I think everyone knows Bruce Springsteen’s from New Jersey. Same thing with the Beach Boys and California. Or Jimmy Carter and Georgia. Or Woody Allen and New York.
But did you know that Brad Pitt’s from Oklahoma, George
Clooney’s from Kentucky, or Reese Witherspoon’s from Louisiana? How about Jim
Henson of the Muppets being from Mississippi? How about NASCAR driver Geoff
Bodine being from New York?
So, here they are … the least likely natives of all 50
states. Since that’s a lot of states and celebs, I’m breaking it up into two
posts. This week, we’ll tackle Alabama through Montana.
Alabama
Courtney Cox
- Claim to Fame: actress
- Birthplace: Birmingham
- Stayed: through high school
- Reason for leaving: college (GWU, in DC)
Alaska
Curt Schilling
- Claim to Fame: baseball player
- Birthplace: Anchorage
- Left: before high school
- Reason: military brat
Arizona
Emma Stone
- Claim to Fame: actress
- Birthplace: Scottsdale
- Left: at age 16
- Reason: to pursue acting career (in LA)
Arkansas
Eldridge Cleaver
- Claim to Fame: activist
- Birthplace: Wabbaseka (pop. 255)
- Left: at age 8
California
Robert Frost
- Claim to Fame: poet
- Birthplace: San Francisco
- Left: at age 11
- Reason: father’s death / move back with family
Colorado
John Kerry
- Claim to Fame: politician
- Birthplace: Aurora
- Left: at age 1
- Reason: military/diplomatic brat
Connecticut
The Carpenters
- Claim to Fame: musicians
- Birthplace: New Haven
- Left: at ages 13 (Karen) and 17 (Richard)
- Reason: to further musical careers (in LA)
Delaware
Valerie Bertinelli
- Claim to Fame: actress
- Birthplace: Wilmington
- Left: in “early teens”
- Reason: corporate (GM) brat
Florida
Jim Morrison
- Claim to Fame: musician
- Birthplace: Melbourne
- Left: at age 4
- Reason: military brat (father was an admiral)
Georgia
Spike Lee
- Claim to Fame: director
- Birthplace: Atlanta
- Left: at age 4
Hawaii
Bette Midler
- Claim to Fame: singer / actress
- Birthplace: Honolulu
- Left: at age 20
- Reason: to further her career (in NYC)
Idaho
Ezra Pound
- Claim to Fame: poet
- Birthplace: Hailey
- Left: at age 4
- Reason: his mom hated it
Illinois
Robin Williams
- Claim to Fame: comedian / actor
- Birthplace: Chicago
- Left: at age 12
- Reason: corporate (Ford) brat
Indiana
Axl Rose
- Claim to Fame: musician
- Birthplace: Lafayette
- Left: at age 20
- Reason: to escape the law
Iowa
Ashton Kutcher
- Claim to Fame: actor
- Birthplace: Cedar Rapids
- Left: at age 20
- Reason: to model in NYC
Kansas
Kate Spade
- Claim to Fame: fashion designer
- Birthplace: Kansas City
- Left: mid-college (Univ. of Kansas)
- Reason: to attend Arizona State
Kentucky
Johnny Depp
- Claim to Fame: actor
- Birthplace: Owensboro
- Left: at age 7
- Reason: dad’s new job
Louisiana
Jared Leto
- Claim to Fame: actor
- Birthplace: Bossier City
- Left: at age 8
- Reason: military brat
Maine
Anna Kendrick
- Claim to Fame: actress
- Birthplace: Portland
- Stayed: thru high school
- Reason for leaving: to pursue acting career (in NYC)
Maryland
Frank Zappa
- Claim to Fame: musician
- Birthplace: Baltimore
- Left: at age 12
- Reason: for health (had asthma, earaches & sinus problems)
Massachusetts
James Taylor
- Claim to Fame: musician
- Birthplace: Boston
- Left: at age 3
- Reason: dad’s new job (professor at UNC med school)
Michigan
Burt Reynolds
- Claim to Fame: actor
- Birthplace: Lansing (claimed to be born in Georgia)
- Left: at age 10
- Reason: army brat
Minnesota
Bob Dylan
- Claim to Fame: musician
- Birthplace: Duluth
- Left: at age 20
- Reason: to pursue his musical career (in NYC)
Mississippi
Jimmy Buffett
- Claim to Fame: musician
- Birthplace: Pascagoula
- Left: as pre-teen
- Reason: military brat (Army Corps of Engineers)
Missouri
Eminem (Marshall Bruce Mathers III)
- Claim to Fame: musician
- Birthplace: St. Joseph
- Left: at age 11
- Reason: parents’ separation
Montana
David Lynch
- Claim to Fame: director
- Birthplace: Missoula
- Left: at age 1
- Reason: USDA brat (father was a research scientist)
