The Resume

(January 17, 1916-December 25, 1989)
Born in Petresti, Romania
Birth name was Elena Petrescu
Wife of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu
Vice Prime Minister of Romania (1980-89)

Why she might be annoying:

When she dropped out of school at 14, she was flunking every class except singing, gymnastics and sewing.
She was expelled from night school after being caught cheating on a chemistry exam.
Thanks to her husband's influence, she received a PhD, was appointed to the National Council of Scientific Research and was listed as an author of numerous scientific papers.
Following a trip to China, she modeled her rise to political power on Mao's wife Jiang Qing.
As head of the state health commission, she played a key role in denying that AIDS existed in Romania.
According to her bodyguard, she had Nicolae's offices bugged.
She said of the Romanian people, 'The worms are never satisfied, no matter how much food you give them.'

Why she might not be annoying:

She met Nicolae after being elected queen of a May Day parade (1939).
She received an honorary membership in Britain's Royal Society of Chemistry.
After a 55-minute show trial, she and her husband were executed by a firing squad on Christmas Day.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• 20th Century Scientists
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 09]
• Dictator's Club
• Executed by the State
• I Did Not Graduate High School [C-E]
• I Died in 1989 (Ranked: 73)
• I Earned a Doctorate
• I Got to See Jesus for Christmas, What Did You Get? [Died December 25th] (Ranked: 1989)
• I Took a Bullet
• I'm a Communist
• International First Ladies
• Look at Me, I'm Bleeding
• Look at Me, I'm Dead
• My Death was Caught on Tape
• Profiles 22251-22500 (Ranked: 22353)
• Scientists
• Supersized Egos
• We Died on the Same Day (Ranked: 19891225)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 133 Votes: 55.64% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 15 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 16 Votes: 93.75% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 10 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 32 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 152 Votes: 65.13% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 13 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 34 Votes: 55.88% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 27 Votes: 59.26% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 35 Votes: 51.43% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 36 Votes: 52.78% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 105 Votes: 76.19% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 165 Votes: 77.58% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 200 Votes: 66.50% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 105 Votes: 69.52% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 123 Votes: 78.86% Annoying