7/25/03 The Icon List

Alrighty, now it is time to discuss VH-1's Top 200 Icons. Of course, I knew that I would probably disagree with most of the list, but then, they made Oprah the number 1 Icon, well that is when I decided to take things into my own hands. Here's what I'm gonna do..I'm gonna list real quick the top 25 according to VH-1, then I'll go through mine. And, I have to say, I was very unbiased about this. I didn't do it alone, Jason and I alotted points for 5 different areas that make up an Icon. (It is good that Jason and I did it together because nowhere do we disagree more violently than in the area of music....so, we kept each other in line. These are the five criteria:

Do they pass the one-name test?
Can you dress up as them for Halloween?
Did/Do they cause a certain amount of hysteria? Fan Devotion?
Did their existence influence society? (Musically, in fashion, in terms of language or how things are done, points are also awarded for originality and pioneering)
Was or is there merchandising or paraphernalia that bears their image or that they are directly involved with (i.e. clothing line)?

Now, before I go through the list, I have to admit one instance of bias and one instance of continued debate. First, truth be told, points wise, Superman should have been in front of Batman (you'll understand later) but Jason and I agreed that Batman was cooler and so Superman loses.

As am I writing this, Jason and i are still arguing over the number 1 and 2 spots. So here's what I'd like to do. When you are finished reading this, gimme a shout to let me know if you think number 1 and 2 should be swapped or stay the same (I don't want to ruin the surprise.) Ok, here we go.....

VH1's list:
25. The Rolling Stones 12. The Beatles
24. JFK Jr. 11. Friends Cast
23. Julia Roberts 10. Michael Jackson
22. Tom Hanks 9. Princess Di
21. The Simpsons 8. Michael Jordan
20. Britney Spears 7. Madonna
19. The Brady Bunch 6. Marilyn Monroe
18. Bill Clinton 5. Tom Cruise
17. Mickey Mouse 4. Lucille Ball
16. Muhammed Ali 3. Elvis Presley
15. Jennifer Lopez 2. Superman
14. Steven Spielberg 1. Oprah Winfrey
13. Jerry Seinfeld

So yeah, I don't like that list....Here is ours, with a little explanation of why they are Icons. Oh, and sadly, The Stones didn't make it, it was very close, but they ended up number 26.

25. Bill Clinton: Billy was more than a President....he was a media firestorm. The affairs, the scandals, the cigar. Even in the midst of being impeached, his approval ratings were sick. He was so likable, so outgoing, so empathetic....it was really hard not to like billy. I mean, he was everywhere....SNL loved poking fun at him every week, I mean, my goodness, there were clinton masks everywhere too at halloween time!!

24. The Friends Cast Ross, Joey, Chandler, Rachel, Monica, Phoebe....Unless you are living under a rock, you know who I'm talking about. Friends pretty much single handedly made NBC the ratings leader, there is Friends merchandise everywhere, and does anyone remember "the Rachel"? Oh yeah, I got one. The cast was an example of how to negotiate contracts. For 8 years, their "all for one, one for all" approach has been successful and made them the highest paid group on tv.

23. Muhammed Ali I wasn't alive when Ali was actively fighting, but it amazes me that he still moves people so much. People are awed by him, they are inspired by him and he is arguably the greatest boxer that ever lived.

22. Tom Cruise: He is one of the biggest movie stars of today. He's been in a bunch of films that affected pop culture (Risky Business, Top Gun, Rain Man to name just a few). He is one of the biggest box office draws in history. Men want to be like him and women (not me though) want to be with him. Still missing that oscar though.

21. Oprah Winfrey: Ohhh, look how oprah has fallen. I'm not diminshing her influence at all, I mean, my goodness, her audience is fierce, they follow her like a little flock. She is a strong woman who came into tv, and made a statement. She made her voice heard and in doing so, made it possible for other women to come up and be strong and not be afraid to say what they had to say.

20. Princess Diana: When Diana married Prince Charles she represented the fairy tale that many women dream of. I remember watching the weding on tv with my mom. She was a fashion maven....she set trends.... When her marriage fell apart, she represented a strong woman who didn't need a man to take care of her. She went on, she didn't crumble without her Prince, no, instead she became her own woman. Diana campaigned against land mines, visited poor sick children in struggling countries and dedicated much of her time to charities. Diana could never escape that hysteria that followed her after she became a princess, and died trying to flee from paparazzi.

19. John F. Kennedy: JFK was a turning point in American politics. With tv becoming more and more prominent in homes across America, the dynamic of campaigns shifted....and image came to the forefront. Here was this young, dashing man, with his perfect little wife and their perfect little family. Kennedy's opponent was Richard Nixon. They had a debate, and the thing that most people took away from it was that Kennedy looked confident and strong; Nixon was slouching (he was actually in a great deal of pain) and sweating profusely. Image was now one of the most important things in a campaign. In addition to this, Kennedy was also a figure who was larger than life. He and his family seemed to be a part of this Camelot, and everyone wanted to be a part of it. To this day, people are still fascinated with JFK, his family, the "curse" and probably more than anything else, his death.

18. Tom Hanks: Arguably the biggest movie star of our time. Hanks has been in a ridiculous amount of pop culture favorites (Splash, Bachelor Party, Big, Forrest Gump, Toy Story)...besides that, he has made the transition from comedy to drama effortlessly (which is an amazing feat unto itself, just as Jim Carrey)...In 1993, Hanks won his first oscar for Philadelphia....He followed that up with Forrest Gump and won the oscar again (one of a very few who has won an oscar 2 years in a row)...Hanks is also one of the most powerful actors in Hollywood, if his name is attatched it will get made. Just look at what his partnership with Steven Spielberg has yielded (Saving Private Ryan, From the Earth to the Moon, Band of Brothers)....One day Tom Hanks might be known as the most loved actor of our time....

17. Britney Spears: Ok, before you all have a coranary let me state my case. In 1999 britney exploded on the music scene. She was instantly causing controversey for her video "Baby, One More Time" (i can't tell you how many britney school girls i saw that halloween) then came the Rolling Stone Cover (yikes!!)....Record No. 2, we learned britney's mantra "I'm not that innocent", then the VMA's with the performance heard round the world (I'm saying, and anyone can bring it if they think otherwise, that has got to be the one of the, (if not the) best performance on a VMA stage) then comes the ultimate pop supercouple...the breakup....you get the point--she has just dominated entertainment since she got here....Even though her latest cd didn't sell as much as the previous 2 (still over a million) this time around she established herself with an older crowd (I'm a Slave 4 U still gets play at clubs) The girl is up to her eyeballs in endorsements, she has insane paraphernalia, little girls everywhere dress a little hussier thanks to britney and her tummy showing ways. If the girl keeps up this pace, a few more years down the road, and brit could be higher on this list.

16. Jerry Seinfeld: I was never a big Seinfeld fan, but even I know what "The Contest" is. It was the show about nothing, and it was one of the biggest hits of the 90's. Seinfeld fans are incredibly loyal, watching/taping episodes over and over again. Even today, how many years later, I still hear people quote the show. It is in crazy syndication rotation, you can see it about 4 times a day.

15. Howard Stern: Stern is the man responsible for shock jock radio. Others may have done it before him, but noone was as successful. Vulgar, offensive, obnoxious, hilarious. The self annointed King of All Media is not only a radio personality, he's had tv shows, written books, even did a movie! Howard's legions of fans are completely loyal and love every minute he gives them.

14. Mickey Mouse: Mickey starred in the first animated cartoon with sound (Steamboat Willie). He is the face of Disney. He is the star of Disney World. This is not ordinary mouse.

13. Steven Spielberg: Ya know what? I'm just gonna throw some movie titles at you. E.T. Poltergeist Gremlins Goonies Back to the Future An American Tail Innerspace Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Animaniacs Schindler's List Men in Black Saving Private Ryan Jurassic Park That's all i have to say about that.

12. Superman: 11. Batman Like I said before, jason and I invoked executive privledge to give batman the edge here. Even though Superman was the first comic book hero to move to tv and the movies we like Batman more. His show is better, his movies are better and hollywood wants more!! More movies, more cartoons, more caped crusader!!!

10. The Simpsons "Eat My Shorts" Endless guest stars, tons of catchphrases...the longest running non-news program on tv. Remember all that controversey about how bart made it cool to be an underachiever? Have you seen all the collectables you can get? They even added "Doh" into the dictionary. Now that's what I call impacting society.

09. Yoda "Try? Do or do not, there is no try" All you have to do is use that crazy voice and everyone knows who you are talking aobut. No one can argue with the merchandising that was/is Star Wars. In 1981 we met the jedi master who was choc full of wisdom. In 2002, we saw him kick butt for the first time. Wow. If you saw this in the theater than you probably remember the reaction from the crowd when yoda whipped out his light saber. Yoda is a bad ass mofo.

08. Kermit the Frog "It ain't easy being green" Kermieee!!!!! Did you ever screech that as a child? I know i did. From 1976-1980 the 7 oclock hour was reserved for the most sensational inspirational celebrational Muppetational show. Gosh, 1976, that means that i've loved that show since birth? Wow, did ella and jim leave the bassinet in front of the tv? Now you know why i'm obsessed with pop culture!!!! Anyhoo, Kermie started on Sesame street, got his own gig, made a bunch of movies...I actually saw Muppets Take Manhattan in the theater....and is the oldest balloon in the Macy's Day Parade. Plus, I saw a kermie doll in macy's around christmas time and I squealed like a 4 year old....that's devotion....

07. Michael Jordon: I'm scanning my brain right now, wondering if there has been a bigger star in the world of sports...Admittedly I'm not the biggest sports fan, but I know my stars, and I think Jordan takes the cake. Holy endorsements batman--can you say Nike? Air Jordons. His own cologne. Space Jam. A michael jackson video. He is an amazing basketball player, and also seems to be a nice guy. That's rare in this business, especially for someone with jordon's fame. He inspires people, and he's someone that your kids can look up to (that's rare these days too). Think he lost some of his magic? When he came back to play for the wizards those tickets sold out faster than hot cakes.

06. Marilyn Monroe: "Happy Birthday Mr. President" Something sad but true, a lot of icons are made when they die young and/or suspiciously or tragicly. So is the case with Marilyn Monroe. Sure she was a star, her style can be seen even today. But Monroe was one of those girls (kinda like another faux blond in the top 20) that garnered attention more for her social life then for her acting endeavors. Joe DiMaggio? Arthur Miller? I think one of things people remember most about her (besides the jfk affair) is the white dress in The Seven Year Itch. Nothing about her acting, just her with her dress going up all over the place. People are just fascinated with her, her life, her death. You'd be amazed how many posters, books, postcards there are of her out there. The Marilyn Monroe merchandise machine is still making money.

05. Michael Jackson. What I want to do is have everyone try to think not with the jaded minds of someone from the year 2003, but with the mind of someone in 1982. You are rocking out with your flock of seagulls haircut and then you hear something....you turn to the tv and you see....Thriller. Whoa. That was a moment. That video revolutionized MTV. It is still the best video ever made. It was when videos moved into the realm of art. Besides the videos, think of all the songs on Thriller, (Beat it, billie Jean) not to mention his other works. Yes, Michael Jackson image has been forever tarnished. He is a shell of himself, he is a joke, he is a little mental (or a lot mental). But for me, I don't think of him as the same person. The kid that wore that red leather jacket and the white glove is not the same man whose nose is falling off. Anyhoo, I did get the chance to see him perform and let me tell you...i've never seen anything like it. You can't help yourself, before you know it you are up and screaming and freaking out all over the place. When he starts moonwalking, it is all over.

04. Lucille Ball It is no secret that I love Lucy is one of the best comedy tv has ever known. It is no secret either that Lucille Ball was a comedic genius. She paved the way for women in comedy everywhere and was loved very much by her audience. Lucy paraphernalia (mugs, books, posters) are still selling like crazy and with so many shows going to DVD lucy can inspire a whole new batch of funny ladies.

03. Madonna: "I wanna take over the world" Madonna said that in 1983. In the past 20 years Madonna has released 16 albums. She has been a constant force in entertainment since she emerged on the scene. Her first VMA performance, where she writhed around stage singing "Like a vigin" in a wedding dress, is infamous. She left the audience speechless. She is unapologetic, stong, fierce, intense, sarcastic, and smart. She is an amazing performer--it is all about the show. She has had a constant impact on fashion (hello, remember the messy hair, mesh tops and black bras?) She demands attention and most people don't realize how much she loved the controversey that surrounded her. Remember the sex book? The pepsi commercial that was dropped when everyone flipped over the "Like a prayer" video? And then her image shifted. She became a mother and was no longer seen as a big trashy ho--she became the spirtual strong mother....gotta love her chamleon abilities eh?

02. The Beatles. Arguably the most innovative band in music history. The hysteria that followed them is legendary and their music has stood the test of time. They were an example of how artists can evolve (they were, after all a pop band). They established Liverpool as the pop music capital of the world. They taught the world that pop music could be intelligent and was worthy of serious consideration beyond the screaming hordes of teendom. Wanna talk merchandise? Beatles badges, dolls, chewing gum and even cans of Beatle breath. Perhaps most importantly of all, however, they composed their own material. Lennon and McCartney set in motion revolutionary changes in the music publishing industry. And just so that i can keep my sanity...Jason would like to make it known that the Beatles were the first to make promotional videos are responsible for music videos and without them there would be no MTV....

01. Elvis. Only one man can be king, and that's elvis. He was the first entertainer to really explode in the music business. The first that received that fanaticsm and kept it with him all his years. He caused controversey with his hip shaking--he starred in movies---he was larger than life. To me, someone who didn't experience him in his lifetime, he is a legend, more than a man. The enthrallment that fans had for elvis didnt' end with his death. We've all heard the stories that elvis is alive....we've seen how people are fascinated by his daughter to this day. Have you been to las vegas? Holy flying elvises!!!! For me, he is the number one icon because this has all gone above and beyond....the hoopla that surrounds elvis is crazy, it is almost holy. Graceland is still a thriving tourist attraction; people still want the king. I want to add that Jason's biggest problem with elvis beating out the beatles is that elvis didn't write all of his music. That doesn't bother me...at all...Regardless of if he wrote it or not, he delivered it...he was the one on stage shaking his hips, bringing a new type of music to the masses.....


What do you think? Elvis or the Beatles as the number one Icon?