Model Chrissy Teigen once asked on Twitter what people’s “one minute of fame” was. A brief bit of exposure, connection with someone of greater fame, or a bit part in a commercial they’re proud of. Here are some of the best from that same Twitter thread.
Loving the Mac
Sav might have been the youngest person on the list when she got her claim to minor fame. The Kraft mac and cheese boxes used to feature child models with a big spoonful of cheese and a big smile on their faces, and Savannah was one of the lucky ones.
She had to draw a picture about why she loved mac and cheese and ended up winning the contest, as well as a cool fifteen grand. She also got a trip to Orlando, meaning this blue box kid got plenty of fun out of a little bit of work. No doubt, if this kind of contest was offered today, millions of kids would be entering.
Get a Room, Guys
It seems as if Anna Rumer, an entertainment reporter, is intruding on a special little moment during a scene of “Very Cavallari,” which followed television personality Kristin Cavallari and her husband, former NFL quarterback Smokin' Jay Cutler. We see her standing in the background of this pic.
Being an entertainment reporter, you'd think she'd be a little more comfortable around celebrities, but she clearly isn't loving it. Teigen loved this shot so much she posted a zoomed-in photo of Anna's face in the comments of her tweet. Whether long and awkward or just perfectly-timed, Anna might be having the last laugh, seeing as the two celebs pictured here have separated.
Still Following the Yellow Brick Road
We all had fun celebrating Halloween as a kid. It seems like Jessie Cannizzaro had a little more fun than the rest of us, seeing as how she was a child model for Halloween costumes.
She posed in a cute Dorothy from “Wizard of Oz” costume when she was nine, and more than ten years later, it's still being sold in stores. Even more, for some reason, Bill Maher used the picture on his show “Real Time with Bill Maher.” Jessie is an actor and writer, and it's clear she's a natural in the entertainment business.
Non-Usual?
Twitter user Fran Robertson has a wildly unique look, which is one of the reasons why she was chosen to be the face of the New Zealand soda brand Höpt. With rainbow pin-up hair, multicolored tattoos everywhere on her body, and more piercings and gauges than we can count, she certainly draws the eye.
Fran is actually the winner of Miss Viva Las Vegas 2018 as well as Miss pinup New Zealand 2016. Fran might have cheated a little bit, seeing as she has had far more than one minute of fame, but being approached because the soda brand wanted a “colorful weirdo” is a good enough reason to talk about it on Twitter.
Seeing Themselves as Cartoons
Jessie Juwono and her husband both worked on the “Big Hero 6” animated television show. They might not have shown their real faces on the show or even lent their voices, but they still got their one minute of fame. Jessie is a writer, and while we're unsure what her husband did, they both got to appear in one scene as members of an animated crowd.
The picture shows us Jessie's hubby in front, with the glasses and bow tie, while Jessie is seated behind him with the red dress. The animations are great, and no surprise – Twitter user @LightPhillip has plenty of experience, having worked on shows such as “The Proud Family.”
Remember Me?
This one minute of fame is one of the funniest on the list, seeing as how it involves Chrissy Teigen herself. A Twitter user who goes by “Siena” was once a seat filler at the 2016 Grammys and sat right next to...Chrissy Teigen. The two were even captured together in a gif that had Teigen tearing up as Siena cheers.
The reason for this emotional image was that Teigen's husband, musician John Legend, was playing an emotional song during the Grammys. It's Siena's one minute of fame, but for Teigen, it was just another night of getting dressed up and having cameras all around her.
Bragging to the Wife
Twitter user Josh Lebherz did a little bit of work for World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc and scored himself a front-row seat to some high-flying fun as part of the thanks. He was seated right behind the announcers, and in the picture, he seems to be giving the camera a bit of stink eye.
He was trying to say hello to his wife, who turned on the television, and sent him a text: “knock it off, you look like you belong there!” Josh might not have been about to jump in the ring, but his intense expression right between the commentators is good for a chuckle or two.
A Fan of the Franks
A picture of Twitter user Dena had her wearing wiener leggings for Delishop, the world's largest collection of meat-inspired apparel. Somehow, this picture appeared all over Philadelphia, online, and even in magazines. Even Teigen admitted to recognizing the picture.
Dena's energy is apparent in her love for tasty meat snacks, so it's clear that the apparel brand would want her to represent them. She's even rocking a shirt with a pithy, meaty phrase. The entire city of brotherly love got to know her at one point. It might have been one minute of fame, but it was a pretty powerful minute.
Endearing Fandom
Ah, the early 2000s. Long before, social media changed the world forever, and when boy bands had the charts conquered from dusk until dawn. Smartphone pics had yet to overcome traditional photography, so a picture of one Jessica Leary screaming about her favorite five is lucky to have made it into “Teen People Magazine."
Girls went wild for N*SYNC, and Jessica was one of the fans made famous for her excitement. She's front and center of this big photo spread, back when the only things she had to worry about were homework and teen crushes.
Yeah, Dad, I Know
It wasn't Meagan Pitcher who has the fame in this entry. Instead, it's her father, who got to be an extra on the set of “Ford v Ferrari,” starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale, two of Hollywood's biggest actors.
According to Meagan, ol' pops got to talk with Damon and has gone on to let his daughter know “approximately 525,600 times,” which is sort of impressive given that the film came out in 2019. Talkative guy, Meagan's dad. Of course, thanks to post-production time and marketing time, it's likely that the movie was filmed in 2018 or even 2017.
Nothing to Dread From This Claim to Fame
Starring the late Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, “10 Things I Hate About You” is one of the better romcoms to exist in the late nineties. During one scene, a few of the main characters run into a cloud of white Rastafaris, who are enjoying the great outdoors, playing guitar, and calling each other “Mon.”
The scene is short but memorable, and Jason Kester admits he was one of the Rastas, as pointed out by the picture. Thankfully, by now, Kester has gotten rid of his dreads, but he still gets to enjoy his one minute of fame in front of the camera.
Not a Very Good Work-to-Reward Equation
For “First Man,” Ryan Gosling is strapped into a spacesuit and blasted beyond the surly bonds of Earth, but apparently, even this handsome leading man doesn't have the right hands for the job of close-ups, which is why Jonathan Hogue was hired to be a hand double.
According to Hogue, he spent two weeks doing twelve-hour days in a seventy-pound spacesuit, and the final cut of the movie used only one hand-shot. It wasn't even a whole minute of fame for this hand-working hand actor. At least he got to appear in the movie, though Jonathan might not have found the whole ordeal worth it.
What Do You Mean We're Married?
Here's an interesting tidbit: in certain Indian cultures, a man putting a flower necklace, similar to a lei, around the neck of a woman symbolizes marriage. It was quite a surprise to Brandon Schuster, who gave Priyanka Chopra a few leis in order to welcome her to the “green carpet” event in Tampa, Florida, in 2014.
Apparently, the Indian media had a field day with the unintentional act, and the very next day, Brandon was giving exclusive interviews with media in India. However, this accidental declaration of love didn't go anywhere – Chopra very publicly got married to singer-songwriter Nick Jonas in a two-ceremony wedding celebration.
At Least Her Mom-Approved
A lot of kids want to make their parents proud, whether or not they admit it. Kim Wilson had quite a brief acting career, but her mom was happy with it, at least. Her eye appears in the opening for a 48 Hours series called “Live to Tell,” about events that happened to United States Special Operations Forces overseas.
The director told Wilson to “look afraid,” and it looks like she's pulled it off. Wilson might not have a long list of acting roles to tout to others, but she's still found her own fame: she's the CEO of Social News Desk, a social media management platform for newsrooms.
Five Knuckles of Fame
Not only did Twitter user Sam Thor work alongside a big-time name in John Oliver, but he also had precisely the kind of story that Chrissy Teigen was hoping to get when she asked for people's small stories of fame.
Not only did Thor work for Oliver (in an unknown role), but he was also in an image that showed an outraged waiter delivering him a knuckle sandwich. The picture is clearly staged, but wouldn't a real punch in the face still be worth being noticed by Teigen?
You're Always a Star to Your Grandparents
If you were part of certain communities when you were a child and teenager, you probably attended your fair share of bat and bar mitzvahs, including your own. The guy or gal at the center of attention is always dressed to the nines as part of their introduction to adulthood, but few make it onto the cover of a magazine.
Lil Tay might be long past the age of her bat mitzvah, but apparently, her grandparents still have a copy of the magazine that featured their little girl and take every opportunity they can to kvell about her minute of fame.
Chipmunking It on Live Television
Molly Norman hails from Minnesota, the land of tasteless, mealy food that you eat because you have nothing else to do than shovel snow and watch your sports teams lose. It's for this reason that she was so good at hiding her displeasure with the calamari.
Instead of spitting the piece of food out, Molly stored it in her cheeks but was unable to get rid of it, seeing as she was seated right behind Carla Hall. Norman played it cool the entire time and then found an opportunity to get rid of the food when the cameras were off her. Calamari really isn't great if it isn't cooked properly.
Got His Taste of Fame When He Could
David Spearman, now a spreadsheet-expert data director, once had the opportunity to be an extra on the TV show “Empire.” He even shook Terrence Howard's hand and everything. It seems Spearman's acting career didn't pick up enough steam for him to get any bigger roles since he moved into the corporate world not too long after his brush with fame.
It might be sad to take a step back and settle into a cubical, but fame isn't always what it's cracked up to be – case in point, not too long after Spearman had a chance to meet Howard, the actor decided enough was enough and called it quits. He said he was “tired of pretending.”
She's in the Middle
Interns do frequently get the short end of the stick, but this is a little bit different than what usually happens. While Amy's working days were probably filled with menial tasks and fetching coffee, during one Comic-Con, she had the chance to pose between these voice-acting celebs in a Boxtroll costume from “The Boxtrolls.”
According to Amy's tweet, the male model that had been hired to pose couldn't get his big arms into the costume, so little Amy took his place. Based on the tone of Amy's tweet, it's possible that she was just as pleased with the opportunity as the Boxtroll's face appears to be.
Ask for Permission First
“Sondra Tamagotchi” looks pretty happy with her physical health in her picture, but she was not pleased one bit to see herself in the poster. A minute of fame may be one thing, but Sondra wasn't aware she would even be the subject.
She was only helping the photographer set up the shot when he used her as a lighting test, and then the next thing she knew, she was seeing her face looking back at her from flyers and banners. As someone whose entire career is having pictures of herself taken, Chrissy Teigen was quick to point out that this was not cool.
At Least He Got Paid
Ahri Findling is now a comedian and TV writer, but he got his start in the entertainment industry as a model for the sporting goods store where he worked as an employee. When the hired model turned out to be a no-show, Ahri stepped in to help out. He ended up appearing all over the east coast, as well as in newspapers.
He even had to wear Spanx but had to have them cut off because he couldn't get them off over his shoulders. Not only does he have great fodder for his next stand-up bit, but he also got a twenty-five-dollar gift card, and he got to keep the Spanx.
Slinging Burgers and Smiling for Photos
While she was working up the cash for a new outfit or socking it away for college, Alyssa did what plenty of people did before graduating high school and worked at McDonald's. I've done it. And so have millions of others, but few of those got to be part of a national ad campaign for the fast-food chain at the same time.
Alyssa wasn't aware how widespread the picture would become, but soon everyone was telling her. She wasn't an employee anymore, so she got paid for her appearance. We wonder if it was cold hard cash or meals. Having worked there, I know which one I would prefer.
Two Minutes of Fame
She's also made national fame by being the face of Halloween, but Jessie Cannizzaro has another claim to minor fame. She and her brother were on the cover of an R.L. Stine book when Jessie was five. She wasn't supposed to be, but the young model hired didn't show up. That seems to happen a lot.
Anyway, Jessie and her brother both posed for the cover of “Children of Fear” and much later got Stine to sign a few copies for her and her brother. What a mensch. He didn't remember them, but he's been busy for a long time. He can't be expected to remember every child model.
I Get Paid for This, Right?
Joshua Hernandez is no big actor, but he still managed to appear next to a long list of stars when he was an extra in “Mockingjay Part 1” as a district 8 citizen. That's him in the checkered shirt. Whether he had to audition for the role or was volunteering off the street, we hope that this wasn't a real volunteer gig.
If you're acting in the same shot as Jennifer Lawrence, you deserve a little bit of cash. Joshua tells us that the photo was everywhere leading up to the release of the films. Not everybody gets to be in a box-office hit, so we hope Joshua enjoyed it.
Well, at Least It's Flattering
Twitter user “Nico” and a few friends agreed to take photos for a random website. While they knew what kind of website it was (helping you make informed choices about alcohol), Nico didn't really know how the pictures would be used.
She certainly didn't expect to see them plastered in hallways of universities and even above urinals in the bathroom, but her friends on Snapchat certainly let her know. We don't know if Nico was actually looking forward to her minute of fame, but she certainly had it. She even appeared in lots of different universities all over Canada!
That's an Unfortunate Title
It seems that Twitter user @EnvysJustice has reached a new low when it comes to official job titles or at least titles that she has appeared under. Her face still appeared on a company flier, so she must have been good at her job, but “Fluid Expert” is definitely something that you keep to yourself.
It's important to make sure that people don't get the wrong impression, but @EnvysJustice was actually a worker at an auto repair shop.
Part-Time Member of the Blue Man Group
Sebastien does some good work, even though he hasn't had many acting gigs. In fact, his single claim to fame is as blue arms in the American Airlines safety video. Even Teigen herself applauded his work, saying that she loved the video.
Teigen is one of the biggest models in the world, so she would know – maybe Sebastien should stick to his guns and be an arm actor. Why stop at safety videos? He could be a puppeteer, appear in ad spots as the lucky arm holding whatever product is being advertised, and much more.
Is This Fame, Technically?
If you've been around for a little while, then you've probably heard of the important mobile game “Doodle Jump,” which has you drawing platforms for a little jetpacking alien to land on. The game was entertaining and fun, and at one point, everyone was playing it during their downtime.
While the game was consuming our lives, Twitter user Chase was proving he had the skills to earn a spot on the leaderboard. While he was there only briefly, it's still impressive, and he seems to be pretty happy with it. It's definitely one of the more random moments on this list, but at least it's a little more exciting than being an extra in a movie.
Now This Is Entertainment
If you were a kid in the nineties and watched any amount of PBS, then you're familiar with “Zoom.” This series of live-action children's entertainment had plenty of fun for everyone, and Twitter user @ameliasamson has let us know that she was on an episode of this show all the way back in 1998.
It was the opportunity of a lifetime, and while Amelia didn't become a big name, she sort of has a fan in Chrissy Teigen, who commented “LOVED ZOOM” when Amelia posted her pic. The Zoom brand was based on information and fun, but they didn't let their child actors appear in other shows for at least three years after leaving the show in order to discourage fame hounds.
Famous for Telling Off Trolls
Bullies, and their internet version trolls, have never been anyone's favorite, but when they called writer Melissa Blake ugly, they had no idea who they were dealing with. Melissa is a writer, blogger, and disability activist, and when the mean tweets started coming in, Melissa fired back, eventually getting a People.com story.
The story came with tons of support from all over the globe, and now Melissa is laughing at the trolls who tried to tear her down. Spending your time attacking people online isn't a very good use of your time, and getting smacked back down by the person you're trying to insult is a harsh lesson.
A Back Made for Television
“The Baker and the Beauty,” is a romantic comedy-drama television series that premiered on ABC in April of 2020, and Nick James got to be in one of the episodes. Sort of. We aren't sure if his face ever even appears on-screen, but his back does, at least, standing as he is in his white shirt.
Nick went on to add some more detail: he got the gig as an extra through a casting agency. If you're itching for one small dose of fame, that might be the way to go. Here's hoping that you get a little bit more luck than Nick here.
Some Claims to Fame Aren't so Great
If you apply yourself to it, you might just be able to figure out what the Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Challenge, hosted by TLC every year, entails. Contestants, who are all talented costume and fashion designers, have to design and build a wedding dress made out of only toilet paper.
The winner gets a big cash prize, but what did Twitter user @Iambpocket get for appearing in the audience? Probably not that much, but she at least got to enjoy herself – the picture shows her laughing along with the rest of the audience.
We'll Take Her Word for It
Twitter user @t1ffanylin tells us that she appeared on Google Streetview, though since Google blurs out all the faces, we're going to have to take her word for it. However, since she's put her profile picture on Twitter as the exact same image from Google, we're willing to trust her.
We hesitate to call this one minute of fame – perhaps something like three seconds of fame – but it's still a pretty funny thing to tell friends and loved ones. People who know you in real life will at least be able to tell for certain if it's you.
At Least He's the After
Taylor Phillips tells us that he appeared on a box of hair dye, and he seems plenty happy with his chosen color. The hair dye box industry is a weird one, and you have to have just the right features to make it big.
Taylor won the lottery and got to appear on a box of comb-in dye that works very well with his skin tone. But Taylor has a little bit more to brag about: He's been appearing all over TikTok.
Zooming Toward the Finish Line
Twitter user Taylor Garron spent an entire season on the show, right before it was canceled. Bad luck for Taylor, since the show had been running for more than six years and was even a remake of a 1972 series of the same name – that first series ran until almost the end of the decade.
With almost two hundred episodes in the renewed series, it showed science experiments, games, crafts, challenges, and many other segments. We've checked Wikipedia, and yep. There's Taylor's name, right there in season 7.
A Famous Face
Like many of the people on this list, Twitter user Tiffany Schulman got a spot as an extra in a movie (we aren't sure which movie, however). Except Tiffany got a little luckier. In the shot we see in the picture, her unhappy, serious expression was liked enough by the DVD case designers that the scene she was in made it to the back of the cover.
We hope it was a big, well-known movie (again, the scene we see in the picture from Tiffany makes it hard to tell what it is) so that Tiffany can brag to her friends.
Photobomb!
Out of the way, Kim Kardashian! That's Nikki Minton behind you! Smile for the camera, Nikki! Yes, Kim might be the bigger name right now, but we don't know why. Nikki has done just as much for the public good – maybe more.
Still, she appeared in a pic that was in “Us Weekly,” shopping right behind the shocked Kim Kardashian, who looks to be finding out that her most recent cosmetic procedure has gone bad. Not only will Nikki be able to say that she was in a picture with the second (or third) most famous member of the Kardashian family, but she can also say she looked better!
Alongside Pre-Wheelchair Jimmy
Twitter user Vanessa Lambe got to live out the childhood dream a lot of us had by having a brief stint as a background “actor” in “Degrassi: The Next Generation.” She never had a speaking role – she was just there to fill up the school hallways. She got to stand next to pre-wheelchair Jimmy at one point, whom you may now know as Drake.
This was long before he was one of the most popular men on the planet – he was still just a young actor making his way in the world, but it's still the kind of thing that's perfect for bragging about on Twitter.
Hobnobbing with Living Legends
Miss “@bedheadforever” got to spend the day talking to Tim Roth (seen right between her, on the left with purple hair, and her friend with red hair) and Tupac, who in this shot was hiding behind the dyed and punk @bedheadforever. This pic was taken all the way back on 5/22/96 when they were filming “Gridlock'd,” a black comedy crime film.
Not many had the chance to experience Tupac between his rise to fame and his unfortunate death, so this Twitter user probably takes every chance to talk about her elbow-rubbing with these famous names.
He's Still Laughing
You may not recognize “Just for Laughs,” but it's a Canadian silent comedy, hidden camera, reality television show that played harmless and hilarious pranks on unsuspecting subjects. Once you know all of that information, it explains the look that is on Twitter user Maxime C's face, which you can see on the left side.
According to him, he got pranked something like ten years ago. Also, according to him, he will still turn on the TV every once in a while and see himself getting fooled. While this might qualify for something like five minutes of fame, it's still a great story.
Relaxing With Strangers After a Long Day
Nothing like gathering with your fake family to pose for an advertisement. That's the story Twitter user @AliahXtine tells us happened when she was in a print ad for something called Bactronix Corp, a mold removal service and duct cleaning company out of Pennsylvania.
A fake family has a few advantages over a real one if you're wondering. There's very little drama, for one thing. There are probably fewer arguments about money, and if things don't work, all it takes to go your separate ways is to shake hands and get in your car.
Sounds Like a Cool Show
Robert Matthew Van Winkle hit it big as Vanilla Ice, an early nineties rapper with hits like “Ice, Ice Baby,” and...we think it was just that one, actually. He was also in a movie, “Cool as Ice,” which is hilariously bad. It seems like Vanilla is working on a comeback with a few different ideas.
One of them was a show called “Vanilla Ice Flip Advice,” which we can only imagine is about this one-hit-wonder coming to homes and telling the owners what they need to work on to get the house in shape to sell. Twitter user @laughlines got to be part of the pilot, but the show never got picked up.
We Have So Many Questions
What exactly do you mean you played Clay Aiken? In a skit? Whatever the explanation, Twitter user @TenderFriends has a unique one-minute fame story to share with us.
The picture doesn't give much more detail, but it's at least proof that this young man did, at one point, “Play Clay Aiken” on television. Unfortunately, he had to do it next to Jimmy Fallon, so he probably doesn't tell too many people about it. Brave of him to send Teigen a tweet, in that case.
Not Very Sanitary of You, Martha
Juliet Ames didn't know what she was getting into when she consented to appear on a show with Martha Stewart. According to Juliet's tweet, she ate not only a kimchi hot dog but also raw steak with kimchi that Martha Stewart handed to her with her bare hands.
Juliet is apparently only a jewelry maker and crafter from Maryland, so she wasn't used to being in the spotlight. She was so tongue-tied she couldn't say a word. It may have been a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but it also wasn't all that sanitary.
Nobody Expected That
It's simple. Carlton Banksy had a vasectomy, then had a photo shoot. His picture was put right under that of Beyoncé, he got a bunch of interviews from Buzzfeed and Yahoo, and then a bunch of people got mad at him. We have no idea how any of that happened, except for people getting mad at him online, which tends to happen anytime you mention celebrities.
Just by having Beyoncé's name in this article, we're going to get people mad at us. Unlike most of the people on this list, Carlton doesn't have fond memories of his one minute of fame, which is full of so many questions. Why the photoshoot? Why the interviews?
Give Your Budget a Break
FingerHut is a company that says it helps you manage your budget, keep your credit score in check, and improve your financial situation. It featured a pair of actresses, as “Nancy” and “Nancy's Budget,” and it had the budget gal having a worse and worse time as Nancy overspends.
Twitter user @Coppertopmpls was the actress for Nancy, which got her much more than a minute of fame thanks to how popular and long-running the ad was. Lady K is now an artist, a writer, and a mother and was moved beyond her one minute of fame.
Uncredited Cameo as Babies
One person piped up to say that she, and her twin brother, played some characters on “Friends.” Normally that would be more than sixty seconds of fame, but in this case, both the person with the story and the brother played babies.
Not only that, the children – Monica and Chandler's twin babies – only appear in the very final episode of the series. Still, that's not a bad claim if it is true. “Got hugged by Chandler Bing” isn't something that many people can say happened to them. The siblings say it's fun to see people's reactions.
Seated Next to the Winners
One person claims to have been a seat filler – someone who award shows basically hire to make an audience look at full capacity so that awards shows don't appear to be the sad, forgettable events they usually turn out to be – that had a spot right next to the cast of “High School Musical” when they won their Teen Choice Awards in the year of 2007.
Since the movies were big hits for kids of the era, we can imagine that they brought home more than one award, which means this person probably got to be on camera a number of times.
Yeah, Remember Her?
We all remember the “smash” “hit” “song” that was “Friday” by Rebecca Black. Maybe you heard it being played ironically, maybe you were one of the people that had it so ingrained you couldn't stop singing it, even though you knew it wasn't the best thing to sing.
Black might have gotten some real fame that has now faded, but her friends in the car only got a little bit. Though given the quality of the song and how many people piled on Black for what she had created, maybe this young lady is perfectly happy not to be famous.
Fame, Glory, and Failure
Back in the early years of the twenty-teens, there was a show called “MADE,” that focused on teens who wanted to push themselves to be better at a chosen subject. One woman's cheerleading squad got featured on the show.
During the show, she fell on the mat. But this fame isn't the best – the woman got kicked off the squad in the middle of the episode. Here's a reminder, kids: fame isn't always a good thing. Hopefully “Stevi,” who posted the response, has found success elsewhere.
Hearing the Gossip
Someone named Kyra on Twitter posted a screenshot of herself on the show “Toddlers and Tiaras.” In fact, it's a family photo, complete with her mom and sister.
Kyra was a pageant contestant, but she was in her teens when the cameras found her. The picture she posted shows the entire family looking a little upset – apparently because someone else on the show had been spreading some mean rumors about Kyra. The world of pageantry is a brutal one. Kyra doesn't seem to find it very destructive anymore, now that the time of the show (and her childhood) has passed. Still, hurt feelings are never fun.
Caught in the Act
When one Tom Bucka was attending a college basketball game, he had the thought to send a selfie to some friends. Unfortunately for him, the cameras from ESPN Sportscenter were pointed right at him as he did a little bit of preening and posing.
With his hair swooped back, his shirt unbuttoned, and his belly hanging out, we're going to go out on a limb and say that Tom wasn't thrilled this moment was caught on camera. But, he only has himself to blame, since he was doing it in a public place with the intention of sharing the picture. Hair's on point, though.
An American Became the Face of Russian Resistance
1991 was a year of many things. One of those things was a coup that happened in Moscow. Deborah Copaken, a photojournalist based in Moscow, was a big part of the proceedings, but not the way she had intended.
At only five-two, Deborah had a hard time getting the angles she needed to capture all the excitement. So, she climbed a tank to get a better view. The driver of the tank didn't appreciate Deborah doing so and tried to push her off. Somebody happened to take a picture of the interaction, and that's how Deborah – an American – became the face of Russian resistance the very next day.
Photoshopping Herself into Fame
While it wasn't done randomly, one Brynn Shuller decided that she would practice her photoshop skills with a little bit of fun. She took to movie posters, putting herself in the places of the characters. This one, for instance, has her taking the place of every single character in the live-action “Beauty and the Beast” remake from Disney.
Really, it's pretty astounding the work she was able to do – Emma Watson may have never pulled that face, but unless we were told, we'd have never guessed that it wasn't Gaston and Lefou down there at the bottom. A few of these pictures hopped around the internet on a viral tour, granting Shuller her minute of fame.
A Cop That Got Shot on a Show
Someone who goes by the name of “CarolinaCHERCREW” on Twitter admitted that he played a cop that got shot by an evil spirit on the show “Sleepy Hollow,” which aired on Fox from 2013 to 2017. Apparently, the cop that got aced has a backstory, but we couldn't tell you what it was.
Getting shot by an evil spirit in a bank has got to be one of the worst ways to go if you ask us. Still, it fits in perfectly with the sixty seconds of fame that everybody else seems to be claiming here.
The Before and the After
One Elisabeth Murdock was in an infomercial for work, appearing as both a before and an after photo. According to Elisabeth, not only did they flip her face, she thinks that the before picture is much better. Let us tell you, Murdock, both pictures look fine.
She wasn't paid extra (maybe because they used her picture twice? Unclear). She's been spotted a few times by friends, including one who saw her face at a bar, and once by a cousin who was up watching TV at 3 A.M. For some reason. Oh, the product being sold is a hair curler, in case you couldn't tell.
Getting Sloshed for Speed Dating
When “Ashley o”'s bartender cousin tricked her into participating in a “Hurrydate” Jewish speed date on camera for Princesses of Long Island, she really didn't know what she was getting into. Neither did we when we started working on that sentence.
According to Ashley, most of the guys were double her age and just the WORST, so she decided she should at least have a few somethings to drink. In the picture, you can see her drunk, stupid grin as she gets ready for the onslaught of unsuitable suitors. Good luck, Ashley.
Vibing with a WWE Legend
When Katie Cabungcal (dark hair, on the right) got tickets to see some of her favorite performers drop bombs on each other during a WWE show, she was excited to find out she would have a front-stage spot on the runway.
When one of the wrestlers came out, singing his entrance song, he bounced back and forth from one side of the crowd to the other with a microphone, and Katie Cabungcal seized the opportunity to display her showmanship, very happily belting along with the tune. It was a moment full of energy and fun, and she got to appear on TV at the same time.
Her Home Was Featured on a Book Cover
“The Lovely Bones” is now a major motion picture with a dark story and a heartwarming ending, but it was first a book with the same title. After the motion picture came out, sales of the book spiked, so new editions featuring the actors found their way to bookstore shelves.
The new covers were, as they always are, cobbled together with photos, but one house in the distant background stands out to the Twitter user “nelllesor,” since it is, in fact, her house. She was also near where they filmed the movie, but we're sure she doesn't have anything to do with the decidedly deadly events in the film. We're sure.
Featured in a Music Video
Well, okay, “featured” might not be the right word for what happened to Twitter user “jilliannewla.” She was on her way to the movies one day in Westwood (the commercial neighborhood in Los Angeles) when she happened upon the film crew for the Fatboy Slim music video “Praise You.”
She relates that she didn't sign a release, but she was still likely seen by thousands if not millions of people, including plenty of Twitter commenters who remember the video. Sometimes sixty seconds of fame can still be pretty powerful.
That's Me. No, Really.
[WatchMojo Lady screenshot] This one takes a little bit of setup. The main kids of “Spider-Man Far From Home” were doing an interview for WatchMojo, and Tom Holland stated he loved the site and loved the top ten lists. The woman in the picture, Rebecca Brayton, revealed she was the person who does the top ten lists.
Holland, as well as Zendaya and Jacob Batalon, geek out, and ask her to do the intro for the videos “Welcome to WatchMojo.” The geeking out continues from all three of the young stars (who were the ones being interviewed, remember), and the fun video got shared all over.
Her Butt Was Famous, at the Very Least
There are a number of people whose biggest claim to fame is that they landed on Google Street View, so we've skipped a bunch. This one, however, by Giana “Gigi” Mucci. The camera caught her bending over to pick up her dog's poop, and the picture stayed up for around two years.
It showed off the sunny street, her big dog, and her rear end. However, Giana has plenty of other claims, being a digital media producer who is climbing the ladder. We all have to get our start somewhere.
Have to Have Your Priorities
“Survivor” is a huge piece of pop culture, but Ryan Muldowney was fervent in his fandom. He was so dedicated to this show that he once canceled a date in college because it would have taken place during “Survivor” night. That's the backstory to this picture, which has Ryan high-fiving “Survivor” host Jeff Probst during one of the season finales.
He had just told Probst about his turning down a date to watch his favorite show instead – and if you're being paid to hype up the show like Probst is, there's nothing more high-five worthy than that sort of story.
A Memorable Event for Everybody
[Price is Right screenshot] Getting picked to try your hand at the games of “The Price is Right” is an exciting moment. You could walk away with big prizes and cash rewards. You can also, as Bon Wells did, give host Drew Carey a big hug. He also, as his Tweet said, had his “draws” hanging out.
Doing something on the spur of the moment might make you embarrassed, but getting to hug Drew Carey? Just go and do it. Wells won a full coffee set as a bonus. We bet Carey is used to that sort of response since his time on “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”
Working on His Acting Skills
[Mango juice screenshot] He's kind of a big deal now, but before he had most of his fame, Rahul Kohli had a little spot on a mango juice commercial that played constantly in the UK (and in South Africa if responders are to be believed). The director asked him to do his best Jamaican accent on the spot, even though they told him that his accent wouldn't make it into the final cut. They did, of course.
Why they would ask him to do it if they weren't going to use it is a mystery, but we're pretty sure it was just a lie. He's big now, but he was just getting his start here.
She Really Does Nail It
Taking a quick vid and posting it on Youtube or TikTok is what a lot of kids think will get them famous, and every once in a while, it works. Even if for some, such as Erin McMillen in this photo, it wasn't really intended.
A nine-second video has Erin singing a song and nailing the super high note at the end, with a big smile on her face, and lots and lots of people saw the video on those video platforms (as Erin explained, it went “sorta viral.”) It's very impressive, but Erin is still embarrassed to bring it up. Keep singing, Erin.
The One With the Big Hands, Apparently
The most common way to get your quick jolt of fame for a lot of the people on this list is to get a small part on a widely-seen show. From old programs to the latest Emmy-winners, there are all kinds.
C.J. Tuor, for instance, appeared as a croupier (someone who deals the cards at a casino) in the show “Empire.” He included a picture, but it's a little hard to tell which one is C.J. The only clue he gives us is that he's the one with the biggest hands. We think that means he's the...the one on the far right?
Working Hard on Set
A show that goes for a lot of seasons is going to have lots of bit characters, and most of those actors are destined to be just that when it comes to fame – little.
Of course, to a lot of those people, it's still exciting to be able to pop in a DVD and show off to their friends. Such is the case with Twitter user “properjosh,” who appeared on an episode of “Malcolm in the Middle” as a Circus Burger drive-through attendant. One scene is sometimes just what a person needs to have a fun story to tell others.
Watching a Breakup in Real Life
Having to watch two people you love come to terms with the fact that their relationship isn't working is always hard. Having to do it when they're two famous people might be harder, we aren't sure. It might also be hilarious.
Well, Sarah Wainschel should be able to tell us, since she was in the background of an “Access Hollywood” interview of this couple, who were the...winners? Winners, we think, of The Bachelor. If the guy's face is any clue, this couple broke up the day after this interview. Sarah is circled with the red heart as she watches this couple have their last interview.
Appearing All Over Time
It must be nice to have a dad who is an EP – Executive Producer – for the History channel. That's where Twitter user “rozzheeg” got her claim to fame.
While it's hard to figure out just which ones she was a part of, she was a “British child” in several documentaries that appeared on the history channel. However, she only had one line that wasn't cut out – the picture is of her delivering the line. It seems as if Rozzie hasn't had many other credits when it comes to acting, but she did pretty well when the cameras were on her.
Now That's an Acting Credit to Remember
A Twitter user with the name “LittleMissLizz” has let us know that she was in a movie. It was a direct-to-DVD zombie movie that was so bad it's impossible for anyone to find it – including her.
Oh, also, her role in the film was “Dancing Girl 1.” It's not exactly the most noteworthy role, but at least it's better than “Dancing Girl 2.” However, she assured us that it was not “adult entertainment.” On the other hand, we have no idea what movie it actually was. Due to the number of low-or-no-budget zombie movies, you'd have to swim through a lot of trash to find her.
Did She Make a Special Donut?
“Shark Tank” is a show that has inventors or business people go in front of a panel of investors and try to sell themselves or their new products. So, when Twitter user “JordynLynn” said that she was caught on the show eating a donut – and that it was a very unflattering angle – some questions come up.
Was her product or service in some way having to do with donuts? We don't know, but we're sure that all of Jordyn's friends enjoyed watching her take a bite. It's not every day someone you know is going to be on TV.
That Is Kind of Crazy
A Twitter user who goes by the name Ja'mie Queen West got her sixty seconds of fame by camping outside for a concert. She did it in the winter, in Canada, outside of the Air Canada Center for multiple days.
Like, she has a tent and everything. Was it a Rush concert? Maybe Dream Theater? Metallica? No, it was for a Lady Gaga concert. Well, we all do stupid stuff when we're twenty. Ja'mie, unfortunately, got her bit of stupid made into a bit of fame thanks to the Torstar News Service. We hope the concert was worth it, Ja'mie.
Played an Extra on Nashville
“Nashville” follows country music hopefuls, so there's no surprise there are a lot of extras in the show – music stars need to be able to interact with their fans. One of those extras was played by Jandra Sutton, who appeared at one show at the Bluebird as a friend or family member of Chip Esten.
A bunch of fans of the character ask her to take a picture of them. Jandra played a gracious character, so she obliged by taking the picture for them. Her professional career might not have turned into an A-list, but it's still fun to cue up their scene and show new friends.
She's Hauling All Over
We don't get much of an explanation for this one, but Twitter user Emily Lierle is on U-Haul vans. That's her. On the van. U-Haul is known for the colorful, varied designs that are on its vans and trucks, but apparently, they use actor photos of people now and again, too.
Miss Lierle's photo got picked to be one of them. Whether she's only visible in the Milwaukee area, as the picture tells us, or she's also seen around the country or around the world is unknown. Still, that's quite a bit more than sixty seconds of fame.
Still Waiting for the Reboot to Call
As a social director for “Entertainment Weekly,” Chanelle Berlin has the coveted blue checkmark on Twitter, but that still doesn't mean she's famous. Her big claim to fame, according to her tweet, at the very least, is that she got to appear on an episode of the original “Lizzie McGuire.”
The arrow so helpfully points her out to us. A few commenters also piped up to join the bit-part parade when it comes to this show, which makes sense – with all the school scenes, there were probably hundreds of extras the show used to fill up all those classroom desks.
Sorry, What Was Your Role?
“Man Vs. Food,” a favorite show of hungry college students, had the host of the show, Adam Richman, take on eating challenges while learning more about the food, the restaurants, and the people who worked there. One episode also, apparently, had a man dressed as a sundae that Adam hallucinated.
Twitter user Adam Mansfield played that sundae, and he stated it as his claim to fame. It's a good thing he has the picture as proof because that's the sort of thing that will be difficult to believe unless you can see it with your own eyes.
Taking a Bite Out of Disney
A Twitter user who goes by Elliot went to Disneyland with a Daisy Duck hat on and got to meet Donald. As Donald kissed the hat, Elliot tried biting Donald's bill. His mom sent the picture in for a contest and won free tickets because of it.
The picture was featured on TV (not sure where) and Elliot still has the hat. This must have been a pretty important moment for Elliot, since his Twitter username is “thatdisneykid95.” We have to admit, it's a pretty cute picture, and it certainly deserves to win. It's also the perfect sixty seconds of fame. Donald doesn't look too happy about it, though.
Playing an Audience Member in a Commercial
In 1998, the broadway show Cabaret was making a revival. One lass who goes by the name of Summer was part of the commercial for the revival, but she wasn't on the stage – she played an audience member.
According to her comment on Twitter, she's to the right of the candle that is near the bottom of the screen – look closely and you'll see an arrow drawn that points out Summer. How she could possibly know that's where she is is beyond us, since there's just a big black mass where the arrow is pointing. Well, she would be the one to know.
Showing Off What She Loves
Rachel Hamburger really enjoys a certain food. Go on and guess what it is. She liked nature's most perfect food so much that she decided to get a tattoo of it on her ribs, using the logo of her fast food joint of choice, Shake Shack.
Shake Shack was plenty pleased with this choice of ink and featured the pictures on their Instagram account. This is maybe not even sixty seconds of fame, but they named her and apparently sent her some goodies from the store to help her rep the place where she likes to get her beef. Rachel looks plenty happy in the pic, too.