With the 2008 Beijing Olympics officially underway, our thoughts turn to those elite athletes who've sought to parlay their sporting success into Hollywood stardom, only to fall desperately short in their efforts.
Defamer has compiled an impressive list, to which I add my personal favorite: Gymkata, the failed crossover attempt by 1984 gymnastics gold medalist Kurt Thomas. The Gymkata trailer -- arguably one of the greatest ever produced -- says it all:
"Combine the discipline, the timing, and the power of gymnastics with the explosive force of karate, and a new, all-powerful martial art is born."
It's a simple equation: gymnastics + karate = pure awesomeness. Sadly, audiences weren't ready for such an innovative combination, and Gymkata fared poorly at the box office. For his efforts, Thomas received a Razzie Nomination for Worst New Actor in 1986 -- not quite as prestigious as a gold medal, but still an impressive feat.