Can 'reality' sensations turn into stars?

By SAMANTHA ETTUS
Scripps Howard News Service
03-JUN-04

After a "reality"-TV show winds down, what are its stars to do next? Will they brand themselves into starlets _ or star-"lites"?

Unfortunately, the reality genre is too new to gauge from a historical perspective, so I decided to do some primary research.

When we look at celebrities who have advanced beyond their reality-TV fame, the list is small.

Perhaps Elisabeth Filarski Hasselbeck, who made it to the final four of "Survivor: The Australian Outback," is the exception and not the rule. Though she wasn't the final survivor, she won a coveted spot as the new co-host of "The View." This is after she landed a gig as co-host of the Style Network's "Look for Less."

Jennifer Joel, a literary agent who works with a number of reality-TV stars, points to client Trista Rehn Sutter as an example of someone who has successfully capitalized on her asset.

"Trista," as she is known to fans, is unique in that she appeared in three reality shows sequentially, and as the star of the final two _ culminating in the filming of her real-life wedding.

According to Joel, "We were able to determine that her celebrity, plus her unique life situation, made her an attractive person to talk about what it is like to go through a new marriage."

Redbook thought so. It just signed Trista to pen a monthly marriage column for the magazine.

Joel adds, "We have already watched her make a bunch of decisions on TV, so we have a touchstone when it comes to Trista. The audience feels like they know her. They have participated in her struggle to this point and they are interested in seeing where she takes it."

"Bachelorette"-loser-turned-"Bachelor"-winner Bob Guinea shows promise, too. Not only has he transcended "Bachelor" fame by getting a record deal and promoting his music, he has also achieved fame by meeting and proposing to "All My Children" star Rebecca Budig.

Alex Michel, the first star of "The Bachelor," strategically chose to remove himself from the spotlight. He refers to reality-TV celebrity as a "depreciating asset from the moment the show ends."

Michel cautions reality stars to be selective about opportunities and to only endorse products they believe in. He signed on as spokesman for Match.com, what he terms "the class act" of the online dating world.

After watching the paths of many reality stars and talking to a few firsthand, it seems that the path to fame is not impossible, but takes a clear strategy and hard work.

Here at Celebrity Assets, we believe that the key is to use the spot in the limelight to promote your best qualities.

Like Michel, many reality celebrities are already doing it right and we are watching.

Keep your eye on "Bachelor" Andrew Firestone's pursuit of a career in the wine industry and "The Apprentice's" Kwame Jackson's next business move. I would love to see future reality-TV stars follow suit by focusing more on their talents and less on fame.

As Joel confirms, "The real ticket to emerging from the reality crop is to be someone who has something to talk about other than being famous."

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.shns.com)