Howdy all, I would just like to start this entry by saying, yes, I know that I've been changing my avatar a lot lately. But I'm sticking with this one for a while. It's a retro logo for the Pittsburgh Pirates (one of, if not my #1, favorite baseball teams).
Well, now that I've gotten that out of the way, let's get back to my countdown of the Top 20 Celebrities Who'veShaped Who I Am Today!
#10:
Che Guevara
Yeah, some of you are probably saying, "Oh, Blaze must just be one of people who has no idea who Che was and just likes him because he's on those t-shirts". Well, you're wrong if you think that. I do happen to know a lot about Che, and I actually find him to be a very inspiring person. Not only was he a revolutionary who lived and died for what he believed in (which scores big points with me), but he was actually a deep thinker, and took the Cuban Revolution very seriously. He was also a very underappreciated writer, and he had a great way with words. And all of those are qualities that I hope to imitate.
#9:
Billy Collins
I would be really surprised if half of you reading this know who Billy Collins is. Billy Collins is an American poet,probably the most well known living poet in the world right now.Beingboth a writer and a huge fan of all things comedic, Billy Collins isnaturally an inspiring person to me. I consider myself to be a better poet than a fiction writer, so I spend more time trying to draw inspiration from poets, andBilly Collins has really inspired my writing. I didn't really caremuch about poetry until I was given a major project for my Creative Writing cla$$ in which I had to research a poet. I picked Collins, and his work completely changed my view of poetry, and I can thank him forfinishing that cla$$ with a 99 at the end of the semester ;).
#8:
Marlon Brando
If you read my Top 15 Favorite Actors countdown, then you know that Marlon Brando is in fact my favorite actor of all time. But now I'm going to look past his acting talent, and focus on why he's inspired me. Brando has shown me to always embrace who you are and how you truly feel about things. He tought me how to never try covering yourself up with something you're not, and also how not to let anybody get to you. He's portrayed both lovable and hateable characters, but no matter what, he'll always be the cool tought guy with the heart ofgold, who never let anyone change him.
#7:
Bob Dylan
Yes, he's chasing a tire in that picture :P. Bob Dylan has taught me lots of things, from music to perserverance. He was the first songwriter that I listened to who's lyrics really caught my attention, and I was like six years old when I started listening to Dylan. Also the fact that he's been doing this for nearly sixty years is really something to admire. Most people would've called it quits after nearly sixty years, but not Dylan.
#6:
Joel & Ethan Coen
The Coen Brothers have become the most recognizable duo in the film industry. And why wouldn't they? Believe it or not, The Coen Bros. have actually inspired my writing more than anything. They create the kinds of characters that I love; these really surreal people that are practically crazy but are so delightful at the same time. And they have that grand Coen Bros. fashion of making things both brutally violent and hilarious. And I love incorporating that into my short stories. If it weren't for the Coens, I probably never would've taken up this inventive form of writing.
#5:
Stephen Colbert
Personally, I think Stephen Colbert just might be the funniest man alive. I talked about what I admire about Jon Stewart in the first half of the list, and all of those apply to Colbert as well. But I just love how throughout every episode of The Colbert Report, he completely sticks to this brilliant character that he's created. And how he still manages to get the truth across while still making the Colbert character seem almost real. Almost :P. That puts him higher than Stewart on the list for me, but there are two somewhat biased reasons for Colbert being so high on the list. First, he's from Charleston, South Carolina, my hometown. And he's really the only good thing that's come out of this state, seeing as the only other reason why we're famous are for being the first state to join the Confederacy during the Civil War :?. That and because I actually got to meet Stephen Colbert :D.
#4:
Allen Ginsberg
Yup, another poet. But Ginsberg has inspired me in more ways than just writing. He's inspired me as a presenter, he's inspired my religious views, and my extreme liberal-ness :P. Ginsberg was just an insane figure, but if it weren't for him, I really wouldn't be who I am today. I've mentioned other people on this list who taught me how to be myself, but none of them have done that as much as Ginsberg. I every wild and activist thing that I do, there's some of Ginsberg in that.
#3:
Hunter S. Thompson
Okay, this is the last writer on the list! Hunter S. Thompson is without a doubt my favorite writer, as well as the biggest influence on my short stories. But honestly, I don't really know why I'm so mesmerized by his writing. I mean, there are obvious reasons like his descriptions, narrative voice, and realistic but still larger than life characters, but there's just something about his appeal that I can't explain. Of course he wasn't the most normal person, but he did sort of have all of my dream jobs. Such as being a published author, a sports writer, and part of Rolling Stone magazine's writing staff. My goal in life is be a writer for Rolling Stone. But until that time, I'll just have to keep drowning myself in the works of Dr. Gonzo.
#2:
The Marx Brothers
Yup, another set of brothers in the movie industry. To me, Groucho, Chico, and Harpo Marx are the definition of what it means to be funny. They were my introduction to actual comedy outside of just kid's TV shows. I've been watching their movies since I was really little and the more I watch them, they more hilarious they get. The three of personify three types of comedy and all three of them are the best at what they do. You've got Groucho, the wise a** weirdo who has a ridiculous comment about everything, Chico, the phony Italian con man, and of course Harpo, the silent woman chaser with probably the greatest facial expressions ever. If it weren't for the Marx Bros., I wouldn't see comedy the way that I see it today. And I probably wouldn't have the level of interest in cla$$ic movies that I have today if it weren't for The Marx Bros. So in terms of movies, I can thank them for just about everything.
#1:
Bruce Springsteen
Well, there you have it. Bruce Springsteen, the celebrity that's shaped my life the most. Had I not been introduced to Springsteen's music so early in my life, I can guarantee that I would be a totally different person. Springsteen has shaped me in countless ways. Music, personality, politics, words, humor, the list just goes on and on. Not only have I always wanted to be just like Springsteen, but I've tried hard my entire life to be like him. And let me tell you, it's been hard. I think you all get the idea, no single person has inspired me as much as The Boss, and it'simpossible that anyone ever will.
.......................................................................................................................
Song of the Day:
Foo Fighters - Rope
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbpqZT_56Ns
Picture of the Day: