Is this the real Rod Stewart?

rodstewartx.jpg

Above: The real Rod, or an impersonator?

My sister Kristin recently traveled to New Orleans with students from a January-term travel-writing class she’s teaching at Bethany College (where she’s an associate English professor). While in a Pirate’s Alley bar in the heart of the French Quarter, Kristin and her students met a well-dressed man who looked like Rod Stewart, acted like Rod Sewart, and — when asked — claimed to be Rod Stewart. The attractive girlfriend of the man who seemed to be Rod Stewart took the above photo of Kristin and her students posing with the presumed pop icon, and a bigger version of the picture is available here.

Two weeks later, however, the students are still debating whether or not the man in the photo is the real Rod Stewart. Personally, I don’t think the man in the picture looks like the Rod Stewart I’ve seen on TV — and, believe it or not, plenty of Rod Stewart impersonators abound. Still, the students report that the man in question was convincingly Rod Stewart-ish at the time.

Thoughts?

Posted by | Comments (80)  | February 1, 2006
Category: General


80 Responses to “Is this the real Rod Stewart?”

  1. maria Says:

    gas man Dessie still

  2. maria Says:

    DESSIE ONLY COUNCILS PEOPLE IN BED,NUTS LOL

  3. Niall Says:

    Des,hope you are keeping well , as you were a good friend
    When needed, everybody does and says shit and agree with comment #56

  4. Laura Says:

    I know Desmond, and have known him years and my parents even went to Ireland to meet his mother as I was going to marry him….hes a con-artist and an alcoholic and a people user…thats all he is in a nutshell…AN ALCOHLIC…and hes probably dead by now from drinking….

  5. Ladybug and the lover Says:

    He is alive and well in Gretna, La. We saw him last night at Jennie G’s Bar on Stumpf Blvd. He was rocking out to Maggie Mae and we were loving it! Lovely wife and nice, entertaining fellow! No body is perfect ..so quit throwing stones! Enjoy him for the entertainer he is..he made a lot of people smile. Seen in there frequently! 😉

  6. Hoochie Coochie Says:

    The man in the above photo is none other than Rod the Mod. I heard him busking a Muddy Water’s song at Twickenham Station. We used to perform on Sunday nights on EEL PIE Island.

  7. rwb Says:

    Its Dessie,barred from every irish bar in nola.Biggest jackass ever!!1

  8. Paul Donovan Says:

    Dessie O Connor is one of life’s great assholes , a drunken wife abuser and a con man .

  9. Jan Byrne Says:

    that guy is a total moron …

  10. Larry Fitzgibbon Says:

    I met this fella on the monastery wall in Tipperary Town ,Ireland about 35 years ago ,He was a tee shirt salesman at that time ,don’t think his name was Rod Stewart though.

  11. morgan cross Says:

    I have seen this guy around NOLA for 30 years and had the “pleasure’ of meeting him last week. He. his girlfriend, and some other yahoo stumbled into my bar too drunk foreven an Irishman. Tipping 30 cents a drink, he wanted to engage me; I put my attention elsewhere.

    He can’t talk w/o singing a Rod lyric. I fell sorry for his daughters

  12. Nobby Stiles Says:

    Morgie,

    You serious? What tavern was this? I retired to Nawlins from England years ago and I’ve met Rod and Penny Lancaster twice in the Quarter. On the contrary on both occasions, Rod bought the bar a round and tipped the Publican 50 Quid!!!

    Nobby

  13. Observer Says:

    Ralph, Impersonating Rod and Students,
    I noticed Ralph you pick, choose and over a period of time, DELETE comments in regards to what suits your website. It’s quite clear that those students were not educated about REAL ROCK STAR’S! Kristin and her sister, just as you feel the need to act out for ATTENTION, so does the man in the photo. Don’t you think it’s time to remove this Real or Not Rod Stewart website? It’s a shame how your website has brought out the selfishness of yourselves! Its old news and you have contributed to destroying one’s reputation, true or not, it’s no one’s business! Really disappointed in you and the others, but what else would all of you do, all for the sake of money and/or attention?

  14. M.Jagger Says:

    Rod, Blimey….It was a blast partying with you at the local rub-a-dub-dub in Rio after the World Cup final. I was so delighted flashing my hampsteads at all the pretty bonnie palones! Thanks for throwing down the Quid for the open bar for all the football mad fans. They were absolutely hysterical all night!!! Woodsie didn’t even throw down a bloody Farthing!!! To think you are thrifty is a bunch of poney and trap! Thanks for the BEST time of our lives!! Woodsie is still badgered! Good luck to the Tartan Army in Russia 2018.

    *Sorry mate, I lost your number again.

  15. Morgan Cross Says:

    Nobby, He’s not Rod. He’s a pretender. I think you were the clown with him

  16. Nobby Stiles Says:

    MORGIE,

    PISS OFF!!!

    CHEERS,

    NOBBY

  17. john rabbitt Says:

    That is indeed DESSIE O CONNOR HE IS FROM Tipperary in Ireland He was a fine athlete and I was on the Irish cross country team in Fontenbleu France in 1981 with him. As we say in Ireland he was Great crack and always the life and soul of the party after the race.

  18. tom barrett Says:

    The real question is why is rod Stewart impersonating dessie O’Connor. Rod should be ashamed of himself and give dessie some credit.

  19. Ron Wood Says:

    As an athlete sure wasn’t Rod only trotting after Dessie:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmHTpvc691A

  20. Penny for your thoughts Says:

    This site is a joke! I took this picture, not realizing this all would happen! I never knew he was married, must less had a family for 6 months. Desmond said his wife had died. What a terrible thing to say!
    I feel sorry for his x-wife and I also feel really bad for his daughter and step-daughter having to grow up in that kind of household, but his x-wife thought she have no other options, which can be questionable? Why did she not leave or reach out for other options? Maybe her love was greater for him instead of her love and protection for the children. The other person who was suckered in with his conman ways, lied to, his “current wife” I wish I would of never met this loser! It’s a shame that this Desmond O’Connor, who is a Professional Counselor, Marriage and Family Life Therapist would behave in this manner. And he has major drinking issues and is the same man as describe by the x-wife and kids, now adults above and myself. I know what I have to do, I have wasted so many years and will spare no more on this fool!

  21. Carl Says:

    He is Desmond O’Connor, he is from Ireland and he was my track coach in college in Louisiana. He is a very intelligent man but has always been told he looks like Rod Stewart. No plastic surgery just his original look. Desi still getting attention, keep it up dude.

  22. Penny Says:

    Hey fools and Ralph,

    Ron Wood & M. Jagger, Bono & Ron Wood – AKA Kevin Mc Alea, better known as Redman from New Jersey
    Better yet, Lance Armstrong, AKA Tommy Miller
    10% yea you made some money and maybe lost some, he and some of them or/and maybe you are conmen! I think you are all a joke and thief also!
    Oh by the way Laura #54, haha, what the hell is the color of your hair or what is your IQ? LOL, You and you parents are ……., whatever!
    Hey Ralph, my attorney is on this!
    No one gave you permission to post this picture, as far as I’m concern at the advice of my attorney, you have legal problems, unless removed ASAP!
    Anymore witnesses for the busy bodies who did not have a clue and I’m referring to Kristin and her friends. See you all in court, unless it’s removed. Damages are going to equal $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

  23. Mad man Mullins Says:

    As it use to be said “Joke em if they can’t take a fuc” . The best part about this is the truth was always the hardest story to believe. It was a much better story and fun then everything else said here. But good times were always had by all . What else would you expect.

  24. Chi-Chi Says:

    PISS-OFF MULLIN!!!!!!!

  25. Andy Says:

    I know him personally, and he is NOT Rod Stewart, he’s actually a therapist that works with Army National Guard Soldiers and Airmen.

  26. Boston Billy from Jacksonville Says:

    I stumbled on this site this morning when my wife who works in retail on the Las Vegas Strip came home saying a coworker just rab into Rod Stewart on the strip! I ran against Desmond in the 80’s on the Racing South Road Racing Tour and remember him pulling this at every post race party. Is it possible he is in Vegas on vacation doing the same thing? Or worse yet. has he moved here???

  27. Guy Levey Says:

    I ran with Dessie & Tony two Irishman at ASU in San Angelo Texas Dessie always loved taking off Rod Stewart Sound like him
    Where are these two & how can I contact them

  28. Fact Says:

    Sorry but this man is an imposter in many ways… he is very fraudulent! Best wishes to meet the right ROD STEWART… Sorry you had to go through that!
    Ashley

  29. Laura 54 Says:

    Again, I knew Desmond in San Angelo…he is NO Rod Stewart…..he cuts his hair like him and has a gruel Brogue voice because is Irish…other than that…he is NOTHING like Rod Stewart. He is nothing as I said before but a very sad man who is an alcoholic, needs to get help and refuses to and if you hang around him, I suggest you go to a 12 step program yourself or Alanon. He will bring himself nothing but trouble and you as well if you are in the picture………………..beware of this man, he is an alcohlic—therefore addict and therefore a people user !!!!!!! Respect yourself and get away from him…there are better people out there in life !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  30. 10 percent Says:

    Carl is right. What “look-a-likes” do is expose the public for the celebrity worship we are all stupid enough to engage in….WE need to stop such idiotic behavior on our part and OUR reaction to such.–NOT point the finger and attempt to marginalize those that look like them…