There are professions that are cool, there are activities that are cool and then there are people that are cool. Cool being defined not in the temperature sense but more along the lines of grace under fire, a certain something that commands the spotlight, an intangible quality to draws attention and respect. I have put together my list of "COOL". I would love for you to do the same, but here is how you have to play. When you first read this post and figured out what it was all about whose picture popped into your mind? I have asked quite a few people this question and here are some of the responses.

 

5

Drew Brees

 

 
 

For those of us that cheer for the New Orleans Saints, he is Mr. Cool. Drew never seems to get flustered when he is on the field. He has a flare for the dramatic, as evidence in his pre-game pump up cheer. He also is cool because he is kind and gentle. The picture of Drew holding his son at the Super Bowl is one of the most iconic pictures in all of sports. Even if you are a Saints hater, you have to admit that moment was special far beyond the scope of sports. Drew also has made it a point to give back to those that need a helping hand. His devotion to the Brees’ Foundation has helped many people in Louisiana take the first steps on a better path. For these reasons I would have no problem at all saying, Drew Brees is cool.

 

4

Julia Roberts

 

 
 

Okay this one is not one of my personal picks but as I told you I asked several people to give me the first name that popped into their mind when I said “cool”. Julia Roberts has her own unique style, she’s played a lot of characters in movies and it’s her flexibility and versatility that makes her cool. You have to admit it’s hard not to fall in love with Julia if you’ve ever seen Pretty Woman. Julia has also taken on the role of Hollywood mother quite nicely. You don’t hear too many quirky tabloid reports of Julia spoiling her kids the way some tinsel town divas do. Julia was also married to Lyle Lovett, who is an amazing talent in his own right and the fact that someone that looked like Lyle could capture the heart of someone that looked like Julia must mean she has a lot of deeper layers than what the movie people would have us believe.

 

3

Elvis Presley

 

 
 

I have had the good fortune to travel to Memphis Tennessee and see for myself the power of this man’s charisma. In Memphis and in many homes here in Acadiana the name Elvis is still said with a certain reverence. Elvis had his demons; I guess we all do. I believe most of Elvis’ demons arrived because he wanted nothing more than to escape the fame he created. The more I read about Elvis, the more I think he was just a simple country boy, who loved to sing, make music and see people smile. He certainly did make people smile; some even swooned at the sound of his voice. His position in American culture can’t be denied; he was, and still is, The King. Despite our attempts to make him more than a man, he was just a man with weaknesses that eventually lead to his untimely passing. Still his ability to ignite an entire arena with one sneer on his lip or one shake of his hip has got rate him high on the “cool” list.

 

2

Paul Newman

 

 
 

If I had Paul Newman’s looks I sure wouldn’t be on the radio. This guy is one of those men that was quite handsome in youth and seemed to get more attractive with age. Paul Newman was also a man’s man so I can say these things about him without anyone questioning my masculinity. He was a racecar enthusiast, he was an actor that played the tough guy on the big screen, and he was a man with a great big heart for those less fortunate than him. I would imagine that my children know Paul Newman more for his salad dressings than for his movies. His charitable contributions have amassed millions of dollars and helped out millions of people. His movies took us away from our troubles, even if we only got to leave for just a few hours. His charm and grace made each of us believe that he could be our friend and would be there to help us out of a tough spot should we need it. I have no trouble at all putting Paul Newman on the cool list.

 

1

Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli

 

 
 

The Fonz, yep that Fonz from TV’s Happy Days is on my list. Why wouldn’t he be on the list? For a kid growing up in the 70’s “The Fonz” was our role model. He was what we all secretly wished we could be. I can only speak from a male point of view on this but I think the girls liked him too. Imagine being able to snap your fingers and have the two most beautiful women in the room walk away with you. Imagine never putting a dime in a jukebox and being able to ride a motorcycle and never mess up your hair. This was cool my friends. I am forgetting, on purpose, a lot of later episodes of Happy Days with the Shark and the riding the Bull and some of the other nonsense the writers of that show put “The Fonz” through. I also liked the way Fonzie never let down his friends and the respect he showed for Mr. and Mrs. C. I think Fonzie would have been a good guy to have as a friend, I know I still think he is pretty cool.

 

More From 97.3 The Dawg