# Whose career don't you get? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 21, 2002, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-career-dont-you-get/133222 "2002-10-21T13:35:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2002, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-career-dont-you-get/133222/61 "2002-10-26T10:38:10Z")
So, to review, these are the names that jump out as dead-on (and not seriously argued against): Sandra Bernhard Yoko Barbara Walters Tom Green Carson Daly Rosie O’Donnell Steve Guttenberg Bonnie Hunt Drew Barrymore Sarah Jessica Parker Mr. T Ricki Lake Sondra Locke The domination of this admittedly subjective list by women should not be viewed as misogynism, IMO, as much as to my trying to weed out those people whose careers I feel to derive from their physical attractiveness, where I tried to give the benefit of the doubt. (I don’t find Fabio or Antonio Banderas hot, but I’ve got to assume that there are women who do.) I felt much more comfortable eliminating men on this basis, but if a women is unattractive to me, I felt comfortable declaring her to be physically unattractive in general. (I think Steve Guttenberg may be attractive to certain women, too, but no one said so, so I left him on the list.) Anyway, does anyone want to argue that the above list contains someone whose successful career makes sense? ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-career-dont-you-get/133222/62 "2002-10-28T18:32:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pseudotriton ruber ruber \* > \*\*So, to review, these are the names that jump out as dead-on (and not seriously argued against): > > Sandra Bernhard > Yoko > Barbara Walters > Tom Green > Carson Daly > Rosie O’Donnell > Steve Guttenberg > Bonnie Hunt > Drew Barrymore > Sarah Jessica Parker > Mr. T > Ricki Lake > Sondra Locke > > \ > Anyway, does anyone want to argue that the above list contains someone whose successful career makes sense? \*\* I’ll take a stab at a few: Yoko married John. Isn’t that enough? Tom Green is willing to go all out in gross-out and annoyance. It can be mildy amusing. It’s not so much that he’s good at it. Just that he’s willing to do things that others aren’t. (Waking up japanese businessmen in one of those filing cabinet hotels comes to mind.) Drew Barrymore, I like. I think she’s a middling to decent actress, and very very cute, when she’s not being skanky. She was great in the Wedding Singer, and up to par in Charlie’s Angels, and the best part of Scream. Mr. T. Really, the world needs Mr. T. He’s got Charisma. Who else could “play” the parts he has in the A-team and Rocky. He was mainly just himself, but who else could be? The rest, I cannot explain… ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-career-dont-you-get/133222/63 "2002-10-28T19:57:54Z")
**Kirstie Alley.** She was great in one role, North and South. She has since just sucked in everything. \*\*Buffy the Vampire Slayer \*\* I just don’t get it. \*\*Nicole Kidman \*\* yes she is drop dead gorgeous. I have yet to see her in a film and actually act. \*\*Richard Gere \*\* He is good looking, but cannot act. He is blander than vanilla. \*\*Diane Keaton \*\* \*\*Halle Berry \*\* Beautiful, that is it. \*\*Goldie Hawn \*\* She is the same role time and time again. It’s really tiring. \*\*Tom Arnold \*\* ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-career-dont-you-get/133222/64 "2002-10-29T00:07:43Z")
i have to strongly second whitney houston. and here is one not yet covered…lenardo dicaprio…his looks aren’t quite right, and also his acting is a bit strained…also, on j love hewitt…didn’t she go on one of those hirrid diets and her knockers shriveled down to zero? she looks terrible nowadays… ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-career-dont-you-get/133222/65 "2002-10-29T03:49:03Z")
Damn, **handsome** , you beat me to it. Leonardo DiCaprio is a complete mystery to me. His pre-pubescent looks are not attractive and his acting leaves much to be desired. Not only was he considered by the media as a “star” but also a “hearthrob”. huh?? ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-career-dont-you-get/133222/66 "2002-10-29T04:19:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Art Vandelay, Architect \* > \*\*What? no mention of Rosie O’Donnell? > > How this obnoxious, shrill, celebrity-fawning blob ever became a star is a mystery for the ages. Who was ever dumb enough to believe that fake “queen of nice” act? And she’s no better now that she’s let her inner-bitch out. > > Proving to the world that lesbian soccer moms can be every bit as annoying, screechy and self-absorbed as heterosexual soccer moms is not one of the world’s greatest achievements. \*\* I never understood this ‘queen of nice’ thing, either. Didn’t any of these writers watch her stand-up act? She had a caustic edge, like Roseanne. As for the rest, so long as they’re bringing in the bucks, I can understand why someone will invest in them. What confuses me are the “journalists” like Geraldo Rivera and Connie Chung. Unlike Barbara Walters and Larry King (whose success can be measured in ratings), these two news clowns are known more for their foolish performances than any accomplishments. And is there one drool-sucking slack-jawed news hound who would see an ad promoing their latest stunt and say, “Hot damn! I gotta be there for that!” Inconceivable. ---
**Author:** ![fizgig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@fizgig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizgig)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-career-dont-you-get/133222/67 "2002-10-29T06:33:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ruby \* > \*\*Damn, **handsome** , you beat me to it. > > Leonardo DiCaprio is a complete mystery to me. His pre-pubescent looks are not attractive and his acting leaves much to be desired. > > Not only was he considered by the media as a “star” but also a “hearthrob”. huh?? \*\* I think Leo’s earlier work was pretty good. He was great in “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?” and “Basketball Diaries.” He just tanked after “Titanic,” though. I can’t remember what it was, but I saw him in something after that and thought “umm, couldn’t he, at one point, act halfway convincingly?” He’s kind of icky now, too. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-career-dont-you-get/133222/68 "2002-10-29T06:42:14Z")
Gotta agree first and foremost on **Sandra Bernhard**. That was the name that came to mind immediately when I saw the thread title, before even reading the thread! And while she’s not much of a star now (save for her recent 15 extra minutes of fame doing a Playboy layout), how about **Tiffany** , the shopping mall tour queen of the mid 80’s? Everything she did was a copy of somebody else, even down to dance moves stolen from other singers’ videos. How did she even happen? On **Whitney Houston** – well, she has two songs. The fast one and the slow one. They both suck. Ditto on **Ellen DeGeneres**. News for you, El. It wasn’t because you’re gay. It was because you and your show were **not funny**. Shows like “Will and Grace” made it because they are funny, not because you paved the way. > [@](#): > > **Binarydrone:** > You know, I actually find Sandra Bernhard kind of attractive Have you considered Lasik surgery, or perhaps even contact lenses? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-career-dont-you-get/133222/69 "2002-10-29T06:59:55Z")
How did Martin Short get into show biz? He makes me cringe. Nicolas Cage was fantastic in that Italian movie that he did with Cher…Oh…what’s the name of it? I think it has “moon” in the title. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-career-dont-you-get/133222/70 "2002-10-29T07:04:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zoe \* > \*\*Nicolas Cage was fantastic in that Italian movie that he did with Cher…Oh…what’s the name of it? I think it has “moon” in the title. \*\* _Moonstruck_. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-career-dont-you-get/133222/71 "2002-10-29T17:52:14Z")
Max von Sydow Erland Josephson I have absolutely no idea why these two are concidered so great, both at home in Sweden and abroad. They share the charisma of a bagful of potatoes and their acting abilities is on par, be it in Swedish or in English. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-career-dont-you-get/133222.md?page=3)