Elvis was a legend long before he died on the shitter.

I mean at the very least, he was a legend by the time he started giving away Cadillacs to people.

... You know here's what I want to know - is does Elvis have a Wikipedia entry?

And - if so - has the word buttsex been surrepetitiously edited into it?

Perhaps. Maybe he was just 'really famous'. We can't ever be too sure.

He sure as hell got put in history books when a couple of magazines said, "Hey, Elvis actually isn't dead!"

I think that a legend is anyone who either leaves an impact on society or at least the people that the person knows. The wikipedia idea isn't bad though.

Jack the Ripper is legendary.

As to what makes a legend? Whatever someone does that's so interesting people won't shut up about it, that's what makes a legend.

Jack the ripper is Infamous.
INfamy and legend are sort of diametrically opposed.

You really can't say that Stalin was legendary for killing 11 million people, but he fergoddammed sure is infamous.

I disagree. Legend relates directly to how well known you are. It makes no measures for moral aptitude.

Jack the Ripper is often described as a legendary serial killer, and Bonnie and Clyde are legendary bank robbers (who had a higher death count than Jack), as is Billy the Kid (again, rather high death count... he killed his first man either before or right at the beginning of puberty--thus his title).

You'll notice that fame is listed for legend in the dictionary... morality is not.

I believe that legendary status happens when people do the unattainable and stories are said. And with each telling of the story, people add to the greatness.

Or I could be completly wrong.

I think that connotatively "legend" tends to mean something positive. People whose fame is more negative are more likely to be tagged with "infamous" or "notorious."

I think a legend is someone whose story is more important than they themselves are. Whether or not the original person was as virtuous or courageous or capable as their legend might claim becomes irrelevant. The legend itself inspires those who hear it to reach for greatness -- and therein lies it's value entirely apart from the person about whom the legend was born.

Whatever your definition of legendary is: Loto is not legendary...he is a stoner...and not even a legendary one like Bob Marley...hell he doesn't even rate a Teletubbie in terms of smoking pot or legendary status. Bible Man is more legendary...Loto I would like to known what made you think you were eligable for legend status...Unless you've done something I don't know about like killed Grendel or something...oh wait that was a real legend not a stoner on a message board...

and Elvis...good man...well except for the drugs...drugs ain't cool

Until Next time,
Stay in school (during normal school hours)
Love,
Death By Stabbing

Correct, sir!

Ten points for Gryffindor!