Georgia is another state known for their plethora of quality NFL athletes including the likes of Mel Blount, Ray Guy, Calvin Johnson, John Hannah, and so many more. But, they still weren't as culturally and socially impactful as the legendary Jim Brown. Prior to becoming a standout football player at Syracuse, Brown was a multi-sport phenom dominating in sports like baseball, track, basketball, and lacrosse. In 1957, Brown was drafted 6th overall by the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Draft and would spend his entire nine-season career with the Ohio-based franchise.
Every season Brown was in the league, he was infited to the Pro Bowl, Brown led the league in rushing in eight out of the nine seasons he was an active player, and helped the Browns earn an NFL Championship in 1964. In 1971, Jim Brown was a first-ballot Football Hall of Fame inductee. Following his career, Brown pursued acting and advocated for the rights of the Black community starting successful initiatives like the Black Ecconomic Union (BEU) and Vital Issues. While he might be one of the greatest football players of all-time, he's definitely one the greatest humans in existence as well.
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.