The Greatest 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons
TV Episode | Documentary, Music

The Greatest

200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons

TV Episode | Documentary, Music

You can quote them in an instant, reference them with just one name, and even dress up like them for Halloween. In this always-expanding pop culture of ours, there are plenty of stars, but precious few icons. On its latest edition of the ...See moreYou can quote them in an instant, reference them with just one name, and even dress up like them for Halloween. In this always-expanding pop culture of ours, there are plenty of stars, but precious few icons. On its latest edition of the acclaimed Greatest countdown series, VH1 burrows into the pop persona's that have made the ultimate impact; names so familiar they're recognized and revered in the world's most far-flung spots. What makes an "Icon?" It's not enough to just be famous or to have won a couple of awards. You have to pass one or more of the following criteria: Do they pass the one-name test? Can you dress up as them for Halloween? Did they blaze a trail in pop culture? Did they create a signature character in pop culture? Can you quote them, or their character, in 10 seconds or less? Did society imitate their sense of fashion? Hairstyle? Did "SNL" create a sketch satirizing them? Did someone write a song about them? Was or is there merchandising or paraphernalia that bears their image? Can they be connected to Kevin Bacon? Too large to be a "100 Greatest" special, VH1 will expand its reach and recognize 200 of America's most outstanding and outrageous personalities with "VH1's 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons," Each one hour episode is illustrated by celebrated artist Robert Risko, and will take a fun and lighthearted look at the individuals and moments that now live immortally in American pop culture. Risko accepted his first assignment from Andy Warhol and has been drawing the likenesses of hundreds of notables from the worlds of film, television, music and politics for over twenty years. The 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons is wide in scope, accounting for television characters (Gilligan and Miss Piggy) cartoon crazies (Bugs Bunny and Scooby Doo), Hollywood heroes (Rock Hudson and Jim Carrey), and of course rock stars (Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones). Hey, we're even throwing in The Three Stooges somewhere along the line. Each will be the subject of a pithy profile that's sure to reveal new tidbits of info while reminding you of their subject's longstanding cultural significance. Each will be scrutinized by awed celebrities and witty critics. Along the way you'll get new insights into how and why these gods and goddesses rose to the pop culture heavens. Sex and the City's Kristin Davis is your host through five night's worth of intriguing installments. All-star interviews include Katie Couric, Jay Leno, The Osbourne Family, Hugh Hefner, Shania Twain, 'Denis Leary', Lisa Marie Presley, William Shatner, Susan Lucci, Britney Spears, Ringo Starr, Kevin Bacon, Penny Marshall and many, many more. Each one-hour episode is a fun and entertaining look at some of America's favorite personalities and features exclusive interviews with Hollywood legends, sports figures, TV stars, and musical icons. It is a celebration of the people and the moments that live immortally in pop culture. So there it is. From 'Abba (I)' to Wonder Woman (no, there are no Z's on the list), The 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons is coming to make sense of uber fame's timeless nature. Written by VH1 See less

Contacts

+ Add

Become a member to see contact information for 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons.

Cast	+ Add Cast
63 cast members

Name	Known for
Oprah Winfrey Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986)
Elvis Presley Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962)
Lucille Ball Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	I Love Lucy (1951)
Tom Cruise Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Top Gun (1986)
Marilyn Monroe Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Some Like It Hot (1959)
Madonna Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	A League of Their Own (1992)
Michael Jordan Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Space Jam (1996)
Princess Diana Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The Sun James Bond 'For Your Eyes Only' Television Commercial (1981)
Michael Jackson Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Michael Jackson: Thriller (1983)
Jerry Seinfeld Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Seinfeld (1989)
Steven Spielberg Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Schindler's List (1993)
Jennifer Lopez Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Hustlers (2019)
Muhammad Ali Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The Greatest (1977)
Bill Clinton Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The Great Irish Potato Famine
Britney Spears Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee See fewer	Crossroads (I) (2002)
Florence Henderson Self / Interviewee Self / Interviewee See fewer	The Brady Bunch (1969)
Usher Self / Interviewee (as Usher Raymond) Self / Interviewee (as Usher Raymond) See fewer	The Faculty (1998)
Hugh Hefner Self / Interviewee (as Hugh M. Hefner) Self / Interviewee (as Hugh M. Hefner) See fewer	Miss March (2009)
Kevin Bacon Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee See fewer	Footloose (1984)
Roseanne Barr Self Self See fewer	Roseanne (1988)
Halle Berry Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Catwoman (2004)
Dick Clark Self / Interviewee Self / Interviewee See fewer	Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002)
Katie Couric Self / Interviewee Self / Interviewee See fewer	Zoolander 2 (2016)
Russell Crowe Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Les Misérables (2012)
Macaulay Culkin Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Home Alone (1990)
Michael Fishman Self Self See fewer	The Conners (2018)
Ace Frehley Self / Interviewee Self / Interviewee See fewer	Detroit Rock City (1999)
John Goodman Self Self See fewer	10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
Dave Grohl Self Self See fewer	Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny (2006)
Arsenio Hall Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Coming to America (1988)
Steve Harvey Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee See fewer	The Steve Harvey Show (1996)
Rock Hudson Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Giant (1956)
Jermaine Jackson Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee See fewer	Fighting (2009)
Penn Jillette Self Self See fewer	Penn & Teller Get Killed (1989)
Dwayne Johnson Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Black Adam (2022)
Denis Leary Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee See fewer	Rescue Me (2004)
Jay Leno Self / Interviewee Self / Interviewee See fewer	The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992)
Susan Lucci Self / Interviewee Self / Interviewee See fewer	All My Children (1970)
Bill Maher Self / Interviewee Self / Interviewee See fewer	Politically Incorrect (1993)
Bob Marley Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	I Am Legend (2007)
Penny Marshall Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee See fewer	Laverne & Shirley (1976)
Ricky Martin Self / Interviewee Self / Interviewee See fewer	Ricky Martin: MTV Unplugged (2006)
Phil McGraw Self (archive footage) (as Dr. Phil) Self (archive footage) (as Dr. Phil) See fewer	Scary Movie 4 (2006)
Joe Namath Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	C.C. & Company (1970)
Rosie O'Donnell Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	A League of Their Own (1992)
Kelly Osbourne Self / Interviewee Self / Interviewee See fewer	Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)
Sharon Osbourne Self / Interviewee Self / Interviewee See fewer	It's a Boy Girl Thing (2006)
Dolly Parton Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The Porter Wagoner Show (1961)
Regis Philbin Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Little Nicky (2000)
Lisa Marie Presley Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee See fewer	Lisa Marie Presley: Idiot (2005)
Queen Latifah Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Chicago (2002)
Colin Quinn Self / Interviewee Self / Interviewee See fewer	Trainwreck (2015)
Axl Rose Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
David Lee Roth Self Self See fewer	David Lee Roth: Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody (1984)
Winona Ryder Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Little Women (1994)
Telly Savalas Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Kojak (1973)
William Shatner Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee See fewer	Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
Judy Sheindlin Self (archive footage) (as Judge Judy) Self (archive footage) (as Judge Judy) See fewer	Judge Judy (1996)
Gene Simmons Self Self See fewer	Extract (2009)
Ringo Starr Self / Interviewee Self / Interviewee See fewer	A Hard Day's Night (1964)
Teller Self Self See fewer	Penn & Teller: Bullshit! (2003)
Shania Twain Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee See fewer	I Heart Huckabees (2004)
Henry Winkler Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee See fewer	The Waterboy (1998)