Thursday, October 18, 2007

Has-beens at 40?

Maybe they’re rich. Maybe they’re happy. But how would we ever know? Because these folks done fell off the famous-go-round.

They were hot in the ’90s, but now they’ve passed the big 4-0 and I’m like, “Wow, haven’t heard that name in a while.”

(I don’t usually poke fun at celebs. But I blame Thembi; her wickedly hilarious blog post yesterday unleashed my snark monster.)

So... what ever happened to these people?

Tabitha Soren.

Shabba Ranks.

Teddy Riley.

Lisa Bonet.

Lady Miss Kier.

Jim Breuer.

Kim Coles.

Joe Torry.

Elizabeth Wurtzel.

Kevin Powell.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

To Wikipedia!

Jim Breuer hosts a comedy show on Sirius, as well as Web Junk 20 on VH1.

Tabitha Soren decided to become a full time mom, as has Lisa Bonet apparently, though she still does the occasional movie.

Joe Torry was never that funny to me, or as good an actor as his brother, but he's still making movies. Though he hasn't had a prominent role since that story arc on ER and that was 10 years ago.

Lady Miss Kier is quietly working on a long promised new solo record in NYC. I assume having to pay over half a mil to Sega after losing that Space Channel 5 lawsuit slowed her down a bit.

Kim Coles hosts something called In The Loop With iVillage.

Kevin Powell ran for Congress last year and withdrew from the race, also had a book released from Soft Skull.

Elizabeth Wurtzel is studying law at Yale. The bizarre comments she made about 9-11 pretty much shotgunned her rep, sendng her from "tolerable" to "Get her out of here".

Shabba Ranks is currently living in New York.

Undercover Black Man said...

^ I guess Breuer doesn't really belong on my list, then. I swear, I hadn't heard a hint of him in years...

Joe Torry... hasn't had a prominent role since that story arc on ER and that was 10 years ago.

I wrote one of those eps! I thought he was good in it. None of his standup material springs to mind... but I thought he could act. His movies all look to be straight-to-video type joints.

Elizabeth Wurtzel is studying law at Yale.

Shudder...

Thembi Ford said...

JOE TORRY!?!?!?
HAHAHAHHA. The mention of his name is way funnier than he ever was...remember Poetic Justice with him and that brush?

I'm glad I bring out your inner snark, UBM...its totally how I roll...

bklyn6 said...

Joe Torry? Aren't the Yankees and Steinbrenner 'bout to can him? (Joe and Guy Torry. Badabing!)

(Man, now I'm thinking about another 40-something Def Comedy Jam regular--Bill Bellamy.)

As for Kevin Powell, I see is name more often than not. I think the last time, it was something Jena Six-related. I mean, who'd've thought we'd ever hear about him again after The Real World? (And speaking of which. I actually thought about Heather B. like yesterday; I saw someone on the subway who reminded me of her. Don't know if she's 40, though.)

Undercover Black Man said...

As for Kevin Powell... I mean, who'd've thought we'd ever hear about him again after The Real World?

Jena6, I used to read him when he was the star feature writer during the early days of Vibe magazine. Then he got some book-publishing hook-ups and it seemed like he'd become the next Greg Tate.

We need more Greg Tates. More than we need Kevin Powell in Congress, that's for sure.

Anonymous said...

David: I agree that the ER arc was probably the best acting he's done.

I think being the second lead in Poetic Justice was something he wasn't quite ready for, as I couldn't stand him in that.

Guy, on the other hand, I've always liked in whatever he's been in, even the goofy zombie movie Dead and Deader. Or one of the last decent episodes of The X-Files, "Redrum".

I've heard some of Breuer's show and it's not half bad. He gets some pretty cool guests and they love chattin'.

justjudith said...

i thought lisa bonet would go on to have a huge career but in the 20 years or so since cos, she has been barely visible. a small role here or there. i bet she has some seriously interesting views on being famous.

joe torry was also in that horrible sprung...blech. he's my homie but i think his brother is funnier. he was on the radio for a while in stl and guy is a funny fellow.

i liked kevin powell. i know he was plugging a book last year...didn't know about congress.

justjudith said...

shabba ranks! for a minute, i thought sean paul was gunning to be the new shabba! man, he really disappeared...

Undercover Black Man said...

^ Shabba talked too much sheeet about murdering gays... that was his problem.

bklyn6 said...

I remember an essay in Essence magazine in the early 90s in which Kevin Powell admitted to physically abusing an old girlfriend. I guess he gets points for being man enough to admit it, but if he runs for Congress again and wins, I wonder if it'll come back to bite him?

Thembi Ford said...

Wait...Teddy Riley - for that matter any and all members of Wrexks N Effex, Blackstreet, and Guy (especially Aaron Hall). They were all destined to be has-beens but you'd think Teddy would be on his fifth or sixth group by now.

Anonymous said...

Jena6: Maybe the domestic abuse thing was why he withdrew from the race.

Shabba's entire musical genre, reggae dancehall, is filled with songs and lyrics that have a how shall we say, uncharitable view towards homosexuals.

Whenever I turn on K-Jah while I play GTA I try hard not to listen to the lyrics.

bill said...

Tabitha Soren is married to author Michael Lewis. I learned this a few years ago when he wrote a bunch of articles for slate.com about being a parent.

Anonymous said...

Actually Teddy Riley was just on the VH1 Hip-Hop Honors last week! They honored "New Jack Swing." He came out to play "No Diggity" and "Rump Shaker." Good to see him again.

justjudith said...

i've wondered on my own blog -- where is montell jordan??? remember, he was supposed to save r&b. in 1993 or 1994 people were all over him and that one song...where did he go???

AirBourne said...

Shabba was keeping in form with Jamaica's stance on anti-gay, click on link and read my my story, but I can speak on this as a Caribbean person - he offended NY gay/lesbian community on Jay Leno, when he apologised, he could not go back to Jamaica! Like the Aesop's fable of the donkey, father and son - when he tried to please all? He pleased none - please yourself! Shaggy is more openly tolerant of homosexuals, but then I think he is Brooklyn based.

Lisa Bonet's last pic as I recall it was "Enemy Of the State" with Will Smith, but you can verify that with Invisible Woman

Undercover Black Man said...

"The approximately 2,000 people gathered outside the Kingston pharmacy hurled insults at the three men, with some calling for them to be killed."

Holy shit, AirBourne!

AirBourne said...

I shit you not, this is a regular occurrence in Bahamas, St Lucia as well as Jamaica! Barbados is more tolerant and we get branded as homos too!

bklyn6 said...

It's reported that Lisa Bonet is pregnant with her third child.

Undercover Black Man said...

^ Thanks for that link, Jena6. She's got an 18-year-old daughter! That tripped me out!

Latimer said...

Lisa Bonet... wow, what an erection inducing reference that was.

bklyn6 said...

UBM, one day I was in The Village in NYC when I saw Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz pushing a baby carriage, with Zoe in it!