Did You Know ?: Phobias and the Famous

We all have fears, right? They range from the subtler things like a fear of spiders (arachnophobia), to the more serious fear of people (sociophobia). But did you know there are many celebrities and historical figures who have suffered from phobias just like you? While most of them fear simple things, some are just a little bit more extreme. And by a little, I mean a lot! So please enjoy this list of well-known people and their phobias.

George Washington
Taphephobia (fear of being buried alive)

This may seem pretty odd for a man like George Washington, but taphephobia was a common fear for noble people, as well as commoners, living in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
This was clearly expressed on his deathbed, in 1799, where he made his attendants promise that his body would be left out for two days, in case he was still alive. Considering the state of medicine and science at that time, mistakes were highly possible.

Woody Allen
Panophobia (fear of pretty much everything)

Woody Allen has strong phobias against cancer (Carcinophobia), insects, sunshine, dogs, deer, bright colors, children, heights, small rooms, crowds, and anywhere except Manhattan.

The 74-year-old actor and screenwriter is afraid of practically everything. Although he has normal phobias that cause him to fear heights, enclosed spaces and insects, he also has more abnormal fears. Among his weirder terrors are fears of bright colors, animals, elevators and peanut butter sticking to the roof of his mouth! In addition to his countless phobias, he also admits to having very neurotic needs, such as requiring his shower drain to be in a corner rather than the center and cutting his banana into exactly seven pieces before putting them into his cereal every morning. His bounty of fears made him a necessity on this list!

Richard Nixon
Nosocomephobia (fear of hospitals)

The 34th president of the United States, a man remembered mostly for his role in the Watergate scandal, had an excessive fear of hospitals. He believed that if he were ever to go into a hospital, he would never come out alive. In 1974, he suffered from a blood clot and refused to be taken to a hospital for treatment. However, he was told that if he didn’t go, he would die, and he had to put aside his fears and go.

Alfred Hitchcock
Ovophobia (fear of eggs)

Alfred Hitchcock, a famous Hollywood director and producer known for movies such as Psycho and Vertigo, had an extreme fear of eggs. He said that they are revolting to him! He stated that he never tasted an egg in his whole life, and he refused to even be around them. He claimed that nothing was more revolting to him then seeing a white round thing with no holes spill its yellow liquid. It is unknown why a man like Hitchcock would have such a random fear.

Sigmund Freud
Fear of Weapons and Ferns

Sigmund Freud, the neurologist who founded the psychoanalyst school of psychiatry and created many world-changing theories, feared weapons and ferns. He is often credited with saying that a fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity. Also, it is common for people to fear weapons.

As for having a phobia of ferns, that is not a very common fear.

Those who knew him agreed that he did fear ferns, and that he would never eat them.

Oprah Winfrey
Fear of Gum Chewing

Oprah, the queen of daytime television, has a great phobia of gum chewing. This began for her at an early age, when her grandmother would collect gum and keep it in rows on a cabinet. Oprah was so revolted by this that it caused her to fear gum for the rest of her life. One time, she said, she threw out a plate because it had a piece of gum on it! She is so sickened by gum chewing that she has banned it at her television studio. Surprisingly, her employees and studio audience usually cooperate and give her no reason to fear. Who would have thought that a woman such as Oprah would fear something like gum chewing?

Natalie Wood
Hydrophobia (Fear of Water)

This actress, famous for films such as Miracle on 34th Street and West Side Story, suffered from a fear of water — specifically, being in water. Although it is unknown how this phobia started, it is rumored to have begun when Natalie’s mother tricked her into standing on a bridge for a movie. The bridge had been rigged for Natalie to fall into the water below. This is said to have taken place when Natalie was young, so the fear stuck with her for life. Ironically, she died from drowning one night after falling off of a yacht.

Carmen Electra also has hydrophobia, fear of water.

David Beckham claims to have Ataxophobia, a fear of disorder or untidiness. In Beckham's closest, everything must be color coordinated, his soda cans are lined up perfectly in the fridge and he evens buys clothes to match his furniture.

Billy Bob Thornton
Several Fears

This actor, director, musician and writer has many fears. For starters, he suffers from chromophobia, or the fear of bright colors. But wait, there’s more! He has a fear of antique furniture! Any furniture that was made before the 1950s totally gives him the freaks. According to him, he was once in a restaurant full of antique furniture, which resulted in him not being able to eat, drink or even draw breath. Last, but not least, he fears clowns, which is also known as coulrophobia. Just the sight of the clowns painted face really frightened him!

Johnny Depp has also been linked to a fear of clowns (Coulrophobia). He has also fear of spiders.
Other celebrities who have coulrophobia: Daniel Radcliffe and Sean "Diddy" Combs.

Justin Timberlake is also arachnophobic – he has a fear of spiders. He has also gets the chills from snakes & sharks.

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