For better or worse, strange things have happened in the world of politics. Thanks to the antics of people like Toronto mayor Rob Ford, there has been no shortage of humorous (and non-humorous for that matter) political fodder. It kind of makes you think, how did some of these people get into office in the first place?

Politicians come from all walks of life, there's no doubt about that. It's now commonplace for an actor or actress to be a civil servant these days. We all know that actors Ronald Reagan, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Clint Eastwood have run for public office and won. Even the most famous child star of them all – Shirley Temple Black served her country as White House Chief of Protocol for President Ford and as a U.S. Ambassador for many years.

But let's not just focus on thespians turned politicians. Many others have come from a wide range of different occupations before entering politics. Here are ten politicians with the unlikeliest backgrounds.