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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?
February 1st, 2006 at 9:38 am
Rolf – This does not look like Rod Stewart, becasue he’s much older, but who’s to say he hasn’t had a bit of plastic surgery? Rod does, however, frequent NOLA and keeps a personal teapot in the kitchen of the Royal Windsor Court Hotel for tea-time. Seeing that he posed for a picture makes me think its not really him. Hmmm.
February 1st, 2006 at 8:03 pm
Nope. Like Shannon said, Rod Stewart (the real one) is older and also thinner in the face. And Rod has that signature beauty mark / mole on his (I think right) cheek. The fake one here doesn’t. He’s doing a good job of imitating him, though!
You made me remeber–back in the 80′s there was a Rod-look-alike wandering around Philadelphia, too!
March 7th, 2006 at 12:33 am
rolf i work at a small poolhall in carencro louisiana. and on mon. march 7 this same man came in. i joked at first about rod stewert being there then he talked blew me away. though very convicing i agree with the others too young and rods face does seem to be longer. he did entertain us with tricks and he even sang for us which he did well.now he told me he was from new york told other s he was from new orleans but he did show me an id from new york with the name rod stewart. he also gave us also gave a few autographs. they look very close to rods thats what i was looking at when i came across your article on the web. thank you jo lynn faul
May 1st, 2006 at 2:09 pm
I’ve seen this guy around NOLA several times. It’s not him (although I think HE thinks that he is Rod)
June 8th, 2006 at 10:45 pm
Hi, I’m a long time Rod Stewart fan. I’ve met Rod several times. That is definitely not Rod!
June 24th, 2006 at 12:32 pm
This same senario happened last night in hattiesburg… it was very humerous… I was up visiting some friends and then all of a sudden Rod is in the house. I had my camera taking pics of my friends so I just snapped one of him… It will make for good laughs…
July 28th, 2006 at 5:28 am
I got drunk last night and this guy and his girlfriend (“very sweet” I might add) were in there. I have to agree with Jo Lynn’s post(above), “Looser”
P.S. I wish his girlfriend would call me!—-”Tonight’s the Night”
July 28th, 2006 at 7:08 am
I personally met the man in the photo last night at a bar on the West Bank in New Orleans. my comment to him was “I have met Rod Stewart before and you are not Rod Stewart” But you sure like the part! He said to me ” You have not”! Of course I laughed and we then had nice conversation over a beer or two, between his singing to Rod Stewart music being played on the record machine.
Actually he is Pretty damn good and sounds like Rod.
His girlfriend is a cutie and he is a nice man who happens to look like the Real Mr. Stewart.
He does have a New york state Driver’s License that says he is Rod Stewart. I assume it’s a fake.
All in all he is a “showman” who plays clubs as Rod Stewart, no different from the Elvis “look a likes” and he appears to have a good time doing it.
During the couple of hours that we were personally entertained, I told him that I did actually meet Rod Stewart and his press agent Mr. Jim Sala in the early 80′s in California when I was doing some special Consulting work in matters of Physical Security. This was for his Residence in Rancho Pales Verdes, Ca.
I don’t normally post things on the net. But the devil made me do it! The postings appear to show a pattern of these “Rod Stewart sighting in and around NOLA. Well! it is a party town with or without Katrina!
As far as the stupid comment by one of the previous posting about “Looser” They need to get a life! and not take things so serious. I feel sorry for people who can not look for the good in something and always to the negative. I enjoyed the man who ever he is!
Ron in NOLA
August 1st, 2006 at 4:26 pm
I saw this man and his girlfriend at harrah’s casino, in new orleans friday. He cut my friend and I in line and kept telling us that his girlfriend was his sister. Then she kept calling him honey. We both just kept laughing. He also complained about being at harrah’s thursday night and blowing $700 on some girl. But hey whats $700 to Rod Stewart? A penny to us? Then he told us he donated 5.2 millon dollars to the St. Benardians. Ha how funny. Then his girlfriend kept letting everyone cut us in line,besides shouldn’t he have been in the platnium rewards line instead of waiting in the long long regular customer line. He did have a british acccent. He sang to us and also said he sang with tim mcgraw. He was very corny and it was pretty obvious that he was just trying to hit on two 22 year old girls.
September 14th, 2006 at 7:14 pm
I met this guy in a restaurant/bar in New Orleans in 1999. He fooled my sister and brother-in-law, but I didn’t think it was Rod because this guys face was wider and he appeared younger than Rod.(Good look-a-like at a quik glance,though.)
September 14th, 2006 at 9:28 pm
That is not Rod Stewart.
November 18th, 2006 at 1:56 pm
haha! this is the funniest site. We are NO students studying at Pucchinos on Magazine. We took a study break and went to the Bulldog. Saw “Rod” there with his “sister” who kept kissing him obnoxiously and feeling up his leg. We were totally convinced. He even sang “did you ever see the rain”. He wouldnt let us take a pic though. After finding this site we are not too sure though.
November 26th, 2006 at 9:19 am
If it does, his real name is Desmond O’Connor. He is Irish or British by birth. He used to be a pretty fast runner and finished high in New Orleans and Lafayette races. He is also a New Orleans bar rat who LOVES his “Rod Stewart” looks and gets people to play into his game whenever possible.
I know this for a fact because my mom, sister and I were having drinks at a corner bar in the French Quarter a few years ago when Desmond was having drinks with a buddy. I knew who he was because of running road races but did not let on (he did not recognize me). He proceeded to play the flirt with the three of us and pretended like he was Rod Stewart the whole time. The real Rod Stewart now wears his hair longish and not spiked up, which is one clue.
January 7th, 2007 at 10:46 am
I ran into this guy 12/31/06 in the french quarter. I talk to him a bit and when i pulled out my camera his girlfreind wisked him away. were still 50/50 on if it was really him.
January 29th, 2007 at 7:44 am
Saw him on Dec 30 sitting in a bar in New Orleans. We definitely did a double take and told all of our friends we just saw Rod Stewart!
February 4th, 2007 at 9:08 am
Yesterday me and three other friends were walking in New York and we saw this man and his girlfriend near madison square garden. he was extremely drunk and was falling over the place. we questioned whether or not he was rod stewart but now we realize he was not. and we find it funny that there is a website about this man.
February 16th, 2007 at 12:00 am
I can confirm that this man is indeed Desmond O’Connor, or Dessie, as he was known to his friends.
He is Irish, from Tipperary Town, and won a sports scholarship to Texas University (or some university in Texas) when he was in his late teens. He was a superb athlete.
When I last met him, he was still in his teens, and even then he was putting on the Rod Stewart act.
nb. Dessie, if you are reading this, hello from all the gang who played in “the plan”. Nice to see life has been good to you.
February 16th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
It’s not him. I just saw this guy tonight in Covington, LA. He doesn’t have the mole on the corner of his mouth like Rod.
March 2nd, 2007 at 3:25 am
Hi Dessie,
Your former athletics coach here in Tipperary Town. Glad to see you are looking so well… how’s the running going?
Best wishes from
Breeda Christie..
March 29th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
there is no way that is Rod Stewart, not even close
April 9th, 2007 at 5:51 pm
Just got back from New Orleans and saw this same guy at the Pat O’Briens bar on St. Peter street. Looked as though he could be Rod, but too round of a face. Close, but not Rod.
April 22nd, 2007 at 9:17 am
Not Rod. No way. He’s in town for Jazz Fest this week, BTW.
September 30th, 2007 at 7:37 am
hope this goes through
November 9th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
THAT ISNT ROD STEWART. thats desmond oconnor. i should know though IM HIS DAUGHTER COLLEEN OCONNOR! his girlfreinds a bitch too. shes not my mother. my mother and him divorced. so EVERY HES NOT ROD HES A STUPIED WANNABE 56 YEAR OLD TRACK RUNNER DRUNK. thank you.
December 4th, 2007 at 5:46 am
I can also confirm that this man is not Rod Stewart as I am his step daughter of twenty odd years… His name is Desmond O’Connor and he is a con man… He abandoned our family for his current partner, Denzel… He may be a lot of fun in the bars, but, trust me he is no fun at home… He was a horrible father and husband… completely verbally abusive… He left my Mom a couple of years ago and has not seen his daughter Colleen in a very long time… He could make all the difference in this young girl’s life, but, I guess he is too busy! It may seem odd that both my sister and I have chosen to vent our personal information via internet, but, this is the only avenue that we have to express ourselves… So, the moral of the story is don’t get your picture posted on the internet when you have so many ugly skeletons in your closet.
May 17th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
This man is NOT Rod Stewart. He is a guidance counselor at J.W. Faulk Elementary and although his antics are well known and often hilarious, he is not the famed Rod. I work with him every day and yes, he really does act/dress/talk like and sing like Rod. His “Maggie May” is awesome (as I have seen him perform most drunkenly at an end-of-the-year faculty party. Sorry to disappoint!
June 1st, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Rolf! that MAN is ROD STEWART! I should Know!! We use to play together in the rock group the FACES!!!
July 8th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
That’s not him. This guy is an instituion in Lafayette, been pulling the Rod Stewart schtick for years.
August 13th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Dessie ,hope you have been checking out this web site .modern tech has obviously caught up on you cannot believe after 20 years you are still pulling the same old shit!!!and cannot believe the americans are still that stupid that you are getting away with it, as we say over here ,only in america!!
August 23rd, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Oh yeah, that is Desmond O’Connor. I met him in a club called The Keg in Lafayette, Louisiana in the 80′s. He was doing the Rod
Stewart thing then, dressing the part, singing all Rod’s songs, had the ID that said Rod Stewart on it, etc., but I knew it was not Rod.
Since I refused to believe him, he then admitted his name was Desmond O’Connor. I think he told me he was a track coach at USL and
I once went to a party with him hosted by some of his friends, where we had drinks and watched a video of Des running some type of
26 mile marathon and wearing PUMA running gear. It’s weird that he crossed my mind today, so many years after I met him at that
club – then I type in his name and find this page! lmao I’m surprised that he’s still doing that old routine after so long. And I’m
REALLY disappointed to read about him abandoning his family. If it’s true and you read this Des, shame on you!
September 22nd, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Dessie: I hope you get this and remember the 1/2 Irish Kelly who ran with ya back in the day in NOLA. I never thought people took your impersonations seriously! I was mostly drinkin with ya when everyone knew ya though.
Not surprised you are still hitting the bars and still running as fast as you are. Forbes gave me this site and I had time to look at it. Genetics treated you right too bad you did not do the same with ya daughters. I am still running and lifting myself (back in So Cal now). I asked Chuck George about ya and he said you don’t race much. Check out my website- http://www.principlecenteredhealth.net . Ya frickin Irish holligan. Later.
November 29th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
We just got back from a Carnival cruise (Fantasy) out of NO. (Nov. 24-29, 2008) This man was on the cruise!! …Apparently up to the same antics….My husband really thought it was the real Rod…I did not. He told some passengers on the cruise he WAS Rod. He was pretty insulting to the Maitre D’ and almost got in a fight with a man at his table at dinner over it. (The other diner was very put-off by “Rod’s” attitude and the way he treated the Maitre D’.) Needless to say, neither showed up at dinner the rest of the cruise. (Not at that table, at least.) Kind of sad reading about the real man behind the “look.”
November 30th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
I saw him too. At our first stop in Progreso, we stopped to eat and in came this guy. I jokingly told my husband that this guy looks like Rod Stewart. A little while later I see the owner of the place talking to him at his table. Then “Rod” left. When the owner of the restaurant came to visit our table I asked him if that was Rod Stewart. He said yes, and that “HE THINKS HIS SH*T DOESN’T STINK. Later on we spotted him again on the cruise sitting at the bar with a female. People were looking at him. I think it is a shame that this man is running around ruining the real Rod Stewart’s image. Because there are many people who really think he is the real one. I myself wasn’t sure, so that is why I started looking up info on the net.
November 30th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
THIS DUDE IS NOT ROD STEWART!!!!! I HAVE TO AGREE WITH THE OTHERS BEFORE ME THAT IT IS A SHAME THAT HE CAN NOT TREAT HIS DAUGHTER AND STEP DAUGHTER WITH MUCH RESPECT AND DIGNITY. THIS MAN ONLY THINKS OF HIMSELF AND HE IS A DRUNK.
I HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT THOUGH FOR HIS EX WIFE, KAREN, WHO HAS PUT UP WITH HIS BULLSHIT FOR MANY YEARS~!!!!! THIS MAN WOULD VERBALLY ABUSE HIS WIFE AND CHEAT ON HER ALMOST EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. I KNOW BECAUSE I LISTENED TO THE MANY STORIES REGARDING THEIR RELATIONSHIP. DESMOND, STRAIGHTEN OUT YOUR LIFE! BE YOURSELF AND NOT SOMEONE ELSE. I FEEL SORRY FOR ANYONE THAT YOU ARE WITH………….ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS YOURSELF AND THE PEOPLE YOU HANG OUT WITH…YOU DESTROY OTHER PEOPLES LIVES BY BEING A BAD EXAMPLE. THEY LOOK UP TO YOU AND ALL YOU DO IS BRING THEM DOWN AND THEIR FAMILY TOO. STOP BEING AN IMPERSONATOR!
December 1st, 2008 at 2:36 am
THE FOOLS !!! THE FOOLS !!! U ARE ALL CONFUSED !!! THAT WAS THE ONE, THE ONLY, ROD STEWART ON THAT CRUISE !!! I ENDED UP PAYING FOR THAT TRIP BECAUSE I LOST A BET WITH ROD ON A BLOODY FOOTBALL DERBY ! BULLOCKS !!!!!!!!!
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Hey Mick,
You are the fool if you paid for Desmonds trip. Remember…He is a con man! Desmond Oconner may want to be Rod, but no where near the class the True Rod Stewart has. Desmond is a LIAR. The previous picture has Desmond in it!
January 17th, 2009 at 10:51 pm
This is Desmond O’Connor. I dated him in the early 80′s, same gig. He was a much different person then, much different than how he is described now. Met him in Kalamazoo, Michigan, heard from him at almost every stop( he ran 10k’s and promoted PUMA shoes. Followed him to Detroit (Emily Midas run) left him at Detroit Metro and never saw him again. I would love to here from him and truly hope he is better off than this blog reports.
February 2nd, 2009 at 9:44 pm
To all you perfect people. The real rod has had many women and wives and kids… I don’t this this guy ever decuded for you to put his life under this spot light and scrutiny to judge him. If it were the real rod why wouldn’t you stupid people just leave him alone. and live your own lives – I am sure there are many skeletons in all of your closets – This guy is a good friend many people and has helped many people with disabilities! He has always listened and been a great coach! He is not the man that this slander has made him out to be. Cheers “D”
March 13th, 2009 at 1:06 am
i saw rod stewart at chick-fil-a in lafayette the one by interstate ten off of louisiana ave.
March 27th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
OMG>> I CAN NOT BELIEVE HE IS STILL AT IT,
I met Desmond O’Connor 24 years ago
When I was 18years old; he was in town for a race, the Azalea Trails
In Mobile Alabama: at that time he had an entire entourage with him.
They were posing as his bodyguards and possie. Come to find out
It was his track team from UCLA. He was the coach and he was in town for the race.
And they were along for the ride. Desmond and I became great friends (With benefits)
He is actually from Dublin Ireland were (at that time) his mother Mary lived.
Through the course of two years he would send me post cards from around the world.
Every country, City and State he was in prompting a race, Every Post card was signed ROD >> As a matter of fact, he had a shoe company that sponsored his races and for the life of me I can not remember the name of the company that sponsored him.
At that time we had fun, yes he did drink a lot, but I could have never imagined that
All these years he is still pretending to be Rod Stewart. “ I do not know if he ever reads these, BUT If SO “” I still remember the time You asked me to move to Ireland, & how you use to talk so fondly about Ireland.”” I WISH YOU THE BEST. ( I am sure I still have those post card some were)
March 30th, 2009 at 12:15 am
Thanks for your comments Robin (above #40 dated 3-27-2009/143pm). However every picture tells a story and I am in the one above. I never was involved with UCLA, Dublin, or prompting races??? I did play professional soccer across the pond many moons ago. See you at the concerts in Mobile !!! Rod
P.S. All you HALF-WITS need a professional eye examination.
April 13th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Robin, it wasn’t UCLA, it was USL (or UL) and Desmond was a ranked distance runner on the worldwide charts (Runner magazine). For those that travelled with him in his posse, we knew him as a good friend and very funny person. As Miller stated above, he was a very good coach and recruiter. He did tend to drink a bit much and that hurt his running and the years have warn him a bit, but many of us were touched by his sober warmer side and friendship.
He is missed, but it is good to catch-up with him after all these years. We usually just called him “Dessie” and in his serious racing days he travelled the world. Once we got into a cab leaving a Sydney hotel just after the Australian marathon championships and the cabby told us we had been in the cab just two night before. Dessie laughed and looked over and said quietly Rod had been in concert there two nights ago. Interestingly enough, we rode down on our flight with Johnny Cash’s posse and his son tried to get “Rods” autograph on the way to their “Southern Cross Tour”.
Great experiences and fun when you are 18-22. Many race coordinators would play the media link in the PR using the “look-a-like” as a sales gimick. I look more at the people and how it changed their behaviors (when they thought they were engaging a celebrity). Sometimes drunk women would come up when we were on the road and threaten him out of the blue. It wasn’t always a safe situation, but those that really knew him, know he was ok.
I always enjoyed running with him and the other lads and just hanging out. Good guys all! If you’re reading this Dessie….hello (from 10% — ET says hello too, Tommy and Jock). If you’ve been in contact with Leonard let us all know. Keep the flag flying!
April 13th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
I do have to add that I am sorry to hear about Karen and Dessie’s daughter. We knew Karen and she was a good person.–gone!
July 16th, 2009 at 4:39 am
so does any1 know who the blonda girl playing acoustic in rods video for the ccr cover ‘have u ever seen the rain’ is????? sum1 said it was sheryl crow but i dont think that true. i gota know!
August 11th, 2009 at 11:28 pm
Ya! That true!! Da blonda girl in rods video is my ex, sheryl crow !!!
August 19th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
the above picture doesn’t even look rod stewart
August 31st, 2009 at 11:47 am
you better let all those people know it over the years that thought he was then. lol
December 10th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
very sorry about the dress, hope for something more redeeming next year
December 18th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Very Funny ‘Rod” Ok Dessie
So I was only 18 at the time: You were not prompting races you were/ are a professional runner, and as 10% pointed out, it wasn’t UCLA, it was USL, Again being 18 and having the time of my life hanging out with you and your mates:
Not to clear on all the specific details, but I do remember all the fun, sneaking away to Biloxi Mississippi to see you while you were in town for a race. Many of the post card were stamped with “Chance to Survive’ from the post office, you never could get the ZIP code right. BUT I did get each and every one… those were good times.. Sorry I wont be seeing you in Mobile, I Live in South Florida now. Wishing you & 10% the best. Have a Great New Year in 2010 .. try putting down a drink and picking up the phone . apparently you have children now.. and it would seem they need something from you…
Again I wish you the very best,being a parent is the hardest thing in the world. But it is SOO worth it…
January 12th, 2010 at 5:30 pm
Happy new year,
Do the right thing, Make a change
June 15th, 2010 at 12:28 pm
This is certainly Desmond O’Connor. Not only have I raced with him in races around new orleans, but my mother used to work with him several years ago at a local elementary school. One year at the local professional PGA tournament, he was walking around the course in his Rod Stewart persona and CBS was fooled into thinking it was indeed Rod. Since I was working the tournament as well, I approached the CBS commentator and revealed who he really was. They were quite embarrassed as they were about to put the camera on him. Des, if you really want to be a true man, stop playing dress up and live up to your responsibilities like your family.
September 30th, 2010 at 9:31 pm
Hello,
I wish to tell my child that I’m very sorry; and Karen that I never meant to hurt you. I’m sorry for all the pain that I ever caused anyone, including Densel, she never knew about my ….., I’m a coward and for all those following me running here and there, going now…, who knows I love you.
Rod Stewart
December 22nd, 2010 at 2:21 am
ROD! GREAT CONCERT IN DUBLIN!!! YOU ARE A CHANCER!!!
March 6th, 2011 at 3:17 am
Hello to the posse want to make it clear that this family has survived. Many of you did not help but made the problems worse. Desmond says and does things that are mind bending to most but does have goodness in there that only few ever see. I also find this a strange platform for so many who in his presence behave like smitten idiots, then blast his antics. I must seem really stupid as his wife of many years, on some accounts I agree but truth be told I am not just the opposite is true. Finally to you Irishmen just drop it no one is conned. Final chapter closed by the ex-wife.All of you please say no more there are some things a young lady should not read about her father.
March 8th, 2012 at 12:47 am
OMG . I cant believe it Dessie was the love of my life when I was 18 .great guy,remember Nora from Punches …..
Love to get in contact again.
March 18th, 2012 at 4:27 pm
I think the fact that all you people actually devote
time to dog someone you do not know (or do but
don’t identify who you are) shows that you’re
not very smart. Most celebrities go out of
their way to not be identified so that should tell
you something right away!!!
Maybe you should now put your life on a
blog and let people comment on each of your
lives. It might not be so pretty!
Desmond has always been respectful, funny,
Intelligent, and thoughtful the many times I
have been arounnd him. He ran so fast at one time he
was in the Olympics to set the pace. Not too
many (dare I say none of you) can claim that.
GET A LIFE and quit interfering and
commenting on others.
Weren’t you taught that if you had nothing nice
to say, SAY NOTHING
A FRIEND