FrenchGuy said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

Osama Bin Laden? What the?...

yeah, WTF? and dude ranked him even higher than muhfuckin Michael Jackson!!

Osama, a pop icon?? hum... You must have a weird definition of what a pop icon is

My list :

1. The Beatles

2. Michael Jackson

3. Madonna

4. Clint Eastwood

5. Steven Spielberg

6. David Bowie

7. JK Rowling/Harry Potter (I hate HP, but i must admit, she did her "thing")

8. Andy Warhol/Jean Michel Basquiat (a tie)

9. Serge Gainsbourg

10. Motown artists

That's more like it.

musicjunky318 said:

1. Elvis

Of course. Who else?

I wanna say so many things but "out of touch" is the first thing that popped in my mind.

Harlepolis said:

musicjunky318 said:

1. Elvis

Of course. Who else?

I wanna say so many things but "out of touch" is the first thing that popped in my mind.

I know a lot of people hate him, but you have to admit, he was very successful and very influential at the time and he deserves to be in the top five.

JoeTyler said:

10.Harrison Ford (Indy and Han Solo?? you can't beat that)

I'd say outside of the USA, Jackie Chan is more popular or maybe even Aishwarya Rai is too.

Osama is an evil/negative pop icon, but he's a pop star, nevertheless. The guy is INTERNATIONALLY well-known, singlehandely changed the course of history (enter war on terror, Irak War, etc), there are thousands of parodies/videos of him all over Internet, he popularized homemade videotapes, he's a millionare and a well-known businessman, the guy has influenced thousands of nutters, etc. And perhaps, he's been dead for years !!! He's the ultimate terrorist, the ultimate evil stereotype of the 21th Century...

Hitler is probably the most evil "politician/leader" of all time (and that's sayin' something) but that doesn't mean that he isn't one of the 10 most important personalities of the 20th Century, because he is ; and he also had a very well-defined style: the greasy haircut, the ridiculous moustache and the nazi symbols. A very iconic image, I must admit...

Hitler and Osama are more popular than Oprah or Jackie Chan; that's sad, yes, but that's the way of the world, let's face it...

I'd include Bruce Lee in a Top15 and Jackie in a Top30 though...

[Edited 1/23/11 10:25am]

Some of y'all got a sick twisted mind to put that 7' fool on a pop culture icon list! WTF!?

Timmy84 said:

Some of y'all got a sick twisted mind to put that 7' fool on a pop culture icon list! WTF!?

and what about the Godfather of Soul??? or Martin Luther King I expected to see them before I read the actual list.

[Edited 1/23/11 10:47am]

mrpunkfunk said:

Timmy84 said:

Some of y'all got a sick twisted mind to put that 7' fool on a pop culture icon list! WTF!?

and what about the Godfather of Soul??? or Muhammad Ali??? I expected to see them before I read the actual list.

I thought Ali was on the list. But yeah James was missing.

Timmy84 said:

mrpunkfunk said:

and what about the Godfather of Soul??? or Muhammad Ali??? I expected to see them before I read the actual list.

I thought Ali was on the list. But yeah James was missing.

Yeah, I went back and saw it, but what about MLK???

mrpunkfunk said:

Timmy84 said:

I thought Ali was on the list. But yeah James was missing.

Yeah, I went back and saw it, but what about MLK???

IKR? Top 10? lol Should've made a top 50 or some shit.

If anything Paul Newman could be scratched off. He wouldn't even make my Top 20.

I actually love Paul Newman though. No I'm not ashamed to admit that. Great actor.

Timmy84 said:

I actually love Paul Newman though. No I'm not ashamed to admit that. Great actor.

I got thousands of names that I personally enjoy but it's a difference when you're trying to think of individuals that must make the list. For instance, I like Prince's music more than I do Elvis but when talking about a specific list like this he MUST be on and he MUST be in front of Mr. Nelson. I enjoy Paul Newman as well but I don't feel like he has to be in in the same crowd of people. I'd put Bob Hope, Humphrey Bogart, & Marlon Brando all above him. As far as females, Marilyn Monroe & Elizabeth Taylor. And on television, there was no bigger star than Lucille Ball.

musicjunky318 said:

Timmy84 said:

I actually love Paul Newman though. No I'm not ashamed to admit that. Great actor.

I got thousands of names that I personally enjoy but it's a difference when you're trying to think of individuals that must make the list. For instance, I like Prince's music more than I do Elvis but when talking about a specific list like this he MUST be on and he MUST be in front of Mr. Nelson. I enjoy Paul Newman as well but I don't feel like he has to be in in the same crowd of people. I'd put Bob Hope, Humphrey Bogart, & Marlon Brando all above him. As far as females, Marilyn Monroe & Elizabeth Taylor. And on television, there was no bigger star than Lucille Ball.

I know, I'm just saying.

I wasn't arguing for his place on the list.

Brando's more iconic.

musicjunky318 said:

If anything Paul Newman could be scratched off. He wouldn't even make my Top 20.

Yea, Paul Newman is the one that sticks out, hell no, brando would need to be on there before him. Michael Jordan or Pele or some shit, ppl with global status

Timmy84 said:

musicjunky318 said:

I got thousands of names that I personally enjoy but it's a difference when you're trying to think of individuals that must make the list. For instance, I like Prince's music more than I do Elvis but when talking about a specific list like this he MUST be on and he MUST be in front of Mr. Nelson. I enjoy Paul Newman as well but I don't feel like he has to be in in the same crowd of people. I'd put Bob Hope, Humphrey Bogart, & Marlon Brando all above him. As far as females, Marilyn Monroe & Elizabeth Taylor. And on television, there was no bigger star than Lucille Ball.

I know, I'm just saying.

I wasn't arguing for his place on the list.

Brando's more iconic.

I hate when lists are mixed like this instead of separating them by profession. It's a lot easier making multiple top tens.

Top 10 Actors, Top 10 Musicians, Top 10 Sports Figures, Politicians, etc, etc......

Jordan and Tiger Woods need to be there but other then that, I aint hating this list. All you folks going into details about peoples actual career need to take a chill pill. "Pop Culture Icon" simply means someone's footprint within popular culture. Doesn't have to do with how they got it.

Shoooot, with that in mind, Charles Manson should considered too.

1. J.F.K

2. Ali

3. Michael Jackson

4. Michael Jordan

5. Elvis

6. The Beatles

7. Osama Bin Laden- Because he shook up the world.

FUCK Bin LADEN!!!

Don't want the boys from Langley to come knocking on my door.

8. O.J.

9. Oprah

10. Charles Manson

musicjunky318 said:

Se7en said:

I don't think Princess Diana should be on that list at all - she was not "pop culture". She was not in the performing arts in any way, shape or form.

If anything, she'd be in a different class akin to "World Leader" or "World Figure". Not pop culture.

I'd remove Paul Newman and Muhammed Ali too . . . they were both outstanding in their respective fields, but weren't "icons".

As short as his career was, James Dean would fit this list better than Newman.

Ali is an icon. A BIG one.

Let me rephrase: he's not a POP CULTURE icon.

First I consider pop culture Icon to be those who have been tremendously over-praised for their work in entertainment that doesn't directly benefit mankind at all.

with that said here's my 10 no order.

Michael Jackson

Oprah Winfrey

JK Rowling

Steven Spielberg

The Beatles

Pele

Michael Jordan

Elvis

Marley

[Edited 1/23/11 11:39am]

[Edited 1/23/11 11:46am]

musicjunky318 said:

Timmy84 said:

I know, I'm just saying.

I wasn't arguing for his place on the list.

Brando's more iconic.

I hate when lists are mixed like this instead of separating them by profession. It's a lot easier making multiple top tens.

Top 10 Actors, Top 10 Musicians, Top 10 Sports Figures, Politicians, etc, etc......

good point

but don't forget the Top 10 Evil People, including Osama...

Se7en said:

musicjunky318 said:

Ali is an icon. A BIG one.

Let me rephrase: he's not a POP CULTURE icon.

LOL

Books

• The Cassius Clay Story, by George Sulivan (1964)
• Black is Best: The Riddle of MUHAMMAD ALI, by Jack Olsen (1967)
• Muhammad Ali, who once was Cassius Clay, by John Cottrell (1968)
• Loser and Still Champion: Muhammad Ali, by Budd Schulberg (1972)
• The Fight, by Norman Mailer (1975)
• The Greatest: My Own Story, by Muhammad Ali with Richard Durham (1975)
• Free to Be Muhammad Ali, by Robert Lipsyte (1979)
• Muhammad Ali, the People's Champ, by Elliott J. Gorn (1988)
• Muhammad Ali: The Fight for Respect, by Thomas Conklin (1992)
• Clay V. United States: Muhammad Ali Objects to War (Landmark Supreme Cou-rt Cases), by Suzanne Freedman (1997)
• The Tao of Muhammad Ali, by Davis Miller (1997)
• I'm A Little Special: A Muhammad Ali Reader, by Gerald Early (1998)
• King of the World, by David Remnick (1999)
• More Than a Champion: The Style of Muhammad Ali, by Jan Philipp Reemtsma (1999)
• Learning About Strength of Character from the Life of Muhammad Ali (Character Building Book), by Michele Ingber Drohan (1999)
• Muhammad Ali (Journey to Freedom), by Clay Latimer (2000)
• Redemption Song: Muhammad Ali and the Spirit of the Sixties, by Mike Marqusee (2000)
• The Greatest, by Walter Dean Myers (2001)
• Muhammad Ali: Through the Eyes of the World, by Mark Collings (2001)
• Ghosts of Manila, by Mark Kram (2002)
• Lucky Man: A Memoir, by Michael J. Fox (2002)
• Muhammad Ali: Trickster Celebrity in the Culture of Irony, by Charles Lemert (2003)
• The Soul of a Butterfly: Reflections on Life's Journey, by Muhammad Ali and Hana Ali (2004)
• The Untold Legacy Of Muhammad Ali, by Thomas Hauser (2005)
• Clay V. United States And How Muhammad Ali Fought the Draft: Debating Supreme Court Decisions, by Thomas Streissguth (2006)
• What's My Name, Fool? Sports and Resistance in the United States, by Dave Zirin (2005)
• The psychodynamics of white racism: An historical exploration of white racial pathology as elicited by prizefighters Jack Johnson and Muhammad Ali : (Dissertation), by Michal Louise Beale (2006)
• I'm a Bad Man: African American Vernacular Culture and the Making of Muhammad Ali, by Shawn Williams (2007)

Music

• In 1976 Ali released the album Ali and His Gang vs. Mr. Tooth Decay, to educate children about the dangers of tooth decay. The album was narrated by Howard Cosell, with guest appearances by Frank Sinatra and Richie Havens. A sequel Ali and His Gang vs. Fat Cat the Dope King was planned, but apparently never released.
• Ali himself released a 45rpm version of the song "Stand by Me" (written by Ben E. King, Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller), a track which also featured on his 1963 Columbia album I am the Greatest (released under the name Cassius Clay).
• Bob Dylan composed a song about the young Cassius Clay "I Shall be Free No. 10" from the 1964 album Another Side of Bob Dylan featuring the lyrics: I was shadow-boxing earlier in the day; I figured I was ready for Cassius Clay; I said "Fee, fie, fo, fum, Cassius Clay, here I come; 26, 27, 28, 29; I'm gonna make your face look just like mine; Five, four, three, two, one, Cassius Clay you'd better run; 99, 100, 101, 102; your ma won't even recognize you; 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19; gonna knock him clean right out of his spleen.
• In December 1969, Ali appeared on Broadway in the musical Buck White.The show ran for just seven performances; but Ali and the cast performed the number "We Came in Chains" on the Ed Sullivan Show.
• In Tom Lehrer's satirical song "National Brotherhood Week", Lehrer speculates that for the occasion Cassius Clay would dance "cheek to cheek" with Mrs Wallace.
• In 1970, Skeeter Davis recorded "I'm a Lover (Not a Fighter)" about a wife frustrated with fighting with her husband. The chorus is "I'm a lover,/Not a fighter./I kinda like it that way./If you want a fighting partner,/Go live with Cassius Clay."
• In 1971, New York singer Vernon Harrell released a record about him called "Muhammed Ali" (sic) (Brunswick Records #55448) as Verne Harrell. This misspelling of Ali's name was printed on the labels of the 45s.
• In 1974, a song about Ali titled "Black Superman (Muhammad Ali)" was recorded by British reggae group Johnny Wakelin & the Kinshasa Band.
• In 1981, Dutch guitarist Harry Sacksioni composed and played a song called "Ali's Shuffle".
• The Fabulous Thunderbirds' 1986 song Tuff Enuff contains the reference, "I'd climb the Empire State / Fight Muhammad Ali / Just to have you, baby / Close to me."
• The Freakwater song "Louisville Lip" on their 1998 album Springtime is a tribute to Muhammad Ali framed around the story Ali told in his 1975 autobiography about tossing his gold medal into the Ohio River after being refused service in a nearby diner.
• In his early 20s, singer-songwriter and piano impressario Ben Folds wrote the song "Boxing", a fictional monologue by Muhammad Ali to Howard Cosell pondering the end of his fighting career. The song was inspired by Folds' father's love of the sport. The song was eventually recorded and appeared on Ben Folds Five's eponymous album (1995). It has also appeared in a live version on the album Naked Baby Photos (1998),a solo version by Folds on iTunes Originals - Ben Folds (2005), and in a symphonic version with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra on the DVD Ben Folds and WASO Live in Perth (2005). The song has also been covered by a number of artists, most notably Bette Midler on her album Bathhouse Betty (1998).
• The R. Kelly song "World's Greatest" is a tribute to Muhammad Ali and it is featured on the soundtrack to the 2001 motion picture Ali. In 2002, the song peaked at #34 on Billboard's Hot 100 US singles chart and at #4 on the UK singles chart. The song's video features archived footage of Ali as well as an homage to the firefighters, law enforcement officers and emergency medical workers regarded among the greatest heroes of the rescue operations necessitated by the events of 9/11.
• The British dance band Faithless recorded a song titled "Muhammad Ali" which was released as a single on September 23, 2001. The single reached #29 on the UK singles chart. The song was included on their 2001 album Outrospective.
• In 2001, he was mentioned (under the name Cassius Clay) in the lyrics to De Phazz's Death By Chocolate album in the song "Something Special".
• In their debut 2006 album, British Indie band The Hours mention Ali in their song "Ali in The Jungle".
• Australian alternative band Butterfingers mention Cassius Clay in their song "Fig Jam"
• A line from LL Cool J's 1991 single "Mama Said Knock You Out" off of his album of the same name goes: "Just like Muhammad Ali, they called him Cassius"
• Muhammad Ali appears in the music video for "How Far We've Come" by Matchbox Twenty in an old black and white videoclip of him boxing.
• Japanese rock band the pillows released a song on their 2001 album Smile called "Monster C.C," the C.C standing for "Cassius Clay." The ending bridge contains the repeated line, "What's my name?"
• The Tori Amos song Professional Widow contains the lyrics "Beautiful angels calling/"we got every re-run of Muhammad Ali""
• 50 Cent references Ali in the song "Many Men" using the lyrics 'I'm the greatest, something like Ali in his prime'
• T.I. references Ali in the song "No Matter What" using the lyrics "Ali say even the greatest gotta suffer sometime"
• In Billy Joel's 1978 album, 52nd Street, Ali is mention in the opening lines of the song Zanzibar.

Movies & Television

When We Were Kings is a 1996 Academy Award-winning documentary film about the "Rumble in the Jungle", Ali's legendary 1974 fight against George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

Muhammad Ali: Made in Miami is a 2008 WLRN documentary which charts Cassius Clay's remarkable transformation from young boxing hopeful to cultural icon. The film traces Ali’s stunning rise through the heavyweight ranks, his friendship with Malcolm X, his historic clash with champion Sonny Liston, and his subsequent refusal to fight in Vietnam.

A.k.a. Cassius Clay is a 1970 documentary that covered Ali's triumphs and setbacks up to that moment in time.

Several individuals have portrayed Ali in film biographies, including Ali himself in the 1977 film, The Greatest. Others include:

• Will Smith, in the 2001 film, Ali
• Maestro Harrell, in the 201 film, Ali (portraying a young Cassius Clay)
• Terrence Howard, in the 2000 ABC TV movie, King of the World
• Jamie "Showtime" Stafford, in the 2000 ABC TV movie, King of the World (portraying a young Cassius Clay)
• David Ramsey, in the 2000 Fox TV movie, Ali: An American Hero
• Aaron Meeks, in the 2000 Fox TV movie, Ali: An American Hero (portraying a young Cassius Clay)
• Darius McCrary, in the 1997 HBO TV movie, Don King: Only in America
• Future Amazing Race winner Chip McAllister, in the 1977 film, The Greatest (portraying a young adult Cassius Clay)
• Jerrod Paige, in the 2007 film, American Gangster

Ali has appeared as himself in numerous scripted films and television series, including the films Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962), Body and Soul (1981), and Doin' Time (1985); and the television series Vega$ (1979), Diff'rent Strokes (1979), and Touched by an Angel (1999). He also provided the voice for the titular character in the 1977 NBC animated series, I Am the Greatest: The Adventures of Muhammad Ali.

Ali portrayed a former slave in Reconstruction-era Virginia who is elected to the United States Senate in the 1979 NBC TV movie Freedom Road, which was based upon the 1944 novel by Howard Fast.

Ali is featured prominently in a series of ESPN specials in honor of his 65th birthday. The shows include Ali Rap, Ali's Dozen and Ali 65. They premiered on December 9, 2006 at 9 pm EST on ESPN. Ali's fight with Larry Holmes was also the subject of one of ESPN's "30 for 30" documentary series; "Muhammad and Larry" by Albert Maysles first aired on ESPN on October 27, 2009.

Ali appeared on the WGBH series Say Brother, where he spoke about his reasons for not serving in the Vietnam War.

Facing Ali is a 2009 documentary on the topic of all the fighters which Ali faced during his career. Each one is interviewed at length. The film made the shortlist for the 82nd Academy Awards in the category of Best Documentary Feature, but did not make final list.

His boxing gloves made an appearance on the Christmas episode of Warehouse 13. Anyone on the vicinity of them "sees stars' without being hit. Was used by Claudia to make the Warehouse more festive

Video Games

Ali has appeared in numerous video boxing games, some of which feature him as the title character. Examples include Foes of Ali, Muhammad Ali Heavyweight Boxing and the Knockout Kings series and its follow up, the Fight Night series

Television Advertisments

In 1969, Ali appeared with Pop Icon Andy Warhol in a short-lived television campaign for Braniff International Airways. The commercial was not well-received by Braniff's customer base and was pulled from the airwaves in 1970.

In 1971, Ali appeared in a television commercial for Vitalis alongside fellow boxer Joe Frazier, and he appeared in Super Bowl TV commercial for Pizza Hut with his real-life trainer Angelo Dundee.

In 1980 Ali also appeared in a very amusing television ad for D-Con Roach Proof: after hitting heavy bag (a training device suspended from above that simulates the bulk of an opponent for punching), he turns to the camera in his boxing gear, raises and shakes a fist, and exclaims to the audience, "I don' want you livin' wit' roaches!"

Ali appeared in one of the posters for the "Think Different" campaign by Apple Computer in 1997.

Has appeared in at least one poster advertising Coca-Cola.

Ali appears with other famous athletes in a Gatorade advertisement, narrated by rapper Lil Wayne.

Comics

• New Grappler Baki — In Search of Our Strongest Hero, Japanese manga series portraying Muhammad Ali and a fictional son, Muhammad Ali, Jr.
• Superman vs. Muhammad Ali, by Dennis O'Neil & Neal Adams, (DC Comics, 1978)
• Asterix and the Big Fight - The way Chief Vitalstatistix's strategy of wearing down is opponent and his victory dance is based on Ali's.
• The main protagonist in Asterix and the Olympic Games is a Roman athlete named Cassius Ceramix.
• The character of Killerbee/Kirabi from the manga series Naruto seems loosely based on Muhammad Ali.

Trading Cards

• The 1965 Lampo (Italian) is generally considered to be Clay/Ali's true rookie card as it meets most collector's definition of a rookie card. The 1965 Swedish candy card has been authenticated by Beckett. Other early Clay/Ali issues are also popular including the 1964 Mac Robertson game card (Australian) and Panini (Italian) cards originating in the mid 1960's. Ali did not appear on an American trading card until 1982 with an appearance in a Topps Olympic set.

Magazine Articles

• Playboy - Interview: Cassius Clay, by Hugh M. Hefner (October 1964)
• Life Magazine - Cover: Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali), by Editor Henry Luce (March 6, 1964)
• Esquire - "The Passion of Muhammad Ali", by George Lois (April 1968)
• Life Magazine - Cover: Muhammad Ali, by Editor Henry Luce (October 23, 1970)
• Life Magazine - Cover: Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, by Editor Henry Luce (March 5, 1971)
• Life Magazine - Cover: Ali vs Frazier by Frank Sinatra, by Editor Henry Luce (March 19, 1971)
• Time Magazine - "The Greatest is Gone Muhammad Ali * Much Ado About Haldeman", (February 27, 1978)
• ESPN Sports Century - "Muhammad Ali: "The Greatest" by Joyce Carol Oates (1999)
• Time Magazine - "100 Heroes & Icons: Muhammad Ali", by George Plimpton (June 14, 1999)
• "UN Messengers of Peace reflect on their work. (Muhammad Ali, Jane Goodall and Anna Cataldi)" An article from UN Chronicle, (2005)
• "The fight of his life: boxing Great Muhammad Ali battles Parkinson's disease" An article from: Science World, by Mona Chiang (2006)

dudes, if you're including JK Rowling, then you MUST include Stephen King or Tolkien before her...

JoeTyler said:

musicjunky318 said:

I hate when lists are mixed like this instead of separating them by profession. It's a lot easier making multiple top tens.

Top 10 Actors, Top 10 Musicians, Top 10 Sports Figures, Politicians, etc, etc......

good point

but don't forget the Top 10 Evil People, including Osama...

That's where Osama belongs - Top 10 evil lol

Se7en said:

musicjunky318 said:

Ali is an icon. A BIG one.

Let me rephrase: he's not a POP CULTURE icon.

Uh Ali is definitely a pop culture icon.

JoeTyler said:

dudes, if you're including JK Rowling, then you MUST include Stephen King or Tolkien before her...

Why? I might be wrong but I'm pretty sure tolkien released the trilogy back in the 50's and stephen king is more of an icon in America and other english language countries not global. JK Rowling's work has been released throughout much of the world, something like 150+ countries. And that was just one series.

musicjunky318 said:

10. Paul Newman
9. Princess Diana
8. The Beatles
7. Oprah Winfrey
6. Muhammad Ali
5. Michael Jackson
4. Marilyn Monroe
3. Frank Sinatra
2. Madonna
1. Elvis

I would take Paul Newman and Frank Sinatra off. Add Marlon Brando and Michael Jordan. Lower Madonna and place MJ above Marilyn Monroe. Oprah should be way higher too. Also Elvis shouldn't be #1.

Sandino said:

JoeTyler said:

dudes, if you're including JK Rowling, then you MUST include Stephen King or Tolkien before her...

Why? I might be wrong but I'm pretty sure tolkien released the trilogy back in the 50's and stephen king is more of an icon in America and other english language countries not global. JK Rowling's work has been released throughout much of the world, something like 150+ countries. And that was just one series.

good points. But I said Tolkien because of the MULTIPLE rereleases of LOTR, the Hobbit and the Silmarillion during the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s etc, and also the 2001-2003 motion pictures.

And Stephen King was, probably, the most famous mainstream writer of thr 77-95 era...

but I do admit that HP is insanely successful even if I can't stand the books or the movies, what's wrong with 00's kids?!?!

[Edited 1/23/11 11:52am]