We have very little doubt that when the creators of 'The Simpsons' designed the character of school bus driver and part-time rock star Otto, they based it directly off one of the most famous rock and roll musicians of all time. Slash is one of the very best guitarists who ever lived, writing the riffs which made Guns n' Roses such a huge deal in the 1980s. Every time you hear 'Sweet Child of Mine,' you're listening to Slash at his fret-melting best. Slash quit the band in the 1990s, but has since returned to the fold, and the legends are back on tour again.
The only difference between Otto and Slash is that the 'Simpsons' character never made it as a rock star, and doesn't appear to have a top hat anywhere in his wardrobe. He's not afraid to pick up a guitar and play, though, and when he does, he seems to be quite adept at it. Given that Slash is now well into his 50s, maybe it's not too late for Otto to make it as a musician after all.
Chefs made their way into celebrity land a while ago. But how many celebrities that weren’t trained as professional cooks are actually whizzes in the kitchen? Here are several that come to mind.
Actress Julia Roberts is confident about her cooking skills. “I’m quite a good cook,” she told E! News. “I’m like a closet home ec teacher…I can really cook anything.” Roberts has said she often cooks fish for herself and her kids. And speaking of her three children, “They think that I’m a good cook,” Roberts told People. “They actually told me that I should open a restaurant.” She also relishes cooking for the holidays, particularly shredded Brussel sprouts. Roberts hasn’t published a cookbook, but we did find recipes attributed to her for peach crisp and banana hemp muffins. Or you can make the same summer salad the actress supposedly eats.
Chrissy Teigen started off as a supermodel. Then her love of cooking filtered into her professional life too. At this point, she’s created recipes for a limited Blue Apron release and also just launched her own home and cooking line at Target named “Cravings,” after the two cookbooks she’s released. Teigen describes cooking as “a time of peace” for herself. So maybe peace out to her tuna melt sandwich or the fried chicken wings that are a favorite of her husband, John Legend.
Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, comes from a cooking Italian family. Her father started his own restaurant in New York and also published a cookbook. And apparently, Lady Gaga has inherited the family’s cooking genes. Her Instagram account occasionally features photos of her culinary activities. Sure, sometimes it’s topless cooking. But other times it’s more poignant like in the post she shared about her bringing food to the family of her dear friend who passed away. Want to try a Gaga/Germanotta family favorite? Check out her recipe for whole wheat pasta with a sweet fennel sauce.