# Most cumulatively unattractive TV show cast? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 3, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610 "2009-06-03T18:39:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/81 "2009-06-04T08:06:28Z")
Ronnie grows a beard to hide the scars from the stove burner and eventually you can’t see it anymore at all. Before, he had a really lame mustache, but he looked great with the beard. Ronnie was always my favorite character on the show. It was ingenious the way they slowly had him rise to significance, from a background character to a key player in the Strike Team hustles…and yet, for the first three or four seasons, he hardly has any lines. He’s always there, in the background, but he rarely says anything. When I used to watch that show with my friends, we would always take bets on whether Ronnie was going to say anything in any given episode. The Shield was amazing. I really cannot get into The Wire at all and I find it to be way too high-handed, complicated, and, quite simply, boring. I need a show with a real balance of action and story, and The Shield fits that bill perfectly. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/82 "2009-06-04T11:10:16Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Not that I’m a qualified judge of male hotness, but it seems there were some attractive guys on that show. Speaking just for myself here…oh, yeah! (on edit I realized this is so far away from the original thought that you may have forgotten he was referencing “Barney Miller”) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/83 "2009-06-04T12:55:11Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > Would it be cheating to mention anything british? Are You Being Served? I didn’t specify anything in the OP, but I guess it’s better to limit this to American TV. The rest of the world is much uglier. 🙂 > [@Hockey\_Monkey](#): > > I would also like to submit The Three Stooges. Not a TV series, but a series of film shorts. > [@notfrommensa](#): > > I think [this group](http://www.sitcomsonline.com/whatshappening/cast.gif) is pretty fat and ugly. Definitely fat. Ah, _What’s Happening!_ Yes, it makes this list. > [@zamboniracer](#): > > _Gunsmoke_ for long-running lack of hotness, other than the prairie itself. [Link](http://www.normsradio.com/articleimages/53/gunsmoke2%5B1%5D_resized.jpg) > > The original cast of [Cheers](http://store.infinitecoolness.com/coolposters/personalities/cheers/cheerstvposter001.jpg) wasn’t all that pretty, Sam & Diane’s opinions of themselves notwithstanding. I think Kitty started as a hottie, and grew out of it. Was James Arness himself supposed to be a manhottie? But yeah, I guess it qualifies. As far as _Cheers_ – no, Diane and Sam both were meant to be eye candy. Plus all the chicks Sam was bangin’. They do get some points for Carla and Nick, though – the grimmest married couple ever on a sitcom. > [@DWMarch](#): > > How about The Shield? Not the prettiest main cast ever seen and definitely the ugliest guest stars I’ve ever seen. > > Vic Mackey: Bald and has a beer gut > Shane Vendrell: Ugly, buck toothed and racist to boot > Curtis Lemansky: Ok, Lem isn’t so bad > Ronnie Gardocki: Would be handsome if not for the imprint of a stove burner on his face > David Aceveda: Otherwise handsome man except he looks like he shaves with buckshot > Claudette Wyms: Sacrificed looks for coolness. I love Claudette but she’s ugly as hell > Danny Sofer: not bad but definitely not a Hollywood beauty > Julien Lowe: handsome > Dutch Wagenbach: nerdy appeal I suppose. But not leading man looks, that’s for sure > Corrine Mackey: cast in an act of nepotism, not for looks > Tina Hanlon: added in the fifth season to be eye candy. Insanely hot but only seen in civilian clothes about twice during the three seasons she was on I’ve never seen this show. You yourself seem ambivalent about whether some of the characters might be considered eye candy. Anyone else want to pitch in on whether _The Shield_ should be on the list? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/84 "2009-06-04T13:31:37Z")
The funny thing about LaWanda Page (Aunt Esther on Sanford & Son) was that she was completely the opposite of her character on the show. LaWanda started out as an **exotic dancer** , dubbed “The Bronze Goddess of Fire” because she used fire stage magic tricks in her act (lighting cigarettes with her finger, etc). She later recorded the same sort of “blue” party albums as Redd Foxx (who was instrumental in casting her as Esther on the show), including one called _“Mutha” Is Only Half a Word!_. She sounds like someone who’d have been fun as hell to hang out with. ---
**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:** [June 4, 2009, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/85 "2009-06-04T13:58:38Z")
King of Queens and According to Jim should definitely make the list. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/86 "2009-06-04T14:25:17Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > The men on _Hee Haw_. The women made up for it.😃 Yeah, Buck Owens fell out of the ugly tree, and hit every branch on the way down… ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/87 "2009-06-04T16:08:09Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Nope, _Maude_ had Adrienne Barbeau, certainly a hottie by contemporaneous community standards. Remember, we’re talking about the most _cumulatively_ unattractive cast. Every member of the cast doesn’t have to be unattractive. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/88 "2009-06-04T16:13:20Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > Remember, we’re talking about the most _cumulatively_ unattractive cast. Every member of the cast doesn’t have to be unattractive. True. And Bill Macy and Conrad Bain together effectively cancel out Barbeau. Which leaves Hermione Baddeley as the coup de grace… ---
**Author:** ![cmosdes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cmosdes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmosdes)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/89 "2009-06-04T16:39:06Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > King of Queens and According to Jim should definitely make the list. Leah Remini isn’t exactly my style, but I think she balanced out Kevin James pretty well. Courtney Thorne-Smith and Kimberly Williams-Paisley more than make up for the other guys. I’ve always heard of these shows as being prime examples of TV showing guys dating/marrying way out of their league. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/90 "2009-06-04T16:59:35Z")
[James Arness and Amanda Blake](http://www.scvhistory.com/scvhistory/lw2109.htm) were both attractive actors when _Gunsmoke_ began in 1956. The photo linked to in an earlier post appears to be from the early 1970s. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/91 "2009-06-04T18:24:00Z")
> [@cmosdes](#): > > Leah Remini isn’t exactly my style, but I think she balanced out Kevin James pretty well. > > Courtney Thorne-Smith and Kimberly Williams-Paisley more than make up for the other guys. > > I’ve always heard of these shows as being prime examples of TV showing guys dating/marrying way out of their league. Isnt Kimberly Williams Paisley about the single most attractive woman on television? Courtney Thorne Smith is good looking, but is not even in the same league as KWP… ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/92 "2009-06-04T18:34:03Z")
_What’s Happening!!_ Except for Dwayne (who maybe only I thought was a cutie), Butt-Ugly City. Raj, Dee, Mama, Rerun and the piéce-that-can-be-resisted, Shirley. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/93 "2009-06-04T18:41:28Z")
And I forgot Raj’s teacher, who was also an occasional “Ugly” substitute for Aunt Esther on the occasion _Sanford and Son_ episode, and Rob, the restaurant owner. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/94 "2009-06-04T21:09:45Z")
How about South Park? ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/95 "2009-06-04T21:40:47Z")
> [@5-4-Fighting](#): > > _What’s Happening!!_ > > Except for Dwayne (who maybe only I thought was a cutie), Butt-Ugly City. > > Raj, Dee, Mama, Rerun and the piéce-that-can-be-resisted, Shirley. But Shirley. Shirley, Shirley, Shirlley. [Gezus Krist.](http://patdollard.com/wp-content/uploads/ashirl.jpg) Al_though_, I coveted her 'fro. Perfect. Not perfect enough to distract my eyes from that mug, though. ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/96 "2009-06-04T23:30:46Z")
Welcome Back, Kotter? ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/97 "2009-06-05T13:21:26Z")
He was never my cup of tea (I preferred Epstein, myself), but Travolta was enough of a hottie-phenomenon to offset the averageness of the rest of the cast. And I thought Raj was cute (and Dwayne also) on What’s Happening. Maybe not quite cute enough to offset Shirley, but that’s kind of hard to quantify. ---
**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:** [June 5, 2009, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/98 "2009-06-05T13:22:52Z")
Whose Line is it Anyway? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/99 "2009-06-05T13:34:02Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Whose Line is it Anyway? True, true…I can never shake the feeling that both Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles should have plumage. ---
**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:** [June 5, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610/100 "2009-06-05T14:03:56Z")
Of the four leads, the only one even remotely normal looking is Wayne Brady. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-cumulatively-unattractive-tv-show-cast/498610.md?page=6)