Man mistakes Madonna for Monroe

Everyone dreams of finding a painting by Van Gogh or Picasso in their attic. In Lawrence Nicastro's case, what he found -- so he thought -- was a rare picture of Marilyn Monroe posing as a naked hitchhiker. The BBC reports:

He and his wife Phyllis then spent four months researching the photograph. Mr Nicastro suspected it had been left by a customer at his service station in New York city in 1962. The couple brought in Monroe expert Chris Harris, who confirmed it was a genuine, exciting find. Harris scheduled a news conference to unveil the image but allowed some journalists a sneak preview. They suggested the photographic treasure was in fact a shot of Madonna from her graphic 1992 book, Sex.

This isn't a hoax, of course, unless you count that guy who called himself a Monroe expert, but couldn't tell the difference between Marilyn Monroe and Madonna. I'm no Monroe expert, but I can see the difference right away.

I found the picture of Madonna posing as a hitchhiker after a bit of googling. I'm just assuming it's the same picture that confused the expert. Click here for a larger version (still with the pink cover-ups, so that it's safe for work).

Celebrities Photos

Posted on Thu Feb 21, 2008


Comments

I couldn't tell it was Madonna - but I didn't think it was Monroe.
Posted by Maegan  on  Thu Feb 21, 2008  at  06:14 PM
I've seen drag queens that look more like Marilyn Monroe than that picture does.
Posted by Terran  on  Thu Feb 21, 2008  at  07:44 PM
Didn't anyone notice the 90s Dodge Caravan or the late 80s Chevy Astrovan in the background? Was everybody that blinded by the headlights?
Posted by Jason  on  Thu Feb 21, 2008  at  07:49 PM
Madonna will be chuffed,
she's always wanted to be mistaken for Monroe
Posted by Sharruma  on  Thu Feb 21, 2008  at  11:07 PM
Some people obviously never saw Madge's SEX book. Or they need glasses to tell that madonna and Marilyn really don't look alike.
Posted by mr royale  on  Fri Feb 22, 2008  at  03:13 AM
Can we have a version without the pink cover-ups, please?
Posted by outeast  on  Fri Feb 22, 2008  at  03:51 AM
That's in the SEX book for a start - also it's too skinny and bony for Marilyn - plus all her nude shots were indoors, and much more tasteful - she's wouldn't have been caught dead posing for a nude hitchhiker photo! How could any so called Marilyn expert have seriously thought it was her?
Posted by Nona  on  Fri Feb 22, 2008  at  05:32 AM
Jason, my thoughts exactly! My first comment to the idiot that thought it was Monroe would have been "Ok, tell me who was producing mini-vans in the 60s?!?" ROTFL!
Posted by Corwin, The Master Physicist  on  Fri Feb 22, 2008  at  10:48 AM
OK, everyone has said what needed to be said except that I think the photo was shot in the UK and I don't believe Marilyn was ever there before she became famous enough to not need nude shots. And yes, I was taking a shot at Madonna.
Posted by Christopher Cole  on  Fri Feb 22, 2008  at  10:52 AM
This is the version without the pink cover-ups

http://www.urbanlegends.hu/meztelen-fotok-kamu-kepek-photoshop/
Posted by pink  on  Fri Feb 22, 2008  at  12:03 PM
Um, wouldn't a "Monroe expert," or even someone who has seen one or two of Monroe's movies, have noticed that Madonna and Marilyn don't look much alike?
Posted by Big Gary  on  Fri Feb 22, 2008  at  03:51 PM
I think this "Marilyn Monroe expert" was a victim of Reverse Pareidolia Syndrome. It's causes you to not be able to see the painfully obvious.

Although it's possible that that is a minivan from The Future and it really IS a Monroe photo.
Posted by Cranky Media Guy  on  Sat Feb 23, 2008  at  01:12 AM
The Castro Disctict San Francisco, isn't it. Must have been a very cold day or the lower pink stripe would have be vertical.
Posted by Pink Cover Up  on  Sat Feb 23, 2008  at  12:15 PM
This is rather late in replying. In fact it is three years later. Better late than never. All these comments from people around the world regarding the mistake I made regarding Marilyn Monroe. I actually throught at first glance it was Marilyn Monroe and not Madonna. Since that incident I have declined to authenticate any photos of anyone.
Chris Harris
Former Marilyn Monroe Expert
Posted by Chris Harris  on  Sat Mar 26, 2011  at  04:37 PM
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