Was that Ice T or Ice Cube? Which one plays on “Law and Order?” Didn’t he do “Mama Said Knock You Out?”
These are questions, in no particular order, that I ask Mr. Sally J on a regular basis. He doesn’t understand how I can confuse three thoroughly different men, with different claims to fame, and who bear little physical resemblance to each other. I always counter back that at one point, he didn’t know that the numbers on football jerseys weren’t random. So there.
Which got me thinking, I can’t really be the only person who has trouble sorting stars. Was that Meryl Streep or Glenn Close? Robert DeNiro or Al Pacino? Hillary Swank or Jennifer Garner?
With the help of IMDB.com, I made a handy chart of the three men in question. I’ll be referring to it often.
Known As: Ice T
Given Name: Tracey Marrow
Year Born: 1958
Music Career: Known for “Cop Killer” (among other things, for the irony, read below)
Film/TV Career: Plays a Detective on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
IMDB Bio: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001384/
Known As: Ice Cube
Given Name: O’Shea Jackson
Year Born: 1969
Music Career: Singer/Songwriter in N.W.A.
Film/TV Career: Played in the movie Boyz n the Hood, written & directed other films
IMDB Bio http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001084/
Known As: LL Cool J
Given Name: James Todd Smith
Year Born: 1968
Music Career: Iconic line in “Mama Say Knock You Out” is “Don’t call it a comeback, I been here for years.” Has been with Def Jam records since 1985
Film/TV Career: Played in “NCIS: Los Angeles,” and in the movie Any Given Sunday
IMDB Bio: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005112/bio
So there you have it–Mr. Sally J is right, I should be able to keep these three straight. What celebs do you confuse on a regular basis?
13 replies on “Sorting the Stars: Ice Cube, Ice T & LL Cool J”
DID YOU KNOW that the guy in the show Royal Pains and the guy in The Walking Dead are two different people? One of them was in Love Actually, but hell if I know which one. I always thought they were the same dude!
I also regularly confuse Mira Sorvina and Mena Suvari, although I’m not convinced I’ve seen anything either of them have been in.
I saw Ladies Love at the Beacon a good almost-decade ago. He came out in a white terry bathrobe. He picked up the mic and said, “Who wants this robe?” The place went wild.
Wait…what were we talking about again?
I believe we were talking about LL Cool J’s abs. If we weren’t, we should be.
Ladies do, in fact, Love Cool James. And his nature-defying abs. Â And his pretty, pretty, why-yes-I-would-like-to-lick-your-abs-thanks-for-asking eyes.
I heartily concur.
Steve McQueen and Paul Newman. I cannot for the life of me keep these two men’s careers straight. And so I am left asking constantly which one was in Magnificent Seven or Cool Hand Luke. I can  remember that Paul Newman is Butch Cassidy 90% of the time and that he starred in Slap Shot and that is about it.
Oh goodness. Anthony Hopkins and Bob Hoskins. Constantly.
Ladies Love Cool James! My my Sally, I have some friends that would tear you to shreds over your confusion. I was there once, calling him ‘just another rapper’. Poop was flung at me.
I can never remember which one of the plain white action heroes I’m watching. Is Sam Worthington really not everyone?
I have that problem too. Who IS Sam Worthington? And Tom Hardy. And Ryan Reynolds. I don’t know what any of them look like.
As far as I know he’s the Avatar and Wrath of the Titans one.
I think this may be related to my Steve McQueen/Paul Newman problem above, because I get a bit like this too. It embarrasses me less though as these guys are somewhat less iconic.
I have the same issue!
It’s always, is that Ryan Renoylds? Or is it Whosit What’s-his-fuck?
I can never tell the two apart…
Guys, in particular are baffled at my inability to keep them straight. But now *think* I’ve got them straight!