# Artists and Showbiz ppl forever stigmatized by ONE thing they did **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 19, 2009, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606 "2009-04-19T08:51:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![The\_Superhero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Superhero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Superhero)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606/41 "2009-04-20T18:23:24Z")
Jessica Simpson might not be the sharpest pencil in the box, or she might be much smarter than everyone thinks - I really don’t know for sure. But she permanently earned herself a reputation as a ditz when she was baffled by “Chicken of the Sea” brand tuna on her television show. I think the prime example of this in the sports world - even more than Tyson - is Bill Buckner, who had a long career in pro baseball and put up good numbers, and then forever became the Guy Who Cost the Red Sox the World Series in '86 with one (admittedly costly) error, even though there was plenty of blame to go around for the Sox being in the position they were in Game 6. Tyson’s done plenty of crazy things, with the ear-biting incident being just the worst example. But Buckner would have been fondly remembered by fans as a good hitter, good baserunner, decent fielder…if not for that one error. I think this is something that happens to visual artists a lot. Salvador Dali did hundreds of paintings, plus films, sculpture, conceptual art…and he’s known to the public at large as “the guy who did the melting watches.” Just about any art historian is likely to tell you that “The Persistence of Memory” is one of Dali’s least interesting works. Marcel Duchamp is one of the most important figures - if not the single most important figure - in 20th Century art. But if he’s known to the public at all, it’s as the guy who put a urinal on a pedestal and called it art. Dorothea Lange took probably hundreds of photographs for the FSA during the 1930s and is a hugely influential figure in the history of American photography - but most people wouldn’t even recognize her name, just her photo, [Migrant Mother](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lange-MigrantMother02.jpg). These are just a few examples out of many, and most artists would, of course, give their left arm for one enduring image like these - but few have a comparable body of work. ---
**Author:** ![Wargamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Wargamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wargamer)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606/42 "2009-04-20T18:33:23Z")
Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith, anyone? I kept expecting him to break into a Well now, MISTER Baggins during TLotR. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606/43 "2009-04-20T18:36:23Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > Going off the Waren Zevon example, occasionally a really talented band/songwriter will score a single hit, their only hit (or their only BIG hit), with a novelty song- and will thus never be taken as seriously as they deserve. > > The Tokens, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” > The Bangles, “Walk Like an Egyptian” > Suzanne Vega, “Luka” > Don Was, “Walk the Dinosaur” > Dead Eye Dick, “New Age Girl” > Jill Sobule, “I Kissed a Girl” > > The songs themselves may not qualify as stigmas _per se_, “I Kissed a Girl” is generally well thought of by music fans and critics- but it did lead many to write Sobule off as a “Novelty Act”, a shame because she’s one of the best songwriters out there. I’d include Loudon Wainwright III in that list for “Dead Skunk.” He may not be stigmatized for it, in fact he’s had a very good career by all accounts, but “Dead Skunk” is the first thing to come to my mind when I hear his name. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606/44 "2009-04-20T18:36:31Z")
Leonard Nimoy. 'Nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606/45 "2009-04-20T20:03:35Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Leonard Nimoy. > > 'Nuff said. That explains [this book](http://www.amazon.com/Am-Not-Spock-Leonard-Nimoy/dp/1568496915#reader). ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606/46 "2009-04-20T20:12:16Z")
Anthony Perkins, though he acted in many films after _Psycho_, always carried the stigma of being identified with Norman Bates, the psychopath. Charlie Chaplin tried on many other characters, but people would not let him stop being The Tramp. And I know he portrayed The Tramp in many films, not just one, but it was always just the one character. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606/47 "2009-04-20T20:25:57Z")
> [@Captain\_Gutgore\_Blooddrink](#): > > Chloe Sevigny for her fellatio scene in the Brown Bunny I MUST see this… ---
**Author:** ![DKW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dkw/32/3118_2.png) [@DKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DKW)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606/48 "2009-04-21T06:33:10Z")
…Geraldo Rivera? The eyes of the nation were on him. He, and a nation, thought for all the world that he was going to discover something huge. All the money spent, all the equipment that had to be brought in, one of the highest rated programs ever… …and…well…guess that lousy crook got nabbed before he could decide what to put in them, huh? Rivera’s career never recovered. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606/49 "2009-04-21T06:37:37Z")
I for one will never look at Sydney Poitier (the daughter) again without thinking of that scene from Death Proof. You know the one I mean. Except you probably don’t, because nobody saw it. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606/50 "2009-04-21T09:18:45Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Leonard Nimoy. > > 'Nuff said. > [@cosmosdan](#): > > That explains [this book](http://www.amazon.com/Am-Not-Spock-Leonard-Nimoy/dp/1568496915#reader). But then he published a [retraction](http://www.amazon.com/I-Am-Spock/dp/B000GLRHVI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240305236&sr=1-3). ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606/51 "2009-04-21T13:48:51Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > But then he published a [retraction](http://www.amazon.com/I-Am-Spock/dp/B000GLRHVI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240305236&sr=1-3). :: British peasant accent :: He got better. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606/52 "2009-04-21T22:24:16Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > But then he published a [retraction](http://www.amazon.com/I-Am-Spock/dp/B000GLRHVI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240305236&sr=1-3). Wasn’t that a joke on the Simpsons? “I am not Spock” “I am Spock” “I am also Scottie” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606/53 "2009-04-21T22:37:41Z")
OJ Simpson was never able to get acting work again after that after dinner theater fiasco in Brentwood Werner Kemplerer never got much high profile work after Col. Klink ---
**Author:** ![Mbossa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@Mbossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mbossa)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606/54 "2009-04-21T22:46:21Z")
Alanis Morissette will always be known for her misuse of the word “ironic”. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606/55 "2009-04-21T22:48:03Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > Anthony Perkins, though he acted in many films after _Psycho_, always carried the stigma of being identified with Norman Bates, the psychopath. This was going to be my answer. Just before _Psycho_, Perkins starred in [Tall Story](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054367/), a romantic comedy where his love interest was young Jane Fonda. The IMDb tells me he had over 40 film and television roles after _Psycho_, but I don’t think he ever played a sweet romantic lead again. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606/56 "2009-04-21T23:00:02Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > I MUST see this… It’s not nearly as exciting as it sounds. ---
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2009, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606/57 "2009-04-22T08:19:52Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Unless Anthony Hopkin single handedly cures cancer & AIDS, he’ll be remembered as Hannibal Lechter. True, but at least he’ll be remembered for executing that role perfectly. His fault was being too good and too memorable. I think he can live with that. Though for me personally, he is one I continue to enjoy watching. I loved him in “Proof”, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2009, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606/58 "2009-04-22T09:19:09Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > Suzanne Vega, “Luka” In what way is _Luka_ a novelty song? It’s _exactly_ like every other one of her songs, it’s just happens to be a particularly good example of it. You might not like her style, but that hit was perfectly indicative of her oeuvre. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-and-showbiz-ppl-forever-stigmatized-by-one-thing-they-did/493606.md?page=2)