HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

You Won’t Believe The Jobs These 10 Celebs Had Before Hitting Stardom

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Who didn’t have a weird job in their youth? Celebrities are no exception. Before their rise to stardom, they led ordinary lives, taking on whatever jobs they could to make ends meet, no matter how odd or unglamorous.

From dressing as brand mascots to conducting espionage missions during World War II, we've uncovered some of the most curious pre-fame occupations of everyone’s favorite stars.

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Brad Pitt worked as a limousine driver and even dressed as a chicken mascot for "El Pollo Loco", a popular restaurant in Los Angeles. Despite these humble beginnings, Pitt's drive and determination eventually led him to become one of Hollywood's most sought-after actors.

His early jobs instilled in him a strong work ethic and a down-to-earth attitude, qualities that have become integral to his memorable performances and off-screen persona.

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There was a time when you could book Hugh Jackman for just $50. Before becoming Wolverine in the X-Men films, he was known as Coco the Clown, entertaining children at birthday parties and various events.

This early gig taught him how to think on his feet and keep a crowd entertained, skills that undoubtedly contributed to his later success on the silver screen.

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Although it might come as no surprise to anyone who watched his truthful performance in the film Magic Mike, Channing Tatum began his career as a stripper at a nightclub.

While some actors prefer to forget or hide their less-than-glamorous jobs, Tatum embraced this experience. It certainly gave his acting a unique perspective and authenticity, helping him connect with audiences on a more personal level.

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Before her breakout role in Transformers, Megan Fox used to work all sorts of odd jobs to pay the bills. At one point, she worked at a smoothie shop in Florida, where she occasionally dressed as a giant banana to attract customers.

Despite the unglamorous nature of the job, her determination to succeed in Hollywood never wavered. After years of hard work, she finally landed her first successful role.

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Matthew McConaughey spent a year in Australia cleaning chicken coops and washing dishes while taking acting classes. In his free time, he surfed and relaxed at the local beaches.

He claims this period was life-changing, making him a more humble and better person. It also infused his performances with notable authenticity. Though he nearly pursued a different career path as a production assistant, he ultimately realized that acting was his true calling.

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Whoopi Goldberg could be crowned the queen of odd jobs. Before becoming everyone’s favorite no-nonsense host of The View, she worked as a bank teller and a bricklayer, among other unusual gigs.

However, the strangest job by far was her stint as a mortuary beautician. In an interview with Oprah, she even recalled a moment when her boss played a prank on her by hiding in a funeral home drawer.

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Rod Stewart had his fair share of odd jobs, largely due to his father's insistence that he stay busy during his teenage years. His father would wake him up early to ensure he found something productive to do. Among his many stints at different occupations, he once worked at the Highgate Cemetery in London, measuring out plots and marking them off with string.

Eventually, a myth arose that he worked as a gravedigger at the cemetery, but that’s a bit of an exaggeration. Stewart himself clarified that he only marked the spots where the actual gravediggers would work later.

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For 18 months in 1964, Ozzy Osbourne worked in an abattoir in Birmingham. He claimed that he enjoyed the job, not because of what it involved but because if you finished early you would have the rest of the day off, and the pay was good.

Considering his later career, this job seems oddly fitting. After all, which other musician could you picture working in the grim environment of a slaughterhouse?

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Before becoming Clyde in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Warren Beatty worked in what has to be one of the most unglamorous jobs on this list: rat catcher for a theater in Washington, D.C.

Still, it was for a theater, so there was some sort of connection to his later career, right? In any case, such a job likely helped him develop the crucial qualities necessary to thrive in show business.

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Before becoming an iconic actor known for portraying spine-chilling villains like Dracula or Saruman in the Lord of the Rings franchise, Christopher Lee served as an intelligence officer in the Royal Air Force during World War II.

It is even speculated that he might have served as partial inspiration for the character of James Bond, as author Ian Fleming was a distant relative and knew of his wartime exploits. If anything, this only adds another layer to the charismatic and complex personality that was Christopher Lee, who also loved to sing opera and occasionally collaborated with heavy metal bands.

ECHOES OF GENIUS

10 Hit Songs That Sound Suspiciously Similar

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They say that bad artists imitate, but it takes a great artist to make something new out of the work of others. In the world of music, the thin line between inspiration and plagiarism is often full of controversy, even when the similarities were not intended.

Whether it's a coincidence or something more deliberate, these 10 hit songs bear striking resemblances to each other, making us wonder if imitation truly is the sincerest form of flattery.

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Is a sample plagiarism? Well, this iconic case brought the discussion to the mainstream in the early 90s, when there still wasn’t any legal protocol established to let artists reuse portions of others' recordings. To the bemusement of Queen members, Vanilla Ice lifted the entire bass line from Queen’s hit "Under Pressure" for his single "Ice Ice Baby." After the ensuing legal battle settled, Brian May declared that the whole thing might actually have been good in the end for the band, as it exposed them to a younger audience.

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Another early case of sampling gone wrong, The Verve brought the ire of the Rolling Stones on themselves after using a part of an orchestral rendition of The Rolling Stones' "The Last Time" for their hit song "Bitter Sweet Symphony." The songwriter was actually denied any royalties for two decades due to the dispute. Kind of a tragic outcome since the band turned out to be a one-hit-wonder.

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This one was mostly hyped by the media, but the similarities between the two songs got fans wondering if the legendary rock band would take legal action against the popular boy band. Both songs feature the same chords and a prominent synthesizer riff that drives the melody, creating an anthemic feel. But the Who were quick to dismiss the drama, arguing that all pop music sounds similar since its beginnings, and even joked on their website:

"It’s unlikely that die-hard Who fans will consider ‘Best Song Ever’ to be the best song ever, even if it is. Nor, though, is it likely that many will cry or raise an eye at this story. It is, after all, only Tweet Age Wasteland."

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Bruno Mars's "Locked Out of Heaven" is more a case of channeling the spirit of a beloved band than of plagiarism. Critics were quick to notice the similarities, and Bruno Mars outright admitted to being a fan of Sting’s electrifying songwriting, but stated that he didn’t intend to sound like him. And being influenced, at least in part, by the same musical genres - reggae, pop rock, new wave, and funk - comparisons were natural.

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Sublime's "What I Got" quite obviously draws inspiration from The Beatles' 1968 single "Lady Madonna," particularly in its rhythm-driven structure and main melody. However, while The Beatles' track exudes a vintage rock 'n' roll charm, Sublime infuses their ska punk sensibilities into the mix, resulting in a fresh yet familiar sound. In any case, they weren’t the first nor the last band to be heavily influenced by the legendary Fab Four.

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Though it may come as a surprise to many, Dolly Parton is actually a big fan of Led Zeppelin.

The lead chord progression of her 1975 hit "We Used To" mirrors Zeppelin’s most famous song, "Stairway to Heaven", even sharing some of the melancholic themes of the original song. Fortunately for Parton’s fans, the band never took legal action against her, and in 2002 she received the band’s blessing to record a cover of the song, showing that they are on good terms.

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While Tom Petty's "Mary Jane's Last Dance" and Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Dani California" differ in lyrical content and vocal style, both tracks share a gritty, bluesy rock sound. But what raised some eyebrows is the fact that Frusciante’s guitar part sounds highly similar to the Heartbreakers piece. However, Tom Petty himself put the matter to bed soon after the song was released, doubting that there was any malicious intent behind the similarities, and pointing out that a lot of great rock songs sound alike.

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Right after release, Coldplay's anthemic "Viva la Vida" drew comparisons to Joe Satriani's "If I Could Fly," leading to much speculation and a subsequent lawsuit. The case received a lot of attention in the media, and Coldplay straight out denied any intentional plagiarism, going as far as to say that Satriani’s song was the one that lacked originality. Ultimately, the demand was settled under an unknown arrangement, with Coldplay not having to acknowledge Satriani’s song as an influence, suggesting that the similarities were likely just a coincidence.

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Both Madonna's "Express Yourself" and Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" are anthems of empowerment and self-expression. Gaga's track, however, drew criticism for its similarities to Madonna's hit, both in terms of musical structure and thematic content, sparking heated online debates about the difference between a homage and a ripoff. While the Queen of Pop teased Gaga for the similarities on a few occasions, she eventually recognized that it was likely more of a loving nod to her work than any form of plagiarism.

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Shania Twain's "C'est la Vie" quite clearly echoes the infectious disco groove of ABBA's "Dancing Queen," with both songs featuring an almost identical hook. However, this was hardly concealed by the artist, a huge ABBA fan herself. As a matter of fact, she even reached out to Björn Ulvaeus, one of ABBA’s original members, to co-produce a musical out of her songs.