# Entertainers who "got out of their lane" and failed **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, movies, music\ **Created:** [April 10, 2022, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621 "2022-04-10T16:18:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/21 "2022-04-10T18:46:27Z")
There are a handful of political commentators/radio show hosts who tried to host TV shows on cable NEWS and failed: Jessie Ventura, Alan Keyes, Michael Savage, even Phil Donahue’s host on MSNBC was something of a failure. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/22 "2022-04-10T18:49:31Z")
Pro wrestling promoter Vince McMahon(owner of WWF/WWE) tried to twice to launch a new football league (the XFL) and failed both times. Also in the early 90s he tried to launch a bodybuilding organization The WBF (The World Bodybuilding Federation) and failed miserably there as well. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/23 "2022-04-10T18:55:41Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > Pro wrestling promoter Vince McMahon(owner of WWF/WWE) tried to twice to launch a new football league (the XFL) and failed both times. To be fair, the primary cause of death of the second iteration of the XFL, in early 2020, was the COVID-19 pandemic. Dwayne Johnson led a group which bought the rights to the XFL last year, and plans to re-launch it next year. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/24 "2022-04-10T19:01:48Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > To be fair, the primary cause of death of the second iteration of the XFL, in early 2020, was the COVID-19 pandemic. And the first time he tried to launch it happened to coincide with the collapse of the first Internet Boom and the Early 2000s recession. Not the best luck on his part. ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/25 "2022-04-10T19:17:06Z")
Maybe not quite appropriate in this thread if the music was actually good, but “World’s Fastest Human” Carl Lewis did some music in the late 80’s that was popular overseas: > **[Carl Lewis](https://www.discogs.com/artist/381535-Carl-Lewis)** > > Explore releases from Carl Lewis at Discogs. Shop for Vinyl, CDs and more from Carl Lewis at the Discogs Marketplace. Then, Britney Spears tried acting (IMDB 3/5/10): > **[Crossroads (2002) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0275022/?ref_=nm_knf_t1)** > > Crossroads: Directed by Tamra Davis. With Britney Spears, Anson Mount, Zoe Saldana, Taryn Manning. Three childhood best friends, and a guy they just met, take a road trip across the country, finding themselves and their friendship in the process. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lantern2/32/3010_2.png) [@Lantern2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern2)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/26 "2022-04-10T19:31:15Z")
John McEnroe’s talk show back in 2004. I remember him talking about it and it didn’t seem like a good idea, he was a great and entertaining tennis player and a decent commentator but really didn’t seem to have the charisma and talking skills to host his own show. I saw a bit of it and it was predictably terrible and I was amused to read later that it earned a 0.0 rating at least once. To this day I am baffled that some TV executive, presumably with some knowledge and experience in the industry, thought it would be a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/27 "2022-04-10T19:32:11Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Eddie Murphy and John Travolta come to mind. Just because you got money and connections doesn’t mean you should attempt to crossover. > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > won’t link to Don Johnson’s “Heartbeat” – you’ve suffered too much already. I actually like 2 out of 3 of these songs. I never thought of them as _great_ songs, but they’re fun to listen to. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/28 "2022-04-10T19:34:16Z")
I suspect “Talk Show Host” is at the top of any list of “jobs that look a lot easier than they actually are”. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/29 "2022-04-10T19:35:00Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > > [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > > > It physically hurt to hear those again after 40 years. > > I won’t link to Don Johnson’s “Heartbeat” – you’ve suffered too much already. Well, whaddabout this one, then? The Great Star Trek LOTR collision! > **[Leonard Nimoy - The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins - video Dailymotion](https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2ij5nq)** > > Filmed on a variety show in 1967... ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/30 "2022-04-10T19:43:44Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Well, whaddabout this one, then? The Great Star Trek LOTR collision At least William Shatner recorded a catchy tune. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zI3UfxyIdgs/hqdefault.jpg ""Fan" Star Trek Original Series Clip to "Common People" by William Shatner") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI3UfxyIdgs) ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/31 "2022-04-10T19:44:38Z")
The late Rush Limbaugh is another person who had a failed attempt at a TV show. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/32 "2022-04-10T19:52:00Z")
Yeah, I was scanning the thread to see if that was on there. It seems like the number of failed talk-show hosts far outnumbers those who succeed. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/33 "2022-04-10T20:04:28Z")
Aaron Rodgers as host of Jeopardy. Showed the world he had the personality of a dead fish. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/34 "2022-04-10T20:15:43Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Well, Keanu Reeves got waaay out of his lane for “ _Much Ado About Nothing_ ” but he still prospered quite well when he went back to his lane. Yeah, Keanu’s great in his lane, and it’s a one-lane street. Outside it he’s objectively terrible. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/35 "2022-04-10T20:21:27Z")
A friend of mine is a huge fan (and possibly the only one) of Bob Dylan’s recent “crooner” phase. The thing about crooning is that it needs to be done by someone with good vocal control, like Bing Crosby. No one’s ever accused Bob of that. As part of it, Dylan even did a [whole album](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadows_in_the_Night) of songs that Ol’ Blue Eyes had made his own. Painful… Now, Elvis Costello almost got close to that with his album with Burt Bacharach… but that turned out well. Elvis stays on this side of the “painful” line, and [the material is SO good!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOPXvtZvb7g) ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/36 "2022-04-10T21:41:32Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Elvis stays on this side of the “painful” line … Maybe. Just barely. He’s no Dionne Warwick. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2022, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/37 "2022-04-11T00:48:45Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Now, Elvis Costello almost got close to that with his album with Burt Bacharach… but that turned out well. Bacharach seems to attract non-singers. Consider Herb Alpert, trumpeter, bandleader, and quite successful record label owner. What he was not, was a singer. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/o8ByJ1C0iR4/hqdefault.jpg "Herb Alpert - This Guy's In Love With You") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8ByJ1C0iR4) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2022, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/38 "2022-04-11T01:10:57Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > The Great Star Trek LOTR collision! No, that would be this version: > **[Hope everyone has as much fun this weekend as these folks are having. 🖖🏼🤓...](https://www.facebook.com/ScottIcenogle/videos/hope-everyone-has-as-much-fun-this-weekend-as-these-folks-are-having-bilbobaggin/512345666908112/)** > > Hope everyone has as much fun this weekend as these folks are having. 🖖🏼🤓 #BilboBaggins #TheHobbit #LordOfTheRings #StarTrek Starts off normally then switches to NCC-1701.😃 ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2022, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/39 "2022-04-11T02:16:46Z")
I don’t think I ever saw Chevy Chase’s LNTS, but it had such terrible ratings and reviews, it was simply cancelled one day. It was actually in the newspaper’s TV listings for several days afterwards. Around this time, one of these shows had a skit titled “U2 Gets A Late Night Talk Show.” ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2022, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621/40 "2022-04-11T02:17:44Z")
Rick “Don’t Call Me ‘Ricky’” Nelson attempting to break into the country genre. Unlike Pat Boone’s flirtation with metal, Ricky essentially killed his career. He had no albums on the US charts until _Garden Party_ in '72. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-got-out-of-their-lane-and-failed/962621.md?page=3)