Canadian Astronaut and ISS commander Chris Hadfield performs David Bowie's Space Oddity on the International Space Station in 2013HO/The Canadian Press
Chris Hadfield may have said goodbye to space, but he's still a space oddity. After all, how many astronauts can you name who went on to release an album?
On Tuesday, Warner Music Canada announced it will release the 55-year-old's debut record this fall. Fun fact: The guitar and vocal tracks were recorded in space.
The retired astronaut is the first person to record a literally out of this world album, but he's not alone among celebrities who have gone on to unlikely second careers.
The unlikeliest politician: Jesse Ventura
Entertainers of all kinds have pursued second careers in politics. Ronald Reagan, Clint Eastwood, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Al Franken, Sonny Bono – the list goes on. But only one of these people wore feather boas and duelled with Hulk Hogan. How did this guy become governor of Minnesota? No one could doubt the one-time wrestler and WWE Hall of Fame member's campaign slogan: "Don't vote for politics as usual." And it was hard to crack wise about those boas, considering Ventura is a former Navy SEAL. As a Reform party candidate, Ventura defined himself as "socially liberal and fiscally conservative," supporting gay rights and abortion rights but opposing teachers' unions. He hasn't pursued other roles in politics since his one and only term as governor ended in 2003.
Ice, ice, contractor: Vanilla Ice
Unless you were there to see it, it's almost impossible to describe how huge of a superstar Robert Van Winkle (AKA Vanilla Ice) was when his hit song "Ice Ice Baby" was released in 1989. From there he became a popular target of ridicule and then, when he left the spotlight, he turned to what he has called his true passion: home improvement. At the height of his career, Van Winkle had purchased several homes across the U.S. to stay in while he toured. Soon enough, he was busy repairing and re-designing them. He has parlayed his skills into a reality television show called The Vanilla Ice Project that features him as a handyman and house flipper. Imagine Vanilla Ice showing up at your house to fix the place up. Could there be anything more surreal?
Poker pro: Jennifer Tilly
Jennifer Tilly may be best known for her breathy, baby doll voice, but she's also got an incredible poker face. Lots of celebrities like to gamble, but very few of them have the skills to go pro. In 2005, Tilly proved she wasn't just some Academy Award nominated actress with a side-interest in cards. She beat out 600 players to win a World Series of Poker bracelet (the event's trophy) in the ladies' no-limit Texas hold'em event. She has won more than $800,000 (U.S.) as a professional poker player. Her nicknames on the poker circuit are "The Unabombshell" and "J Tilla the Killa."
From White Castle to the White House : Kal Penn
When it was announced that the star of the stoner comedy Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle was giving up acting to go work at the White House, the world uttered a confused, Duuuuuuude, whaaaaaaat? But this was no joke. Penn was written out of the series to join the Obama administration as an associate director in the White House Office of Public Engagement in 2009. In that role, he served as a liaison with the Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities. Penn left the White House after a year to film another Harold & Kumar movie, then returned to the office. In 2013, he was appointed to serve on the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. The 37-year-old continues to act and likely has the best insights among any living comedians on how to really do an Obama impression.
Perfectionism personified: Martha Stewart
Before she became the Martha Stewart we know, Martha Stewart modelled for Chanel to help pay for college and graduated from Barnard College with a double major in history and architectural history. In 1967, she became a stockbroker, selling securities on Wall Street. She quit after six successful years to renovate her new family home in Connecticut. She was 32-years-old. That farmhouse would later be the model for the set of Martha Stewart Living. The domestic diva never looked back, eventually launching the catering company that would set the stage for her world domination. She incorporated her new business under the name Martha Stewart Inc., in 1977. And the rest, of course, is history. Beautifully curated, exquisitely groomed history.
Dave McGinn