[TopQuark]

It seems doubtful that his successes have been the result of his talent,

I agree with you, but the lack of talent did not stop other people from making money: witness Sandler, who is routinely paid $30M per movie, and Eminem.

[4Freedom]

Seagal's not going to win an Oscar for his acting, but his Aikido appeals to the target market audience for martial arts/action movies.

The mob doesn't make the general public buy tickets to the movies.

I can't recall even one other Aikido practitioner out there making movies. That's what sells.

[IronJack]

Whenever someone like that -- triumphs of mediocrity -- make it to the superstar ranks, I have to suspect that their success was engineered by nefarious forces. How else do you explain Madonna? Or (c)rap in general?