ONE NAME FAME

THANKS to ONE very loyal reader, I have the names of other ONE NAME famous (for whatever reason) people. The list includes: Attila, Fabio, Twiggy, Lassie, Elvira, Shaq, Bono, Cleopatra, Evita, Plato, and Napoleon. Conspicuous by their absence are any members of the medical profession. There is more than one Leonardo, Galileo probably makes the list, but very few scientists. The one-namers are mostly celebrities from sports, movies, and those who are famous for being famous like Paris.

So, let's say you have a young person whose prime motivation is to be "popular" and famous (even for 15 minutes as Andy Warhol suggested). They are in the later years of high school. There are 6 billion people on the planet. They want to stand out from the herd and someday be a one of a kind. He or she could learn to sing and be one of a herd of performers that make lots of money and are famous for a year or two. Be a professional athlete, make lots of money and be famous for a year or two. Go into medicine, make a reasonable amount of money and never be famous at all. Even the world's greatest doctors (name 5, I dare you) are unknowns to the population at large. Perhaps Che' (Guevara) but not for being a doctor.

How do you get to be one of the chosen one-name-fame celebrities? Or even a two-name one like Lady GA GA? Is there a track one should follow to get there from here? Yes. You have to become an entertainer of some kind. Forget medicine and law, and accounting, especially accounting. You could be a chef, or a singer, dancer, baseball player, or movie star. Any of those would be a good start. Then you can't be named Mary or Bob, John or Sally. You have to have a name like Beyonce'. Or LeBron. I don't know how common those names are in the black community, but there is no one with either name in my Country club if that is any indication of the uncommonness of each. As for picking your own name... that is always a possibility. Many of our actors have stage names. Duke Wayne's real name was Marrion Morrison, for example.

If you are saddled with an ordinary name like Steve, you can always take a paper and pencil and pick your own name. Like Slash the guitarist, Edge the guitarist, or Slow Hand the guitarist. Notice a trend here? Next, learn to play the guitar. Join a band with a memorable name, and maybe one day, you will be known by only one name. Sly Stallone did not make it, there is Sly and the Family Stone to contend with. The hurdle is high. You had better start right away.