Polymath

One of my e-mailings is the Disney Insider newsletter, which today refers to Billy Ray Cyrus as -- well, I'll just quote them:

If there's a Renaissance man in these opening years of the 21st century, Billy Ray Cyrus has got to be it. In addition to his award-winning career as a country music artist, he costars with his daughter, Miley, on Disney Channel's series "Hannah Montana" -- and now he's shown America his dancing chops as well, with a stint on ABC TV's "Dancing with the Stars."

Needless to say, my own minimum specs for a Renaissance man are slightly more stringent. By those measurements, John Travolta is a Renaissance man far superior to anything Cyrus will ever be. Gene Kelly wipes out both of 'em. And Sylvester Stallone (writer, director, actor), Michael Palin (writer, director, actor, world traveller), Eric Idle (writer, director, actor, songwriter), Anthony Bourdain (writer, performer, world traveller, chef) Jonathan Coulton (singer, songwriter, programmer, roboticist), Michael Moore (writer, director, activist) -- hell, Bill O'Reilly, whom I despise, is more of a Renaissance man (writer, performer, activist, marketer).

Vincent Fournier (singer, songwriter, actor, golfer, snake handler).

Janeane Garofolo (writer, actor, activist). Same with Margaret Cho and Elayne Boosler.

Tom Paxton. Pete Seeger. Melissa Etheridge. Janis Ian. Peter Gabriel.

Mike frickin' Resnick.

My immediate circle of friends.

Obviously, I could do this all day. Billy Ray Cyrus? Oy.

So, who are your choices for modern Renaissance people?