By SAMANTHA ETTUS
17-AUG-05

What better time than August to shine the sunlight on three radically different male celebrities who are making headlines and battling for brand relevance; while one remains in the forefront without trying, the others take extreme measures to maintain their exposure. This week we take a peek at Tommy Lee, Morgan Freeman, and the artist formerly known as P. Diddy.

Diddy, Formerly Known as P. Diddy
You have to admire a man who thinks so much of himself that he publicly changes his name every few years and gets his fans and the press to follow along. P. Diddy, formerly known as Puff Daddy, formerly known as Sean Puffy Combs, is now simply Diddy. He claims the switch will simplify life for him and his fans, who apparently became very confused by the P preceding the Diddy. The last time he changed his name Diddy had just been acquitted on gun possession charges, an apparently life-altering event that prompted him to reinvent his image. This time Diddy is neither running from scandal nor making the change to coincide with any particular milestone, and so we applaud his ability to keep his name in the news despite the fact that nothing noteworthy has happened. Diddy will formally unveil his new identity when he hosts The MTV Video Awards later this month. And, as if there were any doubt, he expects you to stay tuned.

Diddy's Celebrity A$$$ets

Morgan Freeman
Freeman has never overshadowed his undeniable talent with non-movie related press, but his unfailingly great work has always kept him bathed in the limelight. And though his latest effort is a departure from his typical offerings, it remains consistent with the earnest, thoughtful performances that are the hallmarks of his brand. As the narrator of the breakout documentary March of the Penguins, Freeman has once again associated himself with a winning project and is very much responsible for its success. He lent Hollywood credibility to the film without interfering with the documentary’s independent status, and his contemplative nature and powerful voice were a perfect fit for the subject matter. Freeman chooses his projects wisely and tends to pick those for which he has a passion, signaling to his fans that following him to the theater is unvaryingly a winning proposition. We only hope that all those young stars who manage to soil even their best performances with off-screen antics turn to him as a source of inspiration.

Morgan Freeman's Celebrity A$$$$ets

Tommy Lee
For perhaps the first time in his life, the infamous Tommy Lee has chosen to pursue a path of normalcy to draw attention to himself, and NBC has gambled that audiences will tune in to watch. The tattooed drummer of Motley Crue and ex-husband of Pamela Anderson has headed off to college, and the setting is a perfect contrast to Lee's unkempt and unpredictable image - the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, in the heart of Middle America and a world away from Lee's stomping ground in Los Angeles. Disappointingly, though Lee initially seems eager to join his new environs, it is quickly apparent that he is only half-heartedly interested in his classes, which makes for just mild entertainment. Had he brought more passion to his affair with higher education, the result would have been a less contrived and more appealing reality show. Instead, it is clear that Lee has simply punched in for the cameras, perking up only for private sessions with his attractive blond chemistry tutor. But though Lee failed to maximize this opportunity both academically and professionally, he does manage to appear more approachable than in the past, and his barely passable series will at least broaden his name recognition and further his brand's reach.

Tommy Lee's Celebrity A$$ets

Remember: the most dependable road to the top is to treat your brand as your greatest asset.

(Samantha Ettus is the author of "The Experts' Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How to Do" (Random House). Contact her at Samantha@celebrityassets.com.)