"Gimmick" Celebrities That Turned Out To Actually Be Talented....

[DrNewGod]

This comes from Grey Lensman's post on the Controversial Opinions Thread:

Lady Gaga tried to just sing music initially, but failed to get much notice. It's only after she went all outlandish that anyone cared for what her music was like.

Way back in his breakout days, I thought there was no way that Prince was going to last once people tired of his antics, and I can see that people might have thought the same of Elton John. Both of them proved to have real talent that lasted over time.

Who else is out there like that who's image masks their very real abilities? (not just limited to musicians)

[jetengine]

Jim Carrey is a failed actor who turned out to be a talented artist.

If thats failure then damn

The thing about Gaga though was afaik her gimmicks were designed because the corporate music industry wouldn't let her on stage because she didn't have 'the right look' so she had to generate her own hype via stunts.

[Adam Allen]

Jim Carrey is a failed actor who turned out to be a talented artist.

Carrey just quit acting; his career was doing fine and dandy.

[ed2962]

I don't think Jim Carrey was ever a failed actor. His career kept going upward until very recently as he's gotten older.

[Gray Lensman]

If thats failure then damn

The thing about Gaga though was afaik her gimmicks were designed because the corporate music industry wouldn't let her on stage because she didn't have 'the right look' so she had to generate her own hype via stunts.

That sounds like Christina Aguilera doing her over the top 'sex sells' routine. I am mostly convinced that it was to permanently break the 'virginal pop idol' image they wanted to stuff her in.

[Powerboy]

This comes from Grey Lensman's post on the Controversial Opinions Thread:
Way back in his breakout days, I thought there was no way that Prince was going to last once people tired of his antics, and I can see that people might have thought the same of Elton John. Both of them proved to have real talent that lasted over time.

Who else is out there like that who's image masks their very real abilities? (not just limited to musicians)

Well, obviously, Mr. T. [I'm joking].

[Gray Lensman]

Well, obviously, Mr. T. [I'm joking].

Fun fact - he called himself that so that white people would have to call him "Mr." He had childhood memories of his father, uncle, and older brother always being called 'boy.'

[Adam Allen]

That sounds like Christina Aguilera doing her over the top 'sex sells' routine. I am mostly convinced that it was to permanently break the 'virginal pop idol' image they wanted to stuff her in.

If you're going to credit sexy-as-a-gimmick, then Madonna? I can't say she did it first, but she did it for like decades...

[Totoro Man]

Jim Carrey is a failed actor who turned out to be a talented artist.

never liked him or his work. acting or artwork... it's all the same for me.

let's put it this way... if he weren't a celebrity and didn't consistently try to make politically provocative works.... how many people would be praising his artwork? I'd sooner read Doonesbury or look up what Aaron MacGruder is doing lately.

I'm not saying Carrey doesn't have a certain type of talent... but, I have always disliked what he DOES with that talent.

[jetengine]

That sounds like Christina Aguilera doing her over the top 'sex sells' routine. I am mostly convinced that it was to permanently break the 'virginal pop idol' image they wanted to stuff her in.

Nah. Its a common trope in the Corporate Music industry iirc.

[MyriVerse]

let's put it this way... if he weren't a celebrity and didn't consistently try to make politically provocative works.... how many people would be praising his artwork? I'd sooner read Doonesbury or look up what Aaron MacGruder is doing lately.

TBH, I don't see that he has any talent outside of his acting/comedy. There's no way that anyone can honestly say he's a failure at his acting/comedy.

Honestly, no one has mentioned a "gimmick" celeb yet, imo. The talent of all of these people was very clear before anyone ever heard of them.

[Zero Hunter]

Weird Al. The man is still going strong decades after he started. If he was not really talented he would have faded away a long time ago.

[KOSLOX]

Jonah Hill?

[DrNewGod]

People forget that Tom Hanks began as a goof-ball actor/standup dude, whose first notable role was in a cheesy two-season sit-com.

[Rob Allen]

This is too long ago for most of you, but - Tiny Tim was a long-haired ukulele-playing weirdo who sang really old songs in a quavering falsetto. The media treated him as a joke, but he was a genuine musicologist and scholar of early 20th century music.