Do not read the other posts before posting, and please limit your list to just 3 names.
Authors, musicians, actors, sportsball players, reality TV stars, whatever. Name your top 3.
It will be interesting to see if any Dopers match up 3 for 3.
I will post mine soon.
mmm
The last one is the one I’m most flexible about and subject to change without notice.
(in that order)
mmm
Bob Dylan, Marlon Brando, Billy Bragg.
Prof. J.R.R. Tolkien
Pete Seeger
Lou Gehrig
Stan Lee, Roger Corman, Quintin Tarantino.
ETA: If I allowed myself a few more seconds to think about it, Chuck Jones would have made the cut.
Captain Jean Luc Picard
Detective Lennie Brisco
Bob Belcher from Bobs Burgers
David Bowie
Stephen King
Audrey Hepburn
Frank Zappa
Lester Bangs
B. Kliban
Jim Henson
Terry Pratchett
Rowan Atkinson
Bill Bradley
Jesse Winker
Mr. Ed
*the OP did say “without much thinking”.
I posted without reading like you said and I seem to misunderstood what you meant by “pop culture heroes”—I thought you meant fictional characters but I guess you meant real people.
If that is the case:
Patrick Stewart
Stan Lee
George Lucas
J. R. R. Tolkien - massively popular fantasy writer (and inspired the world of roleplaying too)
Pete Townsend - creative genius behind the greatest rock band ever
Jesse Owens - incredible Olympic athlete, despite the racism in his country
Ayn Rand
Frank Zappa
Clint Eastwood
Jimmy Buffett
Donald Bellisario
Robert Jordan (RIP)
Prince
William Shakespeare
Stephen Sondheim
Very nice list.
mmm
Dav Pilkey
Johnny Cash
Mick Foley
Dolly Parton
Hilary Clinton
Princess Diana