Celebrities find second life in small-screen reality

By Kimberly Nordyke

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - It wasn't so long ago that actors and singers who were a bit past their career prime had little choice but to turn to infomercials or low-budget cable movies if they wanted steady showbiz work. Who could forget Cher's pre-comeback gig as hair-care product pitchwoman or Dionne Warwick's days shilling the Psychic Friends Network?

But these days, there's another option that is proving to be a smart career move for many: playing one's self in reality TV -- over and over again.

A slew of actors and singers have figured out that their willingness to repeatedly subject themselves to potentially uncomfortable situations -- including searching for a soul mate, learning to ride a bull or facing Donald Trump in a boardroom -- is a good way to gain new fans and make a nice living. Wilson Phillips singer Carnie Wilson, for example, has jumped from VH1's "Celebrity Fit Club" to CMT's "Gone Country" to VH1's "Celebracadabra," while Brigitte Nielsen has hopped from VH1's "The Surreal Life" to the "Strange Love" spinoff to the network's "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew."

But is it really worth the possibility of injury or exposing the most private areas of one's life to a viewing audience?

The answer, for some stars, is yes, Rebel Entertainment Partners president Richard Lawrence says. His clients include Danny Bonaduce, who gave viewers an up-close-and-personal look at his efforts to get sober and his troubled home life in VH1's "Breaking Bonaduce" and recently hosted that network's "I Know My Kid's a Star."

"For Danny, it's been quite lucrative," Lawrence says. "'Breaking Bonaduce' showed him turning over a new leaf, gave him exposure and brought in a new audience for those who weren't around for 'Partridge Family."'

AUDIENCE DRAW

Many of these shows are connecting with viewers in a big way. VH1 has built a large chunk of its schedule around the successful "celebreality" concept, and CMT recently scored its best ratings ever with "Gone Country." In the broadcast arena, NBC's "Apprentice" franchise was given new life this year with an all-celebrity edition -- its most addictive season yet. (Some haven't been quite as successful, though: CBS' recent entry "Secret Talents of the Stars" was yanked after one episode.)