15 Minutes Of Fame: Where Are They Now?
Nancy Kerrigan Then
Photo: Post of Azerbaijan / Wikimedia Commons / Public DomainWhile Nancy Kerrigan was obviously a talented figure skater (after all, she was competing in the Olympics), her big claim to fame happened when she was struck in the leg at a skating rink in January, 1994. Planned by the ex-husband of her longtime skating rival Tonya Harding, a hired hand struck Kerrigan with a baton after she exited a practice session on the rink. Once off the rink and out of sight, the man ran up to her and hit her with a club on her knee. The "Whyyyy!?" whack was felt around the world.
The intent was to render Kerrigan unable to compete in the upcoming Olympics, leaving Harding as the frontrunner for the gold. Didn't work. Kerrigan ended up winning a silver medal two weeks later at the Olympics; Harding ended up banned from pro skating for life.
- Photo: Gianluca Platania / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0
Now a retired figure skater, Nancy stepped back into the spotlight as a commentator for the Sochi Winter Olympics. She's also the subject of the documentary The Price of Gold, which covers Kerrigan's experiences leading up to the 1994 Olympics.
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Tonya Harding Then
Photo: Tonya Harding / FacebookHarding's ex-husband orchestrated a strike on Kerrigan, aiming to hurt her so she'd be unable to compete in the Olympics. Fortunately, Kerrigan's leg wasn't broken and she was able to capture a silver medal.
It was never actually proven that Harding had a hand in the strike, though she pleaded guilty to hindering the investigation.
- Photo: Tonya Harding / Facebook
Despite a brief stint as a celebrity boxer (she quit the sport, complaining of asthma), Harding primarily lives outside the public eye. Due to the Kerrigan incident in '94, she was banned from pro skating for life. She was married in 2010, and she and her new husband had their first child, a boy, in 2011.
A biopic about her life, I, Tonya, starring Margot Robbie as Harding, was released in 2017 to much critical acclaim, even netting Robbie an Oscar nom for Best Actress.
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi Then
Photo: Blogger45 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0Known for her crazy and wild antics on MTV reality show Jersey Shore, Snooki was the motor mouth that just wouldn't stop. Snooki got some serious publicity back in 2009, when she got punched in the face by a guy during a bar room altercation (an incident caught on video that went viral).
- Photo: Nicole Polizzi / Instagram
Now a soon-to-be mother of three, Snooki has calmed down a lot. She is also happily married.
Chris Crocker Then
Photo: Chris Crocker / InstagramWho can forget the 2007 heartfelt yet hilarious wails of Chris Crocker on YouTube defending his precious Britney Spears? The video "Leave Britney Alone" remains a YouTube classic.
- Photo: Chris Crocker / Instagram
Crocker, whose look has changed dramatically since the "Leave Britney Alone" video, has been up to a multitude of activities in the last few years. He continues to produce a slew of YouTube vids for his massive following, and he also made an adult flick.
Omarosa Manigault Then
Photo: Glenn Francis / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.5Known for her ruthless antics on the reality TV show The Apprentice, Omarosa was honored by TV Guide in 2013 as one of the 60 nastiest villains of all time. Wonder who she's terrorizing these days?
- Photo: Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0
Known for her ruthlessness during her stint on The Apprentice, Omarosa worked her way up to the White House. In fact, she served as an advisor to President Donald Trump until she was let go in August 2018.
While she had been a fervent supporter of President Trump, their relationship seemed to have strained by the time she left the White House.
Heidi And Spencer Pratt Then
Photo: Phlip Nelson / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0Heidi and Spencer created high drama on the reality show The Hills with their volatile relationship and antics.
Heidi And Spencer Pratt Now
Photo: Heidi Pratt / InstagramHeidi and Spencer are still happily married. The couple now say that most of their antics on The Hills were goaded on by producers, and that most of the conflicts weren't genuine. While they clearly still love the spotlight, they seem to have calmed down.
Antoine Dodson Then
Photo: GChriss / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0Another YouTube sensation, Antoine Dodson claimed his fame while giving an interview to a local TV station in his hometown of Huntsville, Alabama. The interview went viral, and the rest is history.
Surely, everyone remembers his warning: "Hide your kids, hide your wife, and hide your husbands."
Antoine Dodson Now
Photo: Antoine Dodson / InstagramAntoine Dodson renounced his homosexuality after joining the Black Hebrew Israelites. He's now a dad.
Jon And Kate Gosselin Then
Photo: Jon and Kate Plus 8 / DiscoveryIt all started out as a beautiful thing... somewhat. Jon and Kate starred in a reality TV show with their sets of twins and sextuplets. Everything was fine with the hectic household... until Jon and Kate turned on each other. That's when the show got really interesting.
In 2009, the two divorced. It was a a messy one.
Jon And Kate Gosselin Now
Photo: Kate Gosselin / Jon GosselinJon still hated Kate as of 2014. In an episode of reality show Couples Therapy, Jon declared that Kate could "go f*cking die." In December 2018, he revealed the two were still battling over custody.
Tila Tequila Then
Photo: Tila Tequila / InstagramWhere do we begin with Miss Tequila? Well, she started out on MySpace, posting cheesy selfies - eventually obtaining the distinct honor of having the most-viewed profile when MySpace was at the top of its game in the mid-2000s.
But she hit her stride big time when she got her MTV show A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila.
- Photo: Tila Tequila / Instagram
Tila has become sort of infamous these days. In 2016, she tweeted, "I love Hitler so much!" and noted her hatred of Jewish people, Muslim people, and homosexual people.
Since her successful reality show, Tila has also made fake suicide attempts, claimed she was possessed by Satan, and starred in some adult tapes. So, at least she's been busy.
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Kevin Federline Then
Photo: Unknown / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0Kevin Federline can be best described as the man who sired the two sons of Britney Spears. But in 2011, Federline gained a bit of weight. He set out to lose it on the reality show Excess Baggage, which is like the Australian version of The Biggest Loser.
- Photo: Kevin Federline / Twitter
Kevin didn't manage to lose all the weight, but he looks pretty good. He married his second wife in August 2013. In April 2014, the couple had their second child, his sixth.
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Vanilla Ice Then
Photo: Vanilla Ice / Capitol Records"Ice Ice Baby." Yeah, that admittedly catchy tune was Robert Matthew Van Winkle aka Vanilla Ice's claim to fame in 1990.
- Photo: Scott Harrison / Getty Images
Vanilla still performs live now and again. He's done his fair share of reality show appearances, even creating his own show, The Vanilla Ice Project, on the DIY Network. He has had some unsavory run-ins with the law though.
He was arrested on domestic abuse charges in 2004 and 2008. His wife recanted the second allegation.
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Lauren Conrad Then
Photo: Krista Cohen / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0Claim to fame? Lauren Conrad starred on the MTV reality shows Laguna Beach and The Hills, which aired in the 2000s. She departed halfway through the fifth season of The Hills to pursue other career opportunities.
Lauren Conrad
Photo: Lauren Conrad / InstagramLauren Conrad has been pretty successful since her days on reality TV. For one, she's married and has a son with her husband, William Tell. She's also launched a children's fashion line at Kohl's and runs a non-profit business called "Little Market." Good for her.
Monica Lewinsky Then
Photo: Helene C. Stikkel / Wikimedia Commons / Public DomainHow can we forget her? In 1998, Monica Lewinsky gained infamy as the White House intern Bill Clinton had an affair with.
Monica Lewinsky Now
Photo: Steve Jurvetson / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0For a while there, Lewinsky was quite the busy girl. For starters, she served as a spokesperson for Jenny Craig. She eventually moved to London where she got her masters degree in social psychology. In 2018, she resurfaced as the face of a new anti-bullying campaign.
She used her social media accounts to publicize all the terrible names she'd been called, encouraging others to do the same.
Paris Hilton Then
Photo: The Simple Life / FoxYes, remember the days of The Simple Life? Paris Hilton exploded on the scene with pal Nicole Richie and brought new meaning to what it's like to be famous for nothing.
Ms. Hilton found a new occupation as a DJ. In late 2013, Hilton declared to be one of the top 5 DJs in the world. Of course, DJs who'd been at it for a spell found her declaration more than a little problematic.
Thing is, she's actually played in big arenas around the world. Maybe Hilton does indeed have a knack with spinning the wax.
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