Now that we know that the late beloved and despised Iron Lady was a chemist in a past life, here are some more well-known people who did pointless things before discovering their life’s purpose.

Dr. Mayim Bialik

What: PhD in Neuroscience

Where: UCLA

Now: Actress, Big Bang Theory

Dr. Brian May

What: PhD in Astrophysics

Where: Imperial College, London

Now: Guitarist for Queen

Ivan Drago (actually Dolph Lundgren)

What: MSc in Chemical Engineering

Where: Royal Institute of Technology, Stockhlom

Now: Not looking so good after having the shit beat out of him by Rocky IV.

Andrea Bocelli

What: Alive

Why: His parents were advised to abort in 1958 when she developed appendicitis whilst pregnant.

Now: Probably the second-most famous blind musician after Ray Charles.

Alan Rickman

What: Graphic Designer

Where: London

Now: Snape

Dr. Peter Roget

What: Professor of Physiology

Where: London

Now: Dead, but left us with a little thing called the Thesaurus.

Jozef Teodor Konrad Nalecz Korzeniowski

What: Depressed, insane, suicidal criminal sailor

Where: Everywhere in the world, pretty much.

Now: Dead as Joseph Conrad, the guy who wrote Heart of Darkness, upon which Apocalypse Now is based.

Dr. Kermit the Frog

What: PhD in Amphibious Letters

Where: Southampton College, New York

Now: Cashing in unemployment cheques after a series of disastrously dull movies.

Credit to cracked.com and thefrisky.com for their insightful lists of interesting celebrities. Since I know very little about celebrities, I’d have found this article rather difficult to write.