BY MICHAEL GOODPASTER
What IS a “Rockstar”? The definition and criteria isn’t as black and white as you’d think. The general idea of using the label “Rockstar” was reserved for someone who’s in a rock and roll band. That has certainly changed.
The modern Rockstar lives their lives out to the beat of their own drum. They aren’t just one lump group of people. You can’t really make out criteria for a made-up label like this. It’s being larger than life. It’s having style. It’s rebellion. It’s trashed dressing rooms. It’s a little too much make up. It’s a black eye in court. A Rockstar can be pretentious and get away with it, in fact it’s embraced. It’s the chanting stadiums, crying girls, and questionable habits. There is danger, passion, and a lust for life. It’s not just a fight for your right to party, but a constant war.
It’s all of these things, a few of these things, and none of these things all at the same time. In acting, it’s called “stage presence”. In professional wrestling, it’s “ring presence”. It’s owning your realm and appearing to be so comfortable in your own skin that people have no choice but to be drawn to you.
There are many factors that go into it. Some people just have an “it factor” to them that make them tick a certain way. Today I’m going to take a look at the first half of my top twenty “non-music Rockstars”. These are people who fit the bill as a “Rockstar”, but do not make music.
Without any further ado, here’s my list…
20. Criss Angel
[Day Job: Magician] This one was hard to accept. I was never one to hate on this guy. I know a lot of people are quick to mock the dude for his over the top dramatics and potential douche-baggery. The truth of the matter is that Criss Angel is a rockstar magician. I appreciate the art and skills of other comedians much more (Penn and Teller!), but Angel has style. He gets the Nickelback, NASCAR, and Hot Topic crowd and does well with it. He has a musical past as well. He recorded some music and was always hanging out with other rockstars on his show. And let’s be honest, this dude accessorizes more than most hookers.
19. Drew Barrymore
[Day Job: Actress] Drew Barrymore is a rockstar for a few reasons. She has a cool free spirit attitude and has always had style. The personality we’ve been exposed to of hers is just fun. Then on the darker side of it, Drew has a shaky past. As a child actress Drew sadly got into drugs, alcohol, and partying at a young age but luckily she’d get past it and grow into an awesome upstanding lady…. that can still rock.
18. Marc Maron
[Day Job: Comedian/Podcaster] If “DIY” is rock and roll then Marc Maron is a rockstar. Marc Maron won comedy. He’s been a stand-up comedian for years. He was always funny and had an interesting introspective attitude, but he also rubbed people the wrong way. For whatever reason, and there seems to be many, he didn’t seem to get along with his peers. Eventually he was backed into a wall and decided to try podcasting. Fast-forward a few years and he’s one of the pioneers of comedy podcasting, he has his own IFC tv show, he’s always on the road, and he’s pretty much forced people to respect and acknowledge him. He gets to interview people he looked up to, old friends, new friends, and even people he’s “iffy at best” with. The dude has more issues than National Geographic and every Monday and Thursday I’m downloading the next installment.
17. Mike Tyson
[Day Job: Boxer, Performer] Mike Tyson has been to prison, has bitten off a man’s ear in front of millions, has sung Phil Collins in one of the most popular comedy movies of all time, has a huge ass tattoo on HIS FACE, and oh, by the way, he’s one of the greatest boxers of all time. Mike Tyson is a unique cat. For better or for worse, Mike Tyson has lived one of the most interesting and eventful lives in the past thirty or so years.
16. Mickey Rourke
[Day Job: Actor] Mickey Rourke gives no fucks. This guy’s career has been a rollercoaster, but one consistent part of it has been the realness of the guy. He has a rockstar style. If you didn’t know any better you’d think he was an old rockstar that got into acting when he did “The Wrestler”. But a wiser man would know the classic acting work he put out in the 80s. Then he just got into boxing, drugs, and tons of bad stuff. He’s mess up his face with the boxing and would have to get surgery to fix him up. That would normally stop a career, but Rourke just kept moving forward. The same as ever.
15. Andrew Dice Clay
[Day Job: Comedian, Actor] They say “comedians want to be musicians and musicians want to be rockstars. Andrew Dice Clay pulled off getting his cake and eating it too. I guess in Dice’s case, you could say he ate “something else” and got it too. The man is a legend. His over the top personality was HUGE in the 80’s and 90’s. His stand up work was different and brought a fresh take to things. He’s almost like a professional wrestling character with his costume, catch phrases, intimidating appearance, and great crowd work. He’s had movies, been on TV, and has been part of pop culture for years. He’s recently showing up more and more and seems to be getting a much deserved and matured second wind. The dude SOLD OUT Madison Square Garden two nights in a row. The Knicks can barely do that.
14. Lindsay Lohan
[Day Job: Actress] What is there to say about Lindsay Lohan that hasn’t already been said. I heard the United States postal service is giving Lindsay her own postage stamp. You lick it and get herpes, you try to send it away and it crashes your car. Despite being a pretty damn good actress when she tries, she’s famous for being a train wreck. She has partied with the best of them, has gotten in and out of a lot of sticky legal trouble, she has style, and she just doesn’t seem to care about where this is all heading. I think we’re all cheering for her to not be a non-musician rockstar with a tragic ending. We’ve definitely had plenty of those throughout history.
13. Brad Pitt
[Day Job: Actor] Brad Pitt is just a bad ass. He is at the point in his career that he can pretty much get away with anything. He can make really ridiculous cologne commercials and sub-par movies and still get a pass with most people. He has also been in some great movies and had some of the coolest performances in modern cinema. He has a rockstar style and a mystique to him that makes him a natural draw for people. He’s maturing and not as rebellious as he’s been in the past, but again… he gets a pass. For crying out loud, the man is Tyler Durden! There are rules here I can’t talk about.
12. Winona Ryder
[Day Job: Actress] Winona Ryder is cooler than pretty much everyone. She’s naturally charming and really talented. She takes on interesting and cool movie roles and doesn’t seem to take herself too seriously. Her style is apparent. From her teenage years to now, she’s always doing her own thing while still being past the cutting edge. And then there are her legal issues. She had a whole legal issue over shoplifting in the early 00’s. If someone makes a “FREE WINONA” shirt, then that means Winona is a rockstar. It’s simple math.
11. Howard Stern
[Day Job: Host] How could anyone dare say that Howard Stern is NOT a Rockstar? The man basically reinvented the radio wheel with his show. For years he pushed the limits on free speech and was a great frontman for the cause. He’s been known for controversy, has a rockstar style, a good bio-pic that needs a sequel, and he has a die-hard fan base that would probably kill for him. When you’re fired from more radio stations than most rockstars even get played on then you’re worthy of the nickname “King of a media”
If any of these celebrities are reading, let’s party!
Next week: The Top 10!
Who do YOU think will among the Top 10 non-music Rockstars?
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