# Minor celebrities who've become more famous for a bad reason **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 5, 2019, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-celebrities-whove-become-more-famous-for-a-bad-reason/832106 "2019-04-05T21:13:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2019, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-celebrities-whove-become-more-famous-for-a-bad-reason/832106/101 "2019-04-10T12:59:56Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > O.J. Simpson was the first running back to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season (1973) and, for a time, held the record for most touchdowns in a season (1975). He was the de facto face of the NFL during most the 70s and ranked just a bit below Muhammad Ali in terms of fame. Which means exactly jackshit outside of the United States. The murder case OTOH was international news fodder for years. ---
**Author:** ![MDfive21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@MDfive21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MDfive21)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2019, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-celebrities-whove-become-more-famous-for-a-bad-reason/832106/102 "2019-04-10T13:31:50Z")
In the vein of Marion Barry, how about Rob Ford, former mayor of Toronto? > **[Rob Ford](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Ford)** > > Robert Bruce Ford (May 28, 1969 – March 22, 2016) was a Canadian politician and businessman who served as the 64th mayor of Toronto from 2010 to 2014. Before and after his term as mayor, Ford was a city councillor representing Ward 2 Etobicoke North. He was first elected to Toronto City Council in the 2000 Toronto municipal election, and was re-elected to his council seat twice. > His political career, particularly his mayoralty, saw a number of personal and work-related controversies and lega... ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2019, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-celebrities-whove-become-more-famous-for-a-bad-reason/832106/103 "2019-04-10T15:32:36Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > To be sure, we’ve forgotten most of the 19th century theatrical actors. As I understand it, JWB was more of a heartthrob than Edwin. Maybe it would be like Tom Jones shooting the president. “It’s not unusual…” (Sorry, couldn’t resist). 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2019, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-celebrities-whove-become-more-famous-for-a-bad-reason/832106/104 "2019-04-10T16:03:51Z")
> [@jimlette](#): > > That would have been Edwin Booth, John Wilkes much more famous brother. Who [saved](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Booth#Robert_Lincoln_rescue) Abraham Lincoln’s son Robert! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2019, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-celebrities-whove-become-more-famous-for-a-bad-reason/832106/105 "2019-04-11T14:20:52Z")
Rob Lowe was a minor league Bratpack member before the sex tape scandal. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2019, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-celebrities-whove-become-more-famous-for-a-bad-reason/832106/106 "2019-04-11T14:32:02Z")
Yoko Ono. Who had even heard of her before she broke up John Lennon’s marriage AND the Beatles? ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2019, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-celebrities-whove-become-more-famous-for-a-bad-reason/832106/107 "2019-04-11T14:58:03Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Interesting thread premise as posed by the OP but totally derailed when all the people who don’t understand the words “minor celebrities” started including folks who were huge stars before their deaths. Indeed. I lost it when Kurt Cobain, the Biggest (if reluctant) Star in Rock Music while alive, was mentioned here. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2019, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-celebrities-whove-become-more-famous-for-a-bad-reason/832106/108 "2019-04-11T16:12:14Z")
> [@Toxylon](#): > > Indeed. I lost it when Kurt Cobain, the Biggest (if reluctant) Star in Rock Music while alive, was mentioned here. I agree that Kurt Cobain doesn’t belong here(although I admit he did become bigger after his death). Courtney Love definitely became more well known as Kurt’s widow after his death and is probably a better candidate here than Kurt himself. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-celebrities-whove-become-more-famous-for-a-bad-reason/832106/109 "2019-04-13T05:30:22Z")
I was going to mention Anna Nicole Smith. She was a relatively famous model, biggest campaign was Guess Jeans, who was a Playboy Playmate of the Year. She was never Kardaishian huge, but did have her own reality show that lasted two seasons. She eventually became notorious after marrying an 89 year old billionaire and fighting for her inheritance after he died. Tragically, her son died then she, herself, died, spawning a huge custody battle over her daughter and the final disposition of the estate. She became much more famous after her death with the court cases. If I recall, she was the third big “Court TV” case, after the Menendez Brothers and OJ Simpson. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-celebrities-whove-become-more-famous-for-a-bad-reason/832106/110 "2019-04-13T13:36:50Z")
Herman Tarnower was a minor celebrity, writing The Scarsdale Diet book. He became more famous for being shot to death by his lover, prep school principal Jean Harris. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-celebrities-whove-become-more-famous-for-a-bad-reason/832106.md?page=5)