Thread: Do you have a local celebrity?

Living in southern California there are obviously a handful of celebrities around, and I've run across a few over the years. But in general they haven't seemed much worth looking up to. I'm most proud of living in the same place that Louis Zamperini called home for so long (apparently he lives in Hollywood now). He's had a storied life - Olympic runner, WWII bombardier, survived a month and a half on a life raft only to be captured and tortured as a POW for two years. He later became a motivational speaker and still has close ties to local life around here. There is a book written about him that's being made into a movie that's coming out later this year called "Unbroken".
Shame on me for not even reading his books or the ones written about him. But needless to say, still a local celebrity to be proud of.

In my hometown, there are hundreds of famous idiots. I can't say I'm proud of any of them.

Originally Posted by JohnnyCakeDC

In my hometown, there are hundreds of famous idiots. I can't say I'm proud of any of them.

Someday there may be a bounty on them :<0) Then you could be rich and famous yourself.

Not from my home town, but only 20 miles away. Red Skelton!!

Originally Posted by Walterbowens

Not from my home town, but only 20 miles away. Red Skelton!!

Is he buried there?

Bruno Sammartino lives in my township. There are more famous people around here, but I like Bruno.

Used to live in a little town here in Iowa named Oxford. Ashton Kutcher is from there and would periodically show up. He was with Brittany Murphy at the town gas station and said something stupid once while we were pumping gas at opposite sides of the same machine. I called him a "F-in' D-bag". Brittany Murphy laughed. I instantly became a Brittany Murphy fan. Seemed like a sweet girl. Way too good for that clown.

Here in Iowa City, among others, we have a bunch of ex NFL players and Dan Gable, ex-college wrestler and U of Iowa coach extraordinaire. In the past, Kurt Vonnegut and Flannery O'Connor attended the U of I Writer's Workshop, who's Alumni have collected many Pulitzer Prizes. James Van Allen (Time Magazine Man of the Year in 1960), for whom the discovery of Van Allen Belts was named taught at the U of I until his death.

Originally Posted by RoyalCake

Living in southern California there are obviously a handful of celebrities around, and I've run across a few over the years. But in general they haven't seemed much worth looking up to. I'm most proud of living in the same place that Louis Zamperini called home for so long (apparently he lives in Hollywood now). He's had a storied life - Olympic runner, WWII bombardier, survived a month and a half on a life raft only to be captured and tortured as a POW for two years. He later became a motivational speaker and still has close ties to local life around here. There is a book written about him that's being made into a movie that's coming out later this year called "Unbroken".
Shame on me for not even reading his books or the ones written about him. But needless to say, still a local celebrity to be proud of.

That was a great read,but I thought he died awhile back.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

That was a great read,but I thought he died awhile back.

Far as I know he's still around. Wikipedia says he's 97 and lives in Hollywood as of 2014...
He was going to meet with his captor Mutsuhiro Watanabe but I don't think it ever happened. I guess Watanabe died in 2003.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

That was a great read,but I thought he died awhile back.

Looks like he passed yesterday. I look forward to watching the film about him when it comes out...