A Pick-Up Truck and the Devil's Eyes

Way back in August of last year, Meg H. threw up a post on her blog detailing the results of her fiddling with the free photo recognition software at MyHeritage.com. This system, as I understand it, is designed to help paying customers find distant relatives by matching facial features in their photos with those posted by other people. The real draw, however, is that non-paying users can also play around with the site to see how their photos match up with those of famous people.

Meg matched up surprisingly well with Jennifer Love Hewitt, of all people.


Not to far off, really, even if I would have never drawn a comparison between the two on my own. My curiosity about how I'd fare on MyHeritage.com eventually got the best of me — months ago, in fact — and I decided today to find and post the results.

Attempt No. 1



A photo taken of me in fall 2005, in the UCDC dorm
vs.
Blink 182's Travis Barker

Degree of resemblance: 67 percent

Attempt No. 2



A photo I took of myself in my Bath Street apartment in winter 2006
vs.
Diana Rigg

Degree of resemblance: 73 percent

Attempt No. 3



Me, again in the UCDC dorm
vs.
actress Jeanne Moreau, of "Jules et Jim" fame

Degree of resemblance: 61 percent

Attempt No. 4



Me — sweaty, sunburnt and with a shaved head
vs.
George Clooney

Degree of resemblance: 78 percent

Attempt No. 5



Me, blurry and skyward-glancing
vs.
Lance "Princess Frostylocks" Bass

Degree of resemblance: 88 percent

Attempt No. 6



Me, weird and pink-looking
vs.
Minnie Driver

Degree of resemblance: 64 percent

Attempt No. 7



Me, in a picture of me I actually like
vs.
John Cusack

Degree of resemblance: 66 percent

Overall, this MyHeritage.com tells me that I look more like Lance Bass than any other celebrity it knows of. It sure doesn't beat Jennifer Love Hewitt, but I suppose I could do worse. In general, I rarely got above a low 70-something as far as degree of resemblance and I think that has a lot to do with the fact that the system seems to focus more on face position that actual facial features. Still, interesting for what it was.

Me and Lance. Lance and me.