# How Would You Classify Brooke Shields? B-List or C? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 19, 2014, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047 "2014-11-19T04:53:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047/41 "2014-11-20T19:20:23Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > Wasn’t that her body double (like she had in the **Blue Lagoon** )? I believe so, but Wiki doesn’t say one way or the other. I did find an old _People_ [article](http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20079952,00.html) which says it was the sound man’s daughter. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047/42 "2014-11-20T20:22:48Z")
> [@Nema98](#): > > She was never big but well known and always just there. Never big?! As mentioned, she was a very famous tween/teen star – Pretty Baby and its controversy, Blue Lagoon, Endless Love, Calvin Klein advertisements, attended Princeton, … ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047/43 "2014-11-20T20:40:27Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Never big?! As mentioned, she was a very famous tween/teen star – Pretty Baby and its controversy, Blue Lagoon, Endless Love, Calvin Klein advertisements, attended Princeton, … …Domineering stage mother who made as much hoopla as Brooke. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047/44 "2014-11-20T20:48:15Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > …Domineering stage mother who made as much hoopla as Brooke. So what? She starred in several successful movies. She had a TV show that lasted several seasons. She remains extremely recognizable. She was A-list at her prime, and stopped being A-List of her own free will. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047/45 "2014-11-20T20:54:53Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > So what? > > She starred in several successful movies. She had a TV show that lasted several seasons. She remains extremely recognizable. She was A-list at her prime, and stopped being A-List of her own free will. I was agreeing with **gigi** ; Brooke made it as big as she did despite her mother. ---
**Author:** ![magnusblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@magnusblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magnusblitz)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047/46 "2014-11-20T21:12:46Z")
I have no idea who Brooke Shields is, and even after looking her up on Wikipedia, don’t think I’ve seen anything she’s been in. I’m ~30, for what it’s worth, so might well be a generational thing. Not sure if you can say someone is A-list in that situation - I would think that someone A-list would be so saturated in pop culture they’d be recognizable regardless of age. ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047/47 "2014-11-20T21:47:27Z")
Can one be a washed-up A-List has-been? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047/48 "2014-11-20T21:49:12Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > Can one be a washed-up A-List has-been? No. If you’re a has-been, you’re by definition not an A-Lister; you’re a former A-Lister. Like Brooke. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047/49 "2014-11-20T22:54:11Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Never big?! As mentioned, she was a very famous tween/teen star – Pretty Baby and its controversy, Blue Lagoon, Endless Love, Calvin Klein advertisements, attended Princeton, … No just that she was never big in my lifetime, I was born in 1987. Her peak was in the late 70’s and early 80’s, frankly her teen years. That was her A List years. Her looks peaked at that time also, by her early 20’s she had already changed, though she was/still is attractive. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047/50 "2014-11-20T23:00:33Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > If you haven’t seen her as Rita Glossner in [The Middle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKRogu-r5SA), you might be surprised that she’s pretty good at comedy. She is really good in that, and surprisingly, seems to be a natural as the neighbor from hell. ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047/51 "2014-11-22T15:47:51Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > If you haven’t seen her as Rita Glossner in [The Middle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKRogu-r5SA), you might be surprised that she’s pretty good at comedy. I’d come in to post this. I didn’t notice it for several episodes then my wife came in while I was watching and said “hey, that’s Brooke Shields!”. She is very funny in the Middle and has a great character. But I would say C-list since she went from starring in movies to appearing in a supporting role in a minor sitcom. And that might be deliberate, she seemed to stay out of the limelight after a while. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047/52 "2014-11-23T03:55:41Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > BTW, she kind of pioneered the “I’m a virgin!” method of promoting her career, later copied by Britney Spears (who apparently defined the word differently than most) and Jessica Simpson. It’s always awkward when they back off from the claim in their 20s. Did Brooke ever say who her first time was with? The rumored contenders were Woody Harrelson, Dean Cain and Liam Neeson. According to the excerpt in _People_, it was Cain. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047/53 "2014-11-23T04:01:12Z")
Yes she said it plenty of times, it was Dean Cain. Prior it was close call with George Michael in limo as she thought but George said he needed to focus on his career as if dating or sleeping with someone prevents you from advancing in your career. But we now know the reason with George Michael. Some of her relationships in her teens were for show like with John Travolta who was 27 and Brooke was 16 in 1981! Crazy mom she had. ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047/54 "2014-11-23T05:34:58Z")
> [@Nema98](#): > > Yes she said it plenty of times, it was Dean Cain. Dean’s list, then. ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2014, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047/55 "2014-11-25T19:17:03Z")
With a solid Broadway and West End resume (she can sing and dance), long acting career as well as being a former supermodel; I’d say she’s former A+, now an A- to B+. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047/56 "2014-11-27T09:18:43Z")
> [@stanger](#): > > I always thought she was very attractive, and still is, in fact. Though I have no problem that she is not a busty woman, I think she has the most perfectly shaped long legs I have ever seen. Speaking of her bosomedness, I never really liked her look, overall. Then, I saw her in one of those “Tales of the Weird”, or somesuch, anthology series. She was wearing slacks, and only a bra, which indeed indicated that she was only a B-cup. But: her shape totally intrigued me. She looked ultimately sexy, and though I usually prefer larger knockers, I would have killed for her that night. As to the OP: I would say B-lister, former A. She had clout way back when, but now, not so much. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047/57 "2014-11-27T16:08:56Z")
I honestly don’t get all the “A-lister” rankings. IMO, Shields, at her most famous was barely a “B.” But perhaps we’re defining ranking differently. The way I defined it is by the Ulmer Scale, aka The Hot List, which takes bankability into account. “Bankability is the degree to which an actor’s name alone can raise 100% or majority account financing – up-front for a film.” Using that scale, an A-lister is not just a well known celebrity, but someone who’d be considered a coupe if they appeared as a guest on “The Tonight Show”: George Clooney, Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts – people who can sell a film just by virtue of appearing in it. And the list is pretty short. Other A-listers IMO: The Beckhams, Melissa McCarthy, Tom Cruise (slipping), Emma Stone, Princess Kate (because she’d sell out events just by virtue of appearing), Ben Affleck. God help me, the Kardashians and Kanye may be on the “A” list. [http://ulmerscale.com/aboutUS.html](http://ulmerscale.com/aboutUS.html) So it’s not really a diss to rank Shields as a “C” given I don’t think she was ever able to sell out a movie or that hot of an actress that people were begging for her to appear in their films. She’s lovely, but just not that great of an actress. And considering I’d rank people like Gwyneth Paltrow, Jack Black, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Kiera Knightly as “B” celebrities (well known, but not able to sell out a movie or magazine), then I think it’s fitting to rank Shields below them but above someone like Kathy Griffiths. But it appears that I’m in the minority here because most people are listing her as an “A.” So my perception is obviously skewed. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047/58 "2014-11-29T03:36:10Z")
Totally A List if she simply decided to get back into it. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047/59 "2014-11-29T04:50:19Z")
I would say something like Honorary A list, if nothing else for the Pretty Baby controversy and the Calvin Klein jeans controversy … and I think she’s the sort of actress where, if suddenly she was cast in a lead role of a major film, it would be prime entertainment news (even if the story was "who would have guessed?). In the real world, I couldn’t argue much with a B list designation, though. C list? That’s just crazy. C list celebrities are people who got famous on reality shows, or for having sex with A listers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-classify-brooke-shields-b-list-or-c/705047.md?page=2)