John Cusack

John Cusack is one of the few actors today that appeal to both males and females.

I bet if you asked a girl to list her favorite actors, somewhere after Brad Pitt, Matthew McConaughey and Orlando Bloom, you'd find John Cusack.

Meanwhile, if you asked guys to list their favorites, John Cusack would be on the same list with Jet Li, Adam Sandler and Marlon Brando.

What is it about John that makes both sexes pay attention? I can't answer that for girls, but I will attempt to answer it for the guys.

In almost every role he plays, John Cusack is just a normal guy doing normal things.

Sure, he'll play something just a little out of the normal realm - like a hitman in Grosse Pointe Blank - but even then, he makes it seem like a perfectly normal career.

Let me tell you a story about John Cusack. A few years back, my wife worked at the Salt Lake International Airport. During that time, they were filming parts of Con Air in and around Salt Lake. A few of the actors from the film - Nicolas Cage and Ving Rhames to name two - came through my wife's gift shop.

One day my friend, Trav the Movie Man, and his wife were in the airport getting ready to fly out and they thought they would stop off and talk to my wife. While they were in there, who should walk into the shop but John Cusack.

And then something remarkable happened. The song "In Your Eyes" started playing over the store music system.



The girls went ga-ga, as did Trav.

To this day, Trav can't tell me this story without getting a tear in his eye.

John is in a lot of movies, but my Top Twelve are these:

(In Order of Release)

1. Sixteen Candles
2. Better Off Dead
3. Journey of Natty Gann
4. Stand by Me
5. Say Anything
6. Grosse Pointe Blank
7. Con Air
8. Being John Malkovich
9. High Fidelity
10. Serendipity
11. Identity
12. Runaway Jury

Tim Curry

It's so comforting to know that there are so many people in this world sicker than I am.

-Tim Curry at a Rocky Horror Picture Show convention

In honor of Tim Curry's 60th birthday, I'm inducting him into the Guy Hall of Fame.

I know. I know. How does a guy who played a "Sweet Transvestite" in The Rocky Horror Picture Show make it in a Hall of Fame with such people as Steve McQueen, Bruce Willis and Christopher Walken?

Simple.

Tim Curry rocks.

Three Simple Reasons Tim Should Be Here (see his entire career on IMDb):

1. Legend - Best. Lord of Darkness. Ever.
2. Clue - This is seriously one of the most underrated comedies out there.
   
3. Muppet Treasure Island - One of the best Long John Silvers ever to grace the screen.

Oh yeah, and then there was It.



Scariest. Clown. Ever.

Other Reasons He Belongs in the Hall of Fame

• He was the second choice of the Joker for Tim Burton's Batman
• He played King Arthur in the Broadway version of Monty Python's "Spamalot"
• He does a lot of voice work on cartoons for Disney & others.
  

So welcome to the Hall of Fame, Mr. Curry.

And if you don't mind, would you lead us in "The Time Warp"?

Steve Irwin AKA The Crocodile Hunter

If there was ever a guy out there in this world, it was Steve "The Crocodile Hunter" Irwin. In fact, I had planned on putting "The Crocodile Hunter" in the Hall of Fame since the beginning of the Hall, but I figured that I had plenty of time to do so.

It's too bad that I have to do this one posthumously.

I know that there are some of you that never understood Steve Irwin. You didn't understand what the big deal was. I'll tell you what the big deal was. This guy played with animals for a living, and, most of the time, they were dangerous animals.

As a guy who sits in a desk every day of his life and works in front of a computer, I can't tell you how jealous I was of Steve Irwin's job. This guy loved what he did. How many of us can say that? As if that weren't enough, he loved animals and saw a different beauty in animals that other people fail to see.

My kids have a Wiggles video that stars the Crocodile Hunter. On it, Steve is talking about this hideous looking owl thing and the entire time he has this look on his face that he really loves this bird.

That's a passion that all of us should have for our jobs...and our lives, really.

He taught kids - and adults - things about animals that we've never would've learned anywhere else. And he made it fun to learn. He was one of the best at what he did and his death leaves a void in many people's lives.

Elvis Presley

In honor of the 29th Anniversary of his death, I'm inducting the King to the Guy Hall of Fame.

(NOTE: For those of you that want to argue the fact that Elvis is dead, let it go already. That was almost funny back in the 1980's, but it's just old now. Just like a guy putting on a dress in a movie to get a big laugh. We've seen it all and it's tired. That is all.)

I know that some people out there are not fans of Elvis, and that's fine. This isn't your Hall of Fame, this is mine.


REASONS WHY HE BELONGS IN THE HALL OF FAME

• His nickname is "The Pelvis"
• He's one of the few people in both the Rock & Roll and Country Music Hall of Fame
• He dated &/or co-starred with Natalie Wood, Nancy Sinatra, Ursula Andress, Connie Stevens
• Everybody - no matter the age - tries to mimic him whenever they say "Thank You. Thank you very much."
  

REASONS WHY HE MAY NOT BELONG

• Any of his movies - except King Creole and Viva Las Vegas
• White studded jumpsuits

So welcome to the Guy Hall of Fame, Mr. Presley. You're in some good company.

Michael Keaton

Let's get this out of the way: I do not have a crush on Michael Keaton. Okay, maybe I do, but it's just a small crush.

Keaton is the ultimate actor. I would put him up against any of the big guns.

Let me show you what I mean.

(NOTE: I have nothing against the following actors. I just need to use some real names to prove my point.)

Russell Crowe - I loved Russell in The Insider. Not so much in Gladiator. Keaton could've pulled off both of those characters without a hitch. Russell, on the other hand, would probably have a problem doing Mr. Mom or Beetle Juice.

Tom Hanks - Tom rocks! He can do romantic comedy (Sleepless in Seattle), drama (Philadelphia), comedy (Big) and even adventure (The Da Vinci Code). Keaton does romantic comedy (Speechless), drama (Clean & Sober), comedy (The Dream Team) and even adventure (Batman). The one thing that Hanks lacks is the Bad Guy. Even when he is a 'bad guy' (You've Got Mail, The Ladykillers) he's charming and likeable.

Keaton, on the other hand, was just plain evil in Pacific Heights and Desperate Measures.

Kevin Spacey - I love Kevin. He can sing (Beyond the Sea). He can do drama (American Beauty). He can do comedy (The Ref). He can be the bad guy (Se7en).

I don't know if Spacey could've pulled off Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing like Keaton.

And while Keaton hasn't done any roles singing, I know he can. (One of his first roles was on Mary Tyler Moore's variety show with David Letterman. Dave will show clips from it everytime Keaton comes on his show.)

My point is, this is a guy that won the National Society of Film Critics Awards in 1989 for both Beetle Juice and Clean & Sober.

Now that's a range.

Other Reasons He Belongs in the Hall of Fame:


He was Batman!
He's a Steelers fan!
He has kissed Kim Basinger, Nicole Kidman and Michelle Pfeiffer!
He was on the Simpsons.



Reasons He Should Be Excluded:
Herbie: Fully Loaded (One of the only Keaton films I haven't seen)

Bond...James Bond

James Bond was first introduced to the world in Ian Fleming's 1952 novel, Casino Royale.

Since then, other authors have taken over the Bond universe and there have been a total of 20 movies released featuring Mr. Bond.

(NOTE: This post is about James Bond, not about the actors that played James Bond. We all know that Connery was the best, so let's leave it at that.)

Bond had it all.

Cars

• Aston Martin DB5
• 1937 Rolls Royce III
• Sunbeam Alpine
• Lotus Esprit
• 1962 Rolls Royce
• Aston Martin V8
• Ferrari Spider 355
• BMW Z3 Roadster
• BMW Z8
• Aston Martin V12 Vanquish
• Jaguar XKR
  

Gadgets & Weapons

• Grappling Hook Guns
• Homing Devices
• Seagull Snorkel Suit (which kept his tuxedo completely dry)
• Fake Fingerprints
• Walther PPK 7.65mm
• Wrist Dart Gun
• Cigarette Case Safe Cracker
• Mini Camera
• Electronic Shaver Bug Detector and Recorder
• Polarising Sunglasses
  

Women

• Ursula Andress
• Honor Blackman
• Diana Rigg
• Shirley Eaton
• Jill St. John
• Catherine Schell
• Lana Wood
• Jane Seymour
• Britt Ekland
• Barbara Bach
• Tanya Roberts
• Michelle Yeoh
• Teri Hatcher
• Denise Richards
• Sophie Marceau
• Famke Janssen
• Maud Adams
• Kim Basinger
• Barbara Carrera

Yep, Bond is the man!

Welcome to the Hall of Fame. How would you like your martini?

Homer Simpson

I was looking at the past inductees of the Hall of Fame and I was shocked that Homer wasn't in there yet. I mean, after all, I do take in consideration any person that has been on "The Simpsons," so it would only make sense to put the ultimate Simpson on the list.

As you probably all know, I don't watch a lot of TV. My TV watching is limited to Steelers football games and reruns of "Seinfeld" and "The Simpsons".

The reason I watch "The Simpsons" is because of Homer. Sure, there are other characters that I enjoy, but Homer is the reason I ever became a fan of the show. It was a nice change from the usual TV father that we saw in the 80's. Not saying that I have modeled my life after him, but it was nice to see a different dad that drank beer, belched, ate donuts, skipped work, spent his evenings at Moe's and tried to kill his boss.

A few of his accomplishments:

1. He was an astronaut.
2. His band, the B Sharps, won a Grammy.
3. He toured with Smashing Pumpkins, Cypress Hill & Peter Frampton.

Homer is also the ultimate soundbite. There are many websites dedicated to Homer Simpson quotes, but here are a few of my favorites:

• Heh Heh Heh! Lisa! Vampires are make believe, just like elves and gremlins and eskimos!
• Bart, you're saying butt-kisser like it's a bad thing!
• Oh Lisa! You and your stories! Bart is a vampire! Beer kills brain-cells! Now lets go back to that...building...thingy... where our beds and TV...is.
• I think Smithers picked me because of my motivational skills. Everyone says they have to work a lot harder when I’m around.
• Be quiet, Brain, or I'll stab you with a Q-tip
• Kill my boss?!? Do I dare live out the american dream?
• Mmmm...Sacrelicious!
• If he is so smart, how come he is dead?
• If something goes wrong at the plant, blame the guy who can't speak English.

Welcome to the Hall of Fame, Homer.