I haven't watched Disney Channel for a while, but they seemed to have perfected this cookie cutter triple threat formula. Not only are their child stars expected to act in TV shows, they also need to be able to sing, dance, remain pure, and most importantly sell tickets/merchandise. Disney is a farm, and its child stars are all cash cows.
However, before Hannah Montana burst on the scene, before Selena Gomez started dating Justin Beiber, and before Demi went to rehab, there was Hilary Duff aka Lizzie McGuire.
I have fond memories of watching Lizzie McGuire. It was a funny show with a great cast. I liked the spots where we had side commentary from the animated version of Lizzie in her mind. It reminded me of my own personal snarky side. I found a lot of it relatable. The important moment of purchasing your first bra. Dealing with that middle school crush. Friendship troubles. Lizzie went through it all.
Eventually, Hilary started making some music, and thus began the cash cow forumla. I am not ashamed to admit I owned her Christmas CD and was overjoyed to find it when I was packing up to move to a new home three years ago. There was of course, the lovely Lizzie McGuire movie and a few other cinematic features.
Overall, Duff has maintained a relatively pure social image and turned out well, unlike most child stars. Really the only "scandal" of her career was that she was allegedly dating Good Charlotte Singer Joel Madden. She was 16 and he was 25. Age ain't nothin' but a number?
And Baby Makes Three
Photo Credit: Hillary Duff's Twitter
After this, she began dating some hockey star in 2007. They later tied the know in 2010. Hilary gave birth to their first child this past March. Wait...a celebrity having a legitimate child....after she was married to someone...that she first dated for three years?! That's like unheard of. Good for you Hilary. You go Hillary.
Joel moved on and married Nicole Ritchie, and Hilary moved on to bigger and better projects. She's written two Young Adult Books. I was not aware of this until I started writing this post. I bet they're not bad. They have to be better than Snookie's book right? She has also been involved with various philanthropic organizations.
Despite a few side projects and small film appearances here and there, Hilary has maintained a pretty low profile. I must saw she's probably the classiest person I've featured here.
Any other classy people I should look into? Or perhaps some more scandalous ones? Let me know below!
Sister Sister, never knew how much I missed ya. Now that you have that snazzy theme song stuck in your head, it's time for another captivating investigation of "where are they now?" Wednesdays! Tia and Tamera were real life twins who starred in the hit TV show Sister Sister. Yes, they were actually twins, none of that Lindsay Lohan playing two twins in The Parent Trap voodoo magic.
Sister Sister aired on ABC and later The WB from 1994-1999. I'll admit I didn't start watching the show until a few years after it was canceled once it began airing on The Disney Channel. The premise was that two twin girls, Tia & Tamera, were separated at birth and adopted by different single parents. One day, they're both shopping at the mall or something and they run into each other thus realizing that they had been living without each other for fourteen years. Awww. Cute. Yay. Various 90s sitcom shenanigans then ensue. Theme song time!!
Now, both girls have enjoyed moderate and separate success. They recently starred together in their own reality show on The Style Network. The show chronicled both Tamera's engagement and Tia's recent pregnancy.
Separately, the two continue to act in various shows and movies:
Tamera Mowry most recently starred in a TV movie called Double Wedding. Just listen to this premise from IMdb:
Two sisters, no love lives. Both end up dating the same man, and inviting him to meet the family on December 17th. He doesn't know there are two sisters or that he committed to two different dates on the same day.
Oh wait...two sisters? That can only mean...Tia starred in it as well. Seems they'll never break out of that twin typecasting mold. Tamera did find solo success on the short lived ABC Family series Roommates. Tamera just announced TODAY that she's pregnant with her first child. Look at me breaking big news. Top notch journalism right here.
Tia & Tamera Today
I still don't know which is which
Photo Credit: CentricTv.com
Tia Mowry: Already entered the world of motherhood last year when she gave birth to her first child, Cree. Aside from starring in shows with her sister, Tia has found a long term success with the BET Television series The Game. It's apparently been on for five seasons. That's like forever in TV years.
You can follow bothsisters on Twitter if you are so inclined to do so.
Whoooo loves orange soda? Kel loves orange soda! Back in the day, before all this TEENick stuff, we had Snick aka Saturday Night Nick. One of the more popular shows was called Kenan & Kel featuring Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell. It basically followed the misadventures of these two pals.
Both Kenan and Kel found their start on another Snick classic, All That. The two became standout stars in sketches like GoodBurger. They were such a hit that Nickelodeon gave them their own show, and even a GoodBurger movie! (Welcome to GoodBurger home of the GoodBurger. May I take your order?) I think the classic everyone remembers is Kel's song "I'm Dude."
Eventually the show ended along with the 90s and most of the Snick line-up. Since then, the pair split off and went their separate ways.
Kenan has been the more successful of the two. After a brief hiatus and work in minor roles, he regained some stardom when he played Fat Albert in the movie of the same name. Shortly thereafter, he became a cast member of SNL. I'd hardly call him a standout cast member on the show, but he does have some pretty good recurring characters. It's fun seeing him going back to his sketch comedy roots. It's like a flashback to those All That days. I can remember sitting in front of the TV staying up "late" on a Saturday night in order to watch the latest episode. Now my "bedtime" isn't an issue, but I'll admit I rarely make it past weekend update.
Where were we? Oh right. The other guy. Kel. Yeah...he hasn't had much success since then. He's been out of the limelight so long that people actually thought he was dead. Sort of rings a bell doesn't it? According to IMdB, he's still acting. However, I don't see any titles I recognize as I browse his filmography list. It's kind of embarrassing and sad.
I'd love to see a reunion of these two on SNL one day. What about you?
Alright so this is a bit of a deviation from my standard "Where are They Now?" Wednesday topics. I typically indulge in some hardcore investigative journalism and dig up juicy details on our favorite 90s has-beens. Actually I just spend a few minutes googling, but that did sound pretty legit.
However, this week, I am taking the fictional route. On College Humor, someone posted a few illustrations of what all of our favorite 90s/early 2000s cartoon characters would be up to if they were now in college like most of us.
The pictures were too funny to resist sharing. I'm not going to post all of them because you should totally go give the original artist some love on their site. (The images are split between twoposts) I'm just going to feature a few of my favorites.
All your favorite brainiacs and trouble makers in the library
I'm a little surprised by Timmy Turner in this, but I guess if you spent your childhood with Fairly OddParents this is what happens
Anime Fight Club? I can't decide if I would pick Pikachu or Hello Kitty
Hit the nail right on the head with the "cool black friends" one.
I have to admit, it's odd seeing some characters from my youth in a completely different light. I feel like I've been (POW!) kicked right in the childhood.
What do you think of this "Cartoon University?" Any characters you would have liked to see that Patrick missed?
I recently received a "where are they now?' request from one of my fellow ENGL488B bloggers, Briana. She wants to know what happened to S Club 7. I'll admit I have a very vague memory of them.
Here's what I remember:
They were a pop band from the UK.
They had an American TV show.
There were seven of them.
There ain't no party like an S Club Party:
This is a lazy Wednesday. I feel like no one really knew them by their individual names, but rather, they thought of the group as a whole. Seriously, if you can look at the photo below and match the names with the people, you're far better at this than I am. Here's a list of what a few of them are up to:
Photo Credit: BritRish.com
Tina went on to have a relatively unsuccessful solo career in the UK
Paul went on to have an even less successful DJ career. No joke he, Jo, and Bradley tried to form 'S Club 3' in 2008. Really? Really...?
Jon has dabbled in film and C list reality star competitions.
Bradley only remained active in a few featured artist roles on other songs
Jo apparently went the reality route as well and starred on the UK show "Celebrity" Big Brother 2008.
Hannah moves back and forth between television and live theatre
Rachel ended up with the most successful solo career. She apparently had a few solo #1s on the UK pop charts.
They band split in the early 2000s, but luckily for Brianna they're going on a reunion tour! You just need to go to the UK to see it. After seeing what they've been up to, I'm not surprised they want to get back together. Seems the Spice Girls have been much better off than these kids.
Hello my fellow nostalgia seeking friends! This week I've decided to take a look at the cast of one of my favorite TV shows, The Nanny. No judging! This is a judgement free zone! I'll admit that when my Mom watched it regularly back in the 90s, I wasn't a fan. I couldn't stand Fran's nasally voice, and her viewing time totally cut into my Barneywatching time. Not ok. Only child problems.
However, when Nick at Nitebegan re-airing episodes a few years ago, I became completely addicted. I began to actually appreciate the witty humor of the show. It's a perfect sitcom; it doesn't take itself too seriously, and the whole ensemble shines. Except maybe that Brighton kid; he actually annoyed me more than Fran's voice.
I actually loved it so much that my Dad scored me the complete series on DVD from some company in China. Yeah, that sounds completely legal, right? Well, the US only offers seasons onethroughthree on DVD, so it's their own fault for not making the following three available!
My Box Set of All Six Seasons
The Nanny aired on TV from 1993-1999, so what has the cast been up to over the last thirteen years?(Side Note: Can anyone else not get over the fact that 1999 was thirteen years ago? I still think the 90s were only 10 years ago. Woah, reality check.) Anyways, a lot of the cast members have been surprisingly busy since then! Kudos to them for keeping active long after the series ended.
Fran Drescher: The Nanny's central character has managed to still stay in the limelight for a bit. Not only has she remained active, she also beat cancer! She currently stars in a show on TVLand titled Happily Divorced. It's based on Fran's real life experience in which she married a man and later found out he was gay. Oops. However, two have remained amicable and are still close friends. He actually directs some episodes of Happily Divorced. Nanny fans will be happy to hear that there will be a brief Nanny reunion on this new show!
Nanny Cast. Photo Credit: FanPop.com
Charles Shaughnessy: Mr. Shaughnessy stared as the dashing and charming Mr. Sheffield, Fran's main love interest and employer. Ooooh Scandalous. Since The Nanny ended, Charles has remained on Television, guest starring on shows such as Mad Men, Days of our Lives, Hannah Montana, and CSI: NY. I also recall catching him on an episode of Jeopardy! during the "celebrity" championship. He sadly lost to to Michael McKean. Much like Fran and her actual ex-husband, the two have remained close, and he's made cameos on her other TV shows. He regularly updates his YouTube channel with vlogs.
Daniel Davis: Everyone's favorite british butler, Niles, certainly gave that other snarky british butler on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air a run for his money. Niles' quick one liners were often the comedic heart of the role. Mr. Davis hasn't done much on television since The Nanny; he's instead re-entered the realm of professional theatre. He starred as the the title character in King Lear in a recent production by The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey.
Lauren Lane: Niles' foil, the over dramatic and egotistical C.C. Babcock has kept a low profile since the end of the show. She's currently a professor in the Texas State University Theatre Department. During the latter half of The Nanny's run, she gave birth to her daughter, so she's made being mom her main focus since then.
So there you have it! Aren't flashbacks fun? I'd like to end this post with an invitation to you!
Does anyone have any "Where are the now?" requests? Feel free to leave some ideas in the comments.
Until then, I leave you with The Nanny's extremely catching and easily stuck in your head theme song:
Mention the name Justin Bieber to basically any girl between the ages of eight and fourteen and they may just start crying. I don't really understand the phenomena, but then I had to look back on my childhood. It seems every generation has an attractive, poppy, crooning, young man that girls love to swoon over. My Mom had David Cassidy & Donny Osmond. We've established today's girls have Justin Bieber. We had Aaron Carter.
Really, looking back on this is quite embarrassing. So to you little Bieber Fever fans: one day you will grow up and look back on all this fandom and wonder why you were so crazy about a boy who sang like a girl. Welcome to adulthood. Please indulge in reminiscing the embarrassment that is "Aaron's Party (Come and Get It)"
I don't really remember how Aaron fell of the charts, but I guess like most pop stars his celebrity flame just dimmed. However, he actually hasn't fallen off the face of the earth. After some quick googling, I found out he's still trying to remain active, but then again aren't all former child stars?
Unsurprisingly, he ended up in rehab for a bit, but once again, don't most child stars? I'm not surprised. When you're like eleven years old rapping about the party you're throwing you're pretty much destined for the Betty Ford Center.
Now he's out of rehab and updating his MySpace Page with some new music. Yes. MySpace page. People still use that? How long was he stuck in that center....
He's also been starring in the long running off-broadway show The Fantasticks. Unfortunately he recently had to take a break because his sister Leslie died. (No Snarky Courtney Commentary; that's quite sad.)
If you're really interested in keeping up with what he's up to, he has a Twitter. Such gems include:
"Burping and sneezing at the same time is dangerous."
"80 days cigarette free. I've never felt better and my music director says my voice sounds amazing! Kick the habit everyone! Your worth it!"
"All creative people must have been dropped on their heads as children.."
"What if all we had were our hands.. Would that be enough?"
Ok, so it's totally a lazy Wednesday here in the blogosphere. I'm two days away from Spring Break, and a few hours away from turning in an important assignment. But, I am dedicated to keeping these posts going so I present to you:
What happened to Justin Timberlake's hair?
Remember when Justin Timberlake was one of the members of N*SYNC? I can't remember the other members' names because, well, they're not Justin Timberlake, and they're not doing anything of note.
Well, back in the N*SYNC days, Justin Timberlake looked a lot different.
Photo Credit: MTV
Now his hair is styled in more of a buzz cut fashion. What happened to those curly locks? They became the inspiration for every college student's late night treat:
Photo Credit: blog.lib.umn.edu
And that is what became of Justin Timberlake's curly hair.
Back during the days when I used to rot my brain in front of the TV, I had quite a few favorite TV shows. Unsurprisingly, most of them were on either Disney Channel or Nick Jr. At least they were somewhat educational.
One of my top choices was Blue's Clues. Let's bask in the nostalgia:
I remember eagerly sitting down in front of the TV with my bowl of Kraft Mac & Cheese and watching it before rushing off to kindergarten every afternoon. I really don't know what it was that entranced me so much, but whatever it was worked. Maybe it was the felt people, or that darling couple, Mr. Salt & Ms. Pepper.
Image Credit: Nick Jr.
The most memorable part of Blue's Clues came in the form of the show's host, Steve. I watched during the golden age while he still danced around and searched for clues. He was later replaced by some impostor named Joe, and that wasn't even his realname.
After Steve's departure, many speculated over what became of him. There were rumors of a heroine over dose, but he's still alive and well. According to my roommate, "that's really disappointing." There's not much to say about him now. Shortly after leaving Blue's Clues, he pulled a Britney Spears and shaved his head. He also gave a music career a try.
I'll have to admit, much like my roommate, I am rather disappointed by his low-key post Blue's Clues lifestyle.
SIDE NOTE: Did anyone else know that Blue was a girl?! How progressive!
I remember when the Spice Girls burst on to the scene. It was probably some time around 1996 or 1997. From the moment I first heard the lyrics to their most popular hit," Wannabe", I was hooked. I'm not ashamed to admit I still know all the words. Sing along with me: Yoooo I'll tell ya what I want what I really want:
Shortly after its release, this song took over the charts. It's safe to say that the Spice Girls became a second wave of the British Invasion. Not only that, but they became the face of the "girl power" attitude of the 90s, a term often linked with third-wave feminism.
I remember getting not one, but two, Spice Girls barbie dolls at my sixth birthday party held at Skateland. I received Baby Spice and Sporty Spice. Much like Disney Princesses, everyone had their favorite Spice Girl. I think it's safe to say that Baby Spice was the favorite of most girls, but I always liked Sporty Spice. I was hardly athletic, unless you count Ballet and the occasional outdoor kickball game, but I liked her attitude. Plus she was brunette. I guess I'm just always drawn to Brunettes and/or was forced to play as them at Recess? (See all commentary on Belle). Posh was just too prissy for me.
I think one of the best legacies left by the Spice Girls is their movie. Who can forget the classic film that is Spice World? It has everything: an alien invasion, great songs, and Alan Cumming. Who could ask for anything more?
But enough reminiscing, let's find out what the girls are up to today!
Photo Credit: FanPop.com
Emma Bunton (AKA Baby Spice): After the group split up, Emma released a few of her own solo albums. While these have been relatively unknown in the US, they did have some success across the pond in the UK. She's also done a bit of acting on the BBC equivalent of Dancing with the Stars. It seems Baby Spice is now Mommy Spice since she gave birth to her first son back in 1997.
Mel B (AKA Scary Spice): Mel B used her acting chops from the film to make her way to the stage. In 2002, she starred in a London production of the empowering show, The Vagina Monologues. Emma wasn't the only one to give ballroom dancing a try. Mel recently appeared on Dancing with the Stars here in the states, and did fairly well. She also gave the broadway stage a try when she briefly played the role of Mimi in Rent for a few months back in 2004. Mel is also the mother of two daughters.
Gerri Haliwell (AKA Ginger Spice): In 1998, Geri left the group in order to pursue her own solo career. That didn't work out too well. She did however have success with a line of Yoga videos and an autobiography. She now serves as a UN Goodwill Ambassador. She also became a mother in 2006.
Melanie Chisholm (AKA Sporty Spice): Unsurprisingly, Melanie also attempted to make a solo name for herself when the group split up. She achieved moderate success in the UK. She has dedicated most of her focus to music and touring and has not (yet) made the leap back into acting. She is the only one of the group who doesn't have a child. You can find out more on her snazzy personal website.
Victoria Beckham (AKA Posh Spice): Last, and most certainly not least is Victoria. Victoria has maintained high profile life in the limelight after marrying soccer (or football) star David Beckham. (Just look at that body) They quickly married and had kids, so Victoria didn't branch out into her own solo career, yet she has found the most success. Like Geri, she published an autobiography. Actually, make that two. She also has her own fashion line.
If all this nostalgia has made you miss these girls, fear not, they're reuniting! It's been announced that they will be performing in London for the Queen's Jubilee. Can someone get me a ticket to london please?!
Photo Courtesy 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Ok, so his name is actually Macauly Culkin, but let's be honest; he will always be known as "that kid from home alone." Can you believe Home Alone came out 22 years ago? Then they made that sequel. I never understood that. Seriously? You lost your kid again? Lose your kid once, shame on you. Lose your kid twice, seriously reevaluate your parenting skills.
Anyway, parenting skills rant aside, let's see what this kid has been up to! Well, obviously he's not a kid anymore. He's actually turning 32 this year. Around 1994, Mr. Culkin stopped acting. Like most child-stars, he basically dropped off the face of the earth. But fear not, this is America. We love a comeback. Just ask Britney Spears. While Macauly hasn't had quite the successful comeback, he's still grabbing headlines.
Did you know Macauly dated Mila Kunis? Yes, that Mila Kunis. Not only did they date, they dated for eight years. Eight years is basically the equivalent to fifty-six years when you're counting in Hollywood. (It's like dog years; you just multiply by seven). Like most Hollywood splits, it was "amicable." We'll chalk it up to the age old divorce cop out "irreconcilable differences." More likely though, she reached A-list status with Black Swan and decided to dump this C-list chum. Poor kid.
Very recently, Macauly made headlines for appearing way too thin:
Photo from Entertainment Tonight
According to his rep, he is fine. Looks like we have a rather subjective view of fine. It seems someone was left Home Alone for a little too long. I think he could afford to indulge in a Twinkie or two. (Or seven). Well, let's hope he gets well soon. I'd love to see a Home Alone trilogy. Have no fear, if Britney Spears can get through 2007, Macauly can get well too.
