Before They Were Famous

The homecoming king. The cheerleader. The CIA intern? You may be surprised to find out what some celebrities were up to in high school and college.

Where Are They Now? TV Talk Show Hosts

They woke us up in the morning. They talked us to sleep at night. They entertained us in the middle of the day when nothing else was on. We find out where some of the more memorable TV talk show hosts are today and remember those we’ve lost. Ricki Lake

Then: Lake starred in a John Waters movie before getting her own talk show in 1993. It went on to run for 11 seasons and inspired a recurring “Saturday Night Live” character.
Now: She produced a documentary about childbirth and was part of a recent talk-show host reunion.

Montel Williams

Then: The former Marine and Navy officer’s daytime talk show ran for 17 years and aired its final episode on May 16, 2008. One of his most popular guests was a controversial psychic.

Now: He was diagnosed with this disease in 1999 and started a healthy lifestyle program and is an advocate for medical marijuana.

Phil Donahue

Then: His daytime show still holds this record and was parodied on “Saturday Night Live.” A former presidential candidate and a famous atheist were two of his most frequent guests.
Now: Donahue has been married to this actress for 30 years. He is an outspoken critic of the war in Iraq and produced a documentary about a paralyzed veteran.

Geraldo Rivera

Then: Instances such as an infamous brawl and a Satanism special led to this nickname during Rivera’s 11 seasons on the air
Now: He has been knocked over by hurricanes, wrote a book about immigration and hosts his own show on Fox News.

Sally Jessy Raphael

Then: Raphael – known for her big red glasses – was the first female syndicated daytime talk-show host. Her final episode aired in 2002.
Now: She spends time on her New York farm and appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s talk-show host reunion show.

Morton Downey Jr.

Then: His fans were known by this nickname, and his shows were known for their shocking content. Some accused him of lying about an incident in San Francisco.
Now: The longtime smoker became an anti-smoking advocate before dying of lung cancer in 2001.

Dr. Ruth Westheimer

Then: The diminutive therapist gave her candid sex advice on her own shows after becoming famous for her visits on another late-night talk show.
Now: She plays a recurring character on a PBS children’s show and was named on an influential list in 2009.

Craig Kilborn

Then: The former “SportsCenter“ anchor was the original host of a long-running Comedy Central show, then moved on to the CBS late-night lineup.
Now: He showed up in a small part in a Will Ferrell comedy and had a short-lived talk show earlier this year.

Art Linkletter

Then: His daytime variety show was known for a popular segment involving kids and inspired a TV series 30 years later.
Now: He received a lifetime achievement award in 2003 and died earlier this year at the age of 97.

Dinah Shore

Then: The Emmy Award-winning singer/actress hosted several talk shows from the 1950s to the early 1990s and was linked to several famous men.
Now: An annual lesbian-themed event is named after the longtime supporter of women’s golf. She died of ovarian cancer in 1994.


Gary Collins

Then: Collins was a television and film actor before going on to host “Hour Magazine” and “The Home Show.” He also hosted a famous beauty pageant.
Now: He is still married to a former Miss America and has been in the news for his run-ins with the police.

Joan Rivers

Then: The comedian hosted a late-night talk show opposite her longtime mentor before moving on to daytime in 1989.
Now: After several years on the red carpet, Rivers is the host of her own show again on the E! network.

Jane Pauley

Then: She co-anchored “Today” with a future NBC Nightly News anchor and a former sportscaster and went on to host a prime-time news program.
Now: She went public with her mental health issues and has been married to a famous political cartoonist since 1980.

Tom Snyder

Then: Snyder was known for his chain-smoking and interesting interviews on his first talk show. He welcomed guests with his signature catchphrase as the first host of a CBS late-night show.
Now: He helped host a special tribute to longtime friend David Letterman in 2000 and died of leukemia in 2007.

Dick Cavett

Then: He started out as a writer on this show and went on to host several talk shows over the next three decades.
Now: He has a new book about his talk-show experiences and writes a column for the New York Times.

Joan Lunden

Then: She was a co-host of “Good Morning America” – alongside its original host and a future nightly news anchor for nearly 20 years.
Now: She is a healthy lifestyle advocate, mom of two sets of twins and an inventor.

Arsenio Hall

Then: The stand-up comedian made TV history with his late-night show. A future president was one of his more memorable guests.
Now: He’s a regular on another late-night talk show and keeps fans updated on Twitter.

Johnny Carson

Then: He earned the nickname “The King of Late Night” as the host of this show for 30 years. He retired in 1992.
Now: Carson made few public appearances in his retirement and died of emphysema in 2005.

Dennis Miller

Then: The former “Saturday Night Live” cast member (and “Weekend Update” anchor) moved on to his own talk show on HBO.
Now: After a short-lived stint on “Monday Night Football,” he got his own radio show and is a frequent guest on “The O’Reilly Factor.”

Leeza Gibbons

Then: Her daytime show started out with two hosts, but she went on to snag several Emmy nominations as the solo host.
Now: She is the face of a makeup line, hosts a syndicated radio show and founded a life-coaching business and even competed on “Dancing With the Stars.”

Steve Allen

Then: He was the creator and first host of the “The Tonight Show” and went on to host several shows over the next few decades.
Now: He showed up a couple times on a prime-time animated show and was married to his longtime wife until his death in 2000.

Merv Griffin

Then: His guest-hosting spots on a late-night talk show led to “The Merv Griffin Show,” which aired for 25 years.
Now: Griffin created a famous quiz show, a hugely popular word puzzle show and a media empire. He died in 2007.

Rosie O’Donnell

Then: The stand-up comedian was known for her nickname and her crush on a famous actor when she hosted “The Rosie O’Donnell Show.”
Now: After a controversial stint on “The View,” she began hosting a radio show from her house and is reportedly getting another TV talk show next year.

Top 12 TV's Biggest Turkeys

In an industry propped up by hits, the programming landscape is typically dominated by misses. Roughly 80% of all new shows fail; about a third of this year's freshman crop won't even make it past January. Figures like these have driven many to question network television's costly model, but none to actually alter it. And so it goes, another season of turkeys, as we've affectionately dubbed the shows that have already gotten the ax or are dangerously close to it.

Fox's Lone Star

Status: Done
The heavily marketed show about a big oil conman leading dual lives had the benefit of critical acclaim. Everything from the soapy series' out-of-the-box premise to its breakout leading man, James Wolk, garnered praise from early reviewers. But it wasn't enough to lure viewers. Some blame the show's unforgivable plot lines about cons and adultery; others blame its hard-to-define premise and hardly explanatory title. Whatever the reason, only 4 million or so tuned in, making it the fall season's first casualty.

ABC's My Generation

Status: Done
A documentary-style drama about nine people told in two time periods, the year 2000 and today. As show-runner Noah Hawley described it in his post-cancellation love letter to the show's loyal fan base: "No doctors, no lawyers, no murders to solve. Real life is dramatic enough. That was my feeling. … It was our great experiment, and then it was over." The end came when only 4 million or so tuned in, despite a plum Thursday night slot and a costly--albeit confusing--marketing campaign. Though the series was canceled after just two episodes, Hawley has completed eight episodes for release online.

NBC's Outlaw

Status: Done
Fans may chalk up Outlaw's early demise to the show's Conan O'Brien association. After all, it was the displaced NBC host's company that produced the Jimmy Smits legal series for the network. The reality: The series struggled on multiple fronts. Critics bemoaned its improbable plot lines and poor writing, and viewers lacked interest. The drama averaged some 4 million viewers in its original Friday night slot, and its cancellation was announced after just four episodes. (The four remaining episodes aired in a Saturday night timeslot.)

ABC's Whole Truth

Status: Done
Despite heavyweight Jerry Bruckheimer's involvement, a leading lady in ER darling Maura Tierney and a cushy Wednesday evening timeslot, the legal drama failure to pique the curiosity of viewers. Thus far this season, the Tierney star vehicle has averaged only 4.3 million viewers, reports Nielsen. Co-executive producer Kristie Anne Reed confirmed the show's cancellation in late October: "ABC gave us the word," she tweeted. "We will only make 13 episodes of The Whole Truth."

NBC's Undercovers

Status: Done
For those who think networks are incapable of--or at least uninterested in--canceling a J.J. Abrams show, think again. The latest high-concept drama from the famed producer-director featured a pair of retired, married spies who were lured back to the world of international intrigue. But viewers lacked the latter. According to Nielsen, the show averaged only 6 million or so viewers and will end its run after 13 episodes.

Fox's Running Wilde

Status: Over
Despite heavy hype and an all-star pairing of Mitch Hurwitz and Will Arnett, the duo that brought viewers cult hit Arrested Development has once again failed to snag an adequately sized audience. The difference this time around is a lack of widespread critical support for the ratings-starved comedy, which has averaged about 3.5 million viewers this season. Hardly a vote of confidence: Fox benched the series for the remainder of November sweeps. (Fox pulled Arrested during the similarly important February sweeps six years earlier, and it petered out in the months that followed.) Though no network likes to throw around the term "canceled," Fox has opted against ordering more episodes.

NBC's Chase

Status: Limping Along
Though the Jerry Bruckheimer series received a full 22-episode order, it has fallen short of CSI status. While not outright nasty, early reviews were far from winning--critics called the formulaic show "mindless" and "unimaginative." Still worse, only some 5 million viewers have regularly tuned in for episodes of the action series the network had hoped to make a tent-pole.

NBC's The Event

Status: Shedding Viewers
At this rate, viewers may not get to find out what "the event" is, much less care. In spite of its heavy hype from marketers and critics alike, the network's high-concept, serialized drama billed by some as Lost meets 24 came out of the gate strong, only to fizzle in the weeks that followed. Recent episodes have averaged fewer than 6 million viewers, down from 11 million-plus on premiere night, reports Nielsen. Earlier this month, the network announced plans to yank the series for three months beginning in December.

CBS's Medium

Status: Over
After seven seasons, two network homes, several awards, even more cancellation threats and a $58 million write down, the show's star Patricia Arquette announced the CBS drama would end its run. It will feel like déjà vu for long-time viewers, since former chief Ben Silverman once canceled it on NBC, where it had run until 2005. Given the strength of CBS' schedule, the 6 or 7 million viewers who regularly watch Medium aren't as appealing--and for that matter, necessary-- as they'd likely be at a lesser-watched rival.

CW's Life Unexpected

Status: Over
Despite early critical praise, the CW series failed to generate either the pop cultural attention of Gossip Girl or the ratings success of The Vampire Diaries. Instead, the Portland-based drama about a foster child who has reconnected with her birth parents has averaged about 1.5 million viewers an episode in its second season. Though an official announcement won't come until May, Lux's season has been cut to just 13 episodes and its future is far from bright.

NBC's Apprentice

Status: Limping Along
The network's decision to bring back the civilian version of Apprentice has proved a questionable one. The Donald Trump star vehicle, which once made a catch phrase out of "You're Fired," is lacking in buzz and viewership. In recent weeks, the show's audience hovered around 4 million. The 10 p.m. hour it currently occupies on Thursday evenings will be filled by a third hour of comedy come January. The good news for The Donald and his host network: The more popular celebrity iteration will return this spring.

NBC's Parenthood

Status: Limping along
Despite an all-star cast in front of the camera (Peter Krause, Lauren Graham, Dax Shepard) and behind (Friday Night Lights' Jason Katims), the series based on the late 1980s flick of the same name has struggled to find an audience. Its lackluster ratings followed a particularly rocky start care of a cancer-stricken cast member and an unrelated death on set. NBC will attempt to give the series another push with a new timeslot early next year.

10 Most Luxury Apartments in US

If a big discount is one sign of a good deal, then New York is a bargain-hunter's paradise — for luxury apartments, anyway.

New York

778 Park Ave., No. 15/16

• List price: $24.9 million
• Previous list price: $46 million in May 2008
• Reduced: $21.1 million
• Price cut: 45.9%

This duplex apartment was the residence of the late philanthropist Brooke Astor. It occupies the entire 16th floor and part of the building's 15th floor and has five bedrooms, four bathrooms and one half-bath.
Corcoran listed the unit for $46 million in May 2008. Stribling & Associates relisted it in February 2009 for $29 million and then for $24.9 million in August 2009, according to StreetEasy.com. Architect Rosario Candela designed the building in 1931.

New York

812 Park Ave., penthouse

• List price: $15.9 million
• Previous list price: $36.5 million in November 2007
• Reduced: $20.6 million
• Price cut: 56.4%

This 6,500-square-foot triplex penthouse is on the 13th, 14th and 15th floors of a pre-World War II cooperative on Park Avenue. Sotheby's International Realty listed it for $36.5 million in November 2007, and Brown Harris Stevens listed it in June 2009 for $22 million.
Architect James Carpenter won an award from the American Institute of Architects' New York chapter for his work on this building in 1927, according to Corcoran.

New York

740 Park Ave., No. 4/5C

• List price: $26 million
• Previous list price: $35 million in August 2008
• Reduced: $9 million
• Price cut: 25.7%

This 6,700-square-foot duplex has four bedrooms with walk-in closets and en suite marble bathrooms, in addition to a laundry room, staff rooms, a private elevator landing and a marble gallery.
Sotheby's International Realty listed the property on StreetEasy.com for $35 million in August 2008 and reduced the price to $26 million in January 2009. The building, designed by architect Rosario Candela, also has been home to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and John D. Rockefeller Jr.

Las Vegas

1 Hughes Center Drive, No. 1901

• List price: $11.7 million
• Previous list price: $20 million in January 2008
• Reduced: $8.3 million
• Price cut: 41.5%

This two-story penthouse in the Park Towers was listed by Prudential at $20 million in 2008 before being relisted for $15 million in 2009, according to Zillow.com. The price was cut to $13.2 million in February 2010 and then to $11.7 million in September, according to Zillow.com.

New York

610 Park Ave., penthouse

• List price: $25.8 million
• Previous list price: $32.8 million in March
• Reduced: $7 million
• Price cut: 21.3%

This duplex penthouse has 7,700 square feet of living and entertaining space and 1,450 square feet of roof terrace. It features five bedrooms, a maid's room and a solarium. According to StreetEasy.com, Corcoran listed the unit for $32.8 million in March, reduced the price to $29.8 million in May and cut it again to $25.8 million in September.
The building, formerly the Mayfair Hotel, was converted into luxury condos by Donald Trump in 1998, according to Observer.com.

Los Angeles

1 West Century Drive, No. 34A

• List price: $8 million
• Previous list price: $14.3 million in June
• Reduced: $6.3 million
• Price cut: 44.1%

This 4,497-square-foot condo in the new Century residential tower has four bedrooms, five full bathrooms and a half-bath. Prices for units in the Century, which New York-based developer Related Cos. built, have dropped 10% to 25% across the board, according to Curbed.com.

Las Vegas

2777 Paradise Road, No. 3801/3901

• List price: $10 million
• Previous list price: $16 million in January 2009
• Reduced: $6 million
• Price cut: 37.5%

This penthouse offers more than 12,000 square feet of living space, including more than 3,000 square feet of wraparound terraces that provide a view of the Las Vegas Strip. The unit has five bedrooms and nine bathrooms and a dining room with a vaulted ceiling, according to Prudential. Florida-based developer Thurnberry Associates built the property.

Miami Beach, Fla.

800 S. Pointe Drive, PH-A

• List price: $16 million
• Previous list price: $22 million in 2008
• Reduced: $6 million
• Price cut: 27.3%

This new luxury condo development, named Apogee, was built by Miami-based developer The Related Group in 2008. The penthouse, which first listed for $22 million in 2008, occupies the top two floors of the building, with 11,000 square feet of terrace and balcony. The rooftop has a private pool and built-in kitchen.

New York

43 Fifth Ave., fifth floor

• List price: $19 million
• Previous list price: $25 million in January
• Reduced: $6 million
• Price cut: 24%

Features in this apartment include 10.5-foot ceilings, bay windows overlooking the Gothic Revival First Presbyterian Church, intricate molding, wainscoting and dark-stained white oak flooring. It has five bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms.
It was listed on Trulia.com by Anne Weintraub in January for $25 million and reduced to $19 million in April. The building, built in 1903 and converted to a cooperative in 1978, according to Cityrealty.com, was once home to actor Marlon Brando.

New York

770 Park Ave., No. 8D

• List price: $11 million
• Previous list price: $16.8 million in May 2008
• Reduced: $5.8 million
• Price cut: 34.5%

This renovated, four-bedroom apartment receives light through 28 windows spanning four exposures. It was listed for $16.8 million by Brown Harris Stevens in May 2008 and reduced to $11 million in October 2009, according to StreetEasy. The 18-story building was designed by Rosario Candela in 1930 in an H-shape to maximize light and air, according to the book "New York 1930, Architecture and Urbanism Between the Two World Wars."

How to Fix 10 Common Thanksgiving Problems

If your turkey is still frozen, you'll defrost the bird faster by soaking it in a cold bath.

The Turkey Is Still Frozen

It’s 10 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Dinner is at 2 p.m. And the turkey, which has been thawing for days in the refrigerator, still feels frozen solid.

Solution
Give the bird a cold bath. Water is a much better conductor of heat than air in the refrigerator, so this method works faster, says Robert L. Wolke, professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh and the author of What Einstein Told His Cook 2 ($26, amazon.com). Fill a large bucket or the kitchen sink with cool water and plunge the bird in, in the original wrapper, breast-side down.

To Baste or Not to Baste?

You want to put the bird in the oven and forget about it. Your husband wants to baste it at every commercial break.

Solution
It depends on your priorities. “Basting is purely a skin treatment,” says Wolke. Its only purpose is to facilitate browning and crisping. He adds that rubbing the turkey generously with oil or butter before you put it in the oven will do the job almost as well. (But be sure to pat the bird completely dry first; if the skin is wet, the fat won’t adhere.)

You Can’t Tell if the Turkey Is Done

The drumsticks wiggle. The juices run clear. But you’re still not sure if the turkey is ready.

Solution
Take its temperature. “You need a thermometer for dependable accuracy,” says Moulton. Insert one―oven-safe or instant-read―in several places, being careful not to allow the tip to touch bone.

According to the USDA, turkey is cooked through when the internal temperature of a thigh reaches 180° F. (When gauging doneness, keep in mind that the meat continues to cook―and subsequently rises a few degrees―even after it comes out of the oven.)

The Turkey Needs to Be Transferred

You need to deftly shift a hot, dripping, unwieldy turkey from roasting pan to carving board without…oops!

Solution
Ask yourself, Modern gadgetry or old-fashioned ingenuity? There are a number of products designed to minimize the awkwardness, from pricey (and iffy) turkey transport forks to extremely reliable roasting racks.

For a homespun alternative, scrunch up paper towels or aluminum foil in each hand as a buffer between hot bird and fingers, suggests Pam Anderson, author of Perfect Recipes for Having People Over ($35, amazon.com). Some home cooks prefer heavy-duty cleaning gloves. Others use oven mitts that are ready for the rag pile. Engineering types fashion a turkey hammock out of kitchen string and place it in the pan under the raw bird. Or you can simply reach for a couple of sturdy wooden spoons, indelicately insert one into each end of the bird, and let your steady hands guide the way.

The Turkey Has Gone Cold

By the time you allow the bird its prescribed resting period, it’s no longer warm.

Solution
Work around it. Before you slice, turkey requires at least 20 minutes to rest and allow the juices to redistribute. The laws of physics stipulate that the meat will―inevitably―cool. Anderson points out that hot gravy and side dishes can go a long way toward solving the problem. Warming the serving dishes and plates helps, too. Run them under very hot water and dry them just before dinner.

No Room on the Stove or in the Oven

You have all those side dishes to cook―and nowhere to cook them.

Solution
Plan ahead. “Obviously you can’t bake eight different things at eight different temperatures at the same time,” says Francine Maroukian, a former caterer and the author of Chef's Secrets ($17, amazon.com). You have to solve that problem when you’re creating the menu, not while you’re cooking it, she says. First, write up a list of all the things you’d like to make, then evaluate the number of burners and your oven space.

Flavorless Gravy

Your lumpless gravy glistens. Hurrah! But it has no flavor. Sigh.

Solution
Reach for a couple of common kitchen vices. A splash of fortified alcohol―Madeira, sherry, port―will lend a mellow richness to your gravy. And lots of salt (and freshly ground black pepper, if desired) will emphasize whatever flavor your gravy already claims.

To ensure a better gravy next time, boost the flavor of the pan drippings by strewing thickly sliced carrots, onions, and celery in the pan beneath the raw bird, suggests Anderson. Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan and, while the turkey roasts, the vegetables will caramelize, lending a depth of flavor to the drippings. Strain and discard the vegetables, or puree them and stir them into the gravy for a thick, sweet sauce. From-scratch turkey stock also prevents bland gravy. You can make and freeze the stock weeks in advance if you use turkey wings, which are available at most meat counters during the holiday season.

You Can’t Seem to Delegate Tasks

Several guests have offered to help. But with all burners running, you don’t know where to begin to delegate. Sometimes, you think, it’s easier to do everything yourself.

Solution
Be prepared with a list of noncooking tasks, and make sure everything required is in plain sight. Someone else can easily deal with drinks, opening the wine while you bring the turkey to the table, or making coffee while you clear the dishes. Appoint a sheepdog to herd everyone to the table, and give a five-minute warning that you’re serving hot food, since a couple of guests always seem to straggle.

And when everything really is covered, ask if you can take a rain check on help until cleanup time.

All Those Dirty Pots and Pans Waiting for You

You’d rather linger at the table than face the mess in the kitchen, even if that means hearing your mother explain―yet again―what hairstyle she finds most flattering on you.

Solution
Don’t save all the cleaning for after the meal. If you sit down to dinner with the roasting pan soaking in the sink, you’re doomed. But by making some recipes early in the day, you’ll have time in between dishes to clean. Even if you don’t make anything in advance, stop and wash something every half hour or so. Most important, get the bulky items―the roasting pan, the pot you made the mashed potatoes in―out of the way before you eat. That way, says Anderson, “when the meal is over, all you’ve got is the basic dishes.”

If you have a cleanup crew, designate a runner to bring in the dishes, a second person to transfer leftovers to containers, and a third to do the cleanup. (And be prepared with aprons, rubber gloves, and dish towels.)