Tony Bennett

In an era when many celebrities are famous merely for being famous, and have accomplished about as much as a piece of gum stuck to a window ledge, it's instructive to consider the life and career of 86 year old Tony Bennett.

He grew up in the Depression, the child of poor immigrant parents.  He saw combat in World War II.  He marched for civil rights with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  He's an accomplished painter, with works on display in several museums.

His musical career spans over 60 years.  His awards include 17 Grammys, two Emmys, and a Kennedy Center Honor, just to name a few.  His music continues to find new audiences with each succeeding generation.  Just days ago he performed at one of President Obama's inaugural events.

In 1991, he set the world record for the long jump. He received the 2006 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his studies of the molecular basis of eukaryotic transcription.  His Magic Marshmallow Crescent Puffs won the 1969 Pillsbury Bake-Off.  In his effort to rid the Florida Everglades of invasive species, to date he has killed 30 Burmese pythons, in most cases using nothing more than a rake.   A YouTube video shows him nonchalantly swallowing a tablespoon of cinnamon, then swallowing the spoon.

Tony Bennett doesn't always drink beer, but when he does, he prefers Dos Equis. 

(Note: Tony Bennett also created Dos Equis's "The Most Interesting Man In The World" ad campaign.  Damn, he's impressive.)