4 ms·

A surprising number of celebrities have worked as spies

25 points by elsewhen 3y ago

daoboy 3y ago
I can't believe I didn't know Julia Child was a spy. That is very cool. I have trouble imagining any of the vapid narcissists of today's stardom being able to pull something like that off. Who would be the most likely candidate?
- silenced_trope 3y ago
  In general working with or on behalf of "the security state" or "security apparatus" isn't considered kosher anymore. I'd wager that probably plays a large role. Additionally there's been several leaks of our spies' identities, by foreign countries but also by our own people to get back at others. Consider Valerie Plame [1] who's identity was leaked by the Bush administration folks: Richard Armitage, Karl Rove, and Scooter Libby, apparently to target Valerie's husband. While Libby went to jail, the group still had a receptive journalist in The Washington Post who similarly had no qualms about revealing the identity of a spy, regardless of danger or legality. Actually we tend to treat journalists as a "higher caste" not to be questioned: "Of course a journalist has the right to report on <any|every-thing>!" I don't think the same environment exists in our country as in the old days where it'd be "safe" or attractive to be a spy. 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Plame https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Plame
  - psunavy03 3y ago
    > In general working with or on behalf of "the security state" or "security apparatus" isn't considered kosher anymore. Would be best to caveat that with "for the chattering classes." The IC still seems to manage to recruit just fine among that segment of Americans who live in the real world.
- Eumenes 3y ago
  DaBaby would make a good spy.
  - millzlane 3y ago
    This reminds me of the movie iSpy with Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson. Eddie Murphy was a famous boxer that the government needed for an Op.
- noman-land 3y ago
  The fact that it's unimaginable makes it a perfect cover.
- aaron695 3y ago
  [dead]
- karp773 3y ago
  Grimes
- CapitalistCartr 3y ago
  Paris Hilton. She plays the vapid fool, but isn't.
fooker 3y ago
This is not surprising, it's a very authentic and verifiable cover story.
rurban 3y ago
They still do
raybb 3y ago
Link to the original article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2023/10/22/celebrity-spies-houdini-fleming-baker/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2023/10/22/celebrity-...
BenoitP 3y ago
* or so they claim
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
workfromspace 3y ago
https://archive.ph/BhypX https://archive.ph/BhypX (for no-JS)

25 points by elsewhen 3y ago

I can't believe I didn't know Julia Child was a spy. That is very cool. I have trouble imagining any of the vapid narcissists of today's stardom being able to pull something like that off. Who would be the most likely candidate?

silenced_trope 3y ago
In general working with or on behalf of "the security state" or "security apparatus" isn't considered kosher anymore. I'd wager that probably plays a large role. Additionally there's been several leaks of our spies' identities, by foreign countries but also by our own people to get back at others. Consider Valerie Plame [1] who's identity was leaked by the Bush administration folks: Richard Armitage, Karl Rove, and Scooter Libby, apparently to target Valerie's husband. While Libby went to jail, the group still had a receptive journalist in The Washington Post who similarly had no qualms about revealing the identity of a spy, regardless of danger or legality. Actually we tend to treat journalists as a "higher caste" not to be questioned: "Of course a journalist has the right to report on <any|every-thing>!" I don't think the same environment exists in our country as in the old days where it'd be "safe" or attractive to be a spy. 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Plame https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Plame
- psunavy03 3y ago
  > In general working with or on behalf of "the security state" or "security apparatus" isn't considered kosher anymore. Would be best to caveat that with "for the chattering classes." The IC still seems to manage to recruit just fine among that segment of Americans who live in the real world.
Eumenes 3y ago
DaBaby would make a good spy.
- millzlane 3y ago
  This reminds me of the movie iSpy with Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson. Eddie Murphy was a famous boxer that the government needed for an Op.
noman-land 3y ago
The fact that it's unimaginable makes it a perfect cover.
aaron695 3y ago
[dead]
karp773 3y ago
Grimes
CapitalistCartr 3y ago
Paris Hilton. She plays the vapid fool, but isn't.

fooker 3y ago

This is not surprising, it's a very authentic and verifiable cover story.

rurban 3y ago

They still do

raybb 3y ago

Link to the original article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2023/10/22/celebrity-spies-houdini-fleming-baker/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2023/10/22/celebrity-...

BenoitP 3y ago

* or so they claim

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

workfromspace 3y ago

https://archive.ph/BhypX https://archive.ph/BhypX (for no-JS)