# 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:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**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 16, 2001, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/41 "2001-10-16T01:07:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by saudade \* > \*\*And speaking of shampoo ads…who was that “don’t hate me because I’m beautiful” woman that used to be on television? > Talk about an ego… \*\* That’s Kelly LeBrock, married (or at least _was_ married, they may have divorced) to fellow has-been Steven Seagal IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Tommy\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Tommy\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tommy_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/42 "2001-10-16T01:18:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Crunchy Frog \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by saudade \* > > \*\*And speaking of shampoo ads…who was that “don’t hate me because I’m beautiful” woman that used to be on television? > > Talk about an ego… \*\* > > That’s Kelly LeBrock, married (or at least _was_ married, they may have divorced) to fellow has-been Steven Seagal IIRC. \*\* I can’t believe that y’all didn’t give her credit for Weird Science. Sure, the rest of her career was crap, but that movie is awesome. Or maybe being married to Steven Segal negates any coolness she may have had. Hmmmm. ---
**Author:** ![saudade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@saudade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saudade)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/43 "2001-10-16T01:46:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wendell Wagner \* > \*\*suadade writes: > > \> George Hamilton > \> Zsa Zsa Gabor > \> 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. > > \*\* For someone who isn’t famous, she sure ends up on TV and in the tabloids a lot \*\* > > \> 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. > > \*\* I thought she was mainly famous for being someone’s “best friend” at any given moment (Madonna, Roseanne, and so on). [sup]and her name sounds like “bernhart” to me![/sup]\*\* > > \> 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. > > \*\* Yes, but you have to admit these people use their family name and connections to maintain a degree of “celebrity”, and seek publicity. \*\* > > \> John Davidson > > I suppose he qualifies, but he actually was a reasonably famous actor and singer at one point. > > \*\*I’d wager any album cut by him would be in the $1.99 bin at Sam Goody too, if it’s in print at all. \*\* > > \> The Barbi Twins (or are they even famous?) > > I don’t even know who this is. > > \*\*That probably means you have a life. \*\* > > \> 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. > > \*\* I think we all know what she’s famous for… \*\* > > \> 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. > > \*\* Ok, I’m stuck in 1992 here \*\* > > \> 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. > > \*\* Slowed down? No Dustin Hoffmann’s film career has slowed down lately. Mickey Roarke’s film career may have been viable for 18 months or so in the mid-1980’s, but it sublimated into the pre-Cambrian ooze of made-for Cinemax/Straight-to-Video production values before the check he wrote for his cheek implants could clear his bank account. \*\* > > \> Charo > > A fairly good example, I suppose. > > \*\* Aparrently I was wrong there, as she is the 2nd or 3rd greatest Flamenco guitarrist on the planet. I was so wrong there…\*\* > > \> 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? > > \*\* I’m not necessarily saying it’s _bad_ to be on the FFBF list. As far as I know, he gleefully sought the role of being FFBF, and made the bulk of his career out of it. And therefore he deserves an honorable mention. > > [http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mgobel.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mgobel.html) > > \*\* > \> 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? > > \*\*…ok, but she was no John Davidson \*\* > > \> Bianca Jagger > > Perhaps this is a good example. > > \*\* I’ll agree with you agreeing with me; ah that makes me feel better\*\* > > \> Richard Hatch > \> Rick Rockwell/Darva Conger > \> Monica Lewinsky > > Give these people a couple years. They’ll drop from the news pretty quickly.\*\* > > I sure as hell hope so…but I have a creepy feeling that Mr. Hatch will pop up from time to time in the future \*\* \*\* ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/44 "2001-10-16T03:24:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by saudade \* > \*\*Nancy Sinatra …ok, but she was no John Davidson \*\* > \*\* No. She has a much better ass. Still does, or at least did a few years ago when she posed for Playboy. (See the OP for how posing for Playboy qualifies one for this list.) ---
**Author:** ![ignatzmouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b2d939/32.png) [@ignatzmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ignatzmouse)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/45 "2001-10-16T03:33:02Z")
Larry Bud Melman? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/46 "2001-10-16T12:53:55Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by saudade > **This may be an UL,** but I heard that Pia Zadora was so awful in the title role of a stage adaptation of “The Diary of Anne Frank” that when the Nazis entered the stage, someone in the audience shouted “she’s in the cellar!” during her debut._ dingdingding! [We have a winner!](http://www.snopes2.com/movies/actors/zadora.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Zaphod\_Beeblebrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/0ea827/32.png) [@Zaphod\_Beeblebrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zaphod_Beeblebrox)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/47 "2001-10-16T13:17:46Z")
> [@](#): > > I will give anyone $1000 dollars if they can show me any footage of Whoopi Goldberg being funny. FWIW (probably not a grand), there’s an audio tape out there somewhere of a stand-up show she did right after coming out of rehab. It’s called _Fontaine: Why Am I Straight?_. It definitely has some amusing moments. I’m not talking about fall-off-your-chair-and-run-to-change-your-pee-soaked-pants funny, but still likely to cause a few mild chuckles. ---
**Author:** ![Xerxes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/d2c977/32.png) [@Xerxes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xerxes)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/48 "2001-10-16T14:38:41Z")
> [@](#): > > Who the hell is Rula Lenska except the pitch woman for Alberto VO5? Well, in the interests of fighting ignorance, she starred in a reasonably popular UK series in the 80’s (?) called Rock Follies, together with Julie Covington (‘Only women bleed’ + associations with A. Lloyd-Webbers Evita, I think). For her sins (which must have been considerable) she was married to Denis Waterman, another UK actor who I would imagine is totally unknown in the US. Oh yes, and she was/is a member of the Polish (I think) aristocracy - maybe a countess. That said, she probably still belongs as FFBF. ---
**Author:** ![Xerxes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/d2c977/32.png) [@Xerxes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xerxes)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/49 "2001-10-16T14:49:03Z")
> [@](#): > > I will give anyone $1000 dollars if they can show me any footage of Whoopi Goldberg being funny. I s’pose you had to be a bit oiled but some of those sodding hats she wore on ST:TNG were bordering on the surreal. Place huge purple trashcan-lid on head. Balance for remainder of episode. Repeat. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbazine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbazine/32/362_2.png) [@Bumbazine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbazine)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/50 "2001-10-16T16:04:20Z")
First of all, props to **Wendell Wagner** for setting the record straight on Ol’ Lonesome George. I remember watching his TV show when I was a kid, and he was very funny. I’ve also seen Charo play the guitar outside of her stage personna, and she deserves a LOT more respect than she ever got. (And she’s not as ditzy as she acts, either.) Anyway, my nominees in this catagory are: [sub]The envelope please…[/sub] Brooke Shields - I’m told she has finally developed into a reasonably competant actress. I wouldn’t know. and… Pauly Shore - Who is this guy? Where’d he come from? Is extradition an option? ---
**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/51 "2001-10-16T16:12:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mahaloth \* > \*\*I will give anyone $1000 dollars if they can show me any footage of Whoopi Goldberg being funny. \*\* [Empirical evidence.](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64786-2001Oct16.html) I’ll be looking forward to my PayPal disbursement. 😉 And no, I don’t actually think she’s funny. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Raven\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@The\_Raven\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Raven_1)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/52 "2001-10-16T20:52:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CalMeacham \* > \*\* > 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. > \*\* So **that’s** what the undefined terrorist threat for Boston was! I feel better now… I think… -Rav ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/53 "2001-10-16T22:24:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Reality Chuck! I did it and so did you, poor guy. I’m pretty darn sure it was Eva in Touch of Evil, The IMDB disagrees. ---
**Author:** ![Hombre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecb155/32.png) [@Hombre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hombre)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/54 "2001-10-16T22:56:46Z")
I **don’t** like her anymore, but Whoopie’s very early stand-up was mainstream and very funny. It lasted about 2 minutes, though, and ,damnit!, I don’t have proof. John Davison was an actor??? I nominate the undisputed FFBF - Orsen Bean. Even if he has done something lately (what is it?), for YEARS he was a ‘Tonight Show’ staple just for being OB. I sure a google search would turn it up, by I’ve never even known what he was famous for in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2001, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394/55 "2001-10-17T05:42:37Z")
There is only one person who can out-do Whoopie Goldberg and that is: Wait for it… Regis Philbin. What the flock has this weasle faced dweeb ever done to merit the least notice from the lowest guttersnipe? It is absolutely beyond me how this nitwit has become such a celebrity. Zenster (Who’s hoping like Hades that no one snuck a mention of him into this thread already.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-for-being-famous/87394.md?page=2)