Here's one for Nichiyoubi

[s.a.f]

I'm going to name 3 celebrities and I want you tell me if you think that hairloss would have had any effect on their lives or success. And by hairloss I mean noticible hairloss like being a NW3 aged 21 and a bald NW6 by their mid 20's. Everything else about them remains the same their talents ect. But seeing as the problems related to hair loss dont really exist and are all in our minds do you think that these 3 would have lived exactly the same lives if they'd been afflicted with it.

1). Elvis Presley
2). Tom Cruise
3). David Beckham.

 

[Draco88]

Good list, i'm sure many more can be added.
But i can confidently say that none of them would have achieved the success they have attained so far, if they started losing hair in their early 20's. Especially Tom Cruise.

Ok i may show my ignorance by saying this, but can someone point out a popular singer from Elvis Presley's era, who was either bald or was obviously losing hair? And i don't mean someone in their 50's, but someone who was around Elvis' age and who was as popular as he?

 

[s.a.f]

Thats the reality is'nt it. I'm just waiting for Nichiyobi to come on here and claim that baldness would'nt have made any difference and that "they'd still have been big stars because of their talent it does'nt matter at all" ....

But we all know that in reality the fact is it does count and if it affects their lives it will also have an effect on our lives.

The real truth is if they had suffered from this not unusual condition they would'nt have had anywhere near such a spectacular careers and all that just because of one little thing HAIR.

My guesses as to how far they'd have gone are:

Elvis - would'nt have become a big star but would have probably been able to be a backing singer for a less talented star. Yes it does happen there are plenty of great singers out there who just dont have the looks to get a solo recording contract.

Tom Cruise - As soon as it became noticible the leading roles would have dried up (as they did for Billy Zane) And the best he could have hoped for is a career doing TV bit parts.

Beckham - Although a good player the guy made his career from combining his looks and his his talent it was the image not the skills that earned him his fortune and made him the face of soccer and hair was always his most noticible feature.
Be under no doubt that the Beckham image was more valuble to clubs in terms of promotion and merchandising than his abilities on the field.
A bald beckham would probably be playing for some lesser league club earning about one tenth of his current wage/ sponsership income.

 

[BrightonBaldy]

From those three, Beckham would be the only one that made any real money, even ugly players can goto the top (Rooney for example, Beckham was unplayable for years) and even crap players get paid shitloads.

He would never have married Victoria and never had his family, or global fame, same goes for the other two.

 

[Boondock]

I don't think it would've affected Beckham that much. He looks pretty cool bald. If Patrick Stewart can pull it off in acting then I'm sure Beckham would've had a chance.

 

[GeminiX]

I don't think it would've affected Beckham that much. He looks pretty cool bald. If Patrick Stewart can pull it off in acting then I'm sure Beckham would've had a chance.

And Patrick Stewart looks "funny" with hair

 

[cuebald]

And you know what? Seeing Patrick Stewart with hair is almost as odd as seeing someone you know (or even your own reflection) without any hair. Something just isn't "right".

Baldness is a curse and not a blessing.

 

[s.a.f]

I don't think it would've affected Beckham that much. He looks pretty cool bald. If Patrick Stewart can pull it off in acting then I'm sure Beckham would've had a chance.

Err Beckham is'nt actually bald! But pulling off the look is one thing but being an international icon and hearthrob with it- zero chance.
And Patrick Stewart has made a career out of playing niche' roles - older distinguished types even back when he was younger.

 

[BrightonBaldy]

Actually think Patrick Stewart would look great with hair, maybe not the hair in the picture.

 

[Boondock]

There's no two ways about it, Patrick Stewart and Yul Brenner rocked the bald look and had successful acting careers before baldness was even remotely socially acceptable. What some people would call "niche" roles, others would call "lead roles".

 

[Nichiyoubi]

s.a.f I'll take your three and raise you five:

#1 Owen Wilson
Ever notice he always combs his hair forward? There's a big forehead, I mean a big reason for that...

#2 Tiger Woods
OK maybe not the best example at the moment, but does anybody really believe he would be a better golfer and land more sponsorships if he had better hair??? (Maybe if he had better morals but that's a different topic)

#3 Joe Satriani
If he had better hair (or a single strand of hair) his solos would be so much wickeder. Shyaaaah!

#4 Ben Bernanke
If he hadn't lost his hair, he would probably have found a higher post that Fed Chairman.

#5 Vin Diesel
With hair like that his life must be a living hell. Shyeah right! Try finding some photos of Vin with a full head of hair. I dare ya.

I know, all these guys must have fooled the powers that be by wearing wide brimmed hats. Or they got their first break two minutes before their hair fell out but in the nick of time. Or all these guys have great head shapes so it's OK for them but not for the rest of us. Or "if you are so right about this Nichi then how come we aren't all movies stars already?" I know there will be some great comebacks and I can't wait to read 'em!

There are lots more examples of very successful people who began losing their hair when they were quite young. If you seek you shall find...

 

[Draco88]

I'm not even familiar with half those guys, and lets exclude Tiger Woods, i only know of 1. and 5., and i wouldn't say they're that comparable to the likes of Presley and co. Presley will always be remembered as that famous singer, Tom Cruise will be looked upon as one of those famous actors, like many look back to James Stewart, Beckham, well he'll always be remembered as a great footballer.

You make some very weak comparisons.

 

[Boondock]

If you don't know who the other two are you must have had your head in the ground for the last two decades.

- Joe Satriani is one of the most famous guitar players on the planet. Ever. Anyone with even a passing acquaintance with rock music will know who he is. Probably 50% of my friends who've never listened to rock know who he is.

- Ben Bernanke is one of the most important political-economic figures in the world right now. Again, anyone with even a passing acquaintance with world affairs knows who he is. He just won Time Man of the Year 2009 for Christ's sake. http://www.time.com/time/specials/packa ... 51,00.html

 

[s.a.f]

s.a.f I'll take your three and raise you five:

#1 Owen Wilson
#2 Tiger Woods
#3 Joe Satriani
#4 Ben Bernanke
#5 Vin Diesel
There are lots more examples of very successful people who began losing their hair when they were quite young. If you seek you shall find...

Totally weak comparisons :thumbdown2:

#1 Owen wilson - Not bald at all, not even close, not even considered balding so you might aswell have added him to my list not yours since if he was a NW6 he'd have no career. :shakehead:

#2 Tiger Woods again not a bald guy, has some hairloss but is in his mid 30's now and does'nt have the hearthrob status of Beckham, and since most of his rival Golfers are middle aged fat guys it does'nt really effect him. Anyway he wears a hat 90% of the time.

#3 Joe Santriani - Dont really know him that much, but I'll take your word for it that he's a big star. Has he always been bald? Is he a frontman for the band, if not I'll guess the lead singer is'nt also follicly challenged.

4# Ben who? - Never heard of him but were'nt we talking about people for who looks and image make a difference in their lives. And since in your pic he appears middle aged WITH HAIR he does'nt count anyway. You might aswell have added Warren Buffet.

5# Vin Diesel - Finally a worthy comparison? but we all know that Vin is one of those very few guys along with Bruce Willis who can really pull off the look. Has exceptional genetics for it - Natural tan, masculine features that most guys can only dream of.
But I'd like to see how far his career would have gone if he did'nt also have a massive muscular body and take his shirt off in every movie playing hard guys. Could he have made it never getting his muscles out and playing the role of a ordinary guy?

 

[Boondock]

#3 Joe Santriani - Dont really know him that much, but I'll take your word for it that he's a big star. Has he always been bald? Is he a frontman for the band, if not I'll guess the lead singer is'nt also follicly challenged.

Satriani did go bald at a young age, when he was crafting his career. Also he doesn't front the band. He is the band.

I do agree that most of the above are irrelevant examples, but I also think this was always a fairly irrelevant thread. I can understand people who wanted to go into acting or showbusiness might have trouble because of premature baldness. But most of the people on this board don't want to do that, and just want to lead fairly 'normal' lives.

If someone thinks that, because Elvis might have had trouble being bald, that they can't get a job or a girlfriend or go out the house, they're just barking up the wrong tree.

I feel like a hamster running around a wheel in these threads, so I think I'm just going to stay out of them from now on.

 

[GeminiX]

@Boondock: I share your pain.

Unless I'm missing something, the attitude seems to be "Unless I can have the looks, hair, and one-in-a-million stroke-of-luck to make me a mega-star-hunky-celebrity; my life is over".

What I never see in these threads is also the *years* of massive dedication these people usually have to put in to learn their craft / instrument / acting school / agent after agent etc.

Obviously I've been blind; all anyone has to do to become a rock legend or Hollywood 'A' lister is have a nice hairstyle.

edit:
Ok, so I'm being OTT with the sarcasm, but why we keep seeing threads pointing out that it's simply impossible to be a celebrity with bad hair is as pointless as it is plain wrong.

Of course, there are some things in life that can be easier with good genetics, but if you're going to feel down about that, you might as well get suicidal over not winning the lottery.

The road to "celebrity" is absolutely littered with fabulous looking people who completely failed to make it anywhere.

 

[uncomfortable man]

I don't know why we keep dragging celebrities into this discussion. The real issue is what balding does to the average man's looks and how that effects their lives. Everyday lives, f*** Hollywood.

 

[Draco88]

If you don't know who the other two are you must have had your head in the ground for the last two decades.

- Joe Satriani is one of the most famous guitar players on the planet. Ever. Anyone with even a passing acquaintance with rock music will know who he is. Probably 50% of my friends who've never listened to rock know who he is.

- Ben Bernanke is one of the most important political-economic figures in the world right now. Again, anyone with even a passing acquaintance with world affairs knows who he is. He just won Time Man of the Year 2009 for Christ's sake. http://www.time.com/time/specials/packa ... 51,00.html

Interestingly enough, i was born just over 2 decades ago

I have my own interests and it seems like they haven't brushed over the likes of Joe Satriani and Ben Bernanke. Especially someone such as Ben Bernanke since i generally don't follow global affairs/politics and the likes. But listening to 'always with me, always with you' on youtube, i have to say this Satriani guy is a pretty good artist

 

[Nichiyoubi]

s.a.f I'll take your three and raise you five:

...5# Vin Diesel - Finally a worthy comparison? but we all know that Vin is one of those very few guys along with Bruce Willis who can really pull off the look. Has exceptional genetics for it - Natural tan, masculine features that most guys can only dream of.
But I'd like to see how far his career would have gone if he did'nt also have a massive muscular body and take his shirt off in every movie playing hard guys. Could he have made it never getting his muscles out and playing the role of a ordinary guy?

I expected some good replies and I must say I am not disappointed!

When I read your question I took about 5 minutes to come up with 5 guys who experienced significant hair loss and are wildly successful by most definitions. If I had an hour I could have come up with 60.

But let's focus only on one: Vin Diesel. I'm sure some people scoured the Internet but couldn't find a single picture of the guy without any significant hair loss. (If anyone found a picture of him at birth I'm sure they would have posted and said "SEE!") So Vin may just well be the right example here.

But now we seem to have gotten caught in the weeds. The focus has gone from perfect hair to perfect muscular body, natural tan and masculine features "most guys can only dream of." The goal posts keep getting moved!

How about we aim for some clarity here. What, s.a.f. or others who want to chime in, is your definition of a successful guy who experienced hair loss?

Apparently Joe Satriani does not meet your definition. So let's get that straight so we don't waste our time and chase away people like Boondock who feels like we just climbed onto a giant hamster wheel.

 

[toocoolforhair]

This is the one area where I agree hair loss has a huge impact: careers that rely on looks. Elvis Presley would not be the icon he is today, Tom Cruise's roles would have been limited and David Beckham would not have been a sex symbol. However, in the case of Beckham, it might have made him a better footballer; he'd have spent more time training and less time modelling.

Although hair loss has such an impact in showbiz that does not mean the average bald guy on the street should be worried. You can still be attractive without model good looks. Baldness does not automatically mean you are not good looking.