Ronnie O'Brien - Time Magazine Stunt

Time Magazine Stunt

Excerpted: In August 1999, Time magazine in the United States conducted an internet poll to find the Person of the Century. Mischievous friends in Bray sent an e-mail urging Irish people to vote for Ronnie O'Brien. O'Brien vaulted his way to the top of the standings, beating out such notables as Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King and Bill Clinton. Then there was a computer crash, which Time said was a result of too many people voting online at once. Instead of being named Person of the Century, O'Brien was taken out of the running, because Time officials said not enough people had heard of him. The official rules stated, "whimsical candidates will not be counted."

Similarly, O'Brien was also voted Juventus's most promising newcomer, even though he only played one game for the club when he came on as substitute in the UEFA Intertoto Cup. An email was sent around between Irish students who propelled O'Brien to the number one position in the poll. He received 32% of the vote.