# Surprising second occupations of performers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 4, 2021, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507 "2021-12-04T17:32:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2021, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/81 "2021-12-06T16:25:09Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Jimmy Stewart is Hollywood’s greatest pilot. Stewart was one of the interviewees in the landmark British WWII documentary [The World at War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_at_War), in which he talked about the experience of bombing Nazi Germany. He was identified on screen as “Brigadier General James Stewart.” If you didn’t recognize him, you wouldn’t have known that he was an actor. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2021, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/82 "2021-12-06T16:47:52Z")
We all know Pete Townshend as a musician, singer, songwriter and sometimes writer of prose, but few know that he had a regular job as an editor for years at Faber and Faber, London. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2021, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/83 "2021-12-06T17:22:43Z")
Pamela Stephenson, actress and comic (made famous by her work on British show Not The Nine O’Clock News), subsequently qualified as a clinical psychologist. Whilst psychology became her career, she still did occasional TV work - some psychology related, some not. She has also authored a number of books - again, some psychology related, some not (and notably including a biography of her husband, Billy Connolly). > **[Pamela Stephenson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamela_Stephenson)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > > Pamela Helen Stephenson, Lady Connolly (born 4 December 1949) is a New Zealand-born psychologist, writer, and performer who is now a resident in both the United Kingdom and the United States. She is best known for her work as an actress and comedian during the 1980s, particularly in Not the Nine O'Clock News; History of the World, Part I; and Superman III. She has written several books, which include a biography of her husband Sir Billy Connoll... j ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2021, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/84 "2021-12-06T18:26:03Z")
Gwyneth Paltrow is not only an actress, but she is also a professional huckster and public idiot who has made millions selling women bad advice and questionable things to put in their nether regions. So there’s that. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2021, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/85 "2021-12-06T18:56:15Z")
Noted cameo actor Stan Lee worked in comics. ---
**Author:** ![psiekier](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psiekier/32/116_2.png) [@psiekier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psiekier)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2021, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/86 "2021-12-06T19:34:23Z")
Jaret Reddick, lead singer of Bowling For Soup, is also the voice of Charleston Entertainment Cheese: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7nKyPsdp1Ak/hqdefault.jpg "TV Commercial - Chuck E. Cheese's - Superheroes and Princesses - Where A Kid Can Be A Kid") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nKyPsdp1Ak) Maybe that’s not terribly surprising. ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2021, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/87 "2021-12-06T20:41:34Z")
**Pamela Rooke** , known at the time as **Jordan** , was very influential in defining the style and fashion of UK Punk Music during the 1970s. These days she works as a veterinarian nurse and a breeder of Burmese cats. > **[Pamela Rooke](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamela_Rooke)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > Pamela Rooke (23 June 1955 – 3 April 2022), also known as Jordan and Jordan Mooney, was an English model and actress known for her work with Vivienne Westwood and the SEX boutique in the Kings Road area of London in the mid-1970s, and for attending many of the early Sex Pistols performances. Her style and dress sense—a bleached platinum-blonde bouffant hairdo with dark raccoon-like eye make-up—made her a highly visible icon of the London punk su... TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2021, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/88 "2021-12-06T20:50:25Z")
Former presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke was in a punk band in the mid 1990s. The original drummer for Foreigner, Dennis Elliott, is a well-known (in that field) woodworker. > **[Dennis Elliott - Lathe Turned Wood Sculpture - Wall & Kinetic Art - Museums](http://www.denniselliott.com/)** > > Dennis Elliott is a master artist creating unique wood vessels, wall hangings & interactive sculptures, lathe-turned, carved or burned detailing. His work has won numerous awards & appear at venues as different as the Smithsonian & Star Trek Voyager. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2021, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/89 "2021-12-06T21:20:14Z")
Ezra Koenig, the lead singer of Vampire Weekend, also created a Netflix animated series: > **[Neo Yokio](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo_Yokio)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > Neo Yokio (Japanese: ネオ・ヨキオ) is an adult animated streaming television series created by Ezra Koenig of American rock band Vampire Weekend, and produced by Japanese anime studios Production I.G. and Studio Deen. The first season, consisting of six episodes, premiered on Netflix on September 22, 2017. The Christmas special Neo Yokio: Pink Christmas was released on December 7, 2018. > Netflix's press release describes Neo Yokio as the "greatest cit... ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2021, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/90 "2021-12-06T21:38:35Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Her bandmate, Jackie Fox, graduated from Harvard Law School And was a four time Jeopardy! champ. Anyone can graduate Harvard, but Jeopardy! champ? Much rarer. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2021, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/91 "2021-12-06T23:16:55Z")
I tried to make this clear on her Wikipedia page but it’s fiercely protected by someone who threatens to make false accusations of vandalism against you if you make changes unflattering to Paltrow ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2021, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/92 "2021-12-07T00:25:59Z")
When she’s not out chasing diseases like Ebola, Pardis Sabeti, MD Ph.D. sings for a band called A Thousand Days. https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/track=4066081941/size=large/linkcol=0084B4/notracklist=true/twittercard=true/ ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2021, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/93 "2021-12-07T13:44:55Z")
Using her real name of Jackie Fuchs, just in case anyone want to search for her on J! Archive. On last night’s Jeopardy!, there was a clue about The Runaways. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2021, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/94 "2021-12-07T14:05:09Z")
[Alannah Currie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thompson_Twins#After_the_Twins) of the Thompson Twins went on to run a glass-casting studio in NZ and formed an anti-genetic modification movement. She now lives in London as “Miss Pokeno,” a visual artist. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2021, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/95 "2021-12-07T14:10:16Z")
The 80s rap star Vanilla Ice now does home improvement shows on HGTV. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2021, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/96 "2021-12-07T14:30:24Z")
I suppose we ought to give a nod towards Bob Geldof here, who for quite a while managed to combine the careers of musician and a world-class charity worker. j ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2021, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/97 "2021-12-07T15:59:35Z")
Actor Lee Marvin was handyman / janitor / stagehand at the Woodstock Playhouse in New York. One of the actors in a play couldn’t perform one night and Lee said “I’ve heard all the lines every night. I can do it.” and a star was born. ---
**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:** [December 7, 2021, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/98 "2021-12-07T16:12:49Z")
Both James Brown and Billy Joel were Golden Gloves boxers. You can tell with Joel, by the rather disheveled state of his nose. Roosevelt “Rosey” Grier started out as a football player at Penn State and then was drafted in the NFL, but later drifted into acting. He worked security for Bobby Kennedy during the 1968 campaign (he wrestled the gun from Sirhan Sirhan), was ordained as a Protestant minister, and wrote several books, the most memorable arguably would be _Needlepoint for Men._ ---
**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:** [December 7, 2021, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/99 "2021-12-07T17:11:19Z")
Winchell’s daughter, April, has done voices for it seems like every cartoon made since 2010… > **[April Winchell - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0934589/)** > > April Winchell. Actress: Who Framed Roger Rabbit. April Terri Winchell is a Jewish-American voice actress from New York City. She is the daughter of Paul Winchell. She voiced in many cartoons and video games such as Clarabelle Cow, Wander Over... …and has made available online the absolutely worst records since 1950… > **[April Winchell - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0934589/)** > > April Winchell. Actress: Who Framed Roger Rabbit. April Terri Winchell is a Jewish-American voice actress from New York City. She is the daughter of Paul Winchell. She voiced in many cartoons and video games such as Clarabelle Cow, Wander Over... I need to start a thread celebrating her contributions to the study of crappy recordings. We Boomers were fans of irony long before Gen Xers discovered their toes. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2021, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507/100 "2021-12-08T00:51:00Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > Roosevelt “Rosey” Grier started out as a football player at Penn State and then was drafted in the NFL, but later drifted into acting. He worked security for Bobby Kennedy during the 1968 campaign (he wrestled the gun from Sirhan Sirhan), was ordained as a Protestant minister, and wrote several books, the most memorable arguably would be _Needlepoint for Men._ He also sang “It’s alright to cry” on _Free to be you and me_. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Y52bs0aX6v8/hqdefault.jpg "Its alright to cry.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y52bs0aX6v8) Not the most beautiful voice, but does hit the key change admirably. And if Rosie says it’s alright to cry, who can possibly argue? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-second-occupations-of-performers/955507.md?page=6)