1

No blindfolded driving in Alabama

Image: Kirill Balobanov

As we said in the introduction, these situations are likely born out of real incidents. At some point, someone must have driven blindfolded in Alabama , and the consequences were serious enough for state legislators to enact a law preventing it from happening again—a reasonable measure if you ask us.

2

No driving with dogs on the roof

Image: Tadeusz Lakota

As terrible and infuriating as it may sound, there is a very real possibility that someone drove with a poor dog tied to the roof of a car in chilly Alaska . Thankfully, local legislators passed a law prohibiting this dangerous and cruel situation.

3

No reverse driving

Image: Hunter Wiseley

This law makes no sense, and we bet—or at the very least hope—that it’s no longer enforced. Otherwise, how would Arizonans back out of their driveways without breaking the law?

Believe it or not, traveling in reverse on an Arizona road is illegal .

4

No horn honking at the sandwich joint

Image: Simon Daoudi

While it can certainly be an annoyance to hear cars honking when you’re trying to enjoy a Croque Monsieur and a diet soda at your favorite spot, most of us wouldn’t expect a state law banning it.

But in Arkansas, it’s illegal to honk a horn after 9 p.m. outside an establishment that serves sandwiches and cold drinks .

5

No jumping out of the car at 65 mph or faster

Image: Mathias Arlund

This one seems more like common sense than anything else, but apparently, enough people attempted this stunt in California for state legislators to pass a law making it illegal to leap out of a moving vehicle traveling at 65 mph or faster .

6

No black vehicles on a Sunday

Image: Steven Erixon

But what if your car is black and you need to drive somewhere? Hopefully, this law is no longer enforced in Colorado. Yet, for some reason lost to time, it’s illegal in this state to drive a black vehicle on a Sunday .

7

No speeding tickets for politicians

Image: Sumeet Kapadia

This one is downright infuriating. In Georgia, it’s illegal to ticket a member of the assembly for speeding while the assembly is in session. It should come as no surprise—after all, those same assembly members are the ones responsible for this law.

8

No driving with a gorilla in the backseat

Image: MARIOLA GROBELSKA

People in Massachusetts don’t need a law to tell them that driving around with a living gorilla in the backseat is a bad idea—that’s just common sense. But just in case, there’s a state law explicitly prohibiting it.

9

No camel-ridding on the highway

Image: Oskars Sylwan

Camels are great for desert travel but not so much for highway traffic. And no US state is more certain of this than Nevada, where it’s illegal to ride a camel on a highway .

10

No driving around the town square

Image: Felix Mittermeier

Driving around the town square can be a popular Saturday night activity in some towns, but someone in Ohio must have taken it to the extreme. In this state, it’s illegal to circle the town square more than 100 times in a row .

11

No reading comic books while driving

Image: Erik Mclean

For public safety alone, reading while driving should be illegal everywhere. But in Oklahoma, it’s specifically illegal to read comic books while driving —not newspapers, not hardcover novels—just comic books.

12

No driving with intoxicated passengers

Image: Jamie Street

Driving under the influence of alcohol is highly dangerous and, fortunately, banned almost everywhere. But in Texas, legislators have taken it a step further, making it illegal to drive if any alcohol is within arm’s reach of the driver —including if that alcohol is in another person’s bloodstream.

1

Shaquille O'Neal

Image: Kylie Osullivan

Shaquille O'Neal is definitely one of the biggest stars in sports, nationally and globally recognized. But his talent seems to go beyond the courts!

Shaq is also very good at school: In the 2000s, he graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in General Studies (Minor in Political Science). A few years later, he earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. And if that wasn't enough, he completed a Doctorate of Education from Barry University in 2012.

2

Jodie Foster

Image: Antonio Scalogna

Among other unforgettable roles, Jodie Foster is the actress who brought to life the character of Clarice Starling, who interviewed the fearsome Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Do you remember her?

Like her character in that iconic film, Jodie Foster is also very smart. In fact, she graduated with the highest honor from Yale University in 1985 with a Bachelor's degree in Literature.

3

Conan O'Brien

Image: Ioann-Mark Kuznietsov

Conan O'Brien, the famous host of Late Night with Conan O'Brien, is widely recognized for his long career as a comedian, screenwriter, TV host, and producer.

But while his witty humor always gets a laugh, that doesn't mean Conan can't take some things seriously. And he did so with his college career: In 1985, he graduated with high honors from Harvard University with a Bachelor's degree in History and Literature.

4

David Duchovny

Image: Brice Cooper

We would all immediately recognize the face of the actor who played the unforgettable Fox Mulder in The X-Files . Of course, we're talking about David Duchovny, who, in addition to playing Mulder, also gave life to other great characters in different series and shows.

Just like his most famous character, David Duchovny also has a brilliant mind that led him to get a Bachelor's degree in English Literature from Princeton University and a Master's degree in English Literature from Yale. He was also on his way to earning a Ph.D. when acting entered his life.

5

Lionel Richie

Image: Clo Art

Lionel Richie is the artist we have to thank for unforgettable 80s hits like "Endless Love," "All Night Long (All Night)," and "Hello." But his beginnings were far removed from music and much closer to the world of numbers.

In 1974, he graduated from Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and a Minor in Accounting.

6

Dwayne Johnson

Image: Victor Freitas

Dwayne Johnson, known to all as "The Rock," isn't just one of Hollywood's highest-paid actors; he's also a former professional wrestling superstar. However, his achievements don't end there!

The Rock isn't just known for his powerful body; he also has a sharp mind, which led him to graduate from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of General Studies and a Dual Major in Criminology and Physiology.

7

Lisa Kudrow

Image: Ilse Orsel

We all fondly remember the endearing Phoebe Buffay, one of the funniest characters on Friends, brought to life by Lisa Kudrow. But before discovering her passion and succeeding in acting, Kudrow had considered pursuing a completely different path.

From a young age, Lisa Kudrow had a strong interest in science, which led her to graduate from Vassar College with a degree in Biology!

8

Natalie Portman

Image: Leon Wu

Natalie Portman is a recognized name for her roles in major films such as V for Vendetta , Black Swan , and also Star Wars. But Portman is not only talented and beautiful; she is also very smart! As her fame grew, she successfully balanced her acting career with her studies. In 2003, she graduated from Harvard University with a degree in Psychology!

9

Mayim Bialik

Image: Ben Griffiths

Mayim Bialik won our hearts playing Amy Farrah-Fowler, the quirky girlfriend of the also quirky Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory .

Her character on the show has a sky-high IQ, and so does she in real life! Mayim Bialik graduated with the highest honors from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience. But that wasn't enough for her: A few years later, she also earned a Ph.D. in the same field.

10

Cole Sprouse

Image: Trnava University

One of the youngest on this list, Cole Sprouse is an actor who, along with his twin brother Dylan, started his career as a child on Disney Channel's The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.

But acting wasn't Cole's only interest. In addition to demonstrating great skills as a photographer, Cole Sprouse graduated from New York University (NYU) in 2015 with a degree in nothing less than Archaeology!

1

Jimi Hendrix

Image: Aditya Wardhana

We’ll start with what many believe to be the very best guitarist of all time. James Marshall Hendrix , better known as "Jimi", truly redefined rock music during his tragically short career. Born in Seattle, Jimi’s fascination with music started at an early age: His school teachers recall that he would often carry around a broom, on which he would pretend to play the guitar.

The four albums recorded by Hendrix are still regarded as masterworks, known for their innovation, technique, and amazing design. If we have the difficult task of summing up this amazing musician’s legacy in one moment, we would definitively choose his rendition of the "Star-Spangled Banner" at Woodstock.

2

B.B. King

Image: Thomas Kelley

If you are looking for an undisputed king of the blues, look no further: After all, this man has the word "King" as his surname. Born as Riley B. King in 1925, B.B. King’s career was filled with amazing performances, timeless records, and an undying love for the blues.

However, the influence of "The King of the Blues" is definitely not limited to only one genre: Many iconic musicians and bands owe a lot to B.B. King. Not only that, in 1987, King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a spot well earned by one of the most groundbreaking guitar players in history.

3

Chuck Berry

Image: Rachel Bramlett

Chuck Berry’s contributions to rock and roll can’t be overlooked: After all, there’s a reason people know him as "the Father of Rock N’ Roll". Berry’s legacy truly befits a pioneer such as himself: He redefined the concept of rhythm and blues into the most defining elements of what we now know as rock and roll, creating the basis of history’s most popular music genre in the process.

Chuck wrote such legendary songs as "Johnny B. Goode", "Maybellene", and "Roll Over Beethoven". His charisma and raw talent quickly made him one of the most famous music stars in the 50s, but his legacy still lives on to this day.

4

Carlos Santana

Image: Simon Weisser

We mentioned Jimi Hendrix’s unforgettable performance at Woodstock, but it’s also necessary to talk about Carlos Santana and his amazing breakthrough in this legendary music festival. For many Americans, Woodstock was the very first time hearing Santana’s music, but it certainly wouldn’t be the last.

Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán began playing music at an early age: His father, a musician, taught him how to play the violin and the guitar when he was 5. Nowadays, at the young age of 77, he happily continues to tour around the world.

5

Slash

Image: Cathy Mü

Some guitar players are so iconic that they don’t even need a full name, but Slash takes it to the next level: After all, he only needed a punctuation mark for the whole world to remember him. Known worldwide as the guitarist of the 80s hard rock band Guns N’ Roses, Slash is instantly recognizable by his insane riffs and solos, as well as his wild hair and elegant top hat.

Slash has been named one of the best rock guitarists in history by several magazines and publications, including Rolling Stone and Time Magazine. Should you want to hear some of his most amazing melodies, we recommend the guitar riff in "Sweet Child of Mine" as well as the insane guitar solo in "November Rain".

6

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Image: Dominik Scythe

Although his career was cut abruptly short, Stevie Ray Vaughan is considered to this day one of the most influential and groundbreaking guitar players in music history. Vaughan’s seven years in the public eye left an indelible mark on rock and roll that still continues to influence young musicians around the world.

Born in Dallas, Stevie began playing the guitar at the age of 7, inspired by his older brother, guitarist Jimmie Vaughan. By the time he made it on his own as the frontman of the "Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble" trio, Vaughan was already an accomplished studio guitarist, even recording the instrumentals on David Bowie’s iconic 1983 album Let’s Dance.

7

Frank Zappa

Image: Dominik Scythe

As you would expect, this article includes its fair share of talented and groundbreaking musicians, but we can certainly state that Frank Zappa has a quality we haven’t seen in our previous entries: His sense of humor. Zappa’s raw talent playing the guitar can only be compared to his incredible sense of irony and parody, often reflected in the lyrics of his band "The Mothers of Invention".

However, don’t let his ability for satire make you think that Zappa was anything less of a virtuoso: Even detractors who consider his experimental and eclectic style off-putting also admit that his talent can’t be denied.

8

Wes Montgomery

Image: Adrian Ordonez

For any casual observer, the guitar often seems overlooked by jazz orchestras, falling in the shadows of other instruments like the piano, the trumpet, or the saxophone. However, we can almost guarantee that any jazz aficionado will agree that Wes Montgomery ’s contributions to this genre have no equal.

You might not know that Wes was not the only musician in his family: Both his brothers, Monk and Buddy, were accomplished jazz players in their own right. However, Wes is probably the most influential of the three; many of his songs have become jazz standards, while his unique style of playing was instrumental in the creation of smooth and fusion jazz.

9

Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Image: Samuel Ramos

Many regard Rosetta Tharpe as the "original soul sister," and with good reason, as she performed under the stage name " Sister Rosetta Tharpe " throughout her entire career. However, there’s another title that shouldn’t be overlooked: Since she has influenced music legends like Elvis Presley, Eric Clapton, and Chuck Berry, she is also known as "The Godmother of Rock n’ Roll".

Born in Cotton Plant, Arkansas, by the age of 6, Tharpe had joined her mother in a traveling evangelical group, advertised as a "singing and guitar-playing miracle". By 1938, her amazing guitar skills, often showcased in guitar battles at the legendary Apollo Theater in New York, had already earned her a name as one of the best guitar players around.

10

Robert Johnson

Image: Ahmed Rizkhaan

We’ll end this article with a man that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes as perhaps "the first ever rock star". Born in Mississippi in 1911, Robert Johnson is recognized as a pioneer in the "Delta Blues" style and one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.

What’s interesting is that Johnson’s career spanned only seven months: He recorded 29 songs in only 2 sessions. However, his amazing skills even spawned a supernatural legend. Many believed that Johnson’s talent came from an agreement with a supernatural entity at a crossroads.