11 Ill-Advised Celebrity Career Moves

For celebrities on the slide, it’s often a good idea to diversify. Look at Justin Timberlake. The guy went from being a pretty big deal as a boy-band heartthrob to an even bigger deal as an actor. However, the crucial element of this success story is that Justin can actually act. The celebrities listed below never got the memo: to pull off a career move, it helps if you’re at least semi-competent at your new profession.

1. Lance Bass: N’Sync singer turned astronaut

Tired of belting out brown notes for America’s most grievous musical embarrassment, Lance tried his hand as a space cadet in 2002. Unfortunately, Bass’ star-bound Pop Odyssey was cut short when he failed to cough up $20 million in sponsorship funds. That sh*t is wack, yo.

2. Shaquile O’Neal: NBA star turned rapper

Shaq made the bold move of changing out rimshots for rhymes back in the 90s. He currently has six albums to his name. All of them awful. If you're curious, I recommend 'I'm Outstanding,' if only for the video, in which Shaq waddles on the spot in front of a green screen spouting lyrics so cringingly rubbish they make Vanilla Ice look like Nas…

3. Susan Boyle: reality star turned bookmaker

In 2009, Su-Bo won the hearts of millions with her miraculous ability to sing despite her frumpy appearance. However, the high-flying celebrity lifestyle didn’t sit well with Boyle, who is currently interviewing for a till operator job at a Ladbrokes bookmaker. A tenner says she gets it.

4. Joaquin Pheonix: actor turned rapper

Another celebrity who dropped his day job and picked up the mic, with…mixed success. Although Joaquin claims his apparent mental breakdown and ill-fated rap career were both staged. Well he sure had me fooled.

5. Frankie Muniz: child star turned open wheel racer

You’ve got to feel for Frankie. The guy rocked his role as a teenage genius in Malcolm in the Middle for six years, but a few too many crummy movies proved the death knell for his acting career. A gear change to open wheel racer didn’t really pan out either, with Muniz bombing in the national series; although he did pick up a gong for ‘sportsmanship’…almost worse than nothing, really.

6. Tyrese Gibson: R&B singer turned personal counsellor

Words of wisdom, courtesy of Tyrese.

7. Snoop Dogg: rapper turned pimp

Yeah…this one was less of a surprise. While Snoop briefly supplemented his musical income as a street pimp, he soon retired on the advice of his pimping colleagues who suggested that he should “spend more time with his family.” And who said the mean streets don’t have a heart?

8. Daniel Day-Lewis: actor turned farmer, stonemason and cobbler

This chameleonic thespian is apparently every bit as versatile off the screen, having turned his hand to such varied pursuits as agriculture and stonemasonry, even apprenticing himself to an Italian cobbler. Actually, he does have the look of Geppetto…maybe it’s the pipe.

9. Dappy: musician turned angler fisherman

With N-Dubz on hiatus, Dappy has been indulging in his hobbies. The UK’s favourite hat with an idiot attached has been grasping rods since 2011, scoring some fat trout in the process. I think he just wanted to hang out with his intellectual equals now the music career’s hit the skids.

10. Every musician who has ever tried to act and vice versa

While a handful of talented individuals have conquered the charts and the silver screen, generally speaking these spheres are best kept separate. Honourable mentions to Mariah Carey, Russell Crowe, Britney Spears and David Hasselhoff. Sorry guys, we can’t all be JT.

11. Miley Cyrus: Hannah Montana to the absolute worst thing in the universe

The titan of twerk herself. Miley's metamorphosis has been not so much a career change as species-shifting crime against nature.