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Tony Mendez

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Spy

The Resume

    (November 15, 1940-January 19, 2019)
    Born in Eureka, Nevada
    Antonio Joseph Mendez
    CIA technical operations officer
    Oversaw the 'Canadian Caper' operation during the Iran Hostage crisis (1979-1980)
    Successfully ex-filtrated six American diplomats from Iran by posing as a Canadian film crew (Jan. 1980)
    Retired from the CIA with the rank of SIS-2, the equivalent to a two-star General in the military
    Penned the memoir, 'Master of Disguise: My Secret Life in the CIA' (1999)
    Portrayed by Ben Affleck in the Oscar-winning political thriller 'Argo' (2012)

Why he might be annoying:

    He wrote three autobiographies.
    His experiences carrying out the 'Canadian Caper' were heavily exaggerated for dramatic effect in 'Argo.'
    Despite having a Spanish surname and being of Mexican descent on his father's side, he continues to identify in interviews as 'not Hispanic' (rather identifying as just 'a guy who grew up in the desert').
    His identifying as 'something other than Hispanic' has proved confounding to those outraged that Ben Affleck, a white Irish-American movie star, had been cast in the crucial role of a Mexican-American Intelligence officer from Nevada, over a Latino actor.
    Nonetheless, his endorsement of Affleck's performance was tepid, to say the least, responding when asked by saying: 'I wasn’t sure what he was up to, but it turns out he means well.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    He worked as an illustrator and tool designer after graduating college.
    He was hired by Central Intelligence after answering a blind advertisement for a graphic artist.
    He was the driving force behind the 'Caper' operation, devising the Canadian passports from that government to identify them as citizens.
    He met his wife, also a CIA worker, while working on Soviet-US international relations.
    He served in the CIA for 25 years, and was awarded the department's most prestigious honor, the Intelligence Star, in 1980.
    His involvement with the Canadian Caper was not recognized until 1997, when he was also awarded the CIA Trailblazer Award.
    But, the full details of his involvement would remain clandestine until 2007, when it was reported in a 'Wired' magazine article (which would later provide the basis for the Best Picture winner, 'Argo').
    He felt that he was cut off from his Mexican heritage due to his father's untimely death (he could barely speak Spanish, as a result).
    He later found full-time work as an artist following his retirement from the CIA (one of his sons is also a renowned sculptor).
    He was a special guest presenter at the 2013 Golden Globes Ceremony, and was briefly granted an audience with President Bill Clinton, who was also in attendance that year.

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 9 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 15 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 21 Votes: 9.52% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 64 Votes: 51.56% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 54 Votes: 61.11% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 28 Votes: 39.29% Annoying