(September 18, 1709-December 13, 1784)
Created the first dictionary of the English language (1755)
Wrote 'Rasselas (1759)' and 'Lives of the English Poets (1779-1781)'
Contributed to 'The Birmingham Journal,' 'The Gentleman's Magazine' and 'The Rambler'
Known as 'Dr. Johnson'

He was porky.
He was incredibly pompous.
His students mocked his 'oddities of manner and uncouth gesticulations.'
He married a woman 20 years his senior.
He opposed independence for the American colonists.
He said that when women spoke in public it was 'like a dog walking on his hind legs - it is not done well, but you are surprised to find it done at all.'
He was moody and depressed.

As a baby, his sight and hearing were permanently damaged by tuberculosis-tainted milk.
He had to drop out of Oxford because he was too poor to pay for it.
The university eventually gave him an honorary degree.
He pointed out the hypocrisy of American slave-owners, saying: 'How is it that we hear the loudest yelps for liberty from the drivers of Negroes?'
He was a witty and quotable guy, and was great with a put-down.
He told another writer: 'Your manuscript is both good and original, but the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good.'
He loved cats.

Credit: Wieland Kalligaro

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For 2009, as of last week, Out of 26 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 36 Votes: 52.78% Annoying
In 2007, Out of 65 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
In 2006, Out of 108 Votes: 58.33% Annoying
In 2005, Out of 209 Votes: 61.24% Annoying
In 2004, Out of 110 Votes: 60.91% Annoying

• Dicks and Johnsons
• Egg Heads
• Fat Comedians
• I Attended Oxford
• I Got a Pet Cat or Twenty
• I Got Gout
• I Have Asthma
• I Have Tuberculosis
• I May Have Tourette's Syndrome
• I'm Buried at Westminster Abbey
• I'm Deaf or Hard of Hearing
• Look at Me, My Picture Is Art
• More Chins than are in a Chinese Phone Book
• My Spouse is at Least Ten Years Older than Me
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• Powdered Wig Wearers
• Profiles 11751-12000 (Ranked: 11755)
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• What Did You Say?
• White Men Loved by Blacks
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