# Famous for being famous **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 14, 2001, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394 "2001-10-14T21:02:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![saudade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@saudade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saudade)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/1 "2001-10-14T21:02:42Z")
In other words, people who haven’t had a hit film in the last 20 or 30 years, a major TV series that lasted more than a year, no hit songs, best selling books, political office, knighthood, or concert success in recent memory - and even when they had a career they weren’t exactly box office gold. Yet they make frequent talk show appearances, are commonly seen on “Entertainment Tonight” or in tabloids from time to time, are “household names” and may have cameo/walk on appearances in shows or movies - and have usually done an informercial, home shopping presentation - and have had an E! “True Hollywood Story” or VH1 “Behind the Music” dedicated to them. And if female, have probably been in at least one “Playboy” type spread. The obvious ones are… George Hamilton Zsa Zsa Gabor LaToya Jackson Sandra Bernhart (spelling?) Most of the surviving Kennedys Various minor royal family figures (Sarah Ferguson et. al) John Davidson The Barbi Twins (or are they even famous?) Anna Nicole Smith Donald Trump’s ex wives (Ivana, Marla Maples) Mickey Roarke Charo George Gobbel Frank Sinatra Jnr. and Nancy Sinatra Bianca Jagger Richard Hatch Rick Rockwell/Darva Conger Monica Lewinsky ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/2 "2001-10-14T22:49:00Z")
I’ll say it before and I stand by it: Fabio - what a waste of tabloid press. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/3 "2001-10-14T23:17:53Z")
Rula Lenska (sp?) Kato Katelin Lisa Marie Presley ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/4 "2001-10-14T23:20:21Z")
The Sinatra kids have to be taken out…different category. Famous for being what SPY magazine once dubbed (marvelously) “Spuds” - the offspring of the legitimately famous, who then become famous themselves. Chastity Bono is another. I think the poster girl for Famous-For-Being-Famous (FFBF) is Angelyne. She’s not THAT famous outside of L.A., but here she has been a legend for at least 25 years. She never did a single thing that I know of, but there were (and still are) billboards of her all over town. Bleach blonde, triple-E tits, way too much makeup, corsets, and last time I heard she was around 103. stoid ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/5 "2001-10-14T23:34:11Z")
I will give anyone $1000 dollars if they can show me any footage of Whoopi Goldberg being funny. ---
**Author:** ![TheThill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheThill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheThill)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/6 "2001-10-14T23:47:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by saudade \* > \*\*Charo \*\* Yes, Charo. What is up with her? ---
**Author:** ![saudade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@saudade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saudade)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/7 "2001-10-14T23:52:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mahaloth \* > \*\*I will give anyone $1000 dollars if they can show me any footage of Whoopi Goldberg being funny. \*\* I assume you mean on purpose? I’m hard up for some cash… ---
**Author:** ![bafaa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@bafaa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bafaa)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/8 "2001-10-15T01:13:49Z")
Tom Arnold ---
**Author:** ![saudade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@saudade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saudade)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/9 "2001-10-15T01:19:23Z")
_The Weakest Link_ is sort of a gallery of FFBF’s lately. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/10 "2001-10-15T01:59:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Stoid \* > …and last time I heard she was around 103. > > stoid \*\* Would that be weight or IQ? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/11 "2001-10-15T02:14:00Z")
P’raps you’re being a little harsh on Bianca Jagger, **saudade**? I agree that, while she was married to Mick, and for a good while afterwards, that was all she was famous for. Recently though, she seems to have done some genuine charity work – as distinct from the “aren’t I a saint” photo ops most celebs sniff out. Or maybe I’m just gullible? [Here](http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/entertainment/showbiz/newsid_1330000/1330181.stm) and [here](http://www.savethechildren.org/press/ma_bjagger.html) are a couple of relevant stories. I suppose I ought to apologise on behalf of my countrymen for inflicting Sarah Ferguson on you. Taking her off our hands may be the real reason for our supporting you in Afghanistan. We have loads more of these freeloaders, BTW. Tara Palmer-Tomkinson and Tamara Beckwith seem to get the most flack for being FFBF, but pretty much any minor Royal fits the bill. ---
**Author:** ![saudade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@saudade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saudade)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/12 "2001-10-15T02:38:10Z")
Maybe Bianca Jagger is more noteworthy in Britain than she is in the United States. I guess I am harsh, but frankly my reaction to her was ‘just because she was married to a rock star in the 1970’s, she’s out to save the world’. I almost put Liz Hurley in too, but I suppose her British fame is a bit more substantial than her American fame (mainly based on having a nice rack and not dumping Hugh Grant when he was caught on the recieving end from Divine Brown. Damn, I forgot Divine Brown… ---
**Author:** ![Tazma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tazma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tazma)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/13 "2001-10-15T02:49:56Z")
[sub]Carrot Top[/sub] More famous for being annoying, I s’pose, but… [George Thorogood] Get a haircut, and get a real job. [/George Thorogood] ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/14 "2001-10-15T03:36:51Z")
Ah, Tara Palmer-Tompkinson. Reading her London Times column on-line was my weekly guilty pleasure. I remember when Versace was murdered in Miami, and she was bemoaning that she’ll no longer get anymore fabulous designs from the man. She was like one of those girlfriends who will tell you absolutely anything about her and her life. She’s great fun, so long as you’re not one of her boyfriends. Sadly, she seems to have sobered up and moved on, and her replacements haven’t been any fun. ---
**Author:** ![musicguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@musicguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/musicguy)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/15 "2001-10-15T03:50:25Z")
The most notorious I can think of is Yoko Ono ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/16 "2001-10-15T03:51:29Z")
Bob Hope. I presume that once upon a time, he actually _did_ something, but I can’t imagine what. Certainly not enough to get one of the biggest bridges in Cleveland named after his dad. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/17 "2001-10-15T04:25:38Z")
What is **Bob Hope** famous for? Before he put out an endless series of TV specials and a string of embarassingly dated comedies in the 1960 and 1970s, he was a fast-talking ad-libbing comedian who appeared in a lot of wonderful comedies in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Don’t judge him by the later stuff – track down his earlier work on video, DVD, or cable. As for **Yoko Ono** , dshe would be famous (in a much more restricted circle) even ad she never met John Lennon. She has a following for her “art” movies and recordings. In fact, there’s a etrospective on her suff here at MIT this month at the List Audio-Visual Center. Mind you, I’m not that mpressed by her stuff. I’ve eard her recordings, and I definiely would not have bought them. She owes her greater fame to her association with The Beatles, I’m sure, but she would’ve had a share of it n any case. ---
**Author:** ![musicguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@musicguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/musicguy)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/18 "2001-10-15T05:44:06Z")
As far as Bob Hope, I would think the years of service to his country, entertaining troops would also count for something. I don’t recall Yoko doing any recordings until she met Lennon. The ones she made after the fact were only miniscully successful. She was a performance artist before that, I don’t know how well-known she was. But definitely not known the world over like she has become. Nor would she have been without marrying John and breaking up the Beatles. Ok, so I’m still a little bitter 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/19 "2001-10-15T06:19:10Z")
suadade writes: \> George Hamilton \> Zsa Zsa Gabor These are good examples of “famous for being famous.” Gabor is probably the best example. Hamilton had a film career at one point, but he’s now treated as a joke, just a parody of what certain actors are like. Gabor never had much of a career, though, and is thus _the_ classic case. \> LaToya Jackson I don’t see that she is even that famous. She’s possibly the least talented of the Jacksons and known mostly as being even flakier than Michael. \> Sandra Bernhart (spelling?) Sandra Bernhard. (Come on, just use IMDb if you can’t spell it.) She had a good stand-up act and has done some good film and TV roles. Maybe not to my or your taste, but not famous for being famous. \> Most of the surviving Kennedys \> Various minor royal family figures (Sarah Ferguson et. al) I don’t see that any of these people are any more famous than you would expect for being related to someone fairly important. With the death of Princess Diana and John Kennedy, Jr., that was the last of the really famous Kennedy and royal family members. \> John Davidson I suppose he qualifies, but he actually was a reasonably famous actor and singer at one point. \> The Barbi Twins (or are they even famous?) I don’t even know who this is. \> Anna Nicole Smith Yeah, she was never more than a one-time model and a minor actress, but that’s not what she’s famous for. She’s famous for marrying a much older man with a large fortune, who died not too long afterward. The news stories about this and about the subsequent court fight over the money is what made her famous. \> Donald Trump’s ex wives (Ivana, Marla Maples) This is again mostly an example of someone being famous for being married to a rich man. I haven’t seen them in the news lately. \> Mickey Roarke Oh, come on, Mickey Rourke (note the spelling) has had a reasonable film career. It’s slowed down in the past few years, but he’s hardly famous for being famous. \> Charo A fairly good example, I suppose. \> George Gobbel Now you’re just being ridiculous. First of all, George Gobel (again, note the spelling) died in 1991, so complaining that he’s done nothing lately is pretty strange. Gobel had a very popular TV variety show from 1954 to 1960, so he certainly isn’t an example of someone who never had a career. He didn’t get many regular TV or movie roles after that, but in his appearances on variety and quiz shows he was always entertaining. Most people these days (who aren’t old enough to remember him from the fifties) probably know him from his appearances on _Hollywood Squares_ from 1972 to 1981. He was pretty good there, if I recall correctly. What do expect - that everyone past their peak as a actor, comedian, singer, etc. should immediately drop dead? \> Frank Sinatra Jnr. and Nancy Sinatra Nancy Sinatra had a reasonable singing career in the sixties. (Maybe not to your or my taste, but so what?) These two aren’t famous anymore, are they? \> Bianca Jagger Perhaps this is a good example. \> Richard Hatch \> Rick Rockwell/Darva Conger \> Monica Lewinsky Give these people a couple years. They’ll drop from the news pretty quickly. ---
**Author:** ![aegypt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/76d3ee/32.png) [@aegypt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aegypt)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/20 "2001-10-15T07:48:24Z")
I’ve heard the phrase “famous for being well known” a lot lately, but maybe “famous for having once been justly famous” is more apt in most of these cases. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394.md?page=2)