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. 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.
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.
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.
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.
This was going to be my answer. Just before Psycho, Perkins starred in Tall Story, 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.
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.
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.
