Thursday, June 05, 2008

Gas Station Attendant Becomes Famous Overnight Sensation After Being Discovered

So, my weird, little--initially research-driven in order to support some stupid point, but now fodder for procrastination--obsession of the day is the tale in which a would-be star is discovered pumping gas.
So far, I've come across a story involving Toni Braxon, but that is about it.
I was sure, when I made the original point, that the story involved James Dean in some way, but then I dicovered, via a little wiki-search, that Dean was far less of an overnight sensation than his persona might suggest.
Other celebrities seem to have worked at gas stations.
Apparently, Ray Romano "worked variously as a gas station attendant, bank clerk, and truck driver" during his early career, but was not "discovered" at a gas station.
In '94, Johnny Depp confessed to Allen Ginsburg that despite his success, he still feels like the "seventeen-year-old gas station attendant in south Florida" he seemingly was before fame. 
Was he discovered there?
Even Clint Eastwood pumped gas for a living.
So, famous people have pumped gas in their pre-fame lives and I am sure that some has-beens and never-weres have pumped gas in their post-fame lives, but who was discovered pumping gas?
Just an urban legend or was someone--I mean, besides Ms. Braxon, because I am sure the archetype of the gas pumping star to-be is older and more traditionally male than her--actually discovered at a gas station and "made into" an overnight star?

Tuesdays at the Gish, Season 2

Just announced:
The regular schedule for Season 2 of The Tuesdays at the Gish Film Series
Gish Film Theater, Hanna Hall, BGSU
BattlegroundStates.org/Gish