Nowadays, Simon Cowell is often seen as a judge or host on reality TV contest shows. People like him because he is witty, although he can be a bit too critical and sarcastic. Cowell is quite an effective judge though, capable of clearly breaking down the skills and talents of wannabe-contestants.
He must know how it feels to be scrutinized sharply on stage because he used to be a contestant himself on the popular British game show, Sale of the Century. You might be surprised to know, re wasn’t always so intimidating. In fact, he used to be very soft-spoken and good-natured. He used to smile a lot rather than fixing that withering glare on people.
Jon Hamm
The character Don Draper, played by actor Jon Hamm, is simply dapper in the TV drama series, Mad Men. Hamm is regarded one of the sexiest men alive. He is confident, manly, oozing sex appeal. Yet you wouldn’t recognize him if you encountered the 1996 version of himself, back when he was a contestant on the game show, The Big Date.
Hamm was only 24 years old at the time. He went after all the girls he desired and came up with the cheesiest of lines. He was such a dog back in the day that he even got passed over twice by female contestants. Perhaps he annoyed them by using the word “fabulous” too much. Or maybe it was his long and floppy, ultra-90s haircut.
Anya Monzikova
By now, the link between Hollywood celebrities and the briefcase models of Deal or No Deal must be fairly well established. The game show has become a launchpad for newbies in the entertainment industry, a platform to gain public exposure, and its success rate is increasing pretty nicely.
Anya Monzikova used to be one of those gawked-over briefcase models. She’s so fine, and her Russian accent adds a tinge of strong personality that makes her even more sexy. She went on to be involved in minor films and became a celebrity. She hasn’t made it to ultra-stardom yet, but she raises no doubts regarding her potential.
Gabrielle Tuite
In 2013, TV guide ranked The Price Is Right number five in its list of 60 greatest game shows of all-time. It was a lynchpin of the game show culture in the early 70s, and it was known for its inclusion of certain types of merchandise in its program.
But on the lighter side of things, the game show was a hit for bringing out a line of wonderful models to pique its viewers’ interest and increase its overall appeal. One of them was Gabrielle Tuite, and she made that tomato juice look impossibly enticing, holding the bottle close to her beautiful face. She went on to become a bikini model, and eventually landed minor roles in movies.
Nikki Ziering
It didn’t take long for Nikki Ziering to find a platform to start her career. She knew she had the goods to make it in Hollywood. Blonde and pretty, she has a knack for bewitching the men around her, including Beverly Hills 90210 star, Ian Ziering, whom she married.
Known for being a Playboy Playmate, Nikki Ziering transitioned from magazines to being a model for the game show, The Price Is Right. This move made her personality more accessible on regular TV schedules with a much bigger audience. She worked with the show from 1999 to 2002. From there she would appear in numerous reality shows and some well-performing B-grade films.