The fifth installment of Celebrity Apprentice will arrive on February 12, 2012 at 9pm ET/PT on NBC, and Donald Trump’s just announced who will be competing. The men competing this season are Arsenio Hall, pop star Clay Aiken, radio host Adam Carolla, the “Incredible Hulk” Lou Ferrigno, magician/comedian Penn Jillette, rock star Dee Snider, actor George Takei, IndyCar legend Michael Andretti, and star of American Chopper, Paul Teutul, Sr.
Supermodel Cheryl Tiegs, pop star Debbie Gibson, actress and multi-Grammy winner Tia Carrere, author and reality star Victoria Gotti, comedienne Lisa Lampanelli, former Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza, singer and actress Aubrey O’Day, actress and model Patricia Velásquez, and star of Real Housewives of New Jersey, Teresa Giudice are representing the women.
“This season of Celebrity Apprentice will be the most exciting yet. The show will be great, with a record number of contestants and 15 episodes. We are thrilled to bring 18 new and talented celebrities who will help me make The Celebrity Apprentice one of the hottest shows on television this spring. This will be season 12 — Amazing!” stated Mr. Trump in the press release.
The previous winners of Celebrity Apprentice are Piers Morgan, Joan Rivers, Bret Michaels and John Rich. Winners receive a $250,000 bonus check to be given to their designated charity, with over $3.1 million raised for the contestants’ chosen charities throughout the previous four seasons.
The judges for the competition are Donald, Don Jr., Ivanka, and Eric Trump.
“We’ve never seen such a smart and funny group as this year’s lineup of celebrities,” said executive producer Mark Burnett. “Celebrity Apprentice is better than ever, and it’s all for a great purpose – raising millions for charity.”
The Cast – The Women:
Tia Carrere:
Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Tia Carrere is an accomplished actress in motion pictures and television, and a Grammy Award-winning musical artist.
Since she was discovered in a grocery store for her first movie role in “Aloha Summer,” Carrere has shown her range of acting talent and versatility starring in numerous blockbusters, among them, “Wayne’s World 1 & 2” with Mike Myers and Dana Carvey, “True Lies” opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger, and “Rising Sun” with Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes. Carrere also voiced the character of Nani in Disney’s classic animated film and TV series “Lilo & Stitch.” Most recently, Carrere co-starred in “You May Not Kiss the Bride” with Rob Schneider and Mena Suvari. She can also be seen in “Wild Cherry” with Rumer Willis and Kristin Cavallari, and “Hard Breakers” with Tom Arnold, Chris Kattan, and Sophie Monk. Currently, Carrere is producing a biopic of Hawaiian surf legend Rell Sunn in which she will star.
In television, Carrere launched her acting career in Los Angeles with a regular role on the daytime drama “General Hospital.” Recently, she has had recurring roles on “Curb Your Enthusiasm, “ “Nip/Tuck,” and “Back To You,” and SyFy’s “Warehouse 13.” “Relic Hunter,” Carrere’s action/adventure television series, continues to play in syndication all over the world.
Carrere and her long-time friend, artist/producer Daniel Ho, have been nominated for a Grammy each of the last three years and won music’s highest honor in 2009. The acclaimed CDs consist of all-original Hawaiian language compositions. With ‘hawaiiana,’ they reached #10 on Billboard’s World Music Chart. Carrere also performed on the double-platinum movie soundtrack for “Wayne’s World,” had the end title song on “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm” and released her own Warner Bros. record, “Dream.”
www.tiacarrere.com
@tiacarrere
Debbie Gibson:
For more than 25 years, Debbie Gibson has proven she’s an entertainer of immeasurable talent. From singer, songwriter and musician to actress and dancer, she embodies what it truly means to be an entertainer.
Gibson exploded on the pop music scene at the tender age of sixteen. A music prodigy, she quickly became the youngest person ever to write, produce and perform a number one single, (“Foolish Beat”), a record she still holds today in the Guinness Book of World Records. To date, Gibson has sold more than 16 million albums worldwide.
After conquering the pop world, she set her sights on the theater. Gibson took a star turn in the Broadway production of “Les Miserables” as Eponine. She broke box office records in the London West End production of “Grease” as Sandy, and then took the stage in the U.S. Broadway tours of “Grease” and “Funny Girl” playing Rizzo and Fanny Brice. Gibson also wowed critics as Belle in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” Gypsy Rose Lee in “Gypsy,” The Narrator in the national tour of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” Cinderella in the national production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” with Eartha Kitt, Velma Kelly in “Chicago,” and Sally Bowles in the Broadway revival of “Cabaret.”
Continuing to dazzle with entertainment magic, Gibson bridged the gap between pop music and Broadway with her one-woman show “Pop Goes Broadway.” Critics agreed it was “the best show Atlantic City has seen in quite some time…it’s totally entertaining,” during her three-week engagement in May 2008 at The Concert Venue at Harrah’s. Phil Roura of the New York Daily News said, “she has mastered her craft to the point where she just doesn’t perform a song – she embraces it and delivers it with her own special stamp of approval.”
To fulfill her passion of mentoring and fostering young performers and songwriters, Gibson created “Debbie Gibson’s Electric Youth,” a series of performing arts camps and music boot camps. In addition, she formed the “Gibson Girl Foundation,” a non-profit organization that awards scholarships and musical educational opportunities to underprivileged children who display talent and have a desire to participate in performing arts programs.
In 2010, Gibson made her debut in the world of orchestration. She collaborated on both the score and the powerful closing credits song, “Rise,” for Dr. Rutledge’s documentary, “3 Billion and Counting,” about Malaria prevention in third world countries. Gibson guest starred in “Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy” at MGM/Foxwoods, and the “Original Pop Princess” also released a new album, “Ms. Vocalist,” from Sony Japan that was top 10 on the Billboard charts and the first single, “I Love You,” hit No. 1.
As the new spokesperson for Children International, Gibson spent time in early 2011 in impoverished villages in Manila. For more than 20 years, she has been a child sponsor and advocate. Gibson also starred with Tiffany in the SyFy hit “Mega Python Vs. Gatoroid.” Recently, she shot a cameo in the upcoming film “Rock of Ages,” appeared in Katy Perry’s hit music video for “Last Friday Night (TGIF),” and took a “Journey Though The 80’s” on a sold out tour with Tiffany. Currently, Gibson’s recording a new U.S. album. The first single “Rise,” which was shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination, is now available on iTunes.
www.deborah-gibson.com
@DebbieGibson
Teresa Giudice:
As a New York Times bestselling author, “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Teresa Giudice is taking the food world by storm. The fearless TV personality is emerging as a burgeoning businesswoman through her irresistible Italian-based cookbooks and forthcoming business ventures.
Initially launched into the spotlight through her participation on Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” Teresa has delivered high ratings for the series in which she stars with her friends and family. Captivating the country’s attention as a relatable working mom, Teresa has been featured on various magazine covers, including People, Us Weekly, In Touch, and Woman’s World.
It is with thanks to her deep-rooted Italian heritage that Teresa owes her culinary skill – as well as her passion and drive. Her parents immigrated to the United States from Sala Consilina, a rustic town in Southern Italy. As a young girl, she learned the nuances of making homemade pasta, the ins-and-outs of olive oil, and the best tricks for making delicious red sauces. Her tight-knit family also taught her the value of hard work and fortitude – which play out in all of Teresa’s endeavors.
Teresa’s expertise in authentic Italian cooking led her to success with the publication of her two New York Times best-selling books, “Skinny Italian” (Hyperion) and “Fabulicious!: Teresa’s Italian Family Cookbook” (Running Press). “Skinny Italian” showcases the health benefits of Old World Italian cuisine by creating simple, tasty Italian recipes boosted with flavor from fresh herbs. Through this inaugural title, Teresa inspired a generation of mothers to get in the kitchen and build confidence cooking for their families. Fan favorites like her Gorgeous Garlic Shrimp, Veal Piccata and Fettucine Alfredo teach readers that it is possible to eat home-cooked, fresh Italian cuisine while still fitting into one’s skinny jeans.
“Fabulicious” combines Teresa’s two passions—food and family—in 60 more Italian “a la Giudice” recipes. Serving as a complete Italian cooking resource, “Fabulicious” reveals how her family keeps tradition alive by making time-honored dishes from scratch. Teresa is proud to share her techniques passed down from her parents for making homemade pasta, gnocchi, risotto, Italian bread, and more. A follow-up to this best-seller, Teresa will release her third cookbook, “Fabulicious: Fast & Fit” (Running Press) in May 2012. She’ll share 70 original low-fat, quick-prep recipes, each of which will display nutritional information for the calorie-conscious reader.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Teresa is a graduate of Berkeley College where she earned a degree in Fashion Marketing and Management. Teresa still lives in New Jersey where she is the wife of her childhood sweetheart, Joe Giudice, and the proud mother of four daughters, Gia, Gabriella, Milania, and Audriana.
www.teresagiudice.com
@Teresa_Giudice
Victoria Gotti:
Victoria Gotti is a bestselling author of three novels including “The Senator’s Daughter,” “I’ll Be Watching You,” and “Superstar,” as well as a cookbook, “Hot Italian Dish,” a memoir, “This Family of Mine: What It Was Like Growing Up Gotti” and a book called “Women and Mitral Valve Prolapse,” inspired by her experience with the disease. Formerly a New York Post columnist, she has been an executive editor and columnist at Star Magazine since 2004. Her newest venture is the recently launched Reality Weekly, for which she serves as Editor-in-Chief at Large.
Gotti is best known as the matriarch in the hit A&E reality show, “Growing Up Gotti,” which chronicled the life of Gotti and her three sons, Carmine, John and Frank. Filmed at their family home on Long Island, the boys quickly became celebrity heart throbs.
Born in Brooklyn, NY, Gotti was raised in Howard Beach, NY with her four siblings. She currently lives in New York and is a proud mother of her three sons.
Lisa Lampanelli:
Lisa Lampanelli is Comedy’s Lovable Queen of Mean. Heralded as “more than a standup — a standout,” by comedy legend Jim Carrey, Lampanelli is a cross between Don Rickles, Archie Bunker, and a vial of estrogen. She has won accolades from The King of All Media Howard Stern, who called her “a true original and a brilliant comedy mind who’ll steal the show every time.”
Known for saying things that most people are afraid to think, Lampanelli’s raunchy, gut-busting performances are wildly popular at theaters across the U.S. and Canada. Lampanelli recently appeared in her latest one-hour special “Tough Love” which premiered on Comedy Central and is now available on CD/DVD. Continuing her rise, Logo television has recently given a go to developing “Big Loud Lisa.” The unscripted series, to be produced by Chelsea Handler’s production company, will follow Lampanelli in standup as she and her husband Jimmy juggle their recent marriage with her life on the road. Lampanelli is also currently working on a one-woman show for Broadway, with plans to debut in 2012. She will hit the big screen in October 2012 in a yet-to-be-titled David Chase-directed feature film.
This equal opportunity offender is a regular on late night television, and a frequent guest and guest host on Howard Stern’s Sirius satellite radio shows. Using her saucy personality and love of reality shows, Lampanelli has also recently joined Mario Lopez and the EXTRA-TV cast as a guest correspondent, and is a frequent guest and co-host on TMZ. Lampanelli joined the ranks of comedy greats with her 2009 HBO comedy special, “Long Live the Queen,” and that same year, released her first autobiography, “Chocolate, Please: My Adventures in Food, Fat and Freaks.”
Lampanelli’s rise to the top of the comedy food chain began in 2002 when she was the only female comedian invited to skewer Chevy Chase on the NY Friars Club Roast on Comedy Central. She soon became known as the “Queen of the Roast”, going on to skewer such names as Pamela Anderson, Jeff Foxworthy, William Shatner, Flava Flav, Larry the Cable Guy, David Hasselhoff, and most recently, Donald Trump.
One of the few white comedians to perform on BET’s “Comic View,” and the “Wendy Williams Show,” Lampanelli has clearly cemented her huge crossover appeal. She went on to appear on Comedy Central’s “Last Laugh 2005” and her one-hour special that year, “Take It Like a Man,” was a hit with the network yet again. The CD and the DVD of the same name hit #6 on the comedy charts. Then, in January 2007, Lampanelli’s second one-hour special, “Dirty Girl,” debuted on Comedy Central and Warner Bros. Records, and reached #4 on the charts. Soon thereafter, “Dirty Girl” was nominated for a Grammy Award for 2007’s Best Comedy Album of the Year.
On the feature film side, Lampanelli appeared in “Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector” and had a featured role in “Delta Farce,” opposite Bill Engvall, Larry the Cable Guy, and D.J. Quall. She also starred in the feature film, “The Aristocrats” and most recently, played a more maternal version of herself in the Owen Wilson vehicle, “Drillbit Taylor.” On a continuous ride to comedic stardom, Lampanelli has also taped several specials for VH1, MTV, and CMT, and was recently a presenter on the Bravo’s “A List Awards” and the “NewNowNext Awards” on Logo.
Lampanelli currently resides in New York.
www.insultcomic.com
@LisaLampanelli
Dayana Mendoza:
On July 13, 2008, in front of nearly one billion viewers worldwide, Dayana Mendoza’s life changed forever when she was crowned Miss Universe 2008 in Nha Trang, Vietnam. Through the Miss Universe® Organization, the former Miss Venezuela has continued as an advocate for increasing HIV/AIDS awareness by focusing on women’s health and reproductive issues. She has forged relationships with organizations committed to research and education, including the Latino Commission on AIDS, PSI/YouthAIDS and Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Global Health Council and God’s Love We Deliver.
As part of her mission to raising awareness and fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS worldwide, Mendoza traveled to Managua, Nicaragua to serve as a spokesperson for Population Services International’s (PSI) “Not all Men are Created Equal” campaign. During her four-day visit to Nicaragua, she visited hospitals and mobile units where people living with HIV/AIDS are receiving treatment to get a firsthand view of how the campaign is reaching target populations.
Mendoza was born in Caracas to very close knit family, perhaps the result of sharing a two room home with her mother, father, uncle, grandmother and younger sister. She was discovered at the age of thirteen at a local bus stop. Since then, she has gained vast experience in catalogue modeling and has worked with prestigious companies like Max Mara and Costume Nacional. Modeling has allowed Mendoza to travel the world, visiting places like New York, Italy, Germany, France, Athens and Spain.
Mendoza speaks three languages – Spanish, English and Italian. She currently resides in New York City and takes classes in interior design.
Aubrey O’Day:
Triple threat Aubrey O’Day developed an early passion for performing. The singer, dancer and actress has played some of the most popular musical characters on stage, including Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz,” Carmen in “Fame,” Sandy in “Grease,” Liesl in “The Sound of Music,” Tzeitel in “The Fiddler on the Roof,” Mimi in “Rent,” Elphaba in “Wicked,” and Val in “A Chorus Line.”
In 1992, she received her first honor, the SCETA Distinguished Theatrical Performance Award, and went on to receive several others, including the Desert Theatre League’s Outstanding Juvenile Performer in 1995, the Starmania Nationals’ Junior Pop Vocalist in 1996, the California Arts’ Scholar in Music and in Dance twice in 1997, a nomination for the Desert Theatre League’s Best Supporting Actress in 1998, and the Desert Theatre League’s Best Actress in 1999. She was also one of the top five finalists in the KYSR 98.7 Be a Star contest.
O’Day made her national debut in the hit MTV show “Making the Band” and was chosen personally by renowned hip-hop artist and producer Sean “P. Diddy” Combs for a spot in the band later named Danity Kane. Danity Kane’s self-titled debut album sold over 234,000 in its first week, and eventually made it to number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart, knocking Christina Aguilera’s “Back to Basics” from the top spot and out-selling hip-hop duo OutKast. The album received a platinum certification from the RIAA in November 2006. “Welcome to the Dollhouse,” Danity Kane’s second album, also reached number one on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA. The album’s lead single, “Damaged,” reached number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum by the RIAA.
Following her departure from Danity Kane, O’Day lived her dream to star on Broadway by playing the role of Amber Von Tussle in “Hairspray.” A year later she headlined the hit Las Vegas revue “Peepshow,” and in 2011, O’Day debuted her hit Oxygen series “All About Aubrey,” which chronicled her journey to making it big in the music industry.
O’Day recently started her own charity, FAN (Fight AIDS Now), with the mission to work hands-on providing therapy and art in children’s hospitals. She also cherishes her time to being a Big Sister and appeared in The Pink Project, a charity photobook supporting RAINN and LABCA.
O’Day has graced the covers of Playboy, Complex, Jadore, Image, Palm Springs Life, King, Right On, Dub Magazine, Curve, Envy, and Paper Magazine. Additionally, she has done features for GQ, In Touch, Us Weekly, Blender magazine’s Hot 100, Stuff magazine’s Hit List and Maxim’s Top 100.
Cheryl Tiegs:
Cheryl Tiegs is a model, designer, author, businesswoman, public speaker and avid spokesperson for health and fitness, the environment and underprivileged children. Tiegs is the very definition of “Supermodel” and is acknowledged as an icon for women of all ages.
Tiegs’ career started at age 17 with the covers of Glamour, Seventeen and Elle magazines. She eventually graced the covers of Vogue and Bazaar, and became known as “The Cover Girl.” She was the first model to appear three times on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues, and also made the cover of People magazine four times, as well as the cover of Time magazine three times, most notably for the “All-American Model” cover story at the age of 30.
Breaking with convention, Tiegs started a signature line of clothing and accessories for Sears. The Cheryl Tiegs line sold nearly a billion dollars of merchandise in its 10-year span, helping turn the company around. Thus, another Time magazine cover for “Sassy Sears.”
Tiegs hosted the 13-part travel adventure series “Pathfinders: Exotic Journeys” for the Travel Channel, and was spokeswoman for “Renewal: A Time For You,” a program created by Deepak Chopra, M.D., which offered practical advice on choosing healthy lifestyle changes for women in transition. She also had her own “Sports Illustrated Aerobics Interval Training” exercise video, and authored her book, “The Way to Natural Beauty.” She is a frequent guest on shows focusing on issues of fitness, fashion and beauty. Her appearances include “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “The Today Show,” VH-1, E!, “Access Hollywood,” “Extra,” “Tyra Banks,” “Dr. Oz” and many more.
In 2004, Tiegs entered the Hall of Fame in the 40th Anniversary edition of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and was included in People Magazine’s “Most Beautiful” issue. In 2007, Tiegs had a role in the feature film “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,” starring John C. Reilly, in which she and John sang together. Tiegs threw out the first pitch at a Dodger Game, throwing a perfect strike to her son, Zack.
Tiegs is a sought after speaker on the subjects of health, fitness, achieving balance in life and the importance of caring for our environment. Most recently, Tiegs went on an expedition in the Arctic to explore the effects of Global Warming. She has become the national spokesperson for Cambria, the only producer of natural quartz surfaces in the U.S. Tiegs is in the process of “greening” her lifestyle which includes owning a hybrid car and participating in “Project Driveway” by driving the GM Equinox Fuel Cell vehicle which uses hydrogen and only emits water. Tiegs appeared on “Living with Ed”(HGTV) with long-time friend Ed Begley, Jr. to promote environmentally conscious living. She is committed to educating the public on indoor air quality and completed a nation wide radio campaign to bring awareness to this issue. As a result of her commitment to going green, Tiegs was named “Green Star of the Week” by Access Hollywood. Philanthropy is also important to Tiegs – she serves on the boards of C.O.A.C.H. for Kids and the Earth Conservation Corps.
Tiegs appeared as a celebrity judge on the ABC reality show “True Beauty.” She has launched a line of skincare products called Ageless Woman by Cheryl Tiegs. She maintains a healthy and balanced life with daily meditation and exercise, such as yoga, weight training and hiking.
Born in Minnesota, she lives now in Los Angeles.
Patricia Velasquez:
With a career that spans from the glamour of modeling and films to the positive efforts of active charity work, Patricia Velasquez is far from just a pretty face. Embodying all that is beauty and strength of mind, Velasquez has a heart of gold, having never forgotten where she came from and always eager to spread messages of encouragement to young Latinas around the world.
Born in Venezuela, Velasquez climbed to the top of the fashion world becoming the first Latina Supermodel working on the runway for Chanel, Gucci, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana and Carolina Herrera to name a few. Velasquez’s exotic features have graced the covers of countless magazines such as Vogue, Bazaar and Marie Claire, and she has starred in several commercial campaigns including Allure, Pantene and New York & Co.
As an actor, Velasquez has worked in countless films and TV shows, including: “Le Jaguar,” “Zapata,” “Mindhunters,” “Fidel,” “Committed,” “CSI: Miami,” “Arrested Development,” “Rescue Me,” “Ed,” and “American Family,” but she is most recognized for her role as Ank Su Namun in the films “The Mummy” and “The Mummy Returns.” Velasquez recently executive produced and starred in “Cenizas Eternas.” Her stage debut in “School of The Americas,” produced by Philip Seymour Hoffman and written by Jose Rivera for the Public Theater in New York City, was critically acclaimed.
Velasquez is a UNESCO Artist for Peace and an active charity worker. She received the Women Together award at the UN in 2009, and in November 2010 was honored with the Solidarity Award. This last award is part of the Prix de Marie Claire de la Beauté annual awards in Spain. Her Wayúu Tayá Foundation is dedicated to improving the living conditions of Latin American indigenous groups while respecting their culture.
In 2011, Velasquez launched her hair care collection at HSN, called Taya Beauty. The products are free of parabens, sulfates, animal products and have main ingredients that are organically grown through environmentally sustainable programs of the indigenous communities of South America.
Because of her talent, beauty and social conscience, Velasquez was a guest on “Oprah,” a frequent judge at the Supermodel of the World contest sponsored by Ford Models and has been featured countless times in the main stream media as a Latina celebrity.
Velasquez is currently working on her second film as Executive Producer and lead actor, “Liz in September,” based on the famous play “Last Summer at Blue Fish Cove,” and directed by Fina Torres.
The Cast – The Men:
Clay Aiken:
Clay Aiken joins “The Celebrity Apprentice” seven years after launching his career journey on “American Idol.” After winning over millions of viewers with his phenomenal voice and down-home charm, Aiken parlayed his success into full-fledged stardom. He has sold more than six million copies worldwide of his four albums: the double-platinum “Measure of A Man” (featuring the hits “Invisible” and “This is the Night”), 2004’s platinum holiday CD “Merry Christmas With Love,” 2006’s gold-certified “A Thousand Different Ways,” and 2008’s “On My Way Here” — all of which debuted in the Top 5 on the Billboard chart.
Aiken has never sounded more at home than he does singing the lushly arranged classics on his fifth studio album “Tried and True” — the international pop phenomenon’s first album for Decca Records. The bulk of the album, which showcases Aiken’s powerful tenor voice and considerable interpretive gifts, is made up of songs from the ’50s and ’60s that Aiken grew up listening to as a child in Raleigh, North Carolina. For Aiken, “Tried and True” was about getting back to himself after a career performing more pop-oriented material.
In addition, Aiken has launched nine live tours, made the New York Times best-seller list by co-authoring the inspirational memoir “Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music In Your Life,” executive produced and starred in his first TV special, “A Clay Aiken Christmas,” and won several American Music and Billboard Music Awards — all while donating a significant amount of his time to such charities as his own foundation, National Inclusion Project and acting as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF.
In January 2008, Aiken made his Broadway debut in the role of Sir Robin in the Tony Award-winning musical “Monty Python’s Spamalot.” While admitting Broadway is a challenge he’d love to tackle again, Aiken considers the small screen his second home and has made numerous television appearances as both guest and host. He was a correspondent for “The Insider” for the 2005 Emmy Awards, co-hosted “The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet” and “Live with Regis and Kelly,” both in 2006, appeared on the sitcom “Ed” (2004) and legendary soaps “All My Children” (2005) and “Days of Our Lives” (2006). He also made guest appearances on “Scrubs” (2006) and “30 Rock” (2009).
Aiken’s whole world changed in 2008 when he became a father for the first time, with the birth of his son, Parker.
Michael Andretti:
Michael Andretti, son of racing legend Mario Andretti, is the third winningest driver in INDYCAR history with 42 victories, and led 6,702 Indy car laps during his career. Currently, Andretti is the Chairman, President and CEO of Andretti Autosport and runs two full-time driver programs in the INDYCAR series, where he has been equally successful as an owner – he is the winningest team owner in INDYCAR history.
As one of the most well-known racing personalities in the United States, Andretti stepped out of the race car on a full-time basis in 2003 as CART’s most successful driver. After a two-year absence and feeling the itch to drive again, he returned to the cockpit to drive in the Indianapolis 500 in 2006. Andretti found himself leading “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” with as little as three laps remaining and ultimately finished third, proving he is still one of the elite drivers in the world. Andretti returned to the cockpit one more time in 2007 and led one lap on his way to a 13th place finish in the final race of his career.
With his full-time driving career behind him, Andretti continues to set the standard in the racing industry, albeit from behind the pit wall. Andretti has two sons (Marco and Lucca) and a daughter (Marissa), and resides in Indianapolis with his wife Jodi.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
1991 CART PPG Indy Car World Series champion
Five-time CART championship runner-up
Ranks #3 all-time in Indy car wins (42)
32 career pole positions
Led 6,692 laps in 330 career starts
Scored at least one win in 15 consecutive seasons
Voted 2001 CART Most Popular Driver
Adam Carolla:
Adam Carolla is one of the most versatile men in Hollywood. After cutbacks forced Adam to quit his syndicated self titled “Adam Carolla Show” broadcast on CBS radio, Adam started “The Adam Carolla Show” podcast with only a computer and a microphone from his home office in February 2009. In May 2011, “The Adam Carolla Show’ was awarded Most Downloaded Podcast in the World by the official Guinness World Records.
Carolla can also be seen living out his childhood dream hosting SPEED Channel’s “The Car Show.”
In 2010, Adam also added New York Times Bestseller to his resume with his collection of rants, “In 50 Years We’ll All Be Chicks.” Carolla is currently at work on his much anticipated second book with Crown Publishing, due spring 2012.
Before running his own online empire, ACE broadcasting, out of a garage in Glendale, Adam hosted the “Adam Carolla Show” on CBS radio stations in Los Angeles, Portland and Las Vegas. The four-hour weekday morning program was syndicated in several major markets, including Seattle, Sacramento and Fresno.
Carolla wrote, co-produced and starred in the independent boxing feature film “The Hammer,” which made its world premiere at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival in New York. Additionally, Carolla has hosted Comedy Central’s “Too Late with Adam Carolla” and starred in TLC’s “The Adam Carolla Project,” which chronicled the renovation and subsequent sale of his boyhood home.
Following brief stints as a skilled carpenter and boxing trainer, Carolla began his career in radio after answering an ad seeking a boxing instructor to train then radio personality Jimmy Kimmel of KROQ’s “Kevin and Bean Show” in Los Angeles. He eventually joined the show’s repertoire as Mr. Birchum, a woodshop teacher. Carolla’s success on KROQ led to a hosting job on the nationally syndicated radio program “Loveline” with Dr. Drew Pinsky. MTV developed a television version of the show, which was co-hosted by Carolla and Pinsky for five seasons (1996-2000). The duo also authored The Dr. Drew and Adam Book: A Survival Guide to Life and Love.
With their partner Daniel Kellison, Carolla and Kimmel are the heads of Jackhole Industries and have created and starred in two hit Comedy Central shows, “The Man Show” (1999-2003) and “Crank Yankers” (2002-present). Jackhole Industries also executive produced “Gerhard Reinke’s Wanderlust,” a comedy travel show which aired on Comedy Central, and a reality-based feature film, “Windy City Heat,” which won The Comedia Award for Best Film at the 2004 Montreal Just for Laughs comedy festival.
In 2008, Carolla competed as a contestant on ABC’s hit reality series “Dancing with the Stars.” A huge car fanatic, Adam participated in the Toyota Grand Prix Celebrity Race and the Concours d’Elegance for the last several years. A native of Southern California, Carolla currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Lynette, and their twins.
Lou Ferrigno:
An internationally famous and well-respected bodybuilder and actor, Lou Ferrigno first appeared on television as “The Incredible Hulk,” the alter ego of meek scientist Bruce Banner.
In the 2008 film reboot directed by Louis Leterrier, Ferrigno provided the voice of The Hulk with a cast that included Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt and Robert Downey Jr. He also made a special cameo appearance in Ang Lee’s “Hulk” in 2003. He further provides voiceover for the UPN animated series “The Incredible Hulk,” with Peter Strauss, Mark Hamill, Kathy Ireland and Richard Moll.
Ferrigno recently starred on television in a recurring role on “King of Queens,” and guest starred on “My Wife and Kids.” Lou has voiced several characters for The Cartoon Network, and serves as spokesman for the Sit Up-Sit Down Home Gym and for Nestlé USA, Inc.
In 2009, Ferrigno starred with Paul Rudd, Jason Segel and Rashida Jones in the DreamWorks romantic comedy “I Love You, Man” directed by John Hamburg.
The summer of 2009 presented a personal challenge for Ferrigno when his long-time friend, Pop legend Michael Jackson, for whom he was a personal trainer for over 15 years, suddenly passed away. In honor of Michael, Ferrigno made over two-dozen television appearances, including Larry King Live, Good Morning America, The ABC Morning Show and Anderson Cooper. In recognition, Ferrigno was credited on the recently released Michael Jackson movie “This Is It.”
Ferrigno lives in California with his family.
Arsenio Hall:
If you ask different people where they first saw Arsenio Hall, you’d probably get a number of different answers. But, it was the success of his Emmy Award-winning late night talk show “The Arsenio Hall Show” that made him a household name. The versatile actor, comedian and producer first became involved in the arts at The Cleveland Playhouse and continued to hone his craft through his Kent State University years.
In 1979, Hall moved from Ohio to Chicago, Ill., where he tried his hand at stand-up comedy and was discovered by Jazz singer Nancy Wilson. In the following few years Hall toured, opening for twenty major headliners including Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, and Stevie Wonder. A short time later, Hall diversified his career by making numerous appearances on television shows such as “Solid Gold” and “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson,” and made his first film cameo in “Amazon Women on the Moon,” directed by John Landis.
In 1987, Hall was asked to replace Joan Rivers on the Fox Network series “The Late Show.” On the strength of his work as interim host, he was signed to a film and television deal with Paramount Pictures, which subsequently led to the opportunity to co-write and co-star in the hit comedy “Coming to America.”
On January 3, 1989, “The Arsenio Hall Show” made its debut. Virtually overnight, Hall changed the face of late night television by captivating young viewers across the country. During his successful five-year run as executive producer, Hall provided a forum for cutting-edge comedy, politics and the television debut of such pop superstars as Mariah Carey, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Boyz II Men, and countless others. In 1994, Hall was again ready to grow and diversify. He resigned from the late night gabfest to pursue other personal and professional interests.
In 1998, Hall joined the cast of the CBS’ “Martial Law,” playing Terrell Parker, a streetwise L.A.P.D. detective, for two years. He followed this up with a two-season stint as host of the new “Star Search,” and then, taking on his most challenging task to date, he returned to stand-up comedy and toured for the first time in over a decade.
Hall was featured as the comical Carl Cristall in Exodus Films’ animated feature “Igor,” starring John Cusack, and again returned to television in 2008 as host of the popular weekly series “World’s Funniest Moments” on MyNetwork TV. He also hosted the fascinating five-hour special “The Blacklist: 100 Greatest Power Moves,” which chronicled the unforgettable moments, cultural movements and personal achievement that have advanced the black race and helped change the course of American history over the past century. In addition, Hall was featured in the HBO Sports Documentary “Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals,” as well as the A&E two-hour documentary special “The Battle For Late-Night.”
Hall appeared in a memorable cameo in the highly touted 2009 feature comedy “Black Dynamite,” an homage to classic blaxploitation films. He will reprise his role as Tasty Freeze in the upcoming animated version, set to debut on Adult Swim in 2012.
Most recently, Hall was a guest mentor on OWN Network’s “Your OWN Show,” and served as guest co-host on the daily talk show “Access Hollywood LIVE.”
Penn Jillette:
Penn Jillette is a cultural phenomenon as a solo personality and as half of the world-famous Emmy Award winning magic duo and Las Vegas headliners Penn & Teller. His solo exposure is enormous: from Howard Stern to Piers Morgan, from Oprah to Glenn Beck, to the Op-Ed pages of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and the Los Angeles Times.
He has appeared on “Dancing with the Stars,” “MTV Cribs,” and “Chelsea Lately,” and hosted the NBC game show “Identity.” As part of Penn & Teller, he has appeared more than twenty times on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” as well as on several other TV shows, from “The Simpsons” and “Friends” to “Top Chef” and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.”
Jillette co-hosted the controversial series “Penn & Teller: Bullshit!,” which was nominated for sixteen Emmy Awards. He is currently co-host of the Discovery Channel’s “Penn & Teller Tell A Lie.”
Penn & Teller’s live show spent years on Broadway and is now the longest-running headliner show in Las Vegas, where it plays nightly at The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. In 2011 the pair, together since 1975, was once again awarded Las Vegas Magicians of the Year. Jillette’s newest book is “God No! Signs You Might Be An Atheist and Other Magic Tales,” which spent six weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list upon its release in summer 2011.
Dee Snider:
While perhaps best known as the lead singer of 80’s sensation Twisted Sister, there is so much more to Dee Snider. He has starred in several reality TV shows including “Gone Country” with John Rich, MTV’s “Rock the Cradle” with his son Jesse and “Growing Up Twisted,” an A&E series featuring the entire Snider family and their Long Island lifestyle. He is also a frequent host on MTV Networks and his own nationally syndicated radio show “House of Hair” is heard on more than 200 stations in North America. His career as a voiceover artist has resulted in Snider being heard in many radio and TV commercials, documentaries and a year-long stint as the introductory voice on MSNBC.
Never setting limits, Snider wrote, produced and starred in “Dee Snider’s StrangeLand.” This horror flick immediately became a classic of the genre, and “StrangeLand 2” is currently in development. With the success of “StrangeLand,” Snider was tapped to host a weekly radio show on all things horror, “Fangoria Radio.” Snider’s influence in the genre has led to a whole new generation of horror fans and producers.
In 2002, VH1 signed Snider to star as himself in their original movie production of “Warning: Parental Advisory.” Co-starring Mariel Hemingway, Jason Priestley and Griffin Dunne, Snider re-created his role during the congressional record labeling hearings of the mid 1980’s. Battling the Beltway wives, most notably Tipper Gore, Snider, along with Frank Zappa and John Denver, turned DC politics upside down, carrying the banner of Snider’s Twisted Sister legendary anthem “We’re Not Gonna Take It”.
Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn’t going to take it either. The California Governator enlisted Snider to help rally his political troops all the way to the Governor’s mansion in California. At his last political rally in Sacramento, Schwarzenegger asked Snider to lead the way in singing “We’re Not Gonna Take It.” California listened and the Terminator was elected Governor. Not to be outdone, the Mexican Government recruited Snider as well, using the anthem in a TV campaign to gain attention on their bid to set the country on a fiscal and judicial road to recovery.
His recent starring role on Broadway in the hit musical “Rock of Ages” generated national TV appearances on “TODAY,” “CNN’s Joy Behar Show” and a legendary spot on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” where Snider guested with The Spooks and Jimmy on Snider’s self-penned hit, “I Wanna Rock.” The Broadway run inspired him to make a brand new record for Razor & Tie featuring some of Broadway’s greatest songs in his own indomitable style. “Dee Does Broadway” is slated for an early 2012 release. His autobiography, “Shut Up and Give Me The Mic,” will be released in early 2012 from Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster, right before Warner Pictures releases the Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Catherine Zeta Jones and Russell Brand blockbuster film version of “Rock of Ages, “ which features two of Snider’s biggest hits.
Snider lives on Long Island with his family.
George Takei:
With a career spanning five decades, George Takei is known around the world for his founding role in the acclaimed television series “Star Trek,” in which he played Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the Starship Enterprise. Takei starred in three seasons of “Star Trek” and later reprised his iconic role in six movies. More recently, Takei won over a new generation of fans with his recurring guest role on the NBC sci-fi drama “Heroes” as Kaito Nakamura, the father of time-traveler Hiro Nakamura.
Takei is featured in the recent Universal Pictures comedy film “Larry Crowne,” starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. He also stars in the action-comedy series “Supah Ninjas” on Nickelodeon.
Takei and Tony Award winner Lea Salonga are developing a new musical called “Allegiance.” The musical is an epic story of love, family and heroism during the Japanese American internment. The 2012 “Allegiance” world premiere at the Old Globe theatre in San will be followed by a Broadway run.
Takei’s on-camera television credits include guest appearances on “Malcolm in the Middle,” “Scrubs,” “Miami Vice,” “MacGyver,” “Hawaii Five-0,” “The Six Million Dollar Man,” “Mission: Impossible,” “My Three Sons,” “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea” and “The Twilight Zone.” He has appeared on “The Big Bang Theory,” “Psych,” “3rd Rock from the Sun” and “Will & Grace.”
Takei has brought his voiceover talent to hundreds of characters in film, television, video games and commercials during his prolific career. In film, Takei can be heard voicing characters in such films as “Mulan,” “Mulan II” and “Batman Beyond: The Movie.” He has voiced characters for numerous animated series including “The Simpsons,” “Scooby-Doo and the Samurai Sword,” “Transformers: Animated,” “Kim Possible,” “Futurama,” “El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera,” “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” “Hey Arnold!,” “Samurai Jack,” “Hercules,” “Spider-Man,” “The Smurfs” and George Lucas’ “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.”
Adding to his resume, Takei has provided narration on many projects including the 2009 PBS series “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” the 2006 Peabody Award-winning radio documentary, “Crossing East,” centered on the history of Asian American immigration to the United States, and “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” (cassette) which garnered Takei a 1987 Grammy Award nomination for Best Spoken Word Album.
In addition to a busy acting career, Takei regularly appears on Howard Stern’s Sirius XM satellite radio show. He is also an accomplished author, having co-written the science-fiction novel “Mirror Friend, Mirror Foe” with Robert Asprin and published his autobiography “To the Stars” in 1994.
Takei, a Japanese American who from age 4 to 8 was unjustly interned in two U.S. internment camps during World War II, is an outspoken supporter of human right issues and community activist. Takei is chairman emeritus and a trustee of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. He has served as the spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign “Coming Out Project,” and was cultural affairs chairman of the Japanese American Citizens League. He was appointed to the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission by former President Clinton and the government of Japan awarded Takei the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, for his contribution to U.S.-Japanese relations. The decoration was conferred by His Majesty, Emperor Akihito, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. In 2007, Asteroid 7307 Takei, located between Mars and Jupiter, was named in the performer’s honor in appreciation for his social work.
Takei currently lives in Los Angeles with his husband, Brad Takei.
Paul Teutul Sr.:
Paul Teutul Sr. is known to the world as the massive and mustachioed owner of Orange County Choppers, the custom motorcycle manufacturing company featured on Discovery Channel’s hit reality series “American Chopper.” OCC originally started as a sideline to Teutul’s steel manufacturing business, which was founded in the 1970’s. Teutul began building custom motorcycles on the side as a hobby and in 1999, he founded the now world famous Orange County Choppers.
OCC jumped on the scene at Daytona Biketoberfest 1999 with “True Blue,” a classic chopper built in Teutul’s basement. The one-of-a-kind creation created a deafening buzz in the biker world and it wasn’t long after that the Discovery Channel came knocking. “American Chopper” chronicles the lives of Teutul and his crew as they battle impossible deadlines to create outrageous custom chopper creations. The show, which has contributed to the company’s quick rise to fame, debuted in September 2002 on Discovery Channel and in 2007, Discovery Channel’s sister station, TLC, took over the broadcasting and then late in 2010, the show returned to its roots and began airing again on the Discovery Channel.
Besides being OCC’s President and CEO, Teutul adds author to his title with “The Ride of a Lifetime: Doing Business the Orange County Choppers Way.” The book is filled with Teutul’s personal experience in dealing in the business world for close to 40 years.
www.orangecountychoppers.com
@OCChoppers
Source: NBC – January 4, 2012
