Before They Were Famous

When this legend of the rap game first hit the scene back in the early 90’s he went by the unforgettable name of Lil Bow Wow and over the course of his career, he’d drop as many hit tracks on us as he would names changes and swerves in his career path. Eventually, Bow Wow would evolve into something of an actor and announce in 2016 that he was done with rapping entirely. Of course, if we flash forward a little under five years, Bow Wow is still in some strange type of holding pattern as he continues to promise his fans one last album without ever delivering. So, what gives? Are we ever going to get this final studio album and will Bow Wow still retire if we finally do? Well not for nothing, but this is actually the second time Bow Wow has announced his retirement. He first did so back in 2009 during a radio interview. This means, if I’m being honest, I kind of doubt Bow Wow’s career is gonna be over anytime soon, but let’s take a closer look to find out if I’m right.

In today’s episode, we’re taking a look at one of the most famous and influential celebrity families of modern times -- if not ever – that’s right, I’m talking about the Kardashians. Not only would their television series, “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”, propel the entire family to instant fame, but it also changed celebrity culture forever with their tell-all approach that let their fans into every aspect of their lives. On the DARK SIDE OF FAME Kardashian’s are heralded for the ways they’ve taken over the culture, they’re also vilified for that very same thing. After their rise to the highest heights of fame, each member of the Kardashians has tried to keep a ton of secrets from coming to light, including everything from a leaked tape, to endless issues with infidelity, an identity crisis, and scary bouts with mental illness. So now, let’s take a look at some of their darkest secrets.

When Kim Kardashian first had her name mentioned in the pages of Forbes magazine way back in 2011, it was simply to point out how remarkable her social media following was at the time with over 6 Million followers. Five years later, she’d land on the cover of the magazine thanks to her incredibly popular mobile game that would help earn her $51 Million in 2016 alone. Now, another five years later, Kim has finally entered that hallowed ground of becoming a true-life BILLIONAIRE!

Ben Askren is a professional fighter and one of the world’s greatest wrestlers who’d also be the first to admit that striking was never his go-to choice in the ring. In fact, throwing hands at his opponent was never part of his game plan. Instead, this two-time Hodge Trophy winner and NCAA wrestling champion always relied on his superior grappling ability to win fight, after fight, after fight. So why has this former wrestler, who’s also spent some time in the world of MMA, decided that his next challenge should be a boxing match against YouTuber Jake Paul?

On the BRIGHT SIDE OF FAME – with more than 20 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, 14 Million followers on Instagram, and almost 4 Million on Twitter, Jake Paul has become one of the most successful stars of his generation whether it’s in the world of viral content creation or even the world of professional boxing. This self-proclaimed “everyday bro with a Disney channel flow” has been in the spotlight now for a large portion of his still young life, but not all the press has been positive. In fact, more often than not, Jake has managed to leverage controversy in order to keep himself in the public eye. Because on the DARK SIDE OF FAME is a different story altogether – offensive antics, FBI raids, charges of criminal trespassing and unlawful assembly, illegitimate weddings, encouraging kids to abandon their education, and not to mention calling the current world problem a “hoax’ is just a taste of Jake’s darkest moments and today I’m going to tell you all about them.

The series would last for five years and early ratings were through the roof with the premiere of season 2 even out doing the viewership of the Winter Olympics in the women-under-34 demographic. This series was, without a doubt, a pop-culture touchstone that remained so relevant after going off the air that MTV is getting ready to bring it back in a big way in 2021. But on the DARK SIDE OF FAME is a different story altogether – after the show became a hit, parents began to worry that it might glamorize teen pregnancy. Multiple studies were undertaken, all of which resulted in different conclusions as to whether the show was helping or hurting teenaged moms. Beyond that confusion, the show also manipulated its audience through the staging of certain elements and some of its stars would also go onto suffering some serious tragedies including, having their kids taken away from them, being arrested for theft, and losing their lives at an extremely young age.

On the BRIGHT SIDE OF FAME – that song almost immediately turned him into a household name upon its release. Not only did this track end up as the No.1 song on the charts, but it became the longest-charting No. 1 song ever at 19 consecutive weeks at the top. All-in-all Lil Nas X was said to have made over $14 Million in 2019 alone and he also made Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list that year as well. But on the DARK SIDE OF FAME is a different story altogether – and when someone reaches the mountain top as quickly and seemingly out-of-nowhere as Lil Nas did, then that person is bound to have detractors. Not only has Nas had to deal with rumors that he’s an industry plant, but his subsequent reveal that he is, in fact, a gay man, has led to certain sections of our population looking at him differently and raging against some of his more recent artistic creations like a music video where he pole dances for Satan and his new signature “Satan Shoes” that Nike quickly sued him over after reports revealed that each sneaker contained – wait, let me just double-check this, yep -- a drop of human blood.

After 70-years spent in the public eye, Prince Phillip was the longest-serving royal consort in British history and while his adult life was one chock-full of privilege, his childhood was anything but. In fact, it was marked by tragedy and loneliness. As a member of both Greek and Danish royalty, Philp and his family were banished from their native country while he was still only a toddler and Philip subsequently moved from one European nation to another, in the search of a home. He would finally find one in the arms of his distant cousin, Queen Elizabeth II before her ascension to the British throne in 1952. A naval officer and a man known for his mischievous sense of humor, Philip remained by Elizabeth’s side for over sixty years until his recent passing, which, fittingly enough, would see the Queen by his side to the very end.

In December of 2009, MTV flipped the script on all of us by unleashing upon our unsuspecting eyes the slow-motion car-crash of a series that was “Jersey Shore”, introducing us to unforgettable characters like Snooki, Vinny, JWoww, Angelina, DJ Pauly, Ronnie, Sammi, and, of course, The Situation. For six seasons the cast would be filmed by remote-controlled and hand-held cameras as these characters made their way across the terrains of Seaside Heights, New Jersey, South Beach, Florida, and yes, even Florence, Italy. Of course, its wildly popular cast members would also be given their own side-projects and discover other ways to cash in on their newfound fame, including the eventual come-back vehicle, 2018’s “Jersey Shore Family Vacation”. But the recent past hasn’t been especially kind to every former member of this once cherished series, so let’s take a look at what the cast of Jersey Shore is up to today.

In the late ’90s, a group of skateboarders, all of whom were in their late teens and living in West Chester, Pennsylvania, would find themselves playing a crucial role in the re-invention of comedy for the new millennium. This group, known as CKY would have its primary membership composed of Bam Margera, Ryan Dunn, Brandon DiCamillo, Chris Rabb, and Jess Margera, all of whom were close personal friends with one another. When they’d get together, they created some of the most dangerous and gross-out hijinks you’ve ever laid eyes on. Over the course of only about three years, they’d release a series of different homemade video projects, after which they would be recruited by Jeff Tremaine and Johnny Knoxville to join the MTV. Upon the completion of that series, this one-time close-knit comedy crew would keep in touch and often working with one another on various other projects over the years. In the meantime, Bam’s brother, Jess, carried the CKY torch into the new century by touring all over the world with the band that has been a part of their branding since the very beginning.