Gapers Block has ceased publication.
Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
✶ Thank you for your readership and contributions. ✶
TODAY
Friday, December 8
Fuel
Tom / September 23, 2004 2:17 PM
Oprah.... the truth comes out she didn't give away anything..cars, books, bubble bath..all given away (read paid for) by the companies that make them.....oh yeah she gets first taste...
Andrew / September 23, 2004 2:32 PM
Overrated: Sammy Sosa
Underrated: Jeremy Piven
miss ellen / September 23, 2004 2:34 PM
OT: What's with the Oprah haterade? I mean, no one ever said Oprah was giving cars away --- it's a f'in television show people, not a charity. If people can't afford the $30K gift just handed to them, so be it. Don't blame it on Oprah.
Mike / September 23, 2004 2:37 PM
I think that R. Kelly is definitely given too much credit. C'mon people, this guy is a total creep, especially with that new(ish) song with the pipes of pan or flute or whatever that is. It's got such a "Come along with me kids, have some candy" vibe to it.
For underrated people, it really depends. Royko for people that deserve a park named after them, but I suppose everyone loves him sufficiently if his name comes up. Maybe Bobby Conn deserves a little more credit, and you can never get enough Studs Terkel.
steve_sleeve / September 23, 2004 3:07 PM
Underrated:
Steve Walters, Doug Sohn, Jim O'Rourke
Kris / September 23, 2004 3:49 PM
Jeremy Piven doesn't underrate himself. As much as I like him as an actor, I've heard enough "Don't you know who I am?!" stories about him to lower my opinion of him as a person.
Overrated: Ditka.
tim / September 23, 2004 3:50 PM
It pains me to say it, but Jen the Bachelorette is overrated. There, I said it.
Pete / September 23, 2004 4:02 PM
Overrated: Jeff Tweedy (sorry, Jeff, it truly pains me)
Underrated: Archer Prewitt
Margot / September 23, 2004 4:13 PM
Overrated:
John Cusak
Umphrey's McGee
Underrated:
Robin Robinson (she rocks the local Fox News)
Hmmmm.....those are the first that come to mind; I realize that I might get some flac about the John Cusak thing.
biff / September 23, 2004 4:26 PM
I don't know if he is overrated, but Bob Sirott has got to go on Chicago Tonight. Oh yeah, Billy Corgan sucks too. However, is he really overrated?? I'd call it washed up and willing to appear in or on any form of media. C'mon...baseball correspondent for XRT?? Billy, don't you have anything better to do?? Simease Dream rocked, but now you just suck.
jennifer / September 23, 2004 4:29 PM
i'm sorry, it just pains me to see "underrated" and "FOX news" used together in any context.
Underrated: John McEntire.
Andy / September 23, 2004 4:39 PM
Hmmmm...which celebrity is most overrated...arent all celebrities overrated, isn't that the idea?
I can handle a Joe Mantegna
Brian / September 23, 2004 5:03 PM
I'm thinking Jerry Springer belongs here somewhere.
Jeff / September 23, 2004 5:13 PM
Overrated: Billy Corgan
Underrated: Kevin Drumm
Benjy / September 23, 2004 5:27 PM
Overrated: Ron Santo, Joan Cusack, any reality show contestant
Underrated: Gary Sinise
Eamon / September 23, 2004 10:49 PM
Overrated: Billy Corgan.
Underrated: Frankie Knuckles.
Tom / September 23, 2004 11:15 PM
Overrated: Anyone who really cares about celebrities. Specifically, I am thinking of the people who read Us or People magazines.
Underrated: Will Clinger, host of Wild Chicago (though I do have to say I liked Ben Hollis more)
chris / September 24, 2004 3:42 AM
Doctors, surgons, teachers, nurses are all underrated. People who do important work. Life saving work. Those are the people who are underrated.
Mike / September 24, 2004 9:08 AM
Whatever Chris,
You're crazy! That song "Toxic", by Brittany Spears probably save more lives than your precious little "Doctors", if they are even real doctors.
And what about yesterday's celebs, the ones who we grew up with? Haven't pro wrestlers, MTV V-Jays, Sit-com stars, the cast on the show CHIPS and the many different phases of the Morrisey taught you anything?! Good God, where are your priorities?
kate / September 24, 2004 9:27 AM
all this time i thought wilco was underrated. then they hit it big and now they're overrated? c'mon now...
Overrated: last season's Apprentice Bill Rancic.
Underrated: Ken Nordine.
MC High Life / September 24, 2004 9:33 AM
Overrated: Joan Cusak. Why is she so famous? Because of those US Cellular ads? Because of her half-assed sit-com that tanked? Because she's a Cusak? I don't get it.
Underrated: Jerry Bryant, host of JBTV.
Alex / September 24, 2004 10:03 AM
Overrated: WILCO! WILCO! WILCO!!!!!!!!!!!
Gawd, could they be more boring? (I bet you they could!) I've said it time and time again, I just don't get it.
Underrated: Ana Castillo. That woman can write her ass off, yet Sandra Cisneros always gets the only props as Chicago's Latina author, like she's the only one or something...
jennifer / September 24, 2004 10:09 AM
Underrated: Jerry Bryant, host of JBTV.
Oh my god. Is that show still on?
steve_sleeve / September 24, 2004 10:15 AM
i'm probably biased since i'm a wilco fan, but kate makes a good point. wilco's "summerteeth" was a fantastic pop album that went largely unheralded. next album, they've got a little record label drama, and pretty soon the press is saturated with wilco wilco wilco. doesn't make the music any different. but if you aleady think they're boring, i'm sure the excess of positive press would seem unwarranted.
however, plenty of reviews i read for "a ghost is born" weren't all that positive. which would make wilco not necessarily overrated but simply overexposed.
i'd like to second the motion for jerry bryant.
Steve / September 24, 2004 10:37 AM
Most overrated: any local newscaster. C'mon people, we're a major city -- our newsreaders shouldn't be treated like stars! Let's get some real celebs!
Underrated: Steve Albini. Sure he can rub you the wrong way, but the integrity of his work (and his approach to it) is a model for how the arts would work in a better world. (Basically, he'll record any band, and charge them according to their ability to pay, so the milion-selling Nirvanas and Page & Plants of the world underwrite emerging artists. And he charges a flat fee, where most producers insist on a cut of the profits. Pretty f---in' cool in my book.)
cushie / September 24, 2004 10:41 AM
underrated: Tom Skilling, best weather guy in the world.
Wendy / September 24, 2004 11:04 AM
Overrated: Bozo the Clown.
Underrated (while still alive): Ray Rayner.
Ann / September 24, 2004 11:48 AM
Overrated: Michael Jordan. Get over yourself already. I swear, the man has no dignity. Also Brian Urlacher.
Underrated: I'll second the Tom Skilling nod. And add Steve Stone.
E A / September 24, 2004 11:51 AM
Underrated: Dennis Farina
Ken / September 24, 2004 12:03 PM
Word to Tom Skilling.
Kevin / September 24, 2004 12:19 PM
WILCO!! Gawd, could they be more boring? (I bet you they could!) I've said it time and time again, I just don't get it. Ditto. I really want to like them but I lapsed into a coma watching them on Soundstage.
Underrated: Cathy Richardson
Joe / September 24, 2004 12:38 PM
Overrated - a Mayor
Sure Chicago seems to be doing well now...but at what price? We shall see.
Joe / September 24, 2004 12:38 PM
Overrated - Mayor Daley
Sure Chicago seems to be doing well now...but at what price? We shall see.
Qwert / September 24, 2004 1:50 PM
Overrated and dead: Al Capone
Underrated and dead: Louis Armstrong's Chicago Blues days
Overrated and living: LIZ PHAIR and David Schwimmer
Underrated and living: Arturo Herrera
amy / September 24, 2004 2:02 PM
overrated: Eric & Kathy - why do so many people listed to those morons?
underrated: Local God, Studs Terkel. Helmut Jahn for the IIT Campus. The Japanese Garden in Jackson Park.
Michael / September 24, 2004 2:11 PM
underrated: H.H. Holmes
(although I suspect his notoriety will come to light when the Tom Cruise-produced movie version of The Devil and the White City is completed)
katie / September 24, 2004 2:25 PM
gotta cast my vote for WILCO as most overrated local celebs.
yuck.
al / September 24, 2004 3:06 PM
i too have to had my props for Will Clinger. he rocks.
Dawson / September 24, 2004 4:45 PM
Whatever happened to Chris O'Donnell?
John / September 24, 2004 5:58 PM
There aren't enough celebrities here to rate, over or under -- one of the more pleasant aspects to the city.
Scott / September 25, 2004 1:55 AM
Underrated - Common
One of the greatest lyrical artist to hit the scene in a long time and no one gives him credit.
Overrated - Mayor Daley
Chicago's government is nothing but one great big political machine.
charles / September 25, 2004 2:29 PM
Overrated: Jim Belushi, Bernie Mack, Sammy Sosa
Underrated: Wilco, Common, Kanye West, Maglio Ordonez
Dontilliskayana / September 26, 2004 8:54 PM
overrated: Bill Curtis
underratted: Bill Curtis
KaY / September 27, 2004 10:14 AM
Ira Glass!
robin.. / September 27, 2004 10:47 AM
thanks to naz this morning, reminding me in his front page blurb that i was wrong to say billy corgan was "by far the most overrated." i forgot about how overrated tim kinsella(s?) is. the OR kinsella(s?) is tim, the UR kinsella is mike. "by far."
Kate H. / October 5, 2004 4:10 PM
Kurt Elling! One of the most remarkable male jazz vocalists of his generation, and a nice guy to boot.
Mia / October 13, 2004 10:28 PM
Overrated- Sammy Sosa, Michael Jordan, Michelle Leigh (Fox News), Amanda Puck (AND the new Check Please lady...could they have picked more boring hosts?) R. Kelly dated a girl I went to high school with, she said he was boring (I'm sure he thought that golden showers could cure him of this trait).
Chris O'Donnell is neither over or underrated, he just plain sucks
Underrated- omg, I love that dude from Wild Chicago. Ira Glass. Second City alums. I know the Joan Cusack kind of jumped the shark with her commercials for the cell, but I still love her long time
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robin.. / September 23, 2004 2:12 PM
oh, billy corgan is by far the most overrated. and it pains me to say so as i love their music and their work, but wilco is also being overrated. by the media! oh, the media!