An Athlete, An Actor or a Rockstar.................

I would choose Athlete:

They say that all sportscasters are 'frustrated ex-athletes' and in my own personal case that's somewhat true. I was never talented enough to play hockey professionally (the furthest I ever got was Jr. B), and any other sport I played was simply for the enjoyment of being active and being a part of a team.

Being a professional athlete would be awesome. You'd get to see the world, while being paid extremely well to play a sport you love. In addition to your salary, you get a daily stipend on the road which pays for your meals and leisure, and as previously mentioned the copious access to VIP clubs and women would be a great perk.

But the winning would be the best part. I won a few hockey and baseball tournaments as a youngster, and the thrill never gets old. Nothing beats seeing the clock strike 'zero' or watching the final out and celebrating with your teammates.

Another perk to being an athlete would be the longevity of your career after your playing days are over. In most cases, retired athletes usually wind up with a scouting job, or sometime of personel job with their former club. Nothing would be sweeter than having a 15 year career in Major League Baseball, or the NHL then retiring to a cushy personel position with the team.

 

Rock Star. I was in a couple bands a few years back and the funnest times in my life have been playing my guitar up on stage, if it some of them were at shitty venues with no crowd whatsoever.

 

I think if we go by "the rush" a superstar athlete or rockstar has about the equal level. The athlete gets way more criticism for his play than a rockstar. The rockstar on the other hand has to be creative and to write or play good music.

I'm more of the creative type so I'd take rockstar but I'd love to be a celebrity actor and to be interviewed by Conan or Letterman. It's my own little hollow, shallow dream.

 

Well, the amount of criticism is directly related to how much of the person's work the public sees. Athletes play multiple times a week during their season, while bands release albums... at most, every 6 months?

I'm actually really surprised at how many people picked actor and athlete over rockstar, I kind of expected rocker to have the lead by a lot.

 

I'm reading alot of posts saying rockers have more 'moral leeway'. Not anymore. "Rockstars" now are merely brands and in many cases, have little to no talent, just a pretty face that teen girls can scream about while buying up all the Disney, Jonas Bros merchandise. Look at it this way: Would you rater be a rocker now or in 1975? Think of the peers you'd be hanging out with then vs. now. Think of the parties.
These days, I'd have to go with athlete. You make a shit load in 10-15 years, you rake in endorsements, and, if you're smart enough to not get married during your career, you can chase tail with no reprecussions from the press (Jeter vs, Tiger). Kids look up to you and the paparazzi, for the most part, leaves you alone. Once you retire, you go into TV or coaching or just get paid to put your face on local business billboards (see: Denver 10 years after Elway retired). I'd pick baseball or basketball as I would live a longer life with a working body vs. being in football or hockey. (That last sentence totally goes against the 'Man Law' thread, but whatever).

 

It was a difficult choice for me between athlete and rock star, but I immediately disqualified actor. Why? Because shooting a film is a major pain in the ass, as is hobnobbing with the press, promotion, etc. and for what? Simply being a cog in someone else's project? One that could be total shit?

Now, if you had offered me to be a major director instead, I would take that in a heartbeat. Not even close.

If my physical gifts would have ever allowed it, I would have loved to have played basketball, or competed in mixed martial arts at a high level. Sadly, I don't, but I find all sports absolutely fascinating, down to the biomechanical and business aspects of them, and the idea of being genuinely world-class at something. (Neither actors nor most rock stars can say this)

Unfortunately, the sports that I love would also kill my body, force me to take supplements/drugs/steroids, destroy my knees and ankles, and generally make my post-retirement days painful and difficult.

Thus, I went with rock star. For starters, they get more and better pussy than either actors or athletes, so if the money is roughly equal, that's a major advantage. Also, once you make it big, the job is nowhere near as arduous or annoying, mainly going down to recording and playing shows.

Meanwhile, you can play shows into your 60s if you like, something that athletes and most actors can't boast about, it doesn't fuck up your body unless you're you want it to, and the exhilaration is incomparable.

On a personal note, while it makes me weird, I love playing the drums, and since drum players are usually the most disrespected and overlooked members of a band, I could maintain my anonymity, and not be hassled by fans on the streets.

 

I picked Rock Star. While I could never become a professional athlete (they don't pay many in my sport) or an Actor, I don't find those talents that difficult.

But music is one of the most difficult aspects of my life. I'm a beginner at best, have tried to write music and play live audiences. I comprehend how insanely difficult it is.

 

Jonas brothers are NOT rock stars. They are Pop stars, and there is a huge difference. Allot of Pop stars depend on that squeaky clean image to sell. Rock stars (while there are few left) still can do whatever they want. The members of the band "Jett" did cocaine during there interview with Rolling Stone. Steven Tyler just went to Rehab again, he is not going to get any criticism and it will not affect his career. Actors and Rock Star's get away with MURDER, (Robert Downey Jr, all of Gun's and Roses as well as Motley Crue, Hugh Grant...ect) Tiger Woods had numerous affairs and lost millions in endorsements, Brad Pitt divorced his wife (many regarded her as America's sweetheart) and still is the most popular actor today. Athletes still cheat and do drugs but they don't get celebrated for it.

 

Athlete won by miles, ever since a kid I've always loved my sport and played as much as I could. My old man used to give me heaps of shit because one day he asked me what I wanted to be and the first thing that came out was professional cricketer.

 

Rockstar, just not a drummer/bassist. I was doing merch table for a Default concert (I don't know why I volunteered), and one of the members of the opening band (forget the name, but nothing spectacular) was signing autographs, a girl walks up to him and says "are you the drummer?" he responds with "Hell effing no! I'm the bassist!"

 

I played O-Line my whole life. Pee Wee, High School, College. Now, I get to represent these people.

No thanks kids.

I see the appeal of playing sports and screaming fans and la la la, but you get that same personal rush (unattainable unless on the stage as an actor) as a musician. Plus, watching (seemingly) sober Wayne and Eminem crush the Grammy's last night versus watching All-Pros half ass it has me in a pro-rockstar mood right now.

 

Growing up, Rock Star was The Dream. But, now, I'd take actor, if only because I'm finally interested in aging gracefully.

I love to travel and I dig the idea of touring, but I've worked in the music business and seen a) how ruthless it is toward artists and b) how hard it is to keep a foothold in what the industry considers "relevance," and c) how desperately insecure many of the most respected musicians are. Sell a certain number of books and you're a star. Sell the same number of albums and you're finished. If you're in a movie that tanks, at least the blame gets spread around, your career is protected, and it's a lot easier to bounce back.

Actors have the ability to evolve over time. Superficially, it's not as "creative" as performing your own songs, but once you're at the Depp level, you can propose all kinds of insane projects and have them taken seriously. And, at this stage of my life, I believe actors have more premium pussy access than musicians. I like artistic chicks. Fuck 19-year-old daddy-hating groupie pussy. Give me thinking-man's pussy.

I'd take any of these, even boxer-turned-vegetable, over President. And I'd take Eszterhas over anything.