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Top 5 most famous Floridians

Wesley Snipes, Ariana Grande, Carrot Top make list

Usually, when people think about celebrities they think of Hollywood, but California isn’t the only state churning out celebs.

Florida has had its fair share, some you may have forgotten and others you never knew about.

Florida’s Fourth Estate hosts Matt Austin and Ginger Gadsden break down their top five.

You can listen to every episode of Florida’s Fourth Estate in the media player below:

5. Wesley Snipes, Orlando

Wesley Snipes arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

He was born in Orlando.

“There was a time when Wesley Snipes was in every action movie out there,” Austin said.

But, Gadsden doesn’t seem as impressed.

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“‘Passenger 57′, he had a zit the entire movie, go watch it,” she said.

However, she concedes he is “a big star.”

4. Angela Bassett, St. Petersburg

“When I say the Queen of Wakanda who do you think about? Well, you can only think of one person, Angela Bassett. I love her and as a matter of fact, true story, I have people tell me she can be my doppelgänger. I don’t think it’s accurate,” Gadsden said.

“Is that why you put her on the list, just so you could say ‘I look like Angela Bassett?’” Austin said.

Ginger Gadsden says people often tell her she looks like Angela Bassett (Associated Press)

“I put her on the list because this woman is incredible,” Gadsden said. “Not only has she had a career that spanned decades, right, she is one of these people where she has done something in the 80′s, the 90′s, the 2000′s now, it’s incredible. Now she’s in the ‘Black Panther’ series. I think I first met her on-screen in “Waiting to Exhale” and there’s that scene where her husband had cheated on her, she’s smoking a cigarette and she burns up all his stuff, all the ladies know what I am talking about because we have all dreamed of doing that.”

3. Carrot Top, Rockledge

Carrot Top (Associated Press)

“(Carrot Top) has been making people laugh for decades... he has this very distinct form of comedy... prop comedy... and he has been doing this shtick for about 30 years,” Austin said.

The comedian has been performing in Las Vegas for nearly 20 years.

His Dad worked for NASA and he still comes to Winter Park often.

2. Wayne Brady, Orlando

Julie Broughton with Wayne Brady (Copyright 2021 by WKMG ClickOrlando)

“He’s one of those guys who is so talented he just crosses so many genres you don’t remember the first time you saw him.”

“He does it all... he can dance, he can act, he’s a comedian,” Austin added.

Of course, you can also catch Brady on ‘Let’s Make a Deal” weekdays on News 6.

1. Ariana Grande, Boca Raton

FILE - In this Dec. 6, 2018 file photo, Ariana Grande attends the 13th annual Billboard Women in Music event in New York. A representative for the singer confirmed that she recently married real estate agent Dalton Gomez. Grande's rep told People that they tied the knot in a small and intimate wedding, where less than 20 people attended. It wasn't not clear when the wedding took place. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File) (2018 Invision)

Austin she is one of the biggest stars “on planet earth” pointing out she started on Nickelodeon, then put music on YouTube and exploded.

“There are very few stars you could pick out in America who are bigger than Ariana Grande right now,” Austin said.

Ginger agreed, but also added she “dated Pete Davidson.”

During this episode of Florida’s Fourth Estate, the duo also interviewed one of the stars on their list of Top 5 Florida celebrities.

You can listen to it all on Florida’s Fourth Estate podcast. Just download it from wherever you listen to podcasts or watch it anytime on News 6+.


About the Author
Tiffany Browne headshot

Tiffany is a Edward R. Murrow Award winning journalist. She produces WKMG Hits the Road, along with Florida's Fourth Estate and Talk to Tom.

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