example, I'm 5' 9" barefoot, so that's my stated height. But I could lie and say I'm 5' 10" or 5' 11" if I count wearing shoes, but that would be dishonest, and would suggest insecurity on my part. I knew a guy who was my exact same height, but insisted that both he and I were 5' 10". Sorry, dude.

I was a tiny bit surprised that Danny Trejo's stated height is only 5' 6". I guess I never paid much attention to his height onscreen, but I'd always assumed he was about my height. He doesn't look like a particularly short man onscreen, or at least that I'd ever really noticed.

To me, the tone of the video seems to almost suggest surprise that short men can be highly successful. It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog. Talent is not the exclusive property of people of certain sizes or builds. Although I do sometimes admit to having trouble watching Tom Cruise most of the time, though I liked the movie Collateral. But that has nothing at all to do with his height, and a lot to do with something else.

https://youtu.be/YciNqn8c5CI

Jim