lol how old are these people? You have better chance at fame and glory if you started a stupid YouTube channel.
I work in industry. In that case, nobody who meets me would ever know that I have patents. I would consider them to be a useful add-on for my resume should I ever need one, but it doesn't define me. And what my employer chooses to fund is a matter between consenting adults.
This was also my default thinking, but we really see more and more "nerds" getting into the spotlight. It could be a kind of self-fulfilling situation though: the ones working for that fame make the choices that get them there, such as opting to do research that's more "palatable" to those holding the purse strings, and so have the support to gain and maintain presence. Those who would rather blaze their own path generally get left in obscurity (unless they find something truly game-changing), even if it turns out they're more than the former group.